Cover

As promised, here's the cover to Wildlanders' Woman, to be released soon!

Titles and a Sneak Peek from Wildlanders' Woman

So here's a little section from the upcoming Wildlanders' Woman. I know originally I was going to call it Wildlanders' Woman Book 1: Ava, but the way the story is progressing, I've decided it would be inaccurate to name each book after the main female character. Ava's story will continue through the next few novels. So I'm going to call the first book Wildlanders' Woman, First Novel of the Wildlanders. I'll release the cover later this week.

Anyhow, I'm in the final edits for Ava's story, and here's a sneak peek of a section I rather like from about two-thirds of the way through the book.

Jodah woke in the dark hours of the night, wondering what felt wrong. It took him only a moment to realize that his arm lay over empty bed, not soft woman, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Blaise’s ugly mug, not the beauty of his bride.

He crossed to the doorway on silent feet, passing the smaller bed, where Killian and Daven slept, curled together like pups. Looking down at the peaceful, sleeping faces, he felt a rush of affection.

In the main room, their new bride sat on a cushion, staring into the darkened gel-fire pit. A single lantern, left on through the night as always, provided the only light.

Jodah took the seat next to her. “What ye thinking?”

She offered him a brief smile. “It’s fine.”

“I knows that’s not true.”

“No, it isn’t.” She stared at the darkened firepit a while longer, hugging her knees to her chest. Finally, she said, “this is your life, isn’t it?”

“Eh?”

“This… the Dark Ones, the fighting, people dying… that’s how it is in the Wildlands.”

“Aye. We’ve known nothing else.” Jodah knew that the Soft folk didn’t live in a world where they worried about violence or weapons. He knew many Softfoot men went through life without ever lifting a sword. He couldn’t imagine it.

“None of them realize, you know. I mean, we’re aware that there are Wildlanders, and that we need them because of the Dark Ones, but it’s not real. Especially for girls, we think about Wildlanders and all we can do is worry that we might end up as a Tribute. Nobody thinks about what you actually have to do.”

“Is just what we do. What we’ve always done.” Jodah took her hand. “Blaise and Killian, their fathers died fighting a deragon… that’s a flying beast that can sometimes breathe fire. Just sometimes, though. The fire-breathers, they does it all the time. Anyhow, Barrowen, their mam, she couldn’t take the grief and died not too long after.”

Ava’s face was solemn. “How old were they?”

“Blaise, twenty-four. Killian was but seventeen.”

“And their mother really died of grief?”

“Happens sometimes. It’s the bonding… our seed in ye. Our bodies get in tuned with each other, start needin’ each other. It’ll come with you too, after a while. Even when you’re mad at us you’ll need us.”

Ava cringed, but she nodded slowly. “People have said something about that. It seems rather cruel in one way, but good in another. I suppose it makes for closer families… less problems?”

Jodah shrugged. “We’se people, aren’t we? Everyone has problems. But Wildlanders, we all grows up like this, so we knows how it works. Your Clan is your life. Ye works for them, lives for them, dies for them. So when ye choose, ye chooses carefully, because once you’re in, there’s no way out.”

“Did you?”

He could pretend he didn’t know what she meant, but he knew it was good she asked him questions. “Me, I wasn’t happy about Daven and Killian. Blaise and me, we grows up best friends, close as brothers, and we learns to be warriors together. I always knows we’d Clan. I figured it would just be us, or maybe Tamun too. But he started his own.”

“Why don’t you like Daven and Killian?”

Jodah shifted uncomfortably. “I loves them now. They bring sore-needed laughter. But me and Blaise, we mostly fucks women.”

“But that warrior at the ceremony, and with Daven in the bedchamber that day….”

“Aye. Everyone does that from time to time, just for release sake. But if I gets to choose, I usually chooses a woman. And Blaise… last few years, he won’t touch a cock but his own. The boys, though… they loves each other.”

“I know.” Ava smiled, something dreamy drifting through her eyes. “It’s quite beautiful.”

“It is. But it’s not easy, in a Clan, where it’s like that, some one way, some another. And Daven was such a merry little prankster, drove me half mad at first. Killian I thought too soft, too gentle, like a babe in need of protection, and I thought he should act more like a man.”

As he spoke, he wondered if she’d take offense to his words. But she simply listened. “Why did you stay in the Clan, then?”

“Blaise,” he said simply. “He’s a fine leader, the best I know. And my closest friend. We’se like two halves of a whole. I don’t wants to be without him, so I agree to take on the other two. And over time, I comes to love them. Daven, for all his jokes, is a fine hunter. Keeps us well-fed, and always has enough extra to give and to trade. And for all the times I comes home with scrapes and cuts from fighting the Dark Ones… well, is nice to have a healer in the Clan.”

“You all have a place.”

“Aye.” Pain bloomed in Jodah’s throat. Magon and Garock had had a place, both in the community and with one another. He’d spent many hours with Magon, sharpening his skill with the longsword.

