~ Chapter 2 ~
Keli fell from the saddle and started to retch in the grass. Little lights flashed before her eyes. Her head spun as she tried to raise her head to look around only to retch again.
:Are you alright Chosen?: Kenyon asked, his nose touched her neck.
:What do you expect? That is worse than gating.: Solaris pointed out dryly.
Keli looked up and saw a strange Companion ready to attack. She tried to scramble out of his way but only collapsed on her side.
:You better explain!: An imperious voice demanded. Keli winced and closed her eyes, taking slow, deep breaths.
:Rolan, relax!: Kenyon stepped in front of Keli.
:What are you doing here?: Rolan asked. :You aren't needed, yet.:
:Yes, we are.: Kenyon corrected. :This is my Chosen. Kelisiaori, Empress of Valdemar, about seven hundred years from now.:
:Empress?: Rolan stared down at her.
Another Companion stood next to Rolan, a mare.
:Valdemar becomes an Empire? How many Companions and Heralds are there?: A female voice asked.
"At the moment, you are looking at her." Keli struggled to stand and failed, she settled for sitting, it still felt like the world was lurching about her. "I am the last Herald. My Father and Rodry, the Emperor's Own, are both dead. So is my Companion, Selene."
:Would you care to explain?: Rolan asked Keli, his tone made it more of an order than a request.
"In my time a Revolution just broke out, our weapons are much more advanced than yours and one man can easily kill hundreds. The streets of Haven are filled with blood. Karse, Hardorn, Rethwellan, Ceejay, and most of what you call the Empire is now part of Valdemar." Keli explained as she battled nausea.
:How did this happen?: The mare demanded.
"The treaty. It led to Karse, Rethwellan, and Hardorn gradually joining with Valdemar. Then other countries got nervous and attacked us trying to keep from being swallowed. We struck back. The Kings and Queens never intended to grow but the Council did." Keli finally stood, her knees shaking, she leaned against a tree since she was barely able to support herself.
:Why didn't the Crown veto it.: Rolan asked in confusion.
:They waited until there was no fully trained Monarch's Own.: Kenyon explained. :Then forced in new laws.:
:So what are we going to do?: The mare asked, she obviously had an easier time believing their story than the stallion.
"What's going on?" A short woman with reddish hair ran across the field towards them. She stopped at Keli's side and immediately took her arm to support the weaving princess. "You need a Healer."
Keli didn't have the strength to argue.
"Why did you come way over here?" The woman asked, Keli thought she had an odd accent.
Keli started to shake her head and was forced to grab a tree to keep from falling over. "I don't know."
"Here, let me help." She draped Keli's arm over her shoulder.
"Just give me a moment and I'll be fine." Keli protested.
"You are as pale as a ghost." The woman observed.
Solaris sat next to her and put her paw on Keli's foot and she started to feel better.
"Is that your cat?" The woman asked.
Keli glanced down. "I suppose."
"Come on." The woman helped Keli across the field. "You need to lie down."
Keli followed obediently. Kenyon trailed after them. Soon Keli was lying on a bed in a whitewashed, stone walled room and ingesting horrid tasting tea.
"I am sorry, I never asked your name." The woman stood off to the side as a man dressed in green poked and prodded her.
"Kelisiaori." She answered as she winced at the horrible taste of the tea, but it did settle her stomach quickly.
"You must be Rethwellan. My name is Talia." She introduced with a friendly smile.
Keli remembered a Talia being mentioned in her history texts, but they had been rather vague about her role.
:She's the current Queen's own.: Kenyon informed her.
:Excellent.: Keli started to sit up. "I need to see the Queen."
"Don't even consider it." The man in green stopped her.
"What's wrong? Why do you need to see the Queen?" Talia asked with immediate concern.
"I have important information." Keli said vaguely.
Talia looked hesitant but left.
"I can find nothing wrong with you." The man said finally.
:Of course not.: Solaris said from the base of the bed. :It is just a nice combination of Gating and Jumping sickness, only a few hundred times worse.:
:What's a Gate?: A slightly groggy Keli asked.
:A portal.:
:Right.: Keli understood that term. Magic was rarely used in her time, mostly because the Mages hoarded their power. She herself was a mage but that was rarely bandied about to avoid making the people of Valdemar nervous.
"Would you like something else to drink, to wash the taste of the tea out of your mouth?" The healer asked with concern.
