Selinon

In Selinon, Holle is the exiled princess of the ruling family of the ancient seafaring kingdom of Solinacea who is gradually learning to love the seaport of Selinon to which she was appointed as the Sovereign. She was ostensibly sent to the distant, isolated, and somewhat decrepit backwater port seven years previously to learn the skills of administration befitting her royal status, but was painfully aware that it was the direct result of political fallout resulting from her rejecting a suitor from the family of an important ally. Having seen her success in turning the port into a flourishing and rapidly growing hub of trade, she begins to realize that she has made it a prize worth seizing. And she is suddenly aware that the recently colonized town in the wild and treacherous country on the far side of the cliffs surrounding the seaport are also beginning to flourish under the hand of an unknown leader of the men who live there. Who is this Faolán, where did he come from, and most importantly, what are his connections to the outside world and his potential threat to her Selinon? Selinon is set in the 16th century in the mythical port of Selinon midway between Holle's home of Solinacea and distant trading destinations. As Holle learns more about Faolán, she begins to appreciate the hardships and sacrifices he and his people have gone through to succeed in taming the wild lands where so many others have attempted and failed and died. She also appreciates that he might be a formidable enemy if his intent is to be a threat to her small kingdom. His past is a mysterious mixture of combat experience, education in the natural arts, and courtly graces, hinting at some sort of elevated social status. Most disturbingly, he assumes a familiarity with her to which she is unaccustomed and from which her best friend, Elizabeth, the Apothecary, is deriving far too much amusement. Elizabeth likes and greatly respects Faolán, is intrigued by his cloak of mystery, and can see what Holle can't, that she hasn't a prayer of escaping his attractions. She just hopes it will end well for Holle and is reasonably sure her hopes are well founded. Reasonably sure. As the story unfolds, Holle's fears of losing her Selinon suddenly become a reality, not from Faolán and his men, but from an external threat to take away all of her hard work and seize the Port she has come to love. Faolán, to her utter horror, is revealed to be someone entirely unexpected and most assuredly an adversary when he is trapped with her in the web of the invasion. But even more unexpectedly, he becomes her hope for the future when they escape from their imprisonment to mount a counter attack, only to join forces with the invaders out of necessity to attempt to survive a surprise attack from a cruel and debased common enemy of both of their countries. Faolán takes control of the defense of the Port and all hangs in the balance. Holle suddenly realizes she couldn't bear to lose him if things go wrong, will have to face Elizabeth's friendly mockery if they do survive, and really and truly hopes Faolán knows what he is about.