AN: Well, my faithful readers, I am finally going to post this fanfic. The idea has been in my head for as long as "One's Destiny" has and is just as hard to keep writing. -- Those who do read "One's Destiny" shouldn't worry about me stopping. This fanfic shall be your pick-me-up while I write new chapters. Aaaand, Lor is the polar opposite of Melody. I do hope you all enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Velgarth OR some of the characters. They would be the possessions of Mercedes Lackey.

Chapter 1: A New Life

I came to the realization that I was surrounded by water and slowly drowning. I didn't remember why, but I knew I was. It seemed rather ironic and unfortunate that I didn't know how to swim. I tried kicking my legs, but at that point my body was shutting down. Then it hit me: I was dying.

I became panicked, which only seemed to quicken my body's shutdown. Realizing I couldn't stop my fate, I calmed down and held still, allowing my end to come slowly, but surely. I became numb to everything and my mind grew fuzzy. Everything was dark, and I suddenly felt alone. The last thing I could think of was that I had never seen a Companion. It was a shame that I had never fulfilled my dream. My mind finally shut down and a bright light came to me in the end… Such a bright light…

Slowly, I began to feel my mind waking up. Limbs were being recognized and acknowledged as legs and arms; important bodily functions were floating into my awareness.

My eyes fluttered open and I took a large gasp of air. People in green were all around me, chattering at me and trying to keep me alive. Yes, I was alive. Someone had come to save me and I was somehow still with the living… but how?

I coughed up water and pondered. I had died- I knew that. Once you died, weren't you…supposed to be dead?

My sense of touch suddenly came into a sharp focus and my body shivered. I was soaked to the bone; the river near Midwinter was freezing. A hand touched my chest, and a warmth broke through the cold and coursed through my body.

I coughed more and, suddenly, my breathing was easy, but exhaustion crept from deep within me. My eyes closed, and I slept…

I awoke again to a more rested and energetic, yet just as pained, body. My fingers wriggled and grabbed at their surroundings. A fluffy bed was underneath me. I let one eye slit open, and light brightly shone straight into it. So, it was daytime- or this was the afterlife- but I wasn't supposed to feel pain. I was definitely alive, so I opened my eyes all the way and looked around me.

The room itself was practically bare except for a desk and two wall bookshelves, already filled with books. For some reason, they seemed to be vaguely familiar titles. The lone desk had papers strewn and writers all over- someone must have recently been at the desk. I felt a cool breeze on my skin and looked in its direction. To my left, a window was open. From the outside, I could tell I was on the ground floor. But what startled me most was the middle-aged woman looking at me peacefully, her chin resting on the windowsill. Her eyes were the deepest shade of blue imaginable… My soul was suddenly sifted through and a voice said, :You're the one; I Choose you. Blessed Agnira, I've finally found you!:

I blinked rapidly and opened my eyes wide again. No longer was there a woman, but a stark-white horse with the same startling eyes, and its chin was resting on the windowsill. I was utterly confused and was about to say so when the door opened. A person, a man in green robes, came in with another man in white. I recognized the first as a Healer and the second as a Herald. Maybe I could ask him about what just happened.

:Not just yet, ke'chara. No one is ready for this yet. Only you and I know. Let's keep it as our little secret for now.:

The Companion at the window looked at me, blinked one eye as if to wink, and then turned back to the men at the door.

I finally realized through my grogginess that the two were deep in argument, and, once I listened, I understood that it was about me.

"How can you Heralds be so inconsiderate? This child has barely made an escape from death, and now you want to drag her into your deadly lives before she's even recovered?" The Healer's face was turning red with his growing fury, and I silently cheered him on. My body was already objecting to me moving, much less going to classes.

"The sooner we get her to the Collegium and starting classes, the safer she'll be," argued the Herald. His argument seemed weak and almost whining.

They continued to argue over me as they drew closer to my bed. I kept staring at them, politely waiting for them to notice my consciousness. Eventually, they did and looked at me in surprise.

I closed my eyes momentarily and reopened them. Immediately, I saw another change in my vision. The Healer glowed a faint green and the Herald a faint white. I coughed in surprise, and my chest objected to the sudden upheaval. The Healer looked at me in a concerned manner. I opened my mouth to tell him I was fine, but, though I tried to speak, nothing but pain came out.

"I'm afraid you might now speak for some time. The damage to your throat was extensive. Otherwise, your body functions almost to perfection, considering your near escape from death." The Healer smiled at me. I recognized the pity coming from his dark brown eyes.

