Child Empath
*
Chapter 1
*
A spear of emotion stabbed into Talia's mind, almost knocking her to her knees. Innefectually slapping her hands over her ears, she raised her shields against the battering of grief/pain/terror. Even with her shields at full strength, she could feel the emotion, a high pitched whine that filled the air. Then, as suddenly as it had come, it dissapeared.
Talia sprang into action, hurrying from her quarters and through the passages of the palace, tracing the origin of the emotional surge. She couldn't beleive no one else had felt it!
She emerged in front of the Herald's Colegia, near the Companions stable. She could see the legs of a Companion, and heard muffled sobbing, but blocking her veiw were her husband, Herald Dirk, and the Dean of the Colegia, Teren.
"Talia!" cried Teren, looking releived. "We were just about to get you. I think we could use your help."
"What happened?" Talia exclaimed. "My head still hurts."
"Sterran came in today," began Teren. Sterran was a Companion who had gone out to Choose. "And he was carrying this tiny child - barely a toddler - on his back." Talia was confused. Barely a toddler? Unless Teren was exaggerrating, this was very unusual. "We were talking to Loren at the time - the Blue who has been getting into trouble in the city taverns - and he made a slighting remark about "babes in arms presuming to ride Companions." The poor baby looked absolutely terrified, and if she had a choice, I think she would have bolted." Talia felt sympathetic to the child. In her first year as a trainee, the Blues had been the bane of her existance. "We got rid of Loren, and Dirk tried to lift her down - but as soon as she wasn't touching Sterran anymore, she blasted us with terror!"
"I put her down," Dirk continued, "She ran back to Sterran, and everything went back to normal. I assume you felt the blast, and came running." Talia nodded at this statement. "Do you think you can calm her down?" Dirk continued hopefully. "She's obviously an empath, like you."
"I can try." Replied Talia, not without doubt, and pushed between them.
The girl looked to be about three or four - a shockingly young age to be Chosen, if Chosen she was. Her clothes were well made, but rumpled and dirty. A mop of dark chestnut hair concealed her face, but Talia could clearly hear her fearful sobs. Sterran stood protectively beside her, and as Talia watched, he lowered his head and breathed into her hair.
Talia stepped forward, and the child turned swiftly. Talia had no idea what to expect, but what happened was definately a shock. The girl literally flung herself into Talia's arms, her tiny form heaving with hysterical tears.
Talia did not have to look far to find the source of the child's distress - the girl was wildly and uncontrollably projecting everything she felt. Talia gently insinuated herself into the streams of emotion - and found herself pulled into anothers memories.
*
She sat, looking through her eyes, in the child's mind. She was in a wagon, piled high with goods. Near her was sitting a girl, of about twelve years. If Talia had been in control of the body, she would have gasped.
The girl was like a younger version of her. Same red-brown curls, same chestnut eyes - the only difference was size - this girl was tall, whereas Talia still kept the tiny stature of a child.
The girl was reading, while the child whose mind she shared twisted a cat's cradle between her fingers. It was a restful scene, one of quiet domesticity. It was soothing scene, one that calmed and steadied a worried mind - but it shattered with a scream.
The girl dropped her book, and the knotted string slipped from numb fingers as the child looked up, frightened. The girl snatched her younger sister up, and the pair tumbled from the suddenly motionless wagon.
Twp people were sitting on the front of the wagon. One, a woman, looked like the girl, and Talia, but with eyes of a dark, gold flecked green. The other was a man, with dark hair and eyes. Talia surmised them to be the parents of the two girls.
The man spoke. "Hanna! Take Kella and the purse and run! Hide! Bandits are coming!"
Hanna only nodded, but Talia could see tears starting in her eyes. Responding to this fear, tears began to run down the cheeks of little Kella. Hanna darted to the wagon, and grabbed a leather satchel, swinging it over her shoulder before darting off the road and into the trees. Talia watched through Kella's eyes as bandits spilled onto the road, blocking her last sight of her parents over Hanna's shoulder.
They were still running when a crashing sound behind alerted them to pursuit. Hanna whirled, terror making her body rigid, before pushing Kella high up the nearest tree. Talia felt more tears slide down wet cheeks as Hanna pressed the leather satchel into her arms, and whispered terse instructions to her weeping sister.
"Climb, hide." She whispered urgently. "Don't make a sound!"
With that injunction, she turned to face the bandits. Kella reached out once, involuntarily, before climbing as fast as she could. The satchell was surprisingly heavy, but Kella gripped it firmly as she climbed.
At last, Kella looked out from a leafy branch near the top of the tree. Talia could see clearly the wagon that had been the family's home, and even hear the wind carried voices of the bandit. A body stretched out in front, on the road, and Talia identified it as the father.