Ava suddenly crawled up onto his lap, wrapping her arms round him. “It’s all right to be sad,” she whispered. “I know they were your friends.”

Jodah struggled to speak past the pain swelling in his throat. “It happens, over and over, but it gets no easier. I sees a lot of death, little one, and each one kills me a bit inside.”

“Yes.” Ava stroked his head. “You’re not just yourselves… this place, this Clan… all of you are a part of one another, too. It’s different. I’ve never been a part of anything… I mean, I had a family, and it hurt to lose them, but I always thought that I’d feel like I… belonged once I was married, you know? That’s when I’d have my real place. I’d belong to my husband. But then this happened… and I see all of you here… you all belong to each other.”

Jodah hugged her tightly, desperate to sink into her warmth and her softness, desperate for a glimpse of light in the dark pain of his world. “Ye belongs here,” he rasped. “Ye belongs to me and Blaise and Daven and Killian. Ye belongs to this Clan, in this Clan, and ye belonsg in this circle. This is your place. With us. Ye belongs to us, and we belongs to ye.”

Sniffling, Ava traced her fingers along his hairline, across the deep scars that marred his flesh. “Yes. I think I’m starting to see that.”

Jodah smiled even as the first sob ripped free, harsh and primitive. In the way of men, he did not like to weep. But as a warrior who had faced much loss, he knew it was necessary for the soul. He had to release some of the pain, or it would infect and destroy him. He clutched his bride close and let the cries wrench from his heart, and let his tears mingle with hers.

Map

Here's a basic map of the world of Arcadia and the Wildlands. I've labelled all the important places for the time being, but it's most definitely a work in progress. At some point, I want to get up a nice full-color rendering with a lot more detail, The program I used is called Campaign Cartographer 3 and it's a fantastic little piece of software if you're at all into fantasy writing or RPGs. (No, they didn't pay me to say any of that, but they've been very good to me so I wanted to give them a shout-out). If you can't get a good view of the map, click on it, and the JPEG will enlarge.

The Wildlands

The Wildlanders tend to be larger than Arcadians, extremely strong, and have very little genetic predisposition to feel fear. They call Arcadians Softfoots or Soft-Born.Their society is governed by an intricate system of ancient traditions, generally referred to as ‘the old ways’. Unlike the Arcadians, the Wildlanders’ codes of conduct and morality are rarely discussed and even more rarely written down. They depend instead upon intrinsic understanding and some oral tradition. The basic values of Wildlander society are honor, courage, and respect for the Earth.

 Wildlanders tend to live in small communities known as circles, which remain in the same place for centuries at a time. Housing is often built with a deep sense of permanence. In mountainous areas, homes are carved into caving systems. If no caves are available, homes are made of stone, sturdy enough to last for generations. Their system of faith centers around ‘the Souls’, which can be interpreted as saints. Religious leaders are the elders, the most powerful of which is always the Clan Mother, who is most often a healer as well. Each circle has a Clan Mother, all of whom can communicate with one another along a common psychic path. Though most Wildlanders have some ‘sixth sense’, an ability to sense the emotions of those close to them, only Clan Mothers are able to take it so far.

The biggest weakness of Wildlander society is a very strong disposition to breed male, rather than female children. Some families go for five or more generations without birthing one daughter. The Wildlanders have adapted to this by creating Clan groups, two to four males who seek out a single female. This system is also beneficial because of the high mortality rate of Wildlander warriors. If one dies fighting the Dark Ones, there is usually one, or more, mates remaining to care for their bride and children.

The agreement with Arcadia regarding Tribute Brides has been beneficial to Wildlander society. As they’ve had a long history of practicing marriage by capture, they see nothing immoral in taking the often frightened and unwilling exiled Arcadian women as brides. Their marriage ceremony, which consists of at least two Clan members simultaneously penetrating their bride, is rarely enjoyed by Arcadian-born women. However, after the ceremony comes a 'bonding' period, where the Clan members are released from their community duties temporarily to devote their energies into comforting their new mate and helping her get used to her new life. The process involves gentling the bride to the touch of her mates. The Arcadian women's sexual impulses, stifled by their old society, are brought to life and indulged to the utmost. Many Arcadian women emerge from this time quite happy with their Clans.

Wildlander society embraces sexuality, and encourages its members to explore their natural urges, particularly during young adulthood. As there is no prohibition or prejudice against same-sex relationships, almost all Wildlanders do some experimenting of that nature. To form a Clan group, a man must receive the permission of their circle elders. Such permission is only granted to strong warriors who have proven themselves as capable leaders of good character. Male Clan groups usually consist of close friends or lovers. Allowed, but less common, is brothers joining the same Clan. This hesitation comes from the strong incest prohibition within Wildlander society. As sexuality is considered fluid, it’s common for male Clan members to have relations with one another. Once a Clan has been formed, it is expected that they will cease all intimate relationships outside the group. The only concession to this is in the case of Clans who do not have a bride. Then they are permitted to engage with what are known as ‘public’ women, basically prostitutes. Even this can only be done with the agreement of all members.

