Chapter 36: The plot… appears

Emperor Melles, shifted slightly on the Iron Throne, twirling a throwing knife - with a rampant winged horse trailing a broken chain stamped into the hilt – between his fingers. He smiled vindictively at the little blade; years ago his predecessor had attempted to absorb Hardorn and Valdemar. Prince Ancar had been easily corrupted, but somehow Princess Elspeth had escaped their influence. The knife, he knew had once belonged to the princess.

Back then they hadn't known that the monarchs of Valdemar where descended from one of their own escaped barons. He would have acted sooner if not for the Mage Storms knocking out all of the magic that powered their way of life. It had been 13 long years since the Storms had disrupted their way of life, but now- now was the time to take over Valdemar. Also to finally get rid of that bastard Tremane, who now fancied himself king of Hardorn.

However first he was going to crush Valdemar's spirit. By the time he was done there wouldn't be a man woman or child in all of Valdemar that would offer aid to any of those damned Heralds. By the time he was done, the people of Valdemar would welcome his rule with open arms.

To them anything would seem better than those horrible Heralds.

Yes by the time he was done his empire would finally expand west and stretch to engulf the borders of Hardorn and Valdemar.

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Mel sighed as he cradled his mother's old - yet oddly new looking - lute in his hand. It had been passed down through his family for generations, and had held a place of honor in the household for many generations before his grandfather had died and handed Bard Medren's prized instrument over to his only daughter, Mel's mother. His mother loved and cherished the instrument, but his father – Andrew – thought Bards and music itself was a useless waste of time and not an occupation worthy of a man. Andrew also felt that any female bard or minstrel was likely a whore. Men who spent their time with 'foolish strumming' fell into the category of catamite as far as his father was concerned.

The vast majority of the battering the old instrument had taken came at the hands of his father.

To date the man had thrown it out six times and thrown it across the room several times. Once Andrew had even decided that he was going to be rid of the instrument once and for all – he'd taken an ax to the beloved heirloom in full view of the family while Mel's seven burly elder brothers helped to restrain Mel and his hysterical mother.

To their collective surprise the lute had started to glow a soft iridescent bluish gold, angry sparks flying off the incandescent shield before with a loud crack, the ax literally broke apart and fell to the floor in 6 pieces.

His father had been furious, the ax had been expensive, and it was the blade that had shattered. That night, his father had thrown the lute into the hearth and lit the fire. His grin hadn't lasted long after the fire burned out to reveal the untouched instrument under its luminescent shield. His father had been enraged and had thrown not the lute but his mother across the room. He'd been ranting the whole time about how she'd witched it.

Which was utter nonsense, his mother didn't have any sort of gift of magic – unless one counted her odd ability to make even dead plants perk up and grow.

Much later that night – after his entire family had gone to sleep he'd snuck down out of his room in the attic and taken the much loved instrument. He'd carried it up to his room and hid it in his clothing trunk covering it with what little he had in the way of spare clothing. Hoping with everything he was that his family wouldn't find the lute there.

In the morning his father had searched the house looking for the instrument, which he had decided to sell to a merchant in the city as a 'witched instrument'. He'd been certain it would fetch a pretty penny. The man had actually rummaged through his hiding place and despite the impossibility of the event had somehow overlooked the instrument.

Two days later, while his father and brothers where in the city working, Mel had taken the instrument out and begun to play at playing the lute, to his surprise he'd quickly worked out the fingering. His mother had found him nearly an hour later, still strumming the lute. She'd offered him a small smile and told him the story of how the instrument had come into his family.

Apparently bard Medren had been the favorite (and illegitimate) nephew of the legendary Herald-Mage Vanyel. The Lute had been the Herald's gift to his nephew upon discovering the boy's gift and ensuring his enrolment in the bardic collegiums. Apparently Vanyel himself had witched it when his nephew left for his Journeymen years.

It had come as a great shock to learn that his many times great grandfather on his mother's side had been Bard Medren. It meant that he and his mother where (however distantly) related to the legendary Herald-Mage Vanyel.

Mel glanced up as his mother came into his room, and gently laid aside the much loved instrument. It had taken him 3 years to learn how to truly play it. She settled herself down on the foot of the bed he shared with three of his siblings.

For a moment she just looked at him, and then she finally spoke. "Melody child, in three weeks you turn 12, and I can no longer protect you from your father. However I can give you a chance to get out of here. I've managed to get you an interview with the head of the bardic collegiums, in four weeks." She paused before adding in a small voice, "I don't think I need to tell you, your father can not know of this."

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Herald Yozak smiled as he walked down the streets of Zoe. The little town was on the very end of his circuit. In two days time they would be leaving this town and heading back towards Haven. Soon he would be going home.

He'd just finished executing his Heraldic duties to the town and was now just walking; he'd long ago given up on the idea of blending in with the everyday man and lurking in shadows. The sad truth was he stood out like a sore thumb in his whites and fully understood why Kero referred to the Heraldic uniform as 'shoot me now'. It was impossible to hide in plain sight while wearing his whites. So he'd given it up and resigned himself to the entourage of small children he invariably acquired every time he set foot in a town.

Jissa trailed quietly behind him, neatly avoiding stepping on any of the small hands that were trying desperately to pet her with sticky fingers.

: How is it that little children always manage to be coated in something sticky?: Jissa asked her mental voice coated with annoyance.

Yozak laughed; "because," he replied not caring that nearby adults would likely think he was talking to himself. "Sticky things, or things that have the potential to become sticky are the most fun to play in. You know that Jissa, or have you forgotten what it was like to be a foal?"

Jissa snorted and nudged his shoulder, : Next village you can attract all the sticky creatures and I'll be heraldicly spectacular.:

Yozak snorted, turned, walked to her side and swung easily up into her saddle. "If you say so my lady love." He replied, as they turned and headed back towards the waystation.

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Koren threw himself to the floor and attempted to take evasive maneuvers from his attacking dinner. He'd bought what he'd assumed was a new variety of mango from a street vender in Zoe. Turns out what he'd sampled earlier hadn't been a piece of meat marinated in the meat and juice of the fruit as he'd suspected, but rather the 'mango' was a living, breathing, highly annoyed change-creature. Not to mention winged.

The shrieking 'flying fruit' dove at him again. Flying in circles, the brightly colored thing that looked like and orange and red rat with wings, minus the tail, landed on the wall again; chirping angrily. Koren sighed and sat down, he'd have to go back to Zoe in the morning and talk to Sunny about the mango he'd sold him. At the very least he had to make sure the man had the right permits to sell change-creatures. The fact that the man was selling them as food, without disclosing exactly what the caged mangos had been worried him. Many change-creatures where poisonous and their meat could be toxic. It was the same with change-plants, which was why the sale of such creatures was heavily monitored and taxed by the crown.

Come to think of it he had thought it rather interesting that the man had hit the mango he'd sold him 'to tenderize it', but at the time he'd dismissed it. He'd also wondered why Sunny called it 'Flying fruit'.

Now he knew.

The door to the waystation opened under the 'flying fruit' before he had a chance to warn Yozak, and the 'flying fruit' once again attacked.

Yozak however didn't budge an inch from the doorway despite the fact that he was letting in the cold air. Instead the man held up his arm and began to whisper in his native tongue. After a moment the thing landed on his offered arm, and Yozak went the rest of the way into the waystation, holding the door open for his Companion briefly before closing the door behind her swishing tail.

"What's this about you eating my batty friend here?" he asked, then paused and glanced down at the bat clinging to his white tunic, "no I'm sorry I don't have any bugs. I'll see if I can find you some in the morning."

The bat made a disappointed chirping noise and took off, it flew across the room and flipping itself upside down the little thing perched itself on the wall near the fireplace. Yozak laughed and turned his attention back to Koren.

"I thought he was a mango and bought him at the market." Koren replied mildly and then quietly inquired, "What exactly is a bat?"

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Yozak sighed and ignored the wet spot on the knees of his leggings. He'd spent the better part of an hour digging through the nearly frozen ground looking for earthworms, to feed the bat hiding under his cloak. He and Squeak had a deal he'd let him hide from the cold under his cloak if the bat didn't poop on him. He and Koren where heading back up to Zoe to see if the vender, one Sunny by name, had a permit to sell change-creatures. If he did they would admonish him to correctly inform people what they were buying to avoid incidents like the one with Koren yesterday.

If he didn't, then they were going to confiscate the change creatures and see to it that the little things where sent somewhere where they might be set free without dying, or causing too much trouble; possibly in the little pseudo vale at Haven or even within the shelter of K'Valdemar Vale, however first they'd have to see to it that all of the little things where the same type.

Squeak seemed unhappy about going back to the man with the cage, but Yozak assured him he would not be given back. Koren had bought him fairly, so now by law Sunny had no claim to him. The little bat seemed unimpressed by his argument.

He smiled remembering how annoyed the little guy had been when he'd resorted to calling him a rat with wings last night after 'nocturnal, flying, mammal that hunts using echolocation' had failed to make an impression on Koren.

Ok so technically Squeak bore a closer resemblance to a flying fox then to any of the insectivores he'd ever seen.

But oh well.

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Conrad shifted in his saddle as they left yet another vale behind. They were making their way steadily west towards the western sea and the Kaled'a'in/K'leshya city of White Griffin. They where hopping between the different vales. Riding a day's distance from the one vale before gateing to the next and staying for a month before riding out again. Once they made it to White Griffon they would be staying there for 3 months. Their mission there was two parted; firstly they were to update the three Heralds permanently stationed within the great city as representatives of Valdemar, on the everyday maters of Valdemar, changes in laws and the likes. Whatever was needed to keep then up to date on the interests of the people and crown of their great nation. Heralds Tafri, Hadrin, and Hadrin's own internee Rojek would be returning to Valdemar in a little over three years time; after serving as envoys for 6 years.

Conrad had met Rojek and Tefri briefly during his first week out of bed, immediately following his arrival in Valdemar, but he didn't really know them well.

Secondly they were there both as representatives and envoys of their own crown, but also to see to the safety of the K'leshya's new envoys on their journey back to Valdemar, where they would replace the current envoy. Although from what Holly had told him, Treyvan and his mate Hydona had chosen to remain in Valdemar. Their two children however where currently at the old K'Sheyna vale training to be Silver Griffons.

It would be a few months yet before they reached White Griffon but still Conrart couldn't help looking forward to it. Vanyel whickered and sent him a gentle wave of approval.

Conrart smiled and patted Vanyel's proudly arched crest, much as it had hurt to be parted from his friends, his family, his godson and even his world, Conrart found himself thanking Shinou every day for giving him Vanyel and taking him out of a situation where Gwilherm could have so easily broken what was left of his spirit. Under Vanyel's careful care he was finally beginning to admit that what had happened that night almost 53 years ago was not his fault. He'd been a boy of 85, while Gwilherm had been a man of Yozak's current age. That he'd also been the captain of his personal guard who was supposed to protect him – not beat him bloody – only added to the man's shame.

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Bard Anika gazed quietly at the seven children assembled before her, each with hopeful expressions on their bright young faces. These children all had some touch of the Bardic Gift, but none of them had a gift that was impressive enough to be accepted into the Collegium, not without at least one of the other Gifts. She'd already pulled 3 children aside and admitted them into the Bardic Collegium on the basis of their Bardic Gifts alone.

"You all have a trace of the Gift, but not enough of it to be admitted on its merits' alone. There are two more Bardic Gifts and I'm sorry to say they are a bit more difficult to gage. As such I am assigning you all a task to gage whether or not you have the talent and creativity to become a bard. I want you all to pick a historical figure, and then I will have you create a song to put to the music I provide."

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Yozak held his head high as he and Koren rode up to the little orphanage they had helped to fortify for the winter. Glancing back at the chirras they had switched their mules for, with another Herald who was headed south, before the snows had set in. Chirras where far better suited to their current weather temperatures. They had a triple-layered fur coat, which insulated them from the icy northern winds, and while they were as tall as a horse with a much longer neck – their feet where clawed and had more in common with a dog then a horse. It enabled them to claw out a path or in some cases walk on top of the snow.

The cage he'd secured to his Chirras when they left Zoe was still secured as far as he could tell. Squeak and the rest of his clan – those that survived their run-in with Sunny at least where as warm as could be expected, draped in a blanket he'd bought in Zoe. He'd stuffed the cage with woodchips, soft moss and lichens, remembering how his own mother had stuffed the cracks of their meager hovel during the harsh winters in northern Great Shimeron.

Naga greeted them at the door, and Yozak leapt down from Jissa's back to let the Companion head into the meager shelter. They were just coming to check on the little group of orphaned Change-children, to make sure they had at least the essentials. He unstrapped the cage and handed it to Naga. "Would you take my friends inside for me?" he asked calmly, "I fear they like this weather as much as you do."

Naga nodded, "What are they?" he hissed, hearing the soft squeak.

"Change-bats," Yozak replied and then added as an afterthought. "They wouldn't make good food."

Naga nodded and carried the cage inside as Mandy and Koran followed. Yozak smiled and led the Chirras around to the other side of the little building where they would be out of the wind.

No sooner had he entered the house himself that his arms where full of a small blue haired child.

"Papa fox," Saori cried, tucking his face in Yozak's warm cloak.

He smiled and hugged the child close.

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Koren sighed as he glanced around the waystation, like all of the northern stations it was built so that it could hold both Heralds and Companions, in addition to the Chirras. His own Mandy and Yozak's Jissa, had wedged themselves between the two shaggy Chirras for additional warmth. He glanced over at Yozak who was tending the fire in their hearth, oddly silent.

He hadn't spoken a word since they'd left the orphanage.

Koren smiled slightly remembering how the other man had pulled several small toys out of his saddle bags. They were all things he'd bought in the marketplace at Zoe. He'd handed each child what was probably the first mid-winter gift they'd ever received. To both of their surprises though, little Saori had handed Yozak a gift he had made for him.

The look on Yozak's face as he'd accepted the little knotted rag rug from the child had been priceless.

The little thing was small enough to fit in the palm of Yozak's hand, and was probably not worth the cost of the torn and worn rags it had been knotted from – in addition to being gaudy as hell for its color scheme. However Yozak had gravely tucked it into his breast pocket as if it had been the most valuable thing in the world; praising the child's craftsmanship and generosity while he did so.

Yozak had cradled the child in his arms, singing softly in his own language, until the little boy had fallen asleep, then he'd handed the child to Servana and she'd put him to bed. They'd left a few hours later, both of them knowing it would be the last time in at least a year that they got the chance to see Servana, Naga and the children in their care. For Koren, at least this was one of the circuits he was regularly assigned to, so he would have a chance to check in on the children. Yozak however would be returning to the capital city a full Herald.

Who was Koren kidding, the way Yozak had handled Sunny told him the boy was already a full Herald, from here on out all he would be doing was observing Yozak's decisions. As for Yozak the man had been oddly silent since they left.

He was worried about the relatively younger man.

:He has fallen in love with the child, Chosen.: Mandy said sadly. :He wants to be a father to the boy, but he also wants what is best for him, and doesn't think he's it.:

Koren suppressed the urge to groan, and watched as his internee opened the cage so that the bats could stretch their wings. Next the man pulled out a small container full of earth worms, night crawlers, and any other invertebrate he could find in this frozen land.

Why couldn't his internee ever be simple?

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AN. holly crap! Is that a plot?