AN: Yes, it's not the most thrilling chapter I suppose, but well…some general STUFF happens before the "good stuff" can happen, and most of it is stuff that Kris wouldn't have been privy to, since at the time he wasn't great friends with Talia. So this is just some of Kris' reflections on what has happened in the Collegium recently.

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Chapter Six

The Collegium had returned to life as usual, at least for the students. Most of them were blissfully unaware of exactly how close of a call it was for Talia. Most of them were also unaware what kind of peril Valdemar as a whole would be in if they lost Talia…

Most, but not all.

There were a few trainees who's parents had been Heralds, and they understood well what had happened and what danger Talia was still in. These Heralds, though they didn't know the young Queen's Own well, appointed themselves as her bodyguards. The kind she wouldn't ever see. She wouldn't ever know they were there…but if she were to find herself in trouble again, the tormentor would have to answer to them.

Though every Herald in Whites could sense that the danger not just for Talia, but for Valdemar, was far from over. Despite this fear, Kris noted Talia's "bodyguards" with a slightly uplifted heart. It was truly amazing that even the youngest of the Heraldic trainees understood what it meant to be accepted as a Herald—it meant that you watched out for one another, and you had each other's backs.

In time, maybe Talia would finally understand that too.

Word had already been getting around that the accident had caused a rare Gift to be awakened in Talia. There wasn't much information, and Kris could only assume her Gift was being kept quiet about, but Keren had mentioned something about Thought-sensing before.

With the recent gloom that had settled over the entire palace, she had to be feeling completely awful. The loss of Beltren, a senior Herald who was highly regarded as a teacher and friend, was enough to put most of the Heraldic Circle into a fit of depression.

There had been some amount of scandal involving young Heir Elspeth's nurse, the foreigner Hulda. It was reserved information for those higher-ranking Heralds and the Council, but because of his connections to Lord Orthallen, he sometimes learned a bit more than was supposed to be let out of Council. The recent disappearance of Hulda was an issue of concern for Orthallen, but Kris could only assume it was because he worried about the hier's well being.

The only good that was coming out of this time was the seemingly miraculous changing of the young heir-presumptive, and everyone knew it was that young Talia's doing. After all, as Queen's Own, it was one of her duties to ensure the well-being of the kingdom by making sure it's rulers were mentally fit—and by helping little Elspeth become a child instead of a Royal Brat, she was doing exactly that. Elspeth could one day be chosen, and she was also relieving an enormous burden for Selanay. The Brat was far from being a charming young girl, but Kris imagined that would come, with time.

Things at the collegium were beginning to look a lot happier since winter, that was for sure.

But Kris was well aware that things did not stay that way in Haven for very long, and sooner or later, something had to give.

But why, oh why did it have to happen to poor Dirk?