Chapter 3
*********
Six years later, near the end of Winter
A small silver-haired woman was waiting nervously outside the audience room. Can't we get this over and done with? She tugged nervously at the collar of her Whites.
: Stop that, Phoenix. You're only going to get it rumpled. : Storm observed clinically.
: Hey, you're not the one who's been shaken out of bed with people waiting for you with daggers on each hand. Gods, Kerowyn is so vicious. : Phoenix retorted hotly, frowning. Storm just laughed at her discomfiture and Sent her a feeling of encouragement.
: You worry too much, my dear Chosen. : Storm said, just as the doors opened and Talia beckoned to her.
Phoenix wasn't paying that much attention to what Herald Elcarth was saying to her. Talia smiled at her sympathetically.
"Well, Herald Phoenix. You finally made it. Since you had taken care of the Science classes ever since you became a Trainee, I would gladly hand the lessons over to you." He said, smiling widely at her blank expression. "Other than the Science class, I think you can handle the figuring classes as well."
Phoenix was clearly taken aback; she snapped her gaping mouth closed. Still looking incredulously at Herald Elcarth, she asked dubiously, "You sure? I could teach them?" she asked, her pitch becoming a little shrill. Elcarth shook his head, chuckling under his breath.
"Jedren, make her believe that she is going to teach. Permanently, I might add. Of course, once she gains enough experience, we might want to put her in the classes along with the Hawkbrothers teaching magery. Tayledras-style of course." Elcarth added smoothly.
Herald Jedren stood up from his comfortable chair and handed her a pile of books, guiding her towards the door.
"This is what you're going to teach the students," he said, grinning from ear to ear at her stupefaction. "You are officially in charge of the classes after the summer holidays are over. I think in the meantime, you could continue your project with the Artificers," he continued.
"I hope I'll be a good teacher," Phoenix replied timidly.
: She's a stubborn one isn't she? : Bryna, Jedren's Companion commented to him. Jedren kept on his grin.
"Don't you worry about it," Jedren said comfortingly, accompanying her to the ekele.
Phoenix wasn't so surprised when she found her year mates crowding around in the miniature Vale. She wondered how they had got so comfortable in their Whites. These uniforms are so damn formal, even after they changed the design a little. Still feels too formal for my liking.
"Here comes the graduated Trainee!" Silk crowed playfully. Phoenix shot a sharp look at her friend and aimed her a punch, which Silk accepted gracefully and fell over dramatically. Phoenix went up the stairs carefully with her armload of thick books.
"Gesten, what are you doing? The ekele's starting to smell like a bakery," she complained playfully, going over to her study room and carefully sorted the books out on her bookshelf. Gesten snorted loudly in the kitchen, and she headed out of the study room to see what her hertasi friend was doing.
"Baked your favorites; ginger snaps, those thick chava cookies that you're extremely fond of, some grilled sweet potatoes too," Gesten announced looking up at her demandingly, as he placed a new batch of cookies into the oven.
"All right. What's all this about?" Phoenix asked him, gesturing at the feast that Gesten had prepared.
Gesten looked curiously at her and then abruptly shouted several curses at Storm in Kaleda'in vehemently. Herald Talia came just in time to see Phoenix's stormy face and listening to the hertasi's colorful language.
Talia looked at her young friend, finally smiling a little. "I take it that no one's told you that there is going to be a party for you this evening?" she asked, leaning at the wall of the kitchen, crossing her arms.
"Nope." Phoenix replied flatly. A party. For me. Bloody Hell.
: Don't be a spoilsport. It'll be fun. : Storm cajoled.
: It better be. : Phoenix said resignedly and headed off towards her bedroom.
"What are you doing?" Talia asked, following her into the bedroom. Phoenix gave her an impudent grin. She began to strip off her Whites, hanging them carefully onto the hangers and placed them inside her cupboard and took out a midnight blue dress. Talia bit off a curse, but started laughing when Phoenix gave her a defiant look, slipping on the silky dress. Sunlord, thank goodness I hadn't placed Alberich's picture up on the wall, she thought with relief when Talia started going over her sketches.
: Why are you being so timid about him? You should just go for it. : Storm Sent his opinion, also Sending images of Alberich repeatedly over and over.
All Storm got in return was a major bell like sound resounding loudly inside his head. Phoenix smirked wickedly at her Companion. Talia gave her a look and she said hastily, "Just playing with him." Talia smiled crookedly, and looked curiously at the empty space on the wall, although a nail was in place.
"Why is this blank?" Talia said, waving her hand over the empty space.
"Just haven't found anything for it," Phoenix replied shrugging, taking out her brush and started combing her hair. She took out several hair accessories; presents from Firesong and Silverfox. Most of them were necklace-like chains, but a hair-clasp was attached at one end. Some others were feathers, but she felt that blue crystal chains were decorative enough for her hair. She examined herself in the mirror and satisfied with her appearance, she asked Talia, "How do I look?" turning her head this way and that.
