Disclaimer: Mercedes Lackey owns all pertaining to Velgarth, Valdemar, etc.
A/N: This is where I'm WHERE! begins taking large deviations from the original. Sarana is no longer such a Sue. So, let's get to it shall we?
Chapter 12: Bwuh? Huh? And Other Sounds of Confusion
We made it down the hallways and through the corridors with little fuss. No one stopped us or even really noticed our passing. —I'm still not sure how we did that. Firesong, at least, should have drawn at least looks. There are some things you just never become accustomed to seeing.— Aya rode in state on Firesong's shoulder. I walked between the two gentlemen. Once we made it to the Royal quarters, I picked up my pace. I wanted to get this over with.
Selenay just didn't summon me. She'd asked me to join her for dinner, or to listen to a Bard in the Court. But an out and out summons just wasn't her style.
We were let into Selenay's rooms by a Royal Guardsman in silver and blue. I stepped into the room, glad that there weren't many people about. Selenay was looking out her own window much as I had been earlier. Elspeth and Darkwind stood chatting with Talia. Dirk was no where about. There was one other Herald there.
I hissed in a breath seeing who it was. Kelath stood off to the side, speaking softly with Daren. I didn't know what he was doing here since I hadn't invited him. Selenay must have. Why was the question. Silverfox stood next to me. "Are you alright?" he asked softly, when I shrank back at his side. Firesong had moved to flow onto a couch with due pomp and ceremony. I nodded jerkily. I could handle this. Maybe. Possibly.
My muscles were quivering with the need to run. Somewhere. Anywhere. Just away. Kelath… bothered me. To put it mildly.
Selenay turned from the window. She looked worried. That didn't bode well. Physically, I was fine; mentally, I wasn't bad just… not real steady yet.
"We've heard something extremely disturbing." She started, moving from the window.
I sank next to Silverfox, wrapping my arms around myself. Disturbing didn't sound good. And was that the Royal 'we'? Or the 'everyone in the room' we? Both carried their own series of risks but the Royal 'we' bothered me more than the other.
She seemed to be waiting for me to say something. Or maybe that was my imagination. But she was looking at me. "Oh?" I managed to croak past a closed throat.
Selenay glanced at Kelath.
—Boo! Hiss! I didn't like him. Pardon me whilst I descend into juvenility. Glue on chairs. 'Kick me' signs. Tripping in the hallways… I feel better. Slightly.—
Kelath cleared his throat. He looked uncomfortable, speaking in front of all these people. Good. Why yes. Yes, I am slightly juvenile at times. Deal with it.
"Currently, there are several ForeSeers here in Haven," he began, still looking slightly uncomfortable. "None of us are very sure what exactly is going to happen, but it seems that Miss Jakeson is going to leave Haven, Companion-back and head for the Plains." Kelath fidgeted, picking imaginary pieces of lint off his Whites. Then he nodded at a dark shadow in the corner. "The Shin'a'in Ambassador agrees with me."
—Excuse me while I sit here and stare. The Shin'a'in Ambassador was a good looking gentleman of middle years. His hair was most definitely of the 'salt-and-pepper' variety, leaning hard on the 'salt' part of that. He was whipcord lean, and looked like he could trounce every single Herald in the room on the practice field and not break a sweat.
He also had a… Presence about him. Like he was in this world but not. Now, I'd never seen anyone like that. Ever. It was like… he was cloaked with the knowledge of his Goddess and merely tolerated us unreligious heathens.
Spooky does not begin to describe it.—
Several people were staring at me. Including the Shin'a'in Ambassador. I fidgeted next to Silverfox. If the couch would've eaten me, I would've been a very happy person right at that time. Unfortunately, the couch was just a couch and not some screwed up mage creation that could eat me.
They were staring at me. Like I knew what was going on.
—Right, let's backtrack over a few facts here. I was living in the United States of America. I went hiking and fell down a hill. Waking up, I found myself in a fantasy world that became my reality.
And now, apparently, someone Goddess touched, and a several people who can see possible futures, were saying that I'm going to head to another part of the fantasy-reality. And they're looking at me like I know something. Who hit them with the stupid and anti-logic sticks?—
I stared at all of them, my eyes wide. "I… I… Uhh…" Articulation was not on the menu for the evening. Gulping, I kept looking from one to another. How the hells was I supposed to know what was going on!
By the looks around me, I'd said that out loud. Whoops? No, not whoops. I'd meant to do that. Honest. No, really, I did.
The Shin'a'in Ambassador cleared his throat. "You are not. None of us are. You, Sarana," his accent skewed my name slightly. I liked the way he said it. "Are simply to trust yourself, and your intuition."
Well! That's just wonderful advice right there isn't it! No, I didn't say that out loud. I glanced around at everyone who was looking between myself and the Ambassador. Oops? I guess I did say that out loud. It seemed a mental breakdown loosened my tongue a bit.
