Disclaimer- Do I really have to do this AGAIN? *sighs* Alright here it goes.... The only thing I own is Shadowflame, Darkfire and Ayren. Everything else belongs to the wonderful Mercedes Lackey and her Valdemar Books.
Fine Happy now?
OK- so we left them in the council chambers, with 'Flame giving a cold shoulder to Darien.
So now we have them there and we won't go into what was discussed cuz quite frankly Kyrette and I both find politics BORING!
SO back to the story- (Kyrette protested writing this but I pulled him through)
Chapter 5 Explanations
Several candlemarks later, after all the bondbirds had gone out and come back again, and several tempers were on the verge of being lost, a halt was called to the session. Everyone began filing out. Shadowflame tossed another saucy wink at Daren before he left the chamber. She chatted with Natoli as they walked out of the chamber. Ayren went out the window, silently winging over to Companion's Field.
Firesong walked out of the chamber, deep in thought. When they were back at the vale, they gathered around the pools, sitting in some of the shade there with cool drinks delivered by the hertasi.
Darien was the first to break the odd silence surrounding the group. "Firesong, what did Shadowflame mean that she wasn't Starfall's daughter?" Keisha tried to shush him but was unsuccessful.
Silverfox took his hand, offering quiet strength. Firesong sighed. "She is the daughter of my mother and another man. No one knows who. Not even my father. 'Flame doesn't know. My mother refused to tell anyone who the father was." He sipped his drink and sank back into silence.
Letting the matter drop, but vowing to find out more later, Darien turned his mind to what had been discussed in council. As the sky darkened, they began revising some of their plans, seeing they wouldn't work now.
'Flame went out to eat that night in Haven. The Compass Rose was a favorite of hers, introduced to her by Daren. They sold good solid food at a reasonable price and their beer was worth wading through a blizzard for. Ayren was staying out, willing to be her ears in the city, while Darkfire was at the Palace. She knew that she could have a private room but preferred to be in the main room where many gathered. It was full to the brim with Blues, Greys, Reds and Greens. As well teachers gathered here. The entire room was a sea of color with blocks of a single one standing out here and there.
'Flame settled herself into a corner and ordered herself a dinner and a mug of beer. The server brought it back quickly weaving in and out expertly among the tables. 'Flame settled her back against the wall, sipping her beer, listening to the waves of sound as they crashed around and over her.
She saw ALberich come in and raised her hand slightly, knowing that the hawk-eyed man would see it even through this crowd. Sure enough, Stone-face as he was affectionately called, came over and sat kitty corner from her so that he still had his back to a wall and could see the entire room. A server came over and brought his usual meal with her along with a beer.
She just ate her food, allowing him to be the first to speak. She finished her dinner and sat back against the wall content to watch the others here. She knew that her brother would be eating in either the ekele or at the Palace.
Once Alberich was done, the server returned and took both their bowls and refreshed 'Flame's drink. She sipped her beer leaning against the wall behind her. Alberich said nothing for a time just sat sipping his drink and watching the room. Next to them a group of Blues sat arguing over some problem or another while just beyond them a group of bardlings sat supposedly composing something that had them talking heatedly.
Alberich put down his drink and finally began to speak. "Having brother here hard, is?" 'Flame just nodded not really wanting to speak about it. "I friend, am." He sipped his drink again. "Trouble have you, will come to me you?"
Flame put her drink down. "Yes Alberich. I will come to you. But there are some things I must do for myself. I cannot tell you all. I can't."
He sat back and crossed his arms, giving her a look that would send any student of his into blabbering about all of their crimes. 'Flame merely smiled and tried to look innocent. Alberich sighed and stood, taking her arm and led her out of the Rose, paying for both of their meals. They walked silently through the streets, enjoying the calm warm night. They made it back to his room just off the salle, using his private entrance.
Once inside he sat her down and made tea for both of them. Once her hands were wrapped around a warm mug of tea, he sat down next to her and studied her. She was a beautiful woman. Her eyes complimented her dark hair and gave her an air of knowing that many strived for but failed miserably at. He knew he wouldn't be able to make her talk if she didn't wish to but perhaps his silence could wear her down.
Darkfire had sensed her sadness and relayed it to Rolan. Rolan, knowing that Talia was busy, had asked Kantor to have ALberich go after her. Alberich ahd readily agreed, having sensed her depression earlier in the day when they had sparred. He was quiet simply watching the fire and waiting for her to speak. Finally she sighed and leaned her head back. "What do you want to know, Alberich?"
He looked at the fire, knowing she wouldn't be comfortable with him staring at her. "What wish to tell you."
'Flame sighed and closed her eyes. "I am the daughter of Firesong's mother and someone else. I don't know who. No one does as far as I know." She kept her eyes closed. "She took that secret to her grave. Her husband, Starfall, always hated me. She gave me to a cousin of hers when I was 2. By the time I was 15, I was a scout and a Master mage." She fell into silence for a moment lost in her bitter memories. "I visited the Shin'a'in when I was 16. There I stayed for two years. About then the Mage Storms started. I helped them evacuate the Plains. When all was over, I helped them move back. Soon a message came from k'Treva vale. I was no longer welcome there. In fact I was no longer welcome in any of the vales." She sipped her tea, managing to keep her voice steady and her eyes dry.
"The clan I was staying with gave me Darkfire for my help and wished me well when I told them I wanted to travel. The first thing I did was return to k'Treva and gather what few things I had left there." She stood and refilled her tea mug, refilling his well, without asking. ALberich didn't mind. He was waiting for her to continue.
"I wasn't bonded yet to any bird. I stayed one night at the vale and prepared to leave the next morning. I was leaving when Ayren stopped me." She smiled slightly. "He said I would need help and a friend on the road. We left the cale together the three of us. I've never regretted accepting his offer of help."
All through this Alberich had sat quietly allowing her to speak. Now he sensed, they were coming to something that was painful for her to talk about. OUtside the night continued as she spoke of some of their travels. He wasn't surprised that she had gone many places, including Rethwellan, Jkatha, Hardorn and even a few remote parts of Karse. She told all of it in great detail. She had really loved the travelling but had missed not knowing a home. He could hear all of this in her voice. Still he wondered if she would tell him what had happened to them to change her and Darkfire into what they were now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THANKS to all Reviewers....
Kyrette now knows you guys love him but don't stop or he will go on strike!
Special note to Darkfyre- Thank you for turning him down... Personally I think he's mad about not beign able to rough house with the kids cuz I was sick.
Ok Kyrette what do you want to say?
:We left you hanging didn't we? Almost you find out what happened. DOn't worry. Its still coming I promise!: *grins* :I will post it as soon as its written.: *turns to Cat* :I'm done now, finish it up and post it would you? Your daughter has let her nails grow and is getting better at scratching.:
See how I'm treated?? All work no play. *sighs heavily* Oh well have fun folks!
Fine Happy now?
OK- so we left them in the council chambers, with 'Flame giving a cold shoulder to Darien.
So now we have them there and we won't go into what was discussed cuz quite frankly Kyrette and I both find politics BORING!
SO back to the story- (Kyrette protested writing this but I pulled him through)
Chapter 5 Explanations
Several candlemarks later, after all the bondbirds had gone out and come back again, and several tempers were on the verge of being lost, a halt was called to the session. Everyone began filing out. Shadowflame tossed another saucy wink at Daren before he left the chamber. She chatted with Natoli as they walked out of the chamber. Ayren went out the window, silently winging over to Companion's Field.
Firesong walked out of the chamber, deep in thought. When they were back at the vale, they gathered around the pools, sitting in some of the shade there with cool drinks delivered by the hertasi.
Darien was the first to break the odd silence surrounding the group. "Firesong, what did Shadowflame mean that she wasn't Starfall's daughter?" Keisha tried to shush him but was unsuccessful.
Silverfox took his hand, offering quiet strength. Firesong sighed. "She is the daughter of my mother and another man. No one knows who. Not even my father. 'Flame doesn't know. My mother refused to tell anyone who the father was." He sipped his drink and sank back into silence.
Letting the matter drop, but vowing to find out more later, Darien turned his mind to what had been discussed in council. As the sky darkened, they began revising some of their plans, seeing they wouldn't work now.
'Flame went out to eat that night in Haven. The Compass Rose was a favorite of hers, introduced to her by Daren. They sold good solid food at a reasonable price and their beer was worth wading through a blizzard for. Ayren was staying out, willing to be her ears in the city, while Darkfire was at the Palace. She knew that she could have a private room but preferred to be in the main room where many gathered. It was full to the brim with Blues, Greys, Reds and Greens. As well teachers gathered here. The entire room was a sea of color with blocks of a single one standing out here and there.
'Flame settled herself into a corner and ordered herself a dinner and a mug of beer. The server brought it back quickly weaving in and out expertly among the tables. 'Flame settled her back against the wall, sipping her beer, listening to the waves of sound as they crashed around and over her.
