I started this fic years ago, and am pleased (and relieved) to finally be able to publish the completed version. In order to do this, I had to make a few changes. You'll just have to tell me what you think.

The world of Valdemar and all its native inhabitants are the property of ML, the lucky girl. Legacy is mine, no matter what she's calling herself now, though I'll share if someone asks nicely. Enjoy the ride!

Legacy of Valdemar

I met this lady in a bar. . .

I was quietly enjoying a beer in the town's (only) bar when a herald walked in the door. He looked rather worn. You wouldn't catch me taking that bad care of myself.
The inkeep immediately rushed up, and wringing his hands began protesting how he had nothing suitable. I saw the herald's gaze pass over him to the rest of the crowd's unfriendly faces. It must be the proximity to the Hardornen border. Elsewhere a herald means a good time, a welcome change from routine. Here it means war. The herald blushed, actually turned pink and took a step backwards. Must be a newbie. I smirked inwardly and invited him over.

"I have a space open here for a herald who wants some hot dinner." His face settled in a determined expression. I was careful to keep my humour at his excessive shyness internal. In the centuries since my 'birth' it had become increasingly sarcastic until it was nearly a weapon in its own right.

"Thank you." he said with a tired smile. "I'm not very good with crowds." I laughed softly.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but it shows." I could have gone on, but one of the barmaids came up.

"So whad ju want then?" She asked belligerently. The herald seemed to rally slightly from his fatigue and sat up. He looked quite nice when he did that. Short brown hair, green eyes and a nice nose, but almost everyone looks too young when you're my age. He ordered a meat pie and some ale. The barmaid gave me an unfriendly glare, and I realised that she'd seen me looking him over. She'd done the same herself and probably come to a different conclusion. Maybe it was the uniform. Even young I'd never been impressed by those. I knew too well what the people wearing them could do.

I reclined further into my corner (a lesson I'd learned young) and made a vague gesture with my tankard. 843 years gives one a great deal of practice with body language. She frowned at me suspiciously and flicked her gaze at the herald before stomping off to the kitchen.

"What was all that about?" My new friend asked, his eyes wide. Being ignorant is one thing, and can't be helped, but displaying it to someone you don't know well enough to trust is quite another. I locked eyes with him, something I avoid when trying to make friends.

"She's the tavern whore. As soon as you walked through the door she decided she wanted to screw you, and was mad at me because I looked to be cutting in. I just told her I wouldn't interfere with her." I cocked my head and looked at him. Was he shocked?

"Oh, is that all? I thought she was mad because your moustache is almost bigger than hers."

"HAH" I barked, throwing my head back, giving my good smile. "You've not got all of the 'new' left on you then, eh herald." The funny bit was that I actually could grow a large moustache if I wanted. I had absolute control over my body so long as I stuck to my primary food and avoided the glop humans ate. I suppose I could even become male, though I had never tried, or wanted to.

I expect master wanted me female so I would seem less of a challenge to his authority. I had later learned that women are viewed as gentle delicate creatures, and to most a female without emotions, who acts without mercy or remorse is viewed as being far more frightening than a male who does the same. It is seen as being against nature, unnatural. As good a description for me as anything else.

The herald smiled politely and seemed to relax. He told me his name was Camon and I asked him to call me Chesh, short for Cheshire. He didn't have any trouble telling it wasn't my real name. Still, having someone call me 'Legacy of Undying Evil' in public is hardly the way to blend in. The food arrived, and I paid very close attention to the dregs of my ale to avoid laughing as the barmaid ran her hand possessively over Camon's shoulder. He blithely ignored her and grabbed for the food like a starving man.
I watched him eat, slightly revolted. The idea of putting physical material in one end now seemed vaguely perverse, even though I'd done it at one point and enjoyed the process. Camon paused and looked up.

"Should I order one for you?" He asked.

"Thanks, but I already had dinner." That was true enough, though hardly what he'd think "Besides, the barmaid'd likely poison it." Not that that would bother me. "So, headed to Hardorn?" Herald Camon paused in his eating.

"What would make you think that?" He asked.

"Where else would you be going in such a hurry? There's not exactly a lot of towns 'round here." Most of them had been destroyed in the war with Ancar, may rats eat his bones. I've seen enough rebuilding to know how fast it should be, and it was going slow here. I suspected the draining of the earth had a lot to do with this. The land had been recovering over the years, but compared to Valdemar it was still barren of life and energy. That was one reason I'd been avoiding it. "If you were a messenger coming out of Hardorn, you'd hardly be stopping for dinner. I assume your Companion. . ."

"Iearnen"

"Is in the stables. So where's your partner, the one with actual field experience?" I gave him a taste of my smile. He flushed angrily. Cor, but he was easy to rile. If he was going to last long enough to lose the peach fuzz, he needed a thicker skin.

"My partner," he said with a little heat "is back at Riverbend with her Companion Raineth and the close attentions of the healer. We were hunting for supper when a bear surprised us. We got away but both Si'anne and Raineth were injured." I nodded. I liked the heat to his words. Passion is rare to me, moreso as time goes on. It warmed my old bones to be near it. I wondered if he was the sort I could travel with for a while. After all I'd come here to visit Hardorn, just about the only country I'd never even traveled through. I'd decided to visit when I'd heard the rumours about the new King. Inexperience made for opportunities. Suddenly several bits of information fit. I decided to burst his anger-bubble and see how he reacted.

"So what's it like, having earth-sense?" I said casually. His jaw just about hit the table.

"How. . .How did you know?" I smiled. Not 'who told you'. I liked people who were not naturally suspicious. They tended not to worry about my little habits. Like not eating. He was looking worried, so I decided to relive him. "You're going into Hardorn, because if you were riding circuit, you'd either be waiting with your injured friend, rushing to meet up with a herald on another circuit, in which case you'd be further north, or riding this circuit by yourself, in which case you'd not be staying in an inn. Since it's none of these, you're going to meet up with one or more heralds in Hardorn. But all of them are in the capital. Therefore you're going to the capital, and it's urgent, because you're trying to make up for the time lost in Riverbend. At the same time it's not so urgent that they want you there tired. So they want a skill you have. It's not something you know, because you're too young, and not from the area. I'd guess you were born and raised in Haven. Therefore it's something you can do. The King has a strong gift of earth-sense, and I guessed you do too."

"Still" he murmured.

"And let this be a lesson to you." I said pompously. "The observant mind has a wealth of clues available to them." I hoped he took that seriously enough to remember it later, but not enough to think on it now. "I leave for Hardorn in the morning and would appreciate some company if you're willing to travel slowly enough. I might have a few lessons on earth-sense to share myself." As I walked up the stairs to the room I'd rented much earlier I muttered to myself "Cor Caier'Rian knows you could use some help."
I could feel his eyes following me as I climbed.