This month, we chose a different path for our stories—a path parallel to the main plot, but often unseen, unappreciated, unloved. Who could be such a footnote in a story? Why, the side characters, of course. The sidekicks, the tag alongs, and the bit part players. They all are part of the story but apart from it, and we decided to focus on that.

For how different is the view of those not in the thick of it? They see all the hubbub, knowing some, but not always all, of what drives the protagonists to do what they do. And sometimes, just sometimes, they see what no one else does, painting the tale in a whole different light.

So the question we must ask ourselves is: What do you see when unseen?

Going Postal - Mischief and mayhem follow a poor postie caught between two feuding mages.
Tree Splint in Half - Two differing sides and voices fight for supremacy, and Heika must make a choice.
The Hearts We Hold - A patchwork can't exist without its binding thread.
Fire and Jim Stone - Sometimes the catch of the day becomes the journey of a lifetime.
Legacy - Court intrigue leads to a departure into the unknown.
Burdens Carried - Gate duty is livened up by a few birds.
Instigator - An arms dealer finds himself in a small colony on the precipice of change.