<![CDATA[Amanda Flieder - Blog]]>Mon, 04 May 2026 01:04:37 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[The Portal Problem]]>Tue, 01 Jul 2025 23:00:45 GMThttps://www.amandaflieder.ca/blog/the-portal-problem
    New short story! The Portal Problem series is so fun to write. I hope you'll enjoy reading it :)
    Hello! I hope the first half of 2025 treated you well.
    Things are busy here, but less so than the past couple years. I'd say it's a bit of a break, except it's more of a forced slow down due to pain issues. The extra time I have from not being able to do as much is now being taken up by the things I am able to do either taking longer for me to do them, or that I have to recover from them after doing them.
    Having a garbage spine sucks, y'all. However, having a great team of health pros (comprised of my family doctor, my chiropractor, my physiotherapist, and a new-to-me pain specialist) means I'm getting the right help for dealing with it. All this means I'm able to use more of my Recovering From Doing Stuff time for writing.
    And that makes for a much happier brain.
    If I don't make it back here in a while, I hope the second half of 2025 is good to you. Happy Reading!
]]><![CDATA[The Nine Oceans]]>Sun, 03 Mar 2024 22:15:16 GMThttps://www.amandaflieder.ca/blog/the-nine-oceans
Hello, hello! Just a quick note today to let you know I've started posting out The Nine Oceans over on Wattpad. I won't be posting this story anywhere on my website, due to it being massive and told from multiple viewpoints, and the updates over on Wattpad will be unpredictable at best as I complete writing and editing the sections and chapters.

As of today, I think I have maybe half the story drafted and sitting in my computer. Working on it around life and all those silly 'reality' requirements means it's slow going and slow posting, but it's moving ahead. This is one I'm excited to share :)

Happy reading!
]]><![CDATA[Stories! Yay!]]>Fri, 17 Feb 2023 04:15:02 GMThttps://www.amandaflieder.ca/blog/stories-yay    Hello! I hope your week has been going well as we wrap it up into the weekend. I've been slowly adding chapters my trilogy, The Centurion's Woman, right into Wattpad as I have time. It's going up as a free read, and I'm making sure to flag the chapters that aren't safe for work. (It's not too steamy at all, but might cause a few raised eyebrows if some paragraphs get read over your shoulder lol.)
    Tonight I added a new Short Story to my site! You can check out A Portal Problem Episode 4: A Sword, by clicking here. I'd like to tell you that Low Prince Aston's luck is improving, but...
    Anyhoo, I'm off to throw the kids into bed and hope they stay there. Happy reading!
]]><![CDATA[PHEW! Been Busy...]]>Thu, 12 Jan 2023 03:42:19 GMThttps://www.amandaflieder.ca/blog/phew-been-busy
    Well hello! I can't believe it's been over a year since I last posted in here. I can say, however, it's been a fairly crazy-busy year. Mostly in good ways so I'm not going to complain :)
​    If you're interested, I posted up my novella, An'ji, as a free read on Wattpad. Click on over and check it out if a "coming of age" fantasy is something you'd like to read.
    On a personal note, our wee freeze-dried foods side hustle has turned into a 40-hour week for me. Can't lie, it's fairly amazing to work at home, and the new friends at markets make for a pretty darn good work environment. It's been a really, really big change for getting used to! Who knew that work could be non-toxic?!
    On the writing side of things... I don't have nearly as much time as I'd like. It's the sordid refrain of every writer, I think, to want more time to write and to instead find one hundred and one things to procrastinate with for any spare time we have lol. I'm happy to say that this year I'm planning to carve writing time into my schedule. I have managed to continue chipping away at stories and manuscripts over the past fourteen months, so at least I've still got a few things on the go to keep me sane and entertained. And OMG isn't reading just the best thing ever?! For the second half of 2022 I shoved hours into my weeks to actually read and I really have to recommend it. It's awesome.
    I hope your 2023 is starting off with good luck and good tidings! Thanks for stopping by to check out the blog :)​
]]><![CDATA[A Fairy: Free Downloads]]>Tue, 30 Nov 2021 02:42:16 GMThttps://www.amandaflieder.ca/blog/a-fairy-free-downloads
    Hi! The free downloads for The Portal Problem, Episode 3: A Fairy are now available over on the story's page  :)
    Please join me in noting the irony that, with no longer doing regular writing and blog updates, last week I had three days with hours I could spend at my keyboard. I did some drafting and some editing. (Not even all in the same stories!)
    Now join me in being happy that one of our little businesses is taking off a wee bit faster than expected. Not sure how many updates I'll manage in the coming months, but things are – for the first time in a long time – legitimately looking up. The trick will be to keep things in that direction. I guess we'll find out if life will allow. Hope you get to have a good week!
]]><![CDATA[A Fairy: Part 3]]>Sun, 21 Nov 2021 22:24:03 GMThttps://www.amandaflieder.ca/blog/a-fairy-part-3    Another late update, and kind of a sad one (but only a little). Reality has been throwing a lot at me lately with everything happening in the world on top of everything we're doing at home – much like it's been throwing a lot at so many people. Looking at what directions I'd like to pursue and where I'm hoping they can lead has been a big preoccupation for me these past weeks. We've somehow created a few awesome opportunities in our little piece of the world, and I don't have enough hands to grab all of them.
    Which leads to prioritizing, especially with a body like mine that doesn't work very well. (Well, a body that often doesn't work as well as I need it to, and usually with pain involved.) Priorities at the moment are raising the kids, keeping a roof over our heads and food on the table, and finding joy in doing all of it because my husband and I have both worked soul-crushing jobs and really don't want to anymore. (Insert here: can't do it anymore, healthy mental health is needed for the top two priorities to be maintained.)
    Looking at the opportunities we have right now, it's become clear I need to let go of regular writing. It's bringing a lot of joy to me, but also a lot of stress and lost time for other things like movie nights with the kids and keeping up with opportunities that pay bills. So, as of today, writing will sideline and regular blog posts will be stopping for the foreseeable future. 
