I don't own the world of Valdemar. I just like to play in it! (Please don't shoot me if you read the first release, I forgot I hadn't put a disclaimer until it was up.)

Herald Calisa pulled her graying hood low over her blue eyes and gathered the heavy fabric close to her frozen body as the gates of Haven bloomed out of the snow and ice. She was young, too young some said, to have her Whites and her own Sector patrol, only twenty or nearly. Well I will be if I survive this winter. She was to weary to even push the lock of dark russet hair that fell into her eyes back under her hood. She tried to hide her fair skin from the biting wind, her cheeks hurt badly enough already.

: Thank the Gods: Stevvron's deep mind voice resonated with relief in his Herald's mind. :Any farther and I think I might drop.:

:Better hurry then: Her own lighter mind voice replied. Stev's hoof caught in the ice bringing him nearly to his knees as he tried to compensate. Cali winced in agony as pain shot up her left leg clear into her back. The Border had not been kind to either of them, although Stev had by far come off better than his Chosen with little more than a nasty sword wound on his snowy flank. :Can we get home before you finish breaking my leg?:

:Sorry dearheart. I'm just so tired. . .:

: I know loverling. Let's just get home.: Cali was filled with a loving warmth from her Companion that could only be explained as a mental hug as Stev reached his delicate muzzle around to nuzzle her right knee. She patted his long neck affectionately, :How's the flank Love?:

: Burning, but it will be fine. What about your leg? Are you going to make it to the Collegium or should I send ahead for a Healer?:

: Don't worry about it.: She nodded to the guard as they passed through the gate. Once inside the wind was cut by the close buildings, which warmed the air up a little. Problem with getting warmer was the numbing receding, which meant the pain was returning. :On second thought. See if they could have one meet me in my rooms. I would see to it my self, but. . .:

: No, you've used up nearly all your reserves and like it or not Mind Magic and Mage Magic are connected. For short distance and to me you're fine, but I don't want you trying to mindspeak at that kind of distance.:

She had to laugh at that, :yes mother!:

She heard his weary chuckle as he pulled away to relay the message.

She must have blacked out (again) because the next thing she new was two Heralds pulling her down from the saddle and being carried into a very warm room. She was stripped out of her wet and ruined uniform and bathed in very hot water, and then she felt the warm softness of a silk nightdress against her skin. From then on she knew no more.

"You Heralds really like playing rough don't you?" This was the third time the Healer had been to see her in the past few hours. Three days of undisturbed rest had been hers by the Healers orders, now he was here to check on her compound fracture and concussion. He was an attractive young man with a thatch of straw colored hair and fine features.

"Well, it's not so much that I like to play rough. More that the Karsites like to ruin their toys." She smirked at him invitingly, "but I'm sure you know how to get this toy in perfect working order." She knew what he was reading into the comment, exactly what she wanted him to. Lovers were hard to find amongst the Karsite monsters.

"Once you've healed more Herald Calisa. Then if you've been good we'll see." He granted her a wink and a smile as he bent over her leg again. :I swear he's only doing that to touch you.: Came Stev's amused voice.

:Probably: "Cali." She let her smirk turn into a real smile, Healers made almost as good a lovers as Heralds. Anyone without mindspeach just wasn't worth dealing with.

"Aeratran," he reached up and caressed her cheek tenitevely. "Do you make these offers often?"

Cali shook her head, "I haven't had any lovers for a long time. Border patrol tends to make you pretty celibate." She placed her hand over his.

He leaned over her, coming to sit by her on the bed. "This is going to cause you pain if we continue now."

"A taste of pleasure cannot cause much pain."

She smiled as his lips met hers heatedly. Seems he's been pretty celibate too. Likely he had just earned his Greens. She felt him gently probe her mind, she opened up to him, letting him join in her pleasure. Cali wrapped her arms around him, holding his warm body against hers.

:Wake up lazy lady, your superiors are coming to see you.: Cali rolled over reluctantly to see bright winter sun streaming into her window. It had been two weeks since she had returned from the Karsite border battle worn and ready to fall out of saddle.

:Guess the vacation's over huh?: She shook her head, :Can you have Mellina tell the queen that I'll be ready in half an hour, but I would like the chance to bath and get into a new uniform. Think the working Whites will be ok?:

:Working will be fine. Did they bring you new ones already?:

:Yeah, yesterday.: She drug herself up and moved to get her things from the wardrobe. Having her own suit of rooms was nice, even if she did still bathe with the other Heralds in the common bathroom.