"Stunning." Talia smiled mischievously at her and preceded her out of the room and went down below to the garden. Phoenix checked back into the kitchen and asked Gesten if he needed her help with anything. He said that there was nothing for her to do at the moment, but will call her when its time to take the food down below. Laughter rang out from the garden and Phoenix smiled despite her previous unwillingness. Slipping on her sandals, she glided down the stairs and stopped abruptly when a familiar head covered with snow-white hair caught her attention. Her heart leapt excitingly up her throat and she frowned at herself. Shaking off her discomfiture she headed towards Silk and her gang.
"Phoenix, why did you take off your Whites?" Carn complained, pouting. She looked at him archly.
"Why can't I take off my Whites?" she asked him sweetly, blinking her eyes flirtatiously at him.
Carn gave a knowing groan, "Don't tell me. You are only going to wear them only on formal occasions."
Phoenix smiled lovingly at her friend and tiptoed to give him a kiss on his cheek. Carn blushed almost immediately. "You will still love me right?" she asked him, pursing her lips, and looked pleadingly at him. Terrence and Hazel collapsed in laughter when they observed her acts.
Carn decided that he could play too, "Of course, I do!" catching her shoulders and kissed her noisily. Phoenix pulled away frantically, placing her hands on her blushing cheeks.
"Oh Carn! That was unkind." She gave him a sulky look. Carn tilted his head in inquiry and she elaborated, "You should have shaved this morning. You prickled me all over." The people gathered around laughed noisily, with Terrence howling madly. Phoenix gave Carn a lofty look, while he looked petulantly back at her.
Alberich suppressed a surge of jealousy as he looked at the playing couple. He did not know why he had let Talia and Dirk talked him into attending this small gathering. His relationship with the girl was only a repeated series of saying hi or good-bye, just a nod and a conversation no longer than two sentences. Huh, I came here so I could watch her. That thought somehow made him uneasy. Phoenix was now sitting on the grass, while Ruby laid her head down on her thighs. Alberich scanned the faces of those that turned up to the gathering. Phoenix's bunch of friends she had brought back with her except for Dian. Heralds Carn, Dirk and Talia, Gisa, Griffon, Jedren, Kero and Eldan, and himself.
Phoenix gave a few surreptitious glances at Alberich, and sighed silently.
: Care to give me a hand now? : Gesten's familiar Mind-voice called out to her.
: Kay, I'm coming up. : She thought back at the hertasi, managing to persuade some of her friends to go back up the ekele and help with the food. Terrence was the first to go back down to the garden holding a tray carrying a few kegs of chilled juice, with Edwin following holding stacked wooden cups. Whitedove held a big straw mat down and Kai quickly got up from where he was sitting to help carry the big mat. At Whitedove's instruction, he spread the map out next to the herb patch. Silk and Phoenix each carried two trays of boneless, grilled, honeyed chicken. The people looked incredulously at the meal that was laid out.
"Hope you guys won't mind sitting down on the grass," Phoenix said as they all began to sit around the mat. Incidentally, the people had left Phoenix a space beside Alberich. She managed to hide her trepidation well throughout the meal. When it was getting a little too dark, mage-lights suddenly appeared above their heads, courtesy of the Herald-Mages and Edwin, an Adept mage that were present among them. Lingering over dessert, where a pair has to share; honeydew with its flesh scooped out and blended into a juice with several cooling herbs, with just a dash of ice wine, that was placed back into the empty husk; which Phoenix had volunteered to keep them chilled using a spell. With Alberich holding onto the fruit, she scooped up the dessert a little shyly at first. Thank goodness, there's enough spoons to go around, she thought with relief. Somehow the topic had changed into one of relationships.
"And you know what? I think you and Jedren were the only pair, whose internship had gone on without sex getting into it," Kerowyn was saying.
Phoenix choked on her dessert and Talia, whom was sitting next to her, sympathetically patted her back. She looked sharply at Jedren whom was trying hard not to meet her eyes. "Is that what those people were jesting about? When we got back?" At Jedren's flushed face, she burst into laughter. She kept pointing to herself and at Jedren, laughing until she cried. She barely managed to control herself when Alberich sort of whispered a little too gently for her taste, "You'd better get your laughing under control before I finish this by myself."
"Is that a threat?" she whispered, as she fished her spoon out. Alberich did not reply as Eldan called out to him, "Forgot to tell you this a long time ago, but your speaking manners in Valdemaran has improved very much."
"I had noticed," Alberich admitted, "thanks to young Karal."
Carn whispered falsely at the rest, "His slang do come up every so often when he's set out to intimidate people." That earned him a dark look from the Weaponmaster, while Carn looked innocently back.
"Hey Silv, the rest of us have been engaging in relationships but we haven't even seen you hanging around by some special guy," Wayne remarked casually. Phoenix threw him a sharp look.
"Come on Phoenix. There's gotta be someone whom have caught your fancy," Terrence persuaded her. Ruby, Silk and Isabel exchanged a look with each other and at once they crowed, "Tell us! Tell us!"
"It won't hurt. We won't tell anyone. Promise." Carn said.
