I am not Misty, but did any of you think I was? ...didn't think so.

This has some elements that are sort of borrowed from Garth Nix's The Old Kingdom trilogy, but I didn't think it was enough that I needed to put as a crossover, although I wanted to give him a little credit. If you like fantasy, definitely check it out, it's awesome!

Sorry for the misspelled words and grammar stuff that's wrong. I got a new Compy and it doesn't have Microsoft Word so I can't even run a spell-check. PLEASE FORGIVE ME! Please review too; I always enjoy input from readers.

Ruin ● Resurrection

By LGR

Chapter Five: Nosey Companions

Solaris readied herself. She had jumped with Hansa multiple times when it was needed, for whatever reason, and she was needed at the battle-grounds of Dawnshill right now. She could not continue to make decisions without fully comprehending what the Sunsguard was going through. It was necessary, but that did not mean she had to like it.

"Alright, let's get this over with, Hansa."

: Of course, Holiness: was the feline's reply. His tone was a little too submitting in her opinion, and she sensed that Hansa was amused at her discomfort. Instead of making it an issue, she decided to let it drop, at least until she had time to have a talk with him about it. This was more important.

Her stomach lurched as she found herself in the sunlit room in the back of the Temple of Vkandis that the Sun-priests were being housed in while they were on the battle grounds. It was empty, as she had requested. She did not want anyone to see how well her green face contrasted with her red hair. After a moment her stomach stopped doing summersaults and, after taking a few deep breaths and a saying quick thank-you to Hansa, she rechecked her Son-of-the-Sun finery and, finding it in place, she opened the door and stepped through.

"Holiness, Milord Hansa," Sun-priest Laimen bowed slightly as she stepped out side the door. A few of the higher officers and Sun-priests were there to meet her, as she'd also requested. She was in a good mood. I've requested three things upon coming, two are met so far, maybe all three? She could hope.

Despite what many of the common citizens thought, the sovereign of a country did not often have complete control of his or her subjects unless they were a dictator, and even then it was difficult and immoral. Things got in the way or someone forgot something or made some kind of an excuse and what the monarch or High-Priest said/asked/commanded didn't get done. One had to make all kinds of extra plans to make sure as many things as possible got done properly and what to do incase they didn't. Fortunately for her, she was not just a monarch but the High Priest of Vkandis, their god, and most of her subjects did as she needed them to, and most lapses weren't intended as a slight to her authority.

"You wished to be properly briefed upon your arrival, Holiness?"

She gave a slight smile, "Yes, Sun-priest Laimen, I did."

He nodded. "This way, please."

All three. She smiled as Sun-priest Laimen led them to the briefing room.

--☼--

Herald Aileen had just gotten back from riding circuit yesterday...at least five candle marks after sundown, almost definitely after midnight. She had ridden with her Companion Greier since dawn the day before, to get to Haven last night, so as to not have to camp another night outside, or sleep in an unfamiliar room in an inn, no matter how high-end such a residence was. Haven was home, and there was just no place like home; not even if it boasted over twenty rooms, special companion stables, and the best fried-trout within fifty miles.

And now that she was back, all she wanted to do was sleep...for candle marks...was that too much to ask? But when she was awakened at a candle mark or so after dawn by the bells, she had fallen out of her bed, and couldn't go back to sleep. This was probably because this was about the same amount of time she'd been used to sleeping, but she still didn't feel energized, and since she was still tired she just wanted to laze about all day until she decided to get some human contact later at supper.

Aileen got up and dressed in a pair of whites that she'd left in her room that last year, they were clean and unwrinkled, and they were in better condition than her circuit whites, even if they were a bit musty smelling. At this point she did not really care, she would change later when she went down to eat.

Right after she finished changing her clothes, and was about to go raid the kitchens for something to eat, she noticed the letters she had put down yesterday. They had arrived at Haven and she had gotten them on her way up to her room the night before, but had not bothered to look at them. She shrugged, might as well bring them.

So, she went down to the kitchens, carrying the letters. There were always people missing meals for one reason or another, so instead of having people go hungry or begging the cooks to make them things, they kept ready made food, that didn't spoil quickly or need heated-up, in special cabinets that anyone could take from, as long as they didn't abuse the privilege.

Grabbing something, she ate it in the kitchen while she opened the letters. The first one was from her friend Shandi, who was doing her circuit as an internship with Herald Anda in Errold's Grove, her home town. She opened it.

Dear Aileen (and Grier),

I've had quite a great time here at home. I've gotten into a few scrapes but it was nothing major, just the usual sort of adventures and mischief. I'm sure by now you know I've got a love-interest but please don't shout it through the roof-tops or anything. His name is Stealmind and he's a Tayledras herb-mage and has an adorable buzzard as a bond-bird. I've probably mentioned him before. My sister Keisha and Darian got married a couple months ago but I'm wondering how long its going to be until I have another niece or nephew! My parents are leaving me alone about when I'm going to marry Stealmind, (I know it seems early to be thinking about that sort of thing but you don't know my parents), only because their busy pestering Darian and Shandi about when they can expect a grandchild out of them. Anda's keeping me hopping but it could always be worse. I'm busy but not too busy, the Vale is great and so is the village. I hope you enjoy your break from circuit and if you ever find yourself around Errold's Grove come look me and Karles up!

Herald Shandi and Karles

It seemed a short letter between people who had been best friends, (well, as the best of friends one can be when one of you is constantly busy with school-work.), for the short time that they had both been in the collegium, but Aileen was actually impressed. Shandi was notorious for her ridiculously short letters, as her parents and family had informed her in every one of their novel-length letters. Luckily, Aileen was not one for reading anyways. It was enough for her. She figured that all those problems about demons and such had not happened around Errold's Grove, or else had not until after Shandi had sent the letter.

She was not as lucky when she got to her second letter. It was a huge sheaf of papers.

"What the-? Oh." she exclaimed then stopped when she saw what it was and who it was from. Her brother, three years older than her, was a bard and always sent her all his latest news, musical and theatrical projects, poetical masterpieces, or "wisdom". His letters could be turned into a trilogy of books that would be top of the merchant guild's sell-list; they were that flamboyant and descriptive, something for her to laugh at on a day when she had nothing better to do.

However, she was not really in the mood right now. She took out the top letter, which was the most normal one usually, and read it. It was an overview of what was contained within the rest of the manuscripts. Apparently he was doing well. He wouldn't be back to the palace to see her in at least a few weeks, but that was alright, he sent his love using ridiculous phrases like "my sister, dearest to my own heart!" and "My closest kin, would that I could but know that you are well!".

To someone else her brother might seem a little...well, incest was the least disgusting word she could use, but he treated everyone that way, and his sister did not even get most of the better pick-up lines, (Aileen didn't get most of the worst ones either, though.) She knew it was not like that at all. Besides, at least he did not practice marriage proposals on her; he saved that for his friend Kaylie, also a Bard, who was often his traveling companion when he made his own journeying.

Aileen finished eating and put her plate in one of the sinks, then deposited her letters back in her room and went to see her Companion, Greier, in the Companion's Field, mind-calling him to find his location.

He was where she expected, laying in the sun out in the middle of the field, soaking up the heat. It was one of those days that was perfect in the sun, with a nice breeze every once in a while, but was frigid in the shade. She passed a couple of companions she knew and gave a wave as one nodded to her, but otherwise she didn't see anyone. That was perfect for her. She'd heard that all the equitation classes were doing the obstacle courses today and not riding around in the field, it appeared her information was correct. She lay down in the grass next to Greier and stared up at the sky as the gentle breeze blew the clouds along.

It was hard to think that there was anything like a crisis going on, and though it wasn't quite that bad, it was definitely a problem with all these mysterious events. She'd heard about the incident at Hollytree. Probably not the full story, but enough to know some dangerous things had happened. Supposedly the chosen of Aerore had turned the tide and saved Darkwind and Herald Elspeth, but that had not been confirmed to her yet. She could always wake-up Greier and ask him to get the truth from another companion, but she didn't want to bother him, and it wasn't really important to her right now. She really could not see Aerore having chosen anyone at this point; she was a spinster when it came to having a chosen.

:A spinster am I: Aileen flinched, she'd said that aloud by accident and Aerore happened to be right near her. How come she hadn't noticed? Gaaahhh! Aileen laughed nervously as she sat up from the grass to take a look at her eaves-dropper. Usually companions didn't talk to anyone but their Heralds, except in an emergency, but that was starting to change a little, as more people who were not Heralds could mind-speak around the palace and collegium.

"...ah, hi!" Aileen said not knowing quite what to do about the tall mare standing before her in lustrous white. Oddly, Greier didn't seem to be awake, which was well enough considering the kick that he'd get out of the situation if he heard about it. "I, ah, heard you got a chosen! Congratulations!" was all she could think of. She didn't know if she should expect an answer of not, this sort of thing didn't happen very often.

