"May You Live In Interesting Times!"
Author: Haruo Chikamori
E-mail: hhchikamori
Rating: M
Classification:
Spoilers: N/A
Summary: Ever since the Mage Storms, weird things have been crawling out of change-circles and the Pelagir Forest. Some may actually prove to be more trouble than they're worth.
DISCLAIMER: The characters that are in the Velgarth Universe are strictly the property of Mercedes Lackey. I own nothing. I'm just taking out the toys to play with them and will promptly give them back. Zhai'helleva!
:Haven't seen a blasted thing since the storms: Trista growled, her mind-voice tart, as she tossed her glossy silver mane turning to look at Jerel with a blue-eyed gaze. :Of course the Pelagirs have been crawling with all sorts of weird creatures, but they seem to be targeted a candlemark from the time they poke their nose out from the thickets and then pierced with more arrows than a pincushion.: Trista sounded disappointed.
:Could use a good scrap, could you?: Jerel smiled at her Companion who snorted shaking her head.
:Yeah.: Trista said, her nose crinkling as she sniffed the air, checking for troublesome signs. :It's too quiet!: Trista was more chatty than others of her kin and Jerel appreciated that. Having been a daughter of a Rosewood village seamstress who had raised her on her own for six years after the death of her father in a bandit attack, she had been chosen at the age of fifteen when Trista had emerged out of a misty morning clad in Search gear. Jerel gazed at her Companion. Trista's build was not the slight frame of the usual female companion. She had the build of a warhorse and could have been a match for Kantor, the former Weaponsmaster's Companion.
Jerel, Trista's Chosen, on the other hand, had a slight frame, lightly muscled; a brunette with blue eyes, she was known to be flexible and fast on the attack during Weapons practice, but she was more deft with a bow and arrow than with the short-sword, hers was a blade slightly more than two feet long giving her both length and flexibility of movement. Today she had her bow and quiver on her back her short-sword's sheath clipped to her sword belt to the left side for a cross-over right hand draw and a short dagger clipped to the right hand side. Having earned her Whites two years previous, she had been on circuit for most of that time dealing with problems with bandits on the Exile's Road run. Aside from her Mindspeech which she used mainly to communicate with Trista, she had mild Animal Mindspeech which would allow her to communicate feelings but not words to wild animals, and a slightly stronger Touch-reading which helped partially on her judgements involving personal articles from judgement seekers. There were no dramatic Gifts such as Mage-gift or Firestarting in her family, but the Gifts she had were enough. They enabled her to do her job and the company of animals and her Companion was enough. With augmentation from Trista, she was able to communicate with the Heralds that were on permanent station at certain villages, but her Mindspeech wasn't strong enough to reach all the way back to Haven. So communications to Jerel through Trista were oft-times one way unless she was in Haven physically.
Most Heralds did that paired together with either full-Heralds or Trainees on their Internship circuit, but they were short of Chosen and it seemed as though the situation wasn't getting any better. Right now there were more Companion foals than Chosen, necessitating Selenay to expand Companion Field and that could only mean one sign. There would be a rush of Choosings which foretold a bad omen.
:Better quiet than not…: Jerel sent to Trista who whickered softly as she looked around. Damn not having Farsight. Jeri had warned her that they should keep alert while on circuit. Ever since the storms had quieted down, there had been strange things happening. Ambassador Karal had seen a vicious little beast with the body of a rabbit, red beady eyes and a mouthful of vicious fangs. All those who were in the room with the little bloodthirsty creature, luckily caged, shook in fear as they came out. If that thing ever got loose it would have created mayhem. How many more of them were there that had been trapped in those change-circles? And what else was in the Pelagir Forest that could pose a serious threat to both Herald and Companion?
It's another two days to Deercreek, Jerel thought as she looked around at the rapidly dimming light on the road that wandered somewhat straight-path through the forest. Birds chirped in the trees as they went about their business getting their nests ready for sleep, while the occasional owl hooted causing interruptions in the birdsongs. There was a faint chill in the air as mid-autumn evening approached. With Sovvan rapidly approaching, there would be a sharp drop in temperature, though the weather witches hadn't made any mention of inclement weather.
:It's getting dark, Chosen: Trista said as she craned her head back to look at Jerel. :Perhaps we should find ourselves a way-station. There's too many strange things afoot and I have no wish to run into them at any time after dark.: she suggested, looking around nervously at the slowly lengthening shadows.
:The way-station should be somewhere around here.: Jerel answered the nervous Companion. :The Heraldic Circlel said that it should be visible from the road. Remind me the next time I decide to get the bright idea to do a circuit solo that I've never done before in my life.:
:Like that would stop you.: Trista's mind-voice was cynical. :Your main goal in life is to stay out of Haven as much as possible.:
:And so far I've succeeded to my wildest dreams.:
:I've noticed.: Trista remarked dryly.
The way-station was visible from the road as the Circle had said and the darkened building was large enough to hold both Herald and Companion inside its tidy little confines. Upon further inspection of the way-station Jerel realized that someone had the bright idea of allowing a Companion stall inside this particular building albeit with proper drainage to the outdoors by way of careful artificer planning and the development plans were underway that other way-stations were slowly being converted to this floor-plan. Companions were not horses, though most not familiar with Companions only noticed their horse-like form and automatically assumed that Companions were nothing but big white horses. Those who assumed should have been kicked by a Shin'a'in warhorse all the way to Karse or perhaps as far as Jkatha if one had the stamina. The Companions had been allowed to graze outdoors in the past but as the storms had changed the landscape and the dangers increased, they were being accorded the same accommodations as the Heralds and what safer way of setting up the way-stations than to have both Herald and Companion room together. The advantage of having a bigger way-station was the increase in amount of non-perishable rations that could be stored for Heralds and their Companions.
Quickly throwing together some warm mash for Trista who gratefully took the opportunity to eat, Jerel set to looking through her rations to find a way to cobble together something edible for that night. As darkness fell, they moved into the way-station, shut and barred the door as Jerel combed and brushed down Trista, checking hooves and coat to make sure that the dirt and dust of travel as well as any rocks were removed. :Thanks, Chosen.: Trista said warmly as Jerel heaved a nice warm blanket over Trista so that she would be warm. Then moving over to the bed, Jerel, cup of herb tea in hand, prepared herself for sleep.
The mornings were getting more crisp and the cold a little more intense; Jerel realized as she got up to start her morning ablutions. The temperature outside was a good five degrees cooler than it was the previous morning. After shivering through her morning shower and swim in the stream fed pond next to the way-station, she rapidly dressed in a clean set of Whites determining that the next place that she ended up would be a Guard-house where she could get her dirty clothes clean. By the time that she was finished drying herself, the sun had crested the eastern horizon and the morning sky had lightened from a violet hue to a more blue shade as the sun rose further into the sky.
And lo, did those Whites that she used end up gathering dust from the road. Any dirtier and they would match the same shade as Trainee Greys.
"Good morning, Trista." She said, making sure she used her vocal cords to greet the Companion who blinked open an eye and replied tersely in mind-voice. Too much mind-voice could make one wonder if one could speak properly at the end of it.
:Not an ice-cube yet?: Trista grumbled :I still can't get how you can toss yourself into a pond when it's this damned cold out.:
"Well, it wakes me up in the morning." Jerel replied. "You should try it. It might make your mood a little more positive." If a Companion could look absolutely bad-tempered, Trista would have been the very example. Frankly there wasn't a curse that could match what Trista wanted to say to her Chosen at that very moment and she settled for an ill-tempered snort and gathered herself up on her four hooves and settled a malevolent blue gaze at Jerel who just laughed. Regardless of Trista's early morning irritability Jerel knew that Trista loved her and she felt the same way towards her irascible Companion. They were both cut from the same cloth.
Jerel had never felt comfortable at Haven. She had come from a small village southeast of Tayledras territory and K'Varis clan holdings just inside of Valdemar's borders and she'd never been secure with large numbers of people. Her five years of training had stretched the absolute limits of her tolerance for personal contact with large numbers of classmates and after receipt of her Whites after her eighteen month Internship Circuit (in addition to her five years of Collegium training in Haven), she'd tried to be in Haven as little as possible.
Trista, like Jerel, never found peace without being on the road. She was not one for small-talk, nor was she personable with the other Companions in Companion's Field. She had a mind of her own and didn't make very many friends; she chose to stick with her Chosen and generally that was the way that Trista liked it. Both liked peace and quiet and Haven was much too noisy for either of their liking. With their mutual love for the road and their sociability negligible, it made sense that they were constantly on the road.
"Another night at a Way-station and we should be coming up on Deercreek in tomorrow around midday." Jerel stated again with her own voice instead of utilizing Mindspeech.
:That sounds good to me.: Trista replied. :I should like to get a hosedown and get some of that dirt from the road off me. The brush is good, but it just doesn't get everything lodged in the coat. One more day of feeling this itchy and I swear I'd be willing to make a run for Lake Evendim and jump in the lake with the sturgeon. Damn these dust-mites!:
"Poor soul." Jerel grinned at Trista who didn't look in the slightest bit amused.
After gathering Trista's removed tack, Jerel proceeded to put the bridle on Trista. There was no bit as it was considered a grave insult to a Companion to shove anything in the mouth. About noon, they stopped for a bit of lunch, some grain for Trista and a sausage roll for Jerel, something light to take the hunger off. Even at mid-autumn the midday sun was warm and water was a necessity to keep from getting dehydrated.
:Chosen did you hear something?: The question startled Jerel who looked around to see nothing.
"Where did you hear it coming from?" she asked.
:Somewhere in the bushes.: Trista replied, looking around her.
"Heyla! Who goes there!" Jerel stood up, her shortsword in her hand gazing towards the bushes. "Show yourself!"
:Please, put your weapon away. I am harmless.: a wolf-like head peered out from the bushes. :Forgive me for startling you, I was just trying to find some food.: the head coalesced into a wolf's head and body as the brindled grey creature emerged from the bushes, wagging its tail in a friendly manner. It was fair-sized - larger than average.
:A kyree!: Trista exclaimed.
"What brings you to these parts?" Jerel asked, putting her sword back in the sheath. A kyree was sentient and able to communicate using regular Mindspeech.
:I'm just a weary traveller, a chronicler for my people. I wander and gather tales to entertain my people.: the kyree replied as it sat down on its haunches. :It is a long journey but very rewarding. You are a Herald? I have heard of you.:
"Well, fellow traveller, are you travelling in the same direction?" Jerel asked.
:I could be enticed.: The amused look on the kyree's face was disarming. :…especially if there are tales to be gained and experiences to be had.:
"So what's your name? I don't want to continue to call you Hey you!" Jerel replied.
:My name is Brrin.: The kyree responded, a twinkle of merriment in its eyes, as it got to its feet as Jerel and Trista made ready to go. Having passed the turnoff in the road leading to Forst Reach, the three continued along the path towards Deercreek, silently enjoying the warmth of the sun as it headed past its zenith towards the horizon as midday drew towards afternoon.
As they drew towards the next way-station as the shadows grew towards late afternoon, a loud shriek from the trees drew their attention to the branches above. Jerel's sword hand instinctively went to the pommel of her short-sword ready to draw it in a moment's instant. Suddenly breaking branches caused a furry and oxymoronically feathered object to come hurtling towards the ground which resolved itself into two creatures as the object hit the ground: a rather ruffled jay spitting epithets that only a fellow jay could understand and what appeared to be a change-creature that looked like a cat had managed to be blended with a squirrel with two human-like hands covered in fur complete with opposable thumbs, two sharp fangs and glittering green eyes aimed a death-stare at the jay. And Jerel nearly fell out of her saddle when the change-creature looked at her and said clearly in sentient Mindspeech :Damn! That hurt!: