A Dance on the Edge of Sanity

Skyfire dragged herself out of her sleep haze inch by inch. She couldn't remember ever having so much trouble waking… Opening her eyes, she saw a stone floor.

… the hell? There's no stone in the Vale… What in hell had happened, and where was she?

"I see you've finally woken," an unfamiliar voice said behind her. "It's about time… I was starting to wonder if I'd broken your skull with that last kick." The completely uncaring tone of the stranger's voice made the hair on the back of Skyfire's neck stand on end. She raised her head quickly to see who this man was, but immediately went limp as the back of her skull throbbed painfully. The mystery man chuckled.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. I'm fairly certain you've a nasty concussion." Skyfire yelped as a booted toe poked the back of her head. She brought her hands up to protect her head, curling into a small ball on the floor.

"Still hurts, does it? Well, damn. My aim with that foot was never particularly good." Skyfire growled, but held still. He spoke as though her head were a kick ball! She tried to think of something witty to say, but thought better of it.

"Who are you?" the man asked, from somewhere above her. Skyfire raised an incredulous eyebrow, though her capture couldn't see it. He kidnapped me, and he's asking me who I am? What is he, stupid? The toe poked her again, forcing her to turn over onto her back.

"I mean, I know you're the mage Firesong's child, but that doesn't tell me anything. Do you have a name?"

"I do," Skyfire snapped. "I'm not giving it to you, though." She glared in the man's general direction; her vision wasn't working that far away yet. Must have been the kick to the head.

"I see." Suddenly, he kicked her hard in the side. "You sure about that?"

She gasped, and tried to shrink into the floor. Had he broken a rib? She yelped and turned on her side when he kicked her again, in the same spot. "It's just your name, after all. Nothing important."

Her eyes squeezed shut as she bit her lips. Don't tell him anything, Skyfire. Not a word.. She braced herself, waiting for another blow. It never came, though. After waiting for several minutes, she rolled onto her back and carefully sat. Where did he go? The man didn't seem to be in the room, though she hadn't heard him leave. That's really strange….

She was sitting in the middle of a plain stone room. The room was perfectly square, with no windows, and oddly, no door that she could see. She made a mental note to watch as the man entered and exited, to see if the door was hidden, or something else. Shifting her weight slowly, she got to her hands and knees and crawled into one of the corners of the room. Skyfire slumped against the walls on either side of her.

Crawling four feet took way more energy than it should have… Is this normal for someone with a head injury? Her head hurt terribly; shaking it to clear her eyes only made it worse. Lights danced in front of her as her eyes slid shut and she passed out.

"You have what you want, Icestorm. Let my daughter go." Firesong knew better than to let his old teacher see how desperate he was; he kept his voice carefully flat. Looking at the other Adept, though, he knew he wasn't fooling anyone.

Icestorm laughed, a cold sound that would have had no place on the man's lips twenty years ago. Firesong didn't understand how his caring, though strict teacher had become this.. Creature, in front of him.

He struggled uselessly against the bindings holding his arms behind his back. "Please, teacher, let her go. She's served her part. She lured me into your trap. Why would you need the bait, once the fish is caught?" Firesong inwardly cursed himself for his own stupidity. He'd walked right into this one… I'd never have fallen for this trap ten years ago.. 'Before you were a father…' a little voice in the back of his mind said.

Just because you're a father doesn't mean your brains got kicked out, Firesong, he thought to the voice. If you'd thought first, you wouldn't be here, and you'd have a thousand better chances to get Skyfire out of this mess. Idiot.

:Wool gathering again, Firesong? That always was a bad habit of yours.: Icestorm's Mindvoice grated inside his head, breaking him out of his brooding.

"I have much use for her, actually," the older mage said, switching back to speech. "You see, you care for her, and that makes her a perfect tool to get to you."

Firesong paled. "And what do you want from me, Icestorm? I might just give it to you, if you let her go—"

Firesong's old mentor burst out laughing; the cruel noise sent shivers down Firesong's spine. What had happened, to turn Icestorm into this?

"Dear Firesong," Icestorm purred. "I want you to believe that when you die, there will be no one who will miss you, no one who will care about you anymore." The man leaned close, his white eyes boring into Firesong. "I want you to know you have been forgotten, left behind for more interesting news. Just like I was.."

It really had been easy, now that she thought about it. Her mother had let her go more easily than Windstar had thought she would; once Elspeth had been convinced she wasn't ill or insane, she'd done everything she could to make the trip to k'Valdemar easier. It had been Elspeth's idea to ask the Kailinese for a ride, since they were headed that way for trading anyways.

