Master Greycourt (Abandoned)
===>>> Do Not harvest within 10 squares of my towns without my permission - armies will be sent - <<<=== Any kills made within 10 squares become mine
Darkest Honor
Monica O'Leary’s New Book “Darkest Honor” Is A Fascinating Tale Of The Macabre And The Inner Workings Of Vampire Hierarchy, With A Dash Of Humor And Droll Antics.
Newest publication “Darkest Honor” from Fulton Books author Monica O'Leary is a thrilling vampire story full of memorable characters and delightful side plots
Monica O'Leary, a cancer survivor, and gifted writer has completed her most recent book “Darkest Honor”: a dark tale of a city in the grips of a master vampire who has found himself dealing with a troublesome woman problem, along with the shenanigans of his lieutenants.
Monica shares that writing and publishing her novel has been a dream come true. She says, “I have overcome many obstacles and multiple battles with cancer, including ovarian cancer while writing ‘Darkest Honor’. My advice to anyone I meet—life is fragile and fleeting, so follow your dreams.”
Published by Fulton Books, Monica O'Leary’s book details the goings on of one, Master Xanthos Greycourt. Master Greycourt has had problems over the centuries, female problems—one of them has attempted to secretly come back, but who is she, and why has she come back?
Being a vampire master is no easy task, especially when there is a loose-lipped cop telling what he knows and he has to deal with the Abbot and Costello–style antics of his second- and third-in-command. Which will he lose first, his mind or his head?
Readers who wish to experience this delightful work can purchase “Darkest Honor” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play or Barnes and Noble.
Darkest Honor
is NOW AVAILABLE
in paperback and e-book forms on all major distributors
Official Darkest Honor website ~
http://www.fultonbooks.com/books/darkest-honor/
And on Amazon.com ~
https://www.amazon.com/Darkest-Honor-Oleary-Monica/dp/1633382249/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1471087303&sr=8-4&keywords=Darkest+Honor
Darkest Honor ~ In The Beginning ©
Chapter 4
A Princess in My Midst
The place grounds were bustling with activity when the king's carriage pulled up to the private royal entrance. Having never been to the palace, Xanthos curiously peered through a small carriage window; through all of the activity in the palace courtyards, he saw only one person clearly, Princess Valeska. She stood with a small group of ladies as they spoke among their kind; no peasant woman or child dare speak to the princess and her fiends, most would drop their faces or look away as they passed. Princess Valeska was very beautiful, and Xanthos found himself staring at her, mesmerized, he could not look away.
It was a tap on his shoulder that disturbed his trance; the youth spun around to see the king staring down at him. “You will have plenty of time to get acquainted with the palace grounds after we get you settled in. The servants will take your belongings to your chamber, it will be the one connected to Valeska's. The queen and I had hoped to have a son one day to occupy that chamber, but alas...it never came to be by birth. You have come to me instead, welcome home, my Son.”
Xanthos felt his bag being snatched out of his hand, instincts took over as he turned , pulling the bag out of the would-be thief's hand and shoving the man to the ground.
The king chuckled. “Xanthos is not accustomed to being waited on, Walenty.” The man picked himself up off the ground and dusted off the dirt from his clothing. “He meant no harm.”
“All is well, Your Majesty,” Walenty cautiously turned to Xanthos. “May I take your bag, Sire?”
“I am able to carry the bag myself.” Xanthos held on tightly to the leather handles of the bag.
“Xanthos, let Walenty take the bag, that is his duty. It will be waiting for you unharmed in your bedchamber.” Xanthos stared suspiciously at the king before turning to Walenty who waited with an outstretched hand for the bag; reluctantly, he handed the bag to the waiting servant. Walenty started to walk into the palace with Xanthos' bag in hand. “Walenty...,” the servant turned back to face the king. “There is a feline in the carriage, it goes with the bag.”
Xanthos watched as the servant entered the carriage and returned carrying the angry and frightened Henio. The feline growled, snarled, hissed and scratched as Walenty attempted to carry him into the palace, never making a sound or complaint while the cat shredded his skin with razor sharp claws that left him wounded and bleeding.
Xanthos' new bedchamber was spacious with two hearths, one at each end of the room. He walked around the room, taking in his new surroundings as he examined the fine furnishings which remarkably resembled many of the furnishings that occupied the home he had just been taken from; he suddenly felt more homesick than before. Henio had no problem settling in, the fat and spoiled cat was already asleep on a large overstuffed, down filled bed.
Have you ever heard a cat snore?
Xanthos shook his head at the sleeping feline. “It certainly did not take you long to make yourself at home.” He reached down, scratching Henio's ears; the cat yawned and started to stretch when the chamber door flew open.
The Princess, Valeska burst into the room with her entourage of Nobles a quick two steps behind her. Henio arched his back and hissed from behind the safety of Xanthos. “So, it is truth!” The princess barked as she stood in the middle of the room with both hands planted firmly on her hips, glaring at the unsuspecting Xanthos.
Remaining calm and keeping his composure in tact, Xanthos gracefully bowed his head to the princess as he spoke, “Princess...” His polite manner earned him another seething glare as the two of them locked eyes; Xanthos' eyes were warm and gentle, Princess Valeska's were brooding as her anger continued to build behind them.
“It is an outrage that a peasant should occupy half of a royal bedchamber!”
“I mean no disrespect, Princess... however, I am not a peasant.” Henio hissed at the princess from behind Xanthos. The ladies that accompanied the princess, squealed, taking a few steps backward. Xanthos glanced down at the hissing feline who was still hiding behind his feet. “Do not fear Princess, Ladies...Henio is nothing more than a frightened, fat and spoiled feline who wishes you to think that he is ferocious. I assure you, that he is not; I offer you my apology for his behavior all the same.”
Princess Valeska did her best to ignore Henio. “You certainly are not of noble blood, and I intend to demand an explanation of my father as to why you are here!”
Xanthos' chamber door opened, the king glanced at his daughter as he entered the room with a smile. “Valeska, I see that you and Xanthos have met.”
She glared angrily at her father. “Father, I demand to know why he is here in the other half of my bedchamber!”
“Xanthos will be living with our family until he is of age.”
“A peasant living among a royal family? It is an outrage!”
The king gently took his daughter's hand in his, pulling her closer to him.
She is a spoiled bitch, what he should do is slap her silly!
“Do your remember my friend, Alleron who passed away recently?”
Valeska nodded, “Yes Father, he was a good man.”
Now be sure to bat your eyes at Daddy! Another spoiled brat of privilege, don't you just love them!
“Alleron was Xanthos' father.” She stared at Xanthos with a puzzled expression, it was almost as if she were searching for some sort of resemblance.
“Is your mother staying with us as well?” Her tone had changed, softened toward Xanthos.
Hell! She was civil to him!
Xanthos dropped his gaze to the floor. “No, my mother has passed on as well.”
“So, you are an orphan!”
Well, so much for civil.
“That is worse than a peasant is!”
Would somebody please, smack this little bitch?
“Valeska...,” The king's tone grew stern. “I suggest that you get to know Xanthos, for he will be as a brother to you if it pleases you or not!”
Xanthos had drifted off to a corner of his new bedchamber. He stared sadly out an open widow as tears pooled in his eyes. Henio meowed incessantly and rubbed Xanthos' leg; the empathic feline felt his pain and offered his love.
“Xanthos...,” The king's tone was gentle again. “Is there anything that you may need?”
“No, Your Majesty...,” he continued to stare out the window. “I know my place.”
The king turned to face his daughter with a stern expression, his eyebrows knit. “Princess Valeska, I will see you in my private chamber. Your friends may return to their homes.” without so much as a nod or glance in Xanthos' direction, the king left the room.
Valeska let out an aggravated sigh; she glared at Xanthos as he continued to stare out the window. “Be certain to keep that foul feline out of my half of the bedchamber!”
“As you wish, Princess,” he said as he continued to stare out the window with Henio at his feet. Princess Valeska stormed out of the room as abruptly as she had come in, with her entourage close behind her. As the chamber door closed, Xanthos overheard one of the ladies comment. “Valeska, he is quite handsome!”
Bending down, he took the fat feline in his arms, cradling him and rubbing his belly. “You will not venture into the mean princess' bedchamber, will you?” Xanthos chuckled as the cat purred loudly. “Of course you will...just to spite her.”
“Meow,” as if to say, 'you know I will'.
©
- "Few": Less than 4 units
- "Handful": 5 to 8
- "Several": 9 to 21
- "Pack": 22 to 81
- "Many": 82 to 128
- "Gathering": 129 to 227
- "Horde": 228 to 462
- "Throng": 463 to 815
- "Host": 816 to 2,500
- "Legion": 2,501 to 9,999
- "Myriad": 10,000 to 25,000
- "Sea": 25,001 to 49,999
- "Cornucopia": 50,000 or more