Phoenix looked at the expectant faces of the gathering, lastly looking at her dinner partner whom just looked down at her with an eyebrow raised. "Oh fine. He's lean, tall," she said as she ticked off her fingers, and frowned in concentration, "Dark and handsome. Well at least to me he's handsome."
Dirk looked disgustedly at her and growled, "That's all? How in hell are we supposed to guess? Tell us his eye color or something."
Phoenix looked at him scornfully, "Whatever. He has a pair of dark, steely agate eyes. And too damn inaccessible. That's it. You are not going to get any more hints from me."
: That's already quite an accurate description of your dinner partner. I'm surprised even Talia is unaware that you're describing that wolfish man beside you. : Storm remarked.
: Bloody Hell Dearheart. My feelings for him had just stepped over infatuation hasn't it? : She thought back.
: You're in love with the man, Chosen. : Storm pointed out gravely.
A part of the group lingered below when Dirk Fetched a bottle of spiced brandy which he cordially shared among the group. The other part of the group was busily cleaning and drying up the dishes. As it happened, Gesten was the only male in the ekele, surrounded by the Phoenix and her girlfriends. Since three Full Bards were in the kitchen, all of them inevitably sang as they cleaned up. They went back down again to the company and listened to Dirk singing. Phoenix resumed her seat beside Alberich. Just admit it girl. You like being close to him, she said to herself. Alberich passed her the bottle of wine that she took but passed it to her girlfriends whom haven't sampled it.
Alberich's puzzlement drifted over to Kantor, and after a brief consultation with Storm, : She doesn't drink it seems. : Alberich nodded a little, and spent the rest of the night watching the silver-haired woman sitting beside him secretly.
***********
: Phoenix was describing Alberich back there wasn't she? : Kantor demanded as he blocked Storm from the path that he was intending to take.
: What's it to you? : Storm asked Kantor suspiciously.
: My Chosen is smitten with her. : Kantor replied, tossing his mane.
: Oh, I see. Do you think we should inform them the little tidbit? : Storm asked, prancing around.
: That'll spoil the fun. I want Alberich to find out and admit to himself even the sternest of man could fall prey to a simple feeling. : Kantor said to Storm. Tail swishing, Storm fell silent for a moment, as he thought hard.
: The plan could work for me too. I want her to love again, but I have to warn you this. If, that is, if Alberich dares try to build a relationship with her, he has to work hard to gain her trust. My Chosen does not give it easily, I'm afraid. : Storm warned the warrior Companion.
: The stronger their relation would be if that were so. We are agreed then? : Kantor asked Storm archly.
: Yeah, you're on. :
***********
Three weeks later, first week of Spring
Keep calm, Phoenix. You're capable of simple anger management. Take a deep breath, let go, and take a deep breath again. Phoenix was calmly letting Dian's tirade skid past her.
"You're a bitch Phoenix. Rayden is mine. So keep off your eyes and mind away from him." Dian screamed more vulgarities at her.
"Oh Dian there you are, we have to tell you something. When you went back to your House the past few weeks, we saw Phoenix and Rayden going down together in one of the river-bank grottos." Herald Qeraq said loudly, but then stopped short and involuntarily stepped back when Phoenix gazed steely at the girl.
: Chosen, : but Phoenix cut him off before he could tell her that Selenay is giving her full control.
: Forget it. : She said flatly. Phoenix walked straight past Dian towards the two girls, Herald Qeraq and Lina.
"By the way Dian, Rayden has been gone out of Haven since two weeks ago. Riding circuit." Phoenix said in an icy, deathly voice.
Alberich had just came out from the Audience Chamber when he heard the shrill voice of Dian. He stepped around a pillar cautiously, and caught the words of Herald Qeraq. He had never seen Phoenix really angry before and was surprised at the iciness that seemed to radiate out from her.
: What are you going to do about it anyway? : Kantor asked tauntingly at him.
: What do you think, I should do? : Alberich snarled at his Companion.
: Huh. You're in love with the lady but you don't even want to admit it. And you think you can help her with this particular problem. : Kantor's Mind-voice sharp. Alberich stood against the pillar helplessly.
: Dammit, Chosen. Sometimes you're too bloody damn dense. Just go after her and talk! : Kantor screamed with frustration.
: Is she heading towards the ekele? : Alberich asked, taking the nearest shortcut that will lead him out to the Field, which was past the salle. His jog changed into a run as he leapt onto Kantor's back.
: Where else can she go? : Kantor snorted. In a surprisingly short time, they came within sight of the ekele. Alberich dismounted and Kantor disappeared swiftly among the trees.
"Herald Alberich?" Gesten exclaimed against the dark background of the miniature Vale. The sky had turned dark and Alberich blinked his eyes. "I Felt Phoenix getting angry. What happened?" the hertasi babbled. Alberich managed to summarize the situation pretty well, and Gesten backed off decorating the air with a string of colorful but impractical oaths. The little hertasi managed to get hold of his temper, and requested that if he would kindly help Phoenix solve this particular problem. "Other than that. Get her to talk. People have all babbled all sorts of nonsense to her and she just listens. She needs an outlet," Gesten said after a moment.
