Now.Here: The Maid of the Heart

By Richard Haslam

Kiona, the Maid of the Heart, had a relaxing week before experiencing treachery, heartbreak, and miracles within the quiet forest town of Shenandoah. Nascha from The Great Western Lands had arrived to discover the whereabouts of her proposed future husband, Achak. Now one with Kiona's heart as Levtiqvah, awaking her true self as Tiqvah, the ange

• Language: English
• Publisher: Now.Here
• Release date: Apr 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9781738493661

Richard Haslam

Richard James Haslam is a humble individual who is the author of the Now.Here Saga. Born in Bolton, Greater Manchester on the 2nd April 1989 with High Functioning Autism, he lived with his older brother, Philip, and his parents, Christine and Martin near Horwich for a short time before moving to Whittle-Le-Woods near Chorley, Lancashire, where his childhood there shaped him with events, including TV shows such as The Dreamstone, Animals of Farthing Wood, Watership Down, Redwall, The Wind in the Willows, and other examples that would gradually overtime inspire him to write the Now.Here Saga. He was given an extra year in Nursery after coming down with Meningitis when he was three, and as a result, had a year gap between himself and Philip at Manor Road County Primary School (1995-2001). After Primary School, Richard went to Lostock Hall Community High School and Arts Collage (2001-2006), where throughout that long 11 year road of maturity, his carer, Sally, would help him mature his rebellious childhood and transition him into an adult. After High School and warm goodbyes to Sally, Richard gained more independence in living when attending a disabled boarding college in Wirksworth, Derbyshire called Callow Park, part of the Alderwasley School (2006-2008). After two years of staying with his parents, Richard eventually moved into Townley House in Chorley in June 2010, a disability-living apartment of flats. The ingredients that lead to Now.Here's conception was from that experience of a Born Again Christian. It was also inspired by Bethesda's video games of Skyrim and Fallout 4, Raymond Brigg's When the Wind Blows, and also the ridge and furrow landmarks when he was on his family's narrowboat holiday along the Oxford Canal in 2015. If there are many stories of a Post-Apocalyptic Future. Why not a Post-Apocalyptic Past. Richard's time in Townley House was an enjoyable one at first, but over time, many of the staff left and were replaced, gradually hiring fewer and fewer. 10 years later, in March 2020, Richard moved to Penwortham, near Preston to have a fresh start with Autism Initiative. The timing couldn't have been fortunate, because when Covid-19 struck, Richard was confined within his new home, but unlike his last home, he had a garden and space in the countryside to move about. The elements were now just right for writing Now.Here, and thanks to a college friend who had published his own books with the publisher Pag-e-nation, Richard had his first book published by them, Kiona the Gardenian on 12th October (Now.Here Day). A second, The Retanian Twins, was also in the works for the following year, until complications to the publisher had it delayed and them shutting up shop. After a lot of searching, Richard decided to publish his books through Kindle Direct Publishing in March 2022, merging the first two books into one to create the Kiona the Gardenian book that is now available, with the first half of the story renamed to The Eve of the Heart, while the second half still kept The Retanian Twins name. Richard had also written four more books, which he merged together to become two more books, The Maid of the Heart, and Rubecula & Nascha. Since 2023, his works had already received critical acclaim from Autism Initiative and Blog Preston. His first book, Kiona the Gardenian has been given a 5 - Star rating by Reader' Favorite and Authors Reading. From his childhood dream, to the first drawings of the five girls in 2005, Richard had came a long way of finally fulfilling it in the form of a book saga.

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NOW.HERE

Copyright © 2020-2024 Richard Haslam

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the copyright owner’s permission of this book and series.

All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, inspiration or references to both fiction and non-fiction are coincidental or fictitious trivialities.

First Edition published in 2021, Second Edition Published 2022, Third Edition published in 2024

Written and Illustrated by Richard Haslam

Edited and Proofread by Jaris Ash

Independently Published

ISBN: 978-1-7384936-1-6

E-ISBN: 978-1-7384936-6-1

www.youarenow-here.co.uk

CONTENTS

Tiqvah’s Awakening

The Week of a Gardenian

Hidden Shadow

Frittered Away!

Shared Vision

Kiona’s Birthday

Princess Roso’s Riddle

When The Angel Cries

Let Her Heart Rest

Friends Don’t Tell Lies

For That The Devil Detest

While The Observers Spies!

Tiqvah’s Awakening

Monday, 18th October 332 (1734)

The Week of a Gardenian

Every morning when Kiona wakes up and stretches her arms, she would always say, Good morning and, How are you today? to Levtiqvah before squeezing her chest lovingly, as if she’s hugging him within her arms, just as she used to when he was alive as Achak.

After getting dressed and making her bed, she would go downstairs, stoke up a warm fire, and start making breakfast of acorn and wasawa porridge. And as with any meal, she would always give thanks to The Father and his Son before tucking in. Their faith is a unification of the traditions of their ancestors, and that of The Shepherds when they first met them centuries ago. It is this that makes the tribes of Gardenia unique to those of the Great Western Lands.

Satisfied after a hearty breakfast, she sat back in her chair, absorbed with curious thoughts as to what the day would bring.

Not much had happened in the past week…

On Monday, Kiona, with Abigail and Rui-Lin, had to collect her father’s tracked wagon that’d been in service for nearly a month. She was relieved that Eresh Kigal hadn’t damaged it during her attack. All the same, it was such a pity that her father wasn’t here to collect it, with its fresh paintwork, fixed gears, and restored axles.

Kiona had enjoyed riding around in the wagon with her father, and he would often give her lessons on how to ride it. Adhering to what she had been taught during those years, she first tested its paces before putting it into high gear through the Forest Territory. She knew just the spot, and Abigail was so impressed with its repairs that she and Kiona decided to race each other, while Rui-Lin rode in the back.

Mud, rivers, embankments, and hills proved no obstacle to both who were neck-and-neck. And it was from amongst these that Kiona was heard saying, Swimming tracks are far more durable than bogged-down wheels. Who needs them!

In the end, Abigail was the clear winner: although she applauded Kiona for how well she performed with the wagon.

On Tuesday, Kiona had been working in the Forest Trial Stadium as the Forest Ringmaster; a busy day with three participants competing in the Forest Trial to acquire their Forest Talismans. Two managed to achieve theirs, while the third had failed not once, but twice in the final test of clutch within the arena: the latter having him hit one of Kiona’s goals by mistake which forfeited the game.

He couldn’t compete against Kiona’s skills and was tempted to give up. Determined not to lose, Kiona is equally resolved to give advice to any struggling participants. She told him about her experiences when trained by her father, and how he kept telling her to never give up hope whenever she fails. This helped the participant to find the confidence he lacked to try again. Third time lucky, he achieved his Forest Talisman by a whisker.

Thanking Kiona for her help, he was poised to catch up with the other two for the Tundra Trial in Kocoum, where Hasinaw would no doubt be competing as soon as the first snowflake fell. Like Kiona’s brother within her heart, she waited eagerly for the day they will meet her again.