Disclaimer: All Valdemar related items in the below story are the possessions of Mercedes Lackey, not me.

A/N I actually don't have much to blather about right now … except that Veggietales rules!!!  And my computer is officially dead once more and had to be sent to Texas for repairs.  It'll be back in a few weeks, and I'm just lucky I managed to get my files off of it before it went… anyway I'm on my step-dad's computer now so I don't write as much but that's okay since I still have a new chappie all ready.

            I awoke three days after our arrival in the little no-name town to an unusual thick heavy scent.  It wasn't truly the third day so much as the third night; it was dark out at any rate.  I decided to lark out and see what was going on.  As I slipped out of the confines of the barn, through the conveniently open door to my stall, I saw what appeared to be a beacon, upon closer inspection I saw that it was flames, on the outskirts of town.  I recognized the scent; it was black billowing smoke.

            :Asia, are you awake?: Elsa asked gently.  If I had been asleep it wouldn't have awoken me, a marked change from before our little spat.

            :Yes chosen, the smoke woke me, what's happening?:

            :A runner just brought us word that the mayor's house and the town storehouse have both caught fire.:

            :Fire?: I asked archly, it was too familiar to be a coincidence.

            Elsa nodded mentally at me :It might not be them though: she warned.

            :I find it hard to believe this a coincidence, Harold could easily have started those two fires, right?:

            :Yes, but that isn't to say that he did:

            :Is anybody caught inside?:

            :The guard at the storehouse is fine.:

            :And the mayor's family?:

            :Mostly fine.:

            :If they aren't all fine what are we doing standing around here?:

            :Everyone but the mayor's middle son is accounted for: Elsa admitted grudgingly.

            :Why don't we go help get him out then?:

            :For two reasons:

            :What?:

            :By the time we got there it would be far too late if he were in there:

            :If he were in there?:

            :Yes, It just so happens that I know that he isn't there:

            :Where is he then?:

            :I had a vision, he is with the clan.  For training I believe.  It was a while ago, but I thought he might be the boy I saw when we met the mayor earlier:

            :Great, so what can he do … and how do we explain this to the mayor?  This is our fault you know!:

            :No, it's Harold's fault, if he even started the fires …:

            :If you saw this then you know whether Harold did it.:

            :He did then: Elsa acceded :and we are not telling the mayor anything.  We are continuing as planned.:

            :Don't you think we might get some questions about this?  Two fires in one night isn't exactly common:

            :No one died though; that will have some affect on the news.:

            :I'm too tired to discuss this now, is everything under control then?:

            :Yes dear, go get your beauty sleep.:

            :You need the same: I teased and wandered back into my roomy box stall.  There was one thing to be said of extremely large not quite controlled fires, they made plenty of light.  I could sleep secure in the knowledge that no math monsters would be lurking about just waiting to attack me in the shadows.  Of course, the history monsters were much more dangerous … I was really losing it.  After all I don't think making up monsters has ever made the top of the list of sane things creatures do.  Funny that, everyone should know … I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

            Sleep, I decided, would be nice, things would be clearer in the morning, besides I had found that the flickering light from the fire didn't banish the shadows.  In fact it made them scarier, they jumped and danced as if alive, and I wasn't even that close to the blaze.  The mayor would definitely need a new house.  Which wasn't really my concern, I forced my eyes shut and focused on thinking about nothing, which of course failed miserably.  Finally I just mentally sang myself to sleep, my pretty little song helped to push my fears down to an easily ignorable size again, so what if Tally teased me about it?  I was sleeping peacefully!

            When I next awoke it was to the full light of day.  I glanced over to see if Ralph was awake, to my surprise he wasn't in his stall.  Curiously I glanced out the window.  I was alarmed to note that it was well nigh on noon.  I decided to find Ralph, but first I checked in on Elsa.

            :Chosen?:

            :It's about time you woke up sleepyhead!: Elsa responded teasingly.

            :I was up late.  Besides I needed the extra rest: I said in mock indignation.

            :Of course: Elsa agreed with overdone pity.

            :Well!  I'm off to find my true friends: I huffed.

            :I'll see you in a few years when you give up then?: Elsa asked simply.

            :Not funny: I laughed.  Elsa joined me and when we had both calmed down I asked if she knew where Ralph was.  She told me he was probably grazing on the town green and that she and Bart were speaking with the mayor so she had to go.

            I decided to find Ralph and see if he knew anything more about the fire.  So I let myself out of the barn and moseyed on out only to find that Ralph was not peacefully grazing as I had thought.  He was actively engaged in giving a pony ride to a small child.  The kid screeched gleefully as Ralph walked along, exaggerating each step so that his rider bounced woefully close to tumbling off of his back.  This of course made the ride even more exciting.

            :I never thought I'd see the day!  Today the role of pasture pony will be played by… Ralph!: I crowed feeling positively giddy with laughter at the sight.

            Ralph shot me a mental glare.  I mentally stuck my tongue out at him; he looked a sight.

            :How in the world did she dupe you into this: I asked with a chuckle.

            :She looked lonesome, all the other kids were ignoring her …:

            I glanced around the other kids were no longer ignoring her, they instead stood back and gawked, it appeared that they hadn't known it was possible for anyone but a herald to ride a companion. 

            :You fixed that: I pointed out, my laughter thinning out to the odd giggle.

            :Well, laugh all you want Asia … she's much lighter than any herald …maybe we should all take to choosing children, it would make things so much simpler: Ralph added the last bit morosely

            :What's that supposed to mean?:

            :It's just …:

            :Come on Ralph, you can tell me, I'm your friend!:

            :I know I can tell you, it's just that, well Bart and Elsa … never mind, just forget I said anything:

            :You barely did!  If it's about Elsa I have a right to know!  Come on Ralph:

            :Elsa seems to like Bart:

            :huh,: I snorted :Old news genius.  It's been obvious from the start that she likes him, more than say a friend:

            :Alright, but the problem is I think he likes her too:

            :And why is that so terrible?  Generally when you like someone it turns out better if they like you too …:

            :What if they aren't, well compatible?:

            :Oh, I see, you think Elsa's disloyal, is that it?  You think she's a traitor?:

            :I didn't say that!: Ralph protested.

            :You meant it though … it's okay, I thought so too, not anymore, but I did:

            :I didn't think that!  Honestly Asia, I just don't want either of them getting hurt, what if one of them is injured and distracts the other or something like that?:

            :If they really are like that then it's worth it and if they aren't you have nothing to worry about.  Don't make problems for yourself.  And have an eye to that child; she looks ready to fall:

            The little girl was wobbling and it indeed seemed as if a fall were imminent.  Ralph toned down his jaunty gait and the girl giggled as she righted herself.  I glanced at watched her for a moment before speaking again.

            :So who is she anyway?:

            :Just one of the town kids, she was hanging back from the rest so I went over to see what was wrong and well … : He sent me the mental equivalent of a shrug.

            :You spoke her?  Invited her for a ride?  You old softy you!: I accused jovially.

            :She looked lonely!: He protested.  I was simply glad for the change of topic so I let the incident slide.  Somehow discussion of my chosen's loyalties made me decidedly uncomfortable.

            :Well, what's your name girly?: I addressed the child softly. 

            "Johanna Calebson," she turned wide gray eyes to me and spoke carefully, as if to be sure I heard her.

            :That's a lovely name, what do you know about companions?:

            "You're special," the girl replied simply, "very special."

            Something about the answer rankled but I was growing tired of standing around so I quickly said my goodbyes and trotted out toward the site of the mayor's house.  I was curious to see if there was any sign of the middle boy.  If the clan had recruited him then he must have possessed some gift that they could make use of.  I sighed and focused on the task at hoof; gathering information.

            They could just call me the spymaster … or not.  I laughed at the silly title and started up a narration of my actions.

            The spymaster trotted along the hill, I whispered to myself, she was on a mission not only to prove her chosen's honor, but also to exact revenge.  And woe to any math or history monsters that stood in her way!

            I giggled at the silly narrative.  If I had ever actually met a monster of any type I would probably have run screaming in terror.  I had a good excuse though; equines most definitely are fright and flight creatures.  The charred remains of the mayor's manor were staring me in the face by that time so I dropped from a trot to a walk and then stopped to survey the scene.  There wasn't much in the way of evidence so I decided to wait until I could speak to Elsa to continue my search, so much for being the spymaster!

A/n I suppose that Asia is just a fight waiting to happen now.  She likes the argument game, hahaha.  (math monsters have been vanquished for the year as we took our final math test this week, it was not a Final though because we convinced our teacher that we didn't need one (amazing what one comment and a bunch of seniors can do!))  All our seniors (I'm a junior) are gone so the school is empty and sad, but on the bright side we are almost out for the summer… right well hope you liked the chapter and didn't mind the longwinded author's notes any comments can best be heard through an actual review (as much fun as yelling at the computer monitor is, the author can't hear it and in this medium the reader's grievances can be promptly addressed)