Queen's Own: As all of you are no doubt aware, has banned songfics. I think that this is in line with a recent outbreak of nasty regulations and enforcements I've been seeing, but I can see some logic in it. Therefore, until the rule is gone or something else is changed, I'm taking the lyrics out of this fic. Here's the same fic, only sans lyrics.
Disclaimer: Mercedes Lackey owns all!
Written while listening to Enrique Iglesias's 'Hero' (a wonderful song, especially sung live).
Summary: To my knowledge, no one has ever done one of these before. I heard this song and thought it went so perfectly with them, so I wrote my first songfic to this song, about them. Shavri's POV.
She stared at him, sitting on –or really in- his throne, pale as if death had already taken him, yet stronger in mind than he had ever been. She loved him more than anything, more than her own life, though in a sense, that was not entirely accurate since he was her life. 'Half of my soul and all of my heart' was how she'd once heard Vanyel describe his lifebonded. Randi was all of her soul, her heart and her reason for living. Should he go –when he left- , she could do nothing but follow. And it hurt to be able to do nothing but watch that time draw nearer and nearer.
She'd opened an unrestricted channel between the two of them, something no Healer had ever done before. Healers were warned against it, for if one should die, the other would certainly follow, but she did not heed the warnings. Even Taver, her Companion in name only, had tried to stop her, but she had ignored him. It made no difference how she died, for she would die. She'd hidden the channel from her love though. It would hurt him too much. She would keep the knowledge of her death –her suicide- from him until they met in the Havens. It would hurt him too much, but she would stand beside him for all of eternity.
She was afraid, people had said. She shouldn't let her fear kill her. Yet they could talk all they wanted. She knew it was love and nothing else that held her to life and would make her leave it. You'll only hurt Taver, others said. But she knew they were wrong. Taver had Chosen her only because of her Healing ability. There was almost no bond between them and they knew it. No, it would help Taver, for he would go on to Choose his real Chosen, her daughter, Jisa. She stared across the room and Jisa, standing beside her lifebonded and husband, Randi's heir, Treven. She felt a brief flood of jealousy. Her daughter was happy, and because neither she nor Treven were closely related to Randi –in Jisa's case, not at all related to Randi- they could and would remain that way through their entire lives. Just like she and Randi would not.
As much as she wished to Heal him, make him better, she couldn't do anything. Only that Bard, Stefen could do anything at all, and even that only made him able to last the days until his death and hers. He looked to her, worried, and she smiled at him, projecting all her love in the world at him. She would stand beside him forever, no matter what anybody said. No matter what anybody said or did, she would be with him forever, here the Havens, and whatever came after. Lifebonded they said. It was more than just for life that they were bonded. It was eternity. And she would do anything for that eternity, bound to just one person. Her love, her lifebonded, and he would have been her husband, had he not been King.
Randi collapsed on the couch. As his hands clenched on empty air she ran to him, fearing the inevitable. Oh gods please don't let it be. She made it to him, falling to her knees. "Love- you," he whispered hoarsely. "Always- will-"
"Don't go Randi!" she pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Don't leave me here! I'm too scared!"
"Good bye," he murmured. She bent her head for one last kiss and wrapped her arms around him, lifting him up. As she touched her lips to his, he shuddered. She dropped all her shields and felt relief from pain, and grief at leaving her behind. Then, a gaping hole in her made her collapse over him in pain. Her Healing energy was flooding out into the body that was all that was left to her, but she didn't care. Let it drain away. She wanted to die. Tears never came; they could never show the soul wrenching wounds she felt right now.
Footsteps, a hand on her shoulder, voices. "Oh Gods! Jisa, your father's gone! Shavri don't let go!"
"Mother don't leave me! Please, hold on! You can't go!" Then, the thud of someone hitting the ground.
"Someone, get Treven please. Shavri, hold on."
Sobbing. "Mother, you can't!" Then, "Oh Gods, she built an unrestricted channel! Mother, don't! Please!"
She felt the last of her strength leave her and she gave a shuddering sigh. "Shavri!" But it was too late. He was there, as were the Havens. She gave a joyous cry and ran to him. "Shavri don't!"
"Mother," someone shrieked hysterically. "Don't go! Not you and Father! Don't leave me!" But it was too late.
Her eyes focused enough to see Treven and Jisa supporting each other, Treven deathly white, Jisa sobbing uncontrollably. "Good bye," she murmured. :Farewell. He calls.: She let go of her grip on her body and followed Randi; followed her love into eternity and unsurpassed joy.
A/N So, what do you think? For the record, the first part takes place while Van is still alive, the second takes place after he dies. Please review; I need to know if it's any good. Zhai'Halleva (did I spell that right?)! –Queen's Own.