*****
Thanks for having me Janet!. I’m utterly tickled to announce that the Persuasion arc of my Jane Austen’s Dragons series is complete with the release of
You’re not the first to roll their eyes at me and mutter that—I’ve raised three teenaged sons after all. I’m sure you expect an answer like “Because zombies, vampires and werewolves have already been done.” And while that is utterly true, and the sort of thing I might say if you caught me at just the right—or wrong—moment, it isn’t a very good answer.
You’re rolling your eyes at me again. But give me a chance and hear me out.
Why, you say? (Seriously, stop muttering at me under your breath, I can hear you!)
Even the father of fabled King Arthur has a dragon connection. King Uther Pendragon was said to have seen a dragon shaped comet that inspired the dragons that graced the standards he carried. With dragons just about everywhere in English myth, it seems likely that Jane Austen herself was familiar with many of these dragon legends.
So, what if (A word of caution, when a writer says “what if”, it might be a good time to politely excuse yourself…) those dragon myths contained a large helping of reality and there really were dragons in England? What it they weren’t just a thing of the medieval era, but continued to be a very real presence in British society into the modern era? How might that work? That would require a research trip back Uther Pendragon and his dragon encounter.
So, what if Uther Pendragon was embroiled in battle not just with the Saxons, but with dragons as well and he saw a real dragon who could speak with him, not just a comet as most stories suggested? Would not others have heard it too? Wait, no—what if the dragons had a way of hiding in plain sight that only a select few people could see through and Uther was one of those and made peace with dragonkind…
Suddenly I saw a world, hundreds of years removed from medieval England, where mankind and dragonkind could coexist, governed by the Blue Order, an organization founded by Uther Pendragon himself, on human and dragon partnership, dedicated to protecting the safety and interests of both species while keeping the dragons secret from the very large segment of the human population with hearing insufficient to detect dragon voices.
Here's a little preview of what that world might look like:
_________
August 15, 1814
Laconia, the cat-like tatzelwurm, wound himself around Wentworth’s feet as he walked the stony street to the Blue Order office in Lyme. People bustled about, with all the accompanying noise that did nothing so much as remind one that he was no longer at sea and the master of his own ship. Sunny, bordering on hot, the salty sea breeze clipped the edge off the heat and left the shadows beside the buildings notably cooler, almost chilly. A number of people stopped and stared at the sight, not so much because he was walking with a tatzelwurm, but rather because they saw Laconia as an enormous cat, weaving in and out through his strides.
Though it looked like a difficult, intricate dance, Laconia had been doing it since he was a wyrmling. It had become more difficult as he had grown into a substantial creature, nearly three stones in weight with height and length to match, but Laconia insisted. While he was well able to protect himself now, the scars of his hatching trauma still plagued him. Laconia never felt very comfortable in unfamiliar places, around unfamiliar people—he rarely got much more than an arm’s length away from Wentworth in such situations.
Brass door knockers—drake’s heads holding large rings—rose from the great blue doors. That was how one could always tell a Blue Order establishment; the doors were this particular shade of blue. Apparently, the color was made especially for the Order. Order members in the colorman’s guilds controlled it quite carefully, so it might only be sold for use on Blue Order buildings. Naturally they had the help of a few conveniently placed companion dragons to convince stubborn customers that green was really a most fashionable color.
He twisted the signet ring on his left little finger—now that he was beached, it was appropriate he wore it. Order members liked to be able to identify one another.
Wentworth rapped on the door. A blue liveried butler, tall, serious, and foreboding opened it, stepping slightly to the right to completely fill up the doorway and block the entry.
“Mrrrow.” Laconia looked up at him, sniffing the air, tail lashing around Wentworth’s ankle.
The man’s eyes widened just a bit, but he held his ground until Wentworth lifted his left hand and his ring—perhaps a mite too close to the butler’s face.
“
The butler shut the door behind them. “Come this way.”
They followed him into a large receiving room, facing the mews. Two large windows, sheer white drapes obscuring the view, lined the far wall. It smelt a mite musty, as though the windows had not been open in quite some time. Many places seemed to smell musty these days. Was it just that all buildings smelt that way when one was accustomed to open air? White paper hangings with Order-blue vines or lines or whatever they were called, covered the walls. The occasional pastel fairy dragon peeked around the vines here and there, probably to make it all more interesting, but utterly unrealistic. Had the artist ever seen what the creatures actually looked like? What was wrong with a simple plain color, or even white?
