Disclamier: All things Velgarth/Valdemar belong to M. Lackey.

A/N: Angst? And weirdness? From Me! Yep, pretty much. This is a double-shot. Two chapters and completed.

Listening Eyes

Chapter 2

The morning air was warm. Turning her face, she closed her eyes as the sun warmed it.

With confident steps, she headed into the farmyard. Chickens clucked at her and moved out of her way as she went into the barn.

"Don't forget to throw some grain to the geese!" Her mother called from the kitchen.

"Yes Mama!" Nika called back. Absently, she brushed her brown hair out of her face, where it was tickling her nose. Picking up the grain bucket, she got some from the bin, and began scattering it to the chickens. Moving carefully, she scattered grain to the chickens and then moved on to the pen where the geese were kept.

Feeling for the latch, she opened the door and quickly scattered the grain so that the large birds wouldn't try to get out.

That done, she carefully felt along the latch, double checking that it was locked. Then, she moved away to put the bucket back.

Nika was blind. She'd been born that way. It had never slowed her down, but it had caused a few headaches. A blind farm child was usually more of a hindrance, but her parents had so wanted a daughter. Even without sight, they'd taught her, slowly and carefully. Never once had they made her a burden.

Still moving with confidence, she settled the bucket back on its hook just inside the door. Cocking her head at the sound of footsteps, she frowned. "Da?" She asked. Her elder brother, Jerrick, was a few years older than her own fifteen. His footsteps sometimes sounded like their father's.

Hence, Nika wasn't too disappointed when it was his voice that sounded, instead of her Da's. "Sorry, he left for the far field already, Nika. Got the chickens fed?" He asked, scuffing his shoe and then dropping an arm over her shoulders. He steered the pair of them toward the kitchen.

"The chickens and the geese." She shuddered. She really didn't like the geese. He squeezed her shoulder in sympathy. "Ya joinin' Da after we eat?" She asked, walking carefully.

Jerrick sighed. "Haveta. Da can't clear the whole field by 'imself." He sounded disappointed, but she really knew he wasn't. He liked the farm work. "Step," he said absently to her.

Carefully, she nudged her leg forward until it touched the step into the house. Climbing the two stairs and then finding her seat was instinct after all this time for Nika. She settled down, sniffing appreciatively. "Smells wonderful, Mama." She said, smiling.

Her mother laughed. "Y'all are just hungry." She dished up plates for the pair of them. "Here we go Nika," she said, gently telling her daughter where everything on her plate was.

Breakfast was over and she'd settled into the shade to churn the butter. One good thing about being blind, beyond everyone assuming you also couldn't hear, was that she had time to do a lot of chores that freed her mother up for others. Her mother's embroidery was well known, and she was often called upon to help with special outfits.

Nika's butter, however, was also well known. Many people were surprised to learn that a blind girl was responsible for such sweet, soft butter. As if sight had anything to do with churning. Nika snorted to herself while she churned under the tree. It was going to be a long day of churning.

Tomorrow she had wool to card. She hated to card wool. She'd much rather spend time with the shoulder-breaking work of churning than card wool.

Sighing, she settled into the rhythm that would allow her to pass the day away.

• • •

Nika awoke the next morning, something making her nervous. She was sure something special was going to happen today. Stepping out of her room, after managing to brush her hair and braid it out of her face, she went to feed the chickens as usual. But… something was coming.

After she'd helped her mother around the house a bit, she settled under her tree again, her hands falling into the rhythm of carding wool.

Idly she hummed a tune, the sounds carrying on the wind around her. She bent over her task, not because she needed to see, but because it was simply a natural position to be in.

That was when she heard them.

Bells.

Yes, that was definitely bells on the road.

It wasn't a festival day. Da and Jerrick were out in the far field again. They wouldn't go out into the far field on a festival day. She grimaced as her hands were grazed by the wool comb again. And she wouldn't be carding wool!

The bells stopped at the gate. What was going on. She stopped carding wool. There still wasn't anything from the gate. But she had heard bells. That much she was sure of.

She thought she'd heard the gate ease open, but she couldn't be sure. Jerrick had oiled the hinges just the week before. Silently, she cursed her brother's forethought. Sure the thing was getting squeaky, but at least she'd have been able to tell when someone opened it!

There was the sounds of bells again. This time they were coming at her! She reached down and picked up her walking stick. Here in the farmyard, she really didn't need it, but it made a good weapon. The bells kept getting closer. "Who are you?" She asked, her voice quavering slightly. "What do you want?"

Behind her, the door to the house opened. Her mother had closed it while she cut out fabric for the miller's daughter's wedding. "Nika! What's going on! What's that Companion doin' here?"

Nika turned away from the Companion. Still, she kept an ear out for its bells. "I don't know, Mama. No one's said anythin'…"

Companion? That meant a Herald right? Since no Companion would ever Choose her. Oh, she'd dreamed about it, when she was younger. As she'd gotten older, she realised that her blindness meant she couldn't perform the duties Heralds needed to. Meaning no Companion would ever come for her. The Companion must've just been looking for something to eat.

"That's 'cause, there ain't no one to speak, child." That confirmed what Nika thought. It was just here to grab a bite to eat. "What can we do for ye, sir?"

So it was a stallion. Somehow, Nika had known that. She just… had. It was an odd feeling. She wasn't' exactly sure she liked it. The Companion whickered at her. At her? She turned back towards the sound of his breathing and bells. "Sir?" After all, what else was she supposed to say?

There was another step and the warm soft feeling of his nose on her shoulder. She knew it was his nose because it felt a lot like the plough horse's. Gently, he seemed to try to get her do something. Confused, she raised her hand.

It landed on his forehead, right between his eyes, if she had to guess. :My name is Neran, Nika. You are my Chosen.: He what! She was his Chosen. She couldn't be! She was blind. Couldn't he see that? She could never be a Herald. :No, Nika. You are able. I will be your eyes.:

Nika gently raised her hand, running it along his neck. Was it possible? Could she be a Herald? He certainly seemed to think so. One hand buried in his mane, the other running along the other side of his neck. At his gentle mental prodding, she finally wrapped her arms around him, her stick falling to the ground with a clatter.

Inside of her heart, she could feel him wrapping himself with her. It felt wonderful. Tears of joy fell from her eyes. In a detached sort of way, she realised she was making his neck wet. It didn't seem to matter. And he didn't mind….

He nudged her again. She came out of her reverie and leaned back a bit. He nudged her again. "Y-you want me to mount?" She hated the stutter. Nika had had it for years. Whenever she got upset it appeared. His head bobbed in what she guessed was a nod. "Mama?"

There was no way she could mount on her own. None. She was glad to feel her mother's hand on her arm. "Right here, hun." Nika smiled slightly. "Well, yer Da and Jerrick would take today to go to the far field." Nika almost giggled. They'd been going for the last two weeks. Today wasn't any different. Then she remembered her hand was on a Companion. Maybe today was a little different.

"Well, sir, if ya'd step over to the stairs there, we'll get her up right proper." Nika's mother was ordering around a Companion. Well… she ordered everyone else around. Why not a Companion as well?

The Companion —Neran was his name, she tried to remember it— nickered and moved toward the stairs. Nika's mother handed her her walking stick. Feeling suddenly disoriented, she used it as she hadn't for years to find her way across the farm yard, abandoning the wool carding. Stepping onto the stairs after her mother, she waited for instructions. She had no idea what was going on.

"Here now, left foot." Nika raised her foot at the order, remembering to keep her muscles lax so her mother could move the leg where it needed to go. She felt the iron under the ball of her foot, even through her boot. With her mother's help, she managed to climb into the saddle.

She grabbed at Neran's mane when he side stepped a bit. Her mother moved, she could tell by the sounds and then by feel as her mother guided her right foot into the stirrup. Nika was worried about what would happen once she got to the Collegium, but reminded herself, firmly, that Heralds were good people.

Nika realised her mother had lashed her stick to the saddle. At least she'd have that.

"Don't go runnin' off with me girl yet. I'll get her some food, something for yerself to gnaw on, and some clothes." Nika grinned. Her mother was still ordering him around. As if she did it everyday. Hopefully, that'd never change.

There was the sound of something crunching and Nika realised her mother had given Neran an apple —at least it smelled like an apple. Then her mother was taking her hand and guiding it to the knot on the side of her saddle. Nika nodded. She could undo it if needed.

"You write to me as soon as ya get there, hear?" Her mother sounded… sad. She'd never heard her mother sound so sad.

Nika felt tears well up again and sniffled slightly. She'd find someone to write her a letter. "Yes Mama." She felt her Companion stir beneath her. She'd almost forgotten he was there!

:Chosen, we have to go,: his deep mind voice was gentle but insistent. They had to get to Haven. She felt a bit jittery. Haven!

Nika nodded. "Alright. Let's go." She said. He moved out and she almost lost her balance. Squeaking, she grabbed his mane a bit. Balance up here was decidedly different than on the ground! When he didn't move any faster than a slow walk, she relaxed and let her body find it's own balance.

:There we go, Chosen. Now, ready to head for Haven?: Ready? For Haven? Was such a thing possible? Before she could answer, he spoke again. :Turn and wave Chosen, your mother is watching.:

Nika bit her lip. Maybe having an extra set of eyes would be nice. Slowly, trying to keep what little balance she had, she turned and waved in what she hoped was the right direction. It seemed Neran was concentrating on the road and couldn't tell her.

:We're out of sight now, Nika.: Nika sighed. A place that she new better than her own face —though she'd never seen either— was now behind her. It was daunting.

Putting her hand back in front of her, and tangling the fingers in the mane again, she frowned. "I'm really going to Haven?" That part still surprised her a bit. She knew she sounded stunned. Simply because, she was stunned.

Her Companion made a sound that was almost a whicker, but could have possibly been a snicker. :Yes, Chosen. We're really going to Haven. And, I expect, we're going to set the entire Kingdom on their ears.:

Nika grinned. He sounded amused. Maybe this would turn out alright anyways.