Kith and Kin. I borrowed from that old turn of phrase when giving the Amaranthine clans a bit of lingo. In English, kin (and kindred) refer to family, while kith refers to close friends or neighbors. You’ll find that when two Amaranthine meet and haven’t yet gone through the formalities of a proper introduction, they’ll address each other as “kindred.” This courtesy applies no matter which clan the Amaranthine hail from.
The Amaranthine world has many layers. The Kindred clans are uppermost. These take our form, learn our languages, and make peace. But others cannot aspire to such complexities. Kith are sentient, but have no speaking form. And then there are the Ephemera—tiny creatures that are difficult to classify because of their diversity. They can be pretty or pests.”
Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox (Amaranthine Saga, #1)
Adoona-soh’s tail swayed slowly, and she made a gesture for peace. “I expected nothing, but I hoped for trust. Let us help you, Kindred.”
Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox (Amaranthine Saga, #1)
Unexpected just updated with Ch83: “Tossing and Turning.” And since it’s appropriate to the day, I’m also posting fanart from this fic’s Halloween arc. Art by Rikayu-chan.
May one of the little dears who knocks at your door tonight be a kitsune. ::twinkle::
Claimer: I do hereby claim all rights and responsibility for the characters in this series of vignettes because the Amaranthine Saga is mine. (Which means I should probably behave myself since anything I say or do could be taken as canon.) Indulge the lot of us, especially the one who’s now twenty in this timeline.
Moving Right Along. It’s time for LMM to skip along from the background of Kimiko (Bk2) to the background of Tamiko (Bk3). The jump’s not particularly large. Basically (not quite) two years, since New Saga was preparing for the 4th Anniversary of the Emergence, and the Reaverson family is looking forward to the 6th Anniversary.
Grandad lunged for the remote and unmuted the television, which was tuned in to his usual dinnertime gameshow. “ … interrupt this broadcast for a special announcement,” intoned an announcer. “Again, we interrupt this broadcast for a special announcement.” A few seconds passed, and the cameras switched to a familiar panel of newscasters. The banner on the screen held the logo for the Miyabe-Starmark courtship. “Thought so,” muttered Grandad. “They’ve been dragging their feet over setting a date.” “Exciting news from Keishi, Japan, where Spokesperson Hisoka Twineshaft and Spokesperson Suuzu Farroost have called a press conference. Odds are, this is the long-anticipated announcement of the next kiss, isn’t that right?” “Undoubtedly,” agreed the second newscaster, folding her hands over her notes. “Speculations have been all over the calendar, with suggested dates ranging from American Thanksgiving to the upcoming Sixth Anniversary of the Emergence. Reaver Hinman, can you give us some idea of what dates might be considered auspicious from the Rivven perspective?”
—Tamiko and the Two Janitors
What does this mean for life at Stately House?
Kyrie & Lilya are turning five in December
Akira graduated from New Saga nearly two years ago.
Tenma and Inti are traveling the world with Goh-sensei.
New orphans/students have come to Stately House. For example:
Jiminy’s stomach flipped. Not just any eavesdropper. “Good day to you, Lord Mettlebright.” “Tsk.” The spokesperson for the fox clans strolled into view, tea cup in one hand, sleeping child propped against the opposite shoulder. “Argent will do. Here, Smythe. Take him.” Although Jiminy spotted his moue of distaste, Jacques said, “Yes, my lord. Come, Master Arnaud. You are required in the nap room.” The toddler, whose long, spotted tail matched the mottling on his fuzzy ears, babbled something in French, which the butler answered with a crisp, “Non.”
—Tamiko and the Two Janitor
And yes, as you may recall, unbeknownst to Jacques, there’s a trip to America in the offing. Oh, this WILL be fun! Kith-kin and shop boys and saddles, oh my! ::twinkle::
Claimer: I do hereby claim all rights and responsibility for the characters in this series of vignettes because the Amaranthine Saga is mine. (Which means I should probably behave myself since anything I say or do could be taken as canon.) Indulge the lot of us, especially the one whose boyhood was shaped by a crush.
