Oh-Shoot-Me-Now
Part Four: Kestra'chern
By:Lynn Osburn
((Yes I realise they didn't have thermometers back then! Sheesh!!))
If the word Karsite was cirtianly more then adequit to rouse some rather important heads from their pillows. Within moments, Selenay and Talamir, as well as a few of the more prestigiouse Heralds had managed to gather in Companion's Feild. Typically, somthing of this magnitude would have warrented a Council Meeting, but at the moment, no one was sure of how to make this into a sutible statment.
"Well it isn't as though we don't already have one Karsite amoungst us. " A Herald by the name of Grethsala spoke up. "Alberich is a bit on the crude side by he is cirtianly no danger to us. He has long since proven his usfulness and loyalty to Valdemar and her Queen." Gresthsala wrapped her cowl closer and brushed the fallling snow from her eyes.
"Greth, there is no doubt that the girl will be accepted into the Collegium, she has been Chosen, and Companions don't Choose wrong." Selenay spoke and sighed, sitting down on the feild. If this had been a Council Meeting, she would not have acted so relaxed. "Yes, she is Karsite, but Talamir has informed me that is only half of her liniage. Her mother, apparently, was of Valdemar."
"A Valdemar/Karsite couple?" Another Herald spoke.
"Not out of love I assure you. We have long known that occasional raids happen near the Borders and people, especially women, are carried off. Apparently her mother was one of those stolen." Talamir spoke with no small amount of disgust about their enemys. "The girl was born into a harem of sorts and the master of the household sold her mother soon afterwards. All of this has been relayed to me via Rolan and Kalieck's own Companion Trams."
"So why then are we out here in the middle of the night freezing out ass's off?" Another voice, more masculin, spoke out.
"Because there is one more little difficulty behind our newest Trainee." Selenay looked around to make sure that the attention was focused on her alone. "We need to know, if any of you have the slightest idea as to how to train a kestra'chern."
For a full minuet, there was absolute silence.
"I suppose I should take that as a no." Selenay sighed. She had figured as much. "Well for once my dearest friends we seem to be at a loss. I cirtianly have no idea as to where to begin."
"We begin in the same place we do with all Trainee's..." Dean Elcarth's distinguished voice spoke up. "By providing a strong, warm enviroment for young Kalieck and bringing her to trust us with enthusiasm. I was tolds by Jessl just a few moments ago that Kalieck has the touch of a Healing gift inside her. We will take that into consideration while schedualing her classes."
"It might not be a bad idea to try and get some of the Healers in on her training. "Talamir noted and closed his eyes in thought. "Elcarth...start research in the library and see if you can fish up any old tales as far as kestra'cherns go."
"Start looking for somthing about the Mage Wars, before the time of Valdemar."Selenay stood up suddenly. "Even if you have to pull out nursery rhyms about them. Try to keep an eye out for the name Amberdrake."
"Amberdrake...I can recall somthing about him from a book or two when I was younger." Herald Farthkalriss spoke out.
"Yes, we all have."Selenay began directing people in and out. With no real direction to work in, they'd have to do the best they could with the materieal offered. Maybe it wasn't the most sure thing, but at the moment, it was the most practical. The library contained within the palace was a well of information and if they could ever hope to find their resources, it would be there. "Supposedly, before Valdemar was ever founded, there was a great war between two opposing Mages. Amberdrake played no large role in the war itself, but was one of the most revered Healers in the encampment."
"So is that what a kestra'chern is? A Healer?"
"Of sorts...truth be told noone save for another kestra'chern truly knows what a kestra'chern is. "Talamir bowed his head and appeared deep in though. "We will do the same with Kalieck as we do with the other, train what we know about. Since kestra'chern apparently have some sort of gift, we allow Healers in on her training, give their own imput on the situation. And above all else, we let her have all the time she needs with Trams. He will know better then anyone else how to deal with whatever we miss."
"Of course."Selenay nodded, even though her eyes still showed discontent. It seemed like things were being sorted out too easily. She had little doubt that a few research and Healer influence would solve what promised to be quite a problem. But still, she'd promised her husband to be back before midnight, and he'd become angry with her if she didn't, and then she'd have to listen to him bitch about how lonesom she kept him. Even with the issue unsettlingly resolved, Selenay was in no mood to put up with him tonight. "Very well then. we will disscuss things further when the time permits. " she wrapped her cloak firmly about her shoulders and dissapeared into Companion's Feild, presumably to seek out her Companion.
One by one, the other members of the meeting dissapeared into the heavy snow fall, fading out like ghosts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Something was wrapping it's arms around her, holding her close and whispering soft words of comfort.There was the faint smell of Oleander about her and she could feel warmpth seeping into her body. Something inside her was growing, becoming ready to...To what?*
Kalieck snapped awak too quickly and rubbed her head, trying to get ride of the headache that came from sleeping too hard. 'I thought he said that potion removed dreams?' She grimaced and noticed the cup of tea still warm beside her bed. She could still feel the silky wraps of something about her arms and wished desperatly that she hadn't woken before the dream ended. It irked her to find that,as familer as the dream seemed, she couldn't remember anything more the the faintest feeling of comfort.
The tea helped push the throbbing of her head back and Kalieck walked over to the window. Even through the glass she could feel the cold air seeping through. the overhand of the window had small iceicles hanging off the edge which covered the world in bubbles as she looked through them. The snow had fallen again the over night and had blanketed the ground with a clean sheet. Kalieck couldn't understand how so many people could find the scean depressing. To her it was no less beautiful then a peice of painted glass of a pearl earing. She smiled and looked for Trams.
Within seconds she spoted him, though she had no idea how. Not only was it near impossible to see a whit horse in snow, but Companion's looked identical. It was more of...a feeling she got. Looking at him was no less then looking into her own soul, and she simply could tell that out of all the Companion's out there, the one with his head turned slightly away and his thoughts on a sweet young mare was Trams.
Before she'd even finished her thought, the white head turned towards her and Trams trotted over and out of the feild. Within seconds he had found a way around to her window and she wrestled with the clasp a moment.Windows were useually kept closed during these months so as to prevent cold air chilling the patients. Within a few moment's she'd managed to open the glass and greated her Companion with a pet on his snout. By nature the cold air didn't bother her much, beside's she'd taken the blanket with her.
:You did not sleep well Kali, I could feel you troubled by something.: Trams nudged her hand gently and she simply sighed.
"Strange dreams did I recieve. Troubled they were not, simply unexplanable. The tea gave me an ache in my head." she complained and explaned what she could remember of the dream to Trams.
:It does seem weird. But I don't think it's anything to be worried about. You didn't see anything that could be considered Forsight or even a mild premonition.If I were you I'd just relax until your brought breakfast. Afterwards we'll go down to the Herald Collegium and get you properly registered and introduced.: As if on cue, the door was opened and a young female Healer walked in.
"My Gods child what are you doing?" she set down the hefty tary she'd been carrying and rushed over to the window. She shooed at Trams and rushed a protesting Kalieck back to bed. "It is beyond me why you'd open a window for someone you can speak to with mindspeech! And with as cold as this winter's been you haven't the good sense to dress yourself before exiting the bed!" Of course none of it was ment personally. Healers were Healers and could always be trusted to insult you and your brainlessness with the best of intentions.
Kalieck fussed as she was prodded and poked and felt especially indignant when her temperature was taken.Trams simply rested outside the window, mindspeaking with her now and then as to what kind of a ruckus she'd caused. Kalieck couldn't understand how such a fuss could be caused over her and voiced her opinion. :Well it's not specifically over you my little Chosen, but rather over your abilitys. See, we don't quite know how to train you yet.:
Kalieck finally managed to shove the nurse away, the feeling of anothers hand on her had become uncomfrotable. It took a moment but finally to woman left her with a tray of luke warm eggs and some breakfast tea as well as toast and jam. "I don't understand this? What of all difficultys could my ability bring a Herald?"
:Kali...do you know what a kestra-chern is?: The half Karsite shook her head solomly.Trams gave a mental sigh and tried to explane as best he could. :A kestra'chern is something between a Healer, a mage, and a Herald. No thats not the best of terms for it, but it'll have to do for now. A kestra'chern often has rather unique abilitys involving mind magic and Healer magic,sort of a strange combination between the two. Think of them as Healer's of the soul.:
"A priest?" There was a note of fear in Kalieck's voice and Trams knew why. Back when she was a baby, the wives had made terrible threats to give her to the Sun Priest's if she disobeyed. "It is a priest that I am?"
:No no! Not like that Kali! Something deeper...so much deeper then that. You are able to sooth the mind, the body, and the heart of a person. Your magic is somthing that no one has seen for century upon century. In troubled times such as these, your gifts could become quite useful.:
"Yet you still speak as though problems are nigh." She tossed her blond hair and searched for somthing to get it out of her face with. Discovering a band in the drawer beside her bed, she wrapped it up and went back to her Companion. "Why is it that you speak so?"
:Because we don't know how to train you yet.Dean Elcarth wants to have a look at you, as does Talamir. We're intending to start you off in the regular classes and then see how things go from that point.:Tram's nudged her hand gently in a parental fashion. :All will be well little one. I Chose you, and no matter what you see or hear from others, Companion's do not Chose wrong!:With that he turned and galloped away, leaving her brood over what he ment by that.
Part Four: Kestra'chern
By:Lynn Osburn
((Yes I realise they didn't have thermometers back then! Sheesh!!))
If the word Karsite was cirtianly more then adequit to rouse some rather important heads from their pillows. Within moments, Selenay and Talamir, as well as a few of the more prestigiouse Heralds had managed to gather in Companion's Feild. Typically, somthing of this magnitude would have warrented a Council Meeting, but at the moment, no one was sure of how to make this into a sutible statment.
"Well it isn't as though we don't already have one Karsite amoungst us. " A Herald by the name of Grethsala spoke up. "Alberich is a bit on the crude side by he is cirtianly no danger to us. He has long since proven his usfulness and loyalty to Valdemar and her Queen." Gresthsala wrapped her cowl closer and brushed the fallling snow from her eyes.
"Greth, there is no doubt that the girl will be accepted into the Collegium, she has been Chosen, and Companions don't Choose wrong." Selenay spoke and sighed, sitting down on the feild. If this had been a Council Meeting, she would not have acted so relaxed. "Yes, she is Karsite, but Talamir has informed me that is only half of her liniage. Her mother, apparently, was of Valdemar."
"A Valdemar/Karsite couple?" Another Herald spoke.
"Not out of love I assure you. We have long known that occasional raids happen near the Borders and people, especially women, are carried off. Apparently her mother was one of those stolen." Talamir spoke with no small amount of disgust about their enemys. "The girl was born into a harem of sorts and the master of the household sold her mother soon afterwards. All of this has been relayed to me via Rolan and Kalieck's own Companion Trams."
"So why then are we out here in the middle of the night freezing out ass's off?" Another voice, more masculin, spoke out.
"Because there is one more little difficulty behind our newest Trainee." Selenay looked around to make sure that the attention was focused on her alone. "We need to know, if any of you have the slightest idea as to how to train a kestra'chern."
For a full minuet, there was absolute silence.
"I suppose I should take that as a no." Selenay sighed. She had figured as much. "Well for once my dearest friends we seem to be at a loss. I cirtianly have no idea as to where to begin."
"We begin in the same place we do with all Trainee's..." Dean Elcarth's distinguished voice spoke up. "By providing a strong, warm enviroment for young Kalieck and bringing her to trust us with enthusiasm. I was tolds by Jessl just a few moments ago that Kalieck has the touch of a Healing gift inside her. We will take that into consideration while schedualing her classes."
"It might not be a bad idea to try and get some of the Healers in on her training. "Talamir noted and closed his eyes in thought. "Elcarth...start research in the library and see if you can fish up any old tales as far as kestra'cherns go."
"Start looking for somthing about the Mage Wars, before the time of Valdemar."Selenay stood up suddenly. "Even if you have to pull out nursery rhyms about them. Try to keep an eye out for the name Amberdrake."
"Amberdrake...I can recall somthing about him from a book or two when I was younger." Herald Farthkalriss spoke out.
"Yes, we all have."Selenay began directing people in and out. With no real direction to work in, they'd have to do the best they could with the materieal offered. Maybe it wasn't the most sure thing, but at the moment, it was the most practical. The library contained within the palace was a well of information and if they could ever hope to find their resources, it would be there. "Supposedly, before Valdemar was ever founded, there was a great war between two opposing Mages. Amberdrake played no large role in the war itself, but was one of the most revered Healers in the encampment."
"So is that what a kestra'chern is? A Healer?"
"Of sorts...truth be told noone save for another kestra'chern truly knows what a kestra'chern is. "Talamir bowed his head and appeared deep in though. "We will do the same with Kalieck as we do with the other, train what we know about. Since kestra'chern apparently have some sort of gift, we allow Healers in on her training, give their own imput on the situation. And above all else, we let her have all the time she needs with Trams. He will know better then anyone else how to deal with whatever we miss."
"Of course."Selenay nodded, even though her eyes still showed discontent. It seemed like things were being sorted out too easily. She had little doubt that a few research and Healer influence would solve what promised to be quite a problem. But still, she'd promised her husband to be back before midnight, and he'd become angry with her if she didn't, and then she'd have to listen to him bitch about how lonesom she kept him. Even with the issue unsettlingly resolved, Selenay was in no mood to put up with him tonight. "Very well then. we will disscuss things further when the time permits. " she wrapped her cloak firmly about her shoulders and dissapeared into Companion's Feild, presumably to seek out her Companion.