Once a Clan has acquired a bride, they are never to stray from the bounds of the Clan for intimacy. This is generally not difficult, as the more the Clan members exchange fluids, the more addicted to one another’s bodies they become. When one Clan member dies, the others often become physically ill from withdrawal. In a Clan, when children are born, all male members are considered to be ‘fathers’. This leads to a very complex kinship system. Wildlanders often move between Circles, if for no other reason than to find sexual partners with whom they share no blood ties.

Arcadia

The Wildlanders series is set in two main places - Arcadia and the Wildlands. I'll be putting up some blurbs explaining a bit about of the cultures and the peoples.

Arcadia

As the name suggests, Arcadia is a gentle, pastoral utopia. Small farms dot the hills, and neat, orderly cities are built as hubs. There’s a place for everything and everything belongs in its place. The society is governed by a strict system of rules and mores, and laws are rarely broken. Training in both the legal and social expectations begins very early, and is a continual process.

The Arcadians call themselves the Cultured Peoples, or Cultured Folk, and pride themselves on their refinement, civilization, and peaceful society. Everyone receives a basic education, and the local Scholars’ Guilds are fastidious about preserving knowledge for the generations to come. Though there are some people wealthier than others, hoarding money is seen as severely selfish, so there is not vast income inequality. 

Physically, the ideal Arcadian is slim, fine-boned, and delicate-featured. Anything bulky, broad, or oversized smacks of a lack of civilization. Pale coloring is the norm, though there are a few groups of people in the south of the country who are dark-skinned and black-haired. In the northern areas, many young men find these unusual-looking women exotic and beautiful, as long as they are slim and fine of feature.

As Arcadia believes their strength lies in the family structure, there is a great emphasis on marriage. All young women of sound health and mind are required to be wed by their twenty-fourth birthday, or face exile. As men are the primary breadwinners and often need to complete their educations and apprenticeship, there is no maximum marrying age for the male half of the population. As sexual relations outside of marriage are considered taboo, possibly resulting in the loss of employment, social censure, and, in extreme cases, legal consequences, most Arcadians tend to marry young. If a baby is born six, rather than nine months after the wedding, it’s simply not mentioned in polite conversation.

Overall, the society is patriarchal. Girls are under the protection and authority of their fathers or another male relative until they marry, at which time that transfers over to their husbands. A woman cannot be forced to marry against their will, but if she does not marry in time, she is sent beyond the walls of Arcadia. Once a girl is gone, she’s never to be spoken of again. As she’s considered to have dishonored herself and her family by failing to attract a mate, she’s no longer worthy of mention within Arcadian society.

Titles are very important. A young woman is called ‘Miss Lastname’ until she’s reached the age of seventeen, where she can be married. Until she’s wed, she’s known as ‘Maiden Lastname’. After her marriage, she’s addressed as ‘Mistress HusbandsLastname’. A boy is known as ‘Master’ until he’s married. Then he becomes ‘Mister’. If he holds a position in the community of high honor, like in government, he’s called by his title, ie ‘Commissioner’, as it invokes high status.

The main form of religion is worship of the Hallowed Stars, which are believed to be the source of wisdom and life. There are numerous rituals and symbols associated with this faith, and it is a big part of daily life. Parish priests are some of the most powerful leaders in the community. To openly defy one is to open oneself up to serious disapproval from the public.

Most Arcadians’ biggest fear is social censure. As they consider themselves civilized and cultured, they care very much about the opinions of others. ‘But what might people think?’ is a common worry.

Arcadia is protected by a massive stone wall that surrounds the country on all sides but the Southern coastline. Nobody gets out or in without having a good reason, and the borders are very secure. The biggest threat to this security comes from the Dark Lands, mysterious and lawless places inhabited by a variety of evil, supernatural creatures. Between Arcadia and the Dark Lands lies the Wildlands. The inhabitants there, a fierce race of barbarian warriors known simply as the Wildlanders, are seen as savage and primitive by the Arcadians. Unfortunately, the Wildlanders are the only people capable of effectively defeating the evil which comes from the Dark Lands.

For the past two generations, the Arcadians and the Wildlanders have had an agreement. The Wildlanders will protect Arcadia’s borders from the Dark Ones, and the Arcadians will send females beyond the walls to be the warriors’ brides. Arcadian law states that any woman facing exile (that is, has reached age twenty-four without marrying) will be sent as a bride, commonly called a Tribute.

Welcome!

Hello, and welcome to my blog. If you love the Wildlanders series, this is the place to be! I'll be adding extra information about the Wildlanders world, character profiles, extra scenes, and sneak peaks at upcoming books. Thanks for checking it out, and I hope you enjoy what you see.