Disclaimer: Velgarath and the races thereof are not mine. ( They belong to
the extremely talented Mercedes Lackey.
Kiteara looked back at the grasslands, fear and excitement battling within her. She knew she would likely never see the Dhorisian Plains again. She longed for the familiar feel of a spirited mare, fiery stallion, or even a gelded cull beneath her. Ravna had offered to allow her to take her saddle mare, but proudly, she had refused. If she could not remain among the Shin'a'in and become Her shamaness, neither would she take one of Tale'sedrin's jel'sutho'edrin from the herd. Turning her back on the Plains, Kiteara shena Tale'sedrin continued towards the Pelagirs.
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Trevan continued his steady loping pace that would have left any normal horse foaming. But Trevan was no ordinary horse, he was a Companion. He could feel his Chosen, always just out of reach. The Companion couldn't tell much about his Chosen yet, but he knew that he had to find her, soon, and that she was hurting. He knew, also, that he had traveled past the borders of Valdemar to find her already. Normally during the night, especially a moonless night like this, Trevan would stop and rest. He had tried once tonight, briefly. As soon as he had found a place to hole up and sleep, racking sobs had begun to reverberate in his head. ~ No rest for the wicked, they say. Why should a Companion get any? ~
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Kiteara sobbed, curled up beneath a tree, in a ball of misery and homesickness. She was too miserable to even feel a shred of shame for her tears. She hated the tree, hated the other trees pressing in on her, hated her Gift. ~ Especially my "Gift"! ~ The young Shin'a'in snarled to herself, viciously. ~ I never asked for this. All I ever wanted was to live with my clan...Tale'sedrin... And this so-called "Gift" has made me an outcast! ~ She was so upset and homesick she didn't even hear the faint sound of hooves on grass and fallen leaves. Something soft and velvety nudged her shoulder. Kiteara was on her feet, blade drawn, before her tears even stopped blurring her vision. A large white shape before her quickly became a large white stallion, rearing his head back sharply, eyes rolling.
"By the Star Eyed, lad, you scared the life out of me!" she laughed, sheathing her sword. Finally she looked at the calming steed...and lost herself in a sea of liquid blue love.
: I am Trevan and I Chose you. : a masculine voice flowed through her mind, soothing places she hadn't known were tense and hurting. She gaped at him, speechless, and heard deep laughter. : Are you always this articulate? : Her eyes narrowed, raking over the stallion. He wore obviously ceremonial tack with tiny silver bells along his bridle- no...it was only a hackamore. And not a very good one for controlling such a large beast, at that. : Well! I am no beast, little love. I'm a Companion! : The last word triggered memories in the Shin'a'in girl. ~ Companion...Valdemar...Herald! What!? ~ The stallion shied away, laying his ears back. : Not so loud, Chosen. My "ears" are ringing. Yes, you are a Herald...well, actually a trainee for now. :
"Why?" Kiteara let her confusion and suspicion flavor the single word. Her blue eyes were still narrowed, but assessing the stallion critically. He was the very image of perfection. A Shin'a'in clan could breed their steeds for centuries and not come up with anything so splendidly muscled and proportioned as the stallion before her.
: Why what, Chosen? : Trevan heard her assessment, unconsciously arching his neck proudly. Despite his vanity, he knew the girl would need a little convincing.
"Why do you Choose me?" she asserted, stubbornly. Trevan snorted, nudging her gently with his soft nose.
: Because you are needed, and Mage Gifted, and I love you. : Trevan answered simply. It was Kiteara's turn to snort, despite the absolute delight that sprang up in her soul when he declared that he loved her.
"You don't know me,"" she retorted. Trevan sent the mental impression of a sly grin and winks one sapphire eye.
: Ah, but I do now, Kiteara shena Tale'sedrin. You are my Chosen. : He let her feel his presence in her mind, gently exploring. : Don't be afraid, dear heart. : She stiffened, as he touched the fear in her, fear that she had chosen the wrong path, that the Tale'dras wouldn't accept her, that she would die alone and clanless, killed by her own uncontrolled Gift. The stallion took a step closer and pressed his head against her chest. : You will never be alone again. I will always be here for you. : His mind-voice and love unlocked the door that held her fear in check, and she clung to the Companion's neck, sobbing. With some coaxing, Trevan got his Chosen to lie down and curled around her like a mare with a foal. Her tears soaked his white hide, but he crooned soothingly in her mind. Finally, exhausted and lacking any more tears, Kiteara fell asleep.