Two tall, oaken bookcases, showcasing books published by the Order, stood proudly flanking the fireplace opposite the windows while a third filled up the wall between the windows. A slightly worn tea table and several similarly serviceable card tables served as focal points for several clusters of lyre-back chairs near the far wall. Couches, covered in something rusty-colored, with dragon-claw-and-ball feet filled up the rest of the space. The whole effect was rather welcoming, and blissfully quiet. The only other occupants were two brown minor drakes wearing Order livery badges, studying a tome at a table near the windows.
“Wait here, please. The Admiral will receive you shortly.” The butler bowed and strode out.
Wentworth took Laconia to a small couch bathed in the sunbeam from the window opposite the drakes. He sat and helped Laconia arrange himself on his lap. “Are you well?”
Laconia grumbled, which to most sounded like a growl. But once one heard Laconia truly growl, one never mistook one for the other again. “I am fine.”
Wentworth stroked his silky black fur and scratched behind his ears. “I know the place smells very odd, but you will grow used to it.”
“That is easy for you to say. You have never had a smell warn you a larger dragon was about to try and make you his breakfast.”
“That was quite the interesting morning, was it not? I would have been consumed right along with you. I do quite remember how that feels.” Perhaps Croft was right, he should write that adventure as a monograph on the territorial nature of sea drakes and submit it to the Order for publication. It was quite the story.
Laconia pressed his cheek into Wentworth’s hand. “But you did not smell it coming.” His tail thumped dully against the cushions as he opened his mouth and flicked his forked tongue in the air.
“You are not accustomed to the smells of land. Anything that does not reek of salt air smells wrong to you.”
“While I much prefer that smell
“As is the term warm-blood—when used by a dragon.”
“When they do not offend my olfaction—”
“Ahh, Captain Wentworth!” Admiral Easterly strode in.
Laconia flicked his tongue against Easterly’s hand. Some of the tension left his shoulders and he rubbed his cheek against Easterly’s palm.
“You have become quite the legend in the Navy—the luckiest ship’s cat you are called. We could have done with a dozen more like you finding prize ships out there.”
“Then why assign so many dragon-deaf as captains?”
Wentworth and Easterly chuckled.
“One can only work with what one has. Come back to my office.” Easterly led them upstairs to a room that faced the mews.
The office was small by the standards of landed accommodations, but spacious to any ship’s captain. Stark white walls, bare as the clean and polished wood floor; their footsteps echoing off both. Tidy and efficient. Shelves near the window held a sextant, a telescope and books on navigation and nautical dragons—oh! There was one he had not read:
“Might I borrow that?” Wentworth pointed to the volume.
In a single movement, Easterly pulled the book from the shelf, handed it to Wentworth and pointed to a chair near the worn, dark oak desk that occupied the center of the narrow room. “Ever hungry for learning, aren’t you! Of course, you can. In fact, I would even recommend it, given what I have to talk with you about. Sit, sit, be comfortable
Laconia chirruped a sound of approval. Coiling his tail to use like a spring, he launched himself to the desktop. He circled the pillow, sniffing it deeply, fanged jaws half-open and eyes a little glazed. What—rather who—had been there before?
“Do not worry, she does not mind sharing this particular perch. Mina is resigned that my office is a public place.”
“I did not know you had a Friend once again.” Wentworth drew the wooden armchair close to the dragon pillow and sat down.
A fluffy grey head peeked out from behind the bookcase. “Meyrrrrow.” High and feminine, it was almost as though she spoke with an accent.
“Pray come out and be introduced.”
Laconia chirruped at her. She regarded him a moment, eyes growing very large. Her jaw opened slightly; her fangs evident as she breathed deep. “Mrrroww!” She sprang to the desk near Easterly.
“Mina, may I present Laconia and Wentworth, Friend of Laconia.”
Wentworth bowed from his shoulders to Mina and Laconia dipped his head slightly, but not below Mina’s. Ah, yes, dominance, it was always dominance with dragons.
She regarded Wentworth a moment longer, then turned to Laconia. She leaned toward him and sniffed rapidly. Laconia mirrored her. He stepped forward to sniff her neck. When she admitted the attention, he slithered closer, drawing his nose down her entire length as she did the same for him, flowing in a large draconic circle on the desktop. The circle stopped, and she ducked under him, rubbing the top of her head against his belly. He purred and pressed down a mite as though to embrace her as she did.
She slithered around to face him. Wide eyed and blinking, was it possible for a tatzelwurm to be drunk? Dragon thunder! Laconia wore the same expression.
“Yourrr visit is welcome.” She pressed her cheek to Laconia’s.
Laconia licked her face and rubbed his cheek against hers. “Your scent … is right.” He purred and sighed and licked his lips.
She purred and hopped on the pillow, curling into a dainty ball with her chin resting coyly on her tail. Laconia followed, curling around her and resting his chin on her shoulder. By Jove, that was an awfully friendly arrangement.
Easterly lifted his eyebrows and shrugged.
“Your
“Yes, yes indeed.” Easterly tugged his jacket straight and sat down. “I am not sorry to hear you have been beached for the foreseeable future. I know that is anathema to many Captains, but truly, we need men like you for the Order.”
“Like me?” So many things that could mean, and not all of them complimentary.
“Proven dragon-hearing men who can follow orders, who can manage themselves in a crisis, and make good decisions on their own. Exactly what the Navy has trained you for.”
Laconia’s ears pricked, and he fixed his eyes on Easterly, wrapping his tail a little tighter around Mina.
“What is happening?”
“What has that to do with English dragons?” Wentworth crossed his arms and leaned in, heart beating faster. Damn battle reflexes kicking in.
The tip of Laconia’s tail twitched and his forked tongue flicked. He felt it, too.
“Major dragons along the coast, both land and the few marine ones we have relations with, have been on edge watching for signs of invasion. I will tell you privately, it is a good thing that never happened. The Pendragon Accords were never written to consider the ramifications of an invading foreign army from the continent.”
“Why not? The Romans—”
Easterly lifted open hands. “Yes, yes, just chalk it up to arrogance. It is a problem that is being addressed in London even now. A joint committee of dragons and Blue Order Officers, including representatives of both the Army and Navy, is attempting to draft new provisions to deal with the matter. But in the meantime, we must soothe ruffled scales as it were, and I need Dragon Mates like you to do it.”
“Whose scales are ruffled?” Laconia’s tail twitched faster.
“Have you met Cornwall?”
“The Prince Regent or the firedrake?” Prickles started at Wentworth’s scalp and raced down every limb.
“Either, both? They are not exactly dissimilar.” The admiral snorted. “Of course, I never said such a thing.”
“Of course not,” Wentworth muttered.
“In any case, we have received a number of complaints from minor dragons of the Cornwall Keep. Cornwall has been unusually restive of late. They fear there is something seriously the matter and, worse still, Cornwall is contemplating handling the matter himself. It is rarely a good idea to permit major dragons to manage affairs on their terms.”
“Is that not what the Accords are for?” Blood roared in Wentworth’s ears. He fought the urge to spring to his feet.
“It is precisely why there are Keepers assigned to the major dragons, charged with handling issues for the dragons. While I have known a great many hotheaded and stubborn men, I have yet to meet one who rivals the amount of damage an angry dragon can cause.”
“Then why is the Prince Regent not managing the matter?”
Easterly glowered.
That had been a stupid question.
“The key issue here is that a particular kind of diplomacy is needed—”
“You think Laconia and I are suited for that?” Wentworth sneaked a quick glance at Laconia.
“I need a man who has had dealings with nautical dragons, as the matter involves sea hold property.”
Now he had to move! Wentworth jumped up and paced the length of the far too short room. “
“That is the heart of the current debate. Here.” Easterly plucked a thin red leather-bound volume—a monograph perhaps—off the shelf and handed it to Wentworth as he strode past. Determining the Boundaries of Major Dragon Holdings: The Implications and Complications of Instinctive Dragon Territorial Determinations Intersecting with Human Traditions and Law.
Damn, that looked complicated.
“Unfortunately, the legal codes have not been rendered very clearly. In the current situation, I am not even certain Blue Order codes cover the situation.”
“And what precisely is the situation.” Wentworth fell into his seat with a dull thud.
“Cornwall has laid claim to something off his coast that we are not even sure exists.” Easterly pressed his temples hard.
“So, the dragon might be mad?”
“Some have entertained that possibility.”
“You want us to go and confront a fire drake—a royal firedrake—who may well be touched in the head—as mad as the king himself?” Wentworth dropped the monograph on the desk.
Mina started; Laconia glared at him.
“In short, yes. And, the Prince Regent might also be very interested in the matter, should the news reach him directly.”
“The Prince does not know the nature of the situation?”
“He has not informed us of any problem and the Order has not contacted him regarding the complaints—yet.”
“You must be joking? That amounts to keeping secrets from the crown!” Wentworth threw his head back and huffed. “I might be beached, but I am hardly dicked in the nob myself, and I am quite certain Laconia—”
“We have dealt with worse.” Laconia lifted his head slightly, glancing from Easterly to Wentworth. “You recall that sea drake who tried to refuse to grant us passage through her territory? She had an entire battalion of sea drakes and marine wyrms ready to do battle for the territory.”
