Sunday Snippet: A Timely Distraction

Well, June is off to an auspicious start. Not only a pandemic still raging but global protests against police brutality and systematic racism. It's a wild time to be alive. Whew.

Not a bad week of television viewing overall, especially considering how intense this past week has been. I started out with some new Blue Heelers and almost finished up the episode.

Also caught several more episodes of Danger Man. I'm almost through the second season and should be starting the third soon.

I did indeed start Gabriel's Inferno and I've been catching bits and pieces throughout the week. This is a movie I want to watch during uninterrupted time so it'll take me a while to get through the full two hours. I'm excited there will be more to come with a second part to this and I think two more books to adapt. Good stuff so far.

Also did some additional listening to the Battlestar Galactica soundtrack for season three. I'm going to have to hunt down the works I don't have from Bear McCreary. He's truly a remarkable composer.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from A Timely Distraction, a fairytale-style fantasy.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Donahue Stuart, prince and heir to his father's throne, longs for grand adventures, but danger lurks from raiders and marauders, out for royal blood. Enter Lady Vivian, daughter of the king's oldest friend, and a kindred spirit who shows Donahue he can have all the magnificent escapades he wants, right in his own realm.

And a preview snippet…

Damon Stuart, the reigning monarch of Kendara entered his son's suite of rooms unannounced. "Donahue Malcolm MacKinnon Stuart! Where are you?" His voice boomed, carrying out to the balcony.

Hue winced. "Shit. All four names. He knows about Delia." He'd hoped to keep the dalliance under wraps a little while longer.

Heaving a sigh, Hue pushed away from the stone abutment and turned to enter his sitting area. His father paced back and forth, muttering under his breath. Hue paused a moment, wishing they could agree on at least one single topic for once. Probably not going to happen today.

Hue cleared his throat. "I'm right here, Father." He didn't say more; no use poking at his dad when he already had a full head of steam boiling out of his ears.

Damon whirled around. "What were you thinking? Bedding Delia Sinclair." He began pacing again. "Fitzmar just set her up as his mistress. He paid her tribute price and expected to have a solid return on his investment." He stopped walking again and sent his son a scathing look. "You've ruined her for that now."

Hue rolled a shoulder. "It's not my fault I'm well-endowed or that she snuck into my bathing chamber. You employ servants who are supposed to keep the latter from happening." Of course, Delia slipped a bag of coins to the footman for the privilege of watching Hue bathe.

Why would anyone consider it a privilege? Oh, right. I'm the prince and heir to the throne.

Damon grunted. "And you couldn't have refused her advances? Especially knowing Fitzmar had claim?" A grimace of distaste belied the king's words.

King Stuart loathed the court consort tradition but couldn't do much to disabuse visiting dignitaries from engaging in the exchange of tributes between his noblemen and those from other kingdoms.

Hue ripped the scab off an already festering wound. "Why should I? It's the only time I have contact with the realms outside of Kendara." He gave his dad a pointed look. "I might not have to resort to bedding the comely women who track me down if you'd actually let me travel without an entourage of guards and gibbon-faced advisors." He'd be twenty in a month's time and hadn't seen anything of the world that didn't involve some kind of courtly fanfare.

He longed to explore, visit villages outside of Kendara's realm, see how other people lived their lives.

Damon laid a hand on Hue's shoulder. "You know why you can't." Sadness weighed his father's words.

Yeah, he did. A promise made to his mother on her deathbed—to always keep Hue safe. Ah, Mom, why would you do that to me?

Damon sighed. "We've had this argument too many times, my son."

Hue lifted his chin, acknowledging the truth of those words. "And we'll keep having it until you see reason, Dad." Which might happen just shy of never.

Damon shook his head. "You'll have to make recompense to Fitzmar. He's frothing over the loss of Delia."

Hue quirked a brow. "She's really refusing to honor her contract?" Not that Hue blamed her; women shouldn't have to barter their looks and talent to have a place in court.

The king sent Hue a sideways glance. "After bedding you? I'm sure she's holding out hope to become a royal asset."

Which would never happen because Damon abolished the horrible practice when he became betrothed to Hue's mother.

Hue frowned. "I'll forward the tribute price with an added ten percent to Fitzmar. That will soothe his tattered ego. As for Delia, she can wish and hope until time's end but I explained our liaison would be a one-time occurrence." He never made promises he wouldn't keep.

The idea and practice of stringing people along irritated him. His father's tutelage and demonstrations of being up front, honest, and open in his dealings stuck with Hue and helped shape him into a man he hoped his mother would be proud of.

Damon shook his head. "Fitzmar will accept the offering, but he'll make his disappointment known. That's something you'll have to deal with." Exhaling slowly, he continued. "You arrogance is going to do you in someday, Hue. And probably make your future wife wary with fear of being married to you, a man with a voracious appetite for sex."

Hue snorted. "I doubt that. I won't wed a simpering mess who can't handle physical intimacy, Dad." The thought made him cringe.

He'd bedded the most amazing mistresses and courtesans in the kingdom. Hue wanted a woman in bed; one that had the same passions he had. Like his father, Hue wanted to be true to his wife.

He met his dad's eyes squarely. "I want what you and Mother had, to be of one heart and in tune with each other."

Damon's gaze drifted to the balcony doors. "I hope you find someone who loves you the way your mother loved me, and that you return her feelings tenfold." He faced Hue again. "But try to be more circumspect with your dalliances until you find her."

Hue rolled his eyes. "If you'd let me leave and travel a little, no one would be the wiser to my conquests." And he'd finally have the longed-for freedom he wanted so badly.

Damon's lips thinned to a slash across his face. "You've had quite enough adventure in this castle; let's not start the same argument again."

Hue conceded. "Fine, Dad. Consider the subject closed." He gave a slight bow and stalked back out onto the balcony, needing the fresh air and distance from the king.

How can I effectively lead a kingdom if I've never truly been out in the world?

The honest answer made his head ache.

He couldn't.

I have a lot of fun mixing and blasting through some of the established norms of fairytales. Hue is a joy to write.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye