Disclaimer: *gasp* I am actually changing it! The old new one bored me so now I'm changing it again … essentially I own nothing (minus anything unfamiliar) that has to do with Valdemar… no suing I have no money!

A/N Okay gonna try to wrap this up tonight, not likely with this chap but I wanna finish it 'cause I've got about 100 other things to work on.  Thus this story will be accelerated… isn't that exciting?  Oh…. And thanks ever sooo much to Andi G – you rock!! Yeah I don't care for Roy either, hence I used the name Roy after the author of an article my English class read which I particularly disliked, anyhow this'll be Cymon Happy Thanksgiving all!

            Justus and I were within a candle-mark of Haven at noon.  I had slept in the saddle, only resting Justus at inns for a few hours at a time while I performed for our supper.  We were only a few days behind Azori and Herald Kern.

            "We're almost there Justus," I patted the stallion's arched neck.  Even exhausted he carried himself as proudly as any companion ever could, "Red is much better than white," I added for my own benefit.  I kept telling myself that being a bard was not failing.  Somehow it still didn't feel like an accomplishment.  So what if I could sing and play music, I wasn't really helping the way a herald could.  The twins and Mum and Dad were useful, Azori and even the rusty old herald-mage Kern were worth their keep.  I just brought in the comic relief.  Anybody can appreciate that, but at the end of the day, it's worthless.

            "Alright, quit your belly-aching," I growled at myself.  Much as I felt like having a private pity party there were more important things to worry about, like getting enough information out of Asia to continue teaching my pupil.

            :Asia?:

            :Cymon?  Savannah and I have been trying to work with Azori.  Are you close?:

            :We'll be there in about two candle marks.:

            :That long?:

            :Yes, we are less than one mark from the city, but getting through the city is hard when you aren't with a companion, people tend not to mind obstructing your path when you don't look like you can do anything about it.:

            I got the impression of a laugh at that.  Asia dropped the subject though, because she knew what a sore spot it was, :How soon after you arrive can you give her a lesson?:

            :A few days?: I said cheerily with little hope that it would be an acceptable answer.

            :No good, I told you that she is going to the border as an expert on the area.  You are going along, you didn't totally exhaust yourself did you?:

            :No, I just feel like I had, have her waiting at the companion stable.  I'll be right over to spoil you and your daughter as soon as I see to Justus.:

            :I like the sound of that!: the companion agreed readily.

            :One catch,: I decided to bring the conversation around to my original reason for contacting her, :I'm not sure where to go with her lessons … could you give me some tips?:

            :Sure, anything in particular?:

            :Just whatever you think we will need.:

            :Okay, well how about …: Asia went off on a lecture about ancient magic and I tried to absorb the information.  The fact that mind-speech doesn't require pauses for breath made the entire talk into a gigantic run-on-sentence also rendering time insignificant.  But when she finally ran out of things to say Justus was approaching the city gates. 

            :Okay, well that will last a while anyway.:

            :Some of what I told you will only work for an adept,: Asia cautioned.

            :She is an adept isn't she?:

            :No, she has adept potential, that doesn't make her an adept, training will make her an adept.:

            :Can I train her enough for that?: I asked doubtfully.

            :For that she will need an adept to teach her, but hopefully by then what her first teacher did will be reversed to a degree that anyone can help her with it.:

            :She will have to be one no matter whether I can help or not though.:

            :Yes, unfortunately she will.  Let's just hope that there is enough time to avoid that.:

            :We'll be there shortly, I need to pay attention to where we go in the city or Justus might get us into some trouble.:

            Asia's only response was to chuckle.

            As it turned out we arrived at the Palace/Collegium complex in well under a candle mark, trade was quite slow with the looming threat of war.  People weren't out unless they had to be.  I settled Justus into a stall near Cookie's and saw to it that a groom was attending to him before heading for the companion's stable.  On my way out I made a pit stop to the tack room for some carrots and sugar cubes.

