A/N First, I'm wondering which my readers prefer, more frequent updates or longer chapters? Happy to oblige those who tell me their preference, assuming its possible. So here's a shorter update just to give you the idea.
I couldn't describe the battle between Ancar's forces and Kerowyn's Skybolts anywhere close to as well as Misty herself, so our story picks up at the end of By the Sword. Brief synopsis: Kerowyn, a mercenary captain and her troops have been hired by Valdemar. A contingent of Rethwellen's army led by the Darren the Lord Marshall/Prince of Rethwellan have also been sent. It appeared that Darren's troops would not be enough, but Ancars troops had been spellbound. Darren's mages discovered how to reverse the enchantment and the bespelled troops defected to Darrens side. Curiously, the mages themselves are unable to enter Valdemar. When they do they claim that something unfreindly watches them all the time, driving them nearly mad.
In the confusion of the battle, Darren was Chosen by the Companion Jasan. Kerowyn was Chosen by the Companion Sayvil. Kerowyn was struck on the head by one of Ancar's soldiers after the battle had been won. Presuming probably that he was better dead than the prisoner of Valdemar and wanting to take one last enemy with him.
Kerowyn possesses a magical sword with the name "Woman's Need" or just "Need" that provides healing to the bearer for anything less than a killing blow (along with doing a few other things).
If you want to know more than this, the book is a lot of fun.
Anyway, we pick up the story right after Kerowyn's been hit over the head with a mace.
"Someone get me a Healer!" Eldan barked harshly. Someone dashed off on a Companion to fetch one.
Kerowyn lay in Eldan's arms unconcious, but Darren was reassured. She had woken long enough to say a few words to Eldan before passing out again. Those few words meant that her sword would have the time to Heal her before she could take serious damage to her brain. Darren was not entirely sure all of what Need was capable of, but he knew that the sword was better than any human healer. For a moment he had been afraid that the blow had been a killing one.
Darren backed up to give the gathering group some room. Kero's lieutenant, Shallan came charging over on her own horse. "Captain!" she cried, white as a sheet.
"She's all right, Shallan." said Darren wearily, "I think she'll be all right. She spoke to us. And she has Need."
Shallan relaxed, "I'll go see to the mopping up then, milord." she said curtly, nodding politely to Darren and then to Selenay who had also fallen back to give Eldan and Kerowyn some room.
Selenay looked curious at the exchange between Shallan and Darren, but said nothing. Finally Darren turned back to her. Again, as he had been the moment he had first seen her up close, he was struck dumb by the sight of her.
She had apparently recovered her voice though, "My lord," she said formally, "I seem to owe you my life. And perhaps my kingdom."
All of Darren's eloquence escaped him. "I--yes", he stammered, Since the words were trapped in his throat, he moved to complete the act that had been inturrupted by the attack on Kerowyn. He took Selenay's hand in his and kissed it in his best Courtly manner, "I am very pleased to make your acquaintance." he said recovering his voice by falling back on formality. Selenay's hand trembled in his and he fought the urge to pull the woman into an embrace and kiss her. What on earth was wrong with him? It was perhaps the giddiness of the battle won.
Or perhaps the giddiness of being Chosen. His Companion moved to stand beside him and touch noses with Selenay's Companion. Darren had the distinct feeling that Selenay's Companion was offering congratulations to Jasan.
"It seems, Your Highness, that I am to remain here. Jasan informs me that his Choice has made me a Herald." Jasan hadn't told Darren this in words, but it was as if the knowledge was sliding itself into Darren's mind. A great deal of information was just suddenly there. It was the sensation of recalling a long forgotten piece of music, the more he thought about it, the more fragments of it came to him.
Selenay smiled like a sunrise. "And you are most welcome, my lord ..?"
"Oh. My apologies." he returned her smile a little embarrassed, "Prince Darren, Lord Marshall of Rethwellan." Jasan snorted, "Ah. Perhaps I should say former Lord Marshall."
He realized suddenly that he still held her hand. She seemed to realize it at the same moment. She looked down at their clasped hands and turned a little pink, as though she was a young village maiden rather than the victorious ruler on the field of battle. They let go reluctantly.
Darren heard a teasing chuckle in his mind from Jasan.
The next moment, Jasan had become serious again. :There's a problem with some of your men.: he said urgently, :Get up here. : he wanted Darren to mount.
"Pardon me, lady..." He began, but Selenay was already mounting her Companion.