I frantically tried to think of a way to communicate. My hands would barely let me twitch a muscle, much less grip a pencil and move across a page.

That same comforting voice I recognized as the Companion, no my Companion, said, :You dolt, Speak to them in your head, just as I am to you.:

The reprimand seemed silly coming from a horse sticking her head through a window, but I tried to do as she said.

:W-what… happened to me?: I Sent to the two men. The Herald jumped as I Spoke into his mind; the Healer looked extremely relieved that has patient could effectively communicate with him.

"Already at this stage…" muttered the Herald. I looked at him confused. He shook his head and didn't continue the thought.

"This is such a relief!" exclaimed the Healer. "It's actually quite a miracle that you are alive."

:Please just tell me what happened.:

"Oh, right, Well, we have witness reports of two young men following you from the school you go…went… to, and when you got near the river, one grabbed you and the other tried to rape you. You put up a fight, and it seems that they decided it wasn't worth it. So, they threw you in the river. You can't swim, can you?"

:No…: I muttered frankly.

"Well, from what I've seen of you, you hit your head hard on the way. That must have triggered your latent abilities and strengthened them as well as your bond." He looked over to my nameless-as-of-yet Companion. "This lady right here flew out of Companion's Field and came straight to you. She jumped right into the freezing water and pulled you out. I think she's the only reason you didn't leave this world." He looked back to me.

I didn't have to even look at her to know she was being smug about my rescue. Suddenly, she interjected into my thoughts with :Oh, yes! My name! I am Kerwynna, but we can discuss that later.: She left it at that.

:Ok… You're a bit scatter brained, aren't you?:

:Well, having your Chosen almost die does leave one a bit frazzled, you know!: She seemed a bit offended.

I apologized and turned my attention back to the Healer. :I'm sorry, you were saying?:

"Yes, ahem…" He stalled, trying to remember where he was. "Oh! The thing that truly matters now is that you are alive. I was just told on my way here that today, if you were conscious, you would be starting Orientation. I completely disagree, but orders are orders. Do you think you're up to it?" His look said that he wanted a "no" from me. I felt rather up to it, considering I didn't particularly want to rot in the bed.

:I think I can manage. I just won't be able to do weapons. My body already is opposed to the thought of walking.:

The Herald finally spoke. "We can get you a wheeling chair. It's this new contraption: a chair with wheels for mobility for the injured. It's wonderful. If I get it now, we could make it in plenty time for Orientation. Afterwards, I can take you to the Housekeeper to get assigned clothing and tasks. For now, I'm assigned to you. The Dean and the King don't want anything bad to happen to you again. I feel the exact same way." He smiled at me. My heart beat quickly then calmed down when I realized he reminded me of a mentor at my clerk school. I blushed and felt ashamed of myself. Hadn't they taught me at Agnethel's to keep my emotions out of a job? I did the breathing exercises they had taught me and reigned in those embarrassing thoughts. I could tell in the back of my mind that Kerwynna was a bit confused by my actions. I Sent her a reassuring feeling and brought my attention back to the Herald.

:Could I get my caretaker's name?: I Asked him.

"Oh, yes, forgive me. My name is Fandronel, but most call me Fanel." As he spoke, I noticed that he gestured constantly with his hands, a behavior I never had quite understood; I let my words and inflection express myself. That probably came from being a master of words; I was almost done with training for a magistrate's assistant and a side in languages. I hoped my classes would be few considering my previous schooling.

:My name is Lorane Fiero, but you probably already knew that.: He nodded, as did the Healer. :For short, I go by Lor, a fact that investigations may or may not have uncovered. I hope we get along grandly.:

I smiled at him the best I could through the pain and Said, :I would like that wheeling chair now. I might as well not postpone this Orientation any longer.:

Fanel simply nodded to me and went to the door. He opened it and called down the hall for one of the chairs. Almost immediately after he called for one, I could hear the continuous creaking of wheels on the floor in the hall.

The Healer lifted me up carefully, apologizing every time I winced in pain, and slowly sat me in the wheeling chair. I got myself comfortably settled into my new seat, which I would be getting to know very well.

Fanel came up behind me, grasped the handles of the chair, and steered me to the hallway. As we headed to the Orientation, I began to think. I realized that, out of my almost tragic end, something wonderful had happened. I may have lost the job I had dreamed about since I was five, but I had achieved another of my life goals. Not only had I seen a Companion; I had one. I was a Herald.

AN: (Butting in again!) Please tell me what you think of this one. I'm not sure where I want to head with it, so I could use some healthy suggestions. And believe me, I do look at them. :D

Go ahead...review...you know you want to! :3