Here is that long awaited Avalon chapter! :) I know it's been a long time since I have put one of these up, but I've been to busy with school work and that kind of stuff lately to post any more chapters. Also, I was reading Alta, which as VERY good, and write the first and second chapters of the new fic I started for that book! Lol..... anyway, since you want to read this, here it is! Enjoy!

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Avalon's first impression of the city was its size. Having never been outside of Forst Reach, she had known in an abstract way, that cities were big- but she hadn't expected the sheer size of this place. As she rode Kavrin up to the gates, she didn't see the two Guardsmen that stood in front of it, due to the fact that she'd been too busy staring at all the buildings. So when one of them greeted her cheerfully from the vicinity of her left knee, she started violently and nearly fell out of the saddle.

The Guardsman had the good grace not to laugh, but she saw the merry twinkle in his eye and realized that he had probably seen the same thing many times in newly Chosen. She smiled faintly at him as he waved her through, sparing only a glance for his friend. Suddenly all she wanted was to get to the Collegium and see her cousin again.

As it turned out, though, she didn't have to wait that long, for just inside the gate, she was accosted by a dark-haired blur that dragged her out of Kavrin's saddle and enveloped her in a hug.

"I told you, Avalon! I told you you'd be Chosen!" crowed Vanyel triumphantly. "I knew I was right!"

"What else is new?" laughed Avalon. "You're always right, Van." She hugged him tighter. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, kid," he whispered as he released her. Just then a figure that had been following Vanyel (though at a slightly more dignified pace) caught up to them and resolved itself into Aunt Savil. The old woman smiled wryly at Avalon.

"Hello, child. Under different circumstances, I would welcome you to the Herald's Collegium, but this scamp decided he couldn't wait until you got there to see you, So..." she waved her hand. "Welcome t Haven."

Avalon smiled shyly at her aunt, still clinging to Vanyel's arm. "Thank you. Aunt Savil. I'm very glad to be here."

"I can see that." said Svail dryly. "Come on, we should get to the Collegium. This fool Kavrin should know that you'd need a rest after the riding you've been doing." Without any further remark, the old Herald turned and began walking back the way she's come.

"Come on," Vanyel urged, tugging at Avalon's arm. "We'd better follow Aunt Savil- I'm not so sure I know how to get back by myself yet."

Avalon followed her cousin, Kavrin beside her, feeling truly complete for the first time since Van had left Forst Reach.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The shorter of the two Guardsmen at the gate, the one who had startles Avalon moments before, watched the girl disappear around a corner, then turned to his comrade. Joss was staring at the place where the young woman had last been visible, an odd look in his brown eyes. Calhan chuckled, and the sound jolted the lanky blond man from his daze. Joss turned to his friend, blinking, and Cal suppressed another laugh at the expression on Joss' face. The kid was obviously moonstruck. The older Guard schooled his expression carefully and gazed off into the blue sky. "Pretty, wasn't she?"

"Yeah, I guess she was, " Joss agreed, his tone of voice so carefully casual that even an idiot could tell it was feigned.

"About you age, too, I'd think." Cal noted.

"Yeah..." Suddenly Joss gave his friend a penetrating stare. "Where are you going with this Cal?"

The older man smirked. "I dunno, why?"

Joss sighed and gazed off into the distance. "She was with that man, you moron."

"I dunno, kid, I thought I heard them both call that older woman 'Aunt.' Wouldn't that mean they're either sibs or cousins?" Cal knew that was a pint Joss couldn't refute.

"Hey, listen, Cal. She's a Herald-Trainee. I'm a Guardsman she didn't even look twice at. Just give it up." Joss went back to staring into the distance, and so did Cal, but both of them were thinking their own thoughts that were deeper than anything they'd been thinking before Avalon had passed by.

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Avalon was amazed st the arm welcome she got from Svail's other Trainees. For once, she was meeting people who didn't see her as 'Vanyel's cousin' but as 'Avalon Rayn Ashkevron.' It was strange but exhilarating, the same way this who experience had been strange, but exhilarating.

But now, she was about ready for a good long sleep. the events of the day, while wonderful, had left her quite thoroughly exhausted. As she slid in between the warm covers of her new bed, she hardly had time to Mindspeak a sleepy goodnight to Kavrin before she slipped into dreamland.

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Well? What do you think? Another Avalon chapter, and another coming soon after it! Wait and see what happens next! :)