Back to Kelsin's point of view again. She rox my sox. We aren't based on each other, although Kel is like me in more than a few ways. Even with the same name thing, though, in case anyone is thinking I named her for me, I didn't. If anything, I was named for her. Hers was the only name I could think of when I did my username.
Wizard116: Gah, not so happy with that chapter as the others, although I'm glad you liked it. Maybe this one will be better. Yes, this one is better pleasing to me, I think.
Fireblade K'Chona: Well, it did say that the Call usually comes when they are about ten. I guess I sort of squashed two chapters worth of stuff into one, I just figured that it would probably have a fair chance of happening that way.
Lurks in Shadows: Good to hear that I have likeable characters. I tried to stick to the Canon representations as much as I could.
Crinzin13: Joyfulness. So glad people like my stuff. It's only my first attempt at fan fiction.
Chapter 6: Heralds
Kelsin watched the ground fly past the hooves of her horse, no, Companion, she corrected herself. It was hard to believe that in the space of a few short hours, she had gone from being the family disaster to being someone destined for one of the most revered positions in the Kingdom of Valdemar.
She could not quite bring herself to look into the faces of those that held her in such high esteem, but she basked in the glow of their admiring glances all the same.
She had heard tales of Farm bred or Border bred Newly Chosen who had practically fainted dead away at the site of the big city, but that was not her. This 'Big City' had been hers for the exploring since almost before she could walk.
She tried to form her thoughts as clearly as possible, to converse with her Companion. Already, this MindSpeech seemed almost as natural as speaking aloud.
:Laran, what will happen when we get to the Collegium?: Kel Sent, her words colored a murky yellow with anxiety. She already knew, by virtue of having grown up in Haven, that Heralds were trained in the Heralds Collegium, near the House of Healing, and beside the place where they trained Bards, but she knew next to nothing else about the place that she assumed she would be calling home for the next few years.
:Call me Lan, Chosen. I'm only Laran in my formal and mystical Companion moments. And, the Collegium. Well, I expect that the Dean will want to test you, find out what classes you should be put in. She will assign you a mentor from among the older students, and then you'll get shown around, get room assignments, and then you can come and see my lovely self for a while.: Lan inserted a mental laugh here, trying to get his Chosen calmed and less nervy about the Collegium prospect.
Kel wasn't having any of it. Any gathering of her peers made her nervous, as they tended to dislike her on principle. They were either more motivated or more marriage minded than Kel, and she had never quite felt comfortable in large crowds anyway. She often came away with unexplained headaches that no amount of herb tea could cure, and the sensation of buzzing in the back of her mind.
If it weren't for Lan Projecting a soothing aura into her mind, which she didn't know he was doing, but benefited from anyway, she would probably have bolted for home, and never mind the unpleasant future she would have been saddled with.
Lan was thanking all the Gods that all the Chosen had at least a hint of a Gift, and thanking the Gods further that Kel was a very strong, though untrained, MindSpeaker. Lan suspected that this was one reason that all Chosen had some Gift or another, allowing their Companions to Bond with them. Not that any Companion would misuse the Bond, but at times like this, having a direct link into their Chosen's minds could be a distinct advantage and allowed a little clandestine tampering.
:Chosen, I have found out something about your yeargroup, if you're interested. The ones that you will be going through the Collegium with. It is actually rather small, and they have been holding the group for you. There aren't many Companions around my age, so there are only two other Newly Chosen for you to meet. One boy and one girl. Nice balance.: After so long trapped alone in his own mind and with Fara and her Chosen having been out on circuit for the past year, Lan realized that he was babbling a little in his happiness at being together again with his Lifebonded.
In any event, he was happy. His hooves tinkled like bells, light and airy to match the feeling of his heart, as he pulled up to the palace. He nudged the Guard's booth with his nose, and the Guard, a tall, silver haired man wearing the midnight blue of his profession came out and solemnly examined the markings on Lan's saddle.
"Laran, is it?" He asked.
At Lan's nod of affirmation, he wrote down the information in his logbook along with the date, time and name and gender of Lan's Chosen. This done, he extended a hand to help Kelsin down from the saddle.
Kel looked bewildered and lost. She clung to Laran's neck, the only familiar thing in this strange place, like a Little clutching a toy. All the poise and self-control that she had talked herself into on the way vanished.
