Disclaimer: Valdemar, Heralds, Companions etc … none of that belongs to me, it's all the property of Mercedes Lackey. I'm just borrowing the characters for a while … apart from Aline who is most definitely mine : )

A/N: Okay, been a while since I've updated so sorry about that – life caught up with me and I realised that I actually do have things to do besides writing ; ) Not a lot to say about this chapter really … so on to the thankyous:

- Updated 23/5 – Darkwind and Elspeth are NOT married

Hildi-chan: You're wait is finally over! The REAL story is about to begin …cue dramatic music - enjoy the chappie!

moonwing: heh – you're another person who picked up on the REAL story thing! You know, it wasn't really meant to generate that much interest … it was just me waffling! Lol : ) And as for Darkwind … well, I could tell you what's wrong with him, but that would ruin the story – so you're just gonna have to read on and find out!

dead?!?!?!?!?: Okay, think I got the number of question marks right … interesting name – lol! I hope I haven't put you off by killing Kris – I didn't really consider audience reaction when I did it so please, don't hunt me down!!!

Lizai: story endings gonna be a while in coming, but I hope you enjoy the chappies in between : )

PrettyKittyOreo: I'm writing, I'm writing!!!! wipes sweat of brow - phew, this is tiring work!

Airotciy: Wow – hope I spelt your name right! Always good to see a new reader and I hope you continue to read : ) 'cos you'll have to, to discover to REAL story …. Heh

Anita H: hehe – you're like my resident ML expert! Don't hesitate to point out anymore of my mistakes cos I wanna be as accurate as possible. Hey – you like my formatting! does dance of joy again takes me AGES to get the chapters looking half way decent – it's so hit and miss and sometimes I just give up, so it's nice to think I might have cracked it. Guess we'll have to see what this one looks like ….

Alarivana: Cool – another new reader! Hope I don't drive you away as I seem to have done with some other people … sob You know, I never really considered who's gonna be Queen's Own now that Kris is dead. Damn, I've prob mucked up the whole ML universe now! What have I done??????? Lol – seriously, it's a good question. Gonna have to think about it and then get back to you.

Well, that's the thankyous over with, along with a general THANKYOU to everyone who has reviewed and a PLEA to everyone who has read this story but hasn't reviewed for whatever reason. I'd really like your opinion, be it good/bad/ugly – because everyone views things differently. So please, if you have the time, leave a review!!! Okay, that ends the shameless plug for reviews – I promise : ) : ) : )

Oh and this chapter is dedicated to my new readers dead?!?!?!?, Airotciy and especially to Alarivana who actually made me think this week : ) thanks guys!

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After the Storm

By: JoeyStar

Timeframe: Set a year or so after Owlknight

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(Healer's Collegium – main room)

The next morning saw the normally languid Firesong rising early and taking a place between the two royal occupants of the House of Healing. The Healer on duty so early in the morning was not Devan, but a young woman, who eyed Firesong with a certain detached interest, especially considering his waist-length silver hair and the pure white bird that nestled on his shoulder.

She did not question his presence, nor the fact that he entered without knocking, but she did raised an eyebrow when he ignored her and went straight to her patient's sides.

The woman wondered whether she should say anything, but the regular breathing coming from the strange man showed that he had already entered a light healing trance, one hand touching the arm of either patient. As a Healer herself she knew not to disturb another.

So the young woman ignored the intruder and went about her business quietly, leaving the room every so often to check on her other patients: a Herald with a broken leg and a trainee Bard with two fractured ribs.

She had just returned for her third visit to the mage and princess when the door of the room opened behind her and three unfamiliar people entered the room, followed by Healer Devan.

'Is Firesong here…?' One of the men spoke in lightly accented Valdemaran and the woman was unsure whether the question was directed at her or Devan. Luckily, the older Healer answered for her, noticing the puzzled expression on her face. 'See for yourself.'

'If you mean this man, he's been here for a few candlemarks now.' She wiped her hands on a cloth and smiled wanly at Devan. 'Are you here to relieve me?'

The older Healer nodded. 'The Queen will want a report Aline, don't forget.' The words were clearly a dismissal and Aline left the room, shaking her head.

Silverfox watched the woman leave and then turned to his motionless lover. 'Firesong?' He reached out and gently shook the mage's shoulder.

'Careful!' Darian warned, coming around the end of the bed and trying not to stare at the occupants as he had the night before. 'He may strike out if you jolt him out of a trance.' He was speaking for experience. Several times during his time as Firesong's student he had been on the receiving end of such a strike and knew exactly what it felt like.

The handsome kestra'chern smiled confidently. 'He won't strike me.'

Darian and Keisha shared a dubious glance, but refrained from further comment.

Tightening his grip on the Healing Adept's shoulder, Silverfox called his name once again. 'Firesong? We need to talk to you.'

With a fluttering of silvery eyelashes, hidden behind the velvet mask he had donned, Firesong came back to them. He yawned and stretched luxuriously before turning to his companions. Aya fluttered his wings irritably, a couple of false sparks dissipated into the atmosphere.

Devan, seeing that he was awake, turned to Silverfox. 'I understand that Firesong and the others are needed here… but perhaps I could persuade you to come a present yourself to the Queen on their behalves? I have been told that she is expecting you sometime this morning.'

Bowing his head gracefully, Silverfox smiled somewhat. 'Then we shall not disappoint the Lady. I shall go with you.' He turned to the others. 'Darian, Keisha, I expect the Queen will want to meet you in person at some point, but you are more use here at the moment. Firesong, I will give her your regards.'

The Healing Adept waved his hand lazily as his lover and Devan left the room. Once the door had swung shut behind him he sighed and turned back to Darian and Keisha who were watching him curiously.

He then did something that surprised them both – he removed his mask. This was not unusual to Darian who had seen him unmasked throughout time spent in his ekele, but Darian was unsure whether Keisha had ever seen the full impact that the last Mage Storm had had on the Healing Adept's face. To her credit, she blanched only slightly upon seeing Firesong's scarred and seamed face and refrained from comment.

Firesong's glorious silver eyes stared out from in between the puckered skin and Darian suddenly realised that the mage had removed his mask in order for them to read the expression on his face. He could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times he had seen Firesong looking worried … and this was one of them.

'What's wrong?' It was Keisha who finally asked the question that had been winding through all of their minds. 'I've never seen you looking so worried.'

Firesong tossed his long hair back over one shoulder as he answered her. 'It's my patients… I am rather at a loss.'

'How do you mean?' She eyed them critically – as a Healer she knew how important it was to treat each patient as a case rather than a friend. 'Haven't you been able to reach them?'

'No,' the mage admitted. 'With the Princess it is more her wounds than anything else. To be completely honest … I will be surprised if she lasts another night.'

'It's that bad?' Darian was surprised. The girl simply looked like she was sleeping, although he knew that appearance could be deceptive.

'See for yourself Dar'ian.' Firesong offered a little dejectedly. 'But I truly believe there is little we can do to help her.'

Taking the mage up on his offer, both Darian and Keisha moved around Lyra's bed and took one of her hands. Years of working together allowed them to merge their powers within a few seconds and as Firesong watched, his young students applied their power.

He wasn't surprised when they both opened their eyes after only a fraction of a candlemark had passed. Darian bit his lip and Keisha looked sorrowful. 'I believe you are right,' she murmured softly. 'There is little that can be done for her now. It is now just …'

'… a waiting game.' Firesong finished for her, a little callously.

'But what of your friend?' Darian asked, attempting to change the subject away from an inevitable end.

'Darkwind? His case is even more confusing.' Firesong's bondbird Aya flew from his shoulder to the other bird's perch and nudged Vree, drawing no reaction. 'And that worries more than anything I can sense from the man himself. I have never seen anything that affected a bondbird this way. It speaks of … something beyond the ordinary.'

'So Darkwind's wounds haven't caused his current state?' Keisha enquired.

Firesong shook his head. 'His wounds were serious, but as Devan told us – they were closed a couple of days after the attack. That's what is so puzzling… he should have awaked by now.'

'Why don't we all try together?' Darian suggested after a moment of silence. 'Perhaps we will be able to reach him.'

'I suppose it's worth a try…' Firesong said slowly, scratching his face with one long-fingered hand. 'In all honesty and do not know what else we can do at the moment.'

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(Healer's Collegium – Elspeth's room)

'She has been like this ever since the attack. I do not know what else I can do to reach her. If Darkwind was well … or her mother not in mourning… or my power greater…' Talia added in an undertone, her voice intertwining with that of another which flowed across the room towards them.

Kero stood just inside the door, her gaze fixed on the figures across the room and her mind in turmoil. Elspeth was seated in a plush armchair facing the broad windows of the room. She was motionless, eyes blank and staring, body rigid in the chair. Occupying the other chair was Skif and it was his light voice that could be heard, breaking the saddened silence of the room. His was a one-sided conversation however - the distinct lack of response from Elspeth was chilling. It was as if she was there in body but neither in mind nor spirit.

Taking a deep breath, Kero crossed the room towards the silent Princess, Talia trailing slowly. Skif glanced up as they approached, his dark eyes unable to hide the deep concern he felt for his friend. His light-hearted patter faltered, then died as the Herald-Captain and Queen's Own approached.

'Anything?' Talia enquired, with little real hope. She wasn't surprised when her old friend shook his head. 'She hasn't even acknowledged who I am. It's like talking to someone who's unconscious.' He nodded to Kero. 'Herald-Captain, it's good to see you again.'

