This will probably be pretty long, I had to fit the rest of the story into two chapters.
Ch 7 Homecoming
Unending sorrow
Unending joy
A child's tomorrow
A mother's joy........
Rannel mucked out the stalls of the stable where he kept his best broodmares. Spring was coming and he needed to get it ready for the pregnant mares and their young when they came, he would be leaving before then, but he wanted to help. He had forgotten the simple pleasures of hard work and the planning of the bloodlines.
He heard someone walk through the door of the stable but didn't look up, he already knew it was Gerril. He had come several times in the past and had taken to making the farm a regular stop. "Don't you ever get tired of stopping at the farm" he asked, before turning to look at the other man.
"How do you do that" he asked, he had noticed from the start that Rannel always seemed to know when someone approached him, at first he had thought it was simply that the man had good instincts, but lately he had started to wonder.
"What" Rannel asked.
"How did you know it was me" Gerril asked again.
"I felt you" he said. He saw Gerril's puzzled look and added. "Sometimes I feel what other's are thinking, I try to block it out, but it gives me a headache" he said, half hoping Gerril would know what had been happening to him.
"Oh" Gerril said, an enlightened tone to his voice.
"Oh, what" Rannel asked, watching him.
"It sounds like mindmagic, I think it's called Mindspeach" he said thoughtfully. He looked at Rannel "They know more about things like that in Valdemar" he said.
"Good thing I'm going there in a few weeks" Rannel said, enjoying watching Gerril's jaw drop.
"Why are you planning to go there" Gerril asked.
"I found a Companion and I need to return him to Valdemar" he said.
"You what" Gerril asked.
"I found a Companion" he repeated.
"Where did that happen" he asked, not sure he had heard Rannel correctly.
"In the hills near the Comb, he had been caught in a mudslide, and I think his dam's Herald thought he was dead" he said, enjoying the confusion on Gerril's face. It wasn't often he got the better of him.
"His dam" he repeated.
"Yes, Mikel was just a foal when I found him" he said.
"You know his name" Gerril asked.
"Yeah, he told me" Rannel said, watching a silent white shape walk up behind Gerril.
"He chose you" Gerril asked.
"I don't think so" he said then looked at Mikel where he was watching the two. "Did you choose me" he asked.
:No, I just talk to you: he snorted.
Gerril whipped around and almost fell over in shock at the Companion looking at him with what he would swear was amusement. He had seen Companions before, when he had been at court so he knew this was the real thing.
"How" he started to say.
"I'm sure it was an accident, I was returning to the farm and heard a voice in my head calling for help. I followed it and found Mikel and pulled him from the mud. Of course he was much smaller then" he said looking at the young Companion. Mikel had what Rannel assumed was his full height, but he was still in need of filling out, though he had recovered his grace after he stopped growing.
He smiled at Mikel, he would miss him after he brought him back to Haven, he had taken to teaching him, as he would have if he had been his son, reading with the other looking on in his mind, He had found a few books on Valdemaran history and made a point of reading those along with military strategy, books on warfare, literature and music, something the young Companion loved. He had tried to give him as varied an education as he could, not knowing what they taught young Companion's in Valdemar. He taught him all the languages that he knew himself including Valdemaran.
"I'm coming with you" Gerril's voice brought him back from his thoughts.
"What" he said.
"I'm coming with you, I've always wanted to go to Valdemar and now I have an excuse".
Rannel's heart sank "Why do you want to go there" He asked.
"I've heard they have a place of learning for bards, not just an apprenticeship system like they have here, and it would be nice to share music, learn something new" he said.
Another land hearing the songs about him Rannel thought with a sick feeling in his stomach, it couldn't get worse, but it did.
"And I might get a song out of this, It sounds like a good story" Gerril added.
"No" he said.
:But it could be fun, he's a bard: Mikel said.
"You stay out of this" he told Mikel.
Mikel's ears drooped and he felt like he had just kicked a puppy, it wasn't Mikel's fault.
:Sorry, I didn't mean to be sharp, I just don't like hearing the songs he wrote about me, it's embarrassing:
:Why, I think it would be fun to have a song about me: he said.
:You wouldn't think that if it actually happened: Rannel sent sourly.
Gerril looked between the two a slight smile on his face, he knew Rannel would let him come. He always had before and he had the feeling he had an ally in the young Companion.
"Alright you can come" Rannel said turning back to the task he had left when Gerril had come in.
Gerril saw Mikel's wink over Rannel's bent head and almost laughed.
Gerril wasn't going to take the chance of Rannel deciding to leave if he left for any reason so Gerril didn't make the trip to Havors that he had been planning, to buy some more clothing, there was no way he was missing this, he would just have to patch the clothing he had.
He sighed as he held up his shirt, he could see daylight through the back of it. That drunk in Lord Hailen's hall, he thought with disgust, the man had been sure that Gerril was put there for his entertainment and had grabbed him a couple of times, the last time he had grabbed the back of his shirt and he had heard the material rip. He was lucky the man hadn't gotten a hold of his instrument, though the Lord had him hauled off after he had become too obnoxious.
He pulled out more of his clothing, he cut up one of his pants that looked too far gone to fix, it was a similar color to the shirt, it he cut it right it would look like it was meant to be like that.
"What are you doing" Rannel asked.
"Mending my clothing" he said as he threaded a needle.
Rannel shook his head "I know you can afford to replace those, why go to all that trouble" he asked.
"And get left behind the moment I leave to do so" he asked.
Rannel got a gleam in his eye as if he had considered doing just that, then he sighed "You should have asked, we can stop in a town with a market on the way there".
"I would appreciate that" he said relieved.
