A/N: My first delve into the Mercedes Lackey fandom, chapter one is the worst thing I've ever written but I swear that the following chapters will be better. This is my first attempt at writing a Herald and I am still getting into character. So this is all about Val and her life and I do plan to develop her character, as well as Vancir and perhaps Arahael. The companion of Arahael is who you think it is. This is set between post-Theran and pre-Arden and Leesa reign.
Val groaned as she heard the last comment kindly forwarded to her by Vancir. Why did she have the most irritating companion of them all? Vancir was such a vain little so and so with his comments on her appearance and how he insisted she always looked neat. She was a heraldic trainee, how could she stay perfectly coiffured in the midst of weapons training, riding and running about most the day from class to class.
The red head pulled a brush through her hair and then spitefully braided it messily knowing Vancir would have a fit when he noticed. The companion was the most vain of all the companions and while he did have a right to considering if Val was being honest, he was the best looking of the companions. His coat seemed glossier and his mane and tail the softest than all the rest. Even Rolan had to be hard pressed to exceed the handsomeness of her companion.
Thinking about Vancir made her decide to go to the Companion's field, she wanted to see him. So straightening her tunic she left her room and began to hum as she walked.
Val would never willingly admit it to Vancir, he'd puff up like a type of fish in one of the rivers near the borders and prance about in pride. Hey, I would never look like a fish, I'd look like a handsome stud, as always. The companion interjected, feeling horrified at her thought that he could ever be compared to a fish.
Val sniggered. How could she not find him amusing, of all companions it was those comments that made her think she had gotten the best of them. She felt Vancir's presence in her mind and knew that he'd come to her once he got over his indignation at her teasing. She sat on the grass and just relaxed, she had no classes until the afternoon.
Then she bit her lip as her eyes found a rather handsome man. He was dressed in a dark blue, not anything like the guardsmen or blues at the Collegium. His hair was black and fell around his face and his eyes were a unique blue. He was a fairly tall man, reaching at least perhaps six foot or a little more and he filled out his tunic, nicely.
He noticed her, as though for the first time and smiled and greeted her in a voice that she found appealing.
Someone wants to take a roll in the hay with a certain someone. Vancir informed her with amusement in his voice as he trotted over to where Val was sitting and nuzzled her hair. Val turned pink at his statement, it was hardly what she had been thinking but the man was attractive but she was a sixteen year old girl, and she was entitled to find a young man attractive. "Shut up Vancir!" Val snapped out loud, not wanting to link to his mind and allowing him to feel her embarrassment, or just how embarrassed she felt. She was embarrassed because now he had mentioned it, she would definitely not be disagreeing.
"Val and over there is Vancir the vain," Val introduced herself and smiled as Vancir turned his back to her. He was quite obviously showing that he did not appreciate her introduction of him.
"Arahael, my mother experimented a lot with naming me," Arahael grimaced as he revealed his name.
"It is unique and I find it rather…pretty," Val answered honestly. It was a unique name, Valeria which was her full name was different but not quite unique.
"I just got back circuit near the borders, it is awful there. My Jisah got hurt badly, so once she was ready for travel we got sent back here for four months leave. "Arahael said absently as the companion mare walked over. Her eyes were ones that seemed understanding and compassionate. No trace of her injuries remained and for that Arahael was thankful, no reminder of the horror he had felt when he felt he would lose her.
Karse and Valdemar were on the edge of another war, for a few brief years there had been peace, thanks to the sacrifice of heroes like Lavan Firestorm but now Karse was growing bolder and deep down everyone knew that the tenuous peace would not last any longer. Karsite raiders were attacking the borders with growing frequency and the few Heralds that ventured into Karse when they felt a call to help rarely returned. Heralds were not supposed to hate but even so they were human and the feeling towards Karse were less than affectionate.
Val was at the stage that when the death bell rang, she like the fully trained Heralds was aware of who died. She had empathy, not overly powerful but coupled with her mind-speech, foresight and fetching which were all strong enough to be used. She was unusually lucky in her gifts, she had several fairly strong ones but she hated foresight. It often plagued her when she least wanted it and they all were horrible visions to have.
So Val, someone who was not particularly quiet was sitting in a companionable silence with Herald Arahael.
You will be getting your whites within a year and we'll be heading to the borders. Vancir was solemn as he spoke, there was nothing he could jest about in the thought that his herald was growing up and would soon be in danger. No matter his teasing towards her the love he had for his chosen was undeniable.
Ever since he had come across the scruffy urchin who was barely thirteen he had known that she was his chosen. The righteous in her soul, the compassion that even when she had little was clear and of course her foolish bravery. She was rough and her dislike of authority had made her chafe in the constraints but soon she had settled into a young lady who came on leaps and bounds.
One of his personal favourites was when she had had her first cycle and had panicked. Some companions, particularly males would have shied away and have felt embarrassment but Vancir had calmed her down and told Marla, a pretty companion mare ask her chosen, a senior trainee who Val was friendly with to deal with it.
For a few brief days Val had been grateful to him, he had been her hero and while he knew she loved him, it felt nice for the adoration and love she had showered on him. Then the teasing had returned as normal and Vancir had plenty of ammunition in storage to make the redhead blush constantly.
He watched as Arahael said his good bye to Val and then as Val blushed as he walked away and sighed. He really had to curse with his teasing, his chosen was infatuated. He had been lucky so far because she had not paid much attention to the boys but now he could feel the admiration in his sixteen year old chosen. Inwardly he groaned, hormonal and infatuations were not good mixes, especially when Val and he were so closely bonded. If he ended up finding Arahael a handsome stud one day then he would never live it down.
