AN: I want to thank everyone who has read this in the past and just want to let you know that I'm just editing and improving the story line; adding a few things and taking some things away. It's not essential that you read the rewrites of the chapters, since the basic plot is going to remain the same, but it would help you from getting lost. Mainly I am rewriting this to help jog some more creativity on new chapters; what I have written is not up to standards. Thanks again for all of your support!
The normal disclaimer applies, I am as always simply meddling around with the wonderful world created by the loverly Mercedes Lackey.
It was a typically glorious mid-summers day at Haven, particularly for the denizens of Companion's Field. For a change, none of their Heralds were in the middle of a life threatening disaster. A rare occurrence and every single Companion was determined to enjoy the unexpected peace. The King was happy and in love with a charming young noble woman. Whose sweet disposition and unpretentious manners quickly made her a favorite amongst the Heralds. What truly endured her to the Heraldic circle was the fact that she understood the importance of a Herald's bond with his/her Companion, and saw no reason to be jealous of it. Even though she was not a Herald and had no Companion of her own; she never seemed to feel ignored or annoyed by Sendar's nearly unbreakable connection to his Companion. There was no political turmoil threatening the Kingdom, not even from Valdemar's old foe Karse – an unexpected boon that everyone praised the gods for in thanksgiving. Even the politics of the Kingdom were pleasant; court intrigues, backstabbing, and spiteful gossip having evaporated overnight.
This freedom from misfortune was so rare that every Companion took the opportunity to indulge in some well earned relaxation. After all, like their Chosen they risked their lives for the greater good of their Kingdom; almost on a daily biases it seemed. Therefore, like their Chosen they deserved to look upon this lull as a vacation from death defying heroics. Sure, some still rode out on circuit, but even the bandits and nature appeared to have decided to cut Valdemar some slack. The usually tediously boring or near death experiences of riding circuit had turned into nothing more taxing than a pleasure jaunt for all those involved.
In the weeks and months to come all the unpaired Companions who sensed their Chosen out in the world would leave then bring back the bright eyed Chosen to the Collegium and the Place to join their fellow soul-sibs as Heralds of Valdemar.
However, therein laid the sole controversy of this other wise perfect summer; for there were two Companions who for years had refused to go seeking Heralds. These Companions, older than most of the herd (parents to Companions already Chosen) would not leave Haven and could not be reasoned with. They insisted that they would go and seek their Chosen when they knew who and where to find them, and only then. For years now, they have lived without a Herald and only a few understood the real reason why. Among those few was the King's Own Herald Talamir and his Grove Born Companion Taver; the only authority the two in question would ever (briefly) contemplate obeying.
The Companion's Lathan and Wyntr were a frustration for Talamir just as they had been a frustration for Talamir's predecessor. If they frustrated Taver, Talamir never knew the stallion had the habit of keeping such things to himself, especially if they concerned his fellow Companions. These two were unusual in more ways than their refusal to find a Chosen. They were of all things lifebonded!
Talamir had no idea how to handle such a thing, who had ever heard of two Companions being lifebonded! The idea was absurd yet there they were; two unpartnered adult Companions who had lifebonded. Never before had such a thing happened. Sure, Talamir had read the special records kept and recorded by the Herald Chronicler and knew that Lavan Firestorm had actually been lifebonded to his Companion Karlira in addition to the Herald/Companion bond. He could even understand how that could happen between a Herald and his/her Companion. Hell Talamir knew some Heralds so closely bonded with their Companions they might as well have been lifebonded. Still that did nothing to tell him how to deal with lifebonded Companions. He could only hope that one day they would decide to go and find Heralds. However, Talamir secretly believed that to be a false hope. He could not have been more wrong.
He was in the stable grooming Taver when the unthinkable happened. Lathan and Wyntr showed up, simultaneously, demanding to be saddled up in their full gear minus the bells. These two, Lathan in particular, were known for their dislike of a saddle. For them to stand there patiently while the unsure stable hands put the never used tack on them, could only mean one thing. The unusual Companions were going out to seek their Chosen.
.:Taver,: Talamir asked the stallion via mindspeech,: am I really seeing this?:
.:Aye Talamir, you are.:. The Companion replied not bothering to hide his amusement.
"Well I say it's about time you two went seeking Heralds!" Talamir said aloud startling the stable boys. Lathan pawed at the floor of the stable with one hoof while nodding his head, apparently he agreed with the King's Own. Wyntr merely winked coyly at Talamir with one sapphire eye, then nipped playful at Lathan's shoulder. Talamir could not help but laugh at the mare's antics.
He noticed that Taver seemed to be discussing something with Lathan. Yet, he didn't get a chance to ask his Companion about it for soon the lifebonded pair was saddled up and ready to go, Talamir bid them farewell and good luck on their search. Meanwhile, Taver took the opportunity to sneak out of the stable. Talamir would have gone after the Companion but the bell for lunch rang and swearing gently under his breath Talamir headed back to the Palace. He was late for a council meeting but on the way he could not help but wonder how long Lathan and Wyntr would be gone. One thing is certain, Talamir thought with a wry smile, their Chosen are bound to be interesting to say the least…
On that glorious mid-summer morning the sparkling chime of bridle bells could be heard before the owners of the bells could be seen. As a pleasing counterpoint to the bells the sound of hooves ringing as they hit the road was further proof of approaching travelers. There was a deliberate measure to each hoof fall and the music of their journey reached the top of the hill long before the travelers did. Even though, under other circumstances, they could have easily covered the distance in less time.
A foreign peddler preparing to make the trip down the hill decided to wait and see who was coming up it; if it was a troop of some sort he would rather meet them at the top of the hill instead of somewhere in the middle. His oxen could use the rest and it was such a wonderful day that he did not begrudge the lost time. Therefore while he pulled his cart off of the road and went about feeding and watering his beasts the peddler was privy to a rare sight.
The sound of bridle bells and hooves stopped once they reached the top of the hill and the peddler turned about expecting to see a pair of travelers and their mounts. He was shocked by what he did see; there was a pair of mounts but no riders. It was very strange since the pair of snowy white horses were clearly decked out with all the tack for a rider's long journey. The peddler felt his jaw go slack with surprise and one of the rider less horses regarded him with what he would swear to be amusement. He had heard strange stories about the white horses in this land, how they were thought to be as intelligent as humans but he never gave the stories any credit before. But he had heard about the white horses from the city of Haven and if it wasn't that very city that lay sprawled out behind them the peddler would have gone searching for the missing riders. The foreigner watched as the two "horses" touched forehead to forehead before separating and going off in different directions. The one when north and the other cantered past him on the road to the peddler's home country. Shaking his head in utter amazement and marveling at the tails he'll have to tell back home the peddler eagerly started to make his way down the hill.
...
To finally be on the road heading away from Haven and in search of their Chosen was an immense relief to both Lathan and Wyntr. The years of waiting had been unbearable to them; particularly Wyntr who had become aware of her Chosen long before Lathan sensed his own Chosen. Although she could have left on her search months if not a year ago Wyntr had insisted that she was not ready. Something always held Wyntr back from leaving Companion's Field. That something was the knowledge of Lathan's misery. She knew that being forced to stay behind without knowing where his own Chosen was would make Lathan absolutely miserable. Not only from the separation but form the fear that upon forming the Herald/Companion bond Wyntr would no longer have time only for him. She would not ignore him, deliberately, but she could understand his concern.
This was not the first turn of the wheel for either one of them nor was it the first time that either one of them had come back as a Companion. Each time they had managed to find each other; they had found a way to make things work. Since this time they both had the same form they had cherished their time together and were loath to allow anything to interfere. When Taver (the Grove Born) had discovered that they were still lifebonded he had assumed that they would never Choose a Herald. That in fact there was absolutely no need for them to Choose. He could not have been more wrong. But they did not hesitate to take advantage of his assumption. Once Taver realized that he was wrong, he insisted that they must find their perspective Heralds immediately. They had just given into Taver's urgings, but only after two years and Lathan finally knowing that his Chosen was indeed walking around somewhere out in the world. There was, however, still the lingering question of how everyone would get along.
.:Now love, don't go borrowing trouble. We waited this long for a reason, it will all work out.:. He reassured her before nuzzling at her neck and then taking off to the west towards Rethwellan. Noticing the peddler's attention (not for the first time) Wyntr gave him another amused glance before heading north. Shaking her head she could not help but note the irony of Mr. Worrywart comforting her.