I know I tend toward long paragraphs but that's just how some of the conversations end up. I was absolutely terrible about dividing my writing into paragraphs when I did my original so I'm trying to modify it as I go but some of it can't be. I probably should have left some suspense in these first few chapters, but don't worry, there's plenty of mystery ahead. However, there will be no real romance. The kids are young obviously so all that will happen is a strong friendship developing. I do no write romance because that has a tendency to lead to writing about sex, which I will not do, just so you know. So, enjoy, and if you enjoy, review.
Karolyn shifted her attention to Michael but also left open the line to Emily. :Hey, Mike, want to go explore?:
He immediately replied, :Definitely. These guys keep teasing me.:
:Same here. How about we check out the Grove where Companions originally came from? What do you guys think?: The last question was directed to Emily and Stephen..
:Okay, and we will give you more history lessons if you like too.: Emily said. :Don't worry, we'll try not to bore you to tears. There's a lot of excitement in forgotten history.:
Kary and Mike looked at each other excitedly and agreed. At the speed the Companions went, they were there in no time. In the center of a clearing in the middle of the Grove were the ruins of a temple with a bell tower in good condition rising from the site. :That is the Death Bell.: Stephen said soberly. :There is no clapper in it but anytime a Herald dies, the bell rings and all the Heralds know who died and how. Over two thousand years ago, a young Herald-trainee named Tylendel threw himself off of it, killing himself in grief at his twin brother's death and the repudiation of his Companion. The bell still rang for him though, because he was not sane during the incident that caused her to break the bond.
:Here also is where the Grove born Companions come from. All the first Companions were Grove born but once they started reproducing, the ones have been the Monarch's Own Herald's Companion. As I told you earlier, and Emily also said, the Monarch is always a Herald although that title is no longer used. The king or queen's chief advisor is that special Herald. Normally a Companion dies when his or her Chosen dies, no matter the cause of death. However, in the case of the King or Queen's Own (Queen in this case), if he is killed, will go on to Chose another Queen's Own. There was one case about sixteen hundred years ago where they had an especially deep bond. Talia and Rolan could not shut each other out at all (you will learn about shielding eventually, sooner if you start picking up on other people's thought inadvertently or projecting your own to them). So, anyway, they were so tightly bonded that they died together, soon after the death of their lifebonded Dirk and Ahrodie, for Ahrodie and Rolan had lifebonded, though that is rare among Companions.: (A/N I made all of that up, just so you know, so don't flame me for it!)
At that point the bell for them to go back to the open stable rang and they were soon unsaddling their Companions and grooming them. After cleaning the tack, they walked over to the salle, which Karolyn had not seen up close the previous day. Rowan, the weaponsmaster, welcomed them all and set them to stretching out after riding so long. Then she tested them to see if they had had any previous training. Kary had learned some martial arts from her older brother, who had joined the army. Things had been peaceful for the past century but it wasn't guaranteed to stay that way. She also knew some archery and the rudiments of using a sword. Mike was proficient with the sword, having had several years of training. He also knew how to use a dagger and to throw knives. Jacy knew somewhat of all the things Rowan tried her in because of her older sister who had showed her on the holidays. Karen as an excellent archer and knew dagger as well. The two other boys just knew the sword.
As Kary practiced her archery, Emily encouraged her and gave her some advice so she swiftly improved. During sword practice it was Michael who mentally coached her. Having proven to Rowan how well he knew the sword, he had been asked to assist Kary as her partner. He showed her the pattern in her memory for moving the sword and she found it much easier. She in turn helped him with his hand to hand fighting.
Rowan quickly caught on to how well they worked together and put them together in her mind for permanent partners for her class. She also had suspicions about how they learned so quickly and confirmed them with a thought to her own Companion, Savil. (The two of them had gotten along so well at their original pairing that now they always came back together every few centuries. Rowan was permitted to remember some of her previous incarnations whenever she was Chosen. Eldan also usually came with her under various names since Kerowyn, being a very stubborn person, had argued it out with the gods when they had first died.) (A/N This was another of my own inventions, which I had a great deal of fun writing. Look for other reincarnated people. Kudos to whoever spots them with their other names.)
When the class ended, Kary approached her and asked if she could ride Emily while she delivered papers that afternoon. Rowan raised an eyebrow at the request and sent the question to Eldan, who was running the Collegium now, having had so much experience in so many areas after all this time. He decided that it was okay, and because they were so open minded with each other, asked her if she thought Karolyn would ask next if Michael and Stephen could join her. Without replying but leaving her mind open to him she asked the girl if she wanted Mike to go too. Kary blushed but said, yes, if nobody minded. She had been asking Mike while Rowan spoke to Eldan.
They hurried up to their respective rooms to grab regular clothes and take quick showers before going to get Emily and Stephen. Sharon was in the stable talking with her Companion Elsie when they arrived. When she learned where they were going, she suggested a bareback pad instead of a saddle, and special sacks that hung over the front. Those were usually used by messengers on short journeys and were large enough to hold plenty of newspapers in.
Karolyn led the way to the newspaper office, and once there, showed Michael how to roll the newspapers. Even without training, memory was good enough now that her Gifts had awoken that she was able to look at the map again along with her memories form delivering the previous day and then send them to her friend so he would know where to put the papers he carried. They had already decided to equally split the pay and would each work one side of each street. Despite the fact that the Companions' hooves would chime when they walked down the street, part of the old spell made it so that no one would realize they were hearing anything but the ordinary clop of hooves.
