All The Write Stuff: Resolution

Resolution

The Dog Roses Book 2

by David H. Millar

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Sisters squabble. Queens go to war.

Ten summers ago, victory brought peace and prosperity to Southern Ériu. Danu and Brighid were celebrated as heroes and saviours. The queens scaled the heights, and there was only one way to go.

One twin became overbearing, the other resentful. Pride dug a pit filled with blackthorns between them. They became tyrants, and the kingdom was sundered. The people were left bitter, divided and afraid, and the lush farmlands fell barren. Stripped of their powers, the Dog Roses were no more. Each blamed the other, and neither took responsibility.

Angry parents gave the twins’ brothers an army and tasked them to bring law to the kingdom. An embittered veteran and a beautiful assassin accompany them. Whose gold is in the assassin’s pouch, and what are her orders?

In the Halls of the Aes Sídhe, Draighean is chastised and commanded to return to her wards. “Guide them, support them, or kill them. Just finish what you started.”

An evil philosophy grows, and another army gathers. Can the sisters be reconciled? The people need the Dog Roses, but can they forgive them? Yet, do Danu and Brighid want the responsibility? Do they want their powers returned? Being normal is very tempting.

The Dog Roses: Resolution contains scenes of sex, violence, and language appropriate to the historical period (400 B.C.) and locations in which the story is set. It is not recommended for those under 14 without parental consent.

GUEST POST

Meet some of the Main Characters:

Brighid (28)

Hot-headed and impulsive, Brighid (BREED) is twenty-eight years old and is the fire to Danu’s (DAH-noo) ice. Disenchanted by her sister’s continual disregard for her counsel, Brighid left their stronghold for a stone headland fort. Like a younger version of her mother, Brighid has a dark streak and a talent for terror. Thus, while Danu chose to rule by bedroom intrigue, Brighid chose conquest, an iron fist and fear.

The twins’ chosen path leads the demi-goddess and custodian, Draighean (DRYNE), to strip them of their powers. For the first time, the Dog Roses are truly alone.

Like Danu, Brighid has her mother's deep emerald eyes and her father's auburn hair and is above-average height. Her body is swathed in swirling indigo-blue designs on her face and arms. Born as the sun rose, Brighid’s long tresses have highlights of summer gold.

Danu (28)

Twenty-eight years old, Danu (DAH-noo) is the twin daughter of Conall (KON-ul) and Mórrígan (Moe-rig-gAHn) and is marginally the eldest. Danu is introverted and keeps her thoughts to herself, but she is also domineering. She is a pragmatic, strategic thinker, aloof, and prone to making decisions without consulting Brighid (BREED). This ultimately causes friction between the sisters, leading to their break-up and a divided kingdom. Danu rules her kingdom as a tyrant, using sex to forge powerful alliances.

The twins’ chosen path leads the demi-goddess and custodian, Draighean (DRYNE), to strip them of their powers. For the first time, the Dog Roses are truly alone.

Danu is above-average height; she has her mother's deep emerald eyes and her father's auburn hair. Born before dawn, her long tresses have highlights of silver blue. Danu’s body is swathed in swirling indigo-blue designs on her face and arms, which are energised by the sun and appear in constant motion.

Draighean (Ageless)

Draighean (Blackthorn, DRYNE)) is a powerful demi-goddess of the Aes Sídhe (ASH SH-ee). Her domain is the winter and, with it, snow, hail, ice, northerly winds, and rain. She reluctantly assumes custody of Danu and Brighid. Their descent into despotism appears to justify Draighean’s low opinion of humans. She is furious with their behaviour and removes their Dog Roses’ powers. However, a more powerful Sídhe chastises her for failing her wards and commands her to return.

Draighean is ageless and a startling beauty, even for a demi-goddess. She is taller than most men and women. Pale hands, with nails painted dark red. Long, thick tresses of black rest over pale shoulders. Contrasting thin, auburn braids accent her hair and are perfectly coordinated with maroon lips and fingernails. In the rising sun, Draighean’s skin takes on an attractive, if faint, pink hue; in the moonlight, her skin changes to a faint blue tone. No one can determine her eye colour because it is so deep as to appear obsidian. Dark swirling designs cover her body.

Tisiphone (26)

Tisiphone’s name means “voice of revenge” after one of the Greek Furies. Born in the Mediterranean port of Massalia (Marseille), she is the outcome of the brief liaison of an Etruscan sailor and a Greek whore. As a child, she never knew her father. Likely, if he knew of her existence, he had no ambitions to accept the role. Her mother was inattentive rather than neglectful.

At fifteen summers, Tisiphone is the whore over whom men and women lusted. As an adolescent, she becomes the assassin everyone fears. Yet she remains addicted to the ephemeral desire in men’s eyes and never deserted whoring.

Age increased Tisiphone’s sensual beauty. Brown eyes sit in a field of honey-almond skin. Thick tresses of long, chestnut-brown hair tap her ass cheeks as they rise and fall with the upward roll of her hips. She is taller than average, and her voice holds a seductive huskiness or an edge of steel as sharp as the blades she wielded.

Lonán (50)

Plain-spoken and unimaginative, Lonán (LUH-nawn) is a man of few words who does not suffer fools. Once a trusted, battle-scarred veteran and efficient killing machine who fought at Conall’s (KON-ul) side, he is bitter at being repeatedly passed over for higher office due to his age. Injured at the battle for Rome, he needs a staff to walk. His injury removed his ability to show his anger, making him furious.

Lonán misinterprets, perhaps deliberately, Conall’s orders. He has no love for Danu (DAH-noo) and Brighid (BREED) and is prepared to assume the burden for their deaths.

