A/N: I apologise for the long wait for this chapter. I was not happy with it and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with it and it took me forever to fix it. I will admit that I am still not completely happy with it. But I have people asking me to put it up anyway so I have bowed to the people who are feeding my muse now that it has come back from Maui. (It didn't even send me a post card grumbles) You will be happy to know that I am working on chapter ten already. I will put it up when it is done but details of what is going on is on my profile.

Please let me know what you think. Reviews help, thanks to every one who has reviewed it has really helped. Cookies for every one! Hands out choc chip cookies

Chapter 9

Tarsha found her family providing distractions for her wandering thoughts for the next month. Uncle Griff decided that he wanted to see how good she was at protecting herself and suddenly found himself teaching all of the children hand to hand with Feren's help. Uncle Kern taught her to fight with the daggers he had bought for her as a midwinter gift, her brothers also joined her for those lessons. Uncle Teven and Uncle Dirk worked on archery, though they had to make arrows and bows to be able to do so but they had fun doing it. Uncle Stephen taught her how to fight with the staff and Uncle Redick taught the sword to those who had asked for it, mainly Travis, Gerry and Karen.

She was surprised that her best weapons were her own body, the daggers and the staff so she focused on those, taking up three marks of her time each day.

Over that month they had many customers but found that it wasn't nearly as exhausting as it had been with the extra help they now had. It made it much easier to saddle the horses for when the customers were leaving and looking after them.

She was also spending some of her days training the three foals that had been born over a month ago to be ready for riding. It was much easier to do with her ability to talk to them and the parents who also helped.

"Tarsha I had an idea if you think it would work." Feren told her as he joined her in the exercise field watching as she had the foals getting used to having blankets on their backs.

"What is it?" She asked not really looking at him as she watched the foals prancing around playing with each other.

"I was thinking with your help you could help us train our horses to help us when we get in a fight, I know it isn't something you like doing but it would help us greatly." Feren explained. "It would also help with you here so you can translate for them and see what their ideas are."

Tarsha smiled as she looked over her shoulder at him and chuckled. "Look over there." She pointed over to the right to where Teven's companion Seren was with two others with four other horses and seemed to be going into complicated moves. "Ox asked me about it last week." She shrugged at his astounded look. "You are about a week behind your horses thoughts." She laughed. "Seren volunteered to help showing them moves that she knows works from her own fights with Teven."

"Huh. Well it seems that my own horse is smarter then I am" Feren muttered and shook his head. "Redick always did say that Ox was smarter of the two of us."

"Not necessarily smarter, Uncle Feren, he just wants to keep you safe, same with the other three." Tarsha shook her head and called the three foals back over to her, picking up three bareback pads. She spoke to them explaining what they were before putting them in place and sent them off to play again. "Look at it this way Uncle, you are training us kids to protect ourselves and each other…so are your horses." She explained to him with a shrug of her shoulders.

"You know sometimes you surprise me Tarsha." He gave her a smile. "You speak and act like a full grown adult that when I look at you I expect to see one when I look at you. Granted you are nearly there, but some times you sound like some one my age." He reached out and gave her a one arm hug. "Jacob and Mary have brought you all up wonderfully, I have never been prouder of my family."

Tarsha hugged him around the waist. "You are all going soon aren't you?" She asked softly. This year her family had been together for two months.

"As soon as the hail storms are over." He nodded. "They are a little late this year."

"I know." She nodded and glanced up at the cloudy sky and let her eyes unfocus. "It will hail tonight and snow in four days." She blinked to refocus her eyes.

"I'll let the others know." He nodded and gave her a kiss on the forehead before striding off back towards the Inn.

"Alright every one inside it's getting cold out here." She called out to the horses. "It'll start hailing soon." She strode back into the stable and removed the back pads off the foals as the other horses placed themselves in their stalls. She reached out for Jona who was with a group of horses being reshoed with James and Wes. :Jorna?:

:Yes Shara?:

:Tell Wes that it going to Hail in four marks so they had either start heading back now or stay the night.: She told her mare.

:I will pass on the message.: Jorna replied.

Tarsha reached out again this time for Lord Deren's stallion Midnight. :Midnight?:

:Shara, is there a problem?: He asked in concern.

:No Midnight, please inform Randel that it will hail in four marks so he can warn your man.:

:I will, you have good timing, my man and his Lady were going to leave on a ride.:

:I'm glad I could prevent injury, I will send out another warning a mark before it happens.:

:Very well.:

Tarsha blinked and found Devid looking at her in concern.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yes, I was just sending out a warning about the hail that is coming." She nodded. "Did you need me for something?"

"Pa wants to know when James is coming back." Devid replied pulling her into a hug.

"I don't know yet Jorna is finding out now." She answered and laughed as Devid picked her up and spun her around a few times before placing her back on her feet.

"I haven't done that to you in years." He chuckled. "I couldn't resist."

"Do try." She laughed.

:Shara, we are heading back now, James requests that you send out a second warning a mark before it comes down.: Jorna's voice came back in her mind.

:Will do, keep an eye on Sunset for me Jorna she is close to dropping her foal.:

:I will:

"They are heading back now." She told him before pulling out of his arms and walked behind him and then feeling like having a bit of fun she jumped on his back, her arms around his neck.

"Well shall we tell Pa then?" He replied with a laugh and held her in place with his arms around her legs and they trotted to the Inn, Tarsha still on his back and laughing all the way.

All through lunch she kept an eye on the weather while having a spirited conversation with Meren and Daniel on healing and suddenly held up her hand and let her eyes go out of focus.

:Attention please, a violent Hail storm will start in just under a mark, all animals seek shelter.: She sent out her warning with in twenty furlongs in every direction and felt a few responses, mainly from Jorna and Midnight, and turned her attention back to the conversation.

"Problem?" Pa asked noting her unfocused eyes.

"No just sending out a second warning, it will come down in a mark." She shook her head.

"Alright every one double check everything, Tarsha how long is it going to last?" He ordered.

"Well into morning." She turned to Ma. "We'll need a basket full of food to get us through until there is a break which I don't think will happen until lunch time tomorrow."

"I'll make up something for you six." She nodded and stood with Annabell's help made up four baskets full of food with a few pans that wouldn't be needed in the kitchen so they could warm the food on the fires in the stables.

Tarsha watched as Devid handed Stephen two packs of cards and some knuckle bones so they wouldn't be totally bored being house bound.

By the time Ma had finished packing up food and handed out the baskets there were six of them, two of them full of jugs of Chava and cider.

"Everyone has their orders get to it, Devid you'll be with me trying to talk out what ever fool decides that they have to leave." Pa told everyone and they all headed out to their stations.

"Tarsha what do you usually do during a storm and you are cut off from the Inn?" Stev asked as they walked across the yard, pulling the cloaks tight, the temperature had dropped from cool to cold in the last three marks.

"I mainly use the time to groom the horses and make sure that they are all healthy, check the storage rooms to see what needs to be restocked and tidy up the stable." She replied with a smile. "It's about the only time I have to clean up the entire stable with out interruptions and not have to worry about the stalls and when all that is done I check over the tack to see what needs repair."

"Sounds like a good idea." Gamina spoke up as they entered the stables and looked around, it did look messy with hay every where and pieces of tack everywhere, buckets tipped over, grain spilled on the floor, empty jars and dirty rags scattered every where.

"Sure does." Stev nodded in agreement. "We can put this stuff in the back where Devid put that table and we can get started."

"When will we close up the stables?" Lissa asked as they headed to the table.

"We can close up the field doors now but the main doors stay open until James gets back." Tarsha replied as they set the baskets down on the table. "Lissa you close the back doors, you two check and make sure that all the back stall doors are closed and secure." She suggested as she walked back towards the storage room. "Then we can start cleaning." She pulled out a wheel barrow, a broom and a pitch fork. She started near the main doors sweeping up the dirty hay in the corridor.

Ten minutes before the storm dropped her head came up.

:Incoming: Jorna's voice warned her.

"Everyone to the wall." She barked out and they all stood against the nearest wall as the six horses cantered into the stable and came to a stop, breathing hard. "Cutting it a little close aren't we brother?" She asked James with a raised eyebrow.

"Couldn't be helped." He shrugged as he dismounted as every one helped stripped two of the horses of their tack.

"If you don't want to be stuck in here until late tomorrow you better leg it to the Inn." Tarsha warned him as they horses walked themselves to cool off.

"Got it." He nodded and jogged out of the stable.

Tarsha opened her senses and scanned the road for travellers before nodding when she found no one and Randel helped her close the main doors, before he headed off to groom the six horses and every one else went back to their chore.

Every one looked up at the loud clattering noise as the hail came down hard before glancing at each other and returned to work and Randel hurried around the stable lighting braziers and lamps to keep them all warm and so they could see.

OOOOOOO

Over the next week she found out that she could still be proven wrong when it came to the weather. The hail and rain storm didn't stop for nearly the entire week, causing Devid and James to carrying their food out to them in more baskets under a large plank of wood and return with the empty baskets, a large loads of wood to keep the braziers going.

By the end of the week even the horses were grumbling at being stall bound continuously, Tarsha had taken to letting a few of the horses wonder around the stable so they could stretch their legs. She had an idea and dug around her room and drew up a map of the stables with the stalls easily seen and wrote out which horse was where in led so it could be erased when the horse left and who they belonged to.

It also gave them time to get used to the new way the stable was arranged and moved a few things around so they were easier to find and use.

"Tarsha" She looked up at the voice she wasn't used to hearing over the last week and spotted Uncle Dirk and Uncle Redick heading towards her their cloaks soaked. "When is this storm going to end?" Dirk asked looking a little worried.

"I don't know, it keeps changing on me." She shook her head helplessly. "I know for sure that it will clear up for eight marks tomorrow and then it is going to snow heavily, but the weather is so uncertain that I can tell you how long the snow storm is going to last." She told them and gestured for them to sit at the table as she put her led down and flexed her cramping fingers.

"How bad is the snow storm going to be?" Redick inquired with a faint frown.

"There will more then likely be a foot of snow on the ground with in the first day of it." She held her hands out in frustration. "From what I am sensing right now it is going to last at least three days, you would only have enough time to get to the village before being snowed in and having to wait another three days. I can't predict anything beyond four days at a time at the moment." She ran her hands through her hair that was carefully braided back and growled as her fingers got tangled.

"Are your readings clear and uncertain or are you uncertain because your readings are fuzzy?" Dirk asked with a frown, Tarsha's readings hadn't been fuzzy for years.

"They are all fuzzy, it's as if I am being blocked." She growled in frustration, yanking the tie out of her hair and unbraided until her hair hit her backside and then ran her hands through it to smooth it out.

"I'll get Stephen he maybe be able to help." Redick said as he stood up and hurried out back into the storm.

"I don't know what is causing this" She groaned as she slumped in her seat and dropped her head into her hands in frustration.

"We'll see if Steph can help," Dirk assured her and pulled her into a hug. "Is your animal speech working alright?"

"It's fine, it's a little stronger then it was last year though." She frowned as she thought about it. "I haven't really noticed it because I haven't had to do I wide call in awhile, when I gave the warning call about the storm I realised that I reached further then I had last year." She explained.

It didn't take Redick long to return with Steph and she explained again everything she had to Dirk and Steph searched her mind again with Dirk's help, trying to see if they could find anything.

"Well I didn't think we would find that" Steph blinked as they came out of their trances.

"What?" Tarsha asked looking worried.

"We've finally pinpointed that unidentifiable third gift you have Tarsha." Dirk replied with a sigh. "It's the healing gift, just like Daniel's except your's was closed shut tight but over the last year it has been opening. Something over the last three weeks has caused it to open much more. Your body is using the gift even now."

"But what is it healing?" She asked in confusion.

"You." Steph looked at her worriedly. "It's taking all of your energy to keep you at the level you are at now and it is loosing the battle, leaving very little for your other gifts to use." He explained. "You my dear little niece have pneumonia, but your body is just to stubborn to admit it."

"But I feel fine" She stuttered out.

"Now you do, but I have noticed that you have been tired in the mornings and from the scans we did your healing gift isn't strong enough to keep the illness at bay much longer with in the next day you are going to be very ill." Steph explained shaking his head. "And because it has been kept at bay for so long it is going to be a little worse the usual and there isn't much that Daniel or Meren is going to do for you, beside give you infuses of herbs."

"And it will only be made worse if we took you out into this weather." Dirk added looking a little worried. "What I would suggest Tarsha is get an early night, write up a list of things for the other four to do for the next week or two as you aren't going to be coherent to tell them, you are going to need all the rest you can get before it hits you."

"I'll see if Meren or Daniel would be better to watch over you while you are ill and get them to stay with you until you are back on your feet." Redick stood up and once again hurried out of the stables.

"Your sure about this?" Tarsha asked again not ready to believe it.

"Tarsha I am a Healing Adept Mage, I know an illness when I sense it." Steph told her in an understanding tone. "You should have gone through this illness weeks ago, when it was nothing but a cold."

"I guess some times it doesn't pay to be stubborn." She said softly as she pulled out another piece of paper and wrote out a weekly schedule of things that had to been done regularly and anything that should be done when there was time, and finished off her map of the stables and pinned them up on the wall, ignoring the wave of dizziness that hit her. She easily recognised it as she had been having them at least three times week for the last two weeks.

She just wished that Yual was around, no one had seen him in a week, she had tried to contact him but all she could get was that he was far away from her.

"Why didn't you say you were sick?" Daniel demanded as he and Meren hurried down the corridor towards her.

"Maybe because I didn't know?" She snapped back as she slumped back in her seat, cradling her head in her hands. So many things had gone wrong for her over the last month. Leren had left, Yual had disappeared, Rolan had broken his leg when he had snuck up to the Hay loft with out any one noticing and her mother had yelled at her, Travis hadn't talked to her in over two weeks, though granted a week of that was because he was house bound like every thing else and to top it all off Lissa had a cold. Add to the fact that she wasn't sleeping well and she knew that this wasn't going to be fun.

She gave a resigned sigh as Meren placed a hand on her head and made her look up at him before staring into her eyes before grimacing.

"This is not going to be fun." He pulled a face. "Right you young lady are going up to your room or you can go to Daniel's it is your choice but you will be going right now."

"I guess Daniel's room will be easier as I know that he has everything he needs there." She replied with a sigh and was tugged to her feet and dragged to where her old room used to be by Meren and Daniel, both of them chiding her the whole way.

With little choice Tarsha found herself stripped to her smalls and bustled into night clothes, into bed and dosed with several herb concoctions which one she could have sworn was a sleeping draught as she was asleep before she realised it.

OOOOOOO

Tarsha found herself drift up from never ending blackness that seemed to rock slightly making her queasy, she had no idea how long she had been in that blackness, but her head hurt and felt back full of wool, her throat was dry and raw and her body ached unpleasantly as if a herd of horses had trampled her continuously. She could hear the faint murmur of voices and fought against her body to wake enough to hear what they were saying.

"How is she doing?" James's voice asked quietly sounding concerned.

"Same as before." Daniel's voice sounded tired and concerned. "Meren is concerned about her fever, it jumps around like a colt frolicking but never breaks. It's already been two weeks and he isn't sure what will happen if it doesn't break soon."

"But she is still fighting?" James asked, fear creeping into his voice.

"Yes she is still fighting." Daniel's voice almost smiled with him. "I don't think she is incapable of not fighting. I just wish that Travis could have stayed until she was better, you know that none of us do well when our twin is sick." He sighed.

"Has she woken?"

"Not completely, I don't think she is conscious of anything she has been saying…Does anyone know where Yual is? She has been calling for him ever since her body gave in to the fever."

"No, no one has seen him in three weeks, she has been very worried about him." James sighed. "She hasn't been able to reach him."

Her body weakened again and she descended into blackness again with a whimper.

OOOOOOO

"Do you think the shields will hold?" Uncle Stephen's voice asked as she raised up from the darkness again.

"They should, she's not as restless since you put them in place." Daniel replied, sounding much better then he had before.

"I had hoped that she would be conscious by now, it's been over a month." Stephen sighed and she heard a chair creak.

"Six weeks." Daniel sighed. "We got a letter from Haven last week saying that Travis wasn't doing so well. He's had a few panic attacks saying that he couldn't sense her, they are sending him home to recover."

"That can't be good news." Stephen sounded worried.

"Meren and I aren't all that surprised. None of us have been away from our twin when we are ill, especially consider how close we all are and we all have a twin bond." Daniel sighed. "I'm surprised he made it this long. You remember the argument that I had with them all about his leaving."

"Yes, I do." Stephen's voice was amused. "Has her fever broken?"

"Twice, each time it's come back with in a few hours." Daniel sounded defeated. "It broke last night and came back this morning." She felt his hand rest on her forehead. "It's still pretty high, I would be happier if she could say something coherent for once."

"And be coherent enough to eat something at the very least." Stephen agreed. "She is getting too thin."

