If you're not familiar with the Valdemar books of Mercedes Lackey, you'd be hopelessly lost among all the details I worked into the boys. I also make no apology for my shameful focus on Ezra and Vin, and the fact that this story is very definitely slash. What can I say? M/m relationships are CANON in Misty's books. How could any slasher resist?
This is the timeline page. Stories listed below will be placed in separate chapters. I'm writing the lot out-of-order, so I'll specify if a "chapter" is new. They're very short--almost ficlets--but I hope to write enough to frame it out.
THE CAST
BUCK - a Companion (magical white horse-shaped spirit, mindbonded to Heralds to serve the Kingdom of Valdemar.)
CHRIS - a Colonel with the Imperial Army marooned in Hardorn at the beginning of the Mage Storms trilogy.
EZRA - one of the Heralds (a group of men and women who use their mindgifts to help Valdemar.)
JD - horse trainer of the Tale'sedrin Clan of Shin'a'in (horse-nomads from the distant Dhorisha Plains.)
JOSIAH - Ezra's Companion (Companions only Choose one Herald.)
NATHAN - exiled Haighleigh, healer with the Cavalry Troop of Colonel Chris Larabee in the Imperial Army.
VIN - Wingbrother to k'Vaia (one of the Tayledras Clans dedicated to cleansing the wild magic from Velgarth. They are also called Hawkbrothers because they are mindbonded to huge raptors.)
I stuffed and contorted until I could get the Seven into Velgarth. I've got several short-ish stories planned, but beyond the initial get-the-Seven-together gambit (at the bottom of the page) I have no idea what I want them to do. Ah well, all in good time.
THE TIMELINE
Legend:
Names in italics refer to existing books by Mercedes Lackey set in Velgarth.
Underlined entries refer to planned stories for the event mentioned.
Bold entries refer to stories begun for the event mentioned. Definitely WIPs.
Such entries refer to short stories completed
I based my timelines on one event: the coronation of Selenay in 1376 at the end of the Tedrel War. Then I re-read the novels and worked out my own timing for everything. I didn't use anything set earlier than Tarma and Kethry when I began my timeline and nothing later than Mage Storms. Also, I don't have the Valdemar Companion, so if this rings false to any of the knowledgeable, please forgive me!
1375 - Hannah a casualty of Tedrel War. Josiah, devastated by the loss of his Chosen before she was old enough to be Chosen, refuses to name another Choice.
Aug 1382 - Ezra born to Maude.
Jan 1382 - Vin born to Adella.
Feb 1390 - Vin orphaned when bandits raid Settlestone. A k'Vaia Borderscout finds him and speaks for him before the Council, naming him Wingbrother. He is 7 years old.
Apr 1393 - Maude marries Lord Demason and relocates to Haven. She has Ezra enrolled in Collegium classes to keep him out from underfoot. At ten, he is one of the youngest Blues, but his intelligence endears him to the Masters (though not some of the Blues).
Apr 1395 - Ancar invades Valdemar a second time (end of By the Sword).
May 1395 - Vin bonds to a pair of crows, begins scout training at k'Vaia and learns the mind disciplines to control his gift of Animal Mindspeech. He is twelve.
July 1395 - Rolan asks Josiah to state his Choice.
Aug1395 - Ezra Chosen by Josiah at the age of 13. He has no difficulty learning to control his Gifts of Mindspeech and Foresight.
Sep 1399 - Ezra graduates with a mixed group of Heralds of all ages. He is paired with mentor Travis and his Companion Evie and sent on his Internship assignment in Evendim Border Sector South. He is 17.
Dec 1400 - Vin is assigned Eastern k'Vaia Borderwatch. A Changebeast from higher up in the Pelagirs begins terrorizing the bufferland between k'Vaia claimed-lands and Valdemar. He decides to track down the Changebeast.
Jan 1401 - Three months to go before the end of his Internship Circuit, Ezra and Travis split up to track the mysterious beast reported by the scattered villages on the Western Border. He meets Vin.
May 1401 - Ezra returns to Haven but does not report his encounter with Vin. Josiah also keeps his own counsel. Since in his Collegium days he had specialized in languages and culture, Ezra is asked to assist in teaching languages at Heraldic. Herald Captain Kerowyn approaches him for specialist work.
1402 - Princess Elspeth leaves for Rethwellan (Winds of Fate). Ezra is undercover in Hardorn.
Fall 1404 - Ancar and Falconsbane killed. Eastern Empire invades Hardorn from the East (end of Winds of Fury). Ezra recalled to Haven with the rest of Kero's operatives. Alliance Member Councils begin.
Jun 1405 - Vin arrives in Haven with Kaled'a'in envoys as k'Vaia holds the Western retreats. Ezra and Vin meet again.
Jun 1406 - First mage storm swamps Velgarth (events of Storm Warning).
1406-1407 - Ezra and Vin return to k'Vaia to coordinate relocation of Hardornen refugees and to deliver the Collegium findings about the mage storms (events of Storm Rising and Storm Breaking).
Dec 1407 - Chris Larabee marries Sarah.
1408 - Ezra and Vin return to Haven. Adam Larabee born in September.
1409 - Ezra and Vin are asked to represent the Alliance in Sunhame.
Aug 1410 - JD brings a string of Shin'a'in breds to Shonar to sell to Tremane. After the Tale'sedrin traders return to the Plains, JD stays to finish the horses' training since Hardorn does not have the skill to do this themselves. He is assigned to the calvalry troop of Chris Larabee. Ezra and Vin return to Haven.
Jan 1411 - Sarah and Adam killed in a fire. Banditry increases at Hardorn's eastern marches. Travis assigned to join the diplomatic corps in Shonar.
May 1411 - Nathan asks King Tremane to give Chris something to do before he self-destructs. Chris and his cavalry troops (including Nathan and JD) are assigned to eastern borders.
Aug 1411 - Foreseers get disturbing visions centered somewhere in eastern Hardorn. Ezra and Vin are assigned to travel there clandestinely and report to Herald Travis and King Tremane in Shonar. Because of the need for haste, unpartnered Companion Buck volunteers to let Vin ride. Ezra and Vin arrive in Four Corners.