Chapter 8
*
Elspeth's face became astonished when Gwena told her that one of the Companions had managed to choose some elegant Tayledras mage. Darkwind noticed her suddenly changed expression. "
"What happened?" he asked her anxiously. "Bad news?"
Elspeth shook her silver-streaked head. "Maybe." She replied. "I don't know. Darkwind, what would you say if I told you that a Companion has managed to Choose a Tayledras mage, bond-bird and all, and they are currently putting on a show in the city that Firesong himself could not rival?"
"I'd say that Gwena was pulling a trick on you." He replied. "You're not joking? It's true?"
She nodded. "Asterra, one of the mares, managed to find some Tayledras adept. They are, to Gwena's disgust, making quite a spectacle of themselves."
"Well, it will help with our mage-school." Darkwind reminded her practically. "But - are you sure she has a bond-bird? She really shouldn't be bonded and Chosen."
Elspeth shrugged her ignorance. "I'm only repeating what Gwena told me." She told her mate. "We should go meet this new trainee."
*
The stranger came riding up, an ice statue in silver and blue. The white bird that circled above her dived to perch on the front of her saddle.
Elspeth was dazzled. The bright sunlight reflected and glittered, making her seem more than human, and the bell like chime of Asterra's hooves seemed unnaturally loud. They stopped near the welcoming comitee, and the woman dismounted with a flowing grace that awed the spectators.
Suddenly, though, something changed. The woman looked strangely ordinary, no longer a glittering, god-like creature. She was still dressed in an outlandish Tayledras mage robe, but even that ceased to shine in the sunlight, becoming merely a beautiful dress, rather than a creation of magic.
"Greetings." Said the woman. "I'm Icefire. And you would be Elspeth and Darkwind."
Elspeth blinked. This crisp acknowlegdement was not what she had expected from the arrogant mage that had been reported to her. And that sudden change, from lofty Godling to ordinary woman - that was unexpected too.
Elspeth didn't know what to say, and she decided on a superior air. If Icefire's sudden change was an act, supeiority would reveal it.
"I am Herald Mage Elspeth." She replied, straightening to her tallest height. Elspeth noted with chagrin that Icefire was at least as tall as her.
She would have continued, to tell the new arrival about colegium rules, but Icefire spoke. "I am, as I said, Icefire, adept mage-scout of K'Drena. It is good to finally meet you." Icefire's tone was deferential, and she had to repress a twitch at one corner of her mouth. Elspeth was of balance, and Icefire could not let her act drop now.
At this a frown rippled Elspeth's forehead, and Darkwind suddenly spoke.
"K'Drena? There is no Tayledras clan K'Drena!" he protested.
Icefire sighed. "K'Drena isolated themselves from the rest of Tayledras." She recited. "They maintained no contact, and the rest of Tayledras forgot them. I am the only K'Drena ever to leave the clan."
Elspeth caught the feeling of an old litany, and felt her suspiscion lightened. She allowed her superior air to slip a notch.
"As a new Trainee, you will have to learn the rules of the Heraldic colegium. And," now Elspeth's face lit with a genuine, if sardonic, smile, "You will have to wear Greys, the traditional outfit of the colegium."
A secret smile lit the back of Icefire's eyes. Little did Elspeth know that she actually preferred the plain scout leathers, rather than this paraphenalia. She would keep her secrets, until she knew if she wanted to stay here for any length of time.
*
Her room was plain, and almost stifling in it's tiny, rock lined security. True, the rooms in wayside inns had been as bad, if not worse, but she was only going to stay in them for one night.
Valdemar, one point down. Exploring, one point up.
She was shown one of the Grey uniforms.
"It's rather plain, isn't it?" she told Elspeth critically. Not only that, but the tight-fitting scout leathers were more practical by far.
"Plain or not, you have to wear it." Said Elspeh, seemingly exasperated by this criticism. "It's the rules.2
Constraints. Thought Icefire tightly. Valdemar, ten points down.
"How long would I have to stay at the Colegium?" Icefire asked, becoming more and more enamoured of the roving life.
"It will probably take four or five years for you to finish training to be a Herald."
Something snapped in Icefire. Blow that! She thought. No way was she staying here for five years!
:Come on, 'Sterra, let's blow this joint.: she told her Companion.
:Bored already?: the Companion sighed. :Well, let's hit the road.:
"Elspeth," Icefire said, striding to the door. "I'm out of here."
The Herald was startled, and stood, shocked, in the room while Icefire made her escape.
*
The laughing trio sped from the palace, with Asterra and Icefire pounding, and Dellan winging his way overhead.
Ice Eagles never stay in one place for longer than it takes to raise chicks. They lived a nomadic life, rarely returning to old roosts.
Dellan spun a joyful spiral in the sky.
Yes, a traveling life was the best!
*
Elspeth's face became astonished when Gwena told her that one of the Companions had managed to choose some elegant Tayledras mage. Darkwind noticed her suddenly changed expression. "
"What happened?" he asked her anxiously. "Bad news?"
Elspeth shook her silver-streaked head. "Maybe." She replied. "I don't know. Darkwind, what would you say if I told you that a Companion has managed to Choose a Tayledras mage, bond-bird and all, and they are currently putting on a show in the city that Firesong himself could not rival?"
"I'd say that Gwena was pulling a trick on you." He replied. "You're not joking? It's true?"
She nodded. "Asterra, one of the mares, managed to find some Tayledras adept. They are, to Gwena's disgust, making quite a spectacle of themselves."
"Well, it will help with our mage-school." Darkwind reminded her practically. "But - are you sure she has a bond-bird? She really shouldn't be bonded and Chosen."
Elspeth shrugged her ignorance. "I'm only repeating what Gwena told me." She told her mate. "We should go meet this new trainee."
*
The stranger came riding up, an ice statue in silver and blue. The white bird that circled above her dived to perch on the front of her saddle.
Elspeth was dazzled. The bright sunlight reflected and glittered, making her seem more than human, and the bell like chime of Asterra's hooves seemed unnaturally loud. They stopped near the welcoming comitee, and the woman dismounted with a flowing grace that awed the spectators.
Suddenly, though, something changed. The woman looked strangely ordinary, no longer a glittering, god-like creature. She was still dressed in an outlandish Tayledras mage robe, but even that ceased to shine in the sunlight, becoming merely a beautiful dress, rather than a creation of magic.
"Greetings." Said the woman. "I'm Icefire. And you would be Elspeth and Darkwind."
Elspeth blinked. This crisp acknowlegdement was not what she had expected from the arrogant mage that had been reported to her. And that sudden change, from lofty Godling to ordinary woman - that was unexpected too.
Elspeth didn't know what to say, and she decided on a superior air. If Icefire's sudden change was an act, supeiority would reveal it.
"I am Herald Mage Elspeth." She replied, straightening to her tallest height. Elspeth noted with chagrin that Icefire was at least as tall as her.
She would have continued, to tell the new arrival about colegium rules, but Icefire spoke. "I am, as I said, Icefire, adept mage-scout of K'Drena. It is good to finally meet you." Icefire's tone was deferential, and she had to repress a twitch at one corner of her mouth. Elspeth was of balance, and Icefire could not let her act drop now.
At this a frown rippled Elspeth's forehead, and Darkwind suddenly spoke.
"K'Drena? There is no Tayledras clan K'Drena!" he protested.
Icefire sighed. "K'Drena isolated themselves from the rest of Tayledras." She recited. "They maintained no contact, and the rest of Tayledras forgot them. I am the only K'Drena ever to leave the clan."
Elspeth caught the feeling of an old litany, and felt her suspiscion lightened. She allowed her superior air to slip a notch.
"As a new Trainee, you will have to learn the rules of the Heraldic colegium. And," now Elspeth's face lit with a genuine, if sardonic, smile, "You will have to wear Greys, the traditional outfit of the colegium."
A secret smile lit the back of Icefire's eyes. Little did Elspeth know that she actually preferred the plain scout leathers, rather than this paraphenalia. She would keep her secrets, until she knew if she wanted to stay here for any length of time.
*
Her room was plain, and almost stifling in it's tiny, rock lined security. True, the rooms in wayside inns had been as bad, if not worse, but she was only going to stay in them for one night.
Valdemar, one point down. Exploring, one point up.
She was shown one of the Grey uniforms.
"It's rather plain, isn't it?" she told Elspeth critically. Not only that, but the tight-fitting scout leathers were more practical by far.
"Plain or not, you have to wear it." Said Elspeh, seemingly exasperated by this criticism. "It's the rules.2
Constraints. Thought Icefire tightly. Valdemar, ten points down.
"How long would I have to stay at the Colegium?" Icefire asked, becoming more and more enamoured of the roving life.
"It will probably take four or five years for you to finish training to be a Herald."
Something snapped in Icefire. Blow that! She thought. No way was she staying here for five years!
:Come on, 'Sterra, let's blow this joint.: she told her Companion.
:Bored already?: the Companion sighed. :Well, let's hit the road.:
"Elspeth," Icefire said, striding to the door. "I'm out of here."
The Herald was startled, and stood, shocked, in the room while Icefire made her escape.
*
The laughing trio sped from the palace, with Asterra and Icefire pounding, and Dellan winging his way overhead.
Ice Eagles never stay in one place for longer than it takes to raise chicks. They lived a nomadic life, rarely returning to old roosts.
Dellan spun a joyful spiral in the sky.
Yes, a traveling life was the best!
