Upon waking, Kiris felt as though she was breaking through the surface of a massive body of water, after a long dive. Strange; as she wasn't one who made an effort to swim much. She could feel the sun, and she could see it, from behind her eyelids, and yet it seemed muted somehow, as though she were being sheilded from it. It was hot though, as hot as if she had been laying in direct sunlight for hours. She was sweating profusely, she could feel the beads of persperation running down her forehead and over her temples. The smells were familiar; horses, trees, dirt, even manure...was she in the camp? Had this whole ordeal been some sort of horrific dream?

For a moment, her heart leapt. Perhaps she had simply fallen ill on her rear guard duty, fallen prey to the stress her mother claimed she was experiencing. She was taken with a fever, and of course, it was her father's voice hovering over her and to the side, speaking lowly to some other individual.

:Open your eyes, Chosen.:

Ah, yes. The Companion, -her- Companion made the fact of this matter indisputable. It was still so hard to wrap her mind around the fact that she had been Chosen. Had a Shin'a'in ever been Chosen before? Companions, she had heard, rarely strayed past the borders of Valdemar itself, concerning themselves with their own Kingdom's welfare. Was this assumption wrong?

Her eyes fluttered open, struggling to obey Vander's words. Her memories of the nightmares she had endured were far from the fore of her mind, as she was in a drugged haze. Blinking, she saw a man stoop over her; dressed in green robes, and posessed of a very considering gaze, she felt it safe to determine this man to be one of the famed Healers. He touched her face, unconcerned about the sweat marking her. She realized then that she was bundled in several blankets, at least six or seven, and curled up against Vander himself. Was she in a stable? That would explain the smells.

"Your fever is gone." the man in green said, without preamble or introduction. However; something akin to relief colored his voice, and she peered at him curiously, squinting. She didn't dare nod, for fear the tentative peace with her aching head would be destroyed. "I need to look at your wounds, see how they're doing. Can you move yourself up into a sitting position for me?"

The first sound out of her mouth was so rasping and gutteral that she took a moment to cough and clear her throat. Dislodging the phlem was chore enough, but with each movement of her throat, her head threatened to reel.

"Here, Levon." came yet another voice; this one she couldn't see clearly. "Give her some water."

A waterskin was put to her lips and she drank gingerly, knowing instinctively that it had been a while since she had taken water of her own volition. The Healer nodded approvingly as she did this, guiding her just as slowly as she was taking it. Clearing her throat again and wiping her mouth with a hand she wrestled from the blankets, she looked up once more. Her head was pounding now, from the exertions, but instead of the flaming lacerations she had felt before, it was a dull, slow pounding. She winced, obviously in pain.

"I don't dare give you any more argonel. You've been drugged senseless for long enough."

Kiris started to sit up, under her own power. "How..long?" she managed.

Levon helped her where he could, giving her his hand to pull against, which she refused, using the ground to her advantage instead of him. He sort of suspected that, considering her breeding. The Shin'a'in were a proud people.

"Six days since you collapsed on our doorstep. I'm glad to see you can speak Valdemaran."

"The Tale'sedrin are not a group of unlearned barbarians!" Kiris snapped, with no little venom.

:Kiris! He did not mean that in an offensive way. Keep a civil tongue in your head.: Vander's admonishment was soft in her mind, but the words were severe. Kiris instantly blushed, though it was hard to tell with her dark skin. Looking up, she prepared herself for an apology, but when she found a smiling face instead, she was surprised.

"You -are- feeling better. Good."

He pulled her blankets back, exposing her flesh to cooler air, and now was the time for a revelation about her state of undress. Naked as the day she was born, she couldn't help but let the heat rush into her face again, knowing she was faced with two men of a whole other culture.

:Kiris. Apologize.:

"I'm sorry, Master Levon...I did not mean to speak so harshly.."

She wasn't the best at apologies, but when Levon looked into her face again, his smile was genuine and his eyes understanding. "I know, my Shin'a'in friend. I took no offense, I was just happy to see that the famed spirit of the hawk was still alive in you."

