CHAPTER 16

Sherri rubbed her temples and wished her headache to the farthest, darkest corner of hell.

:Tell them you need to go outside.:  Quin urged.

:I can take it.  I can't run outside every quarter candlemark.:  Sherri returned.  :Especially if this is to be my room.:

:Try wearing shoes heart sister.  Remember, you are among people who would understand now.:

Myra froze at her place by the window where she was making certain Sherri had all the books she needed to start studying.  "Why didn't you say you were uncomfortable in this room?  You and Kev go sit in the garden.  I'll see if we can find a better room for you."

Kevyn took her arm and led her outside.  "Are you alright?"

Sherri smiled wryly.  "Well enough.  I am sorry."

"Don't be.  There is nothing you can do about it."  Kevyn guided her out a partially hidden door into an open garden.  "Better?"

"Of course.  Quin was just pointing out I should have something on my feet before I go back inside."

"Stay here, I'll talk to Gaytha about some boots for you."  Kevyn vanished back inside leaving Sherri to admire the nodding flowers. 

She trailed her finger under the soft petal of a dark blue flower.  Images of the gardeners pruning, weeding, and planting trickled into her mind.  Thankfully events did not get impressed on growing things as well as they did on dead things like furniture.  With a sigh she sat a stone bench.  Her headache was already receding. 

:You should have spoken up.:

:Quin, I am used to people who don't know about my gift.:   Sherri sighed and folded her hands on her lap.

:But you are in Haven now.:

:That is not going to change how I act over night.:  Sherri warned.  Van had complained about the same blind spot with Yfandes many times.  Like being Chosen changed you in a heart beat.

Well, it did, but some things still remained the same.  Like ingrained habits.

:Next time tell them.:

"I found you a room."  Myra appeared.  She nearly a foot and a half shorter than Sherri and was as delicately built as a figurine of crystal. 

"Kevyn will be back in a moment."  Sherri said, hoping he would appear soon with whatever foot coverings he could find.

Myra sank onto the bench next to her.  "Kevyn seems quite smitten with you."

"Smitten?"  Sherri grinned at the old fashioned word.

"He treats you like a porcelain doll, always touching your arm, smiling at you.  I think it is sweet, but if you hurt him I will have your guts as a sword belt."  Myra warned in all seriousness.

Sherri found herself laughing.  She didn't doubt Myra would do her best to fulfill her threat.  "I would never harm him.  Seduce him maybe, but only if he is very willing."

Myra relaxed.  "I doubt you will have problem there.  If you don't mind me asking, what is your Gift?  It is obviously active and causing you problems."

"Have you ever heard of true sight?"

Myra's brows furrowed.  "I don't think so."

"The simplest explanation is I can Feel the history of an object when I touch it.  It works with people too."

Myra considered this for a moment.  "So you were uncomfortable because you were feeling the history of the room?"

Sherri nodded.  "It is very annoying."

"I can imagine.  Has Kev gone to get something that would help?"

"Boots."  Sherri gestured to her bare feet.  "In all the chaos they forgot footwear for me."

"I imagine the rest of your wardrobe will be here soon.  Your uncles insisted everything be packed up for you and brought down.  It was coming in wagons so their progress was much slower."

"Oh Gods."  Sherri groaned.  "I hope they aren't planning a wedding.  That is what started this entire fiasco.  Uncle Avren wants me to marry a friend of his.  Someone he thinks can protect me."

"You don't strike me as the type that needs protecting.  Then again, what Herald needs protecting?"

Kevyn reappeared with a pair of white boots.  "I couldn't find Gaytha so I brought a pair of mine."

Sherri pulled them on gratefully.  There was more than an inch of room for her toes in the boots but they would serve the purpose, so long as she was careful going up the stairs.  "Thank you.  Shall we take a look at this room?"

"My Companion suggested we put you in the Herald Wing.  Of course she is always right."  Myra grinned.  "I know it is out of the way but it seemed to be the right one."

It was a corner room on the fourth floor with windows in two walls, one with the view of the field one with a view of the Grove.  A massive antique bed stood in solitary splendour against one wall and a book case and desk against the other.  There was a fireplace against the inside wall.  Sherri felt peace the moment she entered.  She carefully avoided touching anything.  Heralds led violent lives and she had no desire to experience more of it today.

"It is perfect."  She assured Myra.

