Tuesday 4th November, 12:11

I finally got the word count to work. You will notice that I had to change the widget. Anyhow, here is an excerpt for you ...

Random Explanatory Paragraphs that May or May Not Be Repeditive

Their farm, Emery, was situated on a little travelled road out the back of the township of Oakien, a firmly Aetolian village. This arrangement suited both the inhabitants of the farm and village happily. The orphans were naturally guarded in their approach to those outside their foster family, largely due to their unique circumstances. The villagers were wary of such a large and mixed family. Grace had married down to be with Menoe, which was frowned on, but not unacceptable. The Barlet boys were pitied, yet still acceptable. The remainder of the children, with the exception of Nikoli, were not generally associated with by the villagers.

Alaena was not only, to the best of knowledge, a bastard, her pregnant mother stumbling across the village shortly before her birth, her father unknown, but also a half-blood. She showed characteristics of both races, suggesting that her father had been a Kinari man. As such she could never be completely accepted within Aetolian society, whilst any of Kinari blood distrusted her just as much.

Taira’s parents were taken by Kinari forces, causing villagers to shy from association with her, lest they be incriminated and suspicion cast on them, despite that she was quite young when her parents were taken. Joet and Jesamine’s home was burnt by the members of their previous town, as their maternal grandfather was Kinari, and their parents strong believers in the Kinari rule. Despite their beliefs being the opposite of their parents, the two Faran children were avoided by the general Oakien public, for the crime of possessing Kinari blood, if nothing else.

Chianna, Thien and Kieren were purely Aetolian, orphaned by nothing more sinister than a severe illness that had taken a hold of both their parents, but their residence with such a diverse group of people at Emery was frowned upon. Owenn was the most unaccepted of the inhabitants of the farm, being of gypsy blood. The large family at Emery largely kept to themselves, and were a tightly knit group, highly defensive of each other. The villagers, for their part, generally left the farmers alone, disapproving of the acceptance of the Erskyn couple in taking in such a number of orphans, and with such disreputable backgrounds.

Seeing no caravans that signalled either the imminent arrival of the traders or the gypsies that often accompanied them, Alaena turned to look across the forest. A wind blew across her face, making her feel as if she was flying. She closed her eyes and leant into the wind, keeping hold of the trunk, until noises from below signalled the return of Nikoli and Owenn, with their carthorse.

That's all folks!
Love and light,
Lindsey