"Why can't the outlet be Storm?" Alberich asked.
Gesten snorted derisively, "They're Companions. Not humans. She needs a neutral human friend. I'm going up and make some tea."
Alberich heard that murmur of Mindspeech at the back of his mind and stepped into the shadows and calmly waited. Trying to anyway. Phoenix walked rigidly towards the ekele, her lips pressed tightly into a thin line.
"You are angry." Alberich said quietly. Phoenix stopped dead in her tracks. She knew that voice instantly. She could make out the outline of a man standing deep within the shadows.
"Tell me something I don't already know! Leave me alone Herald Alberich." She said in an icy tone then resumed her walk towards the ekele. He followed her, stepping out into the light and without thinking, he reached for her elbow and wrenched her from the path a bit too strongly. That nearly upset her balance and she had placed both of her hands on him to steady herself.
Without intending to, Phoenix had carelessly met his eyes angrily and in an instant, her anger melted away to be drawn into the whirlpool of his agate-gray eyes and she was drowned forever.
Alberich couldn't breathe. Her light, silver eyes, entranced him. His heart was beating erratically against his chest. Both his hands had moved on their accord and now grabbed both of her elbows. He was afraid, very afraid of her and of his feelings. He wanted very much to free himself from her eyes but at the same time, he knows that he does not want that.
She was the first to break the contact. Her hands were still on Alberich and she gave him a sad, gentle smile. Her eyes were still on him and he was drawn deeper into the depths of her eyes. So much secrets…
"Standing…
Nothing……
But the Night and the Wind
Whispering..
Songs of Time
Listening….
Fading……
The shadow stands
Yearning…
Denial……
What his heart wants."
Alberich wrenched himself from his eyes, panting a little. Phoenix studied him for a while, and then in resignation she invited him up to the ekele.
**********
Chapter 4
**********
Gesten had already fixed a pot of tea and a bowl of chocolate chip cookies she had baked earlier during the day with Mero as an experiment. Phoenix bent down and took off her shoes and placed them negligently on the shoe rack.
"Goodnight Phoenix." Gesten called out to her as he disappeared off into his room.
"Night Gesten." She called back going to the kitchen to wash her hands. Alberich followed her example, taking off his soft boots and stepped into the kitchen silently. Somehow she was aware of him coming up from behind her. When Alberich finally emerged from the kitchen, she was already seated on the floor diagonally facing the couch. She sipped at her cup of tea slowly and studied him as he sat down on the couch.
"Only tea?" He asked.
"I don't drink alcohol so I don't have any alcoholic beverages at hand," She said, smiling at him. He tilted his head in inquiry.
"I was raised up in a religion where consummation of alcohol and things from the porcine family were forbidden. So even when those restrictions are nil here, I don't see any reason why I should pick up unwholesome habits." She explained, popping a cookie into her mouth.
"Your tea's getting cold."
"You could warm it up," Alberich said pointedly.
Phoenix rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Yeah, whatever. Go ahead and eat the cookies. They're not poisoned."
: I'm not too sure about that. : Storm commented, Sending his thoughts to the two Heralds.
: Shut up. : Phoenix snapped at him.
"How long has it been going on that problem with Dian and Rayden?" Alberich asked, taking his cup and leaned back as he sipped lazily at the tea, keeping his eyes on her face.
"Seems like forever to me," she sighed, feeling a little depressed about the whole situation. "Actually, it had been going on for only five years."
"What caused it?" He queried, hesitantly taking a cookie. He examined it rather carefully before he bit down on it. He should have been more enthusiastic, because it tasted good.
"Back in the Old World," she started and at Alberich's puzzled look, "we can get back to that later. For now, I'm going to stick with Dian and Rayden. As I was saying, back in the Old World, my friendship with Ray was a little loose. So I more or less ignored him when he was keen on his relationship with Dian. It wasn't that difficult to do since I was very much preoccupied with another guy. Me and Dian are barely acquaintances," she paused for a while, munching on more cookies, then gulped down her tea and refilled her cup.
"The problems began when Ray and I begun to reestablish our friendship during our trainee years. However, part of it is Ray's fault because he insists on treating everyone fairly. The special someone should be given special consideration but that does not suit Ray."
Alberich thought in silence then looked back at her.
"Maybe reestablishing our friendship back was my fault but…." She shrugged helplessly.
"All right. Now let's talk about you," Alberich said calmly.
"Talk about me? Whatever for?" She asked, looking at him peculiarly.
"Just curious, I am." He said.
"You asked for it. What I'm like? Well from my own judgment, I'm more or less on the reclusive type rather than the bolder. I tend to stay in the background. To tell you the truth Herald Alberich, I'm more comfortable watching people and watching their every actions and words rather than taking part in any kind of useless conversation. The bad side of me is that sometimes I get irritated quite easily, impatient sometimes. But blowing my head off takes quite a while." She rambled on.
