Thanks to all those who reviewed! Sorry it's short, I just wanted to put something up to prove I'm going to keep writing. Hopefully it won't be as long in between next time.

Disclaimer: Not mine!

A/N: If you recognize names, it's because this is set relatively shortly post-Brightly Burning.

:Never come near her again, or you will die, and it will be your own fault. You have been warned.:

Galla gasped to hear the words in her head.

:Hello, Galla. My name is Risata, and I Choose you. You are mine, forever. You are not allowed to be killed.:

Chapter 2: The Collegium

After that rather melodramatic statement, of course, everything else started to seem a little anticlimactic. Galla stood for what seemed like a very long time, staring down at the little red puddle of blood on the ground. It glistened horrifically in the torchlight. Then Lord Harmon emerged from the crowd, trying to take her arm.

Risata, standing protectively close to her Chosen, flattened her ears and bared her teeth at his temerity. She let out a sound remarkably like a growl.

Lord Harmon paused, then turned the gesture into a negligent wave of his hand. "Lady Elsa, where is the beast's Herald? You may wish to return home before the Guard comes to investigate."

Risata took a step foreward, stretching her neck to put her muzzle right in his face. She growled again, and stamped a hoof menacingly. He gulped, paled, and took a step back. Risata turned and put herself between that foolish man and her Chosen.

:Sweet, would you like to get on now? I can get you back to the Collegium and you can get washed up and into a uniform before we have to speak to the Guard.:

Galla nodded mutely, barely listening. A crowd had formed, with them in the center.

:Don't think about it, Chosen. I would not have let him hurt you.:

Galla looked up, at the drowningly blue eyes of the one who would be her partner in everything she did for the rest of eternity. "I know, but what if you hadn't come? What if he'd tried to kill someone else, who wasn't going to be Chosen?"

:Think about it later? We'll do something about him, the Guard will find him. Come give me a hug! Aren't you happy to be Chosen?:

"Of course I am!" And at last, Galla went to get acquainted with her new Companion.

Risata thumped a silver hoof on the door frame. Again.

:Chosen, tell them to hurry up. I want to go show you off to the Collegium!:

Galla was still having trouble wrapping her mind around it. It had been a normal day, then she'd almost been killed, then she'd acquired a talking white un-horse. Who was definitely lacking in patience.

"Miss, please, one more time. You knew this fellow from where?" the Guard asked Galla.

"That's enough, you scalawag! Making a lady recount such delicate matters, not good form, no indeed. Let us go, I say!" Of course, Lord Harmon had reinstated himself as Galla's escort, delighted to be embroiled in such drama.

"Another thing, the lady's profession? You say you bear no Guild tags," the last addressed to Galla, "and you are a paid companion? Whose companion?"

Risata thumped her hoof again.

:That's backwards, I'm the Companion. Tell him to pull that stick out of his rear and stop beating around the bush, let's go!:

"And while you are…accompanying…these people, someone is paid for your time? Not yourself or your parents?"

:On second thought, let's wait here juuuust a moment. See if you can get him to ask something really offensive.:

"Pardon me," came a voice from the door, "but I believe you have a Heraldic Trainee who really should be getting on to the Collegium?"

The speaker, a tall, solid-looking man with a wiry shock of gray hair, garbed in Heraldic Whites, entered. "I am Herald Jedin, Chosen by Rolan. I have been authorized by the king to take this young lady and her Companion, um, as well as her companion, back to the palace to get this situation sorted out. Captain, you're welcome to accompany us if you so choose."

The Captain agreed, of course, and sent for his horse so he could ride with the Heralds. Nobody offered Lord Harmon a mount—he was left huffing in impotent indignation at the gates of the Guard post. Galla was almost sorry to see the last of him.

At the Collegium, a matronly woman with a stern face and a giantesque bust hustled Galla down corridors and up stairs to a steamy room full of bathing tubs and boilers. It was empty, but showed signs of recent occupation—a half-full tub still draining, a pile of neatly folded clothes, colonies of wet towels.

:They were probably worried you'd be modest.: Risata sounded unflatteringly amused. :I didn't tell them anything but your name. I thought maybe you'd like to explain the rest yourself?:

"Thanks," Galla muttered dryly, then was lost to the luxury of hot water. Madame Lucalle insisted her girls bathe weekly, but she thought hot water was a useless frivolity. As long as they dried properly, it would do them no harm even in the coldest months. Galla couldn't even remember ever having had such a wonderful bath.

It was over far too soon. :Chosen, there are some people waiting for you. While I'm all for keeping them waiting, they'll be more pleasant if you get there sooner.:

"Oh," was all Galla could think to say, and she reluctantly looked for the towels. The clothing the matronly housekeeper had brought her turned out to be an oddly old-fashioned looking tunic in a pale gray, a grey lawn shirt, loose breeches, and some very minimal underthings—at least compared to the stays, camises, and shifts Galla had worn under her gown.

"Are you ready?" A girl poked her head into the room, and seeing Galla dressing came to sit near her. "Sorry, we didn't really know what size you were. Usually our clothes fit really well. I'm Asme. Cara says you're Galla?"

At Galla's nod, the Asme gave her a hesitant smile and fell silent. When Galla finished fastening her boots and stood, Asme told her, "Herald Jedin and a Guard captain want a word with you, then I can show you your bedroom or you can go visit Risata. Do you…that is, would you like me to come with you?"

"Yes, please." Asme might be a little quiet, but at least she was friendly. And she was wearing the horrible grey uniform too, which made Galla feel considerably less conspicuous.

As it turned out, with Herald Jedin's help the interview was nothing to worry about. Galla explained that she had been separated from her escort and Risata had announced herself in time to prevent any injury. Jedin verified that Risata had told the other Companions what was going on. The captain apologized for detaining them. It was relatively painless.

Suddenly Galla was swept up in a whirl of introductions, clothes-fitting, shoe-sizing, room-assigning, and tour-receiving. Feeling almost dazed, she was barely aware of the activity around her. She had sunk deep into Risata's mind, allowing the Companion to wrap her in a cotton cloud of comfort and reassurance—truly, she was asleep long before she reached her new (uncommonly empty) bed.