She'd not expected her parents to come along, though. That had been a last minute change of plan for all of them. Right as the ship was about to take off, it had been stopped by her mother's yell; her parents had boarded, and they'd left. Darkwind told her he thought Elspeth's Foresight had something to do with it. She'd apparently woken up with the plan to go with Windstar so firmly planted in her head, nothing would shake it.

So, Windstar was headed to Errold's Grove and k'Valdemar, along with Darkwind, Elspeth, and Mero.

And Gwena. The Companion mare hated sailing and all permutations thereof with a passion.

:Have I mentioned that I despise boats? I want to have my hooves on the ground damn it all.: Darkwind snorted, casting an amused glance at the Companion from where he was leaning next to his daughter. Gwena glared back at him.

:Oh shut it, you tree dweller, you. You're not allowed to comment.:

"I said nothing, my lady," Darkwind said, with a teasing bow. "Nothing whatsoever."

Windstar stifled a giggle as the mare grumbled in their minds. From what she'd heard, Gwena had calmed down a great deal as she got older, and she'd apparently done this by trading pigheadedness for sarcasm.

As far as Windstar was concerned, it had been a good trade. She could hardly imagine Gwena as the interfering, controlling pest she "used to be".

Darkwind moved closer to his daughter, smiling broadly. "I don't think she hates this nearly as much as she'd have us think," he said, leaning on the railings and enjoying the view. "So tell me.. Do you have any idea what we're sailing into? You and your mother both have something pushing you, but I'm afraid I'm completely in the dark."

Windstar grinned lopsidedly at her father. "Mother wouldn't want to think of it as being pushed, you know. She'd probably turn the ship around if you reminded her."

Darkwind grinned back. "This is true. Note I only say anything when your mother isn't on the.. Dock?"

"Deck. I had noticed that," Windstar leaned over the railings as well, watching the trees rush beneath them. "I actually have no idea what called me this way; all I know is that it's important I be there." She scowled up at the clouds. "Some help the Foresight is.. It just says 'go!', then won't leave me alone until I do!"

Darkwind smiled. "It is the same with your mother's, and her mother's. I personally am glad not to have it."

"I'd be glad not to have it, too. I prefer my other, more predictable Gifts. Even on bad days, they don't give me nearly as much trouble as the Foresight does!" Windstar made a face at the trees below her. "It was different this time, too," she muttered. "Usually I just get a feeling, or a flash of a vision. This time, I would have sworn there was someone whispering in my ear, telling me what to do. It was really odd."

Her father just shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you, ke'chara. I don't know enough about how Foresight is supposed to feel to tell you what you felt. It seems your mother felt something similar, though, so I can only assume that it was a true warning, and we had best heed it."

Windstar smiled at her father's practicality. "I don't think I could not heed it, actually. I do wish it would tell me what to expect, though."

He shrugged again. "Well, we will be able to visit Firesong and Silverfox. We'd been planning to visit them anyways. It's been a while since we've seen Skyfire; I'd like to see what sort of demon Firesong's bred."

Windstar snickered loudly. "She's probably the same sort of demon she was a few years ago, only bigger and better at sneaking and pranking."

Darkwind shuddered. "Terrifying thought. It took me a month to find all the 'gifts' she put in my things. The spiders in the bed were the worst, though. Let me tell you something, about romance.. Spiders do not enhance it."

The young Adept snorted and leaned more comfortably on the ship railing. "I'll make sure to remember that, father. No spiders in the bed for a romantic evening."

"See that you do. It is quite disruptive to the romancing." Darkwind smiled. He'd been afraid that Windstar wouldn't come out from behind the cool mask she'd been wearing since she'd returned home; afraid that she'd stay distant and keep himself and Elspeth at arms length, along with everyone else. She seemed much more comfortable now, though, than she had in the past few weeks. Now that she was doing something, instead of just pattering around the palace trying to find a place for herself.

That made sense, though. She'd gone from having a very defined place as a student in Kai-ling, to having a potentially powerful but utterly undefined position as a royal in Valdemar. In retrospect, that would have made him uncomfortable, too.

:Elspeth, we should help Windstar find a real place in Haven, once we return. I don't think she's happy being home, but having nothing to do.:

:Hmm.. I hadn't thought of that but it makes sense, doesn't it? I wouldn't be happy drifting like she has, either. Maybe we should recruit her for teaching:

:Maybe. I think she'd probably like that.:

Windstar was giving him that look. The one with the raised eyebrow that said she knew they were talking about her, and she's like to be included in the conversation, please. He smiled apologetically at her.

:Your mother and I were thinking you should help us teach some of the students, when we get back.:

Elspeth and Darkwind had been expecting some excitement, some pleasure at being given something to do. They weren't expecting what they got, though.

