Black Blossom

A serialized novel by M.C.A. Hogarth

Being a story of the Ai-Naidar, and concerning Shame, the Calligrapher, and the House of Flowers. A fantasy of manners, civilization and culture.

Chapter 1, Part 1: We begin our tale with tea.
Chapter 1, Part 2: The Parable of the Broken Pot, and other things.
Chapter 1, Part 3: We hear about the journals.
Chapter 1, Part 4: A digression on tea.
Chapter 2, Part 1: The Bleak.
Chapter 2, Part 2: In which we meet Shame.
Chapter 2, Part 3: Further observations of Shame.
Chapter 2, Part 4: In which the Calligrapher is observed.
Chapter 3, Part 1: A digression about aliens.
Chapter 3, Part 2: An apology, and our arrival at House Elikim.
Chapter 3, Part 3: Our night at House Elikim.
Chapter 3, Part 4: About cities, and a diagram.
Chapter 3, Part 5: The Calligrapher gains an ally.
Chapter 4, Part 1: A fostering of acquaintance.
Chapter 4, Part 2: The foreign flower.
Chapter 5, Part 1: A performance, and a discussion.
Chapter 5, Part 2: The poetry of Kuleketh.
Chapter 5, Part 3: We Arrive at the House of Flowers.
Chapter 5, Part 4: House Qenain's sole Fathrikedi.
Chapter 5, Part 5: We are resolved.
Chapter 6, Part 1: I begin The Book.
Chapter 6, Part 2: To be known.
Chapter 6, Part 3: Another Parable.
Chapter 7, Part 1: The Subleties of Qet.
Chapter 7, Part 2: Foreboding, and Foreshadowing.
Chapter 7, Part 3: The Laboratory, and a Woman
Chapter 7, Part 4: The Penokedi's Ribbons.
Chapter 7, Part 5: Rivers and Bridges.
Chapter 7, Part 6: The Beginning of an Association.
Chapter 8, Part 1: A Distressing Diagnosis...
Chapter 8, Part 2: ...And an Even More Distressing Accusation.
Chapter 8, Part 3: A Too Singular Love.
Chapter 8, Part 4: Treasure, and the Priest.
Chapter 9, Part 1: Sponge Cake.
Chapter 9, Part 2: Disaster.
Chapter 9, Part 3: In the Storm.
Chapter 9, Part 4: In Which My Council is Disturbed.
Chapter 10, Part 1: The Pot Beyond Repair.
Chapter 10, Part 2: The Arrival of the Lady.
Chapter 10, Part 3: An Uncomfortable Discussion
Chapter 10, Part 4: The Weight on My Shoulders.
Chapter 10, Part 5: I Paint During a Vigil.
Chapter 11, Part 1: The Trouble Begins.
Chapter 11, Part 2: The Gag and the Garden.
Chapter 11, Part 3: In Which I Am Warned.
Chapter 11, Part 4: Unwelcome News.
Chapter 11, Part 5: Compromising Positions.
Chapter 11, Part 6: Cruel Epiphanies.
Chapter 11, Part 7: The Dance, and a Surprise.
Chapter 12, Part 1: The Beloved Pot.
Chapter 12, Part 2: In Which I Err.
Chapter 12, Part 3: My Correction.
Chapter 12, Part 4: My Correction, Complete.
Chapter 12, Part 5: An Unexpected Conversation.
Chapter 12, Part 6: In Which I Paint.
Chapter 12, Part 7: Shame's Sin.
Chapter 12, Part 8: Our Release.
Chapter 13, Part 1: I Consider Meddling.
Chapter 13, Part 2: Unexpected Endings.
Chapter 13, Part 3: We Depart Qenain.
Chapter 13, Part 4: The Colony.
Chapter 14, Part 1: A Bowl of Tea.
Chapter 14, Part 2: In Which I Am Surprised.
Chapter 15, Part 1: The Decoration.
Chapter 15, Part 2: Raw Comfort.
Chapter 15, Part 3: Revelations.
Chapter 15, Part 4: A Terrible Risk.
Chapter 15, Part 5: Declarations.
Chapter 15, Part 6: Victory!
Chapter 16, Part 1: The Right Name.
Chapter 16, Part 2: To Days' Endings.
Chapter 16, Part 3: We Cross the Street.
Chapter 16, Part 4: "Don't Take Him."
Chapter 16, Part 5: The Plant, and the Broken Pot.
Chapter 17, Part 1: My Paisathi.
Chapter 17, Part 2: Guessing at the Mind of the Master.
Chapter 17, Part 3: Hubris.
Chapter 18, Part 1: The Shape of the Painting.
Chapter 18, Part 2: The Names of the Aliens.
Chapter 18, Part 3: How We Bleed.
Chapter 18, Part 4: Broken Hearts.
Chapter 18, Part 5: In Which There is a Mending.
Chapter 19, Part 1: What Cannot Hold.
Chapter 19, Part 2: Catastrophe.
Chapter 19, Part 3: The Heartbeat After.
Chapter 19, Part 4: Ajan's Fate.
Chapter 19, Part 5: The Animals Nevermore.
Chapter 20, Part 1: Oh, Home...
Chapter 20, Part 2: The Journey.
Chapter 20, Part 3: A Reflection on a Life Arrested.
Chapter 20, Part 4: Treasure.
Chapter 21, Part 1: The God of Civilization.
Chapter 21, Part 2: The Fate of ij Qenain.
Chapter 21, Part 3: An Ancient Name.
Chapter 22, Part 1: An Extraordinary House.
Chapter 22, Part 2: The Core of a Family
Chapter 22, Part 3: What Saves a Soul.
Chapter 22, Part 4: What Was Missing.
Chapter 23, Part 1: The Book of Truth and Flowers.
Chapter 23, Part 2: The End.

melefar, "veil-glow": On the customs of lights-out cities.

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