Disclaimer: Since this is a new fic I am rewording the but it's still here 'cause unfortunately I still don't own any of the below ideas that can be found in the 'real' Valdemar *sigh*.
A/N Okay, I went to a concert last week that was totally awesome… Michael W. Smith and Mercy Me. It rocked… right now onto thank yous: I'm not sure if I ever thanked Netsuo so you rock! No problem about not reviewing every chap, I appreciate every time you do check in though J . Lightfingers you thanx bunches, psycho-azi is my fav! JC thanx for the encouraging review a few chaps back. Kel first I'd like to truly thank you for the review, I appreciate the advice. My goal was not to force my ideas on others, but literature is a forum for Ideas and I wanted to be sure that I wasn't misrepresenting my own ideals in writing this story. I'm sorry if the author's note upset you, it wasn't meant to and I do mention throughout all of my author's notes that they are in fact irrelevant and I fully expect that most of you are not going to actually subject yourselves to my little babble-fests… once again, thanx for the review, I don't intend to cram morals down your throats ;). Stee… many thank yous for the review. I suppose that artistic license won't cover the Justus/companion thing? J/k I actually do have some ideas as to how to explain that, but you'll have to read to find out what they are :0) ;0) (hehehe, smiley's with noses!)
I told the stern old herald about my arrangement with Azori. He started off glowering disapprovingly, and ended up giving a grudging nod to the plan. The eventual approval was due in large part to his companion, who had been recruited to our side by Savannah. After all, at least the plan would allow for Azori to speak civilly with his chosen.
Having executed my mission I went back to the stable to spend time with Justus. The horse had proved more amazing than even my parents had guessed. His agility, speed, and even on occasion his training as a war steed were invaluable. After only a few months we truly were partners. As I contemplated his striking color I also considered my claims that he could keep pace to a companion.
Justus was a fine horse, but the fastest horse in the world couldn't beat a companion without help. That was the key; it was the simplest thing in the world to tap into the leylines and feed the power they held into the horse. Granted, it had to be done slowly and carefully, but I had learned the trick from a master manipulator of magic. Asia herself had taught me while I was in range of her mind voice and then I had fallen back on the histories I had spent my youth poring over. One in particular.
An old leather bound volume I had managed to smuggle out of the library. It now resided in my saddlebags. That little book held the key to Azori's training. But having the key wasn't good enough; we had to actually use it. That wasn't my only concern, though. Kern and Azori had been in the field a long time, and much had happened since their last report. Granted they had access to the knowledge of any herald within range, but Kern did not know the far-reaching immediate concerns of his assignment.
Azori's knowledge was about to prove invaluable, as was her training, but she had to be able to use both safely. From what I had learned she had a very limited amount of time in which to meet both criteria. If that time ran out she would just have to use the former without the benefit of the latter.
:Don't be so glum, Bard, isn't this what you wanted?: the once-familiar voice startled me out of my brooding.
:I thought that a mere bard was beneath your notice.:
:I never did anything to foster that idea. You are a full bard, arguably one of the best the collegium has seen in ages, and you are playing out your childish little fantasy, shouldn't you be happy?:
:I studied for years to be a bard and now all I do is stalk a herald … something about that strikes me as wrong. But that isn't why I am upset. I am content with my lot, it's your chosen I am worried about.:
:Why would you worry for her?:
:First of all by volunteering to teach her I put myself in a position of responsibility for her, so that is part and parcel of the post, but beyond that the whisperings coming out of Haven bode ill for her. People don't talk freely around a herald the way they do to bards. Savannah, there is some serious trouble near the west border, where you picked Azori up.:
:But there's nothing there, the Hawkbrothers…:
:Leave the cleansed land to whoever claims it. Maybe it was once uninhabited waste, but no longer. Azori can tell you the truth of that. Do you think her mage could have gotten away with what he did in any civilized land?:
Savannah's silence spoke for her. I waited for her to process the information before continuing though.
:Sav, she's the only one who knows about this enemy. She lived there. Probably the mage who trained her set what's coming into motion. It's obvious to me, an outsider, that the circle wants her to solve their problems. It's her duty to do what she was taught to do. And I know how you lot feel about duty!:
:I know what's at stake Cye, but I promised I would abide by her decision and I will!:
:Good, but I never did, and for once I am in agreement with the circle. I should go start her training. You'll still help me? I'm not much of a mage.:
:Which is precisely why you are the best teacher for her… she won't trust a mage. I'll call her here, this is as good a place as any for lessons.:
I had no response to that so I waited for the herald to arrive.
"You already spoke to Kern? I should have known you creepy mages are all in league."
"I am not a creepy mage," I said with put on arrogance, "I am a creepy stalker!" I announced as if it were a statement of the profound.
For a moment Azori stared blankly at me, and then she actually smiled, not a big smile, but a smile just the same.
"Ah-huh! So she does have a sense of humor," I said brightly, "Are you ready for your first lesson?"
"If I say no will I get out of it?"
"No."
"Then I guess it doesn't matter."
"Yes it does, you see if you say 'yes' then you get a commendation on how wonderful it is to be a dutiful herald, whereas a 'no' will get you a longwinded lecture on the slippery path to being renounced by your companion," I said lightly.
"Ah… so which is longer?" Azori asked shrewdly.
"Definitely the lecture."
"Well then by all means, yes, I am ready to learn."
"Excellent …" from there I launched into the promised commendation, which despite its relative shortness was quite tedious. The conversation was just a cover for the real work though, thus the need to get her off her guard. The first thing I needed to do was to determine how much subconscious control of her magic she had. Once I had enough knowledge of that I drew the lecture to a close. That was the plan anyway. I had just reached the first chink in her magical armor and was about to bring the speech to a close when she noticed what I was doing.
"Stop that!" she yelped and lashed out at me with a thread of magic. Savannah was poised to jump in and she protected me from the bulk of the power.
"This might take a while." I announced.
"What were you doing?" she seethed.
"I was trying to assess how much work we have to do."
"That is totally out of line. Do you realize how many protocols you just breached?"
"And they were all observed in what caused the problems?"
She glowered at my for a moment and then grumbled, "No, I only know protocol because I was taught counter to it."
"There you have it, if that's how you learned we either undo it the same way, or continue the same way. Continuing will make you a blood-path mage; going back will be hard. Which would you prefer?"
"Going back," she growled.
"Good. Luckily I already had what I needed when you had that little outburst, so no damage was done. Now, time to get to the real work…"
Said real work took candle-marks to even begin to make a difference. Luckily the two heralds were on their way home from the circuit and thus staying at inns instead of way stations. Of course that had been according to plan, but I certainly appreciated that detail after working late into the night. Especially considering that I still had to perform if I was to support myself as a bard.
It was my intent to stay in one town, or at least not travel as far, until Azori had a firm grip on her studies. That proved to be impossible as Herald Kern got impatient after only three days and set an excruciating, to Justus and my magical reserves leastways, pace. In the end my bold proclamation that Justus could keep up was validated only in that we were in the same town by nightfall. Had the companions pushed themselves my pretences would have been smashed.
Despite the distractions Azori's lessons were going quite well. My lack of magical ability was offset by my skills as a teacher, something that my time under Tatiana's tutelage had definitely developed, and the combined knowledge of my books and her companion.
It might then be assumed that things were going quite well, but the gossip from the capital was getting worse and it was apparent that the long-building tensions were close to breaking. The first blow finally came when a Skybolt garrison was raided. No substantial injuries were reported, but the news spurred the Kern and Azori to return as quickly as possible. With the companions pushing their limits Justus and I were left in the dust with a promise of continued training when we both arrived back in Haven.
A/N okay setting up for some real action here… and yes its an actual plot that is finally starting to emerge! I bet you guys are even more shocked by that than I am… J