Aries - an Adventurous Tale of Mythology and Folklore: Zodiac Maidens of Melk Short Stories

By Lisa Shea

Ava was in trouble again. This time it was for pummeling Dominik, that bully, when he was harassing sweet little Pia. Why did the teacher always blame Ava for everything that went wrong? The moment Ava was free from that one-room schoolhouse she headed for the mountains. An adventure was just what she needed. And it was about time to learn if that tumbled-down keep high in the craggy cliffs was really as scary as the stories made it seem.

A twisting path, some blossoms of edelweiss, and a rickety, swaying rope bridge - but at last the crumbling tower was in front of her. She would knock on the door just for politeness sake. And then she would head inside the abandoned building to explore.

Except ...

The door was pulled open ...

* * *

Aries - an Adventure of Mythology and Folklore is the first book in the Zodiac Maidens of Melk Short Stories series. These short stories are about 50 pages each and feature heroines who represent each astrological sign. They are set in a fantasy world based on medieval Austria. All of the Zodiac Maidens of Melk series contain no violence, no swearing, and no intimacy, so they are suitable for teens and up. 

You can read the books one-by-one as they are released or you can wait for the boxed set to be published once the series is complete with twelve books. Some people like to binge-read all at once. Others like to read as I write and offer feedback to guide the storyline. It's your choice! 

A portion of all proceeds benefits battered women's shelters.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lisa Shea
• Release date: Jul 3, 2016
• ISBN: 9781533769794

Lisa Shea

I love writing in a variety of genres. I currently have over 300 books published in all lengths from full 500+ page novels down to short stories. I love writing series. Some are with unconnected characters, like the 14 full-length medieval novels with a sword being passed from heroine to heroine. Some have connected characters, like the 31 mini-mysteries featuring a detective in Salem, Massachusetts. All of my books are written "clean" with no explicit intimacy, no harsh language, and no explicit violence. All are suitable for teens and up.For a full listing of my books please visit:http://www.lisashea.com/lisabase/writing/gettingyourbookpublished/lisalibrary.html

Book preview

ARIES

An Adventurous Tale of

Mythology and Folklore

Zodiac Maidens of Melk

Short Stories

1

Lisa Shea

Copyright © 2016 by Lisa Shea / Minerva Webworks LLC

All rights reserved.

Cover design by Lisa Shea

Book design by Lisa Shea

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

~ v1 ~

Visit my website at LisaShea.com

Half of all of the author’s proceeds from this series benefit battered women’s shelters.

Chapter One

Ava curled her fingers into tight fists. She called out in fury, Get away from her, you bully! She launched head-first into Dominik, even though the boy was as wide as an ox.

He staggered back, his cruel grip on little Pia’s arm flying loose.

Pia went racing toward the stone one-room schoolhouse, her blonde braids flying behind her in a tornado of motion. Frauline Brunner! Frauline Brunner!

Ava wasn’t going to wait for help to arrive. The skittish schoolmistress had proven quite incapable of controlling the village’s rougher boys, especially Dominik who was sixteen and bigger than many of the adults in the valley. Ava was a full two years younger than him, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her.

She launched again.

He went down this time, overwhelmed by her rage, and she straddled his chest, pummeling at any body part which came within reach. Her long, red hair whirled circles above her head. Around her she could hear the shouts and cries of her fellow class-mates, but of course none came to her aid. Nobody else was impetuous enough to take on Dominik. Not with his reputation for clinging to grudges with the power of a Munich Wrestler.

She didn’t care.

Frau Brunner’s voice carried shrill and high over the meadow. Aveline! You stop that this instant!

Ava’s fist slammed down, hitting Dominik’s shoulder with a satisfying thunk.

Weightlessness.

She was lifted bodily in the air by two of the other boys, apparently under the direction of a shaking finger. Her breath came in long draws as she re-found her feet and looked down at herself.

Her mother was going to be furious.

Her dark blue dress, often smudged with dirt, now sported several large tears and a giant brown