Disclaimer: All Valdemar related items in the below story are the possessions of Mercedes Lackey, not me.
A/N thanks for the cultural note there Wepo (and the review) I suppose I should update then unless I want to play the haughty American (which I actually enjoy playing at J but will try to refrain from doing for today). That said thank you all for the reviews past, present, and (hopefully) future.
"What was that?" Bart asked quickly.
Elsa shrugged and went to investigate, the rest of us followed. When we reached the entrance the source of the noise was apparent, even if the cause was not. A plume of smoke from one of the remaining, well previously, remaining grain silos was all the evidence that was required for our chosens to climb on our backs. We only waited long enough for them to accomplish that before taking off for the building.
It was apparent for quite a distance that the guard at this silo would not be as lucky as the man present at the previous night's blaze. As I ran I racked my brain for non-vindictive causes to such an explosion. And then it struck me, not an idea mind, but a rather large chunk of falling shrapnel. It caught me square on the forehead, the last thing I saw before it all went black was Ralph jolting to a stop and nearly sending his chosen flying over his head.
"Will she be okay?" a muzzy voice drifted to me from an eternity away.
"Too soon to tell. It could have been worse …" I lost track of the words for a while just drifting in a pretty swimming sort of blackness.
The voices phased back into my awareness, "grain dust, it was all packed into the silo quite nicely, the watchman was new … careless … set the whole place off."
I tried to make sense of that, but soon gave up. I felt like I was moving, and yet knew that was somehow impossible. I drifted again, for an indeterminable amount of time. When my consciousness returned I felt an irritating jolt at my shoulder. I tried to open my eyes, failed miserably and then tried again … and wished immediately that I hadn't. Bright lights exploded in front of me and as they faded a whirling image replaced them.
A fuzzy face-shaped object floated and bobbed in the air just above my head. I managed to identify it as the thing that was prodding me. If I had remembered how I might have whined for it to leave me alone, but quite frankly, I didn't.
"You got a concussion, you can't sleep, wake up!" the face explained gently, but firmly.
Concussed, was that what they called it? I was extremely tired, with a pounding headache; at least things were starting to come into focus. The barn no longer swam, oh yes, with the reduced motion of my surroundings had come a positive identification of them.
I saw Ralph too then. I figured that I might as well stand as long as I was awake. That proved to be a huge error in judgment. As I fell back down Elsa sighed, and stroked my neck.
"Silly girl, you'll feel better in a day or two, but until then take it easy, you got quite a knock there."
:That hunk of wood floored you!: Ralph chimed helpfully in my head. His voice sounded distorted somehow, but not severely. My injury, I assumed. I thought better of any response to that.
"I suppose you want to know what happened? Well the new guard was too careless with his lantern; the silo went up in seconds. The guard didn't make it."
That summed up all the trivial details that my throbbing head and drooping eyelids had driven from my mind. I felt my eyes closing without wanting them too. And then I felt Elsa prodding me.
"I told you, you can't sleep! You might never wake up." I noted, as if from a distance the concern in her voice and a tear in her eyes. I tried valiantly to stay awake, but I kept drifting of. Each time I was encompassed by the painless void of sleep though, Elsa awakened me.
Candle marks passed like that, not quite sleeping, and not quite awake. At some point Bart replaced Elsa briefly … my sentence didn't have to apply to my chosen too. I was glad that she at least got to sleep, even if I did envy her the rest.
I drifted like that for an indeterminate time. The healer who had looked at me earlier came and gave me a dose of some vile concoction, but the up side to her visit was that she gave me permission to sleep. I took advantage of my new privilege immediately. I awoke with Elsa sitting beside me.
:Chosen?: I said groggily.
"Feeling better dearest?" Elsa asked offering me a handful of sugar. I ate it gratefully and realized how hungry I was.
:I feel fine, hungry but fine.:
"We'll remedy that," she said with a chuckle and suited actions to words, dusting straw off of her pants as she stood and went to get my dinner. When it was set in front of me I bolted it happily and waited for Elsa to tell me what I had missed.
"Ralph has been in contact with our reinforcements. He says that they were delayed but will be here in less than two days. Some might even be here tonight. The mayor is having a banquet prepared for tomorrow evening. Lodgings have already been made available, and this barn was cleared out so all you companions could stay together."
:That'll be nice. Is Tally coming?:
"I doubt it, her chosen isn't ready for circuit yet."
:I guess, but it would be nice if she were coming. I miss her.:
"Oh come now surely the rest of us aren't that bad company?"
:You most assuredly are, waking me at all hours of the night. I have never had such rough treatment!: I replied haughtily.
"You're not mad are you Asia?" Elsa asked genuinely concerned. Despite being peeved that she didn't get the joke I noted with approval that Elsa's manners had improved drastically.
:I'm fine chosen, and I understand what happened, don't worry about it.: I assured her.
"Good, well, I need to go for now, but if you need anything tell me."
:I will, and loudly.:
Elsa chuckled, rubbed my nose affectionately and left. I scanned my immediate area and saw that Ralph was in his stall, but he was sleeping. It was getting dark so I decided that he had the right of it. Besides sleep looked pretty good after the past while.
A/N there is a birthday gift for my reviewers. It's short but then I started it just after 12 and it's 1 as I finish it so it's also late (sorry about the cliffhangers Stee, it's just that I like to post and I generally don't have loads of time to come to nice docile parts to stop) and also thanks to Magdellin, I appreciate that grammer stuff too ;-). Luv y'all g'night.