"Wonderful.  I'll find someone to bring a mattress and bedding up here.  I'll also find a chair or two for you and a wardrobe."  Myra dashed off down the hall.

"I hope she doesn't fall."  Sherri said bemusedly.  "She could hurt the babe."

"Babe?"  Kevyn repeated blankly.

"You didn't know?"

"Did you get that from touching her?"

"No.  I have delivered twenty three babies to date.  Daya is too old to ride out and check on the expectant mothers so I did it.  I'd recognize the signs anywhere."

The corner of his mouth quirked.  "So that is what the mysterious 'injury' is."

"I shouldn't have said anything."  Sherri bit her lip.  "She seems quite happy to be pregnant."

"I doubt it was planned though.  She hasn't had a steady lover in years."

Sherri wandered around her new room.  "It happens.  Birth control herbs are not always effective.  Why doesn't anyone else want this room?"

"It is so out of the way.  Your neighbours are circuit Heralds so they are rarely in Haven."

"Do you live in this area?"

Kevyn nodded.  "My room is a few doors down.  Before they decided I was a mage I usually rode the southern sectors and I was a messenger during the war."

"You found those traitors, didn't you?"  Sherri stopped her examination of her room.  "I hope they paid dearly for their betrayal."

Kevyn nodded grimly.  "Everything was just where you said it was.  The documents behind the brick in Inture's study led us to the rest of the ring.  All of them were executed."

Sherri nodded, it was what she was expecting.  "I know it sounds callous, but I am glad they are dead.  What I Saw in that letter was enough to make me feel tainted for over a year."

"I imagine the objects the queen has sent you have been equally horrific." 

"Except for the maps, yes.  There was a tiny little blade they sent me to read.  The one that killed the Priest, Ulrich.  The poor man did not deserve that pain.  His last thoughts were for his secretary."

Kevyn nodded.  "I didn't know him well, I only saw him when all the mages got together.  Karal would probably like to hear that."

Sherri smiled.  "It was strange, before the artist held them there were no traces.  I wish I could have helped more."

"Sejanes showed us their cleansing spell, it was the one we used in the healer's."

"It is incredibly effective.  When I needed to remove traces from something I emerged it in running water for a while.  It usually helped a great deal.  That is what I do with my weapons at least once a week.  Before the Storms, they were bespelled to stop rust."

Myra reappeared in the doorway with an armload of bedding.  "Kev, they could use your help with the wardrobe."

Sherri took the bedding from the Herald and set them on the desk.  "You should be more careful.  You could harm the babe if you tumbled down the stairs."

"How did you know?"  Myra demanded.

"I have seen many pregnant mothers over the past seven years.  Our healer was too old to ride out to examine the expectant mothers so she taught me to do it.  Eventually I started delivering the babies as well."

Myra touched her stomach tenderly.  "I haven't told anyone yet."

"Have you seen a healer?"

Myra shook her head.  "I had the worst morning sickness so I was put on the injured list till I was better.  I said I saw the Healer but…"

"Don't bother explaining it to me."  Sherri grinned.  "Do you still have morning sickness?  I have a recipe for a tea that tastes good and calms your stomach."

"No it passed.  Thank the gods.  Now I am always hungry.  Why did your healer teach you to examine mothers and not some farm girl?"

"The farm girls were needed on the farms or were at war.  I was the only girl who could ride out in the middle of the night or spend hours learning herbs.  Daya has no healing gift but was taught by the Healers here to use a knife and herbs to heal.  I should probably see about finding a replacement for her.  In the winter the keep is packed to the rafters with people and there is bound to be a feud at least once a week and I don't think she is up to it anymore.  Winter in the north can be very lonely so my ancestors started inviting farmers and hunters in the region to live at the keep during the winter."  Sherri explained.

"It must be close quarters."

"Being the Lady has it benefits, I didn't have to share my room with anyone."  Sherri grinned.  "I also get a workforce that is willing to do pretty much anything to pass the time so I can usually get the repairs inside done and new furniture made."

"You had wise ancestors."  Myra sat on the hearth and stretched her legs out in front of her.  "You are a very odd lady, you are a midwife, you invite farmers into your home, you are better with swords than needles, and you have no desire to marry."

"I also see ghosts and know magic."  Sherri added.  "My many times great grandfather still wanders the keep.  He wears this ratty old night shirt and a night cap with a pink tassel.  At least once a week he gets thirsty and breaks into the wine cellar and makes off with a bottle."