The Portal Problem Episode 3: A Fairy - by Amanda Flieder
Click the image above to read from the beginning. This is the final part of the story, free downloads will be available soon! :)
    Right now, at 41 years old, I think I've finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up: Entrepreneur. Not something I planned on before now, that's for sure. My parents ran from-home businesses when I was a kid and I already knew the amount of work involved. It's a big part of why I like working for other people so much lol. I'm falling in love with having a freeze-drying business, though; despite the labor involved I really, really want to dedicate the time and effort needed to help our little food business find success. Plus, our other little business of shirts and stickers has grown up a bit more and it's time to give that some honest attention.
    Letting go of regular writing feels like a good decision right now. I'll still be posting up short stories on my Wattpad and in my Short Stories as I finish them, but not on a regular schedule. I like this new direction life is taking. It's terrifying and exciting so it must be a big enough change to be worth it. I hope life treats you well, and that you get to have an excellent week. Happy reading!

3. A Lizard

        Aston ducked behind a rocky outcropping and caught his breath to listen for any pursuit. The poachers sounded like they were remaining in place to search the small clearing where they’d lost the fairy. They were still yelling at the one Aston had struck with the branch, mostly that trees didn’t attack people. He huffed a quiet chuckle and then looked around for any of the familiar landmarks he’d noted while running toward the fight, spotting a certain knotted and twisted tree not too far off.
        He set his hand on the ground for the fairy to be able to step off easily. “I suppose you’d prefer to be on your way?” he asked.
        She turned to listen toward where the poachers were arguing and then looked up at Aston from the center of his palm as if he was missing half of his brain for having made the suggestion. “I can’t fly, and I’m nearly ready to collapse from using so much magic so quickly, and you just want to leave me here where they can walk over and pick me up without any sort of effort at all?” she demanded.
        “Oh, I... uh, I didn’t think of that,” he replied quietly.
        “No. You didn’t,” she agreed harshly.
        “What about friends or family who could –”
        “No.” She cut off the question before he even finished asking.
        “All right. Um. You could come with us?” he asked instead, so uncertain about it that she stopped moving around in small efforts to sit more comfortably in his hand and stared up at him.
        “ ‘Us’?” she asked, glancing around for who else he might be with.
        “Me, and my...” Good grief, how was he going to explain Draessellor? “Friend,” he finished, carefully. “My name is Aston,” he added, hoping to change the subject.
        “Hm. And what are you pretending to be, Aston?” she asked, reaching out to poke at the serpent hide sleeve of the shirt Draessellor had fashioned for him.
        “A” –he paused, it wasn’t like he could say he was the Low Prince of his father’s kingdom while dressed like this– “an apprentice,” he said quickly.
        “An apprentice for what?” she asked, staring up at him suspiciously again.
        “Um... fighting?”
        She cocked one of her little eyebrows at him.
        “And stealth,” he added hastily.
        Her other eyebrow joined the first.
        “Like, well, you know, outdoor life, and protecting myself...”
        “A Ranger?”
        “Uh,” he said, his mind racing to compare if that description matched anything similar to what he was actually learning these past months. “Sort of?” he answered with a question. “Look, you can either come with me right now or not. If you don’t want to travel with us then at least our camp is further away from those poachers than right here.”
        She sighed heavily and gave him another weighted, long glare. “Fine. I’ll go with you right now,” she said.
        “All right. Do you have a pack with you, or a camp we need to circle back to for your supplies?” he asked.
        “No.”
        He waited long enough to realize that was all she was going to say before he shrugged, stood up, and crept back along the way he’d come while making sure to cover his passage. Draessellor was still at the fire, but had finished his deer.
        “Did you backtrack? Your passing was concealed?” the old lizard asked.
        “Yes,” Aston confirmed, coming around to crouch at the fire and show Draessellor the fairy. “And I recused this –”
        The mercenary flicked his tongue at her. “Magic user,” Draessellor grumbled the interruption through a heavy frown. “Leave it here,” he commanded, picking up his pack in one hand and dousing the fire with his other.
        “But wait! I mean, just look at her. She’s injured,” Aston argued. He hurried to collect his own pack one-handed as Draessellor started walking away. “She was being attacked by poachers trying to cut off her wings and she was hurt during the fighting. We can’t just abandon her right after I rescued her,” he reasoned.
        One of Draessellor’s eyes swiveled back to stare at Aston before dropping to glare at the fairy the Low Prince carried. She was clinging to one of his fingers and staring at the Reptilian mercenary in horrified terror. The old lizard stopped and turned fully, walking back the two steps needed for meeting Aston’s halted scramble, to glare down at the fairy.
        “She was fighting against at least eight poachers. Plus, she knows a spell that sets off a burst of light so bright it blinds anyone looking at it for nearly a minute. Those skills have to be useful, right?” Aston said.
        Draessellor stared at the fairy with one eye and Aston with the other for what felt like an eternity. Then he huffed, shaking his head in the way which only meant irritation, and then turned away. “I won’t tend it,” he muttered, already resuming his steady march toward the mountains. “And I won’t feed it,” he added, quietly calling back over his shoulder.
        Aston gave the fairy a reassuring smile. “That means Draessellor says you can come if you want to. Just let me know if or when you want to stop travelling with us,” he said.
        She opened her mouth to reply but only a wordless squeak ending in a whimper came out. It wasn’t a request to be put down, so he started walking after Draessellor.
        “We’re going over those mountains there, then across the Small Plain on the other side out to the coast. After that, we’ll be turning south to go to my kingdom. I ended up across the Long Plain and the desert by a cursed teleportation, way back that way. Draessellor is taking me home. Apparently he’s a friend of my mother’s.”
        The fairy only whimpered this time.
        “You already know my name’s Aston,” he continued. “And you are?”
        “Ssshh...” Her voice didn’t work but she swallowed and tried again. “Sh-Shyla,” she stuttered.
