CHAPTER 8
Sherri sat with a book of poetry on her lap, her back against the stone wall of her room. Faint images of the people who had passed through the room pressed in on her but she was able to ignore them.
"Sherria?" Kevyn asked from far side of the door as he knocked.
Lady of the Havens! She hated being surprised. "Come in."
The door swung open. "I just wanted to say farewell before I head out."
Sherri stood and brushed off her skirts. "Already? It is barely dawn."
"I thought it best to get a head start. Nicky is swearing that I am walking, and carrying the book."
"I can't blame him. I'll have Cook make a lunch for you. Knowing her, it should be enough for you to reach Haven."
"You shouldn't wake her up."
"This is the country, the day starts long before dawn. She has been up for hours. We already met and arranged the menus for today."
"Already?" Kevyn was honestly astonished.
"It is critical to have enough food when we are cooking on this big of a scale." Sherri explained. "Each day, before the ovens are lit, we decide what to use and what to leave for another day. We have to think far ahead to keep our waste to minimum."
"I never realised it was so…important."
"With so many people to feed it is like trying to keep scales perfectly balanced when you are always adding and removing from each side. If we don't it can get incredibly expensive."
"Suddenly I feel very sorry for Mero."
Sherry led him down stairs to the massive kitchen. The thin, older woman who was her Cook and her Housekeeper's sister, was already bustling directing the kitchen help like a general.
"My lady, are you hungry? Are there visitors?" The cook asked when she noticed the intruders.
"Herald Kevyn is returning to Haven today. I was hoping you could pack a lunch for him and his Companion."
The woman grinned widely. "Of course, of course! I have berry pies that would be just the thing. Liam, fetch me three berry pies, three nut pies, and two meat pies. Halli, find me some apples and fetch me six fresh loaves, a pot of honey, a slab of that northern fish."
"The pink one?" A young girl asked as she already hurried off.
"Of course." The cook turned back to her lady and her guest. "A small lunch would be just the thing for you young man."
"Small? That sounds like a feast." Kevyn protested.
"You are a growing boy, you need to feed yourself." The cook patted his arm.
"Take the pies, trust me. You can use them to black mail someone later on. They are divine."
"You are sweet to say so, my lady." Cook smiled fondly at her. Liam and Halli returned with arm loads of food. Cook quickly had them wrap and organize everything for riding.
It was only minutes before Kevyn was loaded down with enough food for an army to march to Haven and gain weight while doing it.
"You hate Waystation food." Sherri said with an impish grin. "I remember from the last time you were here. As you were leaving you were thinking that the 'horse crap' in the Stations was going to be horrid after Cook's feasts."
"How did you find that out?"
"Simple, you kissed my cheek. You thought that I was like a little sister, only with no hair pulling."
"Right. Jilli was only two at that time. She made hair pulling an art form." Kevyn said with a fond smile. "She is my niece. Close enough."
"I envy you. I have only my absent uncles."
"And I envy you at times. Sometimes family is a hassle."
:We should get going.: Nick, said suddenly in his mind. :Stop making calf eyes at the girl and get out here.:
Kevyn laughed. "Dominick has just ordered me to get going. I will write you and let to know what the queen decides to do with the land."
"I would appreciate that." Sherri admitted.
Kevyn adjusted the bundle of food in his arms and leaned forward to place a tender kiss on her lips.
Sherri blushed to the roots of her hair at the images in his mind. He had quite the imagination. She wound her fingers in his hair and lowered her carefully maintained shields.
:Kev, you had your chance last night.: The Companion's voice echoed into her mind.
She drew away. "He's right, you better get going."
Kevyn looked down at her. "That…Well…"
"I know. Have a nice ride." Sherri led him to the door leading to the great hall. "I look forward to hearing from you."
"Take care, Sherri." He said and headed down the stairs to the impatient Companion.
He shot a glare at Nick and strapped the food into place. Sherri had the impression he was having a talk with the Companion, and from the looks of it the Companion was very amused.