After a moment of no response, Aileen wondered whether Aerore was ignoring her, or just busy in a conversation in mind-speech. It was harder to tell with the companions than it was with the Heralds, who went blank-eyed as if looking at something no one else could see, when they be-spoke their companions. When Aileen figured that it wasn't likely that Aerore would answer her, and was about to lay back down in the grass, Aerore did.

:Yes, I do have a new chosen.: Aileen jumped again. Does she like tormenting me this way?

Apparently she'd said that aloud too, because the horse-being answered with a :Yes.: Aileen groaned. Companions, can't live with'em and it's just not worth the trouble you'd get if you tried to melt them down to glue, the contrary part of her thought, however she knew that she wouldn't be able to live without her companion Greier, and not just because of the bond, he was her best friend, closer than family could ever be. He was a part of her and she wouldn't change it for anything in the world.

:You'll probably be seeing him around.:

She shrugged, "Maybe, it's not like I teach any of the classes though, not even gift lessons, surely you of all people know that. All I've got is mind-speech and something no one really knows about, and besides, it's entirely latent. You know how it is, the Heralds are rotten with mind-speakers; I doubt I'll be the one to teach him if he has it."

:Oh, he doesn't need gift-training.:

"Doesn't need it?" Aileen was kind of skeptical. Everyone, without exception, had a gift in the Heralds, even if it was something as obsolete as her bogus gift, so there was no chance that he might not have one. He must have had training already.

"Is he Tayledras? Shin'a'in? K'leshya? A mage?" at each guess the companion shook her head.

:He's from Yinshyang.:

"Hmmmm, I never was very good with geography...even so, I don't think I've ever heard of that city. Is it in Iftel? Is he Iftelian?"

:It's not a city, it's a country. Or it was until the empress died and it split into scattered regions.:

Okay...maybe Aerore had finally cracked?

:He knows Rethwellian but not Valdemaran.:

"Oh, ahh...that's great. I guess. At least he doesn't have to learn Rethwellian, but then again he'll have to learn Valdemaran won't he?"

:Well, I'll leave you to your sunbathing; I'm off for a trot around the field:

"Uh...bye." she said as Aerore trotted away.

:Oh, yeah, she said stopping for a moment, :If you want to know more about that "bogus" gift of yours, you might want to have a chat with my chosen, he's over there.: she indicated a person who was sitting next to the fence quite at least fifty yards away, whom she hadn't noticed before.

That was...odd.

--☼--

Nekimiyah watched from the white fence while Aerore chatted with some person on the other side of the field. He shrugged; maybe they knew each other or something. The person was obviously a Herald, from the white uniform, (the same one he now wore,) and companion she'd been leaning on. What, it seemed, the girl didn't know was that Aerore was not just mind-speaking her, but also her companion, who was pretending to be asleep. He shrugged and went back to his text book.

It was almost humorous. Him, with a text book at his age; but anyone who wasn't willing to learn was nothing more than a fool, and if he wanted to communicate with anyone, he'd have to learn, and soon. Aerore was helping, but she couldn't translate for him, and he couldn't have her translate for others what he said. He would definitely have to learn Valdemaran, if not this Karse language, also.

This is slightly annoying as he already knew enough languages to last anyone a lifetime, even his life-time. Seventeen if you counted the three variations of Kangen and the four of Chanchin. Well, now he was going to know eighteen, it almost seemed ridiculous that there should be that many languages and more in the world.

He was only half paying attention to what he was reading. Mostly he was searching his mind.

In Yinshyang, where Nekimiyah came from, nearly every scholar, priest, or magician learned to make a mind-city. One didn't need magic to do so, for it was a mental exercise that allowed one to sort and arrange their thoughts in an organized fashion that greatly improved memory and information absorbsion. With the mind-city, it was possible to store information outside of regular memory. One had to look for it, but it would always be there for him to sort through when he wished. It also kept unpleasant things from his past out of his immediate present by not allowing him to think about it unless something drastic triggered what scholars called "a memory of a memory".

He'd been having one ever since he'd talked to Herald Talia and the Queen. She had approved his plan for the pacification of the alliance nations and mentioned telling the Herald-Ambassadors to the other nations of his plan. He'd had an odd feeling when she did. He'd had another when Aerore took a tone that was very familiar somehow.

He was trying to figure out why.

He entered the gates of the city and walked through the mingled buildings that were along a winding street that spiraled up the hill that held his immediate memory at the top as the largest building that could be considered the castle or the palace of the city. What he wanted was not in there, but farther down, much farther down. What he sought was something that he knew had happened right after his Masters dead, something that despite his city, he could never keep far from his mind.

