This is a work of derivative fiction, based on Mercedes Lackey's Last Herald Mage trilogy. She owns the characters and settings she owns, not me.
*Note: I just wanted to write slashyness, but the story has kind of gotten away from me at that point and taken on a life of its own.
"Is Cheron back yet?" Savil brushed through the hallways, into the courtyard outside the Collegium, her face tense with worry and the strain of pacing the hallways. It had been nearly a season since she had left Cheron at the eastern Border, the boundary between Valdemar and the Pelagirs beyond. The lands to the south housed myriad strange creatures, unnatural and vile, making the holdings at the southern end of the country that much more dangerous. It was said that at times wyverns and great serpents inhabited the skies over the mountains to the south. It was rare enough for Heralds to venture past the border, and unheard of for normal citizenry.
Cheron had been sent off to track down a Companion that had ventured out to Choose half a season ago, and not been heard from since. Generally, it was left at the discretion of the Companion to make their choice and bring them back to Haven on their own. Generally, however, Companions didn't customarily venture that far to the East. Even as a Companion strode at a gallop it was a fortnight just to the border.
The Herald-Mage Cheron, had volunteered himself to seek out the missing Companion himself. He'd been raised at one of the Border holdings, and was more familiar than most with the strange creatures that often inhabited the peripheral vision of hunters in the woods at the Border. In truth, he'd been curious about the Pelagirs since he was a boy, venturing into the woods as close to the Border as he dared. He'd heard the rumors as a boy, of wild men who disappeared past the border, living as savages, never to be seen again. Beyond that, Ilia was his Companion- Aravel's, offspring. Part of Cheron's insistence at heading into the Pelagirs, came at the insistence of his Companion.
From the time she was a foal, Ilia had been headstrong and as adventurous as Aravel's Chosen, a fact that caused her sire no small amount of consternation. Aravel's tendency to be overprotective and his growing worry over Ilia's absence had only increased his demands that they seek Ilia out, to ensure her safe return.
It was the same kind of tense worry that had plagued Savil's mind ever since Cheron crossed the border and disappeared into the woodlands beyond. Although Cheron wasn't her son; even she was still too young for that, he had been one of her trainees before he made Whites, and she still felt responsible for him. She resisted the urge to drag Ereth down from his Companion and simply throttle the answers from him.
"Peace, Savil. Yes, Cheron and Aravel are on their way back. Dorian passed them coming in the South Gate." Ereth slid down from the saddle and took a moment to stretch and drive Savil mad for a moment before answering her. He knew she had been pacing the halls- Gods know she's nearly worn grooves in her own quarters. "They should be arriving shortly. And ah- Ilia and her Chosen are with them." He gave Savil a look she couldn't quite read.
"And?" She thrust her beaky nose forward, folding her arms across her chest.
"And they're all in the appropriate number of pieces, Savil. I can't tell you anything more than that, don't have any additional information to offer." He offered a shrug, dusting himself off, removing his Companion's saddle and riding halter, heading toward the stables. Savil resisted the urge to run out to the Collegium gate when it opened, Cheron and Aravel leading a rather chipper looking Ilia, and her Chosen, whose face was concealed with a dark hood.
"By the Gods, I was starting to worry I'd never see you again! Get over here-" She pulled him down from the saddle, embracing him tightly, soothing mostly herself and her own frazzled nerves. Cheron patted her shoulder, knowing all too well that in this case, resistance was futile. He dismounted, turning to the rider behind him, motioning for him to follow he and Aravel to the stables.
Savil came back to her senses, releasing Cheron from her grip, nodding to Ilia's newly Chosen. "Welcome to Haven, I am Herald Mage Savil Ashkevr-" Cheron cut her off with a wave, shaking his head. "We- have some talking to do. First the Companions, then settling Raveyne into a room. Then- some explanations."
He's right. First things first. The Herald Mage nodded, resting a hand on Cheron's shoulder, "Get something to eat as well, that hasn't been beaten to death in a pack. There's plenty of time to talk later."