One by one, the other members of the meeting dissapeared into the heavy snow fall, fading out like ghosts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Something was wrapping it's arms around her, holding her close and whispering soft words of comfort.There was the faint smell of Oleander about her and she could feel warmpth seeping into her body. Something inside her was growing, becoming ready to...To what?*
Kalieck snapped awak too quickly and rubbed her head, trying to get ride of the headache that came from sleeping too hard. 'I thought he said that potion removed dreams?' She grimaced and noticed the cup of tea still warm beside her bed. She could still feel the silky wraps of something about her arms and wished desperatly that she hadn't woken before the dream ended. It irked her to find that,as familer as the dream seemed, she couldn't remember anything more the the faintest feeling of comfort.
The tea helped push the throbbing of her head back and Kalieck walked over to the window. Even through the glass she could feel the cold air seeping through. the overhand of the window had small iceicles hanging off the edge which covered the world in bubbles as she looked through them. The snow had fallen again the over night and had blanketed the ground with a clean sheet. Kalieck couldn't understand how so many people could find the scean depressing. To her it was no less beautiful then a peice of painted glass of a pearl earing. She smiled and looked for Trams.
Within seconds she spoted him, though she had no idea how. Not only was it near impossible to see a whit horse in snow, but Companion's looked identical. It was more of...a feeling she got. Looking at him was no less then looking into her own soul, and she simply could tell that out of all the Companion's out there, the one with his head turned slightly away and his thoughts on a sweet young mare was Trams.
Before she'd even finished her thought, the white head turned towards her and Trams trotted over and out of the feild. Within seconds he had found a way around to her window and she wrestled with the clasp a moment.Windows were useually kept closed during these months so as to prevent cold air chilling the patients. Within a few moment's she'd managed to open the glass and greated her Companion with a pet on his snout. By nature the cold air didn't bother her much, beside's she'd taken the blanket with her.
:You did not sleep well Kali, I could feel you troubled by something.: Trams nudged her hand gently and she simply sighed.
"Strange dreams did I recieve. Troubled they were not, simply unexplanable. The tea gave me an ache in my head." she complained and explaned what she could remember of the dream to Trams.
:It does seem weird. But I don't think it's anything to be worried about. You didn't see anything that could be considered Forsight or even a mild premonition.If I were you I'd just relax until your brought breakfast. Afterwards we'll go down to the Herald Collegium and get you properly registered and introduced.: As if on cue, the door was opened and a young female Healer walked in.
"My Gods child what are you doing?" she set down the hefty tary she'd been carrying and rushed over to the window. She shooed at Trams and rushed a protesting Kalieck back to bed. "It is beyond me why you'd open a window for someone you can speak to with mindspeech! And with as cold as this winter's been you haven't the good sense to dress yourself before exiting the bed!" Of course none of it was ment personally. Healers were Healers and could always be trusted to insult you and your brainlessness with the best of intentions.
Kalieck fussed as she was prodded and poked and felt especially indignant when her temperature was taken.Trams simply rested outside the window, mindspeaking with her now and then as to what kind of a ruckus she'd caused. Kalieck couldn't understand how such a fuss could be caused over her and voiced her opinion. :Well it's not specifically over you my little Chosen, but rather over your abilitys. See, we don't quite know how to train you yet.:
Kalieck finally managed to shove the nurse away, the feeling of anothers hand on her had become uncomfrotable. It took a moment but finally to woman left her with a tray of luke warm eggs and some breakfast tea as well as toast and jam. "I don't understand this? What of all difficultys could my ability bring a Herald?"
:Kali...do you know what a kestra-chern is?: The half Karsite shook her head solomly.Trams gave a mental sigh and tried to explane as best he could. :A kestra'chern is something between a Healer, a mage, and a Herald. No thats not the best of terms for it, but it'll have to do for now. A kestra'chern often has rather unique abilitys involving mind magic and Healer magic,sort of a strange combination between the two. Think of them as Healer's of the soul.:
"A priest?" There was a note of fear in Kalieck's voice and Trams knew why. Back when she was a baby, the wives had made terrible threats to give her to the Sun Priest's if she disobeyed. "It is a priest that I am?"
:No no! Not like that Kali! Something deeper...so much deeper then that. You are able to sooth the mind, the body, and the heart of a person. Your magic is somthing that no one has seen for century upon century. In troubled times such as these, your gifts could become quite useful.:
"Yet you still speak as though problems are nigh." She tossed her blond hair and searched for somthing to get it out of her face with. Discovering a band in the drawer beside her bed, she wrapped it up and went back to her Companion. "Why is it that you speak so?"
:Because we don't know how to train you yet.Dean Elcarth wants to have a look at you, as does Talamir. We're intending to start you off in the regular classes and then see how things go from that point.:Tram's nudged her hand gently in a parental fashion. :All will be well little one. I Chose you, and no matter what you see or hear from others, Companion's do not Chose wrong!:With that he turned and galloped away, leaving her brood over what he ment by that.