Disclaimer: I don't own Mercedes Lackey, because if I did, I'd have to feed her birds and explain why my cat kept eating them, not to mention giving her my room and having to share with my sister because we don't exactly have a guest room.
Muse responsible: Even though he hasn't been here for a month…(well, I guess the complete computer overhaul wasn't HIS fault) let's welcome back…Krathnae!
To clarify, Kamaria has Mage-gift, though it won't be recognized as such. This gives her "Farsight" and Mage-sight, what Heralds call Othersight. She's got a bit of Mindspeech oddly mixed with Empathy, which means she picks up more emotion than normal, communicates strongest with Sitara or Alain, and a bit of Fetching. Her strength is in Farsight, though. Alain has slightly stronger Mindspeech, good Animal Mindspeech, and a bit of Fetching. Just so y'all know.
Edim has Touchreading, rather strong, a bit of Foresight (weather-reading, mostly) and some Mindspeech. Tara has very strong Mindspeech and that's it, and Jakob has weak Mindspeech and strong Fetching.
Can anyone spot the token reincarnated Herald in this one? I didn't even intend to reincarnate anyone, but it happened! O.o
And Herald Kenan isn't based slightly on Kenshin from Rurouni Kenshin at all. Nuh-uh. Really. –shifty eyes-
thoughts :Mindspeech:
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Kamaria sat nervously down at the desk. It was her first day in Gift-training, and her year-mates looked as nervous as she. It had been five days since the poisoning, Amaya was making a slow recovery-and Sitara had not yet returned.
Tara, Edim, and Jakob were sitting at desks-or in Edim's case, on a desk-watching the door for whoever their Gift-teacher might be. Edim looked slightly more comfortable than the other two, strangely-the younger boy had actually had a few lessons in his Gifts, since his Touchreading had awoken early. He hadn't seen fit to enlighten his year-mates, however, so Tara, Jakob, and Kamaria were on edge.
Dean Nessa strolled into the room after a few minutes of tension, and leaned on the desk in the front of the room. "Well, I've asked your Companions, and it seems you have a rather strange assortment of Gifts," she said, without preamble, "Farsight, Mindspeech, Fetching, Touchreading, Othersight-it's a pretty tangle. So, here are your teachers! Tara, you'll go with Herald Kiril-"
A sandy-haired man who looked like he'd been hewn out of rock-he'd obviously been a blacksmith, or at least been apprenticed to one-stepped into the room and bowed with a grin. "Kamaria, Edim, you'll be having a few lessons with him in a while, once your main Gifts have been trained, because his specialty is Mindspeech."
Tara stood uncertainly and left the room with the Herald. "Jakob, you'll be working with Herald Teryl." Another man stepped into the room, this one dark, stocky, and rather short. "Kamaria, you'll be having a few lessons with him as well," continued Herald Nessa. "Edim, you're with me, since I've got Touchreading. Kamaria, you're with Herald Kenan."
The remaining Herald stepped into the room-like Edim, he had a shock of red hair, though his was longer, pulled into a tail, and rather straighter than Edim's unruly mop-and smiled at Kamaria. He wasn't much taller than she was-which was actually rather short, and his build was slight. Something about the way Herald Kenan moved, though, told Kamaria that she had better not challenge him to a swordfight: he would win.
"I've got Farsight and Othersight, like you," said the man, smiling at Kamaria.
Kamaria blinked at him for a moment-the man's eyes were a startling shade of bright blue-violet. Oh, my…perhaps it's a good thing I'm lifebonded, she thought.
Because Herald Kenan was handsome. Extremely handsome. Kamaria, in the corner of her eye, caught even Dean Nessa-the Dean!-staring absentmindedly at her fellow Herald. "Um…all right?" she ventured, realizing belatedly that she should say something.
Herald Kenan sighed. "Really, I thought you lifebonded types weren't the sort to moon over anyone else," he said, winking. Kamaria jerked in surprise and blushed fiercely. "Uh-well-" she stammered.
Gods, this is not a good first impression! Right, Kamaria…Alain. Think about Alain. Going riding with Alain…
Herald Kenan coughed gently as Kamaria, in the initial attempt to bring her attention off her new mentor's good looks, lost herself in daydreams about her lifebonded.
Edim shook his head ruefully. "She's thinking about 'im again," he said, with a sigh, and hopped off the desk. "See, her eyes go all unfocused, but not quite in the way when we talk to our Companions-"
Kamaria was brought sharply back to reality-again-when Edim hit her in the back of the head. Rubbing it, she shot a glare at her year-mate, who merely gave her a wide-eyed 'innocent' look.
Dean Nessa spoke again, in her usual brisk voice. "Edim, I've set up in my office again. Let's go. Kenan, there's a mirror in the desk drawer and I think there's a crystal from the advanced Gift-classes."
The other Herald and Trainee left the room, leaving Kenan and Kamaria alone. Kenan took a chair and motioned for Kamaria to sit again. She hadn't even realized she had risen.
"Well, I believe before a teacher can teach effectively, he has to know his student," said Kenan, leaning his chin on his hand, "You're Chosen by Sitara, correct?"
Kamaria nodded shyly. "Your full name is Kamaria Chantrea," continued Kenan, "And your father is Garethe-say, wasn't all that fuss a few days ago about an assassination attempt on your family?"
Kamaria nodded again. "My mother," she said, "Sitara took my father home to see her. She'll be back in a day or two, I think. I don't think I've seen you before."
Kenan nodded cheerfully. "I've been wearing out saddle-leather," he said, "'Lena-that's Kalena, my Companion-and I have been on Circuit a bit south of Evendim for the past year, and stationed as a message-runner in a Healing Temple for a year before that. It's wonderful to be back."
Kamaria winced in sympathy. She couldn't even begin to imagine being away from her home for over a year-but, she realized, with a slight start, that it was exactly what she was training for. "Well, I hope you get to stay a while," said Kamaria, before blushing as she realized what it had sounded like.
Kenan chuckled at her expression and waved a hand soothingly. "It's all right," he said, "For one thing, I've been pulled into Gift-teaching, and with luck, you'll be a slow enough learner that 'Lena's saddle might actually be repaired before we have to leave again!" One of his blue-violet eyes closed in a wink, and Kamaria grinned.
"Well, Alain and Sitara ran me through grounding and centering," she answered, beginning to feel easier with her new mentor already, "And I can Mindspeak pretty well with them, but so far, I haven't had Farsight manifest."
Herald Kenan looked thoughtful, tapping his lips absently with a finger. "Interesting," he said, "Well, we'll see if we can get it to. Too bad your Companion isn't here, but-ah well, we'll manage."
Before Kamaria could move, Kenan had stood, gone to the desk, retrieved a mirror and a bag with something in it from a drawer, and returned to his seat. He laid the mirror between them. "Now, I'd like you to ground and center," he instructed, "To teach you, I'll need to link in with you."
Kamaria grounded and centered automatically, and hesitated.
She wasn't exactly sure how she would lift her shields. With Alain, linking was instinctive and easy-but Kamaria hadn't actually linked with someone else before now. "Um…" she said, but Kenan cut in smoothly.
"Raise the shields and open your mind as if you wanted a deeper link with your Companion," he continued, "I'll initiate the link this time, but once you have the hang of it, I'll need you to do it-I'm not actually that good at it."
Kamaria 'opened' in the way Kenan had described, and to her surprise, found herself sharing a light mindlink with her teacher. It was very light-she was picking up barely any of his thoughts, not at all the way it was with Alain or Sitara. Or even Ramya, come to think of it.
:Can you deepen it a bit?: Mindspoke Kenan, obviously with some difficulty, :I don't have that much Mindspeech-enough to talk to 'Lena, but barely enough to link with other Heralds.:
Kamaria Reached, tentatively, and brought Kenan's mind closer to hers, falling into the link slowly. :Good enough,: said Kenan, after a while, and the difficulty had left his mindvoice. :You've got a good touch on linking-far better than mine, actually.:
Kamaria smiled at the compliment. :I've practiced,: she replied in the same manner, :It's different from linking with Alain, though.:
:Yes,: said Kenan, :I suppose it would be, but I wouldn't know. I'm not lifebonded. Now, look at the mirror-I'm going to scry the equitation course, and since you're linked in with me, you'll see it.:
Kamaria stared at the mirror centered on the desk. In it were the ceiling, part of Kenan's shoulder, and some of his hair…
Wait…it was shifting…
And suddenly, Kamaria could see the easy obstacle course through the mirror, as if looking at a picture, but the figures-a young Trainee and her Companion-were moving, sailing easily over the jumps on the course.
This startled Kamaria; so much, she fell out of the link in surprise. Kenan winced, and the image in the mirror was lost. "Not the first time that's happened, but try not to do it again," he said, mildly, rubbing his temples carefully, "It stings."
"Sorry," said Kamaria, abashed. "Um…can you only see it in the mirror?"
"No," said Kenan, pleased that his pupil had ventured a question, "But for a first-timer, it's easiest to show them in the mirror, at least for me. The mirror, like a crystal, is really just a focus for concentration. Most likely, your first visions will be in a mirror, but after a while, you'll be able to simply close your eyes and see it as if you were there."
Kamaria's mouth had fallen slightly open in astonishment-the idea of seeing things, far away, even though she wasn't there herself-and just by closing her eyes!-was amazing.
"Now we link again…" prompted Kenan, and Kamaria initiated this time, eager to learn more.
An hour and a half later, she left the classroom with a packet of reaction-headache tea in her pocket, strict instructions to not use her Gift unless he was present from Kenan, and orders to meet again the next day, this time in Companion's Field, since-as Kenan put it-"These desks really aren't very comfortable, are they?"
Kamaria was surprised to find, as she climbed the stairs to the girl's side of the dormitory to drop off the tea, that she was tired. She wondered why, exactly, as she sat down to dinner, musing on it as Alain plopped down on the other side.
"I am tired," said Alain, with a long sigh, "The Equitation instructor decided Ramya and I should show the youngsters how to take the advanced course double-time."
Kamaria whistled slightly in sympathy. "I'm tired too," she said, still slightly puzzled, "But all I did this afternoon was Gift-training."
"That's because you're using energy, my love," said Alain, reaching for the potatoes, "You've never really used your Gifts that much before. It's like…like…building muscles. Who do you have?"
"Herald Kenan," replied Kamaria, taking the potatoes as Alain set them down, "For Farsight training."
Alain raised his eyebrows. "Herald Kenan?" he said, blinking. Kamaria nodded.
"Why?" she asked, passing him the cider.
Alain poured himself some cider, drained the glass, and refilled it before answering. "Well, he's probably the best there is in Farsight," he said, and Kamaria interrupted.
"You mean you didn't think they'd train me with the very best instructors?" she said, pretending to be hurt and fluttering her eyelashes mockingly at Alain. "You mean I'm not worth that?"
Alain spoiled the moment by snickering around a mouthful of potatoes. Swallowing, he said, "You really shouldn't do that while I'm eating."
Kamaria kicked him under the table. "Tell!" she demanded, as he winced.
"Herald Kenan is also a legend with the sword," continued Alain, with a glare, "I was getting there. He's as good as, or better, than Rhi. Maybe even your father, with the rapier. But he went with an embassy to Rethwellan a few years ago, and there was another ambassador there from…I don't know, somewhere really far south. Anyway, Kenan saved his life somehow, I think it was on a boar hunt, and he was given a sword in the style of that country as thanks."
Kamaria stared at him. That was rather strange-rewarding someone who saved your life was all very well, but with a sword? Usually it was money, or gems, or some such thing. Alain shrugged. "Old custom of their country, I think," he said, "Anyway, the sword's odd-looking. It's got a hilt about ten inches long, and it's as long as a rapier, but even thinner-and it only has one edge. It's a bit curved."