Physically, Lonán is a mountain of a man whose body is built from granite and scar tissue. His demeanour is that of a disgruntled, resentful man who has seen his plans shatter and is not cunning enough to disguise his anger.

Calman Mor (30)

At thirty summers old, Calman (CAL-man) is a tyrant and the most successful raider among the Mhór Midhe, a tribe he sees himself as its king. His demeanour is almost Druid-like, yet all know his reputation for brutality is well-deserved. He is an animal but like a wolf, not a boar. He is a monster who places no value on human life and fears neither death nor the Goddess.

A ruthless, dishonourable leader fond of violence, Calman is also astute and observant. He delights in violence, and his goals are simple: accumulating power, territory, and wealth. Like many despots, he is cruel and does not take criticism kindly. Of average height and muscular, he sports a scruffy beard. His cold, dark eyes seem devoid of humanity.

Aodán (26)

voice was quiet, but the iron it held was as good as a punch to the gut

chin set in a remarkable semblance of his father

reddened and his jaw set

blue eyes

well-endowed in one particular area

uncharacteristic smidgen of anxiety, which did little to quell his younger brother’s rising apprehension

Honest

Beard

smiled disarmingly

saw a glint of steel in Aodán’s blue eyes and watched his jaw stiffen.

Astute

Barra (24)

cavalry tactician and horseman; better tactician for mounted manoeuvres.

young but not stupid

a brawler

Barra took after his adopted father, Torcán. Hence, he was a brawler

Humour

Impish

Manhood, well-endowed in one particular area

Barra had many admirable qualities, but subtlety could never be described as one

5-Star Editorial Review (Literary Titan)

The Dog Roses: Resolution is a bold, blood-soaked dive into a myth-soaked world of ancient Ériu, dripping with power struggles, family betrayals, and queens who rule with both sword and seduction. It’s the second book in Millar’s Dog Roses series, and it doesn’t pull any punches. At the heart of it are two sisters, Brighid and Danu, daughters of legendary rulers who were meant to lead with wisdom but fell into tyranny and chaos. When their father sends their brothers to clean up the mess, all hell breaks loose. You’ve got ancient gods, cunning assassins, ruthless politics, and enough battle scenes to make a Roman general blush.

If you’re into Celtic fantasy that doesn’t tiptoe around darkness, The Dog Roses: Resolution will grip you and not let go. I’d recommend it to fans of Bernard Cornwell, lovers of Irish mythology, or anyone craving epic family drama with bite.
-- Literary Titan

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212280449-the-dog-roses

Book Trailer:

https://youtu.be/gGLSjZxRsV8

Na Feirdhriseacha

The Dog Roses Book 1

You have no weapons, striapach."

"I am the weapon, tuilí."

It is 400 B.C. The mist clears, and three triremes glide into the calm waters of the bay in Southern Ériu. On a grass-topped dune, a young girl dances gleefully at the Goddess's gift.
The warrior princesses, Brighid and Danu, leap over the vessels' sides into the cold waters and look north towards their ancestral home—the fort of Ráth Na Conall. The clash of weapons is not a good omen.

From his throne in Caher Conri, the depraved Uallachán rages at the sight of the red shield embellished with a swooping black raven and the memories it provokes. He swears vengeance on the daughters of his old adversary.

Draighean, a demi-goddess of the mystical Aes Sídhe, stands alone on the mountain peak. She bites full maroon lips, unhappy at her mission. Yet, does she have a choice? Evil must be confronted and defeated.

Uallachán's idea of peace is to crush all dissent, but is he no more than a puppet of the powerful kings of the Connachta?

The twins know they must defeat the invasion and stop the enslavement of their people. Still, even with the help of Draighean, the odds are daunting.

The Dog Roses contains scenes of sex and violence and uses language appropriate to the period it is set in, i.e., 400 B.C. It is not recommended for those under 14 without parental consent.

5- Star Editorial Review & Gold Book Award (Literary Titan)

David H. Millar’s The Dog Roses: Na Feirdhriseacha is an exhilarating historical fantasy that plunges the reader into a world of ancient Gaelic warfare, mysticism, and political intrigue. The novel follows the twin sisters, Brighid and Danu, as they navigate their birthright, destiny, and the brutal conflicts that define their world. From the stormy shores of Ériu to the blood-soaked battlegrounds of their homeland, the sisters must harness their strength, wit, and the mystical bond of the feirdhriseacha—the dog roses—imprinted on their chests. Their journey is one of leadership, betrayal, and resilience, all set against the backdrop of Celtic mythology and the harsh realities of Iron Age survival.

The Dog Roses: Na Feirdhriseacha is a gripping read that will appeal to fans of historical fantasy, especially those with an interest in Celtic mythology and ancient warrior cultures. The depth of world-building, the complexity of the characters, and the sheer intensity of the storytelling make this a novel worth savoring. If you enjoy books like The Mists of Avalon or The Last Kingdom, this one should be on your list.
-- Literary Titan

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Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BDT3ZC72

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-dog-roses-na-feirdhriseacha/id6443387127

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62608872-the-dog-roses

Book Trailer:

https://youtu.be/7v7_n0yy7Jk

About the Author

Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, internationally published and award-winning author David H. Millar is the founder, owner, and author-in-residence of A Wee Publishing Company—a business formed to promote Celtic authors and literature.

David is the author of the five-volume, ancient Celtic-based Conall series and the spin-offs The Dog Roses, The Dog Roses: Resolution, The Blood Queen and Brianag: A Blood Queen Novel.

David resides in Houston, Texas, with his family and two recent family members, tuxedos Beau and Stiletto.

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