To Amy Lee - I considered your suggestion for about 10 minutes before reluctantly agreeing. I was unsure of what minor gifts I wanted to give her, but in the end I probably gave her more than I should have. Thank you for both the review and the suggestion.

To.. everyone - All right, all right, please, forgive me. I've been staring at this story for like a month and I have been completely unable to continue it with Alsea as a Herald-Mage-healer whatever. To be a Herald she might be in some situatiosn where people are going to be killed, either by her, or people around her. If she was a Healer.. She couldn't kill people. It just doesn't click. Anyway, now that I've made the appropriate alterations to this, the story will continue although I've now lost my "creative edge" and most of my readers. *scowl*

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Alsea stirred, crinkling up her nose distastefully. It was far too bright for anyone's good. With an inaudible groan she rolled over, burying her face deep into her pillow. They were being so loud! Why would they not let her rest in peace?

A gentle chuckle drew Alsea even further from the comforting rest of sleep. It was so familiar, so reassuring :Chosen, you have had plenty of rest. Wont you wake for the nice people? They have been very worried about you, Alsea.: the voice, no, Kaea, the Companion, whispered into her mind. Alsea blinked, slowly, deliberately, staring at her surroundings. How had she gotten here? :Simple enough. I worked through you to put you into a Healing trance, using your own Gift. That was a week ago. You have been in the House of Healing for the past five days.:

Alsea closed her eyes, a fierce throbbing shooting through her temples as she attempted to remember what had happened a week ago. No matter how hard she tried, she could not focus on it. :Kaea using my own Gift?: she asked shyly, more than a little lost. She had a Gift? It all seemed so impossible, but she was talking to a horse in her head. Was anything impossible anymore?

Kaea snorted at her. :I am not a horse, thank you, but a Companion. Your Companion. Alsea, you're going to be a Herald! And a Herald-Mage at that.: the Companion exclaimed, her pride bursting through every word she 'spoke.' Unfortunately, in her excitement, Kaea seemed to miss the point in explaining all these things to the poor bewildered girl she had Chosen.

"Oh! She's awake!" a new, female, voice cried, thankfully, not in Alsea's head, the sound of feet signaling her swift approach. Alsea blinked as small but strong hands "helped" her up from her resting-place on the bed into a sitting position. "Careful now, child. There we go." The small woman in green beamed and finally Alsea managed to drag her eyes up to look the unknown femme in the face. The woman had deep red-brown hair, threaded thinly with grey, cut just below her chin, her eyes the same brown as her hair and almond shaped. Her skin a very light shade of olive. She wasn't a particularly memorable woman, but something told Alsea that she didn't need to be.

"Who are you?" Alsea whispered, her hands shaking as she clutched the faint green blanket. Her eyes turned accusingly to the people in white at the door, then flickered back to the strange woman. "What are you doing here? What is here?" her voice rose with every word she uttered, a thread of panic worming its way into her tone. Alsea sniffed as a little tear slipped down her cheek. What had happened? And why couldn't she remember anything?

The woman in green bit her lip and gently brushed away Alsea's salty tears. "Oh, forgive us, child. I am Healer Tienne and those two by the door are Herald Dannyn and Herald Talia." The woman, Tienne as she had called herself, winked. "You'll be seeing many of their kind in the future, I guarantee it."

Alsea blinked, watching the Heralds with unending fascination. The man seemed to be feeling a little awkward, but the woman was completely calm. "Heralds? Am am I in Haven? Did I really make it!" she cried, grabbing Tienne's hand, her eyes bright with unshed tears of joy.

Talia stepped forward, careful not to startle the child on the bed. "Alsea, do you remember why you wanted to come to Haven?" the lady-Herald asked quietly, her eyes acutely watching Alsea for any reaction. Alsea was barely sane when she was found, and the Heralds were loathe to set her off.

"I-I my Da-"

PAIN

Alsea shrieked, her hands shooting up to hold her head as shocks of pain bolted through her mind. The agony was unbearable. :You promised! You promised that there would be no more pain!: Alsea howled at her Companion, her eyes wide as she stared up at the ceiling, seeing but not seeing at all. :You promised me, Kaea! Make the pain stop!:

:Herald! She has tied all her memories of before in with the pain of her channels being blown open! Everytime she thinks of anything before she was Chosen this happens!:

:I understand, Kaea! But how do we stop it?: It was a male that time, and unfamiliar, but Alsea didn't care about them. All that she could think of was the pain.

And then, just as fast as it came, the pain was gone, but Alsea was cold, and very, very wet. "Blessed Mother!" she gasped, fighting to fill her empty lungs. Her eyes shot up to the calm Healer and the two blanched Heralds. "I-what?"

Tienne held up a bucket. "Cold water. Always works."

Talia stared, first at the Healer, then at Alsea. She swallowed, attempting to rid herself of the giant lump in her throat as she flushed a bright pink, her fury with herself so blatant that even Alsea could Sense it. "Alsea oh, you poor girl. I didn't mean-"

"Enough!" Dannyn snapped, finally speaking up. "Talia, breathe woman. You didn't know." He turned to Alsea, a small little smile on his features. "Do you think you can answer the easy questions now, youngling?"

Alsea could only nod, her mind whirling in all the confusion.

"Your name?"

"Alsea, sir."

"No last name? Interesting Age?"

"Eleven, sir."

"Where were you born?"

"On Lake Evendim, sir."

"Are you aware that you're going to be a Herald?"

Alsea smiled, reaching out with her mind to the Companion who had Chosen her. "I think I've caught onto that, sir. Especially with Kaea constantly calling me 'Chosen.'" Dannyn chuckled at her response, glancing at Talia before taking a step back and letting the female Herald take control.

"Do you know what kind of a Herald you're going to be?" Talia inquired, pulling up a chair. Alsea blinked, carefully recalling the conversation between her and Kaea before the 'incident.'

"I I do, but I'm not exactly sure what it means," she started, her words coming slowly as she chewed on her lip. "Kaea said something about Herald-Mage and... I didn't really understand it all, Miss Herald." Alsea looked up shyly, hoping that she had not disappointed the figures looming above her.

"I shall explain for you then," Talia smiled approvingly at Alsea. The girl was responding better than she had hoped. As long as no one mentioned anything about her old life, further 'incidents' could be avoided. "You have one major Gift, and several little ones, Alsea. Your major one is the Mage Gift, which gives you the title Herald-Mage. You are one of the first few trainees to come in with the Mage-Gift since Herald Elspeth returned."

Dannyn stepped forward again, kneeling down between Talia and Healer Etienne. "Your minor gifts consist of Empathy, Healing, and a twinge of Firestarting." He winked at her, a little grin playing on his lips. "Just enough to make sure you never need matches again."

Alsea's jaw gaped. How could she, such a small and useless child, have gifts such as these? Had the world gone mad? "You're mad. All of you! How could I have any of these Gifts? I am just just a simple fisher-girl. I'm not I'm not.. Important enough!" she stammered, her words slurring together as she tried to rush them all out at once.

"Oh, nonsense!" Tienne replied flippantly, waving a hand to dismiss all of Alsea's words. "You are a very special girl, Alsea. You are far from simple, youngling, and believe me when I say that you will be remembered." She grinned at Alsea before swiftly turning on her heel, sharply ordering the Heralds out of the room. "I mean it now! Scoot! This child has had a very long day and she needs her rest. Close your mouth, Talia, I believe the Queen wants you."

Alsea smiled wearily, watching the brisk Healer order the Heralds out of her room. Sleep was reaching out for her, but not the eternal sleep of before, just a short rest. "I'm going to be remembered" she breathed and fell into unconsciousness.