:Really! I love to do that! Could I? I know I'm young, but Lystai let me teach the beginners. I wasn't sure you'd let me do it here.. I've been helping some of the students with their homework, but could I actually teach:

Elspeth grinned, though neither Darkwind nor Windstar could see it. :I don't see why you couldn't, ke'chara She said. :If you have experience teaching, I don't see how we couldn't take you help! We've got way more students than I ever dreamed we'd have; which is wonderful, but it's damned hard to teach them all.:

Darkwind nodded. While they hadn't been stretched past their teaching limits yet, it would be useful to have another teacher for the beginning set. Maybe even for the more advanced classes…. Windstar was a fully trained mage, after all. All she lacked now was experience, and that might not be a problem for her teaching abilities.

Windstar was grinning. :I think I could help with that, actually. Lystai let me teach a lot, in the year or so before I left. He said part of being a true master was the ability to pass knowledge on to others. I enjoyed it, a lot.:

:Then you should do it. There are few enough mages who can teach, and fewer still who want to. We'd be insane to refuse your help, especially since you're so eager to give it: Elspeth was pleased; Windstar hadn't shown much interest in warfare magics, and she'd been starting to wonder just what her daughter was going to do with all those years of training behind her.

Windstar smiled and leaned over the railing, watching the trees speed past underneath her. Finally, something for her to do! She disliked combative magics, though she did know them. She preferred magic that didn't involve killing people.

:They're going to let me teach here, Mero: She told the Companion, though she would be willing to bet he'd been listening.

:So I heard. That's good, I know how much you love teaching. You're very good at it, you know.: Windstar felt a blush creeping into her cheeks.

:Do you really think so:

:Would I have said I so if I didn't mean it? Your enthusiasm for magic flows over into your teaching. It makes the students want to learn. Lystai and I talked about it.:

:Did you really. Do I sense Companion meddling here: Windstar kept the tone of her voice light; it was a little odd that they'd talked about her, but she'd talked about them. She teased him, though, because he'd often complained of the ranking Companions meddling in his life.

:Maybe a little… After all, I don't have a Chosen to mess with, so what's a horse to do? You're the closest available target, Windstar.: He whickered softly; the Companion version of giggles. Windstar snorted and grinned wryly at him.

:Why don't you have a Herald yet, Mero: Windstar asked, once the urge to laugh had calmed. :You're almost my age, and well past the age most Companions Choose. What're you waiting for:

Mero shuffled his hooves and flattened his ears to his head. :That's a question I'd like to hear the answer to, myself.: Gwena muttered to her compatriot.

"The view is certainly nice from up here," Darkwind said, making Windstar jump. She looked over at her father, who was staring out over the trees. "I've seen this from Vree's eyes, but rarely from mine."

Windstar turned her eyes towards the forest as well. "I like seeing things from above," she told him. "Even the ugliest things are beautiful, when you see them from far enough up. I think maybe it's the detachment… It's hard to see the bad parts when you're so far above everything." She sent a quick comment to Mero, who was feeling pleased that Darkwind had saved him from thinking about an uncomfortable question.

:Don't think you're getting out of this conversation, Mero. I'm going to bother you about this again.:

:I never doubted you would: he sighed.

Windstar turned back to her father, who had a pensive look on his face.

"You could be right about that, ke'chara. It is very hard to see anything properly, when you are far away." He looked over at her, noticing once again, with a little shock, just how much his little girl did not look like a little girl anymore. He sighed deeply. "You are so big, Windstar."

She blinked, caught off guard by his comment. She'd forgotten how her father went from topic to topic, seemingly without any connection. It was a trait she shared.

"I'm not a little girl anymore, Papa. I haven't been for a long time."

Darkwind bowed his head, waiting for the lump in his throat to subside enough for him to speak. How did she grow up? When? It feels like yesterday when I could hold her in one hand… He closed his eyes, overcome by a wave of nostalgia. Treyvan had told him she wouldn't stay little forever, but not amount of talking could have prepared him for the realization that she was an adult; that she didn't need him anymore.

A hand on his shoulder made him look up: Windstar smiled at him and opened her arms. Darkwind hugged her to him fiercely, closing his eyes and remembering how little she'd been, such a short time ago.

:I still need you, Papa: she whispered in his head. :I'm an adult now, but that doesn't mean I want you out of my life. I think I need you now, more then ever… Need your advice, and support, and love.. I need to know there's someone who I can turn to, when I start to stumble.:

His arms tightened around her, pulling her slender form closer. :I'll always be there, ke'chara. Whenever you need help, Just turn to us.. You know we'll never turn you away.: Windstar sniffled against his chest.