She tried to smile at that, but had to cast her eyes down, lest they betray her gesture. Her sorrow was still something that cut deeply, and though she was trying to cope with her current situation, in this strange land, she had not forgotten her loss. The longer she was awake, in fact, the more she was remembering. The screaming, her hair- the nightmares. Her physical wounds had been bandaged, but they were old and soaked through with dried blood. Levon began to pull them away, and she endured this torture silently. Unfortunately, emotional wounds could not be tended so easily, and she found herself wallowing in the pain of her heart.

A large, velvety muzzle bumped her cheek and she smiled at the touch. Her hand came up to clasp Vander's jaw, stroking it absently. She leaned her head against his, waiting out the Healer, and trying to remember that she was alive..and she was fairly certain there were enemies yet to be fought and killed. She wasn't done avenging her Clan. The third member of this small party couldn't stand the silence any longer and began to speak in a rush.

"You're out here in the stables because when you were away from Vander for more than an hour, you started to go into violent convulsions, and literally started tossing the palace around. Devan; that's our Head Healer, he was -not- pleased that they decided to set you up here, but even he couldn't figure out a way to get you to stop having fits long enough for you to heal. All your gifts had burst open, all at once, you were projecting everywhere, and no one could touch your mind without getting burned, or burning you!"

Digesting this bit of knowledge, she frowned. Losing control of her own faculties, even while unconscious, didn't sound at all like Kiris. She glanced up at the other man, who was actually only half a man. He appeared to be about sixteen or seventeen. Extremely tall, but lanky, as though the masculine bulk had yet to fill in. He had a pleasant face, warm and open with large brown eyes that someone might liken to that of a deer. They were expressive and 'sweet', or so she imagined. His hair was dark brown, and his skin was sun burnt, like any farmer's child. Yet; he was wearing a grey uniform, which if Kiris recalled her mother correctly, were what the Heralds-in-Training wore.

:His Companion is Falara. They arrived the same night we did.:

"He's not exaggerating all that much." came Levon suddenly, seeing the doubting look on Kiris' face. "No one was killed, thank the Gods, but there were plenty of injuries what with walls cracking and foundations quaking."

Before she could even take the time to examine the new shame that filled her, the youth stepped up with a huge grin on his face. "Don't worry. No one holds it against you. In fact; some of the students wanted to thank you personally, for giving them a break for a few days while they started the repairs."

She looked up at the young man again, finding the strength to arch an eyebrow at him. He only grinned at her incredulity.

"Mervyn." he said by way of introduction.

"Kiris shena Tale'sedrin." she replied, looking to each of them in turn.

Levon only nodded, busily re-salving her shoulder wound, and the claw marks along her back. Mervyn; however, grinned again. The only way she could think of to describe his smile, his very essence, was 'bright'.

:I like him too.: was Vander's 'helpful' comment. Kiris pursed her lips a little, not quite sure how much she appreciated someone having unfettered access to her thoughts. The only thing in response to her own thought, was a certain amount of smugness from Vander.

"Well, young hawk. I've got throes of people ready to talk your head in circles. There are so many questions that need to be answered. Not only is the Queen needing your account of what happened to your people, but the Mages have a question as to who pulled at the Heartstone."

The Queen? Mages? Heartstone? By the Star-Eyed..she didn't know what was going on, or understand what had happened to herself, let alone what had happened to her Clan. "I won't let them talk to you if you don't feel like entertaining them, but there are a lot of worried, and frightened people in need of some sort of answer."

Kiris balked, suddenly afraid again- and that made her angry. "I don't know if I have the answers they're looking for.." she stalled for a moment, pressing herself against Vander's bulk. She knew she had to talk to the Heralds, the Mages..and whoever else they pulled out. "I should speak to them." she stated finally. A warm wash of approval and pride swept over her, originating from Vander, and she allowed herself a few moments to bask in it. Levon nodded gravely and stood. "Mervyn, go fetch our friend some decent clothing and get Elspeth out here with whomever else needs to speak with this young woman."

