Kayla Jameth shares secrets today
Ten Things about Cinder and Henri
1.
Cinder and Henri live in 16th century
France because "From the Ashes" is a Cinderfella, an m/m retelling of
the French fairy tale Cinderella. The Île-de-France is a romantic setting and I can use all kinds of French
endearments, incidentally both muddying the waters and making everything clear
to the French speakers in my audience.
2.
When Cinder's father dies, he finds himself
forced into his stepsister's cast offs at the tender age of 8 and renamed
Cinderella. Now Cinder is approaching maturity, but because of a poor diet, he
still doesn't look like a young man. Delayed puberty has kept him small, his
voice from changing, and hair from sprouting in inconvenient places but, the
changes are starting to occur in his body.
3.
For anyone who is unfamiliar with French, cendres in the French word for ashes and
is the root word for Cinderella, little ash girl. Since Cinderella comes from
the ashes, it seemed like the perfect title for my tale of how Cinder rises
from the ashes of his life.
4.
Cinder has his very own fairy godmother. It's
too bad she's such a ditz.
5.
Dressed in a conjured gown and glass slippers, Cinder
looks better in a dress than either one of his stepsisters does. Although, he
won't thank you for saying that.
6.
Henri wants to think of himself as a self-made
man in an era when most of the notables weren't. He's more down to earth than
one would expect from the French Orléans
court.
7.
Cinder doesn't turn into a pumpkin at the stroke
of midnight, but he returns to the life of a drudge. After a magical night with
the man of his new dreams, I'm not sure which is worse.
8.
A twink and still a virgin, Cinder is only now
catching other men's eyes. He may be new to all this, but he's a quick study.
He's not just the shy blushing lover that Henri thought he was. Henri soon
finds out he may have bitten off more than he can chew.
9.
Henri is
a man of the world. He's done things Cinder has never even heard of. Because of
his status potential lovers seek him out.
10. Together,
they are each other's dreams come true. And they discover that happily ever
after is not something that only happens for other people.
Short blurb: Cinder is not just another pretty face. He
aspires to be his own man, but finds himself longing to belong to another man.
Long blurb: Cinder never thought that he could rise from the
ashes of his life, but an unexpected encounter with a woman claiming to be his
fairy godmother may be just what he needs. Finding himself flung into his very
own fairy tale, she sends him off to meet his Prince Charming. But was the gown
really necessary?
KaylaJameth_FromtheAshes_Excerpt
Cinder glanced around. Paper
lanterns floated in the trees, lined the walks, and graced the gazebo near the
reflecting pool, giving the grounds a mystical air. Their warm glow caught the
dancing jets of the fountain splashing merrily to his right. The musical,
crystalline tones carried on the night wind’s breath. He was reminded of the
enchanted gardens in the fairy tales his father had read to him when he was a
child. What would happen to him if he dared walk there?
Henri led him toward the gazebo.
Soon he would find out.
The cool breeze caressed his
uncovered neck. Cinder shivered at the ethereal touch. Henri turned to him, the
question clear in his eyes, but he didn’t know how to answer. Instead he
breathed in the tangible scent of rich earth and flowing water, hoping to calm
his bounding heart.
Henri lightly stroked his arm.
Cinder’s breath caught at the silky brush of the other man’s fingers. He drew
another shaky breath. Henri may have meant to soothe him; instead his touch set
Cinder’s wayward body aflame.
They left the last of the courtiers
behind as they entered the dim interior of the fanciful pavilion. Vines climbed
its intricately carved posts, perfuming the air within. The music and voices of
the aristocrats faded away. Only a single intrepid nightingale could be heard
over the cheerful burbling of the fountain. Hidden from the rest of the court,
an unworldly sense of peace filled him. Was his very own fairy tale about to
come true?
Bespelled and bemused, he could feel
the magic in every beat of his heart, in every trembling breath he drew.
Once inside the bower, Henri reached
to cup Cinder's cheek. Unused to being touched, he nearly flinched away but
managed to still, heart pounding, before giving himself away. The older man's
thumb slid across his cheekbone and came to rest lightly on his mouth. Why did
he want to lean into that caress?
The other man's warm, slightly musky
scent filled his nostrils, drowning his senses.
Henri's other hand wrapped around
his waist and drew him close. He leaned closer while tipping Cinder's face
upwards. Cinder's breath left him in a rush, stirring the noble’s hair. Henri
was all that he could see, his mouth slowly, carefully descending toward
Cinder’s. If he allowed this, the other man might discover his deception. He
couldn’t risk that, so why then did he ache to feel Henri’s kiss? Their lips
brushed, light as thistle down.
Surprisingly, Henri's mouth was soft
and warm upon his own. After a moment, it pressed more firmly against his.
Something fluttered in his chest, trying to get out.
Cinder didn't think to pull away
until he felt Henri's tongue seeking entrance. The hand on his face slipped to
his nape and held firm. He froze in shock, not even daring to breathe, as
flames rushed through his body. The very beat of his heart betrayed him.
The questing tongue stroked his lips
and pushed between them. It slid over his teeth, seeking to enter. When he
protested, Henri swept in and began a lazy, sensuous exploration that left him
breathless.
Soon he found himself returning the
caress. Henri responded to his fledgling attempts by pulling him closer and
moaning into his mouth. He had never experienced anything so sensual and
erotic. He fed his own needy pleas to the other man one at a time.
Finally they separated slightly,
Cinder panting heavily, trying to catch his breath. Was Henri as affected by
their kiss as he was? A quick glance confirmed Cinder was not alone in his
arousal. Flushed and gasping, Henri gazed at him with eyes full of wonder and
something unnamed smoldering in their depths.
A knight and a former princess, Kayla Jameth now spends her
time writing m/m romance. A true Renaissance woman, she has done everything
from cross stitch like a proper lady to welding with the best of them. An
eclectic life has left her with a unique understanding of the world inhabited
by men and an appreciation for the difficulties faced by men in m/m
relationships. It is her devout wish that her experiences translate into a
richer telling of such tales.
Find me here:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaylaJameth
Thank you for inviting me and the boys over. I hope you enjoyed it.
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