"Oh, Papa, I missed you so much! Everyone was so nice in Kai-ling, and Lystai was wonderful, but I missed you and Mama so badly!" The words just tumbled from her; words she hadn't known she needed to say until now, releasing tension she hadn't known was there until it was gone.

"We missed you too, sweetling. The house was so empty, without you!" Darkwind's cheeks were wet. He'd been so sure they'd lost her to adulthood, so afraid that she would just walk out of their lives one day and never return.

Windstar pulled away from him slowly, he loosened his arms to let her go. She gave him a shaky smile, and he had a flash of his little girl, with her blotchy cheeks and red eyes. He smiled back and fumbled a handkerchief from his sleeve.

"Here," he said. "For your eyes…"

She took the bit of fabric and wiped her eyes dry. "I'd forgotten you always have a handkerchief with you..."

"They come in handy, sometimes. Usually they get used for less worthy purposes than drying a beautiful young woman's eyes, though."

Windstar smiled warmly at him and handed the handkerchief back. He folded it and stuffed it in his pocket. They looked at each other for a long while.

"I love you, Papa," Windstar said quietly.

Darkwind felt his heart swell to bursting. "I love you too, little one. I'm glad you're here."

She was silent for a long time, looking out over the trees. She'd not felt anything when she came home, she thought. Not when she put her feet on the ground.. But here, in this flying ship, with her father next to her and her mother a constant presence near her, she finally felt it.

She smiled out over the trees that rushed past. "I'm glad to be here."

Eclipse scowled. It was time for their daily duel; where was his father? They'd dueled every day since he was twelve, with no exceptions. He'd missed his mother's last moments while in a duel; her last words to him were lost forever, gasped out to a servant who had forgotten them instantly.

If his sister ever knew them, she wasn't telling. She hadn't spoken to him since that day.

Icestorm was very late, now… It was almost half a candlemark since when they were supposed to begin.

"Haven't you figured out he'sss not coming, boy?" Tathil's hissing voice broke him out of his mental rant.

"What do you mean, not coming?" Eclipse said, startled that he had to keep his voice from cracking. It was just a missed duel, why was he having such trouble controlling himself?

"He isss not coming. He iss busssy with the Healing Adept." Tathil's snake eyes glittered at him. "You havvve taken ssssecond placssse, Eclipsssse."

Eclipse felt his body going cold. Second place? Second place in his father's own eye? Even when he was being punished, Eclipse had always been the center of attention.

He nodded his head curtly at the snake creature his father had created. "Thank you, Tathil." Without another word, he walked out of the dueling room.

Second place. That absolutely would not do.

"You. Get up." The voice broke through the haze that surrounded Skyfire's mind, forcing her to open her eyes and raise her head. Her headache had only gotten worse, and was now so bad she thought she'd have been sick, if there'd been anything in her stomach.

The young man grabbed her arm, hauling her to her feet. She whimpered in pain as her head was jostled. She was pushed out in front of the man as he walked, and she saw the vague outline of a door appearing in the wall. So that's where the door was…. She thought to herself.

It didn't even occur to her to wonder where he was taking her. All she knew was the pain in her head. She felt a wave of disorientation as they passed through the door, and suddenly they were outside. The smell of trees hit her in a wave, and she sobbed, drinking it in like a starving man eats. She'd thought she'd never smell trees again…

She was half-dragged towards some destination as she cried silently, wondering if this was the last time she'd be outside. She couldn't see where she was; it was the dead of night and her eyes weren't focusing properly.

"Right," the voice said, and she was dumped to the forest floor. A boot prodded her ribs, pushing her to the right. "Your Vale is that way. I suggest you run, if you can… My father will not be pleased that his 'leverage' has escaped." The voice sounded extremely pleased by this; she wondered why. Why would you do something to make someone mad at you?

The boot prodded her again. "Go on, get, you. There isn't a lot of time before he realizes what I've done."

Finally, the fear from the last few days hit her like a stone, and she dragged herself up onto her feet and staggered in the direction he'd indicated. He could be lying, a nasty voice in her head whispered. He could be sending you the wrong way.

And I would be able to tell how? She asked the voice. What, exactly, do you suggest? This at least is a change. The voice stayed silent after that; the little part of her that was logical had apparently run out of arguments. She thought of nothing, only of stumbling a few more steps, then a few more.

Eclipse smiled as he watched the girl stagger through the brush. He doubted she'd make it even the few furlongs to where the Hawkbrother's patrols ran, but his goal had been achieved.

Second place my ass. He'll be furious with me. He'll have to do something about me; I set a prisoner free! He'll forget about Firesong in the fury that will cause.

His smile widened. Perfect. He'd be damned if he'd share his father's attentions with anyone. Now, there was no way he'd stay second.