~ Chapter 10 ~

Clio sat next to Torin focusing on the board between them.  They were supposed to hear from the Heralds today, although no one had said when, and Clio was eager to hear if Tashti had found the people behind her mother's brutal murder.

"Are you moving?"  Torin asked.

Clio finally reached down and moved her piece into a new defensive position.  "There."

Torin, propped up by pillows, studied the board and moved one of his pieces.  "Your guardian is returning soon, isn't she?"

"Yes.  I hope she is alright."

"She seems like a nice person."

"She is.  She had always been like a mixture of aunt and big sister."  Clio pondered her next move carefully.  "I am glad she is allowing me to stay with her."

"When are you going back to the plains?"

"I don't know.  My father is probably tearing his hair out trying to discover what has happened.  Veren probably told him where he sent me."

"Who's Veren?"

"Tashti's old teacher.  He thought it would be best for the time being."  Clio said vaguely.  She liked Torin, he was intelligent and kind, but he still sold information to who ever had the coin.

"I think we have another draw."

"I think so too."  Clio sat back.

"What did happen?"

"Swear you won't sell it to anyone?"  She asked.

"I only sell information so I can afford food and lodging."

"Someone murdered my mother.  The City guard said it was a mad man but he was too methodical to be a mad man.  I took what money I had and started towards the plains where I stayed with Veren.  I told him what happened and he said I should come to Tashti to be safe."

"Why Tashti?  Wouldn't your father have protected you?"

"He would have, yes.  Veren thought Tashti would help me find justice."

"Herald's do dole out justice, so I think you came to the right place."

"I hope so." 

A healer pushed the door open and interrupted them.  "Child, the queen wishes to speak with you."

"Thank you."  She said politely.  "I'll return later."

"No hurry.  I'll still be here."

Clio smiled and hurried from the room.  She had been anticipating this so she dressed in what passed for Shin'a'in formal wear, basically brighter and more colourful than her ordinary clothing with more beaded necklaces and such.

"Clio shena Pretera'sedrin."  The guard announced her.

Clio stepped in expecting to see only the Queen but there was another three other Heralds.  "Clio, this is Herald Eldan, Herald Alberich, and Herald Kyril."  Selenay introduced.

Clio nodded to them.  All the Heralds were older than the Queen by many years and she assumed they were some sort of advisors.

"Everything went well.  Tashti is well and she said to tell you that she knows who they are and will speak to you when she returns."

Clio needed a moment to translate and take in what was said.  "When will they return?"

"Two days."

Clio nodded.  "Your other Heralds are alright as well?"

"A little shaken, but otherwise alright."  Herald Eldan assured her.  "All the thugs were captured with out incident."

"All is well then."  Clio relaxed.  "I will leave you now."

Selenay smiled slightly.  It was a little odd to be dismissed by a girl young enough to be her daughter.

Clio was unable to define what she was feeling.  She was glad that everyone had survived and very glad to know that Tashti had discovered the identity of the traitors but she also felt a strange sadness.

Perhaps, after this was all over, she would stay and attend the Mage's Collegium.  She wasn't certain if she would ever fit in among her clan, many people still didn't trust mages.  She adored her father but he couldn't stop the wariness she faced from most and outright hostility from some, because she was a mage and an half blood.

Clio made her way to the stable where her mare, Hero, was happily eating oats.  She gleamed with the obvious care of the stable hands.  She was by far the finest horse in the stables, it was to be expected since she was one of the best mares of the Pretera'sedrin herds.  Clio had chosen her from the herd of yearlings and trained her herself three years earlier.  She was a dark dapple grey with a white mane and large intelligent brown eyes.

"You are looking very spoiled."  She said in Shin'a'in as she stroked the velvety muzzle.  Hero huffed softly in response.  "Would you like to go for a ride?"

Hero started to dance in place at the familiar word.  Clio quickly found her saddle and hackamore, both bright blue, and saddled Hero.  She noticed the appreciation in the eyes of the grooms as Hero followed eagerly.  Understandable, the mare was arching her neck and prancing acting like a parade horse.

Once outside, she swung easily into the saddle and guided the mare towards the field.  The mare showed off the entire time.

"You are not a horse.  You are a goose."  Clio laughed and gently guided her around a patch of flowers, one of Hero's favourite treats was red flowers.  Any other colour was ignored but for a red flower Hero would do anything.

Once in the field she let Hero have her head.  It wasn't the same as riding on the plains, something she missed when she was away.  The grass would reach high enough to tickle her knees when she rode in the summer and she could ride for candlemarks without ever seeing another person.

When she finally reached the far wall she turned Hero and raced back.  The mare was barely winded when they stopped at the fence and was eager to continue.  Clio was feeling more centred as she guided the mare back to the stable, with a brief stop to swipe a bright red flower as a reward.

They kept to a sedate walk as they returned to the stable.  "You love it here, don't you."

Hero didn't respond, as expected.

"Soon everything may be all wrapped up.  What should we do then?  We could stay.  You probably would like that, I know the lads in the stable have been giving you plenty of treats and if it keeps up you will look like a plow horse."

"That's a beautiful mare."  A woman commented in Shin'a'in.

Clio pulled up Hero startled at someone who understood her language.  "She is Shin'a'in bred."  The woman wore very ornate whites and her brown hair was liberally streaked with white despite her youth.  Clio assumed she was one of the Herald Mages she had heard of.

"I can tell.  I haven't seen any like her off the plains."

Clio grinned and stroked Hero's neck proudly.  "She is incredible on the plains as well."

"You must be Clio, Herald Tashti's guest."

"I am."  Clio admitted hesitantly.

"I am Herald Elspeth.  I have actually been meaning to speak with you.  Would you care to join me for a ride?"

Hero's ears perked up and she started to dance in place.  "Careful, that is one of the words she understands."  Clio calmed Hero with a touch.

"You trained her to vocal commands?"

"Yes.  I also taught her some gestures as well."

"That I would like to see."  Elspeth said friendlily.

Clio flushed with pleasure.  "I would be pleased to show you."

Soon Clio had Hero walking, trotting, and turning on command.

"Very impressive."  Elspeth laughed as Hero trotted in for the reward of a flower.

Clio had also taught her mare several frivolous tricks.  She tapped her leg unobtrusively and Hero started to paw the ground.  Other gestures had her rearing and pawing at the air, backing up, shaking a hoof, lying on the ground, kicking at the air, and hanging her head between her legs as if asleep.

"You're good."

"Any Shin'a'in could do it." 

"But not many people off the plains."  Elspeth pointed out.  "And not many horses off the plains would be able to learn."

"You said you wanted to speak to me."

"You are a rather unique young lady.  Actually I heard of you over a year ago."

Clio was taken aback by this revelation.  "What did you hear?"

"You are going to be one of the first Shin'a'in mages who has not taken a Goddess oath."

Clio shrugged.  "Does it really matter?"

"It does.  It will be people like you who bring about the changes in people's thinking, decrees by gods only go so far.  You will also be one of the people who train the next generation of mages.  I am interested in your training."

"I have spent six months of the year for two years at a White Winds school."

"So, you have very little training."  Elspeth ventured.

"I have been considering becoming a Shaman."  Clio admitted.  "But I have also been considering following in Tashti's footsteps.  She makes a difference in many people's lives."

"An assassin?"

"Or a mercenary."  Clio admitted.  "I am not very welcome by my Clan."

"You are about sixteen now, aren't you?"

Clio nodded.  "I have to choose soon.  Be fully Shin'a'in or not."

"Hard choice to make."  Elspeth acknowledged.

"It is."

"Especially after what happened to your mother."

Clio's hands clenched and she stared vacantly at the ground.  "That should be solved soon."

"Solved?  That is an odd turn of phrase."

"The people behind her death, not the ones who wielded the knife, the ones who wielded the killer, are here in Valdemar.  She is dead because she warned Tashti of someone trying to hire a master thief."

Elspeth paled.  "Tashti never said anything."

Clio shrugged.  "I saw the man leaving the day before.  My mother mentioned he was trying to hire her.  The next day she was found, with his knife next to her."

"How do you know it was his knife?"

Clio pulled it from her belt and handed it to her.  The hilt was a pair of lizards twined about each other with a large dark ruby on the pommel.  "It is very unique."

"Why would he leave this?"  Elspeth examined it carefully.

"I don't know, but there were bloody hand prints on the walls.  I think she may have injured him and he forgot it."  Clio accepted it back and tucked in her belt again.  "When I first saw her I was going to take the knife and bury in his heart."

"What stopped you?"

"I realised I didn't have the first clue about tracking someone in a city, on the plains I can.  I was hoping he would see me leave and would follow me to get his knife back.  I reached Kata'shin'a'in unmolested and there Veren listened to my story and sent me to Tashti.  She thinks he probably killed the man."

"So now you want the people who hired him since you lost your chance to kill him?"  Elspeth's voice was emotionless and Clio had the sensation that she was being tested.

"No."  Clio said firmly and stroked Hero's neck slowly.  "I want justice for my mother and the people who wielded that man are just as guilty and would do it again.  I doubt you understand, but Tashti does."

"And if he acted on his own to kill your mother?"

"That would be sloppy.  If you are a go between that starts killing your contacts your days will be numbered.  That world is ruthless.  Everyone treads a very fine line between life and death at the hands of their brethren, unless he was paid a great deal he wouldn't have even considered it."  Clio said, starting to lose patience.

Elspeth backed off slightly.  "I have very little experience in assassins and professional thieves."

"No one trusts anyone, everyone watches their own back, and being able to kill is a virtue.  A Herald wouldn't be able to survive in it.  Except for Tashti, but the top are always the exceptions."

"I don't know much about her from before she was Chosen.  She only trusts my mother, Kerowyn, and Aeric with her history."

"Your mother?"

"The Queen.  Almost everything I know of Tashti is from being surprised on a regular basis by her and Kerowyn's 'lessons'."

"You are a princess?"

"Yes.  But don't get all humble."

"It is not in my nature to be humble."  Clio responded.

Elspeth chuckled.  "Are you like your mother?"

"A thief?  She taught me but I don't have her talent, or lack of compunctions."

"So you could easily rob us blind, but you are too ethical to?"  Elspeth asked with humour.

Clio shrugged.  "I guess.  If you are through trying to figure me out, why are you talking to me?"

"As straight forward as the rest of your kin."  Elspeth laughed.  "Very well, what I am trying to get at is would you be interested in attending the Mages Collegium here?  You are, as I said, one of the first Shin'a'in mages and I am hoping that you would so that other mage gifted Shin'a'in would follow suit."

Clio was surprised at Elspeth's proposal.  "I…well…it is a nice thought but-"

"You don't need to decide right now.  Just think about it."  Elspeth stopped her.  "Maybe after you have found justice for your mother you will decide you like Haven."

Clio stared at the Herald for several long moments.  "I will think on it."