Kel saw the Palace, and suddenly, it hit home to her what had happened. She was going to be a Herald! The Palace was magnificent looking, huge and grand, but she knew she would get lost in it within seconds. She wanted her mother and father as she had not for years. Uncomfortable as her home had been lately, it was still her home, and she had, unexpectedly, been taken away from it, never to return, at least, not in the way things had been before. Up until now, her ride with Lan had seemed like just another pleasure ride around the city, not a life-altering event. She would be with other people her own age, all the time, in this place, so much grander than anywhere she had ever been in fifteen years of existence.
Lan nuzzled her affectionately, projecting reassurance. He made a mental exception to the Silence, and Spoke the Guard directly, albeit briefly.
:Never mind. I'll take her myself to the Collegium. I can give her the directions around the place in her mind, and it would come better from me.:
The guard nodded so slightly that, if Lan had not been looking for it, he would have missed it entirely.
'Well enough then,' the Guard thought as loudly as he could. 'She'll be alright once she gets settled, I expect.'
Lan nodded gravely and nudged Kel with his nose. :Come along, Chosen. I'll be right here with you. Let's go and see the Dean.:
The Collegium had much experience with shyer youngsters, and Lan Spoke Talin, explaining the situation and asking him to tell his Chosen, the Dean, to come out to the Field to meet the newest Chosen.
Dean Arysa would not be overly pleased to have her studies interrupted, but one of her primary jobs was to get the newly Chosen settled as well as possible, and she would put a good face on it and do her part, Lan was sure.
He lay down on the grass, shoving Kel with his nose just behind the knees until she took the hint and lay down in the grass as well, resting her head against Lan's flank.
Shortly, as they both lay there as if in a dream, left alone by the other Companions to cement their Bond, Dean Arysa showed up, vaulting the fence as though she were only half of her actual age. She was short and skinny, unusual for a Herald. As one of the main duties of a Herald was circuit riding, height and physical strength were definite advantages.
Arysa had tousled, shoulder-length blonde hair that she kept neatly in a horsetail, secured by a rawhide band. Her green eyes showed her intelligence and quick wit, but nobody could ever mistake her for anything other than dignified, in complete control of her domain, in this case, the Collegium.
She walked slowly over to where Kel was sitting and eased herself down onto the grass. She smiled at Kel, a small smile of welcome that seemed to, temporarily, at least, ease her fears enough for her to ask "are you the Dean?" In a way that was more of a conversation starter than anything else.
"Why yes, I am." Arysa replied easily. "What, were you expecting someone taller?" Arysa's stature was something of a joke among the residents of the Collegium, given the sharp contrast between Arysa and the previous Dean, who has been male, sturdily built, and exceedingly tall.
"Just wondering." Kel said meekly, content to let Arysa make the first moves.
"So, Kelsin, I'm going to have to test you to determine what classes we will need to put you in. Let's start with something simple. How old are you and who are your parents?"
"My parents? Elea and Jeron, both Masters in the Silversmith's guild. And I'm fifteen. I'll be sixteen in about five moons."
Arysa smiled. "Good on all counts. We shall send a messenger to your parents telling them what has become of you and asking them to send your things up here. You can go and see them whenever you have a free day and they will be welcome at the Collegium any time you are free. As for the other, you are a little older than our usual run of newly Chosen, but that should work well enough. Your Yearmates are also a little older than the norm. About your age, I believe. You'll meet them at Orientation tomorrow, I expect. Now, what do you know of maths?"
She quizzed Kel mercilessly on things Kel had not remembered for years. She thanked all the gods that her parents did not believe in a traditional women's education and had taught her much more than many of her friends from well off families knew. Of course, that had driven another wedge between Kel and her peers, but she was glad of that knowledge now. She had a feeling she was going to need it.
Arysa neither smiled nor frowned throughout the entire interview, and all of Kel's nerves, nearly banished, surged up in her again. She was sure that she would be behind all the others her age, or that Arysa thought her hopelessly stupid.
Finally, Arysa put Kel out of her misery and smiled. "Very good, youngling. You seem to have a firm grasp of the basics. No further ahead or behind than any of the others in your year group, I'd say."
Lan smiled to himself and Sent on Private Mode :You see, Chosen. I told you that there was nothing to worry about.:
Kel grinned broadly :Thanks Lan, for staying with me, and all. I think you are the most wonderful thing that I've ever had happen to me.:
:That's what I'm here for, Chosen.: Lan sent, with a mental smile.
Arysa coughed, bringing Kel's attention back to the present.
"You will be spending a lot of time with your Companion, of course, and caring for him yourself, but for now, I'll take you into the building and find you a mentor among the older students."
