Excerpt Chapter 51: Frost Star

 (c) 2023 Kyrinn S. Eis  All Rights Reserved

"What is the Esthonese word for a broad, shallow river?"
Lara thought a moment.
-- "Yyommo-dom.
-- "Esthonese is thought an Ancient language from the Homeworld, kept alive for its scarcity in the small numbers of its coldlands peoples; they settled every icy mountainous forest they found among the stars; they're known for hot-rock steam baths, blinding liquor made of coniferous tree sap, and a psychedelic drink of toxic fungus filtered through the urine of their sleigh animals.  They eat fatty foods and teach hatchet-throwing, skinning, and mountain-echo-singing to their youth."

Excerpt tune whispered

(C) 2023 Kyrinn S. Eis All Rights Reserved

"Ranger lad at ride one fine day,

in dappled light of shadow wood,

by the ancient riverside,

met a lass fair and fine,

her yellow flower caught his eye,

and so by flowed their time.

When she awoke to bloody sight,

for Common cause the boy's life

flowed by the river bide,

dragon rider stood at her side,

there under sheltered boughs and in

yellow flowers time, the lass found

that she had lost her mind."