Sari had never believed in Companions. Partially this was because he'd never seen one. Everyone had heard stories of the 'hell horses'; there was always someone who knew someone who'd seen one a long time ago in some battle or another, but this was not proof to Sari. He was never prone to daydreaming or tale spinning. He had never had an imaginary friend or put on great battles with whatever few real friends he had growing up. His life had always consisted of what lay in front of his face, and only that.
Mostly though, the reason why Sari didn't believe in Companions was because his mother did. She was the storyteller, the daydreamer. And even more humiliating to him was the fact that she not only believed, but wished she could meet one of them someday. In a world were Companions were considered anathema and the most awful of enemies, it was unheard of to want to see one. Not to befriend it anyway.
"Think of it, Saariyah," she would say. "Whiter than snow. Whiter than the moon. How could something so pure be evil?" This was where her son would roll his eyes and excuse himself.
The child Sari didn't care about Companions. He didn't believe in them and so did not fear or adore them. As the type of boy he was, he had absolutely no opinion on them whatsoever. His life, in the harsh underworld of Sunhame, consisted of the fleeting money in his pocket, his next trick, and finding a warm place for both his mother and himself to sleep. For a boy want of imagination, this was quite enough.
That was before Auberon of course. Even now, over fifteen years after the stallion had Chosen him in a marketplace, Sari wished his Companion had not chosen that time to lift him out of the life he'd been locked into since his birth. He told himself that it was because he wished Auberon had Chosen him later, when Companions weren't such a new edition to life in Karse, who was now an ally to Valdemar after centuries of blood feud. If only he had waited another year, then Sari might not have the memory of his little slum in an uproar; he wouldn't hear the cries of conservative priests calling him a traitor in his ears; and he might be able to forget the subsequent weeks of traveling, weeks of near starvation until they had reached the border.
That was what he told himself. Deep down though, he knew he really wished Auberon had come a year earlier. When his mother had still been alive.
It is all right to miss her, Auderon said gently, almost sounding as if he spoke right by Sari's ear.
I miss her stories, even though I hated them. I wish I had been better to her while she'd been alive, Sari answered. Why do I only think of her when I'm in here?
Auberon chuckled but didn't quite answer. Sari didn't need him to. Sari always thought of his mother when he was in the Sun Shrine. It was the closest thing to Sunhame as he could get, and if he was being entirely honest, probably the closest reminder of his old home that he wanted. Queen Selenay had asked him once if he wanted to join the delegation that travelled back into Karse to represent Valdemar, but he had declined. Sunhame had not been kind to him, and it was more important that he stay on his Circuit.
It had helped that his reputation had backed him up. In Valdemar, Herald Sari was known for chasing down bandits and rescuing children from wells. He was not known as a former whore. In Valdemar, he was a faithful servant of the Crown. He was not a traitor to his community. In Valdemar, according to Ambassador Karal, he was a living representative of the very partnership between the two former warring countries, even more so than Herald Alberich, who had been confined to Haven for most of his career. He was not, and would not, be perceived as a show off, flaunting his new, more successful life to the gutter rats he used to call his friends and family.
Now you're just being dramatic, Auderon chided.
I'm being truthful, Sari corrected. True, in his years of training and work, Sari had become more friendly with the idea of stories and things existing beyond the edge of his nose, but Sari was no less practical than he had ever been. He was still the exasberation to his friends and brothers-in-arms in the fact that he had very little patience for things that were not true. And he did not like drama.
He did like his work. And he very much liked knowing where he would be tomorrow and the next day. Oh sure, there were days when he wasn't sure if he would make the next waystation, or the next town, but to know that he would never have to beg for food fulfilled a definite necessity in Sari's life. To be able to look on a map and know the route he would be taking, to have a plan, to have a permenant position, these were invaluable things in his life. He was grateful for everything Valdemar had given him. How could he not be happy here? Why would he ever want to leave?
You say the prettiest words, princeling, Auberon teased.
Were you a Bard in another life?, Sari asked, disgruntled.
I have no idea.
Out of the corner of his eye, Sari saw something move and he turned to look. As if he knew it would happen, a rather large cat strode down the main aisle of the Shrine through alternating beams of sunlight that made his cream color fur shine as if it was made of the same stuff. Only the rust colored streaks that striped his legs, tail, and head stopped the eye from missing him in the light completely. The firecat paused when he saw Sari, whipping his tail once in a lazy sort of greeting, and then moved on his way.
