When I was in third grade, I fell in love with my teacher, Mrs. Green. She had red hair and green eyes.

As I thought about my leading female character, an image of Mrs. Green came to mind. Marta was to have rich auburn hair and deep green eyes. Her skin was to be creamy and smooth. Just the kind of woman that would attract a warrior like Falcon.

But, there was something more important to him than her appearance. She was a giver, a woman of kindness and courage, a soul mate for him.

Before meeting Marta, Falcon was wounded by a poisoned arrow. While he recovered enough to live for years, the poison lingered in him and at last took his life. As always, he was concerned about his Marta’s future. Here are some of his final words to his second self as written in Wielding the Words: The Dragon’s Bones Book One.

As years passed, the difference of their years and experience meant less. They treasured their children and each other. Their shared life became their focus. As the wound began to fester and Falcon began to fail, he comforted Marta as best he could with tender appreciation. At the end, his care for her future hurt him almost as urgently as the angry scar of the poisoned arrow.

Marta placed quieting fingers to his parched lips as he said this in the darkness a few nights before he died. She could not bear the thought of his near death. His thoughts for her future without him frightened her in spite of his sensitivity.

“As I’ve said, my dear, Warrick’ll leave you e’er long. You must make a life without both of us, as painful as that may be to you. And, you must not think I’d have you live alone forever, as painful as the thought of sharing you with someone else may be to me now.”

“I’ll not find another, Falcon. I can’t think of such a thing.”

“Perhaps, but you must know I don’t bind you to thoughts of me forever.”

She kissed his temples gently as he slipped into fevered sleep. I’ve been the most favored of wives for these short years, she wept to herself as she did. This fierce Falcon of mine has ever been as soft as down to me.

So, what is to happen to Marta? Will she always be alone? Read on, dear reader! Battling the Bones and Conquering the Curse (I’m writing it now.) will tell you more about her future.

Once again, I’m still needing reviews. Here’s the way to get to the Amazon Customer Review location quickly.

Wielding the Words: https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review/?ie=UTF8&channel=glance-detail&asin=B08LBSWDGY​

Battling the Bones: https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review/?ie=UTF8&channel=glance-detail&asin=B08NDSZHZW​

Thanks, friend!