Disclamier: All things Velgarth/Valdemar belong to M. Lackey.

A/N: Angst? And weirdness? From Me! Yep, pretty much. This is a double-shot. Two chapters and completed.

Listening Eyes

Chapter 1

The Death Bell tolled.

Eyes wept.

A lone figure moved toward the Companion Stables. His ethereal form moved slowly. It was for his Chosen that the Death Bell tolled. It was for his Chosen that the Heralds and Palace wept.

He, however, had his Duty. He nudged the stable boy gently. His Call was strong, and he had to go. Just where he was going, he wasn't sure. But he needed to get moving.

The boy looked up at him with streaming eyes. "Search? Now? But I—"

The stallion sighed and moved into the stables, brushing by the boy. As much as he wanted to grieve, he had to leave. His Chosen— now his late Chosen —would have understood. Their last words together….

The boy brought his tack as he remembered.

:Will you Choose a Herald: Miren had asked his Companion.

:Not this time, I think: Neran, the Groveborn, had told the King's Own. Although, King's Own was a slight joke. The King was fourteen, had only been Chosen eight months ago, and was still a Trainee. :I Feel the tug to go out on Search.: Neran answered frankly.

Miren had frowned, mentally, since his flesh was no longer capable of it. :The King will need great help, old friend. His hearing—: The old Herald had trailed off.

Neran had sighed, shifting his weight a bit more evenly onto his four legs. :Is getting worse, and the Healers cannot stop it. I know: He'd said wearily. That was the one reason he'd wondered about the boy.

The Groveborn shook his head, his forelock flopping into his eyes. The new Monarch was basically deaf. Or would be before he turned twenty. The Healers didn't know why and hadn't been able to even slow the process. Not even the current Council was fully aware of just how bad it had gotten.

Luckily, he had been Chosen. His Companion was constantly with him, telling him what others had said, relaying lessons, or listening in. The King would need a rather unique Monarch's Own.

Miren had finally let go of his flesh. :Then I will leave you to your Search, my friend. Take care of yourself and Valdemar.: A small smile. :Perhaps we will meet again.:

Neran had closed his eyes as the Death Bell had begun to toll. :Perhaps we will, my soul brother. Perhaps we will.:

"There ye are, m'Lord." The stable boy said, patting Neran's shoulder gently. "Ye're ready to go."

Neran had nickered quietly, touching the boy's cheek in thanks and left at a slow walk.

He nodded regally to the Guard who stared at him, shocked for a moment. "Neran? But…" The Guard suddenly realised just who had passed away. "He'll be sorely missed. Search is it?" Neran had nodded, moving a bit restlessly. He was ready to be off. The Guard marked his name down. "Then may the gods be with ye." He'd said solemnly, letting open the gate.

Neran had moved through the streets, many stopping to stare at him.

Once outside of Haven, having used the western gate, he moved up into an easy trot. He wasn't exactly sure where he was headed. Not yet. But whoever they were, they were in this direction.

He easily navigated around the traffic snarls that inevitably happened as people came in and out of Haven. As the traffic thinned, his pace increased.

Hooves rang on the road as a sense of urgency overtook him. He snorted to himself. Urgent? Yes, things were urgent.

The new King, only on his throne for three months, was without a Monarch's Own. The new Monarch's Own wasn't coming from the ranks of known and trusted Heralds, but from somewhere else. They'd be untried, unknown, and probably completely unprepared for the challenges that were facing them.

It wasn't a good situation, but it was the one they were faced with. Moving easily, he settled into the lope that all Companions had. The warm air glided over him, ruffling his mane. The sound of his hooves was left behind in his self-created wind.

That evening, he found himself a way station to stay in. Closing his eyes, he probed his Calling, trying to get some sort of feeling foe whoever was waiting for him. The only thing he understood was that his soon-to-be-Chosen was North, near the town of Runefork, and… female. He blinked in the darkness.

Well. It had been a while since there had been a female Monarch's Own. In fact —he frowned— the last five had been men. It was time to have a woman standing by the King. Standing hipshot, he settled in to sleep. Perhaps he'd learn something more then.

• • •

The morning mist was still hanging low on the ground when he trotted out of the way station and headed towards a crossroads that wasn't far away. He needed to go north. Setting off at a lope, he let the inner Call guide him. Coming to a crossroads, he ignored the signs pointing in the different directions.

He could read them, he just didn't need them to navigate. Standing there for a moment, he let the sounds of birds disappear and listened to that inner guide.

Opening his eyes, he finally took the road leading north. That was where he needed to go.

Picking up another trot, he kept moving. He was getting closer. That much he could tell. A cart came out of a farm lane near by and stopped to let it pass. The young boy sitting in the bench seat with his father saw Neran.

"Da! Da! Look! It's a Companion! Where's 'is 'erald?" The little boy kept tugging on his father's arm.

The father looked up as Neran nodded politely in greeting. "Must be a-lookin' fer 'is 'erald." The father said.

The boy bounced excitedly. "Da! Da! Is it me?" He practically screeched.

The father chuckled and put a massive hand on the boy's shoulder. He glanced at Neran. Sadly, the Groveborn shook his head. "No, son. 'E's not 'ere fer ye. Would ye be wantin' sommat ta et then?"