"Come on," she cried, "Before it turns to more blood shed."
"What's happening?" Darren asked as Jasan cantered in Selenay's wake.
:There's a Companion down.: Jasan's voice was tense, :One of your men offered to help the Herald 'put down his horse':
"Ah, hell." Darren realized that his men would see the Companions as beasts like Kerowyn's war steeds. Clever and valuable, certainly, but when badly injured, a beast to be put out of it's misery.
Selenay arrived a breath before Darren did. The Herald stood with his sword out between Darren's officer and the downed mare, "I will tell you one last time," the Herald was saying in a quiet and deadly voice, "You will walk away or I will gut you and leave you for the crows."
The officer and two of his men stood around the Herald, giving him ample room, but clearly trying to position themselves to rush the man. When Darren rode up the officer turned to him, "My Lord, the lad's addled. There's not a scratch on him, but we found him under his horse, knocked out. Stunned, I think, as he doesn't look like he's hurt at all. But maybe he hit his head--I don't know. When we got him out from under the mare, he came to. He seemed sensible, but he wouldn't leave her. Then he demanded a healer for the horse." the officer shook his head at what he saw as mere raving. "It's clear the poor thing's suffering. I know how it is to be attached to a mount, so I offered to help him do the needful, and he just went mad." This officer, Darren knew, often took it upon himself to put down horses injured in battle. He loved horses and the sight of a suffering one just broke his heart.
Selenay got down from her Companion who moved around to the head of the downed Companion. The Herald dropped his swordpoint when he saw Selenay and the other Companion. Darren's men tensed as Selenay ran forward to the Herald, "Lady, be careful" one of them breathed.
"Neave! It's all right. We're here." Selenay said quietly, holding out her hands, "Put up your sword. They're not...they just made a mistake. Kyril's sent someone to find a Healer."
The man sheathed his sword. Selenay moved to the young man and put her arms around his shoulders. He shook like a leaf in the wind as Selenay led him to sit by the head of his Companion.
Darren turned back to his men, "We'll take care of this," he said to the officer, "You go and help with the mopping up."
"Aye, my lord." the officer was clearly happy to leave it with Darren.
Darren moved over to where Selenay was sitting with the lad. The young man flinched and put his hand to his sword belt when he saw Darren, he relaxed again when Jasan came to stand beside Darren.
The downed Companion was breathing quickly and harshly. Neave stroked her nose and cradled her head in his lap. In a choked whisper, he told Selenay, "I don't know how long we were down. I don't remember what hit us, but look..." he brought his hand up from under the mare's body, red with her blood, "How much blood can they lose?" he wiped his bloody hand on the thigh of his uniform, "I think someone came in underneath...that's the last thing I remember anyway...there was no room to parry and..." his voice trailed off.
Two Heralds came pounding up, each with a green robed healer. The older of the two Heralds sat down on the other side of Neave, "I brought two Healers who've worked with Companions before. If its possible, they'll save her."
Neave nodded vaguely.
"Thank you, Kyril." said Selenay, "Were you hurt, Neave?" she started looking him over.
"N-no." Neave was still shivering, "I think I just blacked out when they hit Kyldathar."
"Prince Darren?" called Selenay. In spite of the gravity of the situation, a thrill went through Darren at the sound of his name from her mouth, "There's a cloak behind my saddle. Would you hand it to me?"
"Of course" he replied. Her Companion came forward, and Darren handed Selenay the cloak which she wrapped around Neave. Darren found his heart swelling with admiration at the care the Queen was showing her Herald. It reminded him of his old teacher Tarma, the way she referred to the troops she had once commanded as her children. Tarma had taught both he and Kerowyn to value the blood of those they commanded as if it were their own. Selenay clearly felt the same way. Rather than send for a Healer and let them carry on with it, she sat on the ground wrapping her own cloak around the Herald as if he were her own child.
"What can I do?" he asked, suddenly feeling foolish at standing there staring.
It was one of the Healers, working on the Companion, who answered, "We can't move the Companion tonight, my lord. Perhaps you could have your men just set up a tent around us? If there are any other Heralds or Companions injured we'll need a large one."
"Captain Kerowyn was injured." said Selenay, "And she's been Chosen..two in one day! Have the others bring her here."
Darren bowed to Selenay, "As you wish, Highness." again he was rewarded with Selenay's smile. He wondered idly as he went to make the arrangements, what it was that he could do to make her smile at him like that always.