Kamaria tried to picture this, but couldn't, exactly. "Is that significant?" she said, finally.
"Well, he's the best swordsman in the Kingdom now," said Alain, looking at Kamaria's plate and spearing one of her tomatoes with his fork, "He was good with a rapier, but he's even better with that foreign sword…challenge him sometime, if you don't believe me."
Kamaria blocked Alain's fork as he tried to steal another tomato and thought. "So basically, my teacher's the best with Farsight and the best swordsman in Valdemar," she said. Alain nodded brightly and pretended that he hadn't been stealing Kamaria's food.
Kamaria sighed. "You are sometimes quite odd," she informed her lifebonded, waving her fork at him, "First you make me thing my teacher's a legendary hero, then you steal my tomatoes. What am I supposed to think?"
Alain merely looked innocent-well, until he tried to steal yet another tomato, resulting in another kick in the shins, courtesy of his lifebonded.
Kamaria worked on her homework in the library that night, breezing through the Strategy and Tactics assignment, finishing her Law homework fairly quickly, but slowing to a crawl on mathematics. Kamaria was fine on addition and subtraction, but anything much more complicated than multiplication, and it took her forever to work out.
She struggled painfully through the first problem, but it was long and complicated. By the end, a headache was beginning just behind Kamaria's eyes. She muttered curses under her breath as she began the next problem.
"Having trouble?" said a pleasant voice, just behind her, and Kamaria fell off her chair with an undignified squeak. Startled, she looked behind her, to see the sandy-haired, bearlike Herald Kiril, grinning at her. With a bow, he offered her a hand up, and Kamaria took it, blushing.
And all too aware of the blush, unfortunately; her pale skin showed the redness clearly. "Um, yes, Herald," she said, sitting down again. "It's mathematics."
Kiril took a chair beside her at the table, studying the problems. He looked over Kamaria's work and sighed. "That's wrong," he said, tapping her answer.
With a heartfelt groan, Kamaria gently beat her head against the table. "Don't do that," said Kiril, voice rather surprised, "Here. I'll help you."
Kamaria sat up, startled. "You will?" she said.
"Yup. Now," said Kiril, picking up a pen, "It seems you're confused on how to set up the problem, because this is rather cumbersome. I'll show you a shorter way-this will be far easier, trust me."
Indeed, with Herald Kiril's help, the work went far faster. At the end of the eight problems she had been set, with Kiril's patient coaching as Kamaria solved them, she found to her surprise that she didn't feel quite as useless in math as she had merely a candlemark ago. As Kiril checked her last few problems, Kamaria sat back, slightly surprised.
Huh. That shortcut he showed me really did help…
"All correct," said Kiril, laying the pen down, "Now, go to bed. First day in Gift-training's always rougher than it seems, and you'll need the sleep-Kenan's a hard taskmaster!"
Kamaria blinked as she put her things away. "He didn't seem to be," she said, thinking back to the afternoon. Kiril chuckled to himself.
"Oh, you'll be hard put to find a better teacher in anything," said Kenan, "But you'll see what I mean. He has a knack for making lessons fun, but if you pay attention, you'll find yourself working as hard as you can, without even realizing it!"
Kamaria nodded slowly, puzzled as to Kiril's meaning, but accepting it anyway. Maybe I'm just tired… she thought, gathering up her books and going to bed.
This hypothesis was proved correct when she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
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That was fun. Kenan's awesome, I like Kiril too! It's weird, though, how many characters of mine have names that begin with K…
Sorry for the delay! My computer got overhauled. I finished this almost a week ago, but would there be a 'net connection for me to upload it with? No! So…sorry!
Queen's Own: Who poisoned Amaya? Well, you'll just have to read and find out…yeah, I miss Sitara too. She'll turn up in the next chapter, though.
That's really the only review that needed a response, but I still love everyone else!
-Fireblade K'Chona