"That would be welcome." Keli levered herself upright. Long before her time the Healer's Collegium had been torn down because there were plenty of hospitals in the city and Healing had fallen out of practice.
Everything here seemed earthier, like the people were more connected to the world around them. The walls were painted white and the bed she was sitting on was hand carved and made from a polished wood. A far cry from the cold, metallic hospitals she helped open.
The water she was given tasted wonderful. Amazing what difference no chemicals made.
"Thank you." She returned the glass.
"You wanted to see me?" A woman appeared in the doorway. She was tall and regal with greying blonde hair confined by a familiar red gold coronet. She wore a long white tunic and a split white skirt. Keli knew her from a portrait in the Royal Gallery that was painted when Selenay first came to the throne. What really hit her was that she seemed very familiar in a very strange way.
"Your Majesty." Keli tried to stand.
"No, it's all right, stay seated. You look like hell." The Queen quickly stopped her.
Keli relaxed. "I am very sorry if I called you away from anything important, but this is very important. You may want to sit down."
Selenay reluctantly sat on the foot of the bed.
"I know this will sound insane but you have to believe me." Keli sat forward. "My name is Kelisiaori, my father was Emperor." Her throat tightened at the thought of her father and Rodry.
"You are from the Empire?" Selenay asked in confusion. "It was my understanding that Charliss had no surviving children."
"Not the Emperor you mean. I am from Empire of Valdemar, seven hundred years in the future." Keli quickly explained.
Selenay looked doubtful.
Keli pulled off her backpack and removed the coronet. She held it out. "My father was killed by revolutionaries. His Emperor's Own was killed when they stormed the palace." Tears filled her eyes.
"What does that have to do with me?" Selenay asked turning the coronet over in her hands.
"Your treaty is part of what caused it." Keli explained. "It grew until it was a monster. As Heralds became too slow to keep up it got worse, we could no longer protect our people from those who were supposed to protect them. When my Father took the throne there were only two Heralds and three Companions."
"And you are the last?" Selenay said carefully.
"I am the only Empress who is her own Empress' Own. Selene is broke our bond then Kenyon Chose me." Keli took a deep calming breath. "Selene said she couldn't accompany me."
Selenay offered Keli a handkerchief.
"That sounds very implausible." Selenay said diplomatically.
"I know." Keli accepted the handkerchief; she knew she wasn't making much sense. "Solaris, can you help me?"
Selenay looked ready to leave when the Firecat showed herself.
:She is telling the truth.: The Cat sat next to Keli. :Your Treaty is going to grow and become a monster on a scale you can't imagine. It will cause the creation of weapons that kill millions. It will spawn tyrants and wars that no amount of Heralds can stop. Keli is risking everything to come here and stop you. Even her very existence.:
Selenay looked stunned. "A Firecat named Solaris…"
:Get over it.: Solaris snapped. :Keli has lost everyone she has loved in what has seemed less than a day for her, but she has managed to keep herself together enough to come and warn you that your treaty, the way it stands now, will cause millions of deaths and more suffering than you can imagine. You are being given a chance to change the future.:
Keli felt the Ice Princess façade slipping further.
"What can we do?" Selenay asked Solaris.
:There is something in that treaty that will allow the countries to merge in a century or so. Find it. What do you expect, to have it handed to you on a platter?:
Solaris then turned her attention to Keli who was struggling to keep from breaking down. :It's all right. You can grieve.:
"No, I better see to Kenyon." Keli managed to recollect her self, gather her backpack and left quickly.
Selenay tried to stop her.
:She was raised to be an Empress, she never lets her personal feelings come before anything else. Including her Companion.: Solaris met Selenay's gaze. :If she had been born just fifty years earlier she could have averted much of the bloodshed. You should be proud of her.:
"Seven hundred years?" Selenay shook her head. "What did you mean she was risking everything?"
:If this works, she will never be born, nor will her father. Everything she knew as familiar will be changed beyond all recognition.:
"This is still hard to swallow." Selenay turned to the Cat.
:Just think how I am going to take it.: Solaris sniffed.
~*~
Keli found Kenyon waiting for her outside.
:How are you feeling?: He asked her.
:I'm fine.: Keli assured him. :Now where do I take you?:
:Follow me.: He lead her back to the Field and towards the stables.
Keli trailed after him. She knew Kenyon had twelve Heralds, herself being the twelfth, and she hoped he would know his way around enough to keep her from fumbling around like an idiot.
The part of her mind that she couldn't control wanted to curl up in a corner and block out the world. The rest of her knew that she had a Duty and until she knew that she had succeeded nothing else would matter.
And when she succeeded her father would never exist, Rodry would never become the Monarch's Own, and she herself would never be born.
:Don't dwell. There was nothing you could do.: Solaris appeared at her knee.
"Easy for you to say."
:We don't know what will happen to you. Maybe you will vanish, but you may continue to live on in this time. Focus on life for now.: Solaris urged.
"I can't. They are all dead, my father, my closest friend, my Companion. All I have left is duty." She said without looking down. "I don't want to survive this."
Both Solaris and Kenyon gave her pitying looks.
"Enough moping. We should get you groomed." Keli ignored them.
Keli tried not to stare at dozens of Companions that filled the field. She had never seen more than three.
The two Companions who had tried to question her earlier were waiting for her. A woman was with them, she looked to be in her late twenties but had hair that was almost completely white. Keli knew this meant she was an Adept. Her own hair was died blonde to hide her own completely silver tresses.
"Are you newly Chosen?" The woman greeted her. "Obviously. Let me help you. Most Companions don't give their Chosen a chance to pack so you are lucky." She detached Keli's saddlebags. "Can you use that sword?"
Keli nodded and unconsciously caressed the hilt of the blade. "I was taught when I was young."
"You're better off than most Trainees. Most have had no training with weapons. That sword is exquisite." The Herald commented.
"Thank you." Keli withdrew it. Its blade flashed in the light as she offered it for inspection.
The woman accepted it. "This is incredible workmanship."
"It has been in my family for centuries." Keli said honestly, she didn't mention it hadn't been created yet.
"My name is Elspeth." She returned the sword.
"Keli." Keli knew the name Elspeth was familiar. She wracked her brain and remembered there had been four Queen Elspeths. One was about ninety years from now, so this Elspeth wasn't one of them. She wished her time had a better grasp of their past.
"Pleased to meet you. I can't place your accent, where are you from."
Keli hesitated. She wasn't certain how much she should tell. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Try me." Elspeth challenged.
"No." Keli shook her head.
"Very well. We all have our secrets." She and the Companion mare led her into the darkened stable. "I noticed you are a rather powerful mage. Have you had much training?"
"Yes, I haven't used it much though. There hasn't been any need for me to do so."
"Were you the one who made the gate in the field?" Elspeth asked.
"I am responsible for it, yes. It was necessary."
"I am surprised you could. We are in for a major storm tonight because of it."
"I am sorry."
Elspeth gave her a strange look. "We'll hand your Companion over to a groom and I'll introduce you to the Dean of the Collegium."
Keli started to protest but Solaris stopped her. :Try not to advertise you are from the future or they will start to think you are mad.:
A groom appeared and collected the Companions.
Keli wondered if they were going to remark on the odd things in the saddle, like a cell phone holder, it was a specially designed saddle, normally she had ridden Selene bareback since they only rode in the Field but she had learned dressage at the fancy boarding school she had attended and trick riding from Rodry and hence the saddle had been designed for that as well.
"Are you all right?" Elspeth asked with concern.
"Of course." Keli drew herself up.
Elspeth gave her a concerned look and led her to the Collegium, another building that no longer stood in her time. Word had apparently spread that there was a new trainee. A man with greying brown hair was waiting for her.
"Keli, this is Teren." Elspeth said in introduction.
"Pleased to meet you sir." Keli extended her hand.
"Pleased to meet you too, Keli." He shook her hand. "Are you ready for a tour of the Collegium?"
"Of course." Keli nodded.
Keli followed with Solaris at her heals. She wondered why no one was commenting on the large Cat.
:They only see a large tabby.: Solaris explained. :It may be interesting when we run into Karal and Altra. They will be pulling out their hair trying to figure this out.:
:Perhaps we should find a different name for you for the time being.: Keli suggested.
:No, I would forget to answer.: Solaris chuckled.
:Why aren't you doing the cat thing and acting mysterious? You know, wander off or vanish in a beam of sunlight?: Keli asked.
:Simple my dear. I am concerned for you. Kenyon and I decided we aren't going to leave you alone. You are our champion so to speak, we don't want anything to happen to you.: Solaris explained.
Keli shook her head.
"I hope you don't mind if stop if we stop for a chat?" Teren opened the door to his office.
Keli accepted a seat.
"I assume you want to know what I know. I can read and understand Valdemaran fairly clearly. I am good at mathematics. I have no clue as to its history. I have some weapons training but no experience. I have training in magic and mind magic."
"Well, that is certainly different than what I normally hear." Teren sat across from her. "Is something bothering you?"
Keli looked down at her folded hands. "It is nothing." She wanted to tell him everything.
:Tell him an edited version.: Solaris suggested
:What, that my Companion of twelve years is dead and I was Chosen by a Grove Born Stallion who is at least four and a half centuries old?:
:That is a good beginning. You need to talk to someone.: Solaris urged.
:Your ancestors trust him implicitly.: Kenyon added.
:Very well: She capitulated.
"My Companion is dead." She said simply.
"I beg your pardon?" Teren leaned forward.
"Selene died so I could come here and warn the Queen. Kenyon chose me to keep me from dying in the interim, that is why we gated here." Her voice sounded flat even to Keli's ears.
"I don't understand." Teren was obviously out of his depth.
"My father, my Companion, and my closest friend were slaughtered only a few hours ago by my reckoning. I don't want training but Kenyon assures me I should have some. I only want to wait to find out if I succeeded."
"What about Kenyon. He will die if you die."
"Doubtful." And image of Rodry riding next to her, laughing flashed through her mind. She tried to suppress the feelings that threatened to overwhelm her. "If you don't mind, I need to go for a walk."
Teren rose to stop her but she was out the door before he could even round his desk. She walked swiftly out the door and into the gathering gloom of the oncoming storm she had created.
Kenyon waited for her.
:I understand.: He tried to stop her but she ignored him.
Keli ignored him and strode toward the Grove, her sanctuary in her own time.
Here everything seemed almost untouched. The walls of the Temple were a little taller than in her time but the trees were the same size. She sat beneath the largest of them and buried her face in her knees.
:Keli?: Kenyon lowered himself next to her. :No one else will see you here.:
:They're dead.: She buried her face in his mane.
:I know.: Grief coloured his own mindvoice.
:They didn't even have a chance. Rodry was too busy trying to save me to save himself. Father didn't even know what was happening.: Keli sobbed.
She felt something soft and furry brush against her arm.
:They are in the Havens now.: Solaris tried to console her.
:Little Empress, Rodry wouldn't want you to death will yourself. Neither would Selene.: Kenyon said softly.
:Tell me, is the future the same?: Keli asked.
:No, but it hasn't changed enough yet.:
:Kitten, you can't leave us yet. We can only advise and without you we can do nothing.: Solaris laid her head on Keli's lap.
"Are you all right?" A voice asked.
Keli tried to brush all evidence of her tears away. "Of course I am fine." She said harshly.
"You are a miserable liar." The voice said teasingly.
Keli looked up the speaker, her heart almost skipped a beat, she felt like she had been struck by lightening. He was about her age with dark brown hair and eyes as blue as a Companion's. He wore an archaic set of Whites.
"You look like you have lost someone." He knelt next to her.
"I'll be fine." Keli protested.
"You must be Keli. Teren has the entire Collegium out searching for you." He didn't try to touch her. "I am Tristen."
"I am Kelisiaori." Keli said formally, trying to find solid ground for dealing with this man in her training.
"Well, Sia, shall we return to the Collegium?" He asked and extended a hand to help her up.
Keli's heart tightened. Only Rodry called her Sia, he said he thought Keli was too obvious of a nickname, she had just thought he was being different.
"Did I say something wrong?" Triten asked.
"No. It's just a friend used to call me that. He died recently." Keli explained.
Tristen immediately started to apologize. "I am sorry. It just seemed natural."
"Its all right, I just need a moment." Keli quickly assured him.
"Care to tell me?" He folded his legs and sat across from her.
"It is hard to explain." Keli tried to deflect him.
"I am a good listener." Tristen unknowingly echoed words Rodry had said to her many times when she tried to deflect his questions.
Keli started to speak but all that came out was a sob. Tristen gathered her in his arms and held her close as she sobbed. When she was limp with exhaustion he picked her up and carried her to the palace.
The Cat and Companion remained behind.
:Now it has changed.: Solaris said.
:So it has.: Kenyon looked down at his smaller compatriot. :Poor little thing, from Princess to Empress to Trainee, all in one day.:
:Do you think she will survive?: Solaris asked.
Kenyon didn't take his eyes from the pair. :I don't know. If she dies so do all our hopes. I have waited four hundred years for her.:
Solaris remained silent, staring after the departing Heralds.