Delivering Sad News
(Swords with Souls)
Fantasy Fiction
By Dan Watt
(Author of BARD: Bearer of the Gemstone)
(Author of the Plagueborn series)
– Adult content
Lara rides Aminah into the centre of Kingstown to the Hui Tavern. The three-storey building with its pagoda roof and walk around balconies on the first and second floor are unique. The roof and the overhangs are covered in red slate shingles while the walls are died yellow with images of different coloured dragons; except the east wall. When her grandparents brought her and her sister here as children, the owner of the tavern, Zhì Péng, told them about the creature painted on the east wall. He told them that the multifaced creature with the one mouth and two ears and body similar to a creature called a tiger is called Kaiming Shou.
When she walks inside, she sees numerous familiar drawings of buildings and landscapes that she imagines could only be from dreams. Beyond the filled maple benches and oak tables, she sees Chán Juān, Zhì Péng’s wife frying up trout over a stone oven. With a disarming smile she glances at the patrons sitting at the tables to see if there is anyone she should tell. She doesn’t see anyone, so when she sees Zhì Péng serving a table she takes him aside and asks him to pass on the word to those who should know.
Next, she rides to the Pimm Tavern. From a distance she can see a group of women gathered outside waiting to get into the three-storey building. The tall hawthorn hedge that surrounds three-quarters of the building gives it a sense of seclusion from the other nearby shops and apartments. It has yellow painted walls with chocolate brown painted windowsills and shutters. A sign over the door shows the outline of three people dancing. She ties Aminah loosely to a rail beside a few other horses.
Tina Guo (feat. Voodoo KungFu) The Water Phoenix
https://www.facebook.com/KitchenerComicCon
November 2nd and 3rd

