Ariella

About the author: Following a previous life, he has turned his attention to telling stories about the Old West during the 19th and early 20th centuries. He has discovered there are thousands of untold stories to be found in old newspapers, magazines, and sometimes even history books. The stories he writes are mostly made-up fiction, but then so are a lot of history books. He has learned that what people most value are not the bare bone facts of the past, but the stories we tell about them. Steve (whose friends mostly refer to him as "Bart") derives his idea from listening to people, walking around old neighborhoods, and a lot of reading. As for his previous life, he had an undistinguished career in civil service. His first actual job was in the U.S. Army. Someday he may write a book titled "All I Need to Know I learned in the Army." He now lives in a rural part of northern California, where he likes to listen to folks and look at trees.

Sometimes a magic lute is more than a magic lute. Minions of an evil ogre have stolen Rymer the troubadour's lute. The lute's name is Ariella. Rymer needs her for his livelihood. He thinks of Ariella as Her, not It. In fact he believes his lute is his wife. He sets off to find the ogre and recover Ariella. He will encounter Swine Girl, who will help him. But he first must pass by the Black Duke and Castle Grey, where Swine Girl's brother is held captive. How will he get past the castle and find his ogre? The Black Duke stands in Rymer's way. No one knows where he came from, or the source of his power. He has taken Castle Grey for his own, and drained all color from it. He throws Rymer in the deepest dungeon, next to Swine Girl's brother. The troubadour has only a single dragon's scale to help him escape. Where is he to find an army to overthrow the Duke? If Rymer should fail in his mission he will not see Ariella again, and Castle Grey shall be buried in gloom forever. Now travel to an imaginary time past, which haunts us yet today.