~ Chapter 16 ~
Fyn balanced the tray as she tried to open the door.
"Here, let me help." A tall Herald opened the door for her.
"Thanks." Fyn said as she stepped into the room. "Hey Tris. Are you hungry? I got Mero to make you finger foods."
Tris put down his book as they entered. "Thanks Fyn. Hi Jaime."
"You look like…" Jaime glanced down at Fyn. "You fell off a cliff."
Fyn put the tray next to Tris. "I have to study." She scampered into her room and closed the door.
"How are you feeling?"
"Slightly drugged but blessedly alive. Sia was nice enough to let me use one of her rooms rather than banish me to the Healers."
"I heard Keli rushed to your rescue, but no one is exactly certain how she did it."
"She's the Grove Born Herald, of course she has magical ways of getting around." Tris said lightly.
Jaime sat on one of the chairs. "I wouldn't be surprised if she was. She has been teaching her style of magic to the Mages and apparently it is very different from what they do. It definitely isn't the style of the Empire mages."
"I think she is of a school that combined many styles."
"Well, she has a class she teaches every day with most of the mages in attendance where she regularly destroys their laws of magic. Almost every day I hear 'But you can't do that!' followed by 'she just did.'"
"I am glad she found a place here."
"It is a little odd how she was given her Whites immediately. You know her well, why would they do that?"
Tris didn't like lying to his friend but he wasn't certain how to answer. "You'll have to ask her."
"Most the male Heralds have been trying to get her attention, should I tell them the only way is to get stuck on a cliff?" Jaime teased.
Tris felt a stab of jealousy. "I doubt that works twice."
Jaime's face was oddly serious suddenly. "Are you two a pair?"
"No." Tris nearly ground out.
Jaime's eyebrow twitched upward, "So you are in the same boat as the rest of us."
"Yes. I doubt she is even aware of us." Tristen said with a hint of bitterness.
"Is she like Keren and Sherril?" Jaime asked without prejudice.
"No." Tristen assured him. "She was life bonded before she arrived, he died."
Jaime took in the information solemnly. "So that was why she was so broken up when she arrived. I wondered why they had you bundle her off for a few months."
"Hard to compete with a ghost." Tristen complained.
"I have to go." Jaime said as he stood. "Just a warning, I think you will be getting a lot of visitors. Everyone wants to hear what happened."
"Thanks for the warning. Talk to you later." Tristen bid his friend farewell.
Tris found himself alone with his thoughts again, which were of his Sia of course.
Keli opened the door before he had a chance to brood for long. "I see Fyn brought you a meal."
Tris nodded, "Care to share?"
Keli smiled warmly, "I'd like that. I have had enough of Court for the day."
Fyn burst out of her room when she heard Keli's voice. "You're early."
"How was class?" Keli asked with true interest.
"Good. Master Adken said I am one of his quickest students." Fyn said proudly.
"What does he teach?" Tris asked.
"History." Fyn pulled an ottoman over to sit on. "He makes everything sound like a tale or a ballad."
"Is he a Bard?"
Fyn looked away. "Yes."
"Is something wrong?" Keli asked, worriedly. "You know you can tell me, and I will hear about it sooner or later anyway."
"He wants me to become a Bard." Fyn said quietly. "He said I have the Bardic gift, and that I am creative, and he thinks I have the Talent."
"And you don't like that idea?" Keli asked, even though she knew the answer.
"I am going to be a Herald." Fyn said.
Keli bit her lip in concentration, "I'll go speak to them."
"Now?" Fyn asked hopefully.
"Yes, now." Keli ruffled Fyn's unruly ringlets and went in search of the Master Bard Adken.
He was in his quarters in the Bardic Collegium when she located him. He answered her knock immediately.
"Herald, is something wrong?"
"I am Fyn's Guardian, is it alright if I speak with you for a moment?"
"Please, come in." The Bard stood aside to all her to enter. "Did she tell you about her Gift?"
"Yes," Keli sat on one of the serviceable leather chairs, "She just told me a little while ago. She doesn't want to become a Bard."
"She mentioned that when I spoke to her," Adken sat across from her, "Are you against it as well?"
"No, it is up to her. Fyn has had her heart set on becoming a Herald and at the moment she is unwilling to relinquish that dream."
"Normally we don't even consider children who are so young but she is very gifted. She could still live with you while attending our Collegium."
"How long would it take for her to finish schooling?" Keli ignored his attempts to cajole her to his side.
"Four years to Journeyman and then a few more years until Master." Adken explained.
"She'll only be thirteen when she gets her Scarlets," Keli pointed out, "And she will be the youngest in all her classes. What if we added some of your Bardic courses to what she is already taking and then in a few years she can enter into your Collegium full time, then the age difference won't be too great and she may be more willing."
"That would be excellent," Adken beamed, satisfied with the solution.
"I'll talk to her. If she agrees I don't want you to pressure her. If she doesn't, perhaps in three or four years she will be willing." Keli informed him firmly.
"Very well. Since she doesn't know any instruments we can start with those. She will be a wonderful Bard one day." Adken was already trying to decide what classes he would recommend to the young student.
"Or a wonderful Herald." Keli countered. "We shall see what happens."
"No sense burning a bridge when you can fall back on it later, eh?" Adken said with a smile.
Keli agreed. "I better get back. I'll speak to you later."
:That was a wise solution.: Kenyon commented.
:Thank you. I want her to have something to fall back on if she doesn't become a Herald. I am also going to encourage her to keep up with her other classes in case Bardic doesn't work out.:
:She is smart enough to do it.: Kenyon commented. :She will be the best educated thief in Valdemar.:
Keli laughed. :She'll get the money out of their pockets any way she can.:
:Very true.: Kenyon agreed with a chortle.
"Did you talk to him?" Fyn met her in the hall outside their rooms.
"Yes I did. Let's go inside and I'll tell you what we came up with." Keli urged.
Fyn ran back inside and perched on the ottoman.
Keli sat on the couch next to Tris, "Would it be alright if you just took some classes with Bardic, like learning to sing or play instruments? You would still live here. Knowing a few instruments would come in handy."
"For a Herald?" Fyn asked dubiously.
"For anyone." Keli insisted.
"Do I have to wear the uniforms?" Fyn asked worriedly.
Keli sensed Fyn felt that wearing the rust red uniforms of a Bardic trainee would be like giving up becoming a Herald. "No. You would still wear Blues and you would still be taking most of your other classes."
"What classes will I lose?" Fyn asked.
"That depends on how we can arrange your schedule." Keli explained. "If it is too heavy for you we can change it around."
Fyn considered it for a moment, "Alright, I will."
"Good. Do you want to tell him tomorrow?" Keli asked.
Fyn nodded and grabbed one of Tris' small sandwiches. "I can in History class."
"But first, return Jaime's belt pouch." Keli ordered.
Fyn scowled at her. Tris laughed.
~*~
Keli sighed in contentment as she sank into the hot water. After that flight through the air in the gryphons' basket she didn't think she would ever get warm. Not that she had noticed the cold while they had been in the air.
:You are looking like the cat who ate the canary.: Solaris teased as she appeared.
"Thanks for watching Fyn for me. I hope she didn't cause you much trouble."
:Her endless questions got on my nerves, but then again I am not used to children.: Solaris admitted.
"Tris claims she is almost as bad as me." Keli grinned unrepentantly.
:Almost. Only you wait for an answer. She doesn't.: Solaris pointed out.
"You may want to avoid the suite for a while. She is going to start music lessons." Keli warned.
Solaris's ears were plastered against her head. :I'll be in the stable if you need me.:
Keli laughed at the expression on her face. "I am going to make a soundproofing spell for her room."
:A very good idea.: Solaris said emphatically.
"Is there a reason you came looking for me?" Keli asked as she soaped one leg.
:Just wanted to see how you were faring after your stay on a mountain.: Solaris assured her. :No emergencies or great revelations today.:
Keli shuddered, "I hate heights."
:But you tolerated them for Tris.: Solaris observed.
"It was alright while it was snowing and I couldn't see beyond the shields but when it cleared…" Keli shuddered.
:Perhaps you should talk to Talia before that becomes a phobia.: Solaris suggested
"Perhaps, when she isn't busy."
:So what did you and Tris do for two and a half days?: Solaris asked.
"Talk." Keli answered succinctly.
Solaris gave her a look meant to make her feel like an idiot.
"Don't you start. I don't need a matchmaking cat." Keli ordered.
:And now he is staying with you for a few days, oh the possibilities.: Solaris ignored her.
Keli splashed Solaris. The look on the Cat's face was priceless.
"If you keep that up I will send a love note on your behalf to Altra." Keli threatened.
:You wouldn't dare!: Solaris protested.
"Wouldn't I?" Keli challenged with a wicked grin.
Solaris hesitated, and then vanished.
Keli enjoyed the rest of her bath in solitude.