Disclaimer: I don't own xxxHolic or TRC they belong to the lovely and talented ladies of Clamp. Gundam Wing is owned by other assorted people. The world of Velgarth and the land of Valdemar belongs to the marvelous Mercedes Lackey. I do Own my stories and any OC's so hands off unless you ask nicely first.

Metallic Feathers - by Lady Syndil

Summary: Duo's and Heero's friends follow them into the unknown. Now they are settling in and finding out the truth behind the price they paid to met up with the others before they left Valdemar.

Pairings: KuroFai, 1x2xD, Douwata, 3x4 5xS (past 1xR and in her dreams)

Chapter 13 - Class, tell us your name and little about yourself....

An hour later found the three unconscious teens deposited in a single large bed, in a large two bedroom suite, Kurogane and Fai were left to watch over them as they slept. A herhald was stationed nearby to lead them to the others once the teens awoke. The rest went on to the collegium to be tested and placed. The nice thing about all those Companions that were in the field was that they sent word on ahead to their Heralds about the group coming in, so a room was ready and waiting for the visitors and more rooms were being prepared for the two new heralds and their significant others.

Talia had gone directly to report to Queen Selenay and King Darian, about which of the companions had chosen today, their extra special guest in the grove earlier, her child, and the ones traveling with him. Dirk, Elspeth, Darkwind and Kerowyn took the four newbies to one of the classrooms in the Colligium to test for gifts, and then Kerowyn would take them out to the Salle to test their fighting abilities. Elspeth took over for this first portion.

"Okay, I know you all know each other, and we know who we are….but unfortunately we don't know each other, so it's time for the getting to know you stuff, I'm sure you know the drill. I'll start…. Names Elspeth, and my mother is Queen Selenay." Elspeth grinned at the wry expressions on the four faces, she loved startling people. "I'm the product of my Mothers first marriage, and not that long ago I abdicated my right to the throne in favor of my twin half sibs by my mother's second marriage to my step father. My mother wasn't thrilled at first, but honestly we're all a lot happier now, really." Quatre spoke up at this point.

"I completely understand." Now it was Elspeth's turn to be startled.

"You do?" Wufei grinned.

"Quatre's family is one of the richest and most influential in our world. Our little Arabian Merchant Prince." Quatre rolled his eyes then grinned and stuck his tongue out at the smug Chinese teen.

"Blessed Allah Wufei, you're going to make them think I'm some kind of stuck up rich kid." Trowa smirked.

"You 'are' a rich kid Quatre." Quatre sighed at his mate and continued.

Quatre Raberba Winner at your service, Wufei and Trowa are basically correct, I was my father's only male heir, I had 29 sisters but I was the one raised and groomed to take over the family businesses. But I disinherited myself when I chose to fight to protect my family and our colony, and honestly several of my sisters are far better at running the businesses than I am, there is just way too much paperwork, I hate paperwork." Elspeth smiled warmly at the delicate young blonde, she had her suspicions about who he used to be, Fandes hadn't been very subtle in changing her name.

"Then you definitely understand that sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do, whether other people, including your family likes it or not. I too, chose to fight instead of becoming a figurehead, I wanted to protect my people and my loved ones." Quatre smiled happily, YES these were people who understood him and his reasons behind what he did. Elspeth then turned to the exotic and handsome male at her side. Near him perched on the open window sill was a large pure white falcon, one of the Tayledras Bond birds as the pilots would eventually find out.

"I am Darkwind and my people are called the Tayledras, we are allies to the Valdemarians, I am one of their ambassadors here at the court as well as Elspeth mate. This magnificent fellow here is my bond bird Vree. If you tell him how wonderful he is he'll certainly agree with you, he's very vain." The bird opened one blue eye and spoke sarcastically into the minds of all who could hear him.

{Vree is not vain. It's just the truth.} Darkwind smiled at his friend. Trowa was shocked as the 'Birds' voice was loud and clear in his head.

"You heard that didn't you." Darkwind asked of the tall silent teenager.

"Loud and clear, I hear Fandes, but I thought that was because of my bond with Quatre."

"Interesting, please if you don't mind, I'd like to test you for gifts before we continue." Trowa just nodded and watched as Darkwind stepped over to him.

"This will feel very weird, like a pressure inside your head. Know that I am only checking the area of your mind were gifts are channeled. I will not touch your memories or anything you don't want me too. Will you allow this?"

"Yes."

Darkwind touched a finger to Trowa's forehead, then he closed his eyes and reached out with his mind, he briefly touched the very active mind of the silent male. Darkwind smiled to himself as he sank into the boys mind looking for the active channels that signaled a working or latent but untrained gift. He found several, one of which surprised him as the boy seemed to prefer to remain quiet, he pulled gently from the youngsters mind. Quatre and the others had watched intently, they had been told they would all be 'tested' and were very anxious about it.

"Trowa?" Quatre asked his lover when his eyes opened.

"Interesting,….it felt odd, but it wasn't painful." Trowa was never one to use more words than necessary. But his calm assurance and slight smirk assured his friends more than any words could have.

"Well, as I suspected you have Mindspeech, the major one is with animals and a minor gift with humans. You will be able to speak only with other people who have a strong gift in mindspeech. You also have a mothering strong bardic gift. Do you by any chance play and instrument or sing?" Trowa blinked, bardic gift?

"I play several instruments, I never bothered with singing. I am also an acrobat and gymnast. I used a circus as my cover during the war and stayed for a while afterwards."

"You are definitely a Bard, so it's the russet for you until you earn your reds. We will also make sure you get training in your gift of mindspeech."

"Red?"

Elspeth almost smacked herself in the forehead. But of course they wouldn't know about the uniforms of the different guilds and occupations. They were from a different world, not just a different kingdom.

"In Valdemar, all full bards wear red, trainees wear a dark russet color. Bards are a very important part of our society, they bring word of what happens here out to the people, and when they travel they gather word of what's happening in the kingdom. People will tell a traveling bard things they will not tell a Herald or people in authority." Trowa nodded, yes he could see the wisdom behind the bardic guild, it wasn't all about entertainment it was also a frightening informational network. He was curious even more now about the rulers of this land they had been sent too. Quatre had told him as they walked to the main buildings earlier that this place felt peaceful and the general populace surrounding it was quite content.

"Healers on the other hand wear a dark green and their trainees wear pale green." Sally perked up at this.

"You have doctors and surgeons here? Do you think you could talk to them and see if I could work with them?" Elspeth blinked before answering.

"You are a chirgeon?" Elspeth asked.

"Major Sally Po, I was a head Medical officer in the Alliance Army. I was going to head the medical center in the newly formed military organization called the Preventors. During the war I worked with the rebels and was the personal medical doctor to these three guys, plus Heero and Duo, let me tell you they were a handful." Elspeth looked to Darkwind who now moved closer to Sally.

"Do you mind?"

"What? Oh hell no, go right ahead." Darkwind grinned as he closed his eyes and sank into the mind of the honey blonde, a woman who was much more than he had originally thought. Darkwind had thought she was just the serious Wufei's bond mate and that was all. As he studied her gifts he realized he should have known better, the gods rarely just sent someone along just because.

"Minor gift in mindspeech and empathy, which is all tied up with your major gift of healing. Once you master that, along with your skill as a chirgeon and military expertise you should be sitting on the Healers Circle in no time." Sally was more than relieved, not only would she be able to put her existing knowledge to good use, she would learn new and better ways of healing people. She'd also been a little worried when she hadn't gotten one of the Companions, though Albric had told her that not everyone could be a 'Herald', she now suspected that Wufei's 'Horse' had known exactly where she would end up.

"Thank you, that will be wonderful I look forward to expanding my knowledge and being able to actually help people again."

"Woman, you have always been a help to us." Sally smiled warmly at her Fiancée. Darkwind nodded at the Asian teen to continue.

"I am Chang, Wufei of the Fire Dragon Clan. I have studied Martial arts my whole life as do all members of my clan, when I was younger I enjoyed more scholastic pursuits. This was a source of discontent between me and my first wife. After her death I focused on my fighting skills to take her place in battle and regain my honor. I have no idea why the 'Horse' chose me, during the last war I made many mistakes. I have yet to regain the honor I lost." Kerowyn grinned at the serious young man, and Dirk was intrigued.

"Names Dirk, and I am the Dean of the Collegiums here in Haven. Talia who went to report to their majesties about your arrival is my wife. I suspect young Wufei, that you and your Companion have much in common. Plus the Companions never make a mistake. That you feel the need to regain the Honor you felt you lost, tells us that you are definitely Herald material. Generally speaking Heralds have a refined sense of Honor, Justice and a need to protect those weaker than themselves. Many of the guilds share these traits, such as the Healer and Bardic Circles, after all (Dirk nodded at Sally and Trowa) not everyone can be a Herald, especially if they are needed more elsewhere."

"Then I will work and study hard and train so that I may one day regain my honor and fight injustice once again."

