Capture the Moon

By JL Merrow

In this fairytale inspired by a classic children’s story, weaver’s daughter Adrien is tired of turning down marriage proposals. So she disguises herself as a boy and sets out on a journey of discovery, accompanied only by her faithful piglet Ferkel. Rescuing a young monk named Felix from brigands, Adrien agrees to act as bodyguard on his journey to the King’s castle to present the princess with a telescope.

The lovely Princess Selene has also had more than her fair share of suitors, but she refuses to marry until someone gives her the moon. Felix’s telescope could grant her heart’s desire, but it’s Adrien who finds herself in love with the lively, beautiful princess.

Astonished to find Selene loves her in return, Adrien’s joy is short-lived. Surely Selene’s love will die when Adrien reveals her true gender? And in any case, two women cannot be married -- can they?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Dec 31, 2016
• ISBN: 9781634862813

JL Merrow

JL MERROW is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea. She read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, where she learned many things, chief amongst which was that she never wanted to see the inside of a lab ever again. Her one regret is that she never mastered the ability of punting one-handed whilst holding a glass of champagne.She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporary gay romance and mysteries, and is frequently accused of humour. Her novel Slam! won the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best LGBT Romantic Comedy, and her novella Muscling Through and novel Relief Valve were both EPIC Awards finalists.JL Merrow is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, International Thriller Writers, Verulam Writers and the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet organising team.Find JL Merrow online at: www.jlmerrow.com, on Twitter as @jlmerrow, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jl.merrow

Book preview

Capture the Moon

By J.L. Merrow

Published by JMS Books LLC

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2016 J.L. Merrow

ISBN 9781634862813

Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

All rights reserved.

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This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America.

NOTE: This book was previously published by Torquere Press.

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Capture the Moon

By JL Merrow

There once was a young woman named Adrien, who lived with her father in a simple, low-roofed cottage at the edge of a forest. To the rear of the cottage stretched mighty hills covered with sweet-smelling pine and mountain ash; in front of it, the steep gables of a tiny village.

Adrien’s father, whose name was Robert, was a weaver, and had married late in life. Until his fortieth year he had dwelt alone in his homely cottage, content to work his loom and see to his modest needs himself. Indeed, having reached such an age unwed, he had not thought ever to marry; but there lived in the village at that time a beautiful, wilful girl of seventeen. She was named Roberta and was the daughter of the miller, a proud, prosperous man.

One brisk winter’s morning, the miller sent his young daughter to fetch some cloth from the weaver. Now, Roberta was her father’s only child, and he had indulged her and let her be taught how to read. The books she had read had caused many fanciful notions to form in her innocent, girlish brain, and one of these was that names had power. She no sooner learned the weaver’s name was Robert than she determined that the Fates must have meant for them to be together, and she set about wooing the lonely old man with all the feminine wiles at her disposal, which were not inconsiderable. For her face was fair and her breasts were full, and she moved with a dancing grace; moreover, she was sweet-tempered, if a little used to having her own way, and possessed a sweet smile that could light the darkest room like the sun on a June morning.

Master Weaver, she said as she twirled her flaxen hair about her slender finger and smiled her sunny smile, how ever do you weave this cloth so fine? For I swear, even the spiders at their webs do not weave such delicate fabric as you.

Ah! replied Robert, little suspecting her intent, but succumbing to her charms all the same. When I was a younger man, I swore I’d learn to weave cloth so light and fine that if you dropped your kerchief, ‘twould take half a day to fall. I fear I’ve failed in that intent, but still, ‘tis a fine, delicate weave, that I’ll admit.

Oh, Master Weaver, she said, and her long lashes fluttered closed as she spoke, and she pressed the end of the cloth to her cheek. "Such softness! Why, my father will think