Neran pricked his ears forward. Food sounded good, even if he should be on his way. He whickered slightly. He needed to get moving but his stomach was complaining about neglect. Semi-divine he might have been, but the shape was mortal and needed tending.

He bobbed his head. Both in agreement and in thanks.

The farmer smiled and jumped down off his cart. The man frowned at the saddle and then finally came up with something. He loosely tied a sack to one of the loops on the saddle, leaving it hanging next to the stallion's shoulder. "Turn yer 'ead ere. Need ta see iffen ye can ge' at the food."

Neran obligingly turned his head and rummaged at the sack. A bit more tweaking and he could not only get into it but could close it as well. He whickered happily at the farmer.

The man tipped his hat. "Glad ta be o' 'elp. G'day ta ye." He stepped out of Neran's way and the stallion went on down the road, already eating an apple.

Finally, he stopped near a farm that evening. His Call was all but jumping up and down on his head. It wasn't very comfortable. He glanced at the gate and felt a slight tug in the direction of the yard. Luckily, the gate eased open with just a nose bump.

He stopped, staring at the young woman carding wool in the yard. Was she the One? When she looked up at him, he stepped back in shock. Her eyes were completely white. She couldn't see! But… He searched within himself. She was the one.

He knew that Companions never Chose wrongly. But, already, his mind was seeing future headaches that would be of epic proportions. Still, time to get on with it. Slowly, he approached her, jingling his bridle bells, so she would know he was here.

"Who are you?" She asked timidly, holding on to some sort of walking stick. "What do you want?"

Her voice brought an older woman out of the house. "Nika! What's going on! What's that Companion doin' here?"

The girl turned toward the sound of the voice. "I don't know, Mama. No one's said anythin'…"

The woman's face gentled as she spoke, something the Neran had feared wouldn't happen. "That's 'cause, there ain't no one to speak, child." She looked at Neran, her head cocked. "What can we do for ye, sir?" She asked politely.

He stepped closer to the blind girl —Nika, her mother had said her name was. He whickered softly, trying to get her attention.

Slowly, she turned toward him. Her face looked a bit fearful. "Sir?" She asked.

He took a step closer to her, and nudged her shoulder, encouraging her to raise her hand. When she did, he shoved his forehead into it and locked his eyes with hers, even if she couldn't see. :My name is Neran, Nika. You are my Chosen.: He could feel her protest start and cut it off with all the love he felt for her, the pain of losing Miren fading but not leaving. :No, Nika. You are able. I will be your eyes.: He told her.

Nika buried her hand in his mane, the other coming up slowly, to brush down his neck. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around him, her stick falling to the ground. Tears fell from her eyes. He sighed, and wrapped her within him tightly.

The Heraldic Circle in Haven was going to have fun with this. He hated to think what the nobles were going to do. Gently, he nudged her toward his saddle. He'd stop in a town tonight so that she wouldn't have to navigate a way station on her ow— He stopped himself. She was his Chosen and perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Even in a way station.

"Y-you want me to mount?" She asked tentatively. Her hand was still on his neck so he bobbed his head in a nod. He watched her bite her lip. "Mama?"

Her mother moved swiftly. Gently, she touched her daughter's arm. "Right here, hun." She said. She glanced around. "Well, yer Da and Jerrick would take today to go to the far field." She looked around the yard. "Well, sir, if ya'd step over to the stairs there, we'll get her up right proper." The mother of his Chosen ordered him.

Neran whickered and gently moved off. His Chosen took her stick from her mother and walked confidently across the farm yard. He almost swelled in pride. Oh, she'd set the Circles on their ears, but she'd do just fine.

Nika stepped onto the step, her mother having moved up to the lintel. "Here now, left foot." Her mother said. When Nika raised her foot, her mother guided it into the stirrup and hoisted her up into the saddle. The girl gripped his mane as he sidestepped away from the steps. Her mother came around and put her foot in the other stirrup and somehow managed to lash the girl's stick to his saddle.

She patted her daughter's knee then waggled a finger under his nose. "Don't go runnin' off with me girl yet. I'll get her some food, something for yerself to gnaw on, and some clothes."

He almost snickered, standing still. She brought him an apple to help allay the hunger gnawing at him and strapped a sack onto his saddle for Nika. Nika felt the knot slowly, making sure she could get it apart. "You write to me as soon as ya get there, hear?"

Nika sniffled slightly. "Yes Mama." Neran glanced back at the two, sorry to break it up.

:Chosen, we have to go,: He told her gently. Neran didn't want to hurt her, but they did have to go.

Nika nodded. "Alright. Let's go." She said. She squeaked a little when he moved. And almost lost her balance. When he kept moving slowly, Nika found her balance.

He sent her warm reassurance. :There we go, Chosen. Now, ready to head for Haven?: He asked, turning out the gate and down the road. :Turn and wave Chosen, your mother is watching.:

Slowly, she turned and waved, in mostly the right direction. He kept moving. :We're out of sight now, Nika.:

She lowered her arm. "I'm really going to Haven?" She asked, sounding slightly overwhelmed.

Neran snicker-whickered. :Yes, Chosen. We're really going to Haven. And, I expect, we're going to set the entire Kingdom on their ears.: