Excerpt from Chapter 2: Ekala and her entourage are traveling along the Sol Linden River on their way to the North Ford.

Captain Susa awakened Ekala in the middle of the night.

“Oleen, Oleen.” The captain whispered urgently.

Ekala grasped the handle of the sword on the ground beside her. “What is it?”

“There are strange sounds coming from the river,” Susa replied.

Ekala heard the nervousness of the horses as they snorted and paced along their rope line. They sensed danger. Ekala Oleen threw off the blankets and felt the cold surround her. She pulled on her boots and a coat held by Susa. The moon and stars were hidden by clouds darkening the earth. Carrying her sword sheathed in its scabbard, she followed the captain and another guard to the river’s edge. Two other Oleen guards were kneeling there.

Ekala expected to hear splashing noises or something in the water; instead, over the low hiss of the river’s streaming current she could hear moans and scratching, like claws on bark. She was surprised that the sounds appeared so close, yet knew that they must be coming from the wilderness across the river.

“Wake up Maz and Camp,” Ekala told the guard.

“We’re here.”

She heard Maz’s voice in the dark. He came closer so that they could see one another.

“That is what we heard every night passing through the wilderness,” he said. “Twice we were attacked by a beast that was so quick we couldn’t tell what it was. It was fast like a deer, but much bigger with jaws of a wild hound. It growled and moaned like a dog and hissed like a snake. Despite our attempts we never touched it with a sword.”

“I’ve never head of such a creature,” Ekala said and listened to the animal sounds for a moment then slowly shook her head. “Hopefully the river will keep it from us. Still, stay alert Captain, and calm the horses. I’m going back to sleep.”

“Aren’t you worried,” Maz asked.

“No, not until whatever that thing is gets over here.”

In the morning, Ekala was up with the cooks and the changing of the guard. She shook off the cold and walked the river’s bank with Shadahn trailing her, checking for tracks and scanning the land on the other side. The terrain on the southern side of the river was a treeless, rolling plain. Whereas the northern shore was a forested, mysteriously obscure landscape. The contrast, separated by the murky river, was disturbing. The earth itself seemed to cry out that something was wrong.

“Oh, Thunder,” she said, with a deep breath. “I wish you were here to warn me of the dangers of this place. And, Bubo, you could fly in and out of that wilderness so silently they’d never know you were there.”

Shadahn bumped Ekala with her head.

“All right, tell me what you think, girl,” Ekala said in response.

The sleek, black warhorse snorted and stomped once with her front hoof.

“I agree. This place doesn’t feel right at all, does it?”

She thought of Thalmus and his companions enjoying the peacefulness at the Great Water. Maybe she could go there on their way back to Ambermal. That would be enjoyable, except for the terrible trail through the Barrier Forest. No, a side excursion was not possible. There was too much to be done, and although this journey was important, it was delaying necessary work back in the court of Ambermal.

Ekala looked one more time at the foreboding forest across the river. “Well, I’m hungry, how about you?”

Shadahn bobbed her head and snorted.

“I thought so.” Ekala said, patting Shadahn’s neck and rubbing her nose. “Let’s get back to camp.”

After breakfast, the entire Force mounted up and started west along the river at a steady, easy pace. Camp dropped back to be the rear guard while Maz joined Queen Ekala riding in front of the column. The forward scouts were already out. Ekala was relaxed. However, Maz kept rising off his saddle to view the distant terrain in all directions.

“You slept in,” Ekala said. “Haven’t seen you miss a meal since your recovery from the wound.”

“I was up all night patrolling the river bank,” Maz replied.

She looked at him curiously. “Was that necessary? We had double guards posted all night.”

“I know,” Maz said. “It’s not that I don’t trust your soldiers, I don’t trust this place.”

“Truly, you think whatever is over there can get across that wild river and attack without us knowing about it?” she asked.

“What’s over there is evil, and I don’t know what it can’t do.”

Ekala studied him. “You worry me, Maz. Something’s got hold of you. We best pick it up and get on to the North Ford as fast as we can.”

She urged Shadahn into a fast trot and the whole column increased their pace. They rode all morning without speaking further until stopping to rest and eat at midday. Maz and Camp were quite hungry by then from missing breakfast. Getting their portion of bread and salted mutton, they sat with the Oleens to eat, letting the horses loose to drink at the river and graze. Maz tried not to look in the direction of the river. Eventually, he could not help himself. The Prince of Toulon stood and gazed across the water at his homeland, at the land he had been forced to flee and was still too dangerous for him to return. Ekala noticed his yearning and decided to leave him alone.

It has become apparent that the kingdoms of Toulon and Banyon are up to serious mischief. The young generations of royalty in those two countries are plotting against the Kingdom of Ameram.

As Ekala and Maz travel along the Sol Linden River to the Northern Ford, they are discovering turmoil and threats from across the river. New characters are appearing and pushing their way into the story. Some are allies, others are not, and I’m sure a few in particular will cause serious trouble for Thalmus, his companions and Ekala. I have also been learning more about Prince Bolimaz’s family and the dangerous politics of the Royal Court of Toulon. It will be a long struggle for Maz, the heir to the throne, and his followers to regain control of their homeland. I’m afraid that Ekala Oleen may be drawn into this intrigue because of her support of Maz.

The most disturbing news is what Thalmus has told me about Chorgens, the beasts that are stalking Ekala and Boschina. Long ago, the creatures were bred for game fighting and hunting. They were extremely fast runners, could leap long distances, had an incredible ability to follow a scent and were nocturnal. They were bred in different shapes, sizes and various degrees of ferociousness. Generally, they can best be described as half dog (for control and training) and half Hyena for wild aggressiveness. Some were the size of a large dog, but most were the height of a small horse. They were unpredictable, vicious beasts. Because the animals were uncontrollable, had no fear of humans, and therefore dangerous, people stopped breeding them. Chorgens had not been seen in many years and were believed to be extinct – until now.

Here are some brief profiles of new characters that have entered the story whose histories I have researched at the AARI (Ameram Archeological and Research Institute).

King Souma (Sue-mah): this is the third generation in the Souma line to be king of Toulon. He had a competitive relationship with King Ahmbin of Ameram and mocked him for not having any sons. Souma had three sons, two of which maliciously coveted their father’s throne.

Prince Sharpna (Sharp-nah): second son of King Souma of Toulon was always jealous of his older brother, Bolimaz; he conspired constantly to usurp him as heir. Sharpna married Princess Contra of Banyon to solidify control of the two countries.

Prince Tamar (Ta-mar): third born son of King Souma of Toulon, was an impetuous child of a man with an arrogant attitude of entitlement. He ignored tradition and was as devious as he was handsome. His fits of anger and rash behavior are well documented.

Lord Glasrauss II (Glaw-sir-ahs): First born son of Lord Glasrauss of Middle Field in Toulon; a powerful, wealthy family with large land holdings. He joined with two of the Souma sons to control the country. Records show that at various times in their history the family raised and fought Chorgens for sport.

Benton (Ben-ten): born in Northern Toulon of a farmer merchant family, he became a swordsman with a reputation for skill, power and integrity. He opposed the rising militant control of the country and fled to Ameram with his family to avoid serving in the army under the oppressive rule of Prince Sharpna.

Ned – teenage son of Benton – although he admired his father, he preferred the bow and arrow over the sword. He was earnest about his choice of weapon but lacked the training needed to be a skilled archer. Like his father, he was compassionate, believed in justice and was protective of his mother and sisters.

Nita (Nee-tah), full name was Nitanador: a surprisingly durable, short, elderly woman. She served in the household of the royal family of Toulon for many years until being released for voicing her opinion about the political shift of King Souma. She sided with Prince Bolimaz and his supporters and had to flee for her life when they were chased out. She had waited on Ekala as a child when the young princess and King Ahmbin visited Toulon in more congenial days.

Lander: a fierce Oleen warrior, a great archer, trained at Table Top, fought in the Great Battle of Ambermal with Larma’s army of Oleens and then became one of Ekala’s guards.

Kartaykars – a race of short, sinewy tree climbing people that were also changelings. Their skin was weathered and creased like the bark of a tree. They had long fingers and toes that resembled roots. A resilient and tough people, they protected, maintained and lived in the mysterious and deadly Grove. These creatures were rarely seen because they never ventured outside of the Grove, and most travelers entering the Grove were never seen or heard from again.

This excerpt is from THE SEQUEL to The King’s Frog Hunter (currently being written), Chapter One. Boschina, the Stone Cutter’s Daughter, along with Captain Ritzs and a Force of Oleen soldiers are on a mission to find Thalmus and deliver to him a mysterious message from Larma. They have been trailed and threatened by a nocturnal beast that they have yet to see as they continue across the desolate Western Hills on the trail to the Great Water.                                                                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The night had been tense and the morning did not look much better as the Oleens swung up onto their horses, formed a column with Boschina and Ritzs in the lead and hurried on toward the Great Water. Throughout the day they watched for animals but saw nothing beyond the barren land and smelled only the constant foul odors from the stagnant ponds.  By night fall they had reached the edge of the Barrier Forest. The evening mist hung in the trees, day light was fading, and the trail was disappearing in the growing darkness.

“Let’s camp here,” Captain Ritzs said. “We’ll enter the forest in the morning.”

“Good,” Boschina agreed. “I’m tired.”

The Oleens gathered wood from the base of the trees and started the first fire that they’d had in three nights. The weary soldiers watered and secured the horses, then after eating a hot meal and posting guards, they bedded down with the hope of a restful night. Boschina was exhausted. Still, she tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable, and to empty her mind of images that kept dancing through her thoughts. Larma’s message in her breast pocket beat softly. She was drifting in and out of sleep when she heard someone whisper, “Stone Daughter…Stone Daughter.”

She opened her eyes. Had she dreamt that or was someone calling her? She looked around. The fire was still burning with a glow of crackling embers. Everyone was asleep in various positions around the fire, except for the guards, one on each side at the edge of camp. Her horse, Radise, was calm, not showing any concern. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. Quietly at first, and then growing louder she heard the voice again. “Stone Daughter…Stone Daughter, come.” It was a soft voice, a comforting voice, almost like her father’s.

Boschina sat up. This time she knew someone was calling her, someone who needed to talk with her. She threw off her blanket, grabbed her sword and walked to one of the guards.

“Did you hear someone calling me?” she asked the soldier.

“I haven’t heard anything,” the woman replied, “just the rustling of those tree leaves.”

Boschina looked toward the forest. Sparks from the fire fluttered up at the trees and were snuffed out by the drifting mist. She started walking back to her blanket when she heard the voice again, calling her. It was coming from the forest. She grasped the handle of her sword and started toward the trees when she heard Ritzs’ voice.

“Where are you going?”

Turning, she saw Captain Ritzs putting wood on the fire. “Someone is calling me from the forest,” Boschina answered.

Ritzs glanced toward the trees then back at Boschina. “I think, if someone friendly wanted to speak with you they’d come forward, into the light of the fire, don’t you?”

The question surprised Boschina. She suddenly felt alert and realized that she had been mesmerized by the voice – drawing her away from the others.

“I don’t know what you’re hearing,” Ritzs said. “If the rest of us can’t hear this voice then something’s not right.”

Looking back at the forest, Boschina shook her head. “Maybe I dreamt it.”

“Maybe, but something is troubling you, something more than that strange beast that’s been following us. The sooner we get to Thalmus, the better you’ll be.”

Boschina felt the rhythmic hum of Larma’s note against her chest. “You’re right, Captain. We need to find Thalmus.” She returned to her blanket, under Ritzs’ watchful eyes, and curled up to sleep.

Larma was right. The insidious opposition to Ekala becoming queen had not surrendered. Yes, Metro was defeated, but the blood of evil does not die easily. As soon as I entered into Ameram–into the world of the Frog Hunter–I discovered the peace that the kingdom had hoped for was in serious peril.

Queen Ekala Oleen, along with Prince Bolimaz, his friend and bodyguard Camp, and a Force of Oleens had already left Table Top and were on their way to the North Ford of the Sol Linden River. I had to hurry to catch up and got there just in time to see a strange, vicious beast stalking Ekala. Fortunately, it was on the other side of the river, though the queen, in her confident attitude, challenged the creature to a race with her riding the beautiful and fast warhorse, Shadahn. Surprisingly, the panting beast kept pace until quickly disappearing into the forest when Bolimaz rode up to join Ekala.

Meanwhile, Larma had sent Boschina with a message written in an ancient script for Thalmus and his companions.

    “I want you to take a Force, find Thalmus, and give him this,” Larma said calmly, though her demeanor was serious. She did not reach out with the item. Instead, the folded cloth lay in her open palm close to her body, as if she was protecting an object too valuable to expose.

    Boschina carefully lifted the message and immediately felt its weigh. She looked up into Larma’s eyes, and was struck by the sense of importance. Tightening her grasp on the cloth, Boschina tucked it into the inner breast pocket of her vest where she felt it begin to throb in rhythm with her heart.

While on her journey with the devoted Captain Ritzs and a second Force of Oleens, I realized the same kind of creature that was chasing Ekala was also following Boschina on her way to the Great Water. This animal is a wild beast that had not been seen in Ameram for generations. I will not describe it here for you because the creature existed in several forms and sizes and I want to be certain which one it is. I will rely on Thalmus, the hunter, to inform me. The strange animal had been bred for dangerous sport hunting and game fighting by a lord in the northern country of Banyon. This is a kingdom of which I have little knowledge. I will have to research its history at the Heritage Institute, and also visit the Ameram Archeological and Research Center. More on this later–I must go. Boschina is approaching the Great Water in search of Thalmus, and Ekala’s force has discovered an unusual encampment near the North Ford. Both are in danger.

An interesting thing about writing fiction is that characters you have created never leave you. They are always there, somewhere in your gray matter, and will pop up most unexpectedly and demand attention, even when you think that you have put them to bed. The characters in The King’s Frog Hunter are no exception. They have been exhibiting this annoying behavior since I finished writing their book. I have been receiving requests from readers for a second KFH story. As I contemplate whether to write a sequel, my characters have been quite vocal as to their opinion. Since I value their input, I have decided to listen.

The Stone Cutter, Veracitas, tells me that he is experiencing trouble getting quality slabs of marble for his statue of the queen from the quarry in the Stone Hills above Marbala. There is a previously unknown vein appearing in the stone that is brittle and breaks during chiseling — an unusual and most puzzling situation.

Culinary reports that, despite his delicious cooking and Currad’s care, King Ahmbin’s mental state is slipping. The old king worries constantly about the failing health of his uncle, Lord Rundal, and the safety of his daughter, Ekala Oleen.

Rumors of a threatening army from Prince Bolimaz’s home country of Toulon, are not only troublesome but have caused a strain between the prince and Ekala.

North of the Sol Linden River strange, threatening creatures are appearing in the Wilderness of Toulon.

Most distressing is the message I received from Larma. It appears that something wicked is happening in the Dudoon Boggs; something that will threaten the peace and serenity of Ameram.

Boschina finds herself in the middle of all of these stories trying to make sense of it all.

And, where are Thalmus and his companions, Bubo, Thunder and Dallion? Still exploring the Barrier Forest and the shores of the Great Water? The hunter has been somewhat silent. Then again, he is a quiet, patient man, waiting to be called.

Feeling the pull of the mysteries, I traveled across the Great Plain to Table Top and up the steep trail to Larma Hollow where I found the tall mystic waiting for me. When her smile landed on me and her penetrating eyes met mine I knew immediately that I would be writing more of their story. That is the effect she has on all the characters, as well as myself!

So, I have begun the sequel and will be posting on this website my progress, interesting information gleaned from the Ameram Archeological and Research Institute, and tidbits as the story develops. Wish me luck as I journey, once again, into the world of the King’s Frog Hunter.

Writing the King’s Frog Hunter has been a long and arduous, yet joyful, journey into the creative side of my mind. When I’m asked how I came up with this world and the characters of Ameram, my response is usually, “I don’t know.” Which is true; I just blame it on a mysterious subconscious muse. In reality, I think that everything (no matter how trivial), that I’ve seen, experienced, read and heard, buries itself in little fissures of my brain. These tiny bits of information hide there, for who knows how long, until they decide to pop out again and attach themselves to an idea that’s passing by. How, why and when these bits of data choose to reveal themselves is beyond me. I’m happy when they do, because they certainly make the work of writing enjoyable and encourage me to show up again tomorrow.

However the writing process works, the creation of the King’s Frog Hunter and his world has been fun. The characters have become friends –well, most of them — and I stay in touch, hoping they will turn out all right. The story locations are places I visit occasionally to see how they have changed or what they look like in different seasons, or who has moved into the neighborhood. Sometimes I get mail from a character or two. It’s usually about a great idea for a story, that they would be in, of course. I file these ideas away, thinking, well maybe, it could be a possibility. For now, I’ll continue to enjoy the mysterious world of writing fiction.