She saw ALberich come in and raised her hand slightly, knowing that the hawk-eyed man would see it even through this crowd. Sure enough, Stone-face as he was affectionately called, came over and sat kitty corner from her so that he still had his back to a wall and could see the entire room. A server came over and brought his usual meal with her along with a beer.
She just ate her food, allowing him to be the first to speak. She finished her dinner and sat back against the wall content to watch the others here. She knew that her brother would be eating in either the ekele or at the Palace.
Once Alberich was done, the server returned and took both their bowls and refreshed 'Flame's drink. She sipped her beer leaning against the wall behind her. Alberich said nothing for a time just sat sipping his drink and watching the room. Next to them a group of Blues sat arguing over some problem or another while just beyond them a group of bardlings sat supposedly composing something that had them talking heatedly.
Alberich put down his drink and finally began to speak. "Having brother here hard, is?" 'Flame just nodded not really wanting to speak about it. "I friend, am." He sipped his drink again. "Trouble have you, will come to me you?"
Flame put her drink down. "Yes Alberich. I will come to you. But there are some things I must do for myself. I cannot tell you all. I can't."
He sat back and crossed his arms, giving her a look that would send any student of his into blabbering about all of their crimes. 'Flame merely smiled and tried to look innocent. Alberich sighed and stood, taking her arm and led her out of the Rose, paying for both of their meals. They walked silently through the streets, enjoying the calm warm night. They made it back to his room just off the salle, using his private entrance.
Once inside he sat her down and made tea for both of them. Once her hands were wrapped around a warm mug of tea, he sat down next to her and studied her. She was a beautiful woman. Her eyes complimented her dark hair and gave her an air of knowing that many strived for but failed miserably at. He knew he wouldn't be able to make her talk if she didn't wish to but perhaps his silence could wear her down.
Darkfire had sensed her sadness and relayed it to Rolan. Rolan, knowing that Talia was busy, had asked Kantor to have ALberich go after her. Alberich ahd readily agreed, having sensed her depression earlier in the day when they had sparred. He was quiet simply watching the fire and waiting for her to speak. Finally she sighed and leaned her head back. "What do you want to know, Alberich?"
He looked at the fire, knowing she wouldn't be comfortable with him staring at her. "What wish to tell you."
'Flame sighed and closed her eyes. "I am the daughter of Firesong's mother and someone else. I don't know who. No one does as far as I know." She kept her eyes closed. "She took that secret to her grave. Her husband, Starfall, always hated me. She gave me to a cousin of hers when I was 2. By the time I was 15, I was a scout and a Master mage." She fell into silence for a moment lost in her bitter memories. "I visited the Shin'a'in when I was 16. There I stayed for two years. About then the Mage Storms started. I helped them evacuate the Plains. When all was over, I helped them move back. Soon a message came from k'Treva vale. I was no longer welcome there. In fact I was no longer welcome in any of the vales." She sipped her tea, managing to keep her voice steady and her eyes dry.
"The clan I was staying with gave me Darkfire for my help and wished me well when I told them I wanted to travel. The first thing I did was return to k'Treva and gather what few things I had left there." She stood and refilled her tea mug, refilling his well, without asking. ALberich didn't mind. He was waiting for her to continue.
"I wasn't bonded yet to any bird. I stayed one night at the vale and prepared to leave the next morning. I was leaving when Ayren stopped me." She smiled slightly. "He said I would need help and a friend on the road. We left the cale together the three of us. I've never regretted accepting his offer of help."
All through this Alberich had sat quietly allowing her to speak. Now he sensed, they were coming to something that was painful for her to talk about. OUtside the night continued as she spoke of some of their travels. He wasn't surprised that she had gone many places, including Rethwellan, Jkatha, Hardorn and even a few remote parts of Karse. She told all of it in great detail. She had really loved the travelling but had missed not knowing a home. He could hear all of this in her voice. Still he wondered if she would tell him what had happened to them to change her and Darkfire into what they were now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THANKS to all Reviewers....
Kyrette now knows you guys love him but don't stop or he will go on strike!
Special note to Darkfyre- Thank you for turning him down... Personally I think he's mad about not beign able to rough house with the kids cuz I was sick.
Ok Kyrette what do you want to say?
:We left you hanging didn't we? Almost you find out what happened. DOn't worry. Its still coming I promise!: *grins* :I will post it as soon as its written.: *turns to Cat* :I'm done now, finish it up and post it would you? Your daughter has let her nails grow and is getting better at scratching.:
See how I'm treated?? All work no play. *sighs heavily* Oh well have fun folks!