Narrated by Travis Baldree.Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate is showing up on Amazon & Audible for pre-order, so zip on over and secure your copy! The audio book will release on November 9, 2021.
Claimer: I do hereby claim all rights and responsibility for the characters in this series of vignettes because the Amaranthine Saga is mine. (Which means I should probably behave myself since anything I say or do could be taken as canon.) Indulge the lot of us, especially the one who’ll grow up.
Claimer: I do hereby claim all rights and responsibility for the characters in this series of vignettes because the Amaranthine Saga is mine. (Which means I should probably behave myself since anything I say or do could be taken as canon.) Indulge the lot of us, especially the one who’s prepared to swear.
Updated!Bard & Barbarian has updated over on my Patreon with Ch31, “Paladin for Hire.” Mort and Yarrow do a little recruiting for a side job. Should be simple, yeah?
Fun Fact: Back when I started this story, I was just goofing off. I wanted something fun to write. I knew I was being self-indulgent. I put zero thought into the title. How was I supposed to know Bard & Barbarian would be favored with narration? Suddenly, it’s this THING. It has official art & a book cover (as yet unrevealed) and … and all the trappings of a “real” story. But some of the underpinnings are silly. And a good example would be in the names of our crew’s sibling paladins:
Mort derives from the Latin for “death” Vida derives from the Latin for “life”
So there you go. Me goofing. If you’ve been generous enough to join the ranks of patrons, I hope you’re enjoying the tale!
Lulling. I swear, I don’t do this on purpose, but every time I let a fanfic lull (in this case, Mood Stripes hasn’t updated on the fanfiction site in a couple of weeks), readers over there hunt down my website. I can only assume they’re checking to make sure I’m still alive. ::twinkle::
I am alive! Thank you for caring so much about my stories!
I currently have a book (10/22) & a short story (11/4) publishing back-to-back, and that’s made things busy.
Lord Mettlebright’s Man has been updating daily. It’s an October tradition, and I will never apologize for prioritizing Jacques.
On top of that, October is one of my most creative months. I’ve been cranking out new chapters (of my next book) nearly every day, but it’s all original stuff. Not fanfiction. I mean … it pays better? Gotta earn my keep.
Mood Stripes will resume both here & on the fanfiction site SOON(ish). Thank you for always being patient with me. (And be grateful I’m foregoing NaNoWriMo this year, or you’d be waiting until December!)
I haven’t forgotten that this Saturday is the 4th Saturday in October. I’m working up an Unexpected chapter to post on the 30th. We’ll see if Vassal also gets an update. Not sure yet!
So many stories! I’m good at juggling. Hey, I even find it fun. But sometimes I need to focus on one thing or another for a little while. This is one of those times. Again, I’m glad you’re eagerly looking forward to more. That’s a fine compliment! ::glomp::
Claimer: I do hereby claim all rights and responsibility for the characters in this series of vignettes because the Amaranthine Saga is mine. (Which means I should probably behave myself since anything I say or do could be taken as canon.) Indulge the lot of us, especially the one who notices things.
Claimer: I do hereby claim all rights and responsibility for the characters in this series of vignettes because the Amaranthine Saga is mine. (Which means I should probably behave myself since anything I say or do could be taken as canon.) Indulge the lot of us, especially the one who’s in good hands.
Signed Books. One of the little things I’ve always done for author-signed copies of my books is a specially-made stamp. If you’re interested in buying a book from me, check out the Signed Books tab >>
Claimer: I do hereby claim all rights and responsibility for the characters in this series of vignettes because the Amaranthine Saga is mine. (Which means I should probably behave myself since anything I say or do could be taken as canon.) Indulge the lot of us, especially the healers who call Stately House home.
Kiddo. Just wanted to drop this here in case you needed reminding of what Nonny looks like. (Art by FoxofTwilight.) And … while we’re at it! Those who were able to listen in on Travis Baldree’s recording sessions for the audio book of Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate already know that Nonny (who often employs Britticisms) has a Cockney accent. ::twinkle::
FORTHRIGHT 