Disclaimer: I don't own it.  I wish I did.  Don't sue.  Don't get offended.

Thanks: MOM, I love you.  Tony-o: I know you hate me calling you that, but what the heck and Miss Sharp: for putting up with me.  God Bless.

Cedric

He'd accepted the ladies invitation to dinner after Hoshi had got her head knocked in by her own Companion.  They were fun.  He hadn't gone for this much hilarity in a meal since he'd last gone to the Compass Rose tavern and one of the Blues had 'demonstrated' his latest invention.  He still thought Jayson was banned from ever returning.  This was an entirely different level though, the look on Sophia's face when Hoshi told her that she'd fallen off her own Companion and knocked herself out was positively priceless.

"You what?"

"I fell off."

"She's a Companion, I didn't think it was even possible.  It's not like a regular horse, she wants you to stay on her back."

"Really?"

"Well, that wasn't what I came here for, but anyway.  Congratulations, you're now the apprentice to the Lord Marshal's Herald."

"Yes"

Again, the expression was absolutely priceless.

"I know, I always know, I knew before I came, that's why I came."

"When were you planning to tell us about it?'

"If I'd told you, would it have happened?"

"I… don't… know.  That's a good point.  Do you do this all the time?"

"No, the big things come seldom.  Little things, they always been there.  That's how I learn to live."

"Incredible"

Hoshi shrugged, he could feel the movement against his shoulder, she was so slight in comparison to his awkward bulk, he just wanted to wrap her up in silk and keep her safe.  ' Fat chance' he thought to himself ' she's a Herald, or at least she will be, that's one step away from criminal insanity.  She's going to risk her neck on a regular basis and likely enjoy it too'

"Come.  Here.  Sit.  Eat."

"Thanks" She accepted the bowl of spicy slivered meat and vegetables, proffered by Suki.  "That's incredible.  I never heard of foresight acting like that."

"It does"

Hoshi put her own food down, and turned into Cedric's shoulder.  Worried, he opened up his Othersight.  Reassuringly, his gift told him that there were no complications from the concussion.  He gently snuggled an arm around her and she slowly relaxed into him.  Sophia- first a Herald, second an Empath, and third, Kings Own- did not miss the gesture.  She raised a questioning eyebrow while Suki was chattering about and he caught an unmistakable signal that she wanted him to find her to chat later.

Suki bounced about the room like a rubber ball, she was eating, cleaning, sorting, and chatting all at the same time and never missed a beat.  Her conversation was just as light and frivolous.  There was really little effort involved in making conversation, but it was entertaining nonetheless.  It was easy to see why Hoshi, the epitome of quiet dignity, liked having Suki around.  She was just a blast.  Surprisingly, Sophia hung around for quite a while.  He hadn't pegged the Kings Own for making frivolous conversation on meaningless topics with random servants.

Hoshi had fallen asleep some time ago.  Suki never noticed, she and Sophia were exchanging recipes for whatever tasty morsel she had fixed for dinner that night. Cedric himself wouldn't have brought it up if he hadn't lost the sensation in his arm and had to start flexing his fingers to reacquire sensation. 

"Oh.  Hoshi is asleep!  You did no say.  Give.  I put her to bed."

"That's Ok I don't mind.  Alright, but I got her."

He slowly shifted, so that she was balanced on his lap, then slid both arms underneath and lifted off the sofa.  Suki ran about like a chicken with its head cut off trying to 'get everything ready'. Finally he got both women settled and he and Sophia left for the night.

"Well"

"Well what?"

"You did want to speak to me didn't you?"

"Well yes, but that doesn't necessarily mean now."

"Don't play games with me Herald.  Do you or don't you?"

"Getting a little defensive are we?  Oh very well, you are absolutely right.  We need to chat"

"Then…"

"Get on with it?"

"Yes."

"Alright.  Do you know how old your friend is?"

"More or less"

"How old?"

"Twenty, twenty one- what does it matter?"

"How long has she been doing what she does?"

"As far as I know, forever.  Why?"

"Because the Heraldic Circle won't qualify someone for whites if they're not at least eighteen, maybe more, - Hoshi could pass for thirty or twelve if she wanted to- and secondly because we need to know how much experience she had before she came here if we're going to judge if she's ready to ride circuit around the kingdom."

"Why the heck didn't you just ask her?"

"She was asleep, very comfortably I might add, and I didn't think Suki would quite appreciate personal questions of that particular nature directed towards her only link to family, friends or companionship within a couple hundred kilometers."

"I think you underestimate Suki"

"Perhaps, but I'd rather err on the side of caution.  Speaking of which: I hope you understand what it is your getting yourself into."

"What, because she's a foreigner and she's small, you think I'm going to suddenly take advantage of her?  I'll have you know…"

"That your felling towards her are completely genuine and you have no intention of hurting her in any way, shape, or fashion?  I know that.  I'm an empath remember, and a damn good one.  It's not her I'm worried about it's you."

"What?"

"She's a Herald, or at least she will be, very few Heralds form any type of personal attachment beyond a few night's company.  It's just too difficult.  The job is atrocious, if not horribly dangerous, then incredibly time consuming and extremely dull, if not both.  That's something not many non-Heralds, even many Heralds, understand.  I don't want to see either of you in any way incapacitated by each other.  That's part of my job, to keep all of my Heralds in their game and keep everyone else sane."

"Are you warning me off?"

"No, just making sure you're aware."

"Believe me Herald, I'm aware."