“What has that to do with—”
“Or the herd of hippocampi who thought you violated their fishing ground?’
“Again, what has that to do—”
Laconia stood and walked across the desk to look Wentworth in the eye. “What else are you going to do until you find a mate?”
Wentworth’s jaw dropped and he sputtered. “Dragon’s blood and sea foam!”
“You will mind your language around my mate.” Laconia glanced back at Mina and chirruped.
“Your mate?” Wentworth and Easterly said simultaneously.
“Yes.” The tatzelwurms hissed.
ot be at loose ends right now. You must have a way of keeping yourself occupied until …”
Wentworth slapped his forehead. “How do you intend for us to get to Cornwall?”
________________________
Is it a little off the beaten path for Austenesque
fiction? Absolutely! But what better time to try out something entirely new and
different than a year like 2020?
If you’d like to have a peek at more previews, check them
out on my website, RandomBitsofFascinaion.com.
The
Dragons of Kellynch and Kellynch:
Dragon Persuasion
_______________________
Dragons of Kellynch
One would think Anne Elliot, a baronet’s daughter, would find the marriage mart far easier to navigate than a more ordinary woman. One would be wrong.
After refusing a poor, but otherwise perfect sailor, on the advice of her friend Lady Russell, Anne finds an unhappy choice before her: marry deathly dull Charles Musgrove or hope against hope that another suitable proposal might come her way before she becomes a spinster on the shelf.
Anne’s disgracefully independent choice to refuse Charles’ offer turns her world entirely arsey-varsey and not in the expected
And once one sees dragons, one talks to them. And when one talks to them, nothing is ever the same again.
Must a young lady marry well if she hears dragons?
https://books2read.com/DragonsofKellynch
~~~~~
Kellynch: Dragon Persuasion
Keeping a hibernating dragon should have been a simple thing.
Should have been, but it was not. Apparently, nothing involving dragons was ever simple, at least not for Anne Elliot, junior Keeper to dragon Kellynch.
With the estate in debt, Anne’s father in denial, and the dragon’s treasure missing, Kellynch’s awakening was shaping up to be nothing short of catastrophe. Not to mention there was the pesky matter of her own broken heart and resentment against the old friend who had caused it.
Captain Frederick Wentworth had spent his life making something of himself in the Navy. With the
Working as an agent of the Blue Order, managing dragon matters across England, seemed a much better alternative. At least until investigating one such matter sent him directly in the path of Anne Elliot, the woman who had ruined him for all others.
Now a royal dragon rages, a sleeping dragon lurks, and too many treasures have gone missing. Can Anne and Wentworth lay aside resentment, pride, and heartbreak to prevent Kellynch’s awakening from ending in bloodshed—or worse?
Jane Austen meets Pern in a fantastical regency romp bound to delight readers of Jane Austen and Anne McCaffrey alike.
https://books2read.com/KellynchDragonPersuasion
She writes gas lamp fantasy, historical romance and non-fiction to help justify her research addiction. Her books are available at all major online booksellers.
She can be contacted at:
English Historical Fiction Authors
*****
Is this the final book in this series? I like to read all at once as I have a REALLY short attention span.
ReplyDeleteI do hope Wentworth needs the help of hmmmm, perhaps Anne? to sort out this problem? I’m sure he will struggle on his own! Especially as Laconia seems to have found a new friend?
Maybe he could ask for suggestions from Darcy and Elizabeth? They seemed to manage problems quite well and would no doubt be happy to assist!
Thanks for stopping by, Glynis. Inquiring minds want to know the answers to your questions. Good thinking there! I'm also glad you were able to comment. I'm always happy when I see a comment from you.
DeleteI already have ALL the dragon books. I LOVE this series. I just have to read this one. Goodness, I am behind. I must say Maria Grace is brilliant with this series. Great job listening to her kids. Yep... this was amazing.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jeanne, for sharing your thoughts about the series. It's great hearing you love the series. I'm sure that pleases Maria.
DeleteI loved your other dragon books. I can’t wait for this one. It sounds amazing.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to know, Leeza that you loved Maria's other books in the series. We hope you get to read this one soon. Good luck in the giveaway.
DeleteHeard great things about this series. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
DeleteSorry for coming in late. I am really busy these days with work and don't get to find time to visit all my favourite blogs. The excerpt is quite fascinating to read. I'm clueless of all the different dragons that inhabit your series, Maria. But I'm eager to read all your books in the dragon series.
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