Kero smiled briefly, her thick blonde braid thumping against her back as she took a seat beside him. 'Likewise… and I must admit that it is good to finally be back in Haven. I just wish it was under happier circumstances.' She sighed wearily, leaning forward and studying Elspeth's blank expression. 'Has she not responded at all?'

Talia joined them both around the Princess. 'She hasn't spoken or even showed awareness of her surroundings since the attack.'

'From what the investigation team have found out, Elspeth… Elspeth witnessed everything.' Skif murmured, his gaze returning to the curly haired young woman who slumped so carelessly in the chair. Her persona was such a contrast from the crotchety pregnant Herald of days before.

'Who knows exactly what she saw?' Talia asked rhetorically. 'But whatever happened in that room, it has deeply effected her mind. Even I have been unable to reach her. Though it has not been through want of trying.'

'You mustn't blame yourself Talia.' Skif told her sternly, looking his old friend seriously in the eye. 'The Healer's have been at an equal loss. The simple fact is that no one can reach her.'

Kero bit her lip, thoughts racing. :Sayvel?:

:I am here.:

:I would be worried if you were not.: Kero remarked dryly. :I need to ask you something.:

:You can ask,: replied her Companion tartly, : but I may not chose to answer.:

Kero grimaced at her sharp tone – obviously Sayvel wasn't in the best of moods. :Was your night with Ratha so… disappointing?: No wonder Eldan had been wearing such a smirk that morning. His own Companion was not above leading others on, and for the dignified Sayvel to be one of them…

Sayvel snapped :I have nothing to say on that subject! Now what did you want to ask me?:

'I can't help blaming myself,' Talia was admitting in response to Skif's words. A quick glance at the suddenly quiet Kerowyn showed the woman was wearing a familiar distracted expression. She was obviously communing with her Companion, using her gift of mindspeech, something that Talia had always envied other Heralds. It would have been nice to be able to talk to Rolan that way. 'I have never come up against something like this before.'

Kero blinked, coming back to herself. 'I've spoken to Sayvel,' she told them needlessly. 'I asked about Elspeth's Gwena – about their Herald-Companion bond and what Gwena can sense from it.'

'And the news isn't good?' Skif didn't seem surprised. 'My Cymry told me that Gwena has had nothing from Elspeth since the attack. Apparently she's frantic.'

'All of the Companions are to some degree,' Talia put in, drawing looks of surprise from her companions. They both knew that she lacked the gift of mindspeech and therefore couldn't talk to Rolan in such a way. However there were other ways in which to communicate. 'Rolan sent me a general feeling yesterday… all can sense the agitation in the air. The Heralds and Herald-trainees can feel it as well.'

'It's confusion… and not knowing.' Skif murmured as Kero turned back to Elspeth, her brow furrowed.

'Have you tried mind-speech?' She wanted to know, looking for every way possible in which to reach her old student. Talia nodded in confirmation. 'Kyril was in here on the second day – he spent all day calling to her, but to no avail. Even he couldn't reach her.'

The situation seemed hopeless, even to a mercenary Captain who was used to impossible odds. 'And she's not stirred at all? In all this time?'

Skif and Talia shared a dubious glance. 'Well…' the slender Queen's Own began slowly, 'she has stirred, regularly in fact.'

'But you said-'

'At night Kero.'

'She's been having nightmares every night since the attack. Vivid ones too. It's the only time we've heard her speak.'

'Dreams?' For some reason, Kero now seemed very intent.

'Well… in a way… but to be honest Kero, they're really nightmares.'

'But nightmares are related to dreams, yes?'

'What are you driving at Kero?' Skif looked confused and made no pains to hide it. Kero smiled wolfishly, a plan having formed in her mercenary trained mind. 'Eldan.' She said the word as if the others should immediately understand what she was talking about. Unfortunately, they didn't.

'Eldan? What has Eldan got to do with anything?'

'Hold on and I'll tell you. I just have to check with him first.'

:Eldan love? Are you free to talk?:

:Kero? Where are you? I haven't seen you since you since we greeted Selenay.:

:How is she?:

:I think she needed to talk.: Eldan's mindvoice was serious. :I'm worried about her Kero… especially with Lyra and Elspeth being so ill… I don't know how she's coping.:

:Speaking of Elspeth, I have an idea that I would like to run past you…:

Skif and Talia would just have to be patient and wait to find out what Kerowyn's 'idea' was going to be.

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HUGE apologises for the incredible shortness of this chappie – I hadn't realised it was so bad until I went to post it, but there just wasn't a convenient cut of point beyond this so … sorry : ) I promise that the next chapter will more than make up for this one

Please read and review!