"Excellent, Now as you may have noticed already Heralds wear white in honor of our Companions and so that we are easily recognizable to the general public. The people of Valdemar know that if they have need they can go to any Herald for help."

"In my culture, we wear white as a sign of Mourning. I have much to mourn, White will be acceptable."

"That's rather fitting actually; the life of a Herald is not easy, there are few of us who live to see retirement." Kerowyn sighed.

"More of you would make it if you weren't wearing those "please shoot me' uniforms of yours." Elspeth grinned this was a long standing dispute of the Armsmaster. Kerowyn tended to wear serviceable leather and clothing in tans and browns a left over from her days as a Merc. Kerowyn stepped towards the group.

"I'm Kerowyn and I'll be your armsmaster and weapons trainer. Before I became a Herald, I was the captain of a Merc company called the Sunhawks. It seems the horses will take just about anyone if they get close enough. You'll all meet my Companion Sayvil, unlike the rest of these silly white Horses around here, she refuses to pretend that she can't talk to anyone willing to listen to her." Trowa lifted an eyebrow.

"I was raised by Mercenaries, they never bothered to name me, calling me Nanami, which literally translated means no-name. Just before the first war I took on the name of Trowa Barton, I have used this name ever since. My life with the mercs wasn't pretty, but it is all I know."

"I understand completely, I was lucky enough to join the Sunhawks, the Sunhawks specialized mainly in cavalry and specialist groups, we had more choices and leeway with the jobs we took on. The life of a Merc isn't easy and I've heard stories about what can happen in other companies." Trowa breathed a soft sigh of relief here was someone who would understand his early life. Quatre tried, but he hadn't lived it so he couldn't always help with his moods. Perhaps he could talk with Kerowyn and she could help him sort thru a few things. Being with Quatre, someone so very different from him was something he had never dared hope for and he loved him beyond measure, he wanted to be everything he could for the delicate blonde who was his whole life. Darkwind grinned.

"Looks like all we have left to do is test the ones chosen to be Heralds. Well young Quatre Are you ready to be tested?"

"Oh yes, certainly. I already know I have a form of empathy, I've had that all my life. I don't know if I have anything else though."

"Let us see shall we." Darkwind closed in on Quatre and sank his mind into the mind of the beautiful sunny haired Arabian. What he found only confirmed what he and Elspeth had suspected. Grinning he opened his eyes and smiled at the pretty male.

"You absolutely correct, you do have a major gift of Empathy, along with a major Mage gift as well as mindspeech. On top of all that you have minor gifts in healing, far and fore sight and fetching."

"Blessed Allah all that?" Wufei smirked.

"Figures, he was always the best strategist of all of us, a touch of foresight and far sight probably helped him without his knowing he was using it." Elspeth tilted her head as she thought about that.

"It's possible, though a good strategist is often more an ability to see the big picture and is a natural talent in and of itself. Looks like it's down to you Wufei, Darkwind if you will?" Darkwind nodded and went to the last of the newcomers. Wufei glared at him as he approached.

"Wufei, are you ready?"

(Sigh)

"I suppose I must allow this. Go ahead." Darkwind smirked at the disgruntled tone. He gently sank into the mind of the serious Chinese male. After a few moments he withdrew, blinking."

"Darkwind?" Elspeth was worried, the feeling she was getting from her mate was tense.

"He's a Firestarter."

"Bright Lady, you're sure?"

"Absolutely, I'm surprised he has lived this long without self combusting. He also has a major gift in mind speech, and a minor in farsight." Wufei glared.

"Is this a problem? I was told as a child that I was touched by the fire dragon of our clan and taught to meditate and ground my spirit. During the wars I used Fire as one of my main weapons, it was a safety feature on my Gundam so that even if I and my gundam were captured they wouldn't be able to use it, as there actually wasn't a way to ignite the flame thrower, I did it myself."

"You have control over this gift?"

"But of course. Do you wish a demonstration?" Elspeth knew that if things got out of hand she and Darkwind would be able to contain it, they shared a thought.

"Yes, there is wood laid in the hearth over there can you start it?"

"Pfff, Woman that is easy." As she and Darkwind watched with their mage sight, Wufei grounded, centered and reached for his gift in the blink of an eye. A cheery little fire burned in the hearth.

"Well seems you will need no training in this gift, as you already know how to ground and center, training your other gifts and building shields will make them that much easier to learn." Wufei smirked smugly.

It was time to move outside and down to the salle, Kerowyn was very interested in how well these people fought.

AN: well it's off to weapons training and the Salle. Wonder how our Gundam pilots will fare without all their technology