I don't own Valdemar or Texas. Mercedes Lackey and the government does. : All I own is the narrator, and even sometimes I do worry about that one. (Lawl.)

Chapter 1. Arriving to Destiny

It started on a regular Texas day; seventy degree weather in the middle of December. I was just making my way home from the mall, a place I liked to hang out at, when as I opened the door to the mall exit, a bright, heavenly light enveloped me. It wasn't your average heavenly light. This light happened to be a Gate, I found out later, and took me to a land that was in great need of someone. They got me. And well, I wasn't exactly what they expected.

When you come out a door, you expect to come to your next destination, outside. When I came out my door, I ended up in front of what seemed a whole pack of birds in a dense forest that was incredibly humid. Now, the bird-people didn't startle me as much as the fact that it was humid and tropical in winter. Texas is bipolar but not that bipolar. That was when I figured out I wasn't in Texas anymore.

The bird-people started chattering at me. I had no idea what they were saying, so I ignored them and looked around. There was this gigantic pillar of stone that glowed and pulsed. Seeing this started to make me put things together. Balmy forest, pulsing pillar, and people dressed in feathers with birds on them. I was so not in the world of Valdemar.

But guess what! I was, and already I was missing technology. I mean seriously! Horses are not an efficient mode of transportation and having to wait months for communication is just dumb. I checked my purse to see if the Gate had rid me of anything that didn't exist in Valdemar. Cell phone, check. MP3 player, check. Goodness, I even had my make-up! I was ecstatic and immediately started laughing to myself. This might not be so bad for a while. I just needed to get home. Now.

One of the older bird-people walked close to me and held out a hand. I eyed it with suspicion and then thought better of myself. Go ahead and shake his hand, said a little voice. He's being friendly. So, I grasped his hand firmly in mine and gave it a good shake and smiled up at him. (He was probably half a foot taller than I was.) He chattered at me again, and I still didn't understand. How to get him to understand that don't speak his language?

I stared him straight in the eyes. I said in English, "I don't understand a single word you say," and at the same time motioned with my hands the best way I could that in no way did I understand him. After the fourth time, I think he finally understood and motioned behind him and said a smattering of his language to someone behind. It turned out he was speaking to some kind of deer. Then I remembered. Dyheli. And I was about to get a headache that dyheli would regret. He trotted up to me and quirked his head to the side and just looked at me. I held out a hand and quickly sat down, knowing from the books that you better sit down or you'll have pains all along your backside. I gave a little motion that he could continue and prepared some dirty things to do to this dyheli, most likely the king stag. Hmph. He was really going to get it.

Next thing I woke up to was a tall lizard with razor-sharp teeth staring down at me and… grinning. The thing was grinning at me. It let out a guttural noise, I think a laugh, and stepped back. "I'm Nitz," it said. "I'm a hertasi and I will be here to serve you, dear lady. As soon as you dress, the elders would like to see you and finally be able to converse with you."

You know what the first thing that came out of my mouth? "Thank God, I can finally understand! Oh this is a godsend!" I leapt up out of my cot and gave the hertasi a hug. "I know you will be amazing and thank everything that is holy you aren't shy." I gave Nitz another hug and quickly grabbed the clothing and went behind a screen.

"You know, I wasn't expecting such a…hmm… grateful reception. I figured you would be more frightened by me than elated. We hertasi are a little scary-looking."

I shrugged behind the curtain, even though Nitz couldn't see me, and I responded, "Well, I already know plenty about the hertasi from what I've read. You guys might look a little creepy, no offense, but you're amazingly helpful. I'd rather make friends with you than get on your bad side."

I came out from behind the screen in my new outfit. It was gorgeous. It was an olive green silken dress that flowed down my body. The hertasi had worked their magic and made it fit like a silken glove on me. The embroidery in gold thread was of falling leaves and accented the brown embroidery of feathers. I still had on my bra. It was still just too weird to get rid of my undergarments.

"Uh, Nitz, you wouldn't mind learning to make undergarments like the ones I have on, would you? At least until I get used to this world. Seriously, no bra is freaky."

Nitz made that guttural noise again, laughing at me, and simply nodded. "Thanks," I sighed, relieved. "So, er… Where am I meeting them?"

"Not just yet! You still look a mess! Come here and I'll do your hair and help you with shoes." Nitz motioned me over to a chair beside a table and I walked over to it. I sat down and prepared my soft-headed self for some major pain. But no pain came. Nitz was incredibly gentle with my hair and was done in a pinch. The hertasi held out a shoe in front of me and I understood after a second of just blinking at it, that Nitz wanted me to put it on. So, I slipped a foot into each shoe presented to me and sighed. These were soft and comfortable!

"All right. Take a good look at yourself, miss. I think you'll really like what I've done." The hertasi handed me a small mirror and I looked at my hair. There were feathers, glass beads, and thread all in my hair! It was amazing the arrangement of it all and I just jumped up and gave Nitz another hug.

"You're amazing!" I exclaimed. Okay, so I yelled it out. When your hair looks as good as mine did at that instance, you just have to yell it out to the world.

Nitz held a smug look on her face. I decided she was female since I felt she needed a gender. I sure couldn't figure it out.

"I want you to know what you need to about the elders," she started. "They are the oldest and most powerful of the clan here. You need to show extreme respect and reverence for them all."

I waved off her speech. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I've read all about the Hawkbrothers. No need to lecture me on stuff I know." Nitz gave a puzzled look at me, but then continued.

"Well, if you know so much, good luck at the meeting. You'll need it. And just follow the yellow markings. They lead to the meeting hall." I gave her a mock salute, which resulted in a confused look, and left my dwelling. I was on the ground and not in the trees, thankfully. I'm not one for living up high. It makes my stomach feel funny.

I was very thankful she said yellow markings. It was the only color my city eyes could find in the dense vegetation. I couldn't get a good look at the plants or anything because I was trying my hardest just to keep on the right path, but I did like the little patches of flowers I managed to get glimpses of that were near my yellow saviors.

Author's Note: Well, please R&R! I have plenty more written but am perfectly willing to get it adjusted based on nice criticism. Emphasis on NICE. : Chapter Two will be up as soon as I get feedback.