Myra laughed warmly.

"He is rather inconsiderate actually.  He leaves glasses in the oddest places.  In life he had to hide his drinking from his wife so he hides casks under tables and bottles on top of the beds, and glasses on chandeliers and in drawers."

"I wish I could see that."  Myra giggled.

"It has its moments."  Sherri agreed.  "In a palace this old I imagine I will run into a ghost before long."

"Probably."

A loud bang from the hall interrupted them.  Sherri made it to the door first and found Kevyn and another Heralds struggling with an old wardrobe that had wedged in the door.

"They just have to tilt it to the left and the knob will stop catching."  Myra observed quietly.  "Care to place a wager?  I think they will rip off the knob before they figure out the problem."

"I think they will realise the knob is catching on the door frame."  Sherri said loud enough to be heard by the labouring men.

"That is cheating."  Myra teased.

Sherri shrugged.  Soon they had the wardrobe placed in the corner.

"Now we can go look in storage for some furniture and rugs for you.  That will give you something to walk on besides the cold floor."  Myra led the way down the stairs.  "We keep everything that is no long being used in the basement.  I found the most delightful couch there last year.  It is this gorgeous cranberry red colour.  We also have to find some quilts for you."

Sherri followed obediently. 

"Your uncles have started hunting for you.  The healers called guards to chase them out.  By the way, no one has told them you were Chosen yet.  When you do, I want to be there."

Sherri groaned and grimaced.  "I can only imagine their reactions."

"Hopefully they will take the news better after the first explosion."  Myra said over her shoulder.

 After descending five flights of stairs they finally reached the storage room.

"I hope you don't mind that I picked the wardrobe for you.  You can always switch it later."  Myra picked up a lantern that had been left on a desk.  "It matches the desk and bed."

"It is lovely."  Sherri assured her.

"Lets see, chairs are over there I think."  Myra pointed to a shadowy cluster off to the side.

Sherri pulled herself over the tall table to the chairs.  Myra handed her the lantern as soon as she was standing again then followed.

"You strike me as a blue person."  Myra said as she started examining the chairs.  Some were worn while others were in pristine condition.  "That room has plenty of natural light so dark furniture won't make it feel heavy."

"Why don't you sit down while I look?"  Sherri suggested firmly.  "There are considerations other than looks for me."

"Right, you feel their history.  That must get annoying."  Myra ignored the suggestion and squeezed around to the other side of the pile.  "I am sure Kev knows some way to remove the history of something.  He mentioned they did it to your room at the healers.  Oh, here is a nice sky blue one."

Sherri peered at the chair in question.  Her True Sight warned her that the back legs were loose but that was easily repaired.  "It is pretty, but is it comfortable."

"We may be suckers for punishment but we love our comfort."  Myra assured her.  "It is a safe bet that it is comfortable enough to sleep in."

"I don't think it is right, too bright."

Myra nodded.  Sherri held the lantern up higher to get a better look at the other chairs stacked here.  "Have you thought of a name yet?"

"Not really.  I am still trying to take it all in."  Myra answered as she wiggled through the maze of furniture and out of sight.  "I haven't even told the father yet."

"Will you?"

"Probably.  You are the first person I have talked to about this."  Myra turned to face the younger woman.  "Honestly, I am scared unto death.  My mother died in the childbed bringing me into the world."

Sherri thought of the second hand pain she had experienced.  "It happens.  Go to a healer now and talk to them.  They can keep an eye on you to make certain that doesn't happen."

Myra paused and looked back at Sherri.  "Will you be there?  I mean for the birth."

Sherri blinked in surprise.  "If you wish."

"Wonderful.  Oh, here's a nice black chair that would match what you already have."  Myra admired the chair in question.  Sherri wished she had enough magical energy to create a mage light.  "Maybe it is a little dark."

Sherri looked it over, it was high backed with a deep cushioned seat and padded arms.  Next to it was an ottoman done in the same fabric.  "I think it is actually a dark blue."

"Really?  I can't tell in this light.  What do you think?  Will it do?"

Sherri nodded.  What a turn her life had taken.  The last day she remembered she had never left Sorrows.  Now she was in Haven, settling into a new room, Chosen by a Companion, and probably not going back to the keep or forest for some time.

:Scared?:  Quinlan asked.

:No, not really.  But I wonder what comes next.: