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Description

I’ve been working on redrawing the illustrations I first did upon getting my iPad, and this was the first one. I kept the background with a few tweaks because I thought that actually turned out good. I’m really happy with how this one turned out, it’s interesting to see the contrast between pieces now that I’ve found my style.

This was my first attempt: www.deviantart.com/leighthefae…

⚠️DO NOT copy, edit or repost without credit and permission⚠️

|| BOOK EXCERPT ||

“Athlone has been overrun by bandits! Read all about it! The forces of the king overwhelmed! The bandits still at large!” The boisterous voice of the news caller cried, waving a thick newspaper as a multitude of people swarmed to their booth.

Eithne and Isamu stopped dead in their tracks, Eithne’s blood running cold as their heart sunk to their stomach, Isamu’s grip upon their hand tightening.

“That’s the city where Fielma’s brother lives…” Eithne’s voice was weak, their heart pounding in their ears, numbness flooding their senses.

“Kuso, really?” Isamu breathed, his brow creasing in an angry scowl, “Those bastards…” He hissed, his usual gentle voice growing deep and carrying a sharp edge.

Eithne attempted to swallow past the lump in their throat, their breaths growing shallow as they felt as if their lungs were being constricted by a great and unrelenting weight.
Their mind spinning with all manner of horrifying thoughts;

What if something terrible had happened to Jareth? Had he been hurt or even taken? And they couldn’t help but worry for Fielma and Ruarc as well, they would be horrified at the news.

“He has to be alright…” Isamu assured, his voice becoming gentle once more, a hopeful lilt within his words.

Eithne absentmindedly nodded blinking several times to try and pry themself out of their mental stupor, yet it did little good; Isamu’s voice seeming to come at them through a thick haze.

“Can we get out of here?” They croaked, “I think we have everything you and Da will need on your journey.”

Isamu nodded and they turned to leave the marketplace, traveling down the road back home.

🙡🙣

Eithne had hoped they would calm as they and Isamu walked home but found it only had gotten worse. Their efforts to not think about the bandit attack they had learned about was in vain, and the deep breathing they attempted only delayed the afflictions for so long.

Their mind rang with a thousand different horrible things, the bandits were not stopping, the threat of them a constant and ever growing shadow that showed no sign of stopping until it had covered the whole of Eiréal. Their blood still ran like ice in their veins, the frost spiking whenever a new disturbing thought made its way to the forefront of their mind.

Eithne’s father and Isamu were about to leave on the cusp of another bandit attack and that did nothing but invite a plethora of horrors for their imagination to delve into.

They couldn’t go now, they just couldn’t. It was too dangerous, they could be killed with such bastards rampaging throughout the realm.

The haziness within Eithne’s mind thickened as they grew even more lightheaded, their legs giving way out from under them, making them stumble. Isamu’s hold upon their hand the only thing keeping them from tumbling to the muddy ground.

“Eithne!” Isamu cried, helping them back to their feet. “Are you alright?”

They blinked slowly, attempting to swallow, grasping onto Isamu’s arms, their heart beating rapidly within their chest; fluttering like a caged bird attempting to escape, a choked cough rattling their throat.

“No…” They choked, shaking their head, “I…I need to sit down.”

Isamu helped Eithne walk to one the large stones that lined the road, brushing away the snow from it’s surface before allowing them to sit down. He knelt in front of them, deep worry lining his face, his eyes wide as they searched Eithne’s expression.

“What’s wrong? Should I get Rhen?”

Eithne shook their head, attempting to calm the fluttering of their heart with slow, deep breaths, trying not to panic even farther as their blood continued to run with ice, their palms and underarms coated with sweat.

“I’m okay…it…it’ll pass.”

Isamu’s face was still written with worry, Eithne able to see the fear swimming in his eyes. “Just…stay with me, please.” They murmured, their hands clasping around his arms, Isamu’s palms holding their torso gently.

Isamu nodded, his gaze unwavering from their face, “Is there anything else I can do?”

“Keep talking…it…it doesn’t matter about what.” Eithne mumbled, their heart only just beginning to calm.

It took Isamu a few moments to gather himself before he managed a smile up at Eithne. “The snow is beginning to melt...” He said, trying to keep his voice steady, “I think spring is finally on its way…”

The calm Eithne felt before almost completely vanished at his words, the anxiety within them spiking, the worry of Isamu vanishing right before them flooding their being. They clamped their hands tighter around his arms shaking their head, “Not about that…not about spring.” They croaked; their voice weak.

Isamu jolted, confused, but immediately nodded, apologizing. “I’m sorry—ah…” He stammered, unable to help the way his eyes glossed over with tears, he hated feeling this helpless. “Just…just keep breathing Eithne…I’m here…I won’t leave you. It will be okay.” He managed to say, maintaining a gentle smile. He took one of Eithne’s hands in his, squeezing it gently as he locked his gaze with theirs.

It was still a long few moments before Eithne felt their heart calm within them, regaining its normal pace, their blood thawing within their veins. They let out a long, shaking exhale, collapsing into Isamu’s arms.

“I’m sorry…” Eithne murmured, still a bit lightheaded, the gentle thump of Isamu’s heartbeat helping them to calm even more.

“Please don’t apologize Eithne…I’m just glad you’re okay.” He assured, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall down his cheeks.

“It happens sometimes…when…when I get scared.” Eithne muttered, swallowing hard. “I’m glad you were here this time…”

Isamu tightened his hold around them, letting out a shaky sigh, “Me too…”

|| END ||

Description

I’ve been working on redrawing the illustrations I first did upon getting my iPad, and this was the first one. I kept the background with a few tweaks because I thought that actually turned out good. I’m really happy with how this one turned out, it’s interesting to see the contrast between pieces now that I’ve found my style.

This was my first attempt: www.deviantart.com/leighthefae…

⚠️DO NOT copy, edit or repost without credit and permission⚠️

|| BOOK EXCERPT ||

“Athlone has been overrun by bandits! Read all about it! The forces of the king overwhelmed! The bandits still at large!” The boisterous voice of the news caller cried, waving a thick newspaper as a multitude of people swarmed to their booth.

Eithne and Isamu stopped dead in their tracks, Eithne’s blood running cold as their heart sunk to their stomach, Isamu’s grip upon their hand tightening.

“That’s the city where Fielma’s brother lives…” Eithne’s voice was weak, their heart pounding in their ears, numbness flooding their senses.

“Kuso, really?” Isamu breathed, his brow creasing in an angry scowl, “Those bastards…” He hissed, his usual gentle voice growing deep and carrying a sharp edge.

Eithne attempted to swallow past the lump in their throat, their breaths growing shallow as they felt as if their lungs were being constricted by a great and unrelenting weight.
Their mind spinning with all manner of horrifying thoughts;

What if something terrible had happened to Jareth? Had he been hurt or even taken? And they couldn’t help but worry for Fielma and Ruarc as well, they would be horrified at the news.

“He has to be alright…” Isamu assured, his voice becoming gentle once more, a hopeful lilt within his words.

Eithne absentmindedly nodded blinking several times to try and pry themself out of their mental stupor, yet it did little good; Isamu’s voice seeming to come at them through a thick haze.

“Can we get out of here?” They croaked, “I think we have everything you and Da will need on your journey.”

Isamu nodded and they turned to leave the marketplace, traveling down the road back home.

🙡🙣

Eithne had hoped they would calm as they and Isamu walked home but found it only had gotten worse. Their efforts to not think about the bandit attack they had learned about was in vain, and the deep breathing they attempted only delayed the afflictions for so long.

Their mind rang with a thousand different horrible things, the bandits were not stopping, the threat of them a constant and ever growing shadow that showed no sign of stopping until it had covered the whole of Eiréal. Their blood still ran like ice in their veins, the frost spiking whenever a new disturbing thought made its way to the forefront of their mind.

Eithne’s father and Isamu were about to leave on the cusp of another bandit attack and that did nothing but invite a plethora of horrors for their imagination to delve into.

They couldn’t go now, they just couldn’t. It was too dangerous, they could be killed with such bastards rampaging throughout the realm.

The haziness within Eithne’s mind thickened as they grew even more lightheaded, their legs giving way out from under them, making them stumble. Isamu’s hold upon their hand the only thing keeping them from tumbling to the muddy ground.

“Eithne!” Isamu cried, helping them back to their feet. “Are you alright?”

They blinked slowly, attempting to swallow, grasping onto Isamu’s arms, their heart beating rapidly within their chest; fluttering like a caged bird attempting to escape, a choked cough rattling their throat.

“No…” They choked, shaking their head, “I…I need to sit down.”

Isamu helped Eithne walk to one the large stones that lined the road, brushing away the snow from it’s surface before allowing them to sit down. He knelt in front of them, deep worry lining his face, his eyes wide as they searched Eithne’s expression.

“What’s wrong? Should I get Rhen?”

Eithne shook their head, attempting to calm the fluttering of their heart with slow, deep breaths, trying not to panic even farther as their blood continued to run with ice, their palms and underarms coated with sweat.

“I’m okay…it…it’ll pass.”

Isamu’s face was still written with worry, Eithne able to see the fear swimming in his eyes. “Just…stay with me, please.” They murmured, their hands clasping around his arms, Isamu’s palms holding their torso gently.

Isamu nodded, his gaze unwavering from their face, “Is there anything else I can do?”

“Keep talking…it…it doesn’t matter about what.” Eithne mumbled, their heart only just beginning to calm.

It took Isamu a few moments to gather himself before he managed a smile up at Eithne. “The snow is beginning to melt...” He said, trying to keep his voice steady, “I think spring is finally on its way…”

The calm Eithne felt before almost completely vanished at his words, the anxiety within them spiking, the worry of Isamu vanishing right before them flooding their being. They clamped their hands tighter around his arms shaking their head, “Not about that…not about spring.” They croaked; their voice weak.

Isamu jolted, confused, but immediately nodded, apologizing. “I’m sorry—ah…” He stammered, unable to help the way his eyes glossed over with tears, he hated feeling this helpless. “Just…just keep breathing Eithne…I’m here…I won’t leave you. It will be okay.” He managed to say, maintaining a gentle smile. He took one of Eithne’s hands in his, squeezing it gently as he locked his gaze with theirs.

It was still a long few moments before Eithne felt their heart calm within them, regaining its normal pace, their blood thawing within their veins. They let out a long, shaking exhale, collapsing into Isamu’s arms.

“I’m sorry…” Eithne murmured, still a bit lightheaded, the gentle thump of Isamu’s heartbeat helping them to calm even more.

“Please don’t apologize Eithne…I’m just glad you’re okay.” He assured, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall down his cheeks.

“It happens sometimes…when…when I get scared.” Eithne muttered, swallowing hard. “I’m glad you were here this time…”

Isamu tightened his hold around them, letting out a shaky sigh, “Me too…”

|| END ||