Disclaimer – *sighs wistfully* Sadly, while I love Valdemar, I don't own it :) That all belongs to Mercedes Lackey. However! All those oh-so-interesting characters that have never made an appearance in any of her novels from my chapters (Lyrissa, Jayce, Jesin, Mikel, you know who)… they belong to me ^_^ Of course, you're welcome to use my characters… provided you tell me ;) Since this is my first fanfic, any questions/comments can be sent to dazz1eu@yahoo.com and would be greatly appreciated ^_^ Just don't be too harsh, neh? ;)
~ Chapter 6 ~
Jesin massaged his temples absently as he sat down, trying to assimilate all the information from the past candlemark. "So let me get this straight. Lyrissa managed to Counter-Heal because she was scared?"
::That's right:: responded Need. ::Or didn't it ever occur to you why Trainees aren't supposed to experiment with their Gift until trained? Why there are meditation drills? A lot of Healing is mentality, and Trainees especially can accidentally perform a Counter-Healing with ease::
"I never realized…" Talia trailed off, thoughtful. Indeed, that seemed to be the mood of the room, periodically interrupted by the occasional shrieks and crashes from the room next door where the little gryphlets were playing.
Jesin still had a hard time believing that a sword was talking to him, but he really figured it was not best to argue with a sword. Especially when the sword was making sense.
Healing, Need had revealed, was part emotion, part Gift. After all, not only did Healers physically Heal, but a lot of Healers soothed their patients emotionally as well. That was why there was no such thing as a harsh Healer or a Healer who did not care for his or her patients. It was also the reason why Empathy often showed up as a partner to the Healing Gift.
Thus, all Counter-Healing required was negative emotions. If the person Healing was scared, angry, thinking of death, or anything besides the normal calm a Healer usually feels when performing a Healing, the Healing could easily go awry. Childish nervousness did not count since a Trainee learning how to use his or her gift by then would still at least have an inner confidence that he or she would be able to help the individual at their hands.
And as for battlefield conditions where there were always the tales of the frantic Healer running around? Those Healers still had the inner belief and base confidence required to fuel a proper Healing. They might have been thinking about the death around them, but not focusing on it. In general, once a Healer was trained properly, they would never be able to unconsciously perform a Counter-Healing.
For Lyrissa to turn Counter-Healing upon herself? That was a puzzle that even Need was not sure about the answers to, but if Lyrissa had indeed held very harsh thoughts concerning herself, it was not impossible. There was no such thing as a suicidal Healer either, after all. Maybe the result was exactly what Lyrissa had suffered.
"How is it that a sword knows these things?" Jesin wondered aloud as he contemplated the meaning of the information he had absorbed. "You would think the last thing a sword knows would be about Healing."
::But I was not always a sword:: reminded Need. ::I was a crotchety old woman who made swords for luck and healing and other purposes. A Mage-Smith like myself would not be able to forge such blades if I did not have some of the Gift myself as well as an understanding of it::
"And you still Heal," murmured Nyara, nodding in understanding. "So of course your Gift hasn't fallen into disuse."
"So all we have to do is finish training her?" Jesin asked, a bit in wonder. It seemed too easy, too simple a solution for a Trainee that caused so much havoc in the Healer's Collegium.
"No, I don't think it's that simple," Talia said, shaking her head. "I think we can safely conclude that we have to set her emotions straight first. She…" and now Talia hesitated. "Something had to have happened. Something that causes those flares of pain coupled with… the feeling of deadness that plagued me for weeks till I discovered the source."
"That isss anotherrr quessstion to be asssked," put in Hydona. "The ssshield," she reminded when all eyes turned to her in non-understanding.
Of course, the shield. How could Jesin have managed to let that slip his mind? "That shield is going to make things very difficult," he muttered under his breath. Certainly the understatement of the day! He glanced at Nyara, still holding Need, hoping that the sword could provide an answer.
::I don't know the solution to that one:: replied the gravelly voice gruffly at Jesin's hopeful look. ::I have not heard anything about the sort personally, but I suppose if someone was purposely trying to cut themselves off from everything…::
"I was able to build a shield before I ever properly learned to ground and center…" Talia said thoughtfully, tapping her chin. "I wonder if Lyrissa has learned to do the same thing. Or it could be the fact that her Healing Gift is right now based on an improper core emotion. There's so much about the Healing Gift I don't understand but…" She trailed off with a shrug.
"So we really do need to get her emotions straight," sighed Jesin, feeling a bit drained already. "But we don't know what happened to her, and I don't think anyone does. From what I know, she doesn't talk to anyone, and the reference letter I have is of no assistance. That Healer just couldn't wait to pack her off to Haven."
"I'll try," Talia said decisively. "Shield or no, if I could coax her into revealing what happened, then it would be a start, even if I can't use my Empathy." She frowned a little, brows furrowed in concentration. "Any details you know that could give me somewhere to start?"
"Lyrissa said a name before the first time she collapsed," Jesin said slowly, trying to recall all the details of that hectic day. "I didn't think anything of it at the time, but… maybe it's linked to why she got scared."
"A name is a start, I suppose, along with what it was she was doing to trigger this whole mess," Talia said, nodding. "What name did she give?"