The Ambassador looked back at me steadily. "It is not the advice that you wish." He said softly. "But it is the advice you need." There was a reproval in that tone. One that I probably, no definitely, deserved.
—I was a one woman diplomatic incident waiting to happen. And no matter what happened, people would probably see it as Selenay sending me to the Plains. I wondered if the mages had a muzzle for wayward tongues. I was probably going to need it.—
I shook my head. It was all too much. Mental breakdown, finding out that Firesong and Silverfox were leaving, the entire "falling into a fantasy" thing… they expected coherency? And just why would the Star-Eyed Goddess want me on the Plains? That sounded like a reasonably safe question. So I asked.
The Ambassador cocked his head at me. "I do not question. I have been directed, and have told you of those directions. What you choose to do is your choice." There was a small smile there.
—Right, so let's review the choices here. I could follow what a Goddess has told one of her chosen ones to tell me to do. Or, I could sit on my tail in Haven, probably get dragged to the Plains by some method or another, since Gods and Goddesses tend to have a way of making you do what they want, and then doing what She wanted. And probably having a ticked off deity behind it.
Choice? Just what choice are we talking about here?
Divine retribution wasn't my idea of fun. Nor was I going to risk it. Stupid? At times. Completely insane? No. Or at least I tried not to be.—
I bit my lip. Then I sighed. There really wasn't a choice. "I'll go," I said softly. It dropped with all the subtly of a firecracker in the midst of beef cattle. Granted, the people in the room were a bit quieter than the cattle would have been.
Suddenly, everyone began talking about how and if I'd go alone. That subject brought another voice into it that I had not wanted to hear. "I'm going with her."
Looking up from a map spread out on one of the tables, I Stared at him. He wasn't serious. He couldn't be. I opened my mouth to tell him exactly what I thought of that. Unfortunately, Firesong beat me to it. "That's a good idea. A Herald would lend her more authority. She probably wouldn't be molested on the road."
I looked at Firesong. What! He was sending the same bastard who had cornered me on a weeks long trip! Wait! Don't I get a say in this?
"I agree," Selenay said, deciding the issue.
Apparently, I didn't get a say. Not exactly comforting. Still, who was I the one to naysay a Queen?
—Alright, I'll admit that had I not been so stunned that I was doing a landed fish impression, I probably would have spoken up. However, the noiseless opening and closing of my mouth was enough of an embarrassment.—
The meeting didn't last long. I had no idea what I was doing planning a long trip, so I left it to those who knew about it. Namely, the Heralds, the Ambassador and whatever quartermaster they had squirreled away.
I left with Firesong and Silverfox, the three of us returning to my rooms. I simply collapsed on my bed and ignored all else. Weeks on the road, with Kelath, were staring me in the face. And they were not a pretty sight.
• • •
It took them less than two days to get everything together. Well, less than two days to put two separate parties together. Which, I have to say, was impressive. Seriously. They put together things for Kelath and I and for Firesong and Silverfox.
The problem I was having, was that my two gentlemen were taking the west gate out of the city. The one that led onto Exile's Road. And, eventually, led Errold's Grove and k'Valdemar Vale. The Target, as I had begun calling Kelath, and I would be taking the South Trade Road.
Now, you might think it was for his white suit that I called him a target. And you'd be right. I was listening to all those who had travelled that way (Such as Kero, Elspeth, and several Bolts that were in town.) and getting basic tips from them.
One of the Companions had offered to be my mount. Made me feel a bit unworthy. I would never wear Whites. I knew I didn't deserve them. It didn't really bother me. But what happened if the Companion I was riding suddenly got her Call in the middle of our little sojourn?
Now, I guessed that Rolan wouldn't allow that to happen but weirder things have happened. Case in point, magical talking sword that exploded in a certain Adept's face. See? Weird.
The dawn of the third day found all of us in the saddle and headed out of Haven. Firesong, Silverfox and I exchanged hugs and then turned in our separate directions. When this was over, I felt I needed a long, extended stay at the Vales.
Hot pools, Hawkbrothers and hertasi. I'm a simple person. That was the best vacation I could think of.
I glanced down at the mare beneath me. Her hoof beats were chiming along the twisting roads of Haven at a decent pace. This early there weren't many people around. I thought it was a good thing.
She was long-legged and sleek. If she hadn't been a Companion, I would've said she'd be a good racehorse. However, since I didn't want to end up on my back in mud, dirt, or whatever, I kept that thought to myself.
Knowing her name would've been nice, though. I slid a glance at my travelling partner. Him, I wasn't going to ask. Period. So, as we reached the South gate out of Haven, I was riding a nameless Companion, in my own little, private thoughts.
The morning was bright, the road was stretching out ahead of us.
It was a good day.
I should've known that things couldn't last.