Rites of Passage by Cora Buhlert

Re-release date: September 30, 2019

Subgenre: Epic fantasy

 About Rites of Passage:

 

Philon, heir to a pirate empire, is determined to take a wife. And not just any wife either. No, he has set his eyes on Arianna Delora, a green-eyed beauty with a tongue as swift as her blade. Unfortunately, Arianna also happens to be the only child of his father's mortal enemy, but such details do not deter Philon.

Tonight, Arianna is supposed to undertake the sacred ritual that will turn her from a girl into a woman. This ritual is the most important night of her life, but Arianna is uncertain. She enjoys the free life of a pirate and she does not want to give it up for the so-called joys of womanhood. Nor is she thrilled when Philon, son of her father's sworn enemy, suddenly shows up at the ritual, babbling about making her his wife.

This is a short story of 4800 words or approx. 16 print pages.

 

Excerpt:

 

Parla, the dusty orange moon, was hanging low in the afternoon sky. He and his mate Jopla, the pale silver satellite, were the revered gods of this world. They were the movers of the sea, the bringers of the tide, the parents of all people.
Tiro, boatmaster to the pirates of Tasso, looked up. Lord Parla would sink early today, never even showing his full splendor in the dark sky. The night was to be ruled by Lady Jopla alone, bathing the world in her silvery light.
A motion caught Tiro’s eye. A motion where there was supposed to be none. Something or someone was moving among the boats. Tiro’s hand tightened on the grip of his sword as he moved to investigate. As soundlessly as possible he followed the shadow that was moving around between the between the boats and confronted the intruder. Tiro drew his sword. “Who there?” he bellowed.
The shadow turned around and stepped into the light. Now Tiro saw that it was no intruder at all, but Philon, seventeen years, hotheaded and the son of the leader of the pirates of Tasso.
“Tiro, man, you startled me,” Philon complained.
“That is my duty,” Tiro said gravely, “What are you doing here, Philon?”
“I need a boat. Tonight.”
“What for?”
Philon smiled. “That’s private,” he said.
“I cannot let you have a boat, unless you tell me where you want to sail,” Tiro insisted, “Your father’s orders.”
Philon sighed. “Sarava.”
“And what would you want in Sarava? They are our enemies.”
“I have not forgotten.”
“Then what do you want there? Steal their treasures?”
“Just one treasure. The most precious one they have.”
“And what treasure would that be?” Tiro wanted to know. From the way the boy behaved, he suspected that there was something else behind this than just a simple raid, even if it was a raid on Sarava, whose people, pirates as well, were the sworn enemies of Tasso.
“That’s none of your business,” Philon snapped.
So Tiro had been right. “Nevertheless, you will have to tell me, if you want a boat.” Tiro was acting above his station and he knew it. It was not his place to question the boy. Philon was the Captain’s son and his heir to be. Upon a single word of his father he could have all the boats he wanted and Tiro could not do a thing about it. However, Tiro was certain that Philon’s father had no idea what his son was up to and that he would not approve if he found out. Therefore, Tiro would do all he could to discover Philon’s plans and if necessary prevent them.
“So if you must know", Philon said, “Tonight I am going to take a wife. That’s what I need the boat for."
The Captain would most certainly not approve of this.
Tiro turned to the boy. “Parla has scarcely twice returned, since you undertook the ritual of manhood, and you already have a mind to take yourself a wife. And a woman from Sarava at that. As if there were no women here that could excite a man’s fancy.”
“No woman like the one I have set my sights on.”
Tiro eyed the boy speculatively, wondering how long it would take to wrest the secret of his sweetheart from him. “You want to tell me more about her?”
Philon hesitated. “I will,” he finally said, “if you won’t tell my father. Swear to me, Tiro, that you won’t tell him.”
Tiro swore, though he had little intention to keep that particular oath. His first duty was to Philon’s father. Should the boy (although he had undertaken the ritual of manhood, Tiro could not think of him any other way) plan some folly because of the pretty eyes of a Sarava girl, Tiro would of course report it to the Captain. Besides, Philon should know that one should never trust a pirate’s oath.
“So listen,” Philon said, eyes gleaming in anticipation, “Tonight Jopla will cast her silvery eyes upon the sacred terrace at Sarava, where Arianna Delora will undertake the ritual of womanhood on this very night.”
Tiro had withstood many a storm in his time, but Philon’s confession nearly knocked him off his feet. “Arianna Delora? That’s the one you want? Are you mad, boy?”
“Not at all. And I am not a boy anymore.”

 

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About Cora Buhlert:

Cora Buhlert was born and bred in North Germany, where she still lives today – after time spent in London, Singapore, Rotterdam and Mississippi. Cora holds an MA degree in English from the University of Bremen and is currently working towards her PhD. 

Cora has been writing, since she was a teenager, and has published stories, articles and poetry in various international magazines. She is the author of the Silencer series of pulp style thrillers, the Shattered Empire space opera series, the In Love and War science fiction romance series, the Helen Shepherd Mysteries and plenty of standalone stories in multiple genres.

When Cora is not writing, she works as a translator and teacher. She also runs the Speculative Fiction Showcase and the Indie Crime Scene and contributes to the Hugo-nominated fanzine Galactic Journey.

 

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