        “It’s nice to meet you, Shyla,” he greeted. She stared up at him like the rest of his brain had gone to find the missing half from earlier.
        “You are not Rangers,” she accused, anger quickly replacing every other expression on her face.
        “No,” he agreed. “But we’re not wing-cutting poachers, either,” he added. Her head dropped forward as she muttered to herself too quietly for him to hear, smacking her tiny palm into her small forehead a couple of times. “So... where are you from?” he asked, trying to keep the conversation going now that he had someone to talk to.
        She looked up at him, turned and assessed the passing trees in the direction of the poachers they’d gotten away from, then her posture slumped and she leaned sideways against his fingers. “Somewhere sort of close to here. But I am not going back there so it isn’t important anymore,” she stated.
        “Sounds like a good place to be from,” he said. Her head snapped up and she stared at him in surprise. “I think you’ll like going out to the coast, actually. It really is nothing like anything here. I’d never have thought I’d miss it, but I do. Our island always seemed so limited” –he looked around at the forest and gestured back toward the desert– “but this is all so unlimited.”
        “Then why did you leave?” she asked.
        “Well, I actually didn’t. Not on purpose...”
]]><![CDATA[A Fairy: Part 2]]>Fri, 12 Nov 2021 13:37:14 GMThttps://www.amandaflieder.ca/blog/a-fairy-part-2    Happy Friday! Things have been so busy this week I barely know if I'm even doing anything useful anymore... I suppose I have to assume that 'useful' is relative, and getting the things done is the important part. I'm pretty sure we have our freeze dried stock quantities for small markets figured out (mostly), and people keep finding our shirt and sticker website (which is awesome), so it's just the tasks of keeping up with demands.
    It's a cool problem to have lol.
The Portal Problem, Episode 3: A Fairy - by Amanda Flieder
Click the image to read from the beginning :)
    Aside from being a cool problem, it's also a time-eating monster of multiple daily tasks and I've had zero writing time this week. Free time typically only happened around bedtime so most of it went into watching some Netflix and – yesterday, a really bad anxiety day for almost no reason – a surprise hour without Must Do Right Now activities got relegated to playing a Roblox obby with the kids.
    I'm still happily confused about playing Roblox being an anxiety coping strategy for me. I haven't truly enjoyed video games since I was about eleven years old and my grandmother let me play Doctor Mario on her Nintendo. (To be fair, simple games like that as phone apps are still my go-to for brain distractions. Bubble Witch 2 has been my favorite recent app for years lol.)
    I find the apps distract my brain without helping, though. All the anxiety is still there when I turn off the app. The nice part about Roblox is that I can play even for only an hour and it calms down my anxiety. No idea why it works for me, but I'm not going to start questioning it. Simple obbys make my brain happy, and focused happiness causes a confuddled retreat of my anxiety monster back into the corner. Wonderfully nifty little reset for me whenever I can carve out time for it, so I try to carve out the time on days when I need it. Easier said than done, I know, but healthy coping strategies do work well when used. Who knew?
    I guess now it's time to post this up, log off, and get started on today's to-do list. First on my list: breakfast and coffee. Lol. I hope you get to have a great weekend!

2. Mercenary Morals

        Draessellor tasted and sniffed the air more than usual as they were eating. Aston knew the behaviour meant there was another person around, but ‘around’ could mean anywhere from nearby to three days away depending on that person’s hygiene and if they were upwind. That estimate narrowed quickly to nearby when someone cried out in surprise within a distance Aston could hear. Metal clanged and there were more shouts.
        Aston stood and turned, easily finding the direction the sounds of a scuffle were coming from. Draessellor stayed seated, tearing off and methodically chewing another bite of venison.
        The noise of the fighting changed from scuffling to definite attackers and a single voice of being attacked. “Don’t you think we should...?” Aston left the question hanging and gestured toward the noises.
        Drassellor rolled one eye to look at Aston before glancing toward the sounds. The big Reptillian shrugged one shoulder before turning back to his deer to bite off another chunk.
        Aston’s hand dropped to the hilt of the sword he was carrying as whoever was being attacked screamed. He couldn’t tell if it was a rage scream or an injury scream.
        “Lay hands to me again and I’ll carve your eyes from your skull to use as decoration for –”
        The enraged threat was interrupted by whoever was speaking being struck hard enough for the words to abruptly end. Only coughing followed. Aston gestured, again, for Draessellor to stand and join him in looking for where the attack was occurring. The old lizard hunched closer over the small fire and flicked one taloned hand; as if dismissing a child from schooling at the end of an irritating lesson.
        Aston struggled twice over with a flare of anger at his companion; first because the ancient creature apparently had no moral compass when it came to attacks of multiple people against one, and second because he’d been protecting and training Aston all these weeks and now couldn’t be bothered to help someone having a real fight. The fighting sounded like a roadside robbery. It wasn’t like brigands would be a problem for the mercenary!
        The final word in that thought snapped Aston out of his anger: Draessellor was a mercenary. He wasn’t being paid to fight random robbers as they travelled. He was being paid to deliver Aston home. Aston didn’t have anything of value to pay the old lizard with for fighting random robbers, and Draessellor would have smelled if the one being attacked had the potential to pay for a rescue. If there was to be a rescue, Aston was on his own to provide it.
        The Low Prince darted off between the trees in the direction of the yelling, pleased with himself for noting landmarks quickly so he would be able to find his way back. One thing for certain, it did feel good to be getting better at travelling, hunting, fighting, and hiding than when he’d first met the old lizard. It also felt like a good idea to use his new skills to improve the world a little bit, especially if the mercenary wouldn’t.
        “Hold him down!”
        “Get hands on the wings!”
        “AH! He bit me!”
        “I said hold him down!”
        “What’s he muttering for?”
        A blinding flash of light burst out from where the voices were yelling, turning the leaves into papery skeletons. Aston blinked away the after-images and crept further forward as the yelling resumed.
