Heyla everyone. I liked that last chapter, "flying is fun." Sounds like something Calsa would say, not Meyra. So, now you all know why Meyra is "afraid of hights." She's not. I didn't know that either, it kinda just hit me when I was hiding behind a sofa in terror of a swarm of sixth graders singing Chitty chitty bang bang.

Happy new year and on with the fic!

***

Calsa had been a little suspicious when Silverstar had called Meyra over; she had been planning something, that much was plain to the Empath. But she trusted Silver's judgement, and the gut feeling that she would never purposely do anything to harm her sister. So she went back to the cake. Cooking is amazing, she decided. It was a fairly easy cake, but she'd never done anything like it before.

'So now you pour the batter into the dish, slowly now, don't want to spill any, and we're going to put it in the over. Once that's done, I think you'd better go wash up.' Cal looked ruefully down at her Greys. With all the flour she had managed to get on them, she looked like she had just gotten her Whites.

'I think you're right, Mrs Farid.'

'Oh, just call me Ayria or mum, being called Mrs Farid makes me feel like I've been caught doing something in school.' They both grinned.

I like these people, Cal decided as she brushed the worst of the flour off of her arms and Greys. According to Mrs – Ayria – if she put that much flour into water, she'd get the worst glue she'd ever seen. They're so nice. And they don't mind if you have no idea what's going on, they just explain it to you and don't think less of you for asking.

Once she had changed her Grey's – she had no other clothes to wear, besides her mage-robes, even if she was on vacation – and washed her arms and face, she went back out to help Ayria clean the kitchen. And by the time that disaster had been cleaned, the cake was ready. Even if it was a little lopsided, Cal was proud of it.

Silver and Meyra walked in then, both looking tired and Meyra looking a lot happier than she had ever seemed. Well, looks like whatever Silverstar did was right. That woman's got good instincts. She didn't ask, though. If it was only Silver who had gotten her to get over it, when even Daecia couldn't help her, then it was probably sensitive enough that her curiosity would undo Silver's work.

Instead, she pointed to the cake. 'Look what I made,' Cal beamed.

Meyra laughed. 'You really haven't cooked before, have you? I don't mean it in a bad way or anything. But your expression,' she trailed off into laughter.

Ayria appeared, brandishing the soup ladle menacingly. 'Well then, since you're the expert cook, we're doing chicken haish today. You can show Calsa how.' Then she vanished behind the counter, leaving Meyra to stare in disbelief.

'Haish? But, I don't know how to cook haish.' The muffled reply sounded something like "learn."

:Well, now Meyra's tail is in the fire,: Cal sent to Josh, amused.

:Maybe you should help.:

:It would be nice. Since she did invite me here.: She coughed slightly. 'Ayria? I think it would be better if you showed me how. After all, this will be the first time I've ever tried haish, and I'd rather try it from the hands of the master.'

Ayria reappeared and grinned. 'Oh, you're a flatterer, child. Very well, I'll show you how.' The remainder of the afternoon passed in a flurry of ingredients and tips.

***

Calsa waved back to the Farid's, walking at a steady pace back to Haven. 'We should be there by supper tommorow.'

'Good. I'm going to teach them how to make chicken haish. Food for the gods, that is.'

'You, child, are completely messed. Next thing you know you're going to tell me that Weaponsmaster Toralith has a heart.'

'Well, I'm pretty sure he does, but not being a Healer…' The sunlight was making her feel giddy, and they joked through almost every subject imaginable.

'D'you know what's weird?' she asked after a while. 'The way that Heralds seem to lifebond so often compaired to the rest of the world.'

'Someone once said,' Meyra answered, 'that it was because so many compatable people wre brought together. But some Heralds have lifebonded to non-Heralds. Herald-Mage Vanyel did it both times, the first time he wasn't a Herald, and the second he lifebonded to Bard Stephen.'

A chill passed over Cal. 'I know what Vanyel did,' she stated flatly.

Sensing a sensitive area, though not knowing why, Meyra changed the subject. After all, Cal hadn't pushed her about the wing thing. 'What about you? Do you think you're lifebonded?'

Cal laughed again. 'I'd probably scare my lifebonded off with all my Gifts. If I have one. Lifebonded, that is.'

'True. The only person who has near as many Gifts as you is Aren, and –'

'You know Aren?' Cal interrupted.

'We're yearmates. Anyways, Aren's a little…'

'What?'

'I don't know really what it is. It's more like he's all friendly and everything, but anyone who tries to get close to him in a – uh –'

'Non-platonic manner?'

'Yeah, that's it. He just backs off like you threw something in his face. I saw it happen once.'

'To you?'

'Nah, one of the court flowers. A little funny, actually, considering she was just stringing men onto a lead like beads on a string. She probably thought he had caught on to her and was worried that he was going to blab her secret. That sort of stuff almost never occured to Aren, though, he was too innocent in those matters.'

'Hm.'

***

Aren stepped back from Sasha, the mage-light he had conjured to see in the dim light bobbing alongside him. :There love, did I miss a spot?:

She turned her head to snort softly into his hair. :Boy, if you brush me anymore, I swear I'll glow in the dark.: He chuckled.

:At least that would be more amusing than foal-watch. Gaisel is sure it's not coming for another week or so.:

:It's still better than winter foal-watch. I think my hooves would have gone numb if it hadn't of been for the stables.:

Aren sighed. :Well, while we're on the subject, do you need a hoof cleaning? We have all the time in the world.: A half mark later found him on the grass and rueing his words. :Were you playing in the mud or something? There must be five pounds of muck there!:

Sasha blinked innocently. :A being as pure and noble as a Companion? Playing in the mud? Never. Frolicking, perhaps, but never playing.:

'You're about as pure as the mud I got out of your hooves,' Aren mock-grumbled. 'And aren't frolicking and playing the same thing?' He leaned back into a tree, relaxing the muscles that had stiffened while sitting.

'Arguing with your Companion? You should know by now that it's hopeless,' came an amused, warm voice. 'Though I do have to agree with you on the frolicking-playing buisiness. They're almost identical.' Calsa dropped onto the ground beside him, grinning.

He turned back to Sasha. 'See, even your brother's Chosen agrees with me. When did you get back,' he added to Calsa.

'Around a mark ago. I'm too keyed up to sleep, so I figured I'd go out and visit Josh.' Josh bobbed his head and rested it on his Chosen's shoulder for a moment.

The silence extended for a while, Calsa probably talking with Josh, Aren just stretching. 'Do you have Forsight?' she asked suddenly.

'Huh? No, why?' Where did that come from?

She sighed. 'I was just thinking about my Journeyman training, but every time I think about the Empire, I get a sick feeling in my stomach. So if you had Forsight, I was going to ask if the same thing happened to you.'

***

Much thanking to all reviewers… all three of you… -_-

Corrupted-innocent: after the Mage-winds series come the Storm series (Storm Warning, Storm Rising, Storm Breaking) and the Owl series (Owlflight, Owlsight, Owlknight) with Larry Dixon. Good reading. (I feel like Dear Abby now)