"Stop calling me Herald Alberich. You are familiar enough to me, so just call me Alberich."
"If it makes you happy," she said, looking at him with a mysterious smile. "You wanted to know about the Old World, yes? I grew up in a family of six, in a city named Singapore. It's rather a small country. The size of Haven actually," Alberich looked at her in disbelief, "but then I have no proof," she admitted.
"I'd already graduated from tertiary school and was deciding what to do in the future. Had a boyfriend but he's gone. I miss him sometimes, but I'm okay now," she said, gazing emptily ahead of her.
"What happened to the Old World?" Alberich asked softly. Phoenix let out a mournful sigh and proceeded to tell him the events that happened that let the Old World to destruction very briefly.
"What are you? I could have sworn that I saw something when a second Gate appeared and there was a blinding flash of white light. Then you were there on your hands and knees," Alberich asked quietly. Phoenix jerked her head up to meet his eyes but remained silent. Silence filled the ekele. The only sounds that penetrated the tree house were the rustling of the leaves of the plants caused by the gentle night breeze.
"Would you understand if I were to tell you Alberich? Would you even believe it?" she asked the grim-faced Herald, looking at her with equanimity. "I am the Phoenix," she said, looking directly into his eyes. Alberich's heart twisted when he saw the deep-set torment in her eyes, that her eyes seemed almost black.
Is that what I saw? When she fell through the Gate? But the Phoenix burned blue.
: Don't you know that the hottest part of the fire is the part that is blue? : Kantor whispered.
Alberich nodded; Phoenix kept her gaze steadily on him.
"Why is it that you, skipped from Weapons class?" Alberich asked her sternly.
She shrugged, "I had seen you and Herald Jeri test the rest. I don't know why you handed real swords to them," Phoenix shook her head disagreeably.
"But does that excuse you from absence?" Alberich demanded.
Phoenix gave a hard look at him, "So you were the one, who wanted to try me," and at Alberich's tight nod, she narrowed her eyes dangerously. "It's just as well I did not appear; I do not need to add another death into my heart, where I still have to mourn for thousands. Yet, you do not have to worry about sending me to a situation that's going to get me killed. If I was such a foolhardy, I would have been killed during the internship where Herald Jedren and I got waylaid by a group of bandits."
"Who's training you then?" Alberich asked, still scowling darkly at her.
She was unruffled by his expression but answered him, "I had approached Kerowyn on the very same day you tested the rest and asked her if she knew any Sword-Sworn. I was lucky enough to get a kinsman of hers, one by the name of Readheir. His leysha'e tutors consented having me as an extra student. It was a good arrangement. At least, I'm confident enough that I couldn't kill a ghost, even accidentally."
Alberich grunted and accepted her reason, badly. They spent a quarter of a mark in silence, staring at each other. Alberich frowned at her when she stared at him right back, unafraid, twirling a lock of her hair between her fingers.
: Wow, finally you met your match, Chosen. Although I'm unaware that she is in fact even more stubborn than you can be. I think you've lost. You're the one who has to break the silence. : Kantor observed sardonically.
Alberich sighed and asked Phoenix, who was watching him with an amused smile hovering on her lips. "Why do you have so many names?" he asked lamely.
She raised an eyebrow at his question, "People insisted tagging me with them; what else can I do? They'll keep calling me them anyway. One of my nicknames is Silv because I have silver eyes and hair although it is unsuitable because any mage will gain these attributes sooner or later in life. Readheir calls me Starleaf but I don't know what he means by that. Silverfox tagged me with Firesword."
: I wonder if it's your close association with Carn that made Qeraq and Lina acted the way they did this evening. : Kantor mused suddenly. Phoenix gave Alberich a startled look and then she narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.
"You know Kantor, you might be right. As far as I know, Carn is unattached and he is a handsome guy after all. But still he wouldn't give them an iota of the kind of attention they are seeking from him." At Alberich's puzzled look, she explained hastily, her face blushing crimson.
"He's shaych."
They spent the rest of the night talking about her and of Alberich. She listened raptly as he told her of his life as an army officer in the Karsite army and the instant where his life changed drastically when a Companion claimed him for his own. Phoenix eyes held a subtle pain that Alberich did not miss, as he told her how a Sunpriest had sentenced him to be burnt alive.
: Of course she sympathizes with you. More than that, it actually pains her. A phoenix is an Elemental of Fire after all. : Kantor Sent a thought at him, filling Alberich with a sense of warmth and love. Phoenix grew more comfortable with Herald's presence, and looked at him and was filled with a sense of wonder, as she openly scrutinized his features. Her smile never left her lips and Alberich was filled with warmth, as she looked at him, her eyes mysterious.
*********
: Did you see her? My Gods, Kantor, she's fixated on him. : Storm remarked, snorting with amusement.
: You are right. She is giving him a set of funny feelings. Let's wait and see, until my Chosen gets too curious that he decides to investigate. : Kantor said, filled with a sense of growing happiness.
**********
Chapter 5
**********
It was three days since their talk. Phoenix was crowded among the Blues whom were watching Healer Devan in fascination as he talked about the properties of several herbs. Healer Devan had such a total charisma that it's impossible to doze off during any of his lectures.
"Then I guess you could steep those leaves and then make it into tea." She ventured a suggestion. Healer Devan nodded knowingly.
"Absolutely correct now Phoenix. Demidradth is one of those herbs that can be used for aromatherapy and can be consumed to give you the same relaxation effects. It wakes you up for one thing, but if you steep it in boiling water with a little sugar for half a candle mark and add the solution to milk, it will put you to sleep as easily."
"So this is much safer than getting drunk to make yourself sleep." One of the younger Blues commented.
The middle-aged Healer then began to distribute several little packets to the crowd. As she moved towards him expectantly, he hid a smile. She waited until the last of the Blues moved off to their business before approaching him. He turned around and picked up a bottle containing a seedling of the herb. Apart from Mero, he was the first to know that she had turned a section of gardens of the ekele into an herb garden. He presented her with the bottle and grinned at her blushing face.
"It's embarrassing of how I always turn up when you're just marketing a new herb isn't it?" She mumbled, blushing so furiously that for a moment she looked like a cooked lobster.
"Don't be coy now. You ought to know by now that I will always save a little for your special little herb garden. And here are some ready-made ones, in case you would like to do some experiments later." He told her, grinning from ear to ear. She blushed even more.
"I'm hungry. Have you eaten your lunch?" When she shook her head, he suggested that they go over to Mero's kitchen and get something to eat if she has nothing to do for the next candlemark or so. Mero had contacted him early in the morning and persuaded if they would come by for lunch. They made their way down to the kitchen, and found that Mero was waiting for them. At his beckon, he disappeared into the kitchen, and both of them got a surprise.
"This kiss lass, is for you and we congratulate you for introducing many recipes to our kitchen that are much more suitable for the palates of the noble!" Mero gave her a tremendous kiss on her cheek, making his way around her carefully and taking care not to flatten the small herb plant she was holding. Carn, Dirk, Karal, Talia, and Elcarth were all seated on the wooden benches, where a feast was laid out, waiting to be consumed.
"Uh…guys…I don't think I can handle much more blushes today." She told them, embarrassed by the whole display.
"Only twice and you can't handle it? Oh come on now Silv! You're made of much sterner stuff than that!" Someone blurted out. The kitchen was filled with joyous laughter. Alberich, standing in the doorway, was not really paying attention to the laughter, but only to his hunger since his night out.
Phoenix shook her head reproachfully, unaware that Alberich was blinking at the crowd, confused. Alberich spotted her, her arm cradling a bottle with some kind of plant.
"You guys are so damn hopeless!" She said, but laughing herself. The kitchen was filled with laughter again.
Talia was the first one to notice Alberich. And for once in her life, she saw Alberich's face calm and displaying something else, instead of frowning intensely. She followed his gaze to the object of his scrutiny and blinked, filled with disbelief until she felt Rolan chiding her for mentally laughing at the solemn-born Herald. She projected out the feeling she always feel about Dirk and overlaid the images of Alberich and Phoenix. She was overjoyed; her eyes were starting to water when Rolan gave his confirmation. She nearly stood up wanting to clap her hands. Then thoughtfully, she calmed herself. It would be interesting to see when Alberich admitted that he love something in his life, than going about with a frown attached to his face ever so often. Then she was startled when an elbow jammed into her right. Devan had seated himself beside her and was shaking his head, face full of mirth. He too had noticed Alberich's intent attention on Phoenix.
Mero finally saw Alberich standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "Are you going to just stand there or are you going to join us?" Mero drawled. Phoenix calmly turned and her face seemed to glow as she gazed on Alberich. Without hearing Alberich's rude response to the Kitchen Master, she blithely sat herself across to Devan.
"Hello Karal, hello Altra. How are you two doing?" Phoenix cheerfully greeted the Karsite Priest and his Avatar.
"Tremendously well, thank you." Karal swerved his head to his right. Although he was blind, happiness seemed to illuminate in him and made her happy. She gave both of them a Mindtouch, sending them some of the joy that they had made her feel. Karal glowed with pleasure while Altra purred.
: Things are so much at peace, I wonder why the recruitment of so many Heralds. : Storm confided to her. His words struck an inner alarm and she knew that it would no longer be true.
: Think about the unrest at Exile's Gate then. I think things are going to break at some point or another. I've had some terrible dreams this past few nights. It has something to do with Valdemar's very past I think. An old enmity with the Empire. Or maybe the Empire's enmity for us, : she said. : Oh for God's sake, don't go looking for trouble. : Phoenix chided while Storm gave it a moment of thought.
: Since you are an old soul, is it true that the bards, healers, and the mages are somehow descended from the Sidhe? : Storm asked.
"No, not really. Man's association with them had something to do with it and the Fair Ones walked among the earth once. However, their duties in nourishing the land were over so they moved on to the OtherWorlds. That is their task that was given to them, both the Seleighe and the Unseleighe." Unthinkingly, she had spoken aloud, ignorant of the fact that Alberich was now squeezed in between her and Mero. Her comment struck a chord in Alberich's, and his mind unexpectedly produced of an image of a fiery bird protecting something.
"Phoenix, lass. Stop woolgathering and tuck in now!" Mero chided her impatiently. She blushed furiously, painfully aware of Alberich's warm body beside hers.
"How old are you now?" Devan inquired, cooling her blushes a little.
Throwing him a curious glance, she answered, "Twenty-seven winters I guess."
Carn choked. "Winters? Winters?"
She looked coldly at him. "I wasn't making whatsoever attempt at being funny, you big mackerel! I was born in winter." She turned back to Devan, as if challenging him to ask when is her birthing day.
"Don't try to look innocent now, Devan. It is a good thing the calendar's here is different, and only I know when I was born. Thank God!" She grinned impudently.
Alberich had an urge to guess, so he did. Aloud. Fork in the air, he swallowed, faced her, then stared up at an area slightly above her head.
"You're born somewhere on the first month of winter, about four marks after dawn." He himself was amazed when she stared at him and blanched. Did I guess her birthing-day accurately?
Everyone was staring at the both of them now. They were shocked at Alberich's accurate guess and disbelieved that he had been the one to guess it. Most of them suspect that there was something brewing between the solemn-faced Herald and the mysterious, silver-eyed Herald, but everyone wisely kept their mouths shut.
"You're a bloody wicked wolf, Alberich," was all she could say and gave him a little smile and shook her head at him.
"You should have set up a betting contest first you know. At least, you wouldn't end up empty handed." She commented. Alberich felt a flicker of regret that he had not thought of that. Now he stilled himself, he had been changing since the day they had talked, engaging into conversations that lasted more than a mark. He had warmed himself to the silver-eyed woman since then. He was still the solemn Karsite Herald, but the changes were subtle. This curly, silver-haired small woman had made him develop a little sense of humor.
She registered that brief moment of regret on his face, and found out that she cannot control herself from laughing. Laughter welled inside her and she couldn't contain it when Alberich sighed and returned his attention to the food in front of him.
Alberich ignored her laughter and continued eating although his face was beginning to darken. In her mind, she could hear both her Companion and Kantor snickering at Alberich's uncomfortable situation. It was time for all of them focused their attention to the food, and talked about inconsequential things. She listened to her friends, nodding in agreement or just smiling at them. She was determined not to think anything about Dian and Ray. Ray had just got back from his circuit and was silent when they held a reception. Ray's decision to avoid her had made her unhappy and ill at ease but Alberich gave her something else to think about. The situation about her, Ray and Dian were getting too complicated, and although they had talked about it, she was getting closer and closer to exploding. She thought about her accomplishments for the day just to distract herself from the problems. She had gotten up early and jogged around the Field and then visited Devan in the Healer's Collegium. Then she had gone off with Gesten to help prepare breakfast and then went straight to her Science class. She was currently a teacher in the Collegium mainly for the Blues and taught those who were interested in environmental science. After that, she had gone on to the salle for archery practice.
Last evening, Alberich had taken her off to the salle without telling her his purpose. He had just handed her a bow and a quiver full of arrows. She had cast a physical shield around the salle and one on Alberich as a precaution. Storm had told her that she was being paranoid but she replied it was better to play it safe. She carefully slipped on the arrow, sighted to a red cloth tagged onto a bale of straw and loosed forth her arrow. She hit dead center of the red cloth. Then Alberich went through some trouble to tag more red cloths onto the bales of straw that was placed everywhere, any corner imaginable. She had not missed a single shot. He asked her a basket full of questions about archery and when he was satisfied, he made her pull back every arrow from the bales and asked her to restring and unstring the bows. It was past midnight when he considered her very adept in archery. Then he took her off to see Jeri, whom was with Herald-Captain Kerowyn and Herald Eldan. She had stood off to one corner, and made herself as inconspicuous as possible.
So, both of the Weaponmasters had arranged for her to help some of the trainees whom were a fair shot with the bow and arrow. Thus began her teaching career in the weapons class.
"Oh, I forgot to ask. Does the plant need any extra care or something?" She asked the Healer, whom was watching her and Alberich with vivid interest. Luckily, Alberich had not noticed the Healer's covert observation.
"No. Just don't water it so often, once every evening would do." He was about to give more details on the plants when Mero bellowed "Dessert!"
She and Talia helped clear up the table and placed the dishes on the sink to be cleaned later. Mero came back with trays of custard puffs and Elcarth and Carn were holding trays of strawberry and chocolate pudding. Phoenix was shocked at the amount of dessert that Mero presented them. Dirk trailed behind them, and the warm baked smell of chocolate chip cookies wafted around the kitchen.
"Is there some sort of a special occasion today?" she asked Talia, feeling a little bewildered. Talia was taken aback too.