"Jinny," Jesin said, hoping that his memory was serving him correctly. "The name was Jinny."
::Maybe I could have a look at this girl:: added Need, causing her to be the focus of quite a few curious gazes. ::What?:: retorted Need crossly. ::It's not like the Storms have rendered me completely useless::
"Of courrrssse not," chuckled Treyvan in good humor. "Asss if you would everrr let yourrrssself grow ussselessssss."
Just then another crash echoed from the room next door, interrupting Jesin's faint wonder that a sword had just volunteered to help him. Blinking a couple times, he slowly turned towards the gryphons, one eyebrow raised in questioning and head tilted towards the door. "By the way, I was going to ask. What was that wolf creature?"
~~ ^ ~~
For some reason, Cera insisted that Mikel start his day by visiting the Healer Trainee that he had brought in the night before. ::Lyrissa:: he reminded himself as he walked along the corridors of the patient's area. ::That "Healer Trainee" has a name – Lyrissa::
It took a while for Mikel to figure out where it was that she was located, but eventually he found the small room to the side. He poked his head in cautiously. All seemed quiet, the chirping of the birds muted through the walls with the only person present being the one sleeping upon the bed.
He paused just inside the door. ::Remind me again why I'm here?::
::Because even though you keep complaining about it being too early, you know you wanted to make sure she was doing fine before getting caught up with everything else:: responded Cera cheerfully. ::Now go ahead and check up on her, she won't bite::
::Couldn't I have visited at a later time?:: Mikel asked plaintively, before stepping in all the way.
Indeed, the figure on the bed did not even stir as Mikel cautiously crossed over to Lyrissa's bedside. Admittedly, he had been concerned and had only been able to sleep due to sheer exhaustion. Yet, even in dreams, she was still present. His dreams had recalled the first time he had seen her in the patient room. How his world had narrowed to only two colors, losing all life. It had been a taste of what this girl was going through, Mikel figured, and the nagging feeling that something was terribly wrong was what had actually driven Mikel back today. Cera might have nagged him to come here, but Mikel had been perfectly willing to be nagged.
Perhaps some of his worries actually had basis. The poor girl looked like she had been wrung and hung out to dry; she was pale, her breathing shallow, but at least there was no sign on the fever that had burned Mikel's hand.
"What caused you so much pain?" Mikel murmured out loud, shaking his head. A whisper of noise from the window caused Mikel to glance curiously over his shoulder.
The Companion was back again.
~~ ^ ~~
Jayce watched as Mikel walked back out of the room. Cera's Chosen had held his gaze for some time, a contemplative gaze on his face as he had studied Jayce. Eventually, he had strode out of the room, presumably to return to his regular duties.
::Having fun?:: asked a bright cheerful voice.
::Perhaps:: Jayce responded, eyes still not leaving the room as he felt the approach of his older sister.
::You like that word too much:: Cera quipped, causing Jayce to whicker with amusement.
::Perhaps:: he replied, purposely this time, before reluctantly taking his eyes off the slumbering figure in the bed.
Cera glanced into the room for a moment before shaking her mane. ::She won't rouse for a while. All her energy, physical and non, are used up at the moment::
::Don't I know it:: responded Jayce evenly, looking at his sister curiously.
Although they were siblings, they hardly had matching personalities. Cera was always bubbly and bright, usually making a joke out of things. Jayce, on the other hand, was more serious. He spent a great deal of time contemplating over things that Cera often dismissed as a waste of time. Every time the two actually did spend time together, Jayce was bound to bring up his newest contemplation, which Cera would inevitably dismiss in one way or the other.
Of course, considering all Companions were actually reborn Heralds, being siblings was almost superficial.
::So is she yours?:: Cera tossed her head in the general direction of the window.
::That depends:: Jayce responded vaguely.
::Depends?!:: Now Cera's voice took on a shocked tone. ::Brother dear, there is no depends when it comes to Choosing. She either is or she isn't!::
Jayce did not respond at first, pawing the ground idly. Finally he responded, ::Do you ever think about your past life?::
::Oh sure:: Cera responded flippantly, used to her brother's queer questions. ::Not that I remember much, but enough::
::I find it odd:: Jayce replied, turning around to gaze up at the sky. ::I mean, here we are, having already lived a life and now living a new one. We're hardly perfect, though we're supposed to use our knowledge to help our Chosen. We still make mistakes, still get into mischief when young::
Cera could certainly remember all sorts of trouble she used to cause as a foal, but decided not to mention anything about that. ::Well, it's not like we remember everything right away::
::True:: Jayce glanced back at the window. ::But so many things have changed. Do you think they are ready for her?::
::They will have to be:: Cera pointed out brightly. ::Besides, with everything changing as rapidly as it is, one little Healer-Mage won't rock the boat::
::And Herald:: Jayce replied absently, watching the rise and fall of the sheets as Lyrissa continued to slumber. ::Healer, Mage, and Herald::
~ Yes, Need actually does know about Counter-Healing =) If you take the time to flip through Winds of Change, you'll see it as a passing reference in a memory she gives to Nyara. Anyhow, the mystery is slowly unravelling! ^_^ Reviews are always appreciated =) Thanks to those who have already left your mark! Chapter 7 coming soon ;) ~