A while later, feeling much better for being dressed, she was propped up on a bench outside the stables. Vander had gone to relieve himself and graze a bit, having cooped himself up in the stables with her for most of the six days she had been senseless. Stretching his legs, he was prancing about in the immediate area, never out of her sight for long. Mervyn had brought a Herald Trainee uniform for her to wear, and while she felt akward at its significance, she knew she had to get used to it. Fighting against her impending future wasn't going to make it go away, and her Bond with Vander was a solid thing, something she found herself enjoying too much to think of giving it up. Sorrow still poised itself over her heart, striking at the faintest memory, but she had the strength of knowing she had Vander, and she had a mission. She wasn't sure what it was, but she knew it would be to the demon's detriment. For now, that was enough.

The wide paddock she found herself in was called Companion's Feild, and while she couldn't see the fabled 'Grove' she could actually -feel- it. There was something..strong about that place, mysterious..powerful. It was a place to be respected. Looking up, she saw a large group of people approaching, most dressed in rich clothing, some dressed in more casual wear. Suddenly wishing for her twin's hand to hold, her hand automatically fished for him, and finding him absent, she was near tears all over again. Damned weakness!

:It is not weakness.: This voice was not Vander's, but belonging to a young man, the same young man who had brought her clothing. Mervyn. Looking up, she watched as he sat beside her, smiling gently. "Sorry..you're projecting yourself pretty strongly. Without being in direct contact with Vander, your barriers are like parchment."

"Sheka." she swore.

She knew something of her personal barriers, she and Shey had experimented as children, learning through trial and error when they figured out they could communicate without words at all. She could keep Shey out of her head if she had wanted, even though they were deeply, and eternally connected..had been, rather. Closing her eyes, she pictured the stone walls she used to guard herself against intrusion, and suddenly; her mind was a bit clearer, and things were a little more quiet. "Better." she intoned to herself.

"They figure they'll pair us up for a while." Mervyn started again, seemingly never able to let too many moments slip by without saying -something-. At that moment however, they were joined by the group of people that had trekked all the way out to Companion's Feild, and one of them finished what Mervyn had begun.

"You both arrived the same night, you'll be classmates anyway, and you have simliar backgrounds." This from the woman that Kiris recognized as Elspeth. She had helped tend to Kiris upon her arrival. Apparently, she was also a Princess? There was something vaugely confusing about the line of succession here in Valdemar and Kiris simply didn't have all the facts in place. "Mervyn has also grown up under the feet of the Heralds, he's lived in Haven all his life- he'll be able to get you familiar with this place quicker than anyone else."

Kiris only nodded, figuring it was best to leave such decisions to those in charge. It wasn't Kiris' place to gainsay a full Herald, she knew -that- much at least. The benches opposite of herself and Mervyn were filled, and directly in front of her was a woman who had to be the Queen. She was lovely in a quiet, unassuming way; her robes were the same Herald-white, though a bit richer even than Elspeth's garments. Beside her was a handsome man with kind eyes; to the Queen's right was Talia, as well as a woman with blonde hair which was starting to fade to silver, and a severe looking man. To the Queen's left, after her consort, were Elspeth, and three men all whose hair have varying amounts of silver streaked through it.

"Welcome to Haven, Kiris shena Tale'sedrin. I am Selenay, my consort is Devan, beside him is my daughter Elspeth, Darkwind, Firesong, and An'Desha." Kiris nodded respectfully to them all, then became attentive once again as the introductions continued. "To my right is Talia, Kerowyn, and Alberich." She couldn't place names with titles yet, other than that Talia was the Queen's Own- whatever that meant, and Elspeth and her collection of Taylendras were obviously mages.

"Thank you for your welcome." Kiris hesitated. Words and beauracratic diatribes were more Shey's area, not her own. Kiris was a straight-forward young woman and couldn't play the games of the Court. "I was told you have questions for me, I can't say that anything I know will help, but I'll tell you all I can."

Selenay smiled and nodded, seemingly pleased with what she saw in the young woman; for it -did- seem that the woman was looking into Kiris' soul. Her gaze was almost as penetrating as Vander's.

"I understand you have experienced a great tragedy. I will not ask you to relive it by telling us exactly what happened; but we need to know all you observed of your enemy."