Kel shrank back. If even those her own age had looked down on her, what would an older student do?
Arysa seemed to sense her discomfort, and said, for Laran's benefit as well as Kel's. "Don't worry, I promise, you'll be fine. If you can't trust me, trust in my uniform and my office and know that you can believe what I say. Nothing bad is going to happen to you. I swear by these nice, shiny whites." She gestured towards her snowy uniform.
All her life, Kel had been taught that Heralds and Companions were the next thing to godly, and Lan certainly proved it, she thought fondly. Certainly, she owed this Herald her trust. Kel stood up and gathered the tatters of her courage around her and vowed to herself 'I will make the most of this new life, and I will trust these people until they give me reason to do otherwise.' She felt a burst of approval from Lan, and this strengthened her enough to say, voice barely shaking, "Go on, then. Lead the way, Dean."
Arysa lead Kel into the Heralds Wing of the Collegium. "You'll get a better tour later, youngling. For now, this is the Common Room of the Girl's Dorm. We'll wait here until the person I'm waiting for shows up after her classes. She should be here any minute."
Kel tapped her foot impatiently. Being an only child had helped her somewhat in the realm of getting along with adults, but sitting alone in a room with one, and one in authority at that, was just about at the edge of her limits.
Luckily, they didn't have to wait too long before a stream of girls flowed through the door, chattering happily about classes. Kel was comforted by how much their chatter reminded her of the chatter of all the other girls her age that she knew. On the other hand, however, their chatter further comforted Kel as she realized that it wasn't the empty headed chatter her peers tended to indulge in, but seemed to have substance. Many of them were spiritedly carrying on a debate about some fine point of the interpretation of a law Kel had never heard of.
Arysa singled out one girl, who promptly excused herself from her friends and came over to them.
"Yes, Senior?" She said politely. "New Trainee? Which Companion Chose?" She asked in a rapid fire but friendly burst of questions. She seemed like the kind that always had something to say about everything.
"Yes, Tera, a new Trainee." Arysa said patiently. "The Companion Laran Chose. This is Kelsin, our newest Trainee."
"Kelsin? Nice to meet you! I'm Tera! Can I call you Kel? Do you live in Haven? Am I supposed to be your mentor?"
"Umm, yes, yes, and I think so." Kel said, looking at Arysa for confirmation.
"Yes, Tera, you are going to be Kelsin's mentor. I'll leave you two to get acquainted, I must return to my duties." Arysa said, ignoring the pleading look Kel shot her.
"Good, I'll take her around." Tera said, becoming more somber. "Orientation with Trevin?"
"Yes, and Weaponswork, Religions, History, Etiquette, the usual set up for a first year Trainee. You can take her up to her teachers too, if you have a free now."
"Can do, Dean! We'll go now."
Arysa nodded her satisfaction and left.
"Well, Kel. Say, that rhymes." Tera winked at Kel encouragingly. "Let's get you set up and shown around. There should be an empty room right down this hallway. This is the Girl's side of the Dorm, which means that this is where you live, basically. This will be your room." She said, opening the door on a small room holding a bed and some empty shelves and not much else.
Kel listened attentively as Tera explained the location of everything, and the rules of bathing and using the library, then took Kel to the Housekeeper to get her added to the chores roster and given some uniforms. Soon, as she realized that underneath Tera's boisterous nature, there was a genuinely caring young woman, Kel began to relax, and even ventured a few questions of her own.
Some of the teachers were a little bit intimidating at first, but Kel was following her resolution to give her new life a chance, and she even thought that some of the classes looked like fun.
"Now," Tera said, after showing Kel the room where she would go for Orientation first thing the following morning. "I think you're all set up, and I know this has probably been a confusing day for you, and I bet you'd like to see your Companion again, so why don't you head out to the Field. I'll be around if you ever need me, just ask around for Tera."
At Kel's nod of affirmation, Tera took herself off, and Kel found her way down to the Field without much difficulty. She Called with her mind as best as she could.
:Laran? Lan? Are you there?:
All the Companions Kel could see winced and laid their ears back at her mental 'Shout'. As she hastily apologized on Broadsend, Lan came galloping into view, visibly as happy to see Kel as she was to see him. She vaulted the fence and buried her face in his mane, then clamored up onto his back.
They shared an entire Candlemark of riding together, and Kel felt as though she had never been so happy in her life. As though the part of her that she had always felt was missing had finally filled itself in.
By the time Kel got back to her room and tucked herself into bed, she was so tired that she went out like a light as soon as her head hit the pillow.