She remained on that step until he rode out the great gates and out of sight.
"Lady Sherri?" A guard asked at her elbow.
Sherri turned to face the man. "Yes? Is something wrong?"
"The Sorrows Militia you ordered." He sighed. "You best see this."
Sherri shook off the haze Kevyn had woven about her. How quickly life returned to normal. "Please, lead on."
The new militia were a mix of hardened soldiers and eager farmers. A blend of no experience and too much. The farmers were ranting at the top of their lungs that it was their land it was their duty to protect it. The soldiers were just as loud in saying it was their duty and they had the experience. Sherri listened for a few moments, trying to discover the root of the problem.
"Enough!" Her voice rang out over the practice field. All eyes turned to face her.
A murmur of comment ran through the gathered men and women.
"Perhaps it is best if we leave the fighting to the men and women who are obviously trained for it. I doubt it is a wise idea to allow our farmers lose limbs to Changebeasts when spring is so near."
The fighters looked vindicated and most of the farmers paled at the image of losing limbs, and their livelihoods.
"Well done, my lady."
"You are most welcome." Sherri assured him. "Please let me know if there are any other problems."
"Of course, my lady."
Sherri turned and walked slowly back to the keep. Melting snow soaked the hem of her skirt and ruined her slippers by the time she reached the side door and padded up the stairs to her room.
The fresh light of early morning filled her room as she closed her door and sat on the bed. She undid the laces to her dress and hung it over a chair. The forest green wool would be repaired by one of the clever maids and reappear in her closet soon enough.
She removed a buttery yellow gown from her wardrobe, a simple as the rest of her gowns. It had no embroidery or decoration and was of serviceable chirra wool, warm and durable. She found little reason to spend money on fripperies that would go unnoticed or would be torn off as she went about her duties.
Soon her keep would be empty again as the farm families returned to their land. She both dreaded and longed for it. The keep was large and cold when it wasn't filled by the hum of life. However, when it was just her and her servants she did not have to worry about someone accidentally brushing her hand or a child grabbing her leg wanting to play.
She picked up her book and sat on the padded seat at her window. Four stories above ground she had an unimpeded view of the forest. It still Felt dead to her.
She tore her eyes from the leafless trees and opened her book. The words seemed meaningless to her as her mind still dealt in the forest. How long would it be before they returned?
Would they return?
What would she do if they didn't?
She knew she relied on them as anchors for her life which was ruled by her formidable powers. They knew all her secrets and were the friends she held closest to her heart. Others, if they knew of even a little bit of her gift, would consider her cursed. Few people would remain to help fill the pile of stone that was her home.
The only time her powers were a Gift was when she was in the Forest with the others. Here they were a curse.
A pained yell and the sound of a pot metal sword clattering on the courtyard stones broke her concentration. Sherri undid the latch and pushed the window open. A man lay on the cobbled stones clutching his knee.
Sherri's first thought was that it wasn't serious. Her second was there was yet another place for her to avoid.
~*~
Sweat stung her eyes as she bolted upright in bed. It had to have been a dream. They couldn't have been caught in the eye of the Final Storm.
"Oh Gods, no. Please don't let that be true." Sherri whispered fervently and swung her feet over the edge of the bed and into the waiting slippers. Her heart was still pounding and her hands shook as she pushed the window open and let the breeze in. She tried to sense them. When she had gone to bed the night before she had been able to sense them, even at this distance.
They were gone.
"Gods damn it!" She swore as she focused her entire being on finding them. There was only an area that tasted burned to her. She knew from before that it was the Dorisha Plains. She reached for a leyline to feed her as she searched but found none.
She searched everywhere within her reach for any power source and found only the great Heart stone in Haven. Bound from her and every other nonHerald mage. There were other cores of power, the Heart stones of the Hawkbrothers she assumed, but none were being fed by leylines. It was like the Power had been scattered like leaves in fall.
She stood and let her arms fall to her side in shock. They were gone.