Joris Darrow
Dwarf, wheelwright, part owner of The Spoke ‘N Waggon shop, first appeared in chapter 11 of Shadows in the Stone
A boot sailed through the air in the dimly-lit tavern. Joris caught sight of it in time to lean back so only its wind brushed his nose. He embraced his mug of ale against his chest and looked for the origin of the projectile. He saw a woman glaring at him from twenty feet away. The young human beside her raced behind Joris, snatched his boot and sped off.
“Chloe.” Joris raised his mug. “You chose a green one. He won’t be back.”
“I chose an inconsiderate, deceitful rogue who is less appealing than the hind end of a troglodyte.”
He shrugged. “Didn’t know he was all that.”
Chloe marched to his table, slammed her palms down and leant into his face, scowling. “You said last night was the best you ever had.”
Joris grinned. “It was and tonight, I’m trying to better it.” He rested against the back of his chair, glanced over at the pretty woman sitting next to him, then turned his attention back to Chloe.
“Listen here, Joris Darrow,”—she grabbed him by the front of the shirt and held him firmly—“I’m not that easy to escape.” She pressed her lips to his and pushed him hard against the chair.
Joris blindly set the mug on the table and grabbed her shoulders. She exerted force until the chair toppled, taking them both with it. He rolled on top, straddled her and held her arms against the floor.
“Is that how you want it?” he said sternly.
“Without delay!”
Joris leapt up, grasped her hand and pulled her to her feet. He reached for the mug of ale, downed it in one gulp and set it on the table. “Next time.” He winked at his shocked companion and allowed Chloe to drag him out the door.
Castle Keepers Vignette: Almost five years has passed since Isla was kidnapped and Bronwyn left Maskil in search of her. In many ways, not much has happened; the inhabitants of the Land of Ath-o’Lea have continued their daily routine. But if you look deeper into the individual lives you’ll see much has changed in little ways.
The Castle Keeper vignettes provide a glimpse into the time between Shadows in the Stone and Scattered Stones. You’ll have already met many of the characters, but some you will meet in Scattered Stones.
These vignettes won’t be complete stories, only 300 words of a moment. I consider them exercises in writing and editing. I hope to write two a week and post them on Mondays and Thursdays as we lead up to the release of Scattered Stones, the second fantasy novel of the Castle Keepers series, on May 6, 2016.
The collection of vignettes will be organised on the Castle Keepers Vignettes page. On the first of each month, I will post the schedule of the characters I will write about that month.
Diane McGyver 