"Too thin?" Daniel's voice was slightly strangled. "She's nothing but a skeleton, the fever has burnt off too much…" The voices faded again and she lost her hold and blackness swallowed her again.

OOOOOOO

She drift again for some time but this time she could hear the faint tune that Yual had taught her and that he sung for her when she wasn't feeling all the best.

Yual? Her own mental voice was faint and weak. Yual where are you?

:Shara…: The reply was faint coming from a vast distance. :I am coming, Shara. I will explain my absence when I return…: His voice faded for a moment and then came back worried. :You are ill…how long have you been ill?: His voice suddenly sounded frantic.

I don't know…I can't wake…Yual I can't wake! Her voice turned panicked. I…I sometimes hear people around me talking but I can't wake.

:Calm Shara, I'll be there in a day.: He assured her trying to calm her.

Sing for me? She asked in a small voice

:Always: Again the song started, calming her mind from it's pain and she drifted again, this time in the comfort of knowing that Yual was coming home and she could at least communicate with some one again and she wasn't alone any more.

OOOOOOO

She drifted up once more and felt some one holding her hand and the murmuring of voices.

"Do you think she will wake Daniel?" Travis's voice was hoarse and filled with despair.

"She will, Travis." Daniel assured him. "She is still fighting."

"But her illness was over weeks ago." His voice croaked.

"It weakened her greatly Travis, she used everything she had to fight it off now she has to recover." She heard the faint hesitation in his voice.

"What? What aren't you saying?" Travis demanded.

"I had Jona try and contact her using Wes as a translator and she couldn't reach her. When Yual returned I had him so the same with the same result, but…" Daniel sounded weary. "He did tell Wes that he has had contact with her, that is how I know she is still fighting." She felt the bed dip as he sat down. "Yual says that she is drifting and that some times she gets enough energy to hear us which is why I've asked people to talk to her or even read to her…" He paused and she heard the door creak a little and the sound of Yual's claws on the wood. "Good morning Yual" The bed dipped again and a heavier weight settled by her feet. "Something the matter Yual?" Daniel asked. The weight moved and she felt a tongue caress her cheek.

:Shara, welcome back:

Yual? Her mental voice was a mere whisper and slightly panicked.

"Is she aware Yual?" Travis asked with a little more hope in his voice and she sensed Yual move guessing that he nodded.

"See if you can get her to drink that broth Travis, it might be easier to get her body to eat is she is slightly aware." Daniel suggested and she was repositioned on the bed so she was sitting up slightly.

:Keep calm, you are safe with your family around you. You have been very ill for months.:

Months? It didn't seem that long.

:Yes months, you illness was cured two months ago, leaving you very weak. Your body is trying to recover from the labour of fighting off pneumonia hence the drifting you've been experiencing.: He explained.

"It is much easier to feed her when she is semi aware." Travis drawled with a faint chuckle. "Who would have figured that feeding the younger ones would have been practice for feeding my sister."

"Is she still with us Yual?" Daniel asked and then continued. "I need to know how she feels, I know that some times you speak with the others."

:She is weak, her mental voice is very faint Healer Daniel. Her head is a little clearer and not as if she has a sheep packed into it.: She heard Daniel and Travis chuckle at that. :Maybe a lamb instead. Her throat was sore but feels much better and wishes to know if she could have something better tasting then very watered down broth.:

"No you can't Tarsha." Daniel chuckled in sheer relief. "You haven't had anything but watered down soups and teas since you fell ill, we need to get your body used to have regular meals again. Most days I was lucky to get a mouthful of food into your mouth. You'll have to take things slow."

:She also wishes to know how long exactly she has been ill and why can't she wake.:

"You've been ill for eight months (Three and a half months) Tarsha, scared the hell out of all of us in the process, as to why you can't wake up completely I think it is because you are so weak. It will probably be another few weeks before your body is even remotely ready to wake completely and then and only then will I tell you what happens next." Daniel informed her gently stroking her hair. "I want you to keep fighting Tarsha, but you must rest when you get tired, you can use Yual to communicate with anyone here when you are aware but it is going to take time." He kissed her forehead. "Do you understand?"

:She does, I think she is close to drifting again: Yual answered for her.

"Just a few more mouthfuls." Travis murmured and cursed as the last mouthful just dribbled out of her mouth.

"Well at least we know she is still with us." Was the last words she heard.

OOOOOOO

When she drifted out the blackness again she felt weary, getting thoroughly tired of blackness. She was a little surprised when she felt warm and a gentle breeze caress her skin, she could hear the four children playing near by with sounds that told her that she was near horses and the heavy conversation of her family. She concentrated and realised that she was leaning up against some one who was holding her hand and felt her fingers twitch.

She heard a sharp in drawn breath and a tongue lick her free hand.

:Welcome back Shara, you did much better this time, only four days.:

That is a relief. She was glad to hear her own mental voice seemed much stronger. Am I outside?

:Yes it was Travis's and Daniel's idea. Considering it is summer and nice out side they thought it might do you some good to be out in the sun, they both know how much you love being outside.: He explained.

"Yual is she aware?" Travis's voice asked close to her ear.

:Yes she is aware and sounds much stronger:

Tarsha felt her fingers twitch again and she managed to squeeze her twins hand and she both felt and heard her breath catch in his throat.

"What's wrong Travis?" James's voice asked from nearby and felt her other hand taken up and she squeezed his hand to and heard his breath hitch too. "Tarsha?" His voice was thick with tears and hope. She squeezed his hand again and concentrated on her body studying the way she felt. Her body felt lighter not as heavy as it had all the other times she had come aware and not nearly as exhausted.

"James get Daniel, quietly." Travis murmured quietly.

Her hand was released and she sensed James leave.

It must be near the beginning of summer if I have been asleep for four months. Tarsha commented enjoying the feeling of her mind being clear and being able to string more then ten words together with out concentrating.

:Yes, only a week or so left before we enter midsummer : Yual agreed.

"Problem?" Daniel inquired as he sat down next to Tarsha and took up her hand in both of his and she squeezed his hand more firmly then she had managed before. "Yual?" His voice came out low.

:She feels much better, her mental voice is growing in strength with every word she speaks, her body doesn't ache and her head is clear, though she is still trying to open her eyes.: Yual gave Daniel a run down on how she felt.

They feel stuck.

:She says that they feel as if they are stuck together.: He added passing on her message.

"Hmm" She heard the faint sound of water being poured and felt a damp cloth wipe her eyes carefully and lovingly. "Tarsha I want you to listen carefully." Daniel spoke quietly so not to notify the rest of the family. "Your eyes are going to be sensitive to light, right now you are sitting in the shade of a tree but it still might be painful to open your eyes, so take it slow and take the time to let your eyes adjust." She gave his hand a soft squeeze to show him that she understood and tried to get her eyes open again.

It took a few tries before they even fluttered open even a little and winced at the bright light out side of the shade.

"I'm right in front of you Tarsha, blocking the light." James spoke up a moment later and she flicked her eyes open again before closing them again as they watered. It took her nearly half a mark to get them to stay open more then a few seconds.

She blinked rapidly for a few moments before she adjusted to the light with out her eyes watering and Daniel washed her eyes again and wiped away the tears that had fallen.

She gave them a faint triumphant smile as she got them to stay open and saw the joyous and relieved looks on their faces.

"I was beginning to think we had lost you for good Tarsh" James said hoarsely as he sat down suddenly in front of her.

"Drink this." Daniel handed Travis a bowl and she grimaced as she tasted watered down broth again. "And remember what I told you last time about food." He gave her a mock glare that melted in to a grin. "I'm going to tell Meren that you are awake and aware…and try not to alert the family, it would only overwhelm you." He walked off casually.

What is the family doing? She asked Yual as she eagerly drank down the broth and frowned in disappointment when it was empty and James refilled it and she gave him a grateful look.

:They are keeping the little ones occupied by chasing them around and throwing balls about. There is actually no customers today so we are enjoying the lull.: Yual informed her, she could sense his own relief and joy that she was awake. :They are a short distance from here and won't notice anything for awhile yet.:

"Welcome back Tarsha." She looked up from the empty bowl that Travis was just taking away and smiled at Meren as he knelt down beside her and rested his hand on her forehead and went into a slight trance. "Well it's not as bad as I feared." He gave her a smile. "It's going to take awhile before you will be able to get around on your own, but thanks to the exercises that your bothers and sisters gave you, you haven't lost all your muscles so you won't have to relearn how to walk all together but it is going to take time." He warned her and she nodded in understanding and he frowned slightly. "Tarsha…" A strange look crossed his face. "Have you tried speaking yet?" He asked as he rested his hand against her throat and frowned as she shook her head. "Does your throat hurt?" Again she shook her head, and Meren sighed in frustration. "Try and speak Tarsha, your voice is going to be scratching and hoarse at best, I want to see how much vocabulary you have lost." She opened her mouth and no sound came out as it moved. "Hum for me…" He said his frown clearing a little, his hand still on her throat. Very faint sounds came from her throat that he could only hear once he bent his head so his ear was right next to her throat. "Well it's not the best outcome I was hoping for." He sighed.

"Is it permanent?" James asked before anyone else could.

"I don't know yet, she can make some soft sounds. I want to you to hum anytime you want, get your vocal cords used to being used again, but for no more then a mark at a time resting for three marks." He told her and she nodded. "Have you eaten?"

"Two bowls of broth." Travis smiled.

"Still hungry?" Meren asked with a relieved smile as she nodded. "I'll write out a list of what you can eat and what you shouldn't, but for now James why don't you grab her a bowl of your Ma's veggie mash." He looked over to the playing family. "Do you think you are up to being over run with tears and hugs?" He asked her with a chuckle.

She watched her family play and a gentle smile crossed her face as Pa grabbed Rolan and spun him around before setting him down as he squealed with laughter. She looked back at Meren and nodded. She turned her head slightly with no problem and stared at Travis and tilted her head.

"They sent me home to recover." Travis told her quietly. "I wasn't dealing very well with you being ill, it put a strain on the bond between us. Talia and Dirk told me very firmly to go home and not to return until you were back on your feet, no matter how long it took." He kissed her forehead. "I've been doing my studies long distance and Uncle Steph is training me in weapons."

She nodded in understanding and gave him an apologetic look and nuzzled his neck.

"No need to be sorry Tarsha, we all should have listened to Daniel when he told them that I shouldn't go." He told her firmly. "Oh look Meren is telling Ma and Pa."

She turned to look and saw Meren pull them to the side and talking to them and saw their jaws drop before turning slightly to stare at them both and then frown as Meren continued before nodding and heading over.

"Oh Tarsha" Ma's eyes over followed with tears and she pulled her out of Travis's arms and hugged her tightly and hummed happily as Pa joined the hug.

"Still hungry Tarsh?" James asked with a chuckle as he returned with a bowl of mash and she nodded. She was placed back in Travis's arms and silently laughed as her Ma snatched the bowl out of James's hand and began feeding her.

She listened to the conversation, nodding or shaking her head at the questions that were thrown at her and had to give up on the food before she was even half way through the bowl.

"Yual has offered to translate anything she says in length if it isn't a yes or no question." Daniel told them when after a mark the entire family had joined in the celebration that Tarsha was awake.

She was brought up to speed with what had happened over the last four months the regular customers she had missed seeing on their way to Haven for trade, the accidents that everyone had had and the little prank war that had been going on between James, Devid, uncle Steph and Pa, much to Ma's annoyance.

By the time they were finished filling her in the family horses came up to greet her and welcome her back and she caught up with then, smiling when she heard that there were two more foals bringing the family horse number up to thirteen.

"Tarsha do you want to stay in the stables as you recover or in the family section?" Ma asked as Pa and uncle Stephen packed up the picnic things.

:If you do not mind Ma I would like to stay in the stables, it is the most familiar and Yual and Jorna will be there to help me while you are all busy with customers: Yual relayed her message.

"Yes I thought you might say that." Ma smiled. "I would love to have you in the family section but we won't be able to keep a close eye on you as Yual and Jorna will be able to." She agreed with Tarsha's choice. "Travis and Daniel will also be around to help you about too."

Tarsha nodded and James picked her up and carried her to her room with Travis and Daniel behind him and settled her down on the couch.

"Ma wont expect you down for dinner but she'll want to see you for breakfast." James reminded them before kissing her forehead and left.

"How are you feeling now that you have been awake for awhile?" Daniel asked sitting down in a near by chair and Travis sat down at the desk and pulled out a few books to get back to his studies. Yual jumped up beside her and she scratched his ears.

:Much better, a little tired: Yual informed him when she just shrugged.

"Well let's see you've been awake for four marks, which is good and Meren assured me that it is safe for you to nap and you should do so any time you feel tired, so you don't exhaust yourself." Daniel nodded and pulled out a journal and wrote out a few things. "Exhausting yourself would be very bad Tarsha at least for the first week at least as it could send you back in to a coma." He turned his eyes to Yual. "I'll be counting on you to keep a close eye on her and make sure that doesn't happen."

:I can assure you that I will make sure that she does rest when she needs to.: Yual nodded firmly.

"You should rest and nap when ever you feel the need, even if it is only for a mark or two. Eat when you are hungry and drink plenty of fluids." He scribbled down a few things. "At the moment we'll work on you getting about on your own up here, so you can see to your own needs with out us having to call on Annabell and Ma." He looked back up at her. "any questions about anything?"

:Any letters for me?:

He looked a little surprised at the question and then frowned in thought. "None have been brought up here but I'll ask Ma and Pa they might be keeping them for later." He shook his head, he raised an eyebrow at her disappointed sigh. "Are you tired enough for a nap?" and smiled at her shaking head. "Alright then you can do some exercises, work on moving your arms with out them cramping."

OOOOOOO

Tarsha sat astride Jorna in the new clothes that Jazmine and Jessica had made up for her when much to her disgust she found that all of her clothes were too big for her and Ma had decided to keep them rather then adjust them for when Tarsha put some weight back on.

She had been awake for a month and was getting better with every day that passed, she could now walk on her own, doing her rounds in the stable but she still couldn't walk to and from the Inn under her own power. If she had a distance to go then she used Jorna at her insistence after she had nearly collapsed the first two times. It had also taken her two weeks to get her voice to work properly with out giving out on her and another two weeks to get the words out right, much to her frustration.

Yual was never far from her side and had yet to explain where he had gone when he had disappeared, all he would say was that he had heard a call of his race and had no choice but to follow it and had learned a lot from it. She didn't mind so much, she was glad that he had learnt about himself and met some of his people.

Travis had left to return to Haven even though would be returning in three months, and would let their family there know that Tarsha was on the mend and would no doubt be tested on everything that he had been learning while he was going. He had only mentioned that he wasn't looking forward being tested by Captain Kerowyn who was the weapons master. It had taken her two weeks to convince him that she would be alright with out him being there and that while she loved him she would have to hurt him if he didn't stop hovering, much to the amusement of her family.

Daniel was still around making sure that she wasn't over working herself and at Meren's advice had moved in permanently into his rooms and set up shop in the stables to help any horse that needed him or customer. Meren had thought it was a good idea considering how many Heralds ended up passing through on their way up north, not to mention the other people that made their way pass. He had said that Daniel had learnt nearly everything he needed to know but would be staying also just in case Daniel needed him but was sure that Daniel would be fine and would most like be leaving him behind when he left after midwinter. The only real big thing that Daniel had to get over was the sight of blood which he was getting good at considering the amount of accidents that happened around the Inn. He was also getting good as putting in stitches and removing them.

He was keeping a close eye on what Tarsha ate and was making sure that she was putting weight on at a reasonable rate. She was pleased when she looked in the mirror to see that her face wasn't as gaunt as it had been the previous month and no longer looking like a walking corpse.

She was watching Wes and Lissa putting the younger horses through their paces and getting the older ones used to saddles like she had been doing before she fell ill. Gamina and Steph were saddling a few horses whose masters were leaving shortly, there were only six leaving and the two of them could easily get them ready to go on their own, thanks to the new system Tarsha had made up before her illness which they had followed faithfully once they had found how well it had worked.

She nudged Jorna to turn and they headed to the gate which Yual nudged open and closed behind her and they trotted towards the yard entrance to the kitchen remembering the Ma had called her a few moments ago.

"You called Ma?" She asked still astride Jorna and her Ma walked to the door and smiled at her.

"Yes could you grab some veggies for dinner? I sent Jessica down there to do some weeding, she'll know what I need." Ma asked holding out the basket. "Oh and another bottle of milk from the dairy."

"Sure thing." Tarsha nodded and took the basket and Jorna turned and trotted off towards the veggie patch at the back of the property with out prompting. She found it much easier to get about on Jorna's back then walking every where, but each week she was able to walk a little further than the week before. "Jess" She called out as she reached the veggie patch fence.

"What do you need Tarsh?" Jess called back at the far end of the patch.

"Ma needs veggies for dinner." She called back holding up the basket. Jess nodded and trotted forward, taking the basket before walk up and down the rows pulling veggies seemingly at random, she glanced at the basket after a little while before nodded and walking back and handing the full basket back to her sister. "You must think I am shirking my chores." Tarsha said softly as she took the basket back.

"Not at all" Jess answered in surprise. "We are just glad that you are awake and survived. Even though you can't get around properly you are still doing chores and running errands that we don't have time to do. No one thinks you are shirking why would you think that?" She demanded.

"I over heard Jazmine and Devid complaining to each other the other day." She shrugged.

"I don't know why, it's not as if any one is taking over your chores…if anything you are picking up some of ours." Jess frowned as she wiped her hands on a rag tied to her belt. "Give me a lift back to the kitchen?" She asked giving her a grin.

"Sure" Tarsha chuckled and held out a hand to help Jess up and Jorna turned back the way she had come. "You know it's the one thing I love about this family." She spoke up after a few moments of silence. "Even after everything that has gone on over the last year, no one is treating me like an invalid, no one is afraid to mention it or over mothers me…well at least not since Travis left." She chuckled even as Jessica giggled.

"Daniel did warn him to give you a little space or you were going to snap at him but he didn't listen." Jess shook her head in amusement. "Ma just gave him a look when he complained to her about it and said that he deserved it, after we had all warned him about not crowding you." Jorna stopped out side the kitchen and Jess slid off her rump and took the basket from Tarsha's hands. "Just remember when one of us complain Tarsh that we have all been worried half to death, even though it's been a month it going to take some time for us to readjust to the fact that you are okay now."

"I'll keep that in mind, tell Ma I'll be back in a moment with the milk she wanted." Tarsha nodded in understanding as Jorna made her way to the dairy in a quick trot, walking straight into the dairy where most animals weren't allowed and Tarsha just grinned at James's and Devid's yell of complaint and grabbed a bottle off the shelf that was just at the right height for her to pluck off the shelf and returned to the kitchen handing the bottle off to Annabell who came out at her call. "Do you or Ma need me to grab anything else?" She asked, trying to think what needed to be done in the stables that she could do with out bring both Daniel and Yual down on her.

"You can check on your Pa and Uncle Steph, they are down in the Hay field, and bring them their lunch." Ma said as she came forward with a saddlebag and threw them over Jorna's rump and secured it to the bareback pad.

"That I can do" Tarsha nodded and shifted her seat to let Jorna know that she could go at her own pace, which she whickered in happiness that hummed in her mind and leapt into a canter towards the far field.

Tarsha let her mind drift as she enjoyed the rush of the wind through her shoulder length hair that had been cut during her fever and was still too short for her to tie back completely. She shifted her position to let Jorna know that she was prepared for her to leap over the fence and easily found the trail that Pa had made as he walked through the hay and they halted part way as they lost the trail and she sat up looking about before calling out and sat back listening for a reply.

"Middle Back to the left." Pa's voice yelled back and she nudged Jorna in the right direction. "What do you need honey?" He asked as he spotted her with a grin.

"Ma sent me down with lunch." Tarsha replied turning and untying the saddle bags and handed them over.

"Thanks Tarsha, we were wondering if she had forgotten about us." He chuckled as he took the bags.

"Not yet." She grinned at him.

"Any customers?"

"Three, Annabell and Jazmine are taking care of them, six are leaving as we speak. I can sense another eight will be here in a few marks." She replied with a slight nodded.

"Anyone we know coming in?" Pa asked as he handed the flask of cider to Uncle Steph to drink.

Tarsha's eyes unfocused as she concentrated on the incoming horses and let a slow grin cross her face. "It's Uncle Redick with Lord Deren and four of his retainers."

"They are early." Uncle Steph blinked. "They aren't supposed to be here for another two months."

"According to Ox they are escorting Lord Deren as far as the Inn before he returns to his keep." She frowned a little listening to Ox. "They had an eventful hire a few months back and have enough coin to return early so they dismissed the group for the winter. They've only just received the letter that you sent months back about me slipping into the coma and are hoping that I've come out of it but wanted to make sure for themselves."

"Ox?" Pa snorted back a bark of laughter.

"Uncle Feren's horse" She shrugged.

"You know what I can't believe?" Pa asked suddenly looking at her intently.

"What is that?" Tarsha asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That you are turning Seventeen after midwinter." Pa sighed. "Travis will be doing his intern circuit soon, probably next year…Rolan and Judas are two soon too." He shook his head.

"Two years already…" Tarsha shook her head not really believing it herself. Jorna shifted slightly under her. "Well I'll leave you to your lunch, Jorna is begging me for a run and I did promise one today."

"Alright but don't let Daniel catch you." Pa chuckled.

"It's his own fault if I do." She grinned cheekily. "He's the one who shoved me out of the stables this morning."

"Going on." Pa laughed shooing her off.

"Yes sir." She gave him a mock salute and Jorna spun and with Yual at her side galloped through the field, leapt over the fence with out breaking stride and galloped to the horse field jumping that fence too. She mentally gave Jorna free range and bent over her neck letting her take her where she wanted, knowing that she could call a halt when she got too tired.

:Daniel is scowling at you Shara.: Yual yipped at her as they galloped passed the stable into the main field.

Yeah well I probably get a lecture later. She mentally sighed. As long as I don't over do things he has nothing to complain about.

:Very true.: Yual grinned at her, his tongue sticking out.

Half a mark later Jorna slowed to a trot and made her way back to the stables and Tarsha slid off her back and they made their way to Jorna's stall and gave her a thorough grooming before making her way to the table and looking over the tack that was laid out to be repaired and sat down to restitch a holter that needed it.

"Feel better?" Daniel grumbled as he strode towards her.

"Much." She grinned at him. "I don't feel as restless."