As they were delivering the last papers (and delivery had only taken twenty minutes total despite that she had sixty customers) a boy who had been watching them from inside one of the houses opened the window and shouted, "Think you're so high and mighty don't you, with horses to ride and good clothes!" The two were startled because they came from middle class families which had a long past in the military. The boy continued, "You stole my paper route. I had been planning to save up to pay for school and then get my little sister in and here you are working without even needing the money. How did you manage to get matching white horses anyway?" At that, all four of them exchanged shocked glances because he had seen through the glamour.
After a quick mental conversation, Kary spoke up carefully, "Were you talking about the big school in the middle of the city by any chance? If so, we go there and the session this year has only just begun so maybe you can get in on a scholarship if they think you are suited to the school. Get your sister if you like and we will give you a ride up there." With him riding pillion behind Mike and his sister Anna behind Karolyn, he introduced himself as Greg.
As they got close to the school, Kary decided to try to call Sharon in her mind. :Who? What?: came the startled answer as she delicately touched the riding master's mind.
:It's me, Karolyn. While we were delivering papers we met this boy who says he's been trying to save up money to go to the Collegium Also, he saw through the illusions on the Companions so we are bringing him and his sister up to see just in case…:
:All right, Kary, you did the right thing, but I think I'd better start giving you lessons in Mindspeech very soon, judging by the strength of your Voice.:
:Okay, but count Mike in on that too. He says to tell you that he would like to train his mind.:
:Are you double speaking? I am probably underestimating your strength. After supper, come to my room and you can get your first lesson.: She sent the location of her room and Kary could pick up on undertones of surprise and resignation. She seemed closer and Kary opened her eyes to see that they were almost there. She had closed them because she had not been sure about touching an unfamiliar mind. Sharon opened the gate as they approached and welcomed them. "So, who are your new friends?" She asked genially.
"Hey Sharon, these are Greg and Anna. They tell me they want to come to this school and we figured you could confirm or deny for us." Michael said. "He is fourteen and she is eleven. So, what do you say?"
Greg meanwhile was looking around in delight and surprise. "Why are there so many white, blue-eyed horses here? I thought blue-eyed horses were blind but these don't seem to have a problem getting around." He realized that he had interrupted and blushed. "I'm sorry."
Sharon was looking at him in surprise and then switched her gaze to Anna, who broke in with, "They don't look white to me, except for that one." She pointed and then slid off of Emily to run to the one she had pointed to. "She says her name is Idry. I don't understand. What is happening?"
"Well, that settles that," Sharon said sardonically. She looked back over at Greg, who had finally stopped turning his head and his eyes were focused on another Companion.
"He says he is Florian." Greg said dazedly and followed Anna's example of dismounting and approaching his Companion.
Sharon looked at Mike and Kary and saw that both had an unfocused look in their eyes as they remembered the moment they had been Chosen. Their minds opened to those of their Companions, and then to each other, dropping the natural shields as they shared the joy they had felt. Neither one had Empathy but because of their lifebond, they could show pictures and feelings to each other as well as using words. It also began to leak from their minds until Sharon, shocked out of her own reminisces slapped a shield over both of them. They continued to share with one another but no one else was touched by it. Finally she decided that enough was enough and clapped her hands sharply. "Okay, we now have two new trainees. You found them and you can show them around and give them a briefing. I'll call you when I'm ready or have Eldan do it because they will need to be enrolled. Well, actually on second thought, how about you help them to mount and brief them while they go find shelters to spend the night in because the first few hours of bonding are important. You can help them get set up for the night, together or separately, whichever they prefer and come suppertime you can bring something portable out for them. Got it? Okay, get going!"
She left them alone and Kary and Mike looked at each other helplessly. Finally Mike spoke, "There are a couple of benches over there." The two newly Chosen were still in a daze but were induced to climb first onto the benches and then mount their Companions. They rode off as if in a trance and Mike and Karolyn decided not to disturb them for the moment. Instead they asked their friends to have Florian and Idry follow them. They just rode the paths for a half-hour with no destination in mind.
:I'm glad he yelled out the window and brought up the subject of coming here. Wouldn't it have been awful if he could not have come here and missed out on this?: Karolyn said.
:Yeah. He obviously has the Mage-Gift. I wonder what she has?:
:Who knows? This should be interesting. I hate to break into this moment for them but we'd better do so because much as I enjoy riding, and no offense intended Emily, but I'm starting to get sore and pretty soon I'll be stiff.:
:Same here. I'll deal with Greg and you can take care of Anna.:
:Sure thing: They each approached the boy and girl. "Anna? Anna, you can stay with Idry all night but we have to find you a place to stay. Would you prefer to stay alone or to be with your brother?" Kary spoke softly to the girl and was rewarded by have the eyes slowly focus on her.
"Uh, what? Oh, if Greg doesn't mind I'll stay with him because we usually share a room at night now that Mom is dead so we can comfort each other if we have bad dreams." (A/N No, this is not a case of incest, just the comfort of siblings) Mike meanwhile asked Greg and got a similar response. They asked their Companions if there was a big enough shelter for two half-grown children and two full sized Companions.
:Well, there is one place actually. Occasionally married couples decide to spend a night out together, and it comes in handy when you are doing some training for when you will go out on circuit. It looks like the waystations spread across the countryside since Heralds are traveling judges and can't stay in inns. It is on the very opposite end of the Filed so that it is as if it is in the middle of nowhere. There is some wild woods out there where small game live so you can gain experience in making your own supper under primitive conditions.:
They had already sped up so as to reach the shelter before the other four because it would soon be time for supper. They would have to come back out again as it was to bring food to the others. After seeing them settled and helping them find sleeping rolls and lanterns, among other things, they galloped back to the Collegium.