A bandit returned, dragging the struggling Hanna with him.
"I found the brat, cheif." The bandit announced, flinging Hanna at the cheif's feet.
The man turned her with one booted foot, noticing the bruise developing on one temple and Hanna's dazed, yet hate filled, eyes.
"Very nice." The man murmured. "Tie her up with the woman." He ordered the bandits. "You can play with them once we're done."
Talia watched in revulsion through Kella's tearfilled eyes. She was in no doubt what form this 'play' would take.
Yet another bandit approached the chief, and Talia focused her mind again.
"We found the drugs, cheif," the man reported, brandishing a small, canvas wrapped packet. "But there's no sign of the gold."
Things began to fall into place. The family were traders, who apparently did smuggling on the side. They must be in the North mountains, near, if not in, Rethwellan. And the gold - that must be in the satchel that Hanna had taken. That would explain the weight.
The bandit chief cursed. "Burn the wagon, then!" he shouted. "We need that gold!"
Soon the ghastly scene was screened with smoke, but it did not shut out the noise of curses and screams, as the gold remained undiscovered, and the bandits getting their own back on the the women during their 'play'.
Kella stayed hidden until nightfall, long after the bandits had left and the wagon was a charred ruin. Then she climbed, stiff from staying hidden too long, to the ground. She slipped off the lowest branch, paying no attention to the skinned knee she had gotten as she ran to the road.
Tears burst again from Kella's eyes as she ran to the body's of her family, desperately trying to awaken them from their final slumber. In the end, she collaped on the road, tiny form heaving with shuddering sobs. Talia's heart wrenched with pity at what she had gone through, but she could only wait.
The night grew old and the moon rose before Kella's tears dried up. This did not stop her grief, however, for she unconsciously projected a smarting stream of unhappiness to fill the mountain road.
Hoofbeats sounded, chiming on the rocky track, and a white horse - a Companion - came into veiw, temporarily stopping Kella's grief from sheer shock. The Companion approached her, and bent his head to push gently at her with his soft nose.
:I Choose you,: The masculine voice filled her mind, comforting and consoling. :I will protect you, and keep you safe. Come with me.: The Companion knelt on the road, and Kella clambered clumbsily onto his back, still dragging the leather purse with her.
She tied the purse's leather strap to a ring on the saddle, and held onto a fistful of Sterran's mane as they rode off into the night.
*
Chapter 1
*
A spear of emotion stabbed into Talia's mind, almost knocking her to her knees. Innefectually slapping her hands over her ears, she raised her shields against the battering of grief/pain/terror. Even with her shields at full strength, she could feel the emotion, a high pitched whine that filled the air. Then, as suddenly as it had come, it dissapeared.
Talia sprang into action, hurrying from her quarters and through the passages of the palace, tracing the origin of the emotional surge. She couldn't beleive no one else had felt it!
She emerged in front of the Herald's Colegia, near the Companions stable. She could see the legs of a Companion, and heard muffled sobbing, but blocking her veiw were her husband, Herald Dirk, and the Dean of the Colegia, Teren.
"Talia!" cried Teren, looking releived. "We were just about to get you. I think we could use your help."
"What happened?" Talia exclaimed. "My head still hurts."
"Sterran came in today," began Teren. Sterran was a Companion who had gone out to Choose. "And he was carrying this tiny child - barely a toddler - on his back." Talia was confused. Barely a toddler? Unless Teren was exaggerrating, this was very unusual. "We were talking to Loren at the time - the Blue who has been getting into trouble in the city taverns - and he made a slighting remark about "babes in arms presuming to ride Companions." The poor baby looked absolutely terrified, and if she had a choice, I think she would have bolted." Talia felt sympathetic to the child. In her first year as a trainee, the Blues had been the bane of her existance. "We got rid of Loren, and Dirk tried to lift her down - but as soon as she wasn't touching Sterran anymore, she blasted us with terror!"
"I put her down," Dirk continued, "She ran back to Sterran, and everything went back to normal. I assume you felt the blast, and came running." Talia nodded at this statement. "Do you think you can calm her down?" Dirk continued hopefully. "She's obviously an empath, like you."
"I can try." Replied Talia, not without doubt, and pushed between them.
The girl looked to be about three or four - a shockingly young age to be Chosen, if Chosen she was. Her clothes were well made, but rumpled and dirty. A mop of dark chestnut hair concealed her face, but Talia could clearly hear her fearful sobs. Sterran stood protectively beside her, and as Talia watched, he lowered his head and breathed into her hair.
Talia stepped forward, and the child turned swiftly. Talia had no idea what to expect, but what happened was definately a shock. The girl literally flung herself into Talia's arms, her tiny form heaving with hysterical tears.
Talia did not have to look far to find the source of the child's distress - the girl was wildly and uncontrollably projecting everything she felt. Talia gently insinuated herself into the streams of emotion - and found herself pulled into anothers memories.
*
She sat, looking through her eyes, in the child's mind. She was in a wagon, piled high with goods. Near her was sitting a girl, of about twelve years. If Talia had been in control of the body, she would have gasped.
The girl was like a younger version of her. Same red-brown curls, same chestnut eyes - the only difference was size - this girl was tall, whereas Talia still kept the tiny stature of a child.
The girl was reading, while the child whose mind she shared twisted a cat's cradle between her fingers. It was a restful scene, one of quiet domesticity. It was soothing scene, one that calmed and steadied a worried mind - but it shattered with a scream.
The girl dropped her book, and the knotted string slipped from numb fingers as the child looked up, frightened. The girl snatched her younger sister up, and the pair tumbled from the suddenly motionless wagon.
Twp people were sitting on the front of the wagon. One, a woman, looked like the girl, and Talia, but with eyes of a dark, gold flecked green. The other was a man, with dark hair and eyes. Talia surmised them to be the parents of the two girls.
The man spoke. "Hanna! Take Kella and the purse and run! Hide! Bandits are coming!"
Hanna only nodded, but Talia could see tears starting in her eyes. Responding to this fear, tears began to run down the cheeks of little Kella. Hanna darted to the wagon, and grabbed a leather satchel, swinging it over her shoulder before darting off the road and into the trees. Talia watched through Kella's eyes as bandits spilled onto the road, blocking her last sight of her parents over Hanna's shoulder.
They were still running when a crashing sound behind alerted them to pursuit. Hanna whirled, terror making her body rigid, before pushing Kella high up the nearest tree. Talia felt more tears slide down wet cheeks as Hanna pressed the leather satchel into her arms, and whispered terse instructions to her weeping sister.
"Climb, hide." She whispered urgently. "Don't make a sound!"
With that injunction, she turned to face the bandits. Kella reached out once, involuntarily, before climbing as fast as she could. The satchell was surprisingly heavy, but Kella gripped it firmly as she climbed.
At last, Kella looked out from a leafy branch near the top of the tree. Talia could see clearly the wagon that had been the family's home, and even hear the wind carried voices of the bandit. A body stretched out in front, on the road, and Talia identified it as the father.
A bandit returned, dragging the struggling Hanna with him.
"I found the brat, cheif." The bandit announced, flinging Hanna at the cheif's feet.
The man turned her with one booted foot, noticing the bruise developing on one temple and Hanna's dazed, yet hate filled, eyes.
"Very nice." The man murmured. "Tie her up with the woman." He ordered the bandits. "You can play with them once we're done."
Talia watched in revulsion through Kella's tearfilled eyes. She was in no doubt what form this 'play' would take.
Yet another bandit approached the chief, and Talia focused her mind again.
"We found the drugs, cheif," the man reported, brandishing a small, canvas wrapped packet. "But there's no sign of the gold."
Things began to fall into place. The family were traders, who apparently did smuggling on the side. They must be in the North mountains, near, if not in, Rethwellan. And the gold - that must be in the satchel that Hanna had taken. That would explain the weight.
The bandit chief cursed. "Burn the wagon, then!" he shouted. "We need that gold!"
Soon the ghastly scene was screened with smoke, but it did not shut out the noise of curses and screams, as the gold remained undiscovered, and the bandits getting their own back on the the women during their 'play'.
Kella stayed hidden until nightfall, long after the bandits had left and the wagon was a charred ruin. Then she climbed, stiff from staying hidden too long, to the ground. She slipped off the lowest branch, paying no attention to the skinned knee she had gotten as she ran to the road.
Tears burst again from Kella's eyes as she ran to the body's of her family, desperately trying to awaken them from their final slumber. In the end, she collaped on the road, tiny form heaving with shuddering sobs. Talia's heart wrenched with pity at what she had gone through, but she could only wait.
The night grew old and the moon rose before Kella's tears dried up. This did not stop her grief, however, for she unconsciously projected a smarting stream of unhappiness to fill the mountain road.
Hoofbeats sounded, chiming on the rocky track, and a white horse - a Companion - came into veiw, temporarily stopping Kella's grief from sheer shock. The Companion approached her, and bent his head to push gently at her with his soft nose.
:I Choose you,: The masculine voice filled her mind, comforting and consoling. :I will protect you, and keep you safe. Come with me.: The Companion knelt on the road, and Kella clambered clumbsily onto his back, still dragging the leather purse with her.
She tied the purse's leather strap to a ring on the saddle, and held onto a fistful of Sterran's mane as they rode off into the night.