Rarely did Sari see Altra without Ambassador Karal, as the firecat was the something of a Karsite version of a Companion. Unlike Companions however, firecats had no qualms about speaking to people other than their Chosen, and they also used their magical powers freely. Companions were somewhat prudish, preferring to act as a stable ground or anchor, rather than a doorway or shortcut like a firecat. In Altra's case, he was also a set of eyes for Karal, who was physically blind. Companions were also much more numerous than firecats; Altra was only one of two in existence.
Sari had never seen Hansa, the other of the rare firecats, as he lived in Sunhame, but he was quite sure that Hansa was not quite so as undignified as Altra. Though he was a being of some importance, Altra seemed to go out of his way to make himself accessable, even more so than Companions, since most did not allow themselves to be handled by anyone but their Chosen. Altra was known to demand scratches and attentions from anyone who was in the room, especially from children who were less likely to see him as anything but a regular cat, despite his large size.
Sari watched as Altra stalked up the aisle and then sat, waiting for the figure who stood at the door of the shrine to come fully into the room. She was small and slight, looking no more than in her mid-teens but the way she carried herself spoke of a greater age. For a moment, Sari couldn't see her face for she had bent down to remove her shoes, then after placing them beside the door, stood up straight and began to walk slowly into the room.
In the door, she had been somewhat bathed in shadow, now in full sunlight she glowed brighter than Altra had, and in hues of white and silver rather than gold and cream. Her hair was white, her clothes were white, even her skin was paler than the average, certainly more so than Sari's own. Once, another Herald had described to Sari what he thought a vrondi would look like in human form (both of his parents were Bards, so he was prone to romantic yarns), and this girl looked exactly that. She was quite ethereal and it took Sari's breath away.
She bent only once to scratch Altra behind the ear; he leaned into it like any attention hungry cat and Sari had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. He was surprised again however, because when she started to walk again, the firecat followed suit, stalking beside her as if he were her dog.
Once more she paused, this time just by Sari's side. Now Sari had a close-up view of her and it amended his first impression. Her outfit, obviously Herald's Whites although they were cut in a slightly strange style, were not completely without color. The edges of her sleeves were trimmed in tiny, embroidered vines and leaves, all in shades of green, yellow, and crimson. The vines extended out, growing paler and paler, linking into dyed patches of fabric shaped like flowers in the same colors, and almost desernable from the base fabric unless they caught the light just so. Once he got over the artistry of the fabric, he began to realize that her Whites reminded him of the Shin'a'in delegates but in a Valdemarian style. It was a Shin'a'in jacket, except it was longer, and her boots were Valdemarian save for the Shin'a'in trim. And of course, he had never seen the Shin'a'in without any beads or with so little trim, but it all seemed to work somehow.
The thing that drew his gaze inevitably was her face. Even that looked just a bit Shin'a'in, with a slightly longer nose and a slightly taller upper lip. It was all partially hidden, however, by the strip of cloth that covered where her eyes should be (which of course matched her Whites to perfection). Even Sari, who had little to no imagination, wondered what her eyes would have looked like.
She turned slightly towards him and said in perfect, unaccented Karsite, "I have not interrupted your meditation, have I?" Her voice, though it was in a whisper, wrapped around him like comforting arms. Sari, without thinking, shook his head, and then he blushed since she obviously couldn't see, but she only smiled slightly and went on her way. He watched her, stunned, until she made her way to one of the more private alcoves against the wall and sat down on a bench.
Altra physically brought him back by slapping him in the arm with his tail. Both the firecat and Auberon chuckled in the back of his mind. Altra headbutted him in the temple briefly, and then, after winking one deep blue eye, pounced away to jump up next to the newcomer on her bench.
Sari had heard of Herald Sidra of course but had never met her. He was a career patrol man, virtually married to his Circuit, and rarely spent more than two weeks in Haven. And from what he'd heard, Herald Sidra did not appear very often to those who did not need her, having most of her time taken up by those who did, and Sari was did not belong among them. Still, somehow he was glad to have finally gotten the chance to see her.
At once, he got up and began to make his way back to the entrance of the shrine. Altra's chuckle danced at his heels as he walked. Once outside, he let out a deep breath- had he been holding it in the whole time or was that just his imagination?
Auberon outright laughed, coming up to lip Sari's sleeve. Sari immediately swung himself up onto his back, weaving his fingers in the Companion's silky mane.
Oof. As if you don't spend enough time up there. We finally get a break- you had to offer skip our last leave- and you ride everywhere.
Fine, I'll go borrow one of Karal's horses. For a moment, he stayed silent, letting his body sway in Auberon's familier gait. The truth was he felt almost ungainly on his own feet. On Auberon's back, he could go anywhere, at any speed, but on his feet, he felt like he could trip at any moment. He hid it well, and made no excuses when someone pointed it out, but that didn't mean he liked it.
Lazy.
What the hell is wrong with me?, Sari asked.
Auberon laughed again. She has that affect on most people the first time. Sayvil loves to tell everyone about the time Kero met her.
What happened?
She hugged Sidra. Hugged her! Can you imagine Kero hugging anyone?
Sari smiled. Since Herald Kerowyn had helped train Sari in the combat arts, he was well aware of how affectionate she could be.
Did she sprout wings and fly out the window?
No, but Sayvil almost died of laughter. Kero tried to make her swear not to tell anyone but by then, most of us in Haven knew. Sidra, for her part, has been kind enough not to mention it.
Things like that do NOT happen to me, Sari said stubbornly.
And I'm told that she made Herald Alberich smile within the first five minutes when they first met, his Companion went on, And you are due, my dear. It's about time you had something shake that inner calm of yours.
Oh, and I suppose you're infallible!
I am a Companion! Made of the wind, I run like no other, a silver and white-
"That's it, I'm walking!" Sari practically threw himself off Auberon's back. "You were a Bard in a past life, or at least a player! I'm on leave! I don't have to take this!"
You love it…
Sari grumbled in response, but he made the mistake of actually looking at Auberon, whose blue eyes widened and started glistening like he was no older than a foal, and Sari couldn't help but press his forehead to his Companion's soft nose. It did irritate him that Auberon's personality was so fluid, but he knew it was to counterbalance the set stone of Sari's own. Auberon had forced him to grow, was still continuing to do so in many ways. It was annoying, but also stimulating.
He kept that from Auberon though, who was now pretending to cry (You yelled at me!), because he was sure he would never hear the end of it. If nothing else, that was one thing they both had in common; tenacity.
As if you would relax on your leave anyway. I'm surprised you haven't managed to get us assigned again.
"Trust me, I'm working on it. And I was relaxing until today."
Two lovers pass in the night and their eyes meet under the-
"I need a break…"
I thought I was giving you one. I was misquoting on purpose, you see. The line isn't really "and their eyes meet…"
No! Don't tell me! I'm not listening! Sari shoved the nose away and bolted, running down the Field. Of course Auberon caught up with him, and danced around him like they were at a celebration. Sari was so distracted by trying to escape that they nearly trampled over another Companion.
I was trying to nap, a new voice suddenly said, and Sari realized it was coming from this unfamiliar Companion. The tone of his voice was light and without emotion, but he threw a warning kick in Auberon's general direction with one hind leg. This stallion had a draft horse's build, thicker and steadier than Auberon's cutting horse frame. This didn't surprise Sari since he'd seen Companions both smaller than Auberon and even bigger than this newcomer, but Sari had never seen another Companion who shared Auberon's one very unusual feature; they both had long feathered socks.
Auberon easily dodged the kick and further surprised his Chosen by bowing his head and throwing back his ears. The stallion briefly threw back one of his own ears, and regarded the younger Companion evenly.
At least I was not fully asleep when you bumped into me.
"Sorry, it was my fault-" Sari started tosay.
It was not, the stallion interrupted. His tone was confusing Sari a bit. He didn't sound angry, or even annoyed, but Sari still felt as if he'd been caught filching a late night snack from the kitchens.
I am sorry, said Auberon, meekly.
I am sure you are, but certain bonds work two ways. Learn a bit of control from your Chosen, he said simply, and moved away, walking in the direction of the Shrine.
When he was gone, Sari asked, Are you all right?
I'm fine, Auberon answered, straightening up. Jereth has that effect on me. He always has. Auberon sighed. He knows so much more than even I think the Grove-born could guess.
Sari sensed a bit of pride in Auberon's mind-voice. And why would you say that?
If he was your father, you would know, Auberon said simply. Then he reared up a bit and stomped his front hooves, breaking the mood. Race you to the stables!
Herald Sari watched his Companion take off, momentarily stunned for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. Then he shook his head and began trotting back toward the Palace.
Author's note- Just so you know, draft horses are known for their patience, docile temperament and their strong muscles, as well as the feathered legs most people picture when they think about them. Their most famous breed is the Clydesdale, and their tallest is the Shire, but draft horses can also be as small as ponies, so Jereth is not necessarily taller than Auberon.
Edit: Originally, I had on here that the Clydesdale was the tallest breed of horse- not true! Thank you, Nighshae, for correcting me!
Canadian Cutting horses are athletic, good sprinters, intelligent, and physically well proportioned. They are similar to American Quarter horses, which their breed is based upon. They don't have the feathered socks that drafts horses do, but then Companions are not horses. ;D Since Jereth sired Auberon, it is conceivable that he got the feathered socks too.