User blog comment:Peony Laminar/Peony Laminar/@comment-From the South/@comment-1988904-20100603025125

Sneak Peak from Chapter 30:

''The red pommel stone of Martin’s great sword gleamed in the setting sun. Dann Reguba had never made it his habit to walk around the Abbey armed, but today was the Midsummer Night feast and Abbess Song had begged him to wear it. But not only that. She along with Log-a-Log Dippler and Chief Burble had strong armed him into performing a sword dance that he had developed while he trained outside the abbey. The sword was now fastened across his back and the hilt peeked over his shoulder where he could quickly draw it. Though he would have no reason to do so today.'' … ''Drenched in cold sweat, head pounding, Abbess Song let out a quiet sob as she woke up from the dream. She felt terrible, and it wasn’t merely from the memories of her past. It was probably from standing out in the rain without a cloak. She was so stubborn sometimes.  For a moment, she glanced out into the darkness. What hour of the night was it? When would the sun return to drive out this endless night? The rain hadn’t ceased either. It still pounded insistently on her window.  She wasn’t one to dwell too much on the past, though it was difficult not to dwell on her past with Dann and the night he left the Abbey. That’s why she hated being sick, or sitting still for too long. Her mind would always drift back of its own accord to memories of him and the incident – she had started to think of it as such. It was heartbreaking to think of that night, so filled with both utter joy and heart-breaking sorrow. '' …