His Master, Shaetine Zira-Jhan had been the head of their order until her death at the age of two-hundred and ninety five, when he had been promoted, and asked to take her place, by the Empress of their country. He'd been devastated, and been sent too...

He couldn't remember; he'd have to keep looking around. As he walked down the street he passed the largest building, excepting the "castle" of course. It held all his knowledge of the realms, in a few buildings within the grounds of the other but not part of the building itself, were buildings that had knowledge of demons, necromancers, even mages. If he were to go inside, he'd find books and files containing all he knew on the subjects, organized and categorized within an inch of its life. And there were also doors that took him to other buildings that had similar information. The odd things about these doors, was that the buildings they took you to were often nowhere near the original building.

He continued on and came to one of the darkest buildings in the city. This was the one he'd been looking for, the time right after his master died. He never reviewed these memories. Though it was an odd thing to say, he remembered that these memories were very painful for him. He also noticed that the memoirs inside this particular house, had happened at the about the same time he'd learned Rethwellian.

Coincidence? He thought not.

The details about the language were stored somewhere other than this building, as it was information, and not a memory. His current use of the language could have been the source of his inklings, but it wasn't likely. He opened the door-

"You're Aerore's Chosen?" he heard.

He didn't want to go back and answer the voice but it would be horribly rude not to, and he could always do this later. He closed the door and exited the city.

"Yes." he answered. The speaker was the same girl that Aerore had been talking to; at this point he also noticed that Aerore was on the other side of the field and no longer speaking with either the companion or the girl.

Well compared to his age she was a girl. She was at least twenty-two, maybe as old as twenty-five, and his guess was usually good. She was average height, and though skinny, she was very fit. (He had noticed that nearly all Heralds were very fit, this, he was told, was because all had had weapons training and when they graduated from the collegium, they were out in the field a year at a time, living out of the saddle and special way-stations specially placed for their use.)

She had braided auburn hair and brown eyes, nearly black. Her skin was tan, but it looked to be from working out of doors for long periods of time, and not necessarily her natural skin tone. She did not look like the kind that was so extremely strong-willed, to the point that she was hard to be around, but she did look like the kind that did not take being prodded well. And-

Well, that explained it. Now he knew why Aerore had been talking to her. The ability was latent but plenty strong, and it would rouse after a time, especially once he got a hold of her. He would have to test her character, to see how he should handle her.

"Hello," she shook his hand, "I'm Herald Aileen, Chosen of Greier, Mind-speech and something else that's all latent and no one knows about." She extended her hand and he took it.

"Nekymiyah. Mind-speech and other-sight, the same as yours." he said.

--☼--

"the same as mine,"? How would he know?

Aileen had come over here, for no other reason then that she was bored, and anyone chosen by Aerore wasn't likely to be hyperactive and too-overly talkative. Aileen wanted a conversation, not someone's life story or love-issues. She had been expecting a teenager, if not someone younger, but her Chosen was an adult, Aileen kept trying to pin-point how old he was, and failing. He was black haired, pale-skinned, and green-eyed and falcon-nosed. He was already wearing the white heraldic uniform of a full herald, which was not too unusual, (plenty of people who were adults were put directly into whites, especially when they were needed out in the field, or would have their internship at the palace,) except that he did not know Valdemaran.

"How do you know we have the same gift? I've never heard of other-sight before, not as a gift, anyways." She asked him. She was horribly curious as too what this other-sight was. She'd always been slightly jealous of those people who had gifts like fetching and fire-starting, something that someone could see and say, "Wow! That was great!"

"Weren't you told your gifts on your arrival?" he asked her, he seemed fairly interested. Who was this guy?

She shrugged, "I got checked along with everyone else, but we didn't have a very good gift diviner, then, and I never bothered to get it re-checked. I hear Herald Markin is very good. But you didn't answer my last question." she raised her eyebrow, curious as to the answer.

Now he shrugged, "The companions are very good at dropping hints, and I saw that you have other-sight, when Aerore went to speak with you."

"Those companions, nosey little busy-bodies aren't they?"

:I heard that.: came the derisive mind-voice of Aerore.

"You were meant to!" Aileen called across the field; the horse just whickered as she trotted towards them. Nekimiyah smirked slightly, as Aileen continued. "I'm not sure I like this business of companions talking to whomever they like." she complained, to the man. "It used to be that all you had to worry about is the opinions and constructive criticism of one companion. Now they're all over the place!" Aerore snuffed, at her comment but Nekimiyah ignored it.

