Okay everyone, I just want to apologize in advance for the shortness of this chapter. It's kind of a half-explanation, and a little insight into Seraphim's character, as well as Lani, Meriol & Tessin. Yeah. Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad everyone likes it! (I'm gonna' keep writing because if it, even though writing from a Companion's point-of-view is INCREDIBLY hard!)
Anyway, as always I don't own Valdemar or any of the inhabitants of Valdemar, or any
of the surrounding countries. I guess I claim credit for any original characters, but that's it, ne? If
you wanna use any of my original characters; Seraphim (read the story to find out what happens
before writing about her, if you want to)....Lani....Meriol....Tessin....Celeste (she appears later
on)....Guardell or Yeo (they're only in Angel Wings for a bit, but I'd like a story about Yeo.
Does someone want to write about her??)....any other original characters....anyhow, you get the
idea, right?
:No.:
:What?:
:No.: Mother repeated, stamping a front hoof against the grass. :Just NO!:
:You-: I blinked several times, trying to understand where she was coming from. She was saying no? She was saying no. She couldn't say no....could she? :Mother, it's not up to you! You've told me hundreds of times about how you can't ignore your Calling- a-about how you traveled to find Inis when you were Called....how can you tell me....I have to-:
:No!: She shook her mane in emphasis; :it's different for you.:
I stared. She's forbidding me to go on my CHOOSING JOURNEY?!
The argument had begun shortly after my blackout; I stood up, shook myself awake, announced that I Felt the Calling, and Mother started into me. The others who had originally crowded around had dispersed with the exception of Mother, Gwena and Rolan. Lani and Meriol, good friends as they were, had even left; Rolan had chased them away.
I got the feeling I was in for a 'talk'.
....and Mother was saying I couldn't go on my Choosing Journey. She was adamantly FORBIDDING me to go! I was torn between shock, anger, and outrage; the Calling inside of me was pulling me in several directions at once....the strongest of which was in the direction of a bordering country....
I was horribly confused.
Anger....
Shock....
Outrage....
Anger? Shock? Outrage?
Anger won.
:NO?: I shrieked, digging my hooves into the ground. I glared at her and snorted, gritting my molars together almost audibly. Gwena winced at the tone in my Voice and Rolan's nose twitched. Mother blinked in shock. :NO?! You can't tell me no! It's MY CHOOSING JOURNEY, damn you! THERE IS NO CHOICE, HERE-!:
:Seraphim-!:
:NO, Mother!: I snapped, my Voice dying down to a harsh whisper. :I'm old enough to take care of myself now! I can Feel the soul I'm supposed to Choose. I can FEEL it....: I trailed off, inspecting the odd sensations inside of myself. :There's danger, Mother. There's danger and....I have to....I'm going. Wings or no wings, I'm going.:
There was a long silence from Mother, and both Gwena and Rolan waited for her response before making one of their own.
:S-Seraphim, I'm just-:
:Just what, Mother? Just trying to keep me from my Choice?:
:I just want-:
:Tell me, Mother,: I sighed, :if someone had said you couldn't go when you were Called, would you have listened to them? Mother? Would you have given up Inis?:
:I-: she stopped, suddenly, then; :no. Sera, no, I wouldn't. Not for anything. I would have walked through the Nine Hells to find him in the first place. No one could have kept me from him.:
:Exactly.: I nodded. :Exactly.:
Mother didn't say anything more. She stood for a moment, staring down at the grass, and then- without a word and with her eyes turned downward- turned and walked away. Her tail swayed behind her, and I had never seen her look so despondent....
I felt badly, really. I had never been in a fight with Mother before, and I hoped to never fight with her again. But....there was no way I was letting her keep me from my Choice. There was NO WAY. Now I knew....I knew what she had meant- what everyone had meant- when they had told me about the Calling. There was no denying it. The pull at my heart and soul was too great to ignore....
:Seraphim.: Rolan said sternly, interrupting my thoughts, :you know the dangers of going out to Choose....:
I nodded. I did know. But what-?
:-before you go,: Gwena added, picking up after Rolan trailed off, :....Rolan and I have decided that we want you to speak with someone. We decided a long time ago, actually, that should your Calling arrive we wished you to speak with her....:
:Who?: I wondered.
Gwena paused, and Rolan said; :Elspeth.:
:We want you to speak with my Chosen.:
I was surprised. Gwena's Chosen? Why?
:Wh-:
:We have some....ideas that she will be able to explain. Also, I believe that she should check your wings for magic.: Gwena interrupted me, :this would mean not only Speaking with her, but showing her your wings....:
My confusion must have been evident, as both of them chuckled mentally.
:But you always told me not to show anyone my-:
Rolan mentally shrugged off the last of my sentence. :We....will allow you to go on your Choosing Journey, but only should you consent to speaking with Elspeth- and possibly Darkwind, who knows more about the Changeling Magic than anyone we can think of.:
:Changeling Magic? What does that have to do with-?:
:Will you meet with her?: Gwena asked.
I had always been told to never under ANY circumstances show my wings to anyone; when I was little, I hadn't understood why. But as I grew older, I came to understand the importance of hiding my differences from the other Companions. They wouldn't have understood....and as I couldn't show the other Companions, I had taken it for granted that I couldn't show any Humans- even the Heralds. And now they were telling me to give away my biggest secret....
I know that Elspeth is trustworthy, but....
The paranoia about my wings was hard to let go of....
....but how could I not meet with Gwena's Chosen? She and Rolan wouldn't let me leave on my Choosing Journey if I didn't....
:Seraphim, you said you sensed danger?: Gwena asked, :would you care to explain that to us?:
:Hm?: I wasn't expecting the question and it took me a moment to form an answer. :It's just that,: I told her, :I sense....danger....I think the soul I'm destined to be with is in danger....I'm afraid of what might happen is I don't hurry to Karse.:
:Karse?: Rolan demanded sharply; :your Calling is directing you to Karse?:
:I think, yes.:
:Oh my.: Gwena sighed.
:What? We're on friendly terms with Karse now-:
:Yes, now we are.: Rolan agreed thoughtfully, :but that doesn't mean that Companions and Heralds are welcomed openly in the country....especially in the bordering towns, there is no tolerance of we- White Devils, as they refer to us.:
:Those in the capitol know of the changes,: Gwena explained, :but the less-educated populace is still largely unaware. Also, the Priests still will not accept that we are anything less than Demons.:
I was taken aback. :What do I do?:
:First,: Gwena sighed, sounding worried; :you really need to talk to Elspeth.: