A legend of Lor - Fantasy for all ages
Available now from Amazon Shorts

In the mythical kingdom of Lor, a crafty king conceives a test to choose a new heir, and a lame shepherdess discovers there's more than one way to win a race.

Features action, heroism, humor, and singing cabbages. What more do we need?... Social significance?... Okay, it has that, too.

==EXCERPT==
“Aw’right, aw’right—cut the yammerin’!” Captain Bardo, the commander of the Royal Guard, stepped forward, slapping his sword against his boot in a call for order. He was a big man, hard enough to grind rocks on. Dani thought he looked almost frightening in his black dress uniform with its billowing gold cape. But having to organize such a boisterous crowd of youngsters seemed to be frazzling his nerves. He shuffled his feet in the dust, and the face under his plumed helmet was turning redder than Nilana’s dress.

Hugo sniggered behind his hands.

“Quiet!” the captain roared. “That means you too, Prince Hee-oo-go. You may be the king’s nephew, but that won’t save you from a boot in them fancy pants of yours today, me fine bucko. The king’s orders is for all in this ruddy race to be treated the ruddy same. Now, straighten up this ruddy line!”

There followed a brief burst of pandemonium as everyone decided their neighbor was in a better position than they were and scrambled to correct the matter.

“Oh no!” Dani heard the little boy next to her cry.

“What’s the matter?” she whispered to him.

“My sandal strap broke. Now I’ll miss all the fun. I can’t run in my bare feet.”

Large tears rolled down his face, melting Dani where she stood. The poor little fellow. He was really too small for such a big race. He probably knew he had no more chance of winning than she did, but it was obvious he had his heart set on participating just for the sport of it. She certainly understood that.
Dani thought fast, mentally measuring him against herself. She was older and a bit taller, but their feet were nearly the same size…

“Don’t worry, you can wear my sandals.” She reinforced the offer with a smile.

The boy swiped away his tears with a purple stained fist—he must have had blackberries for breakfast—and smiled shyly in return. “If…if you’re sure you don’t mind.”

“Of course not. I go barefoot all the time when I’m with my sheep in the pasture. My feet are used to it.” Well, it wasn’t a complete lie. She did go barefoot whenever she swam in the pasture lake. And she swam a lot.

She sensed Captain Bardo’s eyes on her as she hastily untied her sandals and handed them to the boy. A sudden prickle of doubt raised goose-bumps on her arms. Have I done something wrong? What if he says I can’t be in the race now?

She held her breath as he strode toward her, his gold cape flashing and crackling in the bright morning light. But he merely stared down at her for a nerve-wracking moment, and then passed on by.

“It’s not enough for her that she’s lame.” Nilana snickered just loud enough for Dani to hear. “But now she’s going to have to run over this rocky ground without shoes. What a stupid little goose she is!”

Dani’s face flamed hot again, but this time she wished for a hole to open under Nilana’s feet and swallow up the rude girl, yellow petticoats and all.

“Aw’right! Now everyone listen sharp, because I’m only goin’ to say this once,” Captain Bardo shouted. “The race’ll take you down this ruddy road, straight throo the ruddy pasture, and back around to the palace gate. You can foller any ruddy route you ruddy well please—just so long as you keeps it somewhere between the two ruddy rows of ruddy red flags markin’ the ruddy course! Got it?”

He peered ferociously up and down the line, daring anyone to say they hadn’t.

No one did.

“Aw ruddy right, then!” The captain raised his sword high and brought it down in a sharp slice.

And then a ruddy loud horn sounded and Dani was swept into the thick of a raucous, laughing tumble: Youths and maids, peasants and princes, apprentices, scholars and scalawags—all of them running as fast as they could down the long, dusty road.

The Great Race had begun!