Disclaimer: All Valdemar related items in the below story are the possessions of Mercedes Lackey, not me.
A/N this chapter is delayed only by the Memorial Day Parade (I'm marching in the school band, Go FlutesJ, and then going to a friend's house until my mum can pick me up) wish I had my driver's license, but I do have my permit and will be on the roads unsupervised by the end of summer… hehehe, the roads are no longer safe!!! (It's quite clear in my mission statement that I won't hit anyone though) Anyway you probably aren't here to read my author's note, but oh well. Thanks to Stee (so far my only reviewer on chap 10, and it's a cliffhanger 'cause I write each chapter as I post it so that's all that's written, mentally or on my computer) since I got more reviewers since I started chapter 11 I have to add that they are also profusely thanked for reviews. School's gonna end for the summer soon and then I can probably write more. But until then we get projects and papers galore, in case finals aren't nerve-wracking enough (of course I enjoy all of the above mentioned stuff, but it is time consuming)!
As I left the camp I heard shouts for horses to be readied, I braced myself for any mind tricks they tried on me.
:Asia?: my chosen queried in a broken voice, I could have shouted for joy! She hadn't completely abandoned me!
:Elsa, I got away, help me!: I called with feeling.
:We're coming, but Ralph can only go so fast with two of us on his back. He's a companion but even you mystical beasties have limits:
:Just hurry, I don't know how long I can outrun them:
:You can make it Asia: Elsa encouraged me. The thing was, now that I knew she didn't hate me I actually thought I could. So I ran, and soon the horses following me fell back and finally I risked a glance back; no pursuit.
:I lost them!: I crowed triumphantly.
:Good, keep coming though, the sooner we're together the better:
I didn't respond; I was tired. I did keep running though. Eventually, it felt like an eternity, I saw Ralph and the two heralds coming toward me. I put on a final burst of speed and met them moments later.
"Asia," Elsa scrambled from Ralph's back and hugged my neck. I leaned into her.
"You gave us all quite a fright there," Bart said simply, he was standing at Ralph's head.
:You should have seen these two clowns whimpering over you: Ralph added :Of course I kept a level head:
"Don't pay Ralph any mind Asia, the old lump nearly ripped my arms out of their sockets for trying to pace him!"
:I am perfectly capable of regulating my own speed thank you!: Ralph explained haughtily :Chosens: He harrumphed :you just can't do a thing with them!:
I ignored their bantering after that. Elsa had let go of my neck, but she was smoothing my fur, as if reluctant to lose contact with me. I took the opportunity to rub my face on her, she staggered a bit but laughed and I repeated the gesture. She grinned, and rubbed my face for me; it was itchy!
:Sugar?: I asked hopefully.
"Fresh out darling, sorry," Elsa apologized, with a final pat.
"Well, I think we should get as far away from them as possible tonight," Bart suggested. He didn't need to clarify who 'them' was, we all knew.
:What about stopping them!: I asked indignantly :If they are trying to capture companions we can't just leave them to plot. I got away, but what about their next catch? I seriously doubt they will post such a light guard again: besides I added to myself, it was definitely payback time. Elsa's visions of the clan had kept me awake many a night, and the clan was responsible for my illness when I first met Elsa, it was the root of all my problems it seemed. None of that held a candle to kidnapping me though, as if I were some bit of plunder! I would most assuredly show those bandits who they were messing with!
"Asia is right," Elsa backed me up.
"I didn't hear Asia," Bart reminded Elsa.
"Basically she said we can't just leave them at our back, it isn't as if they will forget about us if we forget about them."
"Of course you are right, so what do we do?"
:Stomp 'em?: I suggested helpfully.
:Not funny Asia, we have to be serious for now!: Elsa reprimanded me gently.
:I was being serious: I said in my best sweet innocent companion voice.
"We can't do this on our own, there are too many of them," Bart put in sensibly.
"Have Ralph call back for reinforcements. We can gather information, and that sort of thing," Elsa recommended.
:You mean spy?: I supplied.
Elsa shot me a glower and then grinned, "Yes, spy."
Bart nodded, "that's the best we can do alone. We will work something better out later, but even that could be dangerous," he added practically.
:That's not enough!: I grumbled. I knew that what they proposed was a risk so as long as we were putting our necks on the line we may as well do some real damage, :We could attack them! Elsa, you know everything about them, they are you family for the love of sugar!:
:That's why I know an attack won't work Asia, look, I'm as mad as you are about this. If they think that I will happily let them play games with you, then they are dead wrong, but you saw their trainees, they have been better instructed in their gifts than the majority of my year-mates back at the collegium, how do you think I finished training so fast?:
:Chosen, I was so scared. You just don't understand. I thought…:
:What? What did you think?:
:Nothing, it isn't important.:
:If you brought it up it must be important: Elsa pried, I hated it when she pried.
:I was afraid you had abandoned me Elsa, I thought you hated me, I thought you wanted them to have me! I let them convince me that you hated me! I can't deal with that Elsa, I just can't:
:Asia, I wouldn't do that. I might have once, before I knew you, but I could never do that to you. I promise I will never give up on you okay?:
:I know that: I responded, and I did, a part of me simply didn't believe it. Not a big part mind, but enough to make me doubt her sometimes.
:We'll get them Asia, we will stop them, but not alone. We need help for this, it's too big for two heralds and their companions alone:
:What do you mean?:
:Did you speak to Miss Elmira? The clan leader?:
:Yeah:
:She wants to be queen, she always has, and she is preparing a force of mind-mages strong enough to do it. Elmira has had her eyes on companions since the day she took leadership. She thinks that with your help she could not only demoralize the enemy, but with her operatives dressed as heralds they could gain entry right into the palace itself, and I don't think she is far from right:
:No companion would work for her!:
:What choice would you have? With Jared and a few of the others completely blocking your speech? Or perhaps Georgette confusing you with visions of things that aren't real? That isn't even talking about the conditioning she has planned. Trust me Asia if she captured enough companions her plots might work:
:We would never go against our Chosens: I informed Elsa firmly.
:You just told me that after less than two days she had you convinced I hated you, what do you think a few months of having that reinforced would be like? Do you care to test it? I don't I learned with her fighting force they are good. Harold alone could destroy half of companions field, he would be useless for days if not weeks afterward, but all Miss cares about are results, she could have Valdemar if she could just get them inside the palace walls, but she can't, that is the key:
:No, we companions are her key. Is that the reason you came with me then? To use me, maybe gather information?: I asked heatedly, I didn't want to yell at my chosen, but to find out for certain that I had not imagined her coldness toward me at the start was painful.
:You want the truth?: Elsa asked sheepishly.
:That is what we specialize in isn't it?: I asked acerbically.
:At first it was to help the clan, but then I started getting to know you and the others were kind, not at all the barbarians that Miss made them out to be. Then when I told you about the clan I, well I started to really think about things … seeing Papa lying in that bed in healer's really clinched it for me though. I had lied for them, I was sneaking spying and putting my life on the line and they repaid me by trying to kill the only family I had left. I didn't know what to think Asia, I was scared:
:So it was all some big game?:
Elsa shook her head sadly she seemed near tears, yet it felt good to yell at her, to finally let her know that everything wasn't okay, that I wasn't required to excuse her every time she hurt me.
:Not a game a mission, just another job for the good of the clan:
:Well, why didn't you just go back to them then? Instead of staying with me, if you hated me so much?:
:I didn't hate you though, Asia, you were the first one, outside of my immediate family to ever just say you loved me, no strings attached. Do you know how much that meant to me?:
:Nothing?: I guessed angrily.
:Please don't be mad at me Asia, I'm sorry I hurt you; that was never my intent:
:No, you just needed me, I served a purpose and when you were done with me you could go back to your clan!:
:Please, it isn't like that anymore Asia, I can't go back now! Not ever:
:Oh, I see, so now that you have no other choice I am your best friend? I can't live like that Elsa, you are my chosen, my only chosen, I can't just go out and chose someone new anytime I want, like it or not we are stuck together. And to be honest right now I don't like it!:
Elsa was crying I realized, a part of me wanted to comfort her, to cuddle against her, and tell her I was just upset, and scared. Instead I pulled away from her. She truly did have to realize that we would always be a team. Until one of us died she would be my herald and I her chosen. The clan wasn't a part of that, just she and I.
Elsa looked up at me slowly, then in a mental whisper she said :You're right. I Have treated you horribly, I'm sorry for it Asia, I just didn't know how to tell you about it. I wish I could express how sorry I am that I hurt you, but I have no right to expect you would believe me:
:I love you chosen: I said, leaving the phrase simple.
:I love you too: Elsa responded without pause, I believed her, if she hadn't meant it she was a better actor than I could fathom.
:I will abide by you decision about the clan Elsa, but knowing what you just told me we have to get help about them soon. I don't want to think what would happen if Miss Elmira were queen!: I shuddered mentally. Elsa grinned and sent me a caricature of the clan leader sitting a throne with a crown perched upon her brow, I snorted a laugh.
:If you girls are done fighting?: Ralph broke in smoothly, had I been human I would have blushed with embarrassment.
:How much did you hear?: I demanded awkwardly.
:Oh, enough to know you two haven't had a good yelling match in a long while: Ralph said wryly.
:Try never, I should have made sure to keep that private…: I said abashedly.
:Don't worry about it, a healthy fight does wonders for a relationship, I know these things because I am older and wiser: He teased.
I laughed and stepped closer to my chosen. Elsa smile and stroked my neck obligingly.
Bart cleared his throat noisily, "Ralph already relayed our message. He says the grove born himself will meet us with a small contingent of heralds in the next town on our circuit. We are to wait there for the others. They will be there soon. Until then we try to keep track of the clan using what you know Elsa, and your foresight," Bart explained.
"Thanks for doing that Mew," Elsa said agreeably. That was a side my chosen rarely displayed, perhaps Ralph knew what he was talking about, agreeable Elsa was certainly kinder.
When we finally did arrive in town, after two days of travel, she bought me an entire box of sugar lumps, not to eat all at once mind, but good none the less. Yes, I definitely liked agreeable Elsa better. Since our fight we actually got along better. Elsa wasn't a bossy with me and I found myself enjoying her company more than I had previously. Where she had once been a burden as well as a pleasure I found that she lightened my load of worries when she was around.
Ralph and I were settled nicely in the roomiest stalls that Bart and Elsa's inn had to offer and for the time being I was content to await backup; being forced into one of Miss Elmira's plans did not appeal to me, especially knowing what the woman would do to my chosen if given half a chance. So we waited, until the fire…
A/N that was a nice long chappie! I like arguments, they are fun to write, Asia is finally growing a backbone, and all it took was being kidnapped, not too bad. I think I like her better all happy go lucky though, which can be easily arranged since I am the author hmmm … the 20th of June is when school ends and it's my birthday too (happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday happy birthday, happy birthday to me!) sorry, had to add that. Well I hope you enjoyed the chapter, whether you did or not there is a pretty blue go button for you to press so that you can yell at me of whatever, otherwise I don't know what you think and isn't that a sad predicament? (not that I am obsessed with reviews, because of course *crosses fingers to excuse the little white lie* I'm not.)