I don't own Heralds, Valdemar, Companions....the only thing I can claim in this story as my own are the personalities of the characters themselves. I'm just going to mention Seraphim and Lani this time, 'cause Sera and Lani are the two character who've been developed at all at this point. I guess I own their personalities, but since they're Companions....jeez, this is complicated....
Okay, so I took a little time in between the last chapter and this one....sorry, but I have a
bunch of other fics on the go right now so I'm working on them as well. Anyway, here's the next
chapter of "Angel Wings". Sorry to anyone who's been waiting!
I fidgeted, swishing my tail in agitation; it was a habit I had acquired years ago and never really gotten over. I stamped a hoof lightly against the grass. I flicked my forelock out of my eyes, only to have it fall back again. I tossed my mane over to the opposite side of my neck. My eyes traveled around the Grove. Trees, leaves, twigs, grass.... I sighed, blowing my breath out in a huff. My tail swished again.
Okay, so I was nervous.
But in all honesty, wouldn't you be, too? I was about to meet with one of the most powerful Herald-Mages in Valdemar, and both Gwena and Rolan expected me to not only Mindspeak her, but show her my wings, which was something I'd had practically beaten into me that I NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES do.
Plus, I'd been standing there for a while, and I never liked to be kept waiting.
It was damned annoying, to my way of thinking.
:Seraphim, are you in there?:
Gwena's Voice.
Finally!
I nodded mentally. :Of course. Where else would I be?:
:Good. We're coming in.:
:Oh joy.:
Rustling followed Gwena's announcement and she appeared through the trees, her Chosen at her side. A man that I recognized as Darkwind was following them, a few feet back, and on his shoulder sat what I had to assume was his Bondbird. Vree? Hm. Yes, I thought I recalled that being it's name.
His. I corrected myself silently, Darkwind's bird is a him.
Where had I heard that? From Lani? No, Lani had very little to do with any humans who didn't groom her. She wasn't antisocial, she just preferred the company of other Companions. Of course, that would change when she went off on her Choosing Journey....but if it wasn't Lani, who had I heard it from? Meriol? Mother? Maybe....
Ah, it didn't matter. What MATTERED was that I was standing in the middle of the Grove- THE Grove- watching these two humans, a Herald-Mage who had at one time been Valdemar's heir, and her lover, the man who had helped to bring True Magic back to our country....the people who, along with a few others, had killed Ancar and driven his forces back from our borders....
I was a little in awe.
I shook myself slightly, bringing my mind back to where it should be. They're just people. I chided myself, don't stand there with your eyes bugging out or they'll think you're mentally unbalanced.
If Lani had been there she would have said 'they'd be right'.
Damn her and her sense of humor.
"Seraphim, I presume?"
:Huh?: I blinked and looked at Elspeth. :Um....yes. But-:
:Sera?: Gwena's Mind tapped mine. :If you're going to talk to them, you can't Shield your Voice.:
:Shield my-:
Oh yeah. I had forgotten to take my Shields down. They couldn't Hear me if I didn't. I must have been more flustered by the whole situation than I first thought. In front of me, Gwena nickered softly, the Companion version of a giggle (to which Elspeth gave her a somewhat-confused look) and I had to stop myself for glaring. Not that glaring would have done any good....
I took my Shields down with a suffering sigh and began anew.
:I'm Seraphim, yes.: I confirmed, :but I go by Sera. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Elspeth, Master Darkwind.:
Whoa. When had I snapped into formal mode?
Gwena was giggling again.
"Such formalities-" Darkwind chuckled.
"-are not needed." Elspeth shook her head, "just Elspeth and Darkwind are fine. I gave up the titles and-" a pause then; "MOST of the formality when I renounced the throne." She shrugged, "in any case, it's nice to meet you, too, Sera."
:Vree too!: Darkwind's bird cocked it's head to the side and regarded me with one piercing eye, then bobbed it's head twice. A greeting? I was a little surprised, I must say. :Nice meet!:
:Um, it's nice to meet you too. I guess.:
:Pretty horse.:
My natural response was 'I'm NOT a HORSE!' but I could tell by the simple sentences that Vree had much the same mental capacity as a young human child- or, for that matter, a young Companion foal. I settled for something that I was sure he would be able to understand, even while both Darkwind and Elspeth (not to mention Gwena, who hadn't stopped laughing to herself ever since the first giggle, and, in my opinion, was being VERY juvenile about the whole thing) watched our interplay with amusement.
:Thanks.:
Vree looked supremely pleased with himself. :All good.:
Darkwind reached a hand up to scratch Vree's breast feathers.
:Good.: The bird repeated, looking at him expectantly. :Hunt now?:
"Not now." Darkwind shook his head, "later."
I hadn't known that Bondbirds would whine, but that was precisely what Vree did before fluttering his wings in a shrug and suggesting something else to pass the time. :Bother Aya?: His Voice had taken on a mischievous tone that made Darkwind chuckle.
"I suppose." The man nodded to his excited friend. "Go." And then, looking straight into Vree's golden eyes; "meet back home."
If Vree could have shouted 'yay!' I don't doubt he would have done just that. Instead he made a happy chirping noise and hopped down Darkwind's arm to his wrist, then winged away through the clearing to disappear, after his bondmate had given him a shove into the air.
"Now," Elspeth sighed, turning back to me. "Where were we?"
:Ahem.: Gwena mentally cleared her throat. :I told you that Sera has something to show you that may seem....odd....Rolan and I wanted the two of you to see before she leaves on her Choosing Journey. We thought that you would be best able to explain it.:
"It?"
:Go on Sera.:
Well, this was it. My heart pounded. What if they saw my wings, thought I was a Demon, and struck me down right then and there? They were Mages, they could do it, right? Not likely. Even though I couldn't stop myself from thinking it, I knew it wasn't going to happen. Mages they were, yes, but they- or Elspeth, at least, was a Herald. Heralds simply did NOT do things like that.
....did they?
Of course not.
A took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and strained the muscles in my shoulders.
A flash of white, a puff of soft feathers.
My wings were out in all their glory.
My eyes were still closed and I listened carefully.
Silence.
:Sera, it's okay. You can open your eyes, you know.:
It was clear by Gwena's tone of voice that she thought I was being silly. So? I was allowed. This was the single most important moment in my life so far- excluding my actual BIRTH and the Calling. Okay, it was actually the third most important moment in my life....
I cracked my eyes open.
Gwena was looking at her Chosen expectantly. Elspeth, however, was ignoring her. Both herself and Darkwind were staring, wide-eyed, at my wings. Speechlessness appeared to be going around, as both of them attempted to say something and found themselves without words for a long moment or two.
:Well-?:
Elspeth took a step forward, one hand raised in front of her. "By the Bright Lady...."
:This is what Rolan and I wanted you to see.:
"I can see now what you meant by 'odd'." Darkwind's voice was low. "Though, that single word fails to capture the- complexity- of what I'm currently feeling. Elspeth-" his eyes went to her, "-is there not a Valdemarian legend-?"
"Hm." Elspeth nodded slightly in agreement. "Windrider."
I blinked. Why didn't I know that they were talking about? I thought I'd known all of Valdemar's legends, but that particular one wasn't familiar to me. Maybe I should have paid more attention to the Elders when they were lecturing me on history, but I was pretty young at the time....how could I have known?
:That's precisely what Rolan and I were thinking.: Gwena told Elspeth, :but we wanted Darkwind to be here to check for Changeling Magic, in case it turns out to be something in that train of thought. Darkwind-?:
Darkwind nodded and looked at me closely.
I had to assume he was using his MageSight on me, and to tell you the truth, it kind of creeped me out; it was silly, I know, but somehow it felt like he was looking INSIDE me as opposed to AT me. Like it was possible to actually peer into another creature's soul? I knew it wasn't possible. Or, I knew it wasn't LIKELY.
"Nothing." A long minute later he sighed. "Or, nothing along the lines of Changeling Magic." He frowned, thinking; "however the aura surrounding Sera is more than the aura surrounding a normal Companion. Her shine rivals yours, Gwena."
:What?: Gwena seemed taken aback, :but only myself and Rolan have a shine like that, and we're both Grove Born. How can Sera have the same aura and I do? She's NOT Grove Born, I can tell you that for sure.:
:Because you were there?: I asked softly.
:Exactly.:
"Well...." Elspeth seemed to have snapped out of her stupor and was considering the options. "Gwena- and before I ask this, don't tell me that you can't say anything, because I know that you CAN- tell me if Companions can be reborn; reincarnated, I mean."
Gwena heaved a sigh, :yes.:
The former-heir turned to me. "Do you know the story of Windrider?"
:Unfortunately, no.: I replied, folding my wings back against my sides. :I don't.:
Elspeth watched loose feathers from my- oddities- float across the grass, though there was no wind. That had always confounded me; how could the feathers that my wings shed be continually shifting in the wind, even when there was none? They seemed to have a magic of their own, in a small way. If you looked at them closely, you might notice that the tufts of white never REALLY touched the ground at all, but floated a minute way above it....
"The actual tale of Windrider is shrouded in mystery and is very vague. All that's really known about him is that he was Companion to the Valdemar's heir." Elspeth pressed her lips into a thin line. "He had the same type of wings that you have now, Sera, or so the story goes. Windrider is the one on Valdemar's crest, actually. His wings represent freedom to all the peoples."
:What does that have to do with me, though?:
"If, as Gwena says, Companions can be reborn," Darkwind spoke up; "is it not possible that he has been reborn in you?"
:In ME?:
:You sound surprised.: Gwena observed with a snort. :But this is what Rolan and I thought might have been the case. We discussed it with Tessin at the time of your birth-:
:-and because you didn't know WHY he had been reincarnated in me, you decided to keep my wings a secret?: I guessed. :Then why NOW did you want me to show them?:
:Because,: a sigh, :because when you were born- because of your wings and the possibility of you being Windrider reborn- we thought the chances of you ever being Called were slim to none. But then during the Race....:
"You've been Called?"
:Yes. She says to Karse....:
"Karse...." Elspeth mused, frowning, "if you've been called to Karse, there could be trouble."
:That's what I said.:
"What are you going to do?"
:What am I going to DO?!: I demanded, :are you KIDDING? I'm going to GO, of course! I already went through this with Mother and I'll tell all of you what I told her! There is no way in the nine hells that I'm going to let ANYBODY keep me from my Calling! Wings or not, there's no way I'm going to let you keep me from the person destined to be my Chosen-:
"Whoa, whoa!" Elspeth raised her hands, interrupting my little tirade. "I never said you couldn't go."
I paused, realizing that she was telling the truth. She had never actually said I couldn't go. I had just assumed....oh man. How could I have just started ranting like that? My hide twitched in embarrassment.
:I'm sorry.: I sighed, my Mindvoice meek; :it's just that everyone seems to think that I shouldn't go, and I can just TELL the soul that I'm feeling is in danger....not mortal danger yet....but....it could be....it's hard to explain.:
Elspeth chuckled. "I don't pretend to understand the workings of a Companion's mind." She admitted, "but if you say you have to go, I believe you."
She believed me! She was going to let me go! It was more than Mother had done....
No. I thought to myself; it's not Mother's fault. She's just worried about me.
:I told you before that we weren't going to stop you from leaving on your Choosing Journey.: Gwena reminded me. :Or, Rolan and I weren't. We just wanted you to talk to Elspeth first, and Darkwind, and get their opinion on the situation.:
:Yeah....:
"In my opinion," Darkwind said, crossing his arms. "Fate can't be stopped. If Sera has been Called to her Choosing, then there's nothing we can do about it. However-" he held up a hand before I could say anything. "You should be CAREFUL."
Well, duh. I already knew that. I'd been being careful about my wings for my whole life, there was no reason for me to stop now. But he was just giving his opinion of things, and I couldn't say anything. Everyone was entitled, after all.
:I can go?:
"Of course." Elspeth nodded, "but as before, ESPECIALLY in Karse, do NOT show your wings. The Karsites- or at least the general population- already believe Heralds and Companions to be Demons. If they were to see a 'Demon Horse' with wings- with the ability to FLY, there would be a distinctly BAD reaction."
:That's basically what we told her.: Gwena sighed. :That's your advice?:
"What more can we do?" She looked at her Companion, "until we know WHY Sera was born with wings, we can't just expect her to put her life on hold. Maybe some day the reason she was- or at least seems to have been- reincarnated from Windrider will come out."
Darkwind nodded in agreement.
:Maybe.: Gwena was less-than-agreeing but not actually DISAGREEING. :I suppose.:
:SO I CAN GO?:
I was getting quite impatient by that time. Their talk was just taking up time I could have been searching for my Chosen, and I wasn't about to let them banter forever. The longer I waited before leaving for my Journey, the closer the danger came to that soul I was feeling. I didn't mean to shout, but it was frustrating as hell.
"Yes." Elspeth agreed. "You can go."
:Finally!: I quickly retrieved my wings and they vanished back to under my skin with a singe thought. Immediately, I turned to leave. A mental nudge from Gwena made me pause, though, and I silently kicked myself. Turning back, I addressed Elspeth and Darkwind. :Thank you for all your help. I really do appreciate it, but I have to GO-:
"Of course." A nod.
I spun on my heel again and started in the direction of the stables. There was no time to lose, if I was to reach that soul in time. Were all Callings this desperate? Well, not desperate, really, but urgent. Though I got the feeling that before I reached he or she I was Feeling, the tide would turn to desperate....
....did I even have time to say goodbye to Lani? Mother? Meriol....
I'd deal with that once I was ready to leave.
I could feel eyes on me as I cantered away, and instinctively knew it was Darkwind. The gaze on my Felt much the same as when he was been inspecting me with his MageSight; this time it wasn't strange, though. Instead it felt kind.
:Zhai'helleva, Seraphim.: His Mindvoice called after me. :Wind to thy wings.:
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Me: ^_^ Sorry it took so long for another chapter, but I have a bunch of stories on the go right now. Anyway, that's chapter five. I think I spelled 'zhai'helleva' right, but if I didn't I'm sorry. So....ja!