:The queens says to tell you she will see you in the Council Room at your convenience. I already gave her your thank you.:

:You are a wonder you know that Stev?:

:Indeed I do, get cleaned up, I think we're gonna get sent out again.:

:Grand.:

The bathing room was occupied when she got there, two Heralds and a Herald-Mage were discussing the Border situation as she stripped off her sleep ware.

"How you feeling Cali?" Jerri, the Herald-Mage, had been given his Whites the same year she had been although he was three years older than her. He was tall and lanky, would have been the type for bullies to go after had he not been so powerful magically.

"A little stiff, but you know how it is. Stay in bed to long healing, the body forgets how to work." She smiled at him, his green eye were glazed with the same haunted look all of them had. You didn't just forget what you saw on the border and you hoped you were never captured. "When do you go back out?"

"After Renna has the baby, I'm glad she a Fetcher, she can stay here." Cali watched her friend push his light brown hair out of his eyes. Jerri and Renna had married last year, right after she got her Whites. When she had discovered she was pregnant the queen had done everything in her power to keep her at Haven, thank god her Gift was one they didn't really need in the field. Jerri was lucky the winter had been so bad, it had slowed the Karsite attacks.

Cali and Jerri traded news while she bathed, the other Heralds left not long after Cali got into the tub.

"What's with them? We're all Heralds."

Jerri's eyes darkened, "they're new. Haven't been to the Border yet. But they've heard the stories coming back, mostly stories about us. You leveled a stronghold Cali, their afraid of you. Everyone knows that you could level Haven in seconds if you choose to. Many of are coming back a little unstable, people are afraid of what will happen if you come back unstable. But their more afraid of what will happen if you don't come back at all."

Cali wouldn't meet his gaze, she knew all that. She had seen it in the eyes of the villagers when she stopped for bandages on the way home. It was against code, but they hadn't had a choice, they weren't going to make to the Waystation. "We shouldn't separate ourselves the way we do. We are all Heralds. Sometimes I think the worst thing we could ever have done was give the Mage Gifted a special title. None of the others are given special titles by their Gifts."

"I know Cali, but we aren't going to get it changed, maybe the time will come when it will be changed, until then we just have to cope the best we can." She didn't say anything, she sensed him leave her to finish in peace.

"Your Majesty, Councilors, I apologize for taking so long."

"No Cali, you're fine." Queen Stellina was too young to have needed to rule, but her father had been one failed security job. Poison in his evening wine. The Heralds had been wretched to learn that an assassin had snuck past them. The assassin had been brought in by two Herald-Mages, Cali and her mentor, Lyina. That had been two years ago when the war had gotten really bad and newly Chosen Trainees had been pouring in from all sides. They still were. Karse was gaining ground and Trainees couldn't be prepared fast enough to replace the dying field Heralds. The queen was a beautiful young woman, small and lithe, fair skin and golden hair. She now tilted her head toward Cali in a kind of salute. Cali flung herself into a chair. Decorum be damned, it had been a long year.

The Lord Marshal looked on her with pity, "Cali we need you to go into the field again."

She smiled wryly, "I thought it might be something like that." Her brows creased at the tension in the room. "How many Nic?"

The Queen's Own, Nicolaren met her solemn gaze. "Forty-six of the guard. No Heralds yet, but then you would have felt them if we had. How you are connected to all of us I have no idea."

"Nic, there is something you are not telling me now spit it out."

"We got news that Lyina was captured this morning."

"No…" she felt Stev's sorrow join her own, they had both been close to the Herald-Mage.

"You'll need to take her place on the Border." She sensed the Lord Marshal wanted to let her mourn her mentor, but there simply wasn't time. Cali nodded and brushed her tears away. "Have a map with her sector put in my gear. When do you need me to leave?"

"We can let you have two more days then you need to get out of here."

She nodded, "if there is nothing else I ask permission to be dismissed."

Stellina gave her a warm smile, "of course Cali, go be with Stevvron you both need it." She nodded again before leaving the room.

She was half way to the Companion's Field when the grief took her. She could feel Stev's mental warmth, but she couldn't make herself move. She sunk to the ground, sobs raking her body. Jerri touched her mind gently before lifting her into his arms, she could sense Renna with him. Sometime latter she was curled up against Stev's snowy side on warm straw. She buried her tear streaked face in his silky mane as the grief returned. Hours later she woke with a start as the pain of a dying Herald and Companion coursed through her mind and body. She dimly heard the cry go up from every Companion as the Death Bell tolled. Lyina and her Companion were dead.