GROUNDLING
by ardavenport
- - - Part 7
# # # - # # # - # # # - # # # - # # # - # # #
Dec,
There's a trader here who says he will take me letter to you in Fair Fields, so I am writing now.
I am still in Kettlesmith. You might hear from Timette that I falled off Lillis on the road. She saw me on the street here and carried on a lot about me bein Chosen. You know how she can get. So, I did fall, but I did not get hurt and Lillis only went slow after that. It was like when I get sick in the wagon, except worse on account of Lillis can go really fast. And I met two Heralds here who say they know why and they can train me to ride proper when I gets to Haven.
Tell Father Callus that the Heralds say I got a Ground Gift. They don't know what that is, but they think that it is something good. It is why I am such a bad rider and why I don't like getting up high, because I my feet are off the ground. Any one with a Gift is supposed to have Ground, but they did not think it was a Gift until now. I will find out what it is supposed to do when I get to Haven. But that will take more time because Lillis can only go slow with me on her back. I will send me letters by Timette and she will send them to Fair Fields.
Love, your sister,
Onie
# # # - # # # - # # # - # # # - # # # - # # #
Onie watched the two Hearlds trotting away down the street. There were still a few hours of daylight and they could make it to a way station to the south by the time it got dark. Onie did not have that luxury, but she didn't really need it.
The trader, a man who had been to the Ox and Cart in Fair Fields, promised her that he would take her letter to Essie Axehead to give to Dec.
Sighing, Onie turned toward the north. They would get as far as Lillis could trot until nightfall and find a place to camp. She would not stay in Kettlesmith. Most of the inns had only second story rooms for guests. Fair Fields only had one story buildings.
Lillis 'hrrrmmm'ed and touched her nose to Onie's shoulder.
"Yeah, I'm ready."
She hoisted herself up into the saddle and Lillis started off at a nice safe trot. Onie supposed that Lillis had been wrong to turn down all the travel supplies that everyone had tried to give them back in Fair Fields. It was going to take awhile for them to get to Haven if Lillis had to keep at least some of her feet on the ground the whole way. But that didn't seem so bad, since they would be together for the trip.
They would get to Haven eventually.
# # # - # # # END # # # - # # #
Disclaimer: This is a derivative fiction of the Valdemar Universe under Creative Commons license. No measurable monetary profit or compensation for this writer, but lots of fun (which is really what fanfiction is all about anyway). The Valdemar Universe belongs to Marcedes Lackey.