"Mero, why are you coddling us?" Talia asked him, voice piqued with curiosity. Alberich stayed seated, and was calmly assessing the spread of dessert on the table and watched the two women questioning the cook. The expression on Phoenix's face changed for an instant and then she carefully kept her expression bland as something occurred to her.
"You're mate's with child, isn't she?" Phoenix hazarded. The rest looked at Mero, incredulity sketched upon their faces. Mero's glowing face told them all.
"Mero! Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Talia exclaimed, hugging the stout man.
They had felled onto the dessert with enthusiasm. Phoenix commented that it's a good thing she's keeping to a healthy lifestyle and Mero's rare overindulgence or else she would start expanding horizontally.
**********
Chapter 6
**********
: You certainly had a good time in the kitchen! : Storm complained, whining a little.
: Come now Storm. Don't sulk. It does not suit you. There was enough, Mero had given us some of the treats you know. He was set on giving a feast today. Can you blame the man? Now if you behave, once I have planted this and wash up a little, we can go down somewhere and have a picnic. I don't have any appointments tonight, so I certainly can spend some time with you a little. : Storm was delighted and was galloping madly around the Field.
: Behave you! : She couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm. She then carefully planted the demidradth among others. She packed the earth and hummed a little, and focused her Power at the little root of the plant. She let her power flow into that particular spot until she was satisfied that the plant had stabilized itself. Then with a careful push with her Power, she accelerated the growth of the little plant and several more branches and leaves sprouted. Smiling with a sense of accomplishment, she took the pail of water that was held on to by Gesten and began watering the plants carefully. That accomplished, she straightened her back and stretched.
"I believe it is time I take a little bath." She smiled at Gesten, whom had a towel draped in his arm. Thankful to her little friend, she retrieved the towel and made her way to the washing pool. She rarely used the hot pool, as she was accustomed in bathing or showering with cold water, except during winters. Then she removed her clothing negligently. At the same time Kerowyn and several other senior Heralds entered the gardens. They looked at Phoenix's body with shock as they registered every scar that had laced her body. They somehow thought that she was a little too pampered, even as a Herald. Kerowyn was the first to recover and made her way gracefully to the pools.
"Do you mind if we join you?" she carefully asked the diminutive girl. Phoenix looked up from the pool and smiled invitingly. She then began to submerge herself in the pool, and reached for the soap and thoroughly washed her hair. The pool was already filled with people and they began scrubbing themselves with enthusiasm. The surface of the pool was covered with foams of soap and Kerowyn suggested they drain the water and let it be refilled. Keren who was the nearest pulled the plug and the liquid was sucked into the drainage system. Once the used water was drained, the Herald carefully inserted the plug back in and pulled down the lever. Cool water was rapidly filling the pool and they began a second round of scrubbing. While the rest got up from the washing pool to the hot pool, Phoenix drained the pool and refilled it for the next person to use. She reached for her towel carefully looking for her clothes but since they were nowhere in sight, Gesten obviously had his hands on them.
With a wave to the people in the hot pool, she trotted up to the ekele and dressed lightly for her picnic. She had not sought to impersonate the mercenary-turned Herald or the Karsite Herald. She was more comfortably dressed in simple Kaleda'in robes, and some are of her own design. As she had confided to her friends, Whites simply do not suit her. She told them that they reminded her too much of wearing formally for a presentation and vowed that she would only wear it for formal occasions. Today she chose to wear a midnight blue knee-length skirt accompanied by a simple flowing white blouse. For footwear, she and the Kaleda'in had invented strapped sandals that seemed to suit the people very well. Gesten had agreed to go along to the picnic after a brief argument. He had already packed Mero's delicious tidbits into the picnic basket. After she had dressed, combed her hair, and braided half of it, she made her way to her room and scoured for nuts she had bought while she went to the market yesterday.
Gesten had added fruits into the picnic basket. Then he picked kegs of cold punch, placed them into a bag, and motioned her to carry it. Storm was already laughing giddily as they made their way out from the ekele. Her Companion was waiting in the Field and strode beside her after lipping her unbraided hair playfully. The little hertasi poked fun at the stallion by sarcastically commenting his childish behavior and that he was piling embarrassment at her. That began a tirade between the two of them, each making acidic comments. A brief patch of dark gray made her look to her left. There, Kantor and his Herald seemed unaware of their presence but continued their run. She watched the Herald wistfully and gave a little sigh. Both her Companion and the hertasi remained quiet during the interval. In a sudden change of mood, she jibed at Storm and that began a new contest of who has the most exquisite sense of eloquence between the three of them.
******
"Hope you two had enjoyed yourself today!" She breathed; her face shining as she looked at both her Companion and Gesten as the night neared the midnight hour. At their breathless laughter, she smiled, her dimples showing. She sent a brief goodnight to her Companion and trudged up the path with Gesten.
"I think I'll go and swim in the hot pool. Care to join me?" she asked Gesten, still feeling a little light-headed.
"Would you consider letting me join you?" A harsh, coarse voice emerged
from behind them.