Kiris was thankful for that much, but remembering her enemy was bad enough. Steeling herself, she took a breath and trudged onward. "They are...demons. There is no other word to describe them. They attack in a swarm...they defeated us not by their battle prowess, or even their savagry, which would put any man or woman to shame, but by their sheer numbers. They didn't care how many of them were brought down and killed, because there were always more- always." Her voice had become haunted, remembering that battle; the swarming of black bodies over the fallen ones of her Clan. "They have no weapons other than their claws and their teeth, but those are enough. My battlemare was cut down beneath me before I even knew what had happened. Their eyes glow red, their bodies are black, and they came with the falling of the sun." More than that, she couldn't say. However; even this bit seemed to give the Queen, and those around her, something to think about.

"Could they be defeated by blades?" asked the dark man. Kiris nodded. "Yes; they were quick..nimble- but they bled just as easily as any of us."

"We know magic works on them too. She obliterated whatever remained of them." said Elspeth, nodding toward Kiris.

The Hawk Child blinked, confused. "Magic? Obliterated?" Elspeth looked at her, her eyes intent. "Yes. We think your Gifts blasted themselves open because of your peril, or perhaps because of the shock and horror of it all- but in either case we also believe that you pulled power from our Heartstone and demolished everything within a sixty cubit radius of yourself."

"Incinerated, more like it." came one of the men beside Elspeth, the one named Firesong- at least she was pretty sure that was what his name was. "We sent scouts..there's nothing there except a crater."

"Sort of like the plains themselves..you know what they say." came the one named Darkwind meaningfully.

"Urtho's last stand." This from the quiet, silver-haired man at the end, An'Desha.

This was all incredibly confusing. "They...they're all gone? There's nothing left?" Nothing left to cast back to the Star-Eyed, whatever good that might do.

Elspeth shook her head, confirming what Kiris feared. "I did it?" A nod was given. Another fear gripped her. Hadn't they been near homesteads at the time? "Goddess help me...did I hurt anyone?"

Smiles were given, and Kiris couldn't imagine why. "No, little hawk. No one was caught in the blast..I don't even think the critters in the trees were there." Kiris nodded slightly. "The demons drove them out." "Quite possibly."

"Luckily." came the man directly beside Elspeth.

Kiris sighed, and visibly she slumped in her seat. A shadow hovered over her suddenly and Vander was at her shoulder, and when she peered up, it looked as though he were glaring menacingly at Darkwind. A hoof was stomped to further mark the Companion's displeasure. Selenay was quick to take over the conversation. "We did not intend to make you frightened, or to feel guilty, child, yet this is severe occurance, especially concerning the current circumstances."

Kiris' eyebrows wrinkled wonderingly. What else had gone wrong?

"The Shin'a'in envoys sent to us have disappeared, and we suspect foul play. Another reason for keeping you here in Companion's Feild, and for meeting out here, because it is so well protected. It seems that..someone, or something has targeted the Shin'a'in. As it stands, you are our only Shin'a'in in residence, and because we are in dire straights, we need you to act as envoy for your people, at least until we are able to contact the rest of the tribes and safely bring an Elder here."

Shock couldn't begin to describe. "B-but..I don't know anything about sitting in Court..on a Council! I'm...I don't know anything of politics.."

"You were a respected member of your tribe, Kiris. Your mother and father led the Tale'sedrin proudly, and well. Naturally you would be expected to take your place among your Clan's elders."

It rang true, and yet Kiris denied it all. "No..it is not my place. Shey..he.." she struggled for words. "My brother was far more capbable with people, with words, with niceities."

"Selenay;" addressed the elder blonde, beside Talia, "Do you think this youngling can become a Herald, -and- an Envoy?" Kerowyn's tone spoke her doubt for her.

"More importantly, will the little bird spread her wings and fly? Will she take these tasks up for the good of her people, for their very survival, or will she remain hidden in the stables?"

Finally; the infamous ire of a Shin'a'in warrior had been stoked to flames again and Kiris stood. Glaring at the man, Firesong, and his look of smug superiority, she felt her fury in waves of heat surrounding her. Vander's snorting echoed her clenched jaw, her frustration. "I dare you to say that I cannot."

Firesong quirked a silver brow in her direction. "Show us then, hatchling. Master yourself, master your gifts and show us how strongly the pride of the Hawk flows through your veins."

It was a challenge Kiris readily accepted.