        “I’ll feast on your spleen!” The one being attacked screeched the threat, this time their voice nearly squeaking as the attackers yelled and yelped without words.
        “I got him!” one of the attackers called out triumphantly. He ‘umphed’ and something heavy thudded to the ground.
        “Whose got who now?” The distinctly not-squeaking voice of the one being attacked asked.
        “Get him off Ike!”
        “Grab him!”
        “Get the wings!”
        Aston stopped behind a thick tree and peered around the trunk at the failing robbery. More people were running from the other direction to where the fight between four men and… the sparkle of iridescent wings had been a flash half as tall as Aston and then disappeared. He blinked and caught sight of twinkling zipping out between two of the attackers. One of the two spun and threw out a leaden blanket that fell over what could only be a fairy, pinning it to the ground. The attacker who’d thrown the blanket pounced and pinned down the fairy as it shifted back to full size in an attempt to throw off the blanket.
        “Gotcha!”
        “Cut his wings quick now he’s big!”
        “His?!” the fairy yelled, then grunted out “hers!” after being punched hard in the stomach.
        “Yeah! Twice the bounty on wings from him being full-sized!” the thug who’d last punched her stated with a grin, completely ignoring her correction. Aston’s stomach turned as one of them produced a heavy knife and advanced on the fairy. These weren’t thugs; they were poachers.
        In total, seven poachers encircled the three holding her down. Aston had only before seen fairies in books, except that one time he was bespelled by a harpy... This one didn’t look like a harpy in disguise. And she was… muttering?
        He threw his arm up to block his eyes a moment before the searing light blinded the poachers attacking her.
        “I lost him!”
        “Don’t move! You could step on him!”
        “Is he in the blanket?”
        “Would I’ve said ‘I lost him’ if he was in the blanket?”
        “My eyes!”
        “Shut it! All of us got half blinded!”
        Aston dropped his arm and looked around the tree. The fairy was small again and struggling overground to get clear of the stumbling and scuffling thugs, her direction angling for the nearest trees as she dodged and darted around stomping feet. No time for thinking up a better plan, Aston left his sword sheathed so that he could better hold his cloak and stayed low as he sprinted toward the fairy. She didn’t see him until his hand dropped in front of her, fingers open and palm up. One of her wings looked crumpled.
        “I’m not with them,” he whispered. She frowned hard up at him.
        One of the poachers stumbled over him and he twisted a bit to toss them further than if they’d just tripped. Their grunt as they landed caught the attention of a few others, and their wheezing was confused as they squinted and blinked back toward him, trying to see who or what he was.
        “I think... I think... a rock... just tossed me,” they panted out as they tried to catch their breath.
        “Rocks can’t throw people. Where was it?” another asked.
        “I’m over here,” he wheezed. He started slapping the ground to make extra noise for the rest to find him faster.
        “Last chance,” Aston whispered to the fairy.
        Her jaw was clenched and her glare distrustful, but she climbed onto his hand and knelt on his palm. He curled his fingers up for her to hang on to and quickly scurried out of the little clearing. Two people saw him retreat and tried to follow. Once inside the trees he stood just straight enough to knock the first poacher into the second by pulling back and then releasing a heavy branch, sending them stumbling back into the clearing, and then slouched low and sprinted between the trees how Draessellor had taught him. The group of poachers fought among themselves, first about who’s fault it was for the fairy getting away, and then about how ridiculous it was to think a rock and then a tree could attack a person.
]]><![CDATA[A Fairy: Part 1]]>Fri, 05 Nov 2021 15:36:03 GMThttps://www.amandaflieder.ca/blog/a-fairy-part-1    So, earlier this Fall we decided to start doing local markets with our freeze dried foods business. Covid restrictions have been good for small markets so far, as in the people working them and attending all understand and typically comply happily (or without loud complaints). Plus, working markets seemed a great opportunity to grow our business without over-committing ourselves due to being able to set our own schedule. We did a couple of markets, then the Delta Variant rolled into the province on high speed and two markets we were booked for were postponed.
    They're now happening this month. As are the two markets we'd planned on having tables at. November no longer has weekends lol. Wish us luck!
    As for a writing update, I got a new office chair – it's so comfy! I had no idea my old chair had died to that extent – and I've unfortunately gotten very few hours to sit in it. Story ideas are stuck in my head at the moment; they have to wait. Editing is my go-to when I get writing time. It's funny to me how I can fall in love with every story over and over each time I come back for a revision pass after letting the manuscripts sit. That makes editing, a task many writers seem to not like, so enjoyable to me.
    Anyhoo, off and running again. (The market for this weekend starts tonight!) The story starting today is a continuation of a short story series I started a couple of years ago, The Portal Problem. It's a very interesting fantasy world to me, so welcome back. I hope you get to have a great weekend :)

1. Traveling Woes

Picture
        “We could at least have gotten a horse for me,” Aston muttered, looking back at the small valley they’d gone the long way around.
        The roads in and out of the valley were wide and well maintained, horses and wagons plentiful from the glimpses he could catch, and the amount of smoke boasted evidence of a large settlement. Midday bells rang out cheerfully and Aston slouched longingly; bells meant the town down there was there big enough for bells.
        “We could’ve gone for a meal with actual spices in it!” Aston called, turning to see his Reptillian protector and travelling companion wasn’t waiting for him at all. Again.
        Draessellor didn’t even twitch a scale at the accusing comment. Both his eyes stayed looking forward as his steady steps continued away from the – in Aston’s imagination – bustling streets and buildings. Three days ago Draessellor said he could smell a town, adding that it reeked of only humans and there hadn’t been even a whiff of trading with the other races common to this part of the world. He’d said it wasn’t a safe town to go into for either of them as usually single-race towns were violently exclusive.
        At least, Aston had interpreted that’s what the old lizard’s frowned grunt of “Human town,” and subsequent direction change away from the valley was meant to translate to when Aston asked him if they could stop for supplies. After a final, long glace over the valley, Aston turned and jogged to catch up with the old lizard.
        Their first week together, in the desert tanning snake hides which Aston was now wearing as clothing, he’d tried – often – to talk to the mercenary. The lesson was learned quickly any conversations would be short and one-sided. Draessellor wasn’t much for verbal communications. Now, after two months of walking, the old lizard spoke even less than in the first week.
        “You know, I could go back and get a horse and a meal for myself if you wait here,” Aston offered. “I am Human,” he added. “Human town, Human me, it should be fine.”
        One of Draessellor’s eyes swiveled back to stare at the Low Prince for a moment, the gaze of it dropping and lifting once before swiveling forward again.
        “I could trade for proper clothing and some armor while I was there, as well. You’re the one who keeps saying I need armor for the mountain crossing,” Aston said. “Look, I would be back here well before nightfall and –”
        Draessellor stopped. He turned his whole head this time so his elongated face was profiled against the trees ahead of him. A single eye stared over his shoulder and down at Aston in disapproval. “You wear snake leather like a poor desert Human and carry the sword of a rich mountain one. You stand and speak with the posture and the manners of your royal mother but smell like a beggar. You think anyone in that town will trade with you, a strange stranger, just because you’re Human?”
        It was the most the old lizard had said in the past three weeks... since the last time Aston had done something extensively wrong and potentially dangerous.
        “I just thought...” Aston let his voice trail off, following up with an uncomfortable shrug.
        “They’ll believe you’re a thief at best. They’ll treat you as a murderer at worst.”
        Aston stared at the dead leaves around his feet. The weight of Draessellor’s stare at the top of his head left his shoulders bowed from the pressure. The old lizard’s scales rustled under his armor and then he started walking again, his steps taking him further away from the valley.
        Sundown that night was just like every other night: set camp, small fire, hunt dinner, cooking, eating... then training. Aston didn’t know why the mercenary had decided he needed to be better at fighting, but assumed it was the same reason Draessellor wanted him to have armor. It felt silly to practice with the stolen sword and knife while travelling with an extremely deadly mercenary, and downright ridiculous going through the hand-to-hand combat training against the old lizard, but Aston was fairly certain he’d been getting better over the past weeks. He tripped less, now, anyway.
        Sunup started off with the usual cold breakfast, and then the routine switched entirely after Draessellor grunted “Stealth training,” and disappeared silently into the trees. Four days of chasing the ghost of the old lizard and getting ambushed by scaly-handed swats at every wrong step and Aston felt completely ready to happily walk back to the valley and be treated like a murderer in the Human town. These four days were almost as bad as using the cursed portal stones to travel!
        Well, maybe not that bad, Aston corrected as he stretched and felt the tight skin of the scar across his back. Travelling with Draessellor was definitely safer, aside from being infinitely more... difficult.
        Their route over the next weeks was ever forward into the growing foothills. The increase in stony footing meant less footsteps and rustling leaves, so less of Draessellor’s ambushes. The more plentiful creeks meant more than a few wet afternoons after being ambushed.
        How something as large and creaking as Draessellor could move in silence and hide in almost plain sight without disturbing even a twig was an absolute enigma Aston couldn’t figure out at all. Not to say he wasn’t trying his best to emulate the old lizard, but figuring out the fine points of finesse was proving to be something he felt was well beyond his personal capabilities.
        He crept past a couple of grazing rabbits, using this latest creek to hide the sound of his footsteps and keeping his head low and below the steep embankment, grateful the breeze carried his scent away from the rabbits as he concentrated on placing his feet. Surprising himself, he arrived on the far side of them without having disturbed anything. And he recalled every step and moment of sneaking past right down to which birds had flown over him.
        “Good stealth, son of Ceil,” Draessellor’s disembodied whisper said. The hulking mercenary detached from the scenery and walked the few steps to look down where Aston was waiting to be pushed into the creek... again. “Lunch,” the old lizard added, holding out some fish.
        The Low Prince took them carefully and heaved a relieved sigh as the old lizard only gave him the fish and then pulled him up onto the grass. Once Aston was back on his own feet Draessellor turned and walked away, the small deer for his own lunch dangling from his other hand.
        Belatedly, the whispered words praising Aston for doing something well sank into his brain. Startled, he glanced back. The grazing rabbits were sitting up on their haunches, staring this way because Draessellor hadn’t been silent when he walked off with his lunch. Aston hurried after the mercenary, careful to keep his steps quiet, more than pleased with himself as the rabbits went back to grazing.
]]><![CDATA[Hide and Seek: Part 2]]>Sun, 31 Oct 2021 19:55:43 GMThttps://www.amandaflieder.ca/blog/hide-and-seek-part-2
    A special Sunday update so my Halloween story for this year is finished in time for some creepy evening reading. Plus, the free downloads are available! :)
    We carved up pumpkins this morning, ones we grew in our own garden this summer. The kids chose happy faces and these have to be the most joy filled jack o' lanterns I've ever seen. We'll only have them out for a few hours tonight, then into the fridge with them because - oh my goodness! - garden pumpkins taste absolutely amazing compared to the store-bought flavor I'm used to. I can't wait to make muffins and then try baking a pumpkin pie for the first time! 
Hide and Seek by Amanda Flieder
Click the image to read the complete story :) FREE downloads available!
    This weekend's pain management has just been rest. I'm completely over-using my body right now and things are not holding up well. Our shirts and stickers business has been busy, as well as our freeze dried foods business (we'll be doing a bunch of small markets throughout November and that's really exciting), and general at-home-mom-job things all combined in the past couple of weeks to simply be too much. Thankfully I could spend half of yesterday in bed. And the past two nights I was able to overcome the anxiety monsters before 1am so got adequate sleep for the first times in... let's not count that, okay?
    Moral of the story: be nice to your body because chronic pain issues can really hurt a lot more when combined with strains, possible stress fractures, and pinched nerves.
    Tonight, though, with a bit of pain meds and some willful ignoring of pain signals, I'll be able to go out with the kids for a couple hours of covid-safe Trick or Treating. I'm really hoping the neighbor who had a candy bucket duct taped to the top of the remote control car is again delivering candy to the end of the driveway in the same creative way. My kids absolutely loved the "RC Delivery" last year.
    I hope you're having a great weekend!
Picture

2

        Dinnah’s my best friend in the whole world, baby Stacy. When she was my size, we’d sit in the closet when she was sad and I’d sing to her until she was happy again. Shh-shh-shh, don’t cry. She’ll be here in just a moment and she can warm you right up. See? She’s got a puffy, warm coat on and a little holder inside just for you. See? Here she is. I told you she’d be here and keep you warm.
        Dinnah? I know I said I wanted to play on the swings, but I can see your breath and I saw baby Stacy’s, too, when we first came out before you zipped her into your coat so I think it’s too cold for you and baby Stacy to play outside. And it’s very dark and very late for a baby to play out here…
        You still want to play outside just not here? Okay… I guess. Oh, wait, does this mean we can all go over to see Jenn’s cow, now? I’ve really missed Jenn’s cow, with its big pretty eyes and the brown swirly fur in the middle of its forehead.
        A race? Of course!
        I’m going to beat you!
        .
        .
        Come on, just a little further!
        .
        .
        .
        You can make it!
        .
        I win! You got bigger but I’m the fastest. What’s wrong? Is it those lights way over there that are moving really fast. What can move that fast? What’s a car?
        Dinnah? Dinnah, wait! I don’t think Jenn’s cow likes anyone in its field, Dinnah. Remember, Jenn said we can’t go in the field without her. You want to play hide and seek out here? But… really? Um, okay. I guess, but... just let me go through a shadow to ask Jenn’s cow if it’s okay. You’re really sure you want to? Okay.
        Hello? Jenn’s cow? I’m very sorry to wake you. I’m Alice.
        How do you do? It’s lovely to meet you also, Brunus. I’m very sorry for intruding so late at night, but is it all right if my best friend, Dinnah, and her daughter, baby Stacy, and I play in your field? We were playing night-time hide and seek at Dinnah’s house, but the It person is mean so we decided to play on the swings instead. Except it’s too cold outside to play on the swings, so we had a race to your field instead. Dinnah thinks your field has some very good shadows for us to play night-time hide and seek, although I don’t know why she wants to keep playing with that mean It person.
        Ha-ha, no. She’s not my size. She’s so big now that she made her own baby, baby Stacy. Oh, Brunus, baby Stacy has the most beautiful baby smile! I just know she’s going to be my best friend once she’s my size.
        Well, yes, I suppose the mean It person is a bad person. Well, because they hit Dinnah’s friend right in his head and made him fall over and sleep in the hallway. She said she saw them hit him. Well, then she snuck into the closet and that’s what brought me back to her to sit with her. Oh, yes! Dinnah’s been my best friend since she was even littler than me and she never forgot me ever, not even once. I’ve moved with her three times, and she always puts blankets in the closet for me everywhere she lives so I can fold up but we’re still always together.
        No, of course not! I’d never scare her. I help her smile again. That’s what I do for my friends. Yes, of course I’ve had a lot of friends. Dinnah is special, though. Well, because she remembers me. Lots of my friends got bigger and then forgot me, but not Dinnah. I had another friend like Dinnah once, his name was Isaac and he got so old that he had seven grandchildren and he still remembered me and I would sing to him every time he was sad or sick because he said it helped him feel better.
        The mean It person? I don’t know. Yes, they were opening all the cupboards and drawers in baby Stacy’s room when I folded her up with me in a blanket to hide. Dinnah asked me to sneak baby Stacy outside and away from the mean It person, but we had to hide until I could walk us through a shadow to the swings outside.
        Yes, I am very good at hide and seek, thank you. It helps a lot that anyone who wouldn’t be a good friend for me can’t see or hear me. Why, yes, you see and hear me very well. I agree. I also think you’d be a lovely friend for me, Brunus, if that’s what you’d like.
        Oh, yes, I’d love for you to play with us! I’ll go tell Dinnah that you want to and that we’re allowed to play in your field. Thank you, Brunus! May I hug you? Thank you so much. I’ll see you out there. I’m going to go through a shadow back to Dinnah and baby Stacy. Yes, it is much quicker than walking. Yes, of course I can open this for you. Oh, I can see your breath. Do you need a jacket, too? Okay.
        Um, yes, right. We’re playing just… over there! See? Can you see those lights moving quickly? Dinnah says they belong to a car. You know what that is? No, I’ve no idea, but…
        A machine that can move by itself? Huh. Okay, well, thank you. And I’ll just go now and tell Dinnah you’re coming to play with us. The mean It person? No, I think if you say you don’t want them to play with us in your field that they won’t. You’re very soft but you’re also very big, so I think they’ll listen to you. And right here is where you think should be our safe place to count from? Okay. I’ll bring Dinnah and baby Stacy here. Thank you! We’ll see you soon!
        Bum, bum, da-dum-dum.
        Hi, Dinnah! Jenn’s cow isn’t a… What’s wrong? Why are you…?
        Oh. It’s you. You’re not a very nice It person to play with. I’m speaking to you! Hmm, if you can’t hear me then that means you can’t see me, either. That confirms it. You are not someone I want to be friends with.
        Dinnah? Is this a car? My chest feels like there are a lot of shadows inside it. I wonder if… huh. Now it stopped purring and shaking and I only pulled on a couple of things. What if I put these together? Ahh! That’s too loud! Too loud! I’m sorry, Dinnah! I’m trying to stop it!
        Phew. I know that was music but it was much too loud. I’m not going to put those together again. Cars are very strange and they smell bad. I wonder what this does? Hahaha! Oh goodness it can wave! Dinnah, look! It can wave! Swink, swunk, swink, swunk…
        This mean It person and their friend look scared about being out here in the dark now. Is it okay for me to scare them so they don’t want to play with us? Okay. I bet if I do this, then… haha! No more lights.
        Don’t cry, Dinnah. My eyes are special, remember? Even on cloudy nights like tonight, I can still see just fine. Come on, let’s go through this shadow to a little further away. I know you don’t like walking through shadows with me so we won’t go really far. Did you know that Jenn’s cow isn’t a cow at all? He’s a he, and he said he wants to play hide and seek with us. His name is Brunus and his stall is going to be our safe place to count and go out hiding from. He doesn’t want to play with the mean It person, either so he’s coming over to tell them that they’re not allowed in his field.
        Ohh, look, the moon is pretty tonight when it peeks out. It’s been such a long time since I saw the moon. Hello, Mister Moon! Dinnah, look, the pearls on my skirt are so shiny in moonlight. Why are you looking at me like that? Or are you looking behind me… Oh. It’s you again.
        Goodness, my manners. I forgot, everyone can see me when the moon can. I stood up and gave away our hiding place. I suppose… how do you do, mean It person? Wait, you look very startled. Ha-ha! That’s right! Dinnah said I’m allowed to frighten you. Well, in that case, guess what I can do? I can do tricks with shadows.
        Now I’m over here!
        Now I’m here!
        Look over here, now!
        I can even walk into your shadow. Boo!
        Ha-ha! Oh gracious, your face! You fell right down. And you deserved it because you don’t. Play. Nice. It’s very bad to hit.
        Who is that yelling so much?
        .
        .
        .
        Hello.
        Ha-ha! Goodness gracious you fell right out. Oh! How rude. My mother taught me it’s not polite for a lady to slam a door. That was very rude. I think if I do this… you should know my mother says I’m a very smart young lady because I learn things very quickly. There. Now you’re locked outside.
        Dinnah, are you all right? Come on through the shadows with me. It’ll be a longer time inside the shadow but we’ll go all the way to the barn, okay? Okay. Brunus said you and I are allowed to play in his field, and that he wants to play with us, but he doesn’t want anyone mean playing. He’ll be here soon to tell these mean players to go away.
        Oh, you’re shivering. I think it’s too cold out here for you and baby Stacy. The barn must be warmer because I didn’t see Brunus’ breath at all until I opened his door. Come on, let’s go to the safe place starting point to wait for Brunus to come back.
        And you two should get out of Brunus’ field because he said he won’t be friends with anyone mean.
        Come on, Dinnah. Here’s a good shadow to go that far to the barn.
        See? It’s much warmer in here. I’ll close Brunus’ door so the cold doesn’t make it bad in here for you. I can hear humming and popping. There must be a little heater in here. We can open the door again when Brunus comes back.
        It’s okay, you don’t have to cry. Do you want me to sing to you? Oh.
        You do want me to? But only after… well, yes, I guess I can go check on your friend first. That would make you happier than a song? You’re sure? Well, it’s just that my songs always make you happy and… okay. But I’ll come right back.
        Hello? Can you see me? Can you hear me, too? Oh good. You don’t have to be frightened. I’m Alice. I am Alice and I like to play, so we’ll be friends all night and day. I like making rhymes, don’t you? Who are you talking to on the telephone? No, I can’t. Phones don’t work for me.
        You’re Dinnah’s friend, right? Of course I can tell you where Dinnah and baby Stacy are. No-no, you shouldn’t stand up when your eyes look like that. My second oldest brother got kicked by a horse on accident one time and his eyes looked like yours and our mom said he shouldn’t stand up. He tried to and he fell right over again.
        Of course I can see your eyes. My eyes are special.
        Well… I promised Brunus we’d play with him while I was asking if it was okay for us to be in his field. Yes, in the field. We’re going to play hide and seek, though, once Brunus gets back from telling the mean It person and their not nice friend that they are not allowed to play with us. Dinnah and baby Stacy and I are waiting in the barn for Brunus and I to come back so we can all play together.
        No, I didn’t. Dinnah asked me to check on you. I came through a shadow. It’s one of my tricks.
        I’ll go tell her an ambulance is coming here now. And police? Okay. Yes, I can tell her that for you, too. You seem like a very good friend if you’re this worried about her even though you seem very hurt. Really? She’s my best friend, too! We’ve been best friends since she was a little smaller than me. Yes, I am the one in the closet. We can all be best friends together now! Yes, I’ll go tell her. Bye for now.
        Dinnah? Your friend is awake, but his eyes look like my second oldest brother’s after that time he was kicked in the head by a horse on accident. Your friend said to tell you that if you’re safe then just stay here. Of course I told him where we are. He could see me and hear me, yes. Well, he said you’re his very best friend so I want to be friends with him, too. Not telling him where you are when he asked would be like lying. My mom says polite girls don’t lie, you know that. Oh, and he says that an ambulance is coming to your house for him right away. He was talking on the telephone with them. He said the police would be along, as well.
        What’s that yelling? No, I don't think Brunus could yell like that. Oh yes! He must have found the mean people. Don’t worry, I’ll bet he’s telling them to go away. You think he’s scaring them away? I guess he could seem frightening, because he’s so big, but he was very polite. No, I’m not scared of him at all. He was very soft when I hugged him.
        Do you want a hug? Yes, of course I’ll stay right here. Do you want me to sing a song for you now? Okay. Tell me your favorite and that’s the one I’ll sing. Hmm… I know three lullabies, so how about the one my mom sang to me? I also think baby Stacy will like it, too.
]]><![CDATA[Hide and seek: Part 1]]>Sat, 30 Oct 2021 01:02:41 GMThttps://www.amandaflieder.ca/blog/hide-and-seek-part-1    Hello! This is a weird little story, which makes it perfect for Halloween weekend. I'll post up Part 2 on Sunday as this isn't the story that I want to start on November 5.
    Happy Halloween!
Silver moon on a dark night above a field light painted to show yellowed grasses
Photo by Luca, www.unsplash.com

Part 1

        ​Hi, Dinnah. It’s very late to play, isn’t it? You’re crying. Did you have a bad dream? Here, tuck into my blanket. I’ll always share my blanket any time with you.
        In the closet it is safe and all the toys each have a place.
        It’s like a little rhyme, you know? I still like rhyming. Do you still like rhyming? Do you remember this one from when we first met: I am Alice and I like to play, so we’ll be friends all night and day?
        What? Yes, I can… I can be quiet now and whisper really small. Are you really playing hide and seek this late at night? You can shake your head a little for either yes or no, remember? My special eyes can see in the dark. Hide and seek at night can be scary. I can whisper-sing a song only you can hear if you want? It’ll be like when you were my size.
        There’s no crying, we can run,
            once all the footstep sounds are done.
        You and I hide in this space
            Until we’ll run and get to ‘safe’.
        Together you and I will play
            hide and seek til end of day,
        hiding where we can’t be seen
            away from everyone who’s keen.
        Was that song good? I agree one hundred and five percent! Oops, I’ll whisper now don’t worry. Is it okay if I hug you a little bit?
        Are you crying a little bit? It’ll be all right, Dinnah. I’ll help you hide so you can win, I promise. Can’t you hear? The footsteps are going away because nobody can see us back here. It’s just like hide and seek when you were my size and we’d play with the kids from next door. Remember when you were growing bigger and thought I’d forget you and go away? Or that time you thought I got left behind when your parents moved you away? I didn’t forget and I came with you, though, and we were both so, so happy every time we were still together and best friends.
        Of course I’m here now. You’re still my best friend.
        Uh-oh. I hear steps again. It’s okay! Let’s fold up into the blanket. Just like when you were my size. Remember when you were my size and I’d fold us up like this? Nobody ever found us then.
        Ssshhhh…
        I won’t let anyone find you.
        Ssshhhh… quiet, Dinnah.
        I promise I won’t let anyone find you.
        .
        .
        .
        See? Even when the closet door opened, you were folded up in the blanket with me and the It person never knew we were here. What are you…? Oh, you want to write a message on my hand? Okay! I love that game!
        B,
        A,
        D.
        P,
        E,
        O,
        P,
        L,
        E.
        Bad People. The It person is a mean person? I don’t like mean people.
        S,
        T,
        A,
        C,
        Y.
        M,
        Y.
        D,
        A,
        U,
        G,
        H,
        T,
        E,
        R.
        Stacy. My. Daughter. Did I get it right? Wow. You got so big you made a baby?
        O,
        T,
        H,
        E,
        R.
        B,
        E,
        D,
        R,
        O…
        Other bedroom. I guessed it before you even finished so I win. Can she be my friend, too? We can all sneak to the safe spot and win hide and seek together! But, if the It person is mean can we play together on the swings outside, instead? Good.
        I don’t hear footsteps anymore. Let me just peek… it’s okay to peek, I won’t make any sound because the It person left the closet door open. Someone is sleeping on the floor in the hallway? He’s not very good at hiding. The It person probably walked right past him so they’re not very good at finding people, either. I bet if we go now we can get to the safe place and win.
        He’s not hiding? The It person hit him! That’s so mean! That’s not playing fair at all. We should go to the safe place and win and not play anymore. Or we can hide until they give up.
        C,
        R,
        I,
        B.
        Crib. Is that the safe place? Because cribs are not good hiding places. I mean… wait, aww Stacy’s still a baby and she’s in a crib? So you want the three of us to go to the safe place and win and stop playing? But the mean It person will find you if you… oh! You want me to get Stacy and meet you at the safe place? Does that mean I’m allowed to pick her up? Really? Okay! But… you’re still my best friend. I’m not going to replace you with Stacy when she grows up to my size, I promise. I’ll go through the shadows and then we can meet you at the swings. Okay? Okay.
        No crib here.
        None here.
        Crib! Hi, little baby Stacy. Goodness, those footsteps sound a lot closer to your door, don’t they? But you’re such a good baby you didn’t even wake up. I’m Alice. Dinnah is your mom and she’s my best friend and she said I’m allowed to pick you up.
        Ugh. Sleeping babies are heavy. It’s okay, though. I think you’re beautiful even if you weigh a ton and your arms and legs are sort of floppy. I haven’t picked up a baby since my littlest brother was born.
        Uh-oh. Don’t wake up crying, baby Stacy. I do know how to hold babies, I promise. I learned with my baby brother. I think the It person is right at your bedroom door so it’s not a good time to cry.
        Oh there’s your blanket! Let’s cover up like this and I’ll hold you tight like this and we’ll fold up into the wrinkle shadows just like this. See? That mean It person Dinnah doesn’t like can’t see us and won’t hear you because you’re such a good, quiet baby. Don’t worry that they’re walking around us, I’m really, really good at hide and seek. And I can whisper-sing so quiet that only you and I can hear, too. Do you want to hear how quiet I can be? Okay…? I guess blinking means yes.
        I am Alice and I like to play,
            so we’ll be friends all night and day.
        I don’t eat and I don’t sleep
            and I have special eyes that peep
        into the dark or brightest light
            each sunny day and blackest night.
        My skirts are soft, my hair has curls,
            I’ll be friends with boys and girls
        Who say they’d like to be friends, too.
            We’ll be friends, if that’s what you want to do.
        Aww, you have the prettiest baby smile in the whole world. I love you! I just know we’re going to be best friends when you grow up big enough to talk to me and play with me. And those footsteps for the mean It person are going away again. Come on, we’ll walk through a shadow together to go out and play on the swings with Dinnah.
        Uh-oh. It must be cold out here because I can see your breath. Here, snuggle up a little more into your blanket so you stay warm until – oh! There she is! Climbing out the window right now to sneak over here so we can all play together without anyone mean.
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