Kiteara looked back at the grasslands, fear and excitement battling within her. She knew she would likely never see the Dhorisian Plains again. She longed for the familiar feel of a spirited mare, fiery stallion, or even a gelded cull beneath her. Ravna had offered to allow her to take her saddle mare, but proudly, she had refused. If she could not remain among the Shin'a'in and become Her shamaness, neither would she take one of Tale'sedrin's jel'sutho'edrin from the herd. Turning her back on the Plains, Kiteara shena Tale'sedrin continued towards the Pelagirs.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Trevan continued his steady loping pace that would have left any normal horse foaming. But Trevan was no ordinary horse, he was a Companion. He could feel his Chosen, always just out of reach. The Companion couldn't tell much about his Chosen yet, but he knew that he had to find her, soon, and that she was hurting. He knew, also, that he had traveled past the borders of Valdemar to find her already. Normally during the night, especially a moonless night like this, Trevan would stop and rest. He had tried once tonight, briefly. As soon as he had found a place to hole up and sleep, racking sobs had begun to reverberate in his head. ~ No rest for the wicked, they say. Why should a Companion get any? ~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kiteara sobbed, curled up beneath a tree, in a ball of misery and homesickness. She was too miserable to even feel a shred of shame for her tears. She hated the tree, hated the other trees pressing in on her, hated her Gift. ~ Especially my "Gift"! ~ The young Shin'a'in snarled to herself, viciously. ~ I never asked for this. All I ever wanted was to live with my clan...Tale'sedrin... And this so-called "Gift" has made me an outcast! ~ She was so upset and homesick she didn't even hear the faint sound of hooves on grass and fallen leaves. Something soft and velvety nudged her shoulder. Kiteara was on her feet, blade drawn, before her tears even stopped blurring her vision. A large white shape before her quickly became a large white stallion, rearing his head back sharply, eyes rolling.
"By the Star Eyed, lad, you scared the life out of me!" she laughed, sheathing her sword. Finally she looked at the calming steed...and lost herself in a sea of liquid blue love.
: I am Trevan and I Chose you. : a masculine voice flowed through her mind, soothing places she hadn't known were tense and hurting. She gaped at him, speechless, and heard deep laughter. : Are you always this articulate? : Her eyes narrowed, raking over the stallion. He wore obviously ceremonial tack with tiny silver bells along his bridle- no...it was only a hackamore. And not a very good one for controlling such a large beast, at that. : Well! I am no beast, little love. I'm a Companion! : The last word triggered memories in the Shin'a'in girl. ~ Companion...Valdemar...Herald! What!? ~ The stallion shied away, laying his ears back. : Not so loud, Chosen. My "ears" are ringing. Yes, you are a Herald...well, actually a trainee for now. :
"Why?" Kiteara let her confusion and suspicion flavor the single word. Her blue eyes were still narrowed, but assessing the stallion critically. He was the very image of perfection. A Shin'a'in clan could breed their steeds for centuries and not come up with anything so splendidly muscled and proportioned as the stallion before her.
: Why what, Chosen? : Trevan heard her assessment, unconsciously arching his neck proudly. Despite his vanity, he knew the girl would need a little convincing.
"Why do you Choose me?" she asserted, stubbornly. Trevan snorted, nudging her gently with his soft nose.
: Because you are needed, and Mage Gifted, and I love you. : Trevan answered simply. It was Kiteara's turn to snort, despite the absolute delight that sprang up in her soul when he declared that he loved her.
"You don't know me,"" she retorted. Trevan sent the mental impression of a sly grin and winks one sapphire eye.
: Ah, but I do now, Kiteara shena Tale'sedrin. You are my Chosen. : He let her feel his presence in her mind, gently exploring. : Don't be afraid, dear heart. : She stiffened, as he touched the fear in her, fear that she had chosen the wrong path, that the Tale'dras wouldn't accept her, that she would die alone and clanless, killed by her own uncontrolled Gift. The stallion took a step closer and pressed his head against her chest. : You will never be alone again. I will always be here for you. : His mind-voice and love unlocked the door that held her fear in check, and she clung to the Companion's neck, sobbing. With some coaxing, Trevan got his Chosen to lie down and curled around her like a mare with a foal. Her tears soaked his white hide, but he crooned soothingly in her mind. Finally, exhausted and lacking any more tears, Kiteara fell asleep.