Disclaimer: This is my first Heralds of Valdemar series story. The Heralds and some events don't
belong to me *sobs*, they belong to the inimitable Mercedes Lackey, but the other characters and most
of the events are mine. Having said that, read on fair reader...
Chapter 1 - A Strange Occurrence
Tantris was out in the Companion's field when he felt and saw something
so incredible he almost fell from his Companion's back. A bright light had
appeared in the Companions Grove.
:What in the Havens was that?: He mindspoke his Companion. The Companion
merely whinnied in response and made as if to go in the direction of the
now fading light which had appeared in the Companions' Grove. Tantris
grinned sheepishly and allowed Delian to have his way.
Having reached the Grove, he slid from the Companion's back and walked
slowly thru the now-dark trees, hoping that he remembered the correct
place. Suddenly, he saw a flash of something. Something that shouldn't be
there. Huddled up between a tree and some deadfall around it, was the
body of a woman.
With a hissed intake of breath, Tantris knelt beside the woman, expecting
her to be dead. To his surprise, she was still warm and quite alive.
Quickly he Mindspoke his friend and colleague, the Herald-Mage Vanyel.
:Van, I've just found a woman unconscious in the Companions'Grove.: he said.
:I'm bringing her in. I'm not sure what's happened to her but she's not
responding to any stimuli.: A little embarrassment coloured his MindSpeech.
:She's not got any clothes on either, so you'd better make sure they find her
something to wear: he told the Herald-Mage.
:I'll meet you at the Healers'. Any idea where she is from? How she got
there?: Vanyel asked.
:No, I've never seen her before and none of the Companions have either:
Tantris replied. :I saw a bright light appear in the Grove and I went to
check it out and found her laying here.: He shrugged, forgetting that the
other Herald couldn't see him.
The Herald-Mage Vanyel Ashkevron sat back in his chair, having just finished
his evening meal in the comfort of his rooms. He was astonished, not the
least because he hadn't felt a thing, especially with his sensitivity to
Gates. This worried the Herald-Mage. Breaking out of his reverie, he
quickly MindSpoke the Healers who quickly began to get ready for their new
patient. Grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair where he'd left it,
he went down to the Healer's Collegium to wait for Tantris.
Tantris took off his jacket and gingerly knelt and covered the woman with it.
The state of the woman bothered him more than her strange arrival. Still
kneeling, he cradled her in his arms, gently smoothing her long, soft, silky
hair. He was unprepared for the rush of emotions and pain coming from her and
almost dropped her back to the ground. Shaking his head to clear it, he
continued to gaze down at her, unaware that his face had taken on a tender
expression few had ever seen him wear.
He was so wrapped up in the woman, that he didn't hear his Companion come up
beside them, until his nose was touching Tantris' shoulder, causing him to
jump. :Don't sneak up on a person like that, will you?: he Mindsent wryly to
his Companion.
The Companion was unrepentant. :Is the woman all right?: he asked his Chosen.
:I'm not sure: Tantris replied. :I'm also getting a lot of strange emotions
and especially a lot of pain coming from her. I think she may have some of
the Gifts.: he said.
The Companion nickered in reply. :I've had a word with some of the other
Companions and she does indeed have a very strong Empathic Gift, both
receptive and broadcasting. She also has a strong Mindspeech Gift as well
as the Bardic Gift: Tantris could have sworn his Companion was laughing at
him.
:Now why would I do something like that?: his Companion replied merrily,
having caught the last thought.
Tantris just smiled and gently gathered the woman in his arms. With a nod,
Delian knelt to make it easier for his Chosen to mount. Once he'd done so, the
Companion rose gracefully and headed for the Healers.
At the Healer's Collegium, Vanyel met him at the door, taking the woman carefully
into his arms as Tantris dismounted. Giving his friend an odd look, Tantris took
the woman back and went through the door to the waiting Healers. