Chapter 6
*
Dellan flew overhead, delighting in the open breeze, outside of the protective shields that covered the Vale. Icefire flew with him, revelling in the freedom his flight gave her. No worries, no problems, when you flew on the winds.
A hand was placed on her shoulder, and, with a start, she jerked back to awareness.
"You aren't happy here," stated the newcomer. It was Silverfox, the Kestra'Chern.
His shrewd assessment startled Icefire. She had thought she had hidden her growing restlessness too well to be detected. The truth was, she was more comfortable in K'Valdemar than she had been in a long time - but it wasn't enough. She wasn't made to stay in one place, not even one as nice as this. But how could she leave? She had already accepted Darien's offer to make her home with K'Valdemar.
Frustration made her grind her teeth.
Silverfox settled on the stone next to her. She had crept away, to be out of the Vale, and found a wooded area were she had sat to be alone with her thoughts. Silverfox's arrival was a distraction that she did not want.
"You are restless; you want to be on the road again." Silverfox continued, seemingly oblivious to her resentful silence. "K'Valdemar is not the home you have sought, but you do not know how to tell Darien, when you accepted his invitation."
Icefire stared at him. Where had he gotten this? He wasn't even looking at her, but staring contemplatively at the tiny clearing in which they sat.
"Do you think they will be angry?" Silverfox asked her. "Do you think they will be upset if you tell them you want to leave?"
"Wouldn't they?" Icefire replied, self pity filling her tone. "I know I would be, if someone accepted an invitation, and then spurned it."
Silverfox paused before answering. "I think that they would be upset if they knew that staying here was making you unhappy." He replied at last, neatly evading her question. "I think they would understand if you told them that K'Valdemar is not the home for you." With that he stood, and turned away again. "Think about it." He advised her, before melting into the trees.
*
Privately, Icefire suspected that Silverfox had dropped a word in appropriate ears after he left her. Darien and the rest of the council showed no surprise when she approached them with her decision to wander, and they were far more understanding than she had ever hoped.
"Where will you go now?" Darien had asked her curiously, but now, as then, she had no answer. She would just wander where the wind pulled her.
:Wind can't pull you,: Dellan reminded her, confused. :You stick to the ground.:
Icefire laughed, wondering how on earth to explain a metaphor to the inquisitive bird, and continued on her way.
Because she had no destination in mind, she did not Gate, but walked, well supplied with Valdemaran coin, from village to village. She followed no particular direction, occasionally doubling back or making illogical twists, but every day she was filled with joy, knowing that her home was wherever she made it, and would not grow stale or repetitive. Her heart danced as she journeyed, and she suspected that she would travel all her life, just for the thrill of waking every day in a new place, and falling asleep in yet another.
Why do people stay in one place? Icefire wondered. How boring their days must be, with the same old sights every moment.
She smiled as she walked, with Dellan for companionship and no one to dictate her life.
Hoof beats sounded, and she stepped to one side of the road. Horses were something new to her as well, although she was very familiar with the vaguely horse-ish dyheli. From the sound of the animal's hooves on the road, this one was moving at a brisk trot - a quite different animal from the docile farm beasts that this region sported.
She looked with interest as the riderless horse came into view, and then gasped as mage sight confirmed an unusual truth. This creature was no horse, but a Guardian Spirit - a lesser spirit, true, but still the most powerful of its kind that Icefire had ever laid eyes on. To mage sight it shone with a silver-blue glow that dazzled even as it awed.
Common sense reintruded shadow her amazement. Hadn't the Outland Wingsibs been accompanied by Guardian spirits? Apparantly they were relatively common in Valdemar - they chose people to protect the country.
I'm glad I not available, she thought. I would not like having to stay in Valdemar all my life.
The Companion approached, and Icefire noted that her coat had been mage- bleached to a glowing white, and that her eyes were a piercing blue.
She wouldn't be so out of place in Tayledras. Icefire smiledat her whimsy. According to story, the Companions hardly ever left their country.
Icefire bowed respectfully as the Companion neared, and waited patiently by the road side for her to leave before she continued her own journey.
The Companion stopped, however, squarely in front of the startled Tayledras, and examined her carefully.
Then she spoke, soft voice echoing in Icefire's mind.
:Hello, Icefire.: the Companion said calmly. :I am Asterra, and I Choose you.:
*
Dellan flew overhead, delighting in the open breeze, outside of the protective shields that covered the Vale. Icefire flew with him, revelling in the freedom his flight gave her. No worries, no problems, when you flew on the winds.
A hand was placed on her shoulder, and, with a start, she jerked back to awareness.
"You aren't happy here," stated the newcomer. It was Silverfox, the Kestra'Chern.
His shrewd assessment startled Icefire. She had thought she had hidden her growing restlessness too well to be detected. The truth was, she was more comfortable in K'Valdemar than she had been in a long time - but it wasn't enough. She wasn't made to stay in one place, not even one as nice as this. But how could she leave? She had already accepted Darien's offer to make her home with K'Valdemar.
Frustration made her grind her teeth.
Silverfox settled on the stone next to her. She had crept away, to be out of the Vale, and found a wooded area were she had sat to be alone with her thoughts. Silverfox's arrival was a distraction that she did not want.
"You are restless; you want to be on the road again." Silverfox continued, seemingly oblivious to her resentful silence. "K'Valdemar is not the home you have sought, but you do not know how to tell Darien, when you accepted his invitation."
Icefire stared at him. Where had he gotten this? He wasn't even looking at her, but staring contemplatively at the tiny clearing in which they sat.
"Do you think they will be angry?" Silverfox asked her. "Do you think they will be upset if you tell them you want to leave?"
"Wouldn't they?" Icefire replied, self pity filling her tone. "I know I would be, if someone accepted an invitation, and then spurned it."
Silverfox paused before answering. "I think that they would be upset if they knew that staying here was making you unhappy." He replied at last, neatly evading her question. "I think they would understand if you told them that K'Valdemar is not the home for you." With that he stood, and turned away again. "Think about it." He advised her, before melting into the trees.
*
Privately, Icefire suspected that Silverfox had dropped a word in appropriate ears after he left her. Darien and the rest of the council showed no surprise when she approached them with her decision to wander, and they were far more understanding than she had ever hoped.
"Where will you go now?" Darien had asked her curiously, but now, as then, she had no answer. She would just wander where the wind pulled her.
:Wind can't pull you,: Dellan reminded her, confused. :You stick to the ground.:
Icefire laughed, wondering how on earth to explain a metaphor to the inquisitive bird, and continued on her way.
Because she had no destination in mind, she did not Gate, but walked, well supplied with Valdemaran coin, from village to village. She followed no particular direction, occasionally doubling back or making illogical twists, but every day she was filled with joy, knowing that her home was wherever she made it, and would not grow stale or repetitive. Her heart danced as she journeyed, and she suspected that she would travel all her life, just for the thrill of waking every day in a new place, and falling asleep in yet another.
Why do people stay in one place? Icefire wondered. How boring their days must be, with the same old sights every moment.
She smiled as she walked, with Dellan for companionship and no one to dictate her life.
Hoof beats sounded, and she stepped to one side of the road. Horses were something new to her as well, although she was very familiar with the vaguely horse-ish dyheli. From the sound of the animal's hooves on the road, this one was moving at a brisk trot - a quite different animal from the docile farm beasts that this region sported.
She looked with interest as the riderless horse came into view, and then gasped as mage sight confirmed an unusual truth. This creature was no horse, but a Guardian Spirit - a lesser spirit, true, but still the most powerful of its kind that Icefire had ever laid eyes on. To mage sight it shone with a silver-blue glow that dazzled even as it awed.
Common sense reintruded shadow her amazement. Hadn't the Outland Wingsibs been accompanied by Guardian spirits? Apparantly they were relatively common in Valdemar - they chose people to protect the country.
I'm glad I not available, she thought. I would not like having to stay in Valdemar all my life.
The Companion approached, and Icefire noted that her coat had been mage- bleached to a glowing white, and that her eyes were a piercing blue.
She wouldn't be so out of place in Tayledras. Icefire smiledat her whimsy. According to story, the Companions hardly ever left their country.
Icefire bowed respectfully as the Companion neared, and waited patiently by the road side for her to leave before she continued her own journey.
The Companion stopped, however, squarely in front of the startled Tayledras, and examined her carefully.
Then she spoke, soft voice echoing in Icefire's mind.
:Hello, Icefire.: the Companion said calmly. :I am Asterra, and I Choose you.:
