In Time and Space
By Kierseth
Disclaimer: Emerald Flame and I own Rena and Ria and various other characters. Anything you recognize from Mercedes Lackey's books, we DO NOT own.
Muse: Emerald Flame
Thoughts
:Mindspeech:
"Normal Speech"
~*~*~*~
Rena woke with a start. Weak light was trickling through the broken boards barring the high window, illuminating the sleeping figures in the room. Wyn, Asper, Linx Rena took a quick, automatic head count, Where is Ria?
A crash came from the kitchen and Rena was out of bed and across the floor, side by side with a sleepy-eyed Asper. Linx had jumped to his feet and was currently standing on his bed.
"Great gryphons!" He shouted, "What is she DOING?"
Rena raced around the partition to find a chagrined, night-gowned Ria staring at a broken jar at her feet.
"Morning." She said, lips taut to hide a sheepish smile.
"Ria. What. Are. You. DOING?" Rena asked, seething a little. It had been a late night, and a rather unnerving one.
"I wanted to try my new power. I tried to stop the jar from falling. Freeze it in midair like I did with the candles last night. It worked- for a while." She looked down at the pieces of pottery at her bare feet.
"For a while. How long did it hold?" Curiosity overcame Asper and he picked up a shard of the jar.
"Let's try and see." Ria held out her hands and at Asper's throw, extended her fingers at the shard. It froze.
Unfortunately, so did Asper.
Plucking at the frozen boy's shirt, Rena said, "Umm, Ria? I don't think that's going to work."
"Thanks Rena. I couldn't figure that out for myself." Ria's voice dripped with sarcasm. She shook her hands at the boy and he unfroze along with the pottery shard, which joined it's fellows on the floor, shattering into smaller bits. She sighed. "Well, I guess we know the limitations to my power."
"It didn't work?" Asper was disappointed.
"No, it worked. I just froze you as well."
"Really?"
"Yep."
"Wow!"
"What?" Linx and Wyn had come around the partition and were standing behind Rena and Asper, rubbing their gritty eyes.
"Ria froze me!"
"Really? Freeze me!" Wyn perked up.
"No. I don't know what all it does and until I do, I'm not freezing anyone." She paused. "Intentionally, that is."
Rena walked across the weathered slats of the kitchen floor and picked up a flat piece of board that served as a dustpan, and a bundle of straw tied with twine.
"Here," she handed the implements to her sister, "Better gather up the pieces before we cut our feet. I'm going to go get dressed."
She ducked around the partition and ducked behind the fabric screen that served as a dressing room for the girls. She quickly dressed in a dark gray skirt and light green tunic and pulled her coppery hair into a bun at the nape of her neck. She slipped on her boots and grabbed a small sack, which she tied under her skirt.
Walking back into the abandoned kitchen, she grabbed a loaf of bread and a wedge of cheese from the dumbwaiter.
"Breakfast?" she called into the empty kitchen and smiled at the herd of boys that assailed her.
"Hey, hey! There's enough for all of you, as well as Ria and I. So lay off." She smacked hands and glared at Asper when he managed to grab a bite of cheese. Ria emerged from the stairwell, hair sopping from her cold shower from the rain barrel on the roof.
"Want some breakfast?" Rena asked her twin, handing her a piece of bread.
"Sure."
They all sat and ate their breakfast in relative silence, only punctured by outbursts from the boys squabbling over one chunk of cheese or another. Wyn cleaned up the remains after they were all done and Linx and Asper went out to see what mischief they could scrounge up.
Ria stood and stretched, her hair nearly dry. "I think I'm going to go for a walk. I'm not going to hit anyone, unless they're just asking for it, but it seems really stifling in here. I'll be back in a while."
"Ok. I think I'll go out too. I want to go see if that big oaf is still staying at the Stirrup and Cinch. He was too easy to play." She answered, mentioning the man she had taken at a game of Hinds and Hounds, linking her fingers and cracking her knuckles. "Are you going to stay here Wyn?"
"Yes." Answered the small boy.
"Ok. If you do go out, remember to set the alarms. We'll be back later."
~*~*~*~
Ohhh. Note to self: never arm wrestle a missionary who carries an ax Rena moaned to herself, rubbing her right arm with her left hand as she walked into the alley that lead to her home. Her hair was escaping from it's bun, trailing copper threads down her neck. She turned the corner of their little building and stopped dead in her tracks.
"Ria?" she said softly. Her twin was standing stock still in front of a tall, slender white horse, tacked in blue. No, not a horse, Rena told herself with a twinge of envy, A Companion
"What in the nine HELLS is going on!?" She exploded.
The slim Companion raised it's head at Rena's outburst, eyes widening in surprise. Ria jumped at the sudden noise, turned and smiled at Rena, happiness shining through her eyes.
"Rena? This is Alanar. She's Chosen me." Ria raised her hand and stroked Alanar's white satiny cheek as it lay over her shoulder.
Rena was speechless. Her sister had been Chosen. Her twin. She was going to leave and live at the Collegium and Rena would be left on the streets, thieving just to survive. Her head reeled.
:Umm... No. That's not going to happen.:
Rena's eyes grew wide and darted from side to side as a deep resonant Voice sounded in her mind. She felt the brush of something prickly against the back of her bare neck.
:Are you going to turn around and greet me or what?:
The shellshocked girl slowly turned her head and promptly fell into a sea of fathomless blue.
The Voice rang in her head once more. :Rena, I am Naison. I Choose you.:
"Ehhh.... wha-... you...you Choose me? Why?" Rena couldn't believe it. Her mind was a buzz of random thoughts and phrases. Her sister, she could believe being Chosen. Ria was sweet and kind and everything she thought a Herald should be. But her? Never. She was headstrong and stubborn and confrontational- no. It couldn't be.
:You are meant to be a Herald. I don't know why, but you are my Chosen. And frankly, there isn't much you can do about it.: His voice danced with humor.
"Rena? Is that...?" Her twin's voice trailed off for a moment as she looked at Alanar. "You've been Chosen?" Her voice raised in pitch and broke a little on the last syllable.
"I guess so." She replied, a little dazed. "This is Naison." Her Companion gave her a little shove and herded her to Ria and Alanar. As they walked, Ria surveyed her sister's Companion.
He was tall and very stocky. Deep in the chest with a large head and white feathers on his feet. His silver tail waved out behind him like a banner as he pranced slightly behind her twin. Eyes of dark blue sparked in his long white face. A slim horizontal scar marred the white skin under his left ear.
"It is good to meet you, Naison." Ria said to the stallion.
:It is nice to make your aquaintence Ria. Hello Nari.: The stallion responded to Ria, ignoring Silence, then greeted the slender white mare at her side.
:Hullo Naison. Fancy meeting you here.: Alanar tilted her head coquettishly.
:Who is watching Lynnes?:
:Marienne.:
The twins stood and stared at their Companions, trying to follow the turn the conversation had taken.
:Oh.: Alanar said, realizing their plight. :Sorry. You both should gather your things.:
:You're coming with us tonight.:
"But what about the boys? We can't leave them alone!" Ria objected. If there was one thing she would not do, it would be to leave the boys.
:Hmm. Bring them along. I'm sure they can find asylum at the Collegium. We are always in need of stablehands.: Alanar proposed.
"I guess that would work...." Rena sounded a little skeptical. "Won't the Heralds be a little... surprised? I mean, we-" she motioned to Ria and herself, "- aren't the straightest arrows in the quiver."
Naison looked deep into her eyes. :It doesn't matter. Choice is never wrong.:
~*~*~ Review Response Time!!
Crimson- Thanks for the complement. Close, but no dice. You do get a cookie though! :)
Fireblade K'Chona- It's just local- for now. I know, I know, Time-Space continuum and all that, but it's a fic and I can do what I want!
Muah ha ha ha ha!!
Sorry. ^^
etcetera-cat- *glomps back* Thankies! I know, I suck at detail. I can see it in my mind, but when it comes to writing it down.... Oh and you assumed correctly!
Arrowblade- Your wish is granted. *poof*
Next: The girls arrive at the Collegium.
By Kierseth
Disclaimer: Emerald Flame and I own Rena and Ria and various other characters. Anything you recognize from Mercedes Lackey's books, we DO NOT own.
Muse: Emerald Flame
Thoughts
:Mindspeech:
"Normal Speech"
~*~*~*~
Rena woke with a start. Weak light was trickling through the broken boards barring the high window, illuminating the sleeping figures in the room. Wyn, Asper, Linx Rena took a quick, automatic head count, Where is Ria?
A crash came from the kitchen and Rena was out of bed and across the floor, side by side with a sleepy-eyed Asper. Linx had jumped to his feet and was currently standing on his bed.
"Great gryphons!" He shouted, "What is she DOING?"
Rena raced around the partition to find a chagrined, night-gowned Ria staring at a broken jar at her feet.
"Morning." She said, lips taut to hide a sheepish smile.
"Ria. What. Are. You. DOING?" Rena asked, seething a little. It had been a late night, and a rather unnerving one.
"I wanted to try my new power. I tried to stop the jar from falling. Freeze it in midair like I did with the candles last night. It worked- for a while." She looked down at the pieces of pottery at her bare feet.
"For a while. How long did it hold?" Curiosity overcame Asper and he picked up a shard of the jar.
"Let's try and see." Ria held out her hands and at Asper's throw, extended her fingers at the shard. It froze.
Unfortunately, so did Asper.
Plucking at the frozen boy's shirt, Rena said, "Umm, Ria? I don't think that's going to work."
"Thanks Rena. I couldn't figure that out for myself." Ria's voice dripped with sarcasm. She shook her hands at the boy and he unfroze along with the pottery shard, which joined it's fellows on the floor, shattering into smaller bits. She sighed. "Well, I guess we know the limitations to my power."
"It didn't work?" Asper was disappointed.
"No, it worked. I just froze you as well."
"Really?"
"Yep."
"Wow!"
"What?" Linx and Wyn had come around the partition and were standing behind Rena and Asper, rubbing their gritty eyes.
"Ria froze me!"
"Really? Freeze me!" Wyn perked up.
"No. I don't know what all it does and until I do, I'm not freezing anyone." She paused. "Intentionally, that is."
Rena walked across the weathered slats of the kitchen floor and picked up a flat piece of board that served as a dustpan, and a bundle of straw tied with twine.
"Here," she handed the implements to her sister, "Better gather up the pieces before we cut our feet. I'm going to go get dressed."
She ducked around the partition and ducked behind the fabric screen that served as a dressing room for the girls. She quickly dressed in a dark gray skirt and light green tunic and pulled her coppery hair into a bun at the nape of her neck. She slipped on her boots and grabbed a small sack, which she tied under her skirt.
Walking back into the abandoned kitchen, she grabbed a loaf of bread and a wedge of cheese from the dumbwaiter.
"Breakfast?" she called into the empty kitchen and smiled at the herd of boys that assailed her.
"Hey, hey! There's enough for all of you, as well as Ria and I. So lay off." She smacked hands and glared at Asper when he managed to grab a bite of cheese. Ria emerged from the stairwell, hair sopping from her cold shower from the rain barrel on the roof.
"Want some breakfast?" Rena asked her twin, handing her a piece of bread.
"Sure."
They all sat and ate their breakfast in relative silence, only punctured by outbursts from the boys squabbling over one chunk of cheese or another. Wyn cleaned up the remains after they were all done and Linx and Asper went out to see what mischief they could scrounge up.
Ria stood and stretched, her hair nearly dry. "I think I'm going to go for a walk. I'm not going to hit anyone, unless they're just asking for it, but it seems really stifling in here. I'll be back in a while."
"Ok. I think I'll go out too. I want to go see if that big oaf is still staying at the Stirrup and Cinch. He was too easy to play." She answered, mentioning the man she had taken at a game of Hinds and Hounds, linking her fingers and cracking her knuckles. "Are you going to stay here Wyn?"
"Yes." Answered the small boy.
"Ok. If you do go out, remember to set the alarms. We'll be back later."
~*~*~*~
Ohhh. Note to self: never arm wrestle a missionary who carries an ax Rena moaned to herself, rubbing her right arm with her left hand as she walked into the alley that lead to her home. Her hair was escaping from it's bun, trailing copper threads down her neck. She turned the corner of their little building and stopped dead in her tracks.
"Ria?" she said softly. Her twin was standing stock still in front of a tall, slender white horse, tacked in blue. No, not a horse, Rena told herself with a twinge of envy, A Companion
"What in the nine HELLS is going on!?" She exploded.
The slim Companion raised it's head at Rena's outburst, eyes widening in surprise. Ria jumped at the sudden noise, turned and smiled at Rena, happiness shining through her eyes.
"Rena? This is Alanar. She's Chosen me." Ria raised her hand and stroked Alanar's white satiny cheek as it lay over her shoulder.
Rena was speechless. Her sister had been Chosen. Her twin. She was going to leave and live at the Collegium and Rena would be left on the streets, thieving just to survive. Her head reeled.
:Umm... No. That's not going to happen.:
Rena's eyes grew wide and darted from side to side as a deep resonant Voice sounded in her mind. She felt the brush of something prickly against the back of her bare neck.
:Are you going to turn around and greet me or what?:
The shellshocked girl slowly turned her head and promptly fell into a sea of fathomless blue.
The Voice rang in her head once more. :Rena, I am Naison. I Choose you.:
"Ehhh.... wha-... you...you Choose me? Why?" Rena couldn't believe it. Her mind was a buzz of random thoughts and phrases. Her sister, she could believe being Chosen. Ria was sweet and kind and everything she thought a Herald should be. But her? Never. She was headstrong and stubborn and confrontational- no. It couldn't be.
:You are meant to be a Herald. I don't know why, but you are my Chosen. And frankly, there isn't much you can do about it.: His voice danced with humor.
"Rena? Is that...?" Her twin's voice trailed off for a moment as she looked at Alanar. "You've been Chosen?" Her voice raised in pitch and broke a little on the last syllable.
"I guess so." She replied, a little dazed. "This is Naison." Her Companion gave her a little shove and herded her to Ria and Alanar. As they walked, Ria surveyed her sister's Companion.
He was tall and very stocky. Deep in the chest with a large head and white feathers on his feet. His silver tail waved out behind him like a banner as he pranced slightly behind her twin. Eyes of dark blue sparked in his long white face. A slim horizontal scar marred the white skin under his left ear.
"It is good to meet you, Naison." Ria said to the stallion.
:It is nice to make your aquaintence Ria. Hello Nari.: The stallion responded to Ria, ignoring Silence, then greeted the slender white mare at her side.
:Hullo Naison. Fancy meeting you here.: Alanar tilted her head coquettishly.
:Who is watching Lynnes?:
:Marienne.:
The twins stood and stared at their Companions, trying to follow the turn the conversation had taken.
:Oh.: Alanar said, realizing their plight. :Sorry. You both should gather your things.:
:You're coming with us tonight.:
"But what about the boys? We can't leave them alone!" Ria objected. If there was one thing she would not do, it would be to leave the boys.
:Hmm. Bring them along. I'm sure they can find asylum at the Collegium. We are always in need of stablehands.: Alanar proposed.
"I guess that would work...." Rena sounded a little skeptical. "Won't the Heralds be a little... surprised? I mean, we-" she motioned to Ria and herself, "- aren't the straightest arrows in the quiver."
Naison looked deep into her eyes. :It doesn't matter. Choice is never wrong.:
~*~*~ Review Response Time!!
Crimson- Thanks for the complement. Close, but no dice. You do get a cookie though! :)
Fireblade K'Chona- It's just local- for now. I know, I know, Time-Space continuum and all that, but it's a fic and I can do what I want!
Muah ha ha ha ha!!
Sorry. ^^
etcetera-cat- *glomps back* Thankies! I know, I suck at detail. I can see it in my mind, but when it comes to writing it down.... Oh and you assumed correctly!
Arrowblade- Your wish is granted. *poof*
Next: The girls arrive at the Collegium.