The next two weeks Rannel put together supplies for the trip, he would stop by a guild outpost on the way out of the country, once in Valdemar, he knew his funds would be unavailable to him. He considered hiring on with a caravan heading into Valdemar, but he wanted to remain free, he would make better time if he didn't have to stick with the trade routes.
He made sure he would have enough food for himself and Gerril to last through the Comb, he also put together a kit for Mikel and the horses, there wouldn't be much room for comforts unless he brought another pack horse and that meant more grain packed, he wasn't sure that was a good idea. It would be hard enough bringing three horses and a companion through the Comb without worrying about another horse, also the less beasts they had the less of a target they would be.
Finally he pulled out his weapons and sharpened all his blades, he checked his bow and his supply of arrows, if he hunted he could supplement their supplies and they would last longer.
"Rannel" he looked up at Gedrun's voice.
"Yes" he said.
"Are you sure you have to bring him back yourself, you could just take him to Father's hall. Herald's pass through there all the time" Gedrun said.
"I feel responsible for him, I'd worry if I did that, I want to know he's safe" he said.
Gedrun shook his head, sometimes he didn't understand his brother, but he had seen how much time he spent with the young Companion and he could tell when his brother was set on a course and wouldn't be budged. He had that look on his face now.
"If you must go, I've got something for you and the Bard" he said.
Rannel looked up curious.
"Once in exchange for some of my stonework I took some things in barter" he said walking over to a large chest against the wall of the tack room.
Rannel watched him open it and rummage around before pulling out two coats, his eyes widened, he recognized them as coming from the Hawk brothers. Since all the lands had allied after the Magestorms, the Hawk brother's had begun to trade though such items were rare here. His Father had one and he had heard the King did, but he didn't know of anyone else who who had anything like these.
"Where did you get those" he asked.
"It was a trader based near Father's keep, he needed some work on his home and as he was in between trading trips and was a little short on cash. He did have these though".
Rannel shook his head, these were worth a fortune here, the man must have been crazy to part with them.
Gedrun laughed at the look on his face "You didn't see how much work I had to do, they are warm and light weight though" he said passing them over to Rannel. "They might cut down on some of your baggage any way".
"Thanks" Rannel said, touched.
Finally the day came when it was time to leave, everything was packed, on their horses as well as the packhorse, even Mikel had a small pack, though Rannel didn't want to risk overburdening him as he was still very young.
The day was bright and sunny, and while the mornings were still a little cool, by the time they made it to the Comb, it would be further into the season, though the occasional blizzard was known to blow in even in high summer in the pass. He hugged his brother goodbye and mounted leading the rest down to the main road. He had the strangest felling he wouldn't be coming back, that was ridiculous he thought to himself, he would be back next year after dropping off Mikel.
Several days later they rode into a town that had a Guild outpost and a market so that Gerril could buy some more clothing. They were a day early for the market, but that was alright there was a good Inn here, one that Rannel had stayed at before. Gerril took the beasts and Mikel and went to check into the Inn and Rannel walked over to the outpost. He grinned sometimes the Bard came in handy he thought to himself.
"We don't have all the funds that you want to withdraw here, we're a small outpost" the man said.
"That's alright, just give me what you can spare here, I'll be stopping by several other posts on the way, it should be alright" he said.
"Where are you going anyway" the man asked, wondering why he needed so much money.
"Valdemar, they don't have the guild there" he said.
The other man nodded "I've heard that might change now that Captain Kerowyn is a Herald there and her men are on permanent assignment. They've been trying to get an outpost near them".
"I hope they get it" he said, putting his coins in his money belt.
The other man nodded.
Once he returned to the Inn he looked for Gerril he saw him in the corner tuning his gittern. Rannel sighed, somehow he just knew what songs the Bard would be singing. He nodded to Gerril and picked another corner far from the Bard.
Gerril smiled at the look on Rannel's face, sometimes he just couldn't resist, the other man was far too modest especially for a highborn, but he knew that until they were on their way he'd better behave himself. He certainly didn't want to get left behind.
The next morning went quickly Gerril found his clothing plus a few extras for Mikel, they really couldn't afford the weight. But he had taken a liking for the young Companion. Besides, he liked his songs.
Finally they were on their way, barring a couple of stops to try to pick up some funds they could make good time.
Over the next few weeks they fell into a routine, off the road they would pick a campsite near water and good grazing for the horses and Mikel. Sometimes near the trade routes they would find a caravan and camp with them if Gerril's and Rannel's instruments were won them welcome. Though more work Gerril liked these camps better, there was no standing watch for him. Being on the road was tiring and he valued the extra sleep. He was amazed at Rannel's stamina, the man never seemed to tire. But then, he had been on the road off and on for much of his adult life.
Eventually they came to the first hills of the mountains they were seeking to cross. Mikel became more skittish, his memories of the mudslide came back to him and he would watch the weather and the hillsides carefully. Once they were in the higher hills and into the true beginnings of the mountains he calmed down again and Rannel relaxed as well, he had noticed the young Companion's fear, but hadn't known what to do about it.
The evenings that Rannel felt no one near they would play music as they wished, though Gerril was careful not to play the two songs he had written about Rannel, he still didn't want to push him. He did, to his secret glee work on the new song. Once when Rannel mentioned he liked the melody Gerril was playing he was hard put not to laugh or think too loudly about what he was doing. He still remembered what Rannel had told him about his gift.
Once above the snow line they stopped playing music and kept as quiet as they could, there was always the chance of an avalanche, even on the road.
The weather held up for them, finally they came to the highest point of the Comb, it would be all downhill after this. Now they were on the Valdemaran side of the pass, though he didn't expect to see any border guards until they were farther down the pass.
"How does it feel to be home" he asked Mikel silently.
:About the same concidering that I've never been there: he said absently, most of his concentration being on not slipping off the icy path.