Beta Readers Needed!

TIP OF THE DAY:

Linus Pauling: The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.

I know....I said I would update! Here is a teaser! To read the story from beginning, go to www.lastrequest.blogspot.com I said I would update sooner, but my notes have really developed a mind of their own. I have the plot down, the outline developed, but the story is creating a world of it's own! I can't wait until it all comes together. Please, please let me know what you think. Constructive criticism welcome. Feel free to post to comments or shoot me an email! BTW,I need someone(plural?) to bounce ideas off of and proofread. 2 or 3 people? Thou shalt be rewarded with a bound, printed and hand decorated final copy when I am finally done. Velvet?? Anyone? At least post a comment? So without further ado, here is a teaser. It continues where I last left off in chapter 2: "Rustling in the branches of an ancient oak caught her attention. As she loosed her arrow, a yelp of surprise, followed by a grunt of pain accompanied a crashing noise. She drew a second arrow as she made her way to the base of the tree. To her astonishment, instead of a wild creature or foul being, she found a well armed warrior clutching his side as he lay sprawled upon the forest floor. Two slender maidens, strangely arrayed, attended him. The first maid was dressed in deep green garments. Her chestnut brown tresses seemed to be dripping with mosses and mistletoe. She cradled the warrior in her lap with her slim brown arms. The second maid was garbed in similar garments of pale green. Garlands of ivy and tiny white berries adorned her shimmering golden brown hair. She was kneeling next to the pair, and in her pale hand was the arrow she had just plucked from the injured man. 'Peace, Fair Huntress!' They trilled in unison. 'We mean you no harm.'" **Continuation to Chapter 2*** She was stunned into silence by the scene that greeted her. She managed to keep enough of her wits about her to keep her bow and arrow pointed at the fallen warrior's chest. Her eyes darted from one figure to another. Dryads! After several moments, she finally found her voice. "You are the ones I saw darting among the trees. Yours were the voices that floated to my ears. Is he the one you spoke of?" She nodded towards the figure cradled in the Oak Maidens arms. Neither dryad spoke, but each gave a slow nod and a smile. She turned and stared evenly at the stranger. For a moment she thought she caught a flicker of recognition in his grey eyes. The glimmer quickly faded, and he fixed an unreadable gaze on her. Several moments passed in silence as they stared at each other. She could not explain why it suddenly felt as if her skin was on fire. She shook herself, and steeled herself against his gaze. His apparent lack of concern annoyed her. She could feel her brow begin to furrow as her eyes narrowed, and a small frown crept across her lips. 'Friend or foe?' she growled, through clenched teeth. 'That depends.' He replied flippantly. 'Who are you?' She did not expect his response, and again, was momentarily stunned in to silence. Her frown was replaced by a look of shock that was fast turning into fury. 'My Lord,' the Oak Dryad began. 'I don't believe you are in any position to question the one holding an arrow to your chest. Our protection within these woods extends only to those threatened by Evil. There is no evil behind your encounter with The Huntress. We have already interfered by tending to your wound.' 'However, ' the Willow smiled, 'You seem to have found some favor with her, as she usually does not ask questions before dispatching her mark. Count yourself lucky.' At the dryad’s suggestive comment, she felt her face flush. Recovering quickly, she drew herself up proudly, and tilted her chin up before she spoke. 'Your manners are lacking, warrior, and unworthy of the reference to lordship! I am Muirin, daughter to Muireadhach, Lord of the House of Taliessin. I am The Huntress, and I claim your life if you can offer no valid reason as to why I should spare it. So I ask you again. Friend or foe?' The glimmer of recognition flickered once more, momentarily breaking his unreadable countenance. 'I am called Teague' he offered. 'My business is not with you, Huntress. As to whether I am friend or foe, is up to you.' 'Your flippancy annoys me, Teague. Although,' she said, eyeing his clothing. 'Unless my eyes, deceive me, you appear as if you were brought up civilized enough to address a lady properly.' 'A lady!' he snorted. 'A lady would not have shot me out of a tree just to interrogate me at arrow point!' His previously unreadable countenance now held an obvious smirk. 'I would not have shot you out of a tree, had you not been stalking me! 'Muirin shot back. 'What business have you to spy on me? You have offered no explanation for hiding in a tree, so what else can I surmise except an ambush as I rode past? If that was not the case, what were you doing in that tree?' 'How long do you plan on aiming that arrow at my heart? Shoot me and be done with it already. As I said before, my business is not with you.' The smirk never left his face. Muirin could feel her temper about to boil over. 'I tire of this game. Either offer me cause to spare your life, or I claim it as mine. I am duty bound to honor one last request before I take your life, so choose your wording wisely. And no, you may not ask that I spare your life, nor choose the time of your death. Have you nothing to say in your defense?' Seemingly without thought, he instantly gave her his answer. 'I choose to hear your tale.' 'What?' She was not sure she heard him correctly. 'My last request is to hear your tale. Every warrior has a story. I wish to know the story of The Huntress. I have heard many tales about you, and had vowed to one day learn which one was the truth. I did not expect to hear it from your own lips, nor pay for it with my life.' A small smile began to play at the corner of his lips. 'Nor did I count on your beauty. It shall be an honor to die at the hands of such loveliness.' At this, he placed his right hand to his left shoulder, and bowed his head. His grey eyes never left hers, in the manner reserved only for those wishing to gain a lady’s favor. 'I apologize for not standing and bowing properly. I have recently been shot from a tree by a fair lady’s arrow.' 'You are too bold, Teague! Thrice this day you have managed to leave me at a loss for words!' she gasped. 'Do not mock me, warrior! *Gaesa or no, I shall slay you where you lay! May the Gods grant that I should see the last of your life blood spill upon the forest floor before I am summoned to walk the Halls of The Dead for breaking my gaes!' *Gaesa-an obligation, often placed upon a person with magical means and dire consequences if it is not obeyed. In the case of this story, when one breaks a gaesa, their life is forfeit, and their soul can not rest until they complete a great deed. They must roam the Halls of the Dead forever with out rest unless they are pardoned by the one who placed the gaesa upon them, or they complete a great deed or task.)