Stefen had taken over for Hedron as Head of Bardic ten years ago, allegedly on a temporary basis, but no one had seen fit to displace him and the status stuck. He often regretted his decision. Especially in moments like these, he thought sourly, as the head of the Anti-Collegium Coalition (ACC) concluded his long-winded speech. The coalition had developed shortly after Treven and Jisa suggested changing the way Heraldic training operated; it was comprised mainly of older mentor Heralds and a few Blues who enjoyed the way classes were currently mixed. They felt exposing their children to Heralds provided a stabilizing influence, and that if the Blues were in classes of their own, they would encourage each other in debauchery. The Heralds felt that the same would occur if Heraldic trainees were left without mentors, and wondered how Heralds would get gift-specific training without mentors.
But most of all, they're afraid of change. As if Herald trainees will run around lighting fire to the Palace if we let them bunk together. His lips twitched. An image came unwonted into his mind of Vanyel at sixteen. His face was younger, less thin and sculpted, and the faint frown line was gone. His hair was pure blue-black and he was slighter, with less of the hard muscle Stefen remembered. One hand held a History book and the other cupped his chin. He was bent over his reading, but he looked up when he saw who was coming toward him and smiled a sweet, brilliant smile. He was so attractive, poised like that—Gods, I love him- Stefen remembered thinking. Vanyel brushed his lovely, thick hair out of his eyes. "'Lendel?" he said, hesitantly, and the spell broke.
Stefen shuddered violently, hand to his forehead. A new Herald was speaking, everyone turned in his direction, and only Jisa had noticed his lapse. She stared at him anxiously, worrying her lower lip. He shook his head once, mouthed, "I'm okay." She nodded in return.
This wasn't the first time he'd had such a lapse. Is my mind truly going? He thought with a hint of humor, a hint of fear. First the Van flashback with the Chronicler, now this. The memory isn't even mine! Or is it? Is it because we were lifebonded? Can I remember things about him I didn't even see? That was Van, I know it. This was the strongest memory yet. The clearest image. He shook his head again, attempting to clear his thoughts, just as the Herald speaking concluded.
"…Bardic Collegium," he finished, with a pointed look at Stefen. All eyes turned toward him.
He coughed politely to buy himself a bit of time and shot Jisa a slightly desperate look. Hiding a smile, she Spoke him—not for the first time—
:He's against. Thinks Bardic's poorly run, the students undisciplined. He's a great mentor, so he thinks it's the only way things can be done.:
"Herald…"
:Vance.:
"…Vance. I hear your concerns and empathize with them. Astera knows I sort out enough scrapes with the Bardic trainees, and perhaps I could run the Collegium with a stricter hand."
Scattered chuckling and nods. Stefen drew himself to his full height and let his face grow sterner. "But then they might not gain the experience working together and laughing together that they so badly need. Bardic students compose together, using their various gifts to compose songs with harmonizing instruments and vocals. Some are great poets and some are stronger musicians. They learn so much about cooperating through living and learning together."
"Furthermore, you need not worry about half the antics I do. Heraldic trainees are not, and never have been analogous to Bardic ones. Certainly, we have a sense of ethics ingrained in us by the time we graduate. But we aren't born with it, they way Heralds are, and we don't have a beautiful, white, horse-shaped conscience sharing our minds. If that isn't enough to ease your doubts, the Companions have already informed the Queen through Taver that they will have an alarm network in place for the Trainees. I don't think any trainees will readily alienate their closest friends, the other half of their hearts, do you?"
"Now, to address the second, more complicated issue: whether the classroom system is better than the mentor system." He took a deep breath. "Friends, I can recall many a conversation with the late Herald-Mage Vanyel Ashkevron on this very issue. He was strongly for a changed model for dual reasons: one, the occasional lack of appropriate Gift-mentors or available Heralds, and two, the often hierarchical nature of mentor assignments. He felt that Heraldic trainees self-defined their internal ranks based on Gifts and mentors, rather than operating on the class-less system Baron Valdemar and our Companions intended. I happen to adamantly agree with both these arguments. For all of us who have been to the Karsite border—" a number of familiar eyes locked on him—"how many of you found yourselves working with Heralds who had the exact same gifts as you?"
Assembled Heralds on both sides nodded. "So what's the sense of Mentoring students with the same gifts together, then having them join with different Heralds only in a high-pressure combat situation?"
"Again, Herald Vance, I understand your position. But there are unmistakable advantages to mine." He sat down, slowly, to widespread applause.
:Well done, dearheart.: Jisa's Mindvoice glowed with pride.
He winked at her, then Treven. The meeting adjourned with a general consensus for the Collegium, and plans to meet again in one month's time for a vote on funding.
As the Heralds and council members broke apart, Herald Vance shot him a venomous look and intercepted him at the door. His tall, broad-shouldered form dwarfed Stefen and he leaned down to address the Bard. "Don't think I didn't see what you did in there."
"Oh?" Stefen said mildly. "And what's that?"
"Trading on Herald Vanyel's name—on your relationship." The man practically spat the last word.
Stefen forced his hands to relax and reminded himself that the other man was, after all, a Herald. A soft voice spoke from behind him before he could respond. "I think the heat must be getting to you, Herald Vance," Jisa spoke. She stood taller than Stefen, her silver hair elegantly braided and glinting in the setting sun. "Otherwise I can't imagine why you would accost Bard Stefen for the simple act of out-reasoning you."
She paused and her eyes narrowed. "And I'll ask you never, ever, to dare to speak Herald Vanyel's name again until you can cleanse your mind of every single hidebound prejudice you still hold in that slightly defective brain of yours." He loved her, then, as much as he ever had. "Some of us knew him. Stefen knew him best. They were lifebonded, Herald. Lifebonded. Take care to remember he lost half of himself."
Vance had gone red, then white as she spoke, and he hastily made his excuses. Jisa was apparently satisfied with what she Sensed of his response, for she let him go with no further redress.
Turning to face her, Stefen raised his eyebrows.
She shrugged. "The truth never hurts anyone but fools, Stef."
He smiled. "Ah, Jisa, you are so like him sometimes, you know that?"
She gave him a sweet, sad smile in return. "I know."
They held each other, then, as the late summer sun set gold and red behind them.