"Good, then maybe you'll stay in your room and read tonight." Daniel chuckled.

"Maybe," She returned the chuckle. "Oh could you tell Ma that the Uncles will be here in a few marks with Lord Deren?" She asked as she remembered. "I am not sure if Lord Deren is staying or not."

"I'll tell her." He nodded and hurried off.

OOOOOOO

Dinner that night was loud and jovial, as her uncles were filled in on what had happened to her, though they had been shocked at how thin she had gotten but were relieved that she was better.

She was leaning against James's shoulder dozing two marks after dinner was finished listening to the conversations before Daniel spoke up in a lull telling James to put her to bed and they all ignored her sleepy protests, including her body that slipped into sleep before they were half way across the yard.

OOOOOOO

The next month Daniel kept a closer eye on her, making sure that she didn't over do it again and gave her a cane to help her get around a bit more and Uncle Steph and Uncle Feren slowly started up her training again, very slowly, building up her strength and stamina. Daniel and Meren worked on finding out how strong her healing gift was and what she would be able to do with it. She was a little disappointed that she wouldn't be able to heal some one with a major injury on a person. Meren was a little surprised that she could heal any injury on an animal, not matter the extent and could only be heard muttering something about her animal speech helping her out.

By the time Trainees startled trickling in on their way home, she could get around on her own through she couldn't make it with out the cane. She had also put on a bit more weight but it was still clear that she had been ill and lost too much weight.

A week before midwinter her brothers and Dirk and Talia showed up, two weeks later then they usually did. Travis exclaimed joyously when he spotted Tarsha walking about on her own with out any one hovering over her and scooped her up and spun her around before setting her down and kissing her cheek before moving aside for Garry giving her a tight hug followed by her Aunt and Uncle.

"You gave us a scare Tarsha." Talia said softly as she stepped back from the hug and looked her over carefully. "You still look ill." She frowned.

"I was sick for nearly four months and my body wouldn't cooperate with Daniel and Meren so they couldn't get me to eat often." Tarsha shrugged.

"Believe me she looks a lot better then when I left." Travis spoke up with a grin.

"If this is looking better I don't want to know how you looked before." Dirk looked a little sick at the thought.

"No you probably don't." Tarsha shook her head. "Come Ma will be serving up lunch about now." She gestured for them to head for the Inn. "You four got everything under control?" She asked looking at her four helpers and smiled as they nodded as they looked over Johan's horses that had come in just before her family.

"I'll call you if there are any injuries that we can't handle." Wes assured.

She nodded and walked beside Travis as they headed towards the kitchen.

"How have you been?" Travis asked as they walked.

"Good, everyone has been helping work on my stamina and energy levels and putting on weight. Uncle Steph and Uncle Feren are helping me build up my muscles slowly with short training sessions." She smiled up at him, he had grown since he had left and was now three inches taller then her, now standing one inch over six foot. "How about you?"

"I'm back to normal though my teachers worked me to the bone when I got back." He gave her a lop sided grin. "They were surprised at how much I had managed to learn and hadn't lost any of my fighting edge,"

"Yeah well if Uncle Steph had let you loose your edge, then you would have cursed your self for not listening to him." She chuckled as they walked into the kitchen and watched as the greetings started through the family.

"Karen won't be making it this year." Dirk said after the greetings were over. "She sent letters but she has a rather large assignment and is travelling working on it." He added as he handed over the thick letter to Ma.

"Any additions on the family or the inn?" Talia asked with her eyes sparking with laughter.

"No, we've found that the additions we did last year are enough." Pa shook his head with a chuckle and then glanced over his daughters. "And as far as I know there are no additions on the way."

"Not this year." Annabell chuckled and shook her head.

"Most of the Heralds that have come up this way this year have all been female so our brother's probably got more action then we did." Jazmine shrugged and chuckled at the scowls that James and Devid sent her.

"Alright, Alright…" Ma spoke up cutting of the argument that she could see brewing. "There are certain things that we don't want to know in detail." She glared at her four eldest children. "The only things we want to know of these liaisons is if you get knocked up or knock up some one."

"Yes Ma." Came the chorus from all of the children bar the four youngest, making her chuckle and shaking her head. Every one dug into lunch hungrily, catching with each other filling in what they had been up to over the last year since they had been there last.

"The only true thing that is different this year is that Hestia is pregnant." Travis told her.

"How far along is she?" Tarsha asked curious, she had never seen a pregnant companion.

"She's due to drop in a few weeks." He pulled a face. "It took me two months to realise that she had been seeing Vern when he was here with Koren while you were in the coma."

"I bet she wasn't impressed with that." Dirk chuckled. "Though it will make our trip back interesting."

"Well if she has complications at least she will have help." Tarsha smiled. "Meren has pinpointed my healing gift as more as a animal healing gift, I can't heal a person very well unless I am directed by Daniel or Meren but I can heal an animal with out a problem." She explained at the Heralds curious looks.

"We think it is because she spends more time with horses and other animals then with people." Meren shrugged as they all looked at him. "We can't really explain it."

"She is also the only one in this family with more then one gift." Pa spoke up. "Why more companions haven't shown up to steal them away we don't know."

"That is something that has us all puzzled." Talia nodded in agreement. "Rolan isn't offering anything, just telling me that they won't be chosen unless there is a need." She shook her head and smiled reassuring at Mary's and Jacob's sudden worried looks. "And that isn't about to happen any time soon, everything is quiet on the borders and we have alliances with nearly every one on our borders and with others, so there won't be a war any time soon." She explained.

"Well that's doubly good to know." Pa nodded in relief.

"So since we don't have renovations to do with midwinter what will we be up to?" Dirk asked with a grin.

"Not a lot, just enjoying the down time and dealing with customers." Pa shrugged. "It's going to a nice quiet winter."