Disclaimer: Once upon a time, there was a woman called Mercedes Lackey and a fan fiction writer called Herald Kelsin. Kelsin wrote stuff based on what Mercedes Lackey wrote and called it fan fiction, meaning that it wasn't her original idea. The end.
Chapter 11 is here at last! We hit 50 reviews, too! Keep 'em coming, people. I got nine reviews on the last chapter, which is a new record for me.
Updating on the ending front, it's looking like there's going to be about two more chapters after this one, then the end. I'll tell you when it is the end, though, don't worry or start guessing that it is when it isn't, if that made any sense.
Breezefire: Any time. I wrote a good long one, too. And, if I decide to do a sequel, well, it would be two sequels maybe, probably one one-shot and one longer story, and I would track Meral and Risa, and then I would build on that scene. Depends if I decide to do that eventually.
Fireblade: Yeah, I love your story an awful lot. Lan thanks you for the scratch.
PrettyKittyOreo: Well, thanks. And, I managed to hit 50 reviews while I was at school today. Yayness!
Faeborn2930: Thanks. That chapter was a personal favorite of mine.
Victoria Nicole Hunter: A new reviewer! –glomps and scares away- I'll update as soon as I write this and study for finals and regents and SAT IIs and such. Say it with me-FINALS SUCK!
Wizard116: Lol, thanks. I really did like that the best so far.
Freedom is Calling to Me: -cheer, cheer- Another new reviewer! Chapter 10 wasn't THAT short, was it?
Tenshi: Well, I know where it is heading -wink- the ring thing wasn't really plot advancement, just a pleasant interlude.
Lurks in Shadows: Lol, glad you liked it.
Whew! That was a lot of reviewage! My inbox was brimming with review alert emails. It gladdened my heart. -wink-
Ok, this time we're back in Kel's classes. Something is going to happen soon, we are very near the end. I was going to write a nice little filler chapter about Kel meeting her parents, but after trying for two nights, I discovered that whatever part of me does the writing hated that idea. Basically, lots of writers block, so I'm moving on to the plot advancement.
Chapter 11: Fallings
Kel rolled out of her bed at her usual Candlemark before the waking bell, not for the first time cursing the fact that she seemed to have the serving chore for breakfast far more often than anyone else she knew. She supposed it was her Gift. Although it was as yet unreliable-her formal classes in gift usage had only just started-and Kel herself was no more graceful than any other adolescent, the combination of the two meant that even if she did drop something, she could generally Catch it before it hit the ground.
It also helped that her Fetching Gift was somewhat peculiar. Unlike other Trainees with the gift, who could cause objects to pop back and forth between their hands and wherever they were supposed to go, Kel's gift operated by actually causing whatever object she wanted to lift up and "fly" over to where she was.
It was not at all unusual, therefore, for Kel to be seen walking towards the tables in the dining hall with a nimbus of laden plates and eating utensils floating around her.
Before long, that was exactly what she would be doing. She hastily ran to the bathing room, bathed, got dressed, and rushed to the kitchen to get her own breakfast before the serving started.
'About the only advantages to this job,' Kel thought to herself, 'is that I get to eat early and I never have to wait for a bath in the morning.'
Kel tried to stifle her yawns as the carried out the first platters nearly a half Candlemark later, to ensure that when the hungry Trainees started to trickle in, their food would be ready and waiting for them.
As Kel used her Gift to Catch a couple of wayward oatcakes and replace them on the brimming platter she carried, she realized how much stronger her gift had gotten.
Since her Fetching Gift was so different from any that had been seen before, Kel was having one on one lessoning in using that Gift, and in using her MindSpeech. Those were her only two Gifts, but both were equally and extremely strong, unusual in a Herald.
Kel's problem wasn't using her Fetching Gift, she had mastered that almost unconsciously. Directing objects and managing the energy flows seemed to come almost naturally to her. She was mostly learning how to use her Gift of MindSpeech and practicing her Fetching to make sure that she was as adept with using her Gift as it was possible for her to be.
After everyone had been served, since Kel had already eaten, she gratefully cleared out of the kitchen, heading to her room to prepare for her first class.
She opened the door and grabbed a shoulder bag with paper, quills, ink and all of her notes for various classes. After staring longingly at her bed, she closed the door, preparing to get to her first classroom ahead of the teacher.
Kel's first classroom wasn't really a classroom, per say. Her first class was her one on one Gift tutoring session with Herald Erran. He was generally assigned to the Collegium, but since he taught only Orientation regularly, and the last batch of newly Chosen had finished with that class, he had been detailed to help Kel with her Gifts, especially MindSpeech.
Erran was a proven talented teacher, and he had the single strongest Gift of MindSpeech in the Circle.
When she met him, just outside the stables, he announced, with the air of a little with a new toy, "Today, Kel, we are going to determine your range."
"My what?"
"Your range. How far out you can make and hold a mental contact with someone other than your Companion. With a bond as tight as you have told me yours is, Speaking him wouldn't tell us much about your Gift, as it is a well known fact that our Companions can boost and augment our Gifts, especially with a very strong bond and especially when Speaking THEM."
"Umm, ok. How are we going to do it, then?"
"I'm going to get on my Companion and start riding away as fast as I can. All you have to do is keep Speaking me until you can't reach me anymore."
:Alright.: Kel Spoke, initiating the contact. :I'm ready.:
Erran mounted his Companion mare and began to ride slowly away, all the time keeping up a steady mental banter with Kel. They discovered that she could reach at least outside of Haven to Speak someone she had a little sympathy with. With a close friend or intimate companion, she could probably reach as far as she needed to.
After telling Kel this, Erran released her and she picked up her books and ran to her math class. After such a grueling mental workout, Kel could barely keep her eyes open as she did problem after problem under the watchful eyes of her math teacher.
'If I can barely keep my eyes open now,' Kel groaned to herself, 'what am I going to do after this? I have Weaponswork next.'
Kel managed to doze a little before the ending bell, but not nearly enough to replenish her drained energy, and she would really have liked some food other than the stale oatcake she had snuck into her bag sometime last moon.
The bell rang all too soon for Kel, but she managed to pull herself up and allow herself to be carried along in the wave of her classmates heading for the salle. About halfway there, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
Meral spun her around. :You look like death, love. Another bad Gift practice?:
:Something like that. Overdid it. So tired.: Kel was having a hard time forming her thoughts into Speech. Usually during her Gift practices, she only actually used her Gift for a little while. Today, she had been MindSpeaking constantly for nearly a Candlemark.
Meral caught Kel as she swayed. :Are you sure you should go to practice, dearling?:
:Have to, Meral. Last day of the special lesson on combat riding, remember? Lan'll keep me on somehow.:
:Ok, Kel. If you have to, you have to, but be careful.: Meral said, a feeling of forboding settling over him.
By the time they got to the sale, Kel felt well enough to stand, albeit shakily, on her own two feet. When she saw Lan waiting for her, she hugged him tightly before beginning her stretching exercises.
When the order came to mount up, Kel felt less tired, but more dazed. It was as though she had been pushed beyond the edges of exhaustion, so her body was trying to forget how much it craved sleep.
Kel berated herself sternly. By the time she was in Whites, she would have to be able to work under conditions as tiring as these or more. This was not the time to start whining about it. She would NOT prove herself unworthy!
Kel pulled herself up onto Lan's back, glad that he was able to keep her in the saddle under nearly any circumstances as long as she held on. She clenched Lan's mane tightly in her fists, dropping into a slight trance state. She sure hoped Lan was paying attention to the directions, because she certainly wasn't.
About half of the Trainees were detailed to stand with wooden practice swords in the middle of a field. The rest were mounted on their Companions. From what Kel could gather, the ones with the swords were trying to 'kill' the Companions, the mounted ones were trying to stay on while their Companions dodged the attacks.
As the exercise started, Lan moved a little bit slower than the others, sensing Kel's weariness and inability to actively stay a-saddle. Not realizing the reason, one of the armed Trainees headed straight for the easiest target, the slowest pair, namely Kel and Lan.
The Trainee ran in, aiming his sword for a straight thrust towards Lan's chest. Momentarily forgetting his Chosen's state, Lan reared and whirled to avoid the sword.
Kel saw the blow coming, but her mind felt as though it was fogged. She could barely think. She felt Lan's hooves coming up as he reared and whirled to dodge the attack. Her traitorous fingers chose that moment to numbly let go of Lan's mane.
Lan felt her tumble backwards, but there was nothing he could do. If he went back down to the ground, he would pound the Trainee underneath him into the dirt.
He whirled and hit the ground as fast as he could, but it was too late. By the time he was back on all four hooves, Kel was already flying through the air, making no move to halt her fall.
As Kel fell backwards, she could see Meral dropping his practice sword and running towards her from the other end of the field, knowing as he did that there was no way he could reach her in time.
With a lightening hot burst of pain and an audible thud, Kel's head hit the dirt, then, mercifully, everything went black.
As soon as Kel blacked out, curiously enough, Lan simultaneously hit the dirt, although there was no injury to him that anyone could see.
As Meral reached Kel, he saw that she appeared relatively unscathed, probably only a concussion.
'Good thing we took that first aid class after all.' He thought to himself wryly, but aloud, he only said "she's for Healers. I'll take her myself, I just finished training in this sort of thing."
He picked Kel up, cradling her tenderly in his arms as though she weighed nothing at all, and began to walk slowly in the direction of the House of Healing.