Thanks for the input, I'll be more careful in the future about where to put speach.
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Ch 8 To Ride a White Horse
Raver knocked and opened the door to Lysander's house. "Lysander" he called. "Over here" a muffled voice came from one of the back rooms, the one they had taken to using as an armory.
When Raver came through the door he saw Lysander siting on a bench, a wad of leather straps on his lap and a sour look on his face. Off to the side he saw the tack that he had already separated from the tangled mess.
He smiled as Lysander looked up a rueful smile on his face. "Some people need to be led around by the hand, no matter how often he's been told, Deben still hasn't gotten the idea, that you have to care for your tack".
"He's never had a horse before" Raver said.
Lysander looked up at him again and said "Tell me you have some good news, after today I could use some".
"I had another vision". Lysander started and put the tack he had been working on aside. He leaned towards Raver.
"What is it, This is the first clear one you've had since they brought in those new Heralds, at least I hope it's clear".
"Yes it is, They're sending one of the new Heralds to you, I'm not sure when, but it's important".
"Yes, it would be"Lysander rubbed his hands together and jumped up. "It's what I've been waiting for".
As Raver followed him to the door, he turned to him and said "Get your brother and the others, I need to call a special meeting".
Marin rode his companion down the country lane, dust puffed up at every step Gemina made. :At this rate we won't be white by the time we reach the rebel camp: he grumbled.
Gemina snorted, amused :I doubt they'd care, but if you want to clean up a bit, I can smell some water ahead:.
Grateful he rubbed her neck :I brought the curry combs too, we'll both shine:. They reached the small pond in short time, but things didn't go exactly as planned.
:Marin, there's someone watching us from the trees: She just had time to tell him that when from the brush a group of men in drab clothing appeared.
They looked at each other for a moment across the pond, then one of the men walked forward, the others stayed back watching carefully as he came closer.
Marin got the impression that if he did anything that looked threatening he would be in trouble. He held his hands back from his sides and noticed the other man did so as well.
As he got closer he could see his wary gray eyes, his blond hair was braided back from his face, not unlike how hawkbrother's wore theirs, though there were differences.
He caught the gleam of gold and wondered where the bandit had gotten the ring he wore on his hand, it looked a little rich for Hardorn, he would have thought the pickings were a little too thin for it.
The Bandit saw him looking at the hand, he glanced down himself and the flicker of a grin crossed his face, gone almost too quickly to note.
"Looking for something" the bandit asked quietly, his voice deceptively gentle.
"I'm looking for Sander" Marin said.
"You've found him" the quiet voice answered.
Sander wasn't what he had expected, he had to be a noble of some kind, his speech from what he had heard of it was too cultured too be otherwise. He didn't have the accent of the country.
He didn't move like the other men either, even over the dead leaves he made no sound. He wasn't obvious about it, but to someone trained by Alberich and Kerowin his awareness of his surroundings was easily seen.
Someone had trained him well Merin thought to himself.
While Merin was watching him, Sander sat lightly on a large rock nearby. His men continued to watch from the forest's edge, some fingering their bows, some shifting slightly, hands near their knives.
"How did you know I'd be here" Merin asked nervously watching the waiting men.
Sander cocked his head at him "You should know" he said.
"I knew it, you have someone with foresight" he burst out.
Gemina snorted :Diplomatic: He flushed.
Sander looked at Gemina a slight smile on his lips :That would probably go for you as well:. She backed up and stared, shocked that she had been heard.
"You have more than one trick up your sleeve" Marin said after a few seconds.
Sander nodded "Luckily for you we seem to want the same thing".
Merin nodded, from what he had seen so far, he wasn't surprised that Sander seemed to know what he was here for. He wouldn't have put it past him to have planned for it.
"Tremane wants to meet with you" Marin said.
"Do I have safe passage, no matter what I need to know I'll be safe" Sander said a serious look on his face.
"You have my word, and the word of the Allies, you and any companion you wish to take with you will be unharmed and free to go after the negotiations"
"Good, we're ready to go now" He nodded to his men, some disappeared into the brush, returning with three horses, one of which had a large pack on it's back. One of the men led the horses over to them and the rest disappeared back into the trees.
Merin was a little startled at the speed that Sander had agreed to meet with Tremane. Though, when he thought about it, he guessed the person with forsight had something to do with it.
The other man climbed into his saddle and waited while Sander stopped by his horse. "Would you mind waiting long enough for Gemina and I to get a drink first" Marin asked.
"Go right ahead, we have all the time in the world".
They had been on the road for several candlemarks, making excellent time, when the heard the sound of a horse galloping in their direction down the road. Because of the curve in the road they couldn't see who was coming.
Marin looked at Sander and his companion "Friends of yours" he asked.
"No" Sander said intent on the sound of the newcomer. "None of my men should be anywhere near us". They all moved to the side of the road and waited.
Soon the flash of a riderless white horse rounded the curve and turned straight towards them. It skidded to a halt and with sides heaving for breath looked them all over before turning towards Sander, looking straight into his eyes.
Blue, it's eyes were blue was all he had time to think before he heard in his head :Chosen, you're a hard man to find, my name is Sheyrin:, then all the empty places in his soul filled and he knew he wasn't alone.
He blinked then glanced at his companion's, he gave a strangled laugh at the look of shock on both their faces. Gherin shook it off first, then nodded "Raver's always right, he saw you as a Herald".
"Herald" he asked still dazed himself.
:Well not quite yet chosen, you still need to go to the collegieum:. His companion, he realized with a start.