"I wouldn't know, but it does sound just awful!" he said, he put a hand to his face, as if the idea was just shocking.

"Yeah! It...Wait a second...are you teasing me?" she asked indignantly, once she had noticed the overly sympathetic tone he was using with her.

"She catches on rather quickly doesn't she Aerore?" he mock whispered to his companion in a voice that virtually dripped sarcasm. The whole scenario was even more insulting since it was obvious that he had meant her to hear; if he had not he would have just mind-spoke Aerore.

"You're teasing me! What the Hell why?" she said angrily; she could be a bitch if she wanted to. Aileen hadn't done anything! She wasn't going to take this!

"Or maybe it was just a fluke." Nekimiyah shrugged his shoulders and said after Aileen pulled out a fist full of insults so foul they weren't worth repeating.

"—what did I ever do to you anyways? Hey!"

"Hmmm, this reaction is definitely going to hinder you if you come across a Necromancer who is particularly insulting. And this is quite probable considering nearly all of them are." His face was now serene with no sign of the mocking expression it had had only moments ago. "Better get used to it, my dear. I'm afraid that after I tell Herald Talia how I've found a suitable novice among her own, you'll be rather stuck with me. I intend to get this anger out of you, and this tendency to complain, as well, it'll only make you miserable; and I know this from experience." He nodded as if agreeing with his own advice.

What the hell? She heard a horse-whicker-snicker in the background as she watched Nekimiyah get up from the grass, and head toward the palace, with Aerore in tow. She vaguely noticed, that he was fairly tall but not in an over-powering way. His body type was the lean, whip-cord muscle type; made for quick speed, maneuverability, and a deceptive strength that one usually associated with bulging muscles.

"Oh, yes," he said turning around, "The stallion over there, seems to have been in deep conversation with my lady, here. Perhaps he has some answers, yes?" and he continued on his path. She whirled around to face Greier.

:I knew you were in on it! No one—and I mean no one can sleep that soundly! Not even a companion: She mind-yelled as she rounded on Greier. The Companion shot up from his position as a sleeping horse in the clover, and started running flat-out away from the area.

"Hey! Get back here!" she immediately darted after him.

:I thought you always wanted to know what your gift was: He mind-spoke her in a slightly whiney voice. She couldn't tell if he was nervous of her anger or mocking her. Hadn't she had enough from that Nekimiyah fellow and Aerore?

:Not if it means I have to be stuck with that guy! Just because I'm a Herald doesn't mean I have to like everyone! Especially not him.: She answered. The whole ordeal had made no sense from the very beginning. What was a Necromancer anyways, for that matter? What did Talia have to do with anything? By this time she was tired and collapsed on the green grass and clover again, leaving Greier to look up expectantly every few seconds, waiting for her to make a move.

It was almost embarrassing to admit it, but this sort of thing happened all the time between them. Greier was infamous for doing things without her telling her, and she was equally as infamous for getting angry and chasing him around the field. Unfortunately, he always got away.

"Truce?"

:Truce.: Greier moved to stand over her and she looked into his deep blue eyes.

She sighed, "But did it have to be that guy?" she grumbled up at him. Greier's mind-laugh echoed in her mind.


Okay, reviews again!

Dragonborn, I don't really know what your talking about with Velgarth...sorry. That just totally confused me. But thanks for the review, sorry it took so long, here's another chappy!

Everyone please review! You could have your name here!

Actually, if you review, you're certain to have your name here eventually, but whatever. I Love you all!


This is revision information! Yes, I've revised this chapter! I'm going backwards; don't ask me why, I just am. I'm not replying to reviews on the revised chapters, I think it just messes with the natural order of things, so any reviews on this chapter and the other new revised chapters will be answered in chapter six, which isn't up yet. But I do have something fun for you all:

YKYLMLBTMW…

(You-know-you-like-Mercedes-Lackey-books-too-much-when…)

You add about twenty new words into your Microsoft Word dictionary. These words include: Collegium, Valdemar, Valdemaran, Rethwellian, Karse, Karsite, and Shin'a'in, K'leshya, Tayledras, Darkwind, Talia, Gwena, Karles, Shandi, Darian, Errold's Grove, Sun-priest, Vkandis, Keisha, and Hansa!

And that's just doing this revision and not counting the stuff like Nekimiyah, and Aileen, and Greier. . Enjoy the revision people, and Review!