Disclaimer! Valdemar and all inside it belongs to Mercedes Lackey! Except for Cherrybrook, Tess, and Leila! (Lee) They're MINE! No takeys! ~-~-~ indicates a vision, beginning and end. [brackets] indicate Lee's thoughts. :colons: are Mindspeech. The Gift of Hindsight is also MINE!

This is also a rewrite. Keep waiting.

Warning: some shaychness. If it bothers you, don't read. (no, it's not Lee!)

Muse(s) responsible: Scheherezade and Chaesa

Hindsight is Ever-Perfect

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Lee stared at the Companion, transfixed. The Companion tossed its head and pranced down the street, its silver hooves chiming gently. Lee watched, the bucket forgotten in her hand. The Companion paced ever closer, its eyes on Lee. She nudged open the gate to Lee's yard and stepped inside. Lee's knees quivered.

:My name is Tess. I Choose you, Leila. You will be a Herald, now.:

Lee drowned in blue as she looked into Tess's eyes. Tess reached into her heart, healing wounds Lee hadn't known she possessed. :We must go to Haven, Lee. Mount up!:

Lee broke her paralysis and said, "Wait! I have to tell Mother!" She turned to the house. "Mother! Come here!"

Lee's mother appeared in the doorway. She began, "What is it now, Le-oh!" Abruptly, she descended the stairs and embraced Lee. "This is the best birthday present I could have had! Now you're going to be a Herald!"

Lee tried to disentangle herself as Tess made a quiet sort of snorting noise. "Mother, Tess-my Companion-says I have to go."

:I don't know about that. This is amusing. At least get your cloak-we have a few days before we reach Haven.: Lee said "Mother, I'll be fine! Now, could you let me get my cloak and things? I'll be a few days in reaching Haven."

"Of course, dear. Let me go gather up a few things for you-you can say your goodbyes, because here come your brothers," said Lee's mother, and went inside to gather some supplies for Lee. Lee's older twin brothers, Adem and Idem, gaped at Lee and Tess. As always, they were mirror images of each other, both being of middling height, with red-brown hair and identical blue eyes. Lee called, "Heyla, Adem-Idem," Lee called, using her brother's town moniker, "I've been Chosen! Now I'm going to be a Herald!"

Adem and Idem said, "What's your Companion's name? Can she talk?"

Lee sighed. "Her name is Tess. She says heyla to you both and wonders how I tell you apart!"

Abruptly, Lee's younger sister, nicknamed Berry for the amount of times she's been caught stealing berry pie from the kitchen came rocketing out the door and attached herself to Lee's legs. [Wonderful. Just wonderful. What's next, Great-Aunt Lilac and my second-cousin-twice-removed?] Lee thought with a sigh. She patted Berry's hair, which was cornsilk blond to Lee's own deep brown. "Shh, Berry, I'm not going away forever!" Lee said to the top of her four-year old sister's head. Tess made her snickering sound again. "Look, a Companion!" said Lee to Berry.

Berry detached herself from Lee and shot straight at Tess, squealing with excitement. Tess abruptly stopped sniggering. :First your brothers just stop in the street, next you attach a sticky young child to my legs? You are going to pay.: said Tess irritably. Lee laughed. Her mother came out the door, holding Lee's cloak and a satchel. Lee allowed her to latch the cloakclasp and fuss with her hair for a bit, then took the packet and said, "Thanks, Mother. I'll write, if I have the time."

Lee's mother looked at her, the ever-changing green-blue-gray eyes that Lee had inherited filled with tears. Lee embraced her. Tess said, fidgeting, :We NEED to GO, Chosen. Pleeeease?:

Lee sighed. "Mother, I need to go. Tess wants Berry off her legs."

Lee's mother picked up Berry as Lee stepped on the pump to mount Tess. She tucked the packet in a saddlebag and said, "Goodbye! I'll visit at Midwinter! Happy birthday, Mother!"

With that, Tess turned, brushed past Adem-Idem, and began to lope comfortably down the street. Lee marveled at how fast they were moving. The cherry trees were blurs. The bells on Tess's barding jingled as she stretched into a gallop. Lee clung to the reins and saddlehorn. She had ridden ponies at the Midsummer Faire and her father's patient riding horse, a mark of his office as Cherrybrook's lawkeeper, but they were nothing compared to Tess. She was moving so swiftly and smoothly, Lee could have sworn they were at a standstill but for the breeze blowing her long hair behind her. Tess slowed outside of the town to a ground-eating lope, and Lee sat for a moment, exhilarated. :Are you all right? I realize that us Companions do a right good job of turning your life upside-down!: said Tess. Lee said, trying to Mindspeak like Tess, :Pleasantly upside-down, though.:

Tess snorted-her version of a laugh. :Since it's nearly nightfall, we can stop at a Waystation. Soon.:

Lee didn't say anything, but instead reveled in the newly-formed bond between Tess and herself. She could feel love and support pouring through even now, and sent as much as she had back to Tess. Tess loped along for about half a candlemark, then turned off the road. :Here we are.:

Lee dismounted and looked around. It was a cozy little hut with a stream running beside it. Lee built a fire as Tess nibbled at the grass. :We have much better grass at Haven.: muttered Tess. Lee laughed. "I hardly think they'll make us eat grass, will they?" :No, but you may be so hungry in Survival lessons that you'd be willing to try some!: countered Tess.

Lee ate some of the bread her mother had packed, and offered part of an apple to Tess, who gratefully accepted. Lee leaned backwards-and met a white bulk. Tess had laid down behind her. Lee smiled sleepily and pulled her cloak over herself, snuggling into Tess's side and watching the flames die.

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Well, there's chappie 2! The more reviews I get, the faster I write! Thankees, imaginary cookies, and apple pie to these people:

Senashenta: Thank you! Have pie!

RonethDragon Tiamat: Is that enough description?

Cat: I will, thanks!

Rosethorn: I know, I made it blindingly obvious. A bit Mary Sue, actually, but there is no refusing the muses! I hope your cat recovers- that WAS kind of a bad vision for poor Lee to have, though!

Etcetera-cat: Here's some description for you, too. Let's leave our muses to it for a bit. I BLAME THE MUSHROOMS! That's just funny! Have pie!

Thank you, everybody! I love my reviewers! *showers them with imaginary cookies and pie and ice cream to put on top of the pie* I think there's a plot twist coming up, but my muses don't tell me anything until I get to it most of the time! Zhaielleva!

~Fireblade