            When I arrived at the smaller stable Savannah and Asia were readily visible near Asia's favorite box stall.  She claimed to sleep inside because of the cold on her old joints, but I had heard too much about her younger days to believe a word of it.  I would have made a smart remark, but Azori was sitting with them so I held my tongue.  It wouldn't really do to make my talking to companions well known by a herald.

            "Ah, I thought you might be here Azi, ready for your lesson?" I asked jovially masking my own tiredness.

            "Huh?  You're back?"

            "You look upset, I came as fast as I could."

            She scowled at me, "that's not what I meant.  I'm too tired for your lessons today, we're leaving tomorrow morning and I don't intend to overextend myself before such a long trip."

            "Your concern is duly noted, but that trip is exactly what you will be needing these skills for so I would suggest applying yourself to your lessons."

            "If I won't?"

            I shrugged, she was a bit too big for me to force her to do much of anything, and she could easily give me a mage-blast that would send me into next week if I tried to meddle with her that way, "I can't do a thing about it if you say no," I replied simply.

            She shot me a triumphant glance.

            "However," I added with a meaningful look to Asia, "There are others who can," a look of utter shock spread across her face as Asia wrapped her in shields and did something or other to her, "And on the border they won't be as gentle as Asia."

            Azori glowered for a long moment even after the shields were dropped and then she got that look whereby anyone who knows them can tell a herald is conversing with his or her companion, "Alright, I'll take the lesson," Azori agreed reluctantly after what I could only assume was intervention from Savannah.

            :Got that right Honey, I'll look out for the girl even if she won't do it for herself.:

            :Thank you Sav,: I shot back gratefully.  Savannah sent a general feeling of playful arrogance and I ignored it in favor of the lesson at hand.

            I woke up to persistent knocking on my door.  I grumbled something and flipped over.  The knocking continued.  I got up and yanked the door open, and squinted furiously at the interrupter of my rest.  Azori stood outside shifting her weight from foot to foot nervously.

            "They sent me to wake you up, we're leaving in less than a candle mark," Azori rushed through her message and tried to bolt.  I grabbed her wrist to stop her.

            "Wait a second; I don't even know where we're meeting or anything…"

            "Outside the guard barracks, bring your breakfast with you, we're eating on the road.  You ought to be packed already, but make sure you include a bedroll, we won't be seeing the interior of an inn … can I go now?"

            "Yes," I released her arm and she scurried away.  I hurried to dress and throw together my traveling gear.  It took but a moment, and then I was on my way to the stable to get Justus ready.  I was waiting outside the soldiers barracks well before the promised candle mark was spent, but even so the gathering area was nearly full.  Azori arrived moments after me and she didn't seem all that enthusiastic about allowing Savannah to stand near me.  The first words out of her mouth confirmed that.

            "She insists that we stay near you.  She thinks that you can teach while we go."

            "You know, you'll learn a lot faster if you apply yourself."

            "I consented to the lessons because I had no choice, that seems to be a trend with me and magic, I have no intention of working any harder than you make me."

            "Very well, that will just make what you do learn more stretched out."

            "Fine with me," Azori said defiantly.  I decided to let the conversation end there.  Within moments Herald Roy took the lead of our party.  He made some fluff and nonsense speech before heading out.  We all followed past the gawkers in the city and then out along the road at a steady trot.  By noon our pace had slowed to a sedate walk.  We passed around bread and cheese for lunch.  I tried to strike up a conversation with Azori, but she kept brushing me off so I turned to small talk with the others in our party.  I had been around the Skybolts training in the capital for years so I had no small number of friends and acquaintances to converse with.

A/N okay there now, the plot is actually working yay!!!!!  I like thanksgiving break, even if we only get thanksgiving and Friday off for it this year… it feels weird oh well, at least we got to see all of last years seniors again 'cause they're all home for break… and the youth room at our church got fixed up so it's totally awesome!!!! Its red blue and yellow with a bunch of awesome couches a big tv/dvd player and table games galore.  We're gonna have a food bar too. And there are a bunch or neat lamps… and I'm rambling again…. anyway it's great.  Bye y'all this'll be up in a jiff!