Day Two of NaNoWriMo

It is Day Two of National Novel Writing Month and I have written 5,149 words of my 50,000 word goal. Some of you have asked for sneak peeks so here are a few paragraphs to whet your appetite.

Enjoy!


TALES OF ELLMORIA: (Book One) THE BEE SINGER'S DAUGHTER

COLEESTA

Chief Whemalac had three wives, 13 sons and 7 daughters. His daughters were pretty, but the oldest was beautiful, as her mother, the chief’s first wife had been. Her name was Coleesta. She had hair the colour of the clearest honey. It flowed down her back in golden waves. Her eyes were amber, like his, but where Whemalac’s eyes were narrow and piercing, Coleesta’s eyes were wide and soft. Whemalac expected to catch a nice dowry price for Coleesta. As long as she remained a virgin (he had warned and threatened her to never be alone with a boy), he could ask any price he liked. Whemalac often took Coleesta with him when he visited the wealthier homes in Veroven. (His visits were more to see if any of his citizens were holding out on him and if he should be charging them more than he was at present.) Whemalac also took Coleesta with him when he visited the seaport town of Beiling to trade with them.

“Turn around, girl,” Whemalac ordered Coleesta. “Let the man get a good look at you.”

Coleesta felt her skin crawl as the greasy little man’s eyes roved over her body.

“Smile, girl,” her father barked, clapping his hands. “See those white teeth? And she’s a bee singer, too; one of the best.”

The little man, quite twice the age of her father, rubbed his grimy hands together and smiled up at her through a grin that looked like a cob home with too many windows and not enough walls. Beneath his head shawl were ragged black eyebrows and a nose with wide, crusty nostrils. He licked his leather-like lips and nodded his head. Coleesta blinked back tears and swallowed the bile in her throat.