Quick little one shot dedicated to Mystic Moods and Snowfire for late-night inspiration!
The world of Velgarth and its contents belong to the inspired Mercedes Lackey, for whom we are all grateful.
Finally! Finally, finally, finally! He was here, standing outside the door to his soon-to-be-Chosen's cottage! Trevalenth snorted and shook his head, causing the bells on his harness to ring merrily. He stood a moment, savoring the feeling. He was about to loose the reputation as the oldest un-bonded Companion in the field, and finally be able to feel like a true Companion. After all, the very name suggested something other than the solitude he had become accustomed to.
Trev snorted and shook again, deciding that he had contemplated his imminent Choosing long enough. Now was the time for action!
With that resolution he nosed open the gate and made his way up the path to the door and rapped it gently with a silver hoof.
"Sara? Be that you? You should know you don't have to knock by now!"
Trev flared his nostrils in an expression of equine amusement and rapped the door again with his hoof.
"Who is it? Just open the door and come in!" The voice, midrange and rough, was growing irritated.
Trev looked down at his hooves, swearing to himself that next time around he would come back as a human, because this lack of hands was irritating in the extreme. As battering down the door to her home would most certainly not be a good way to start a lifetime partnership, he tapped the door a third time.
This time the voice did not even bother to reply, but the door swung open abruptly to reveal a short, heavy-set woman of about forty. She wore a faded housedress and a stained apron and…
Trev had no more time to contemplate her physical appearance, as she had just slammed the door in his face. What…?
"Oh, hells no! I am not going anywhere with one of you crazies!"
Wha..?
He seemed to be thinking that quite a bit. Maybe he should knock again.
"Leave me alone, you great bleached horse!"
Or not. Time for plan B.
:Jenna!!!!: Good thing Haven wasn't all that far away and he could reach her.
:Trev? I thought you had gone out on Search!:
:Well…I did…:
:Then why aren't you wrapped up in finding your Chosen?:
:Because I found her.: Oh this was not easy – in fact it was probably the most embarrassing thing he had done in his life. :She, uh…shesortofslammedthedoorinmyface:
Trev could just feel Jenna deciphering that little burst. And she was about to get it sorted out…just…about…now. He felt her laughter. Yup. Now.
:You can't be serious! After you Chose her?:
:Well, not exactly… I mean, I didn't really get a chance to Choose her, she just saw me and slammed the door: Embarrassment colored his thoughts a vivid purple.
:So what are you going to do?: Jenna's mindvoice was tinged with bright laughter.
:Umm… I was kind of hoping you had some useful suggestions:
Some of the laughter left Jenna's voice. :I really can't think of anything good. I mean, you can essentially break down the door or ambush her.:
Trev sighed. :I was afraid you were going to say that:
:Sorry, love, wish I could be more help:
:Me too…:
Trev dropped the link and went back to contemplating the firmly shut door. He still didn't think that breaking down the door would be a good way of introducing himself to his Chosen.
He wasn't about to turn around and go back to Haven without her.
He sighed. It would have to be a siege after all…
Several hours later, after standing watch at the single door to the small cottage, Trevalenth was thirsty. Unfortunately, he also suspected that the instant he left his post his quarry would flee. How irritating. The only source of water in the immediate area was a small pump – fine if you had hands, but very inconvenient for thirsty white horses. He went over to examine it anyways.
Nope. Not going to work.
Sigh.
The sound of the gate being pushed open alerted him to the presence of another human. Trev looked up hopefully. Maybe this one would be some help. Unlike the stubborn going-to-be-Chosen-whether-she-liked-it-or-not human in the house. Snort.
Back to the human at the gate. Well, she wasn't really at the gate anymore, she was actually halfway up the path… aie! Maybe she could help! But… the Silence…
Trev's mind was made up for him as the girl called out to the house.
"Auntie Tema!"
Tema. Pretty name. Now if he could just Choose her! Speaking of… the girl was almost to the door!
:Wait!:
The girl spun around in shock. Come to think of it, he was hidden from her by a small tree… "Who is talking to me?"
Trev stepped out into sight. :Me:
"A Companion? What are you doing here? And I thought Companions only spoke to their Heralds?" The girl was rambling, but that was no surprise considering that a large white horse had just spoken to her.
:Usually we don't. Unfortunately I can't get to my Chosen at the moment. I will explain but first… would you mind getting me a drink of water?: That last came out a bit more plaintively than he would have liked, but it did serve to get the girl to stop staring at him in shock. Of course, she looked like she was trying not to laugh, but she was walking over to the pump. Water…
After he had drank his fill of the sweet water (ok, it was a bit sulfuric, but at that point he was thirsty enough that it sure tasted sweet to him), he turned back to the girl. He probably should find out her name…
:Thank you…:
"Ayra, and you are welcome."
:Thank you Ayra. Now… as to why I am Speaking to you… I have a bit of a problem. I came on Search, to find my Chosen, however she doesn't want to be found: Trev glanced mournfully at the house they were standing in front of.
"On Search? But who…" He could see the instant she figured it out. "Not Auntie!" Now she looked absolutely shocked – and suspiciously amused. No, scratch that, she looked very amused. Why was this so amusing? No, nevermind that, don't answer it, he just wanted to Choose the woman in the house!
:Yes, your Auntie. But she slammed the door in my face:
He must have looked absolutely pathetic, because the girl – Ayra – stopped giggling. "Auntie thinks the entire village depends on her, so she always swore that she would never leave, even if a Companion marched up to her door and Chose her. While we would miss her, we would get along much the same without her. However, now she appears to be stuck. She would make a wonderful herald, but she said she wouldn't leave. And she is stubborn. Oh yes, is she stubborn." At this the girl glanced at the door in amusement.
"I am not stubborn!"
Ayra giggled and raised her voice just a tad. "She is also a nosy old woman who makes wonderful nut and honey scones and has a weakness for my mother's crab-apple preserve. Of which I happen to have some."
They heard a sigh from behind the door.
"I take it you won't just come in and give it to me?" The woman – Tema – 's voice was pleading. This was going to be an interesting partnership, not the least because they were both older than the usual newly bonded pair.
Ayra snickered. "No, sorry Auntie, you are going to have to come out and say hello to the nice Companion before you get this.
"And I suppose he isn't going to go away until I've done so?"
Ayra glanced over at Trev, who shook his head vehemently.
"He seems rather opposed to the idea, actually."
A sigh from behind the door, then it crept open a fraction. "You are sure everyone won't miss me?"
"Oh, we'll miss you Auntie, but I think they need you more in Haven."
The door opened the rest of the way, and Tema stepped out. "Well then, guess I've lost this time around. But you just watch it horse!"
Trev stepped forward, addressing his Chosen for the first time as he flooded her mind with sapphire light and love.
:I am a Companion, not a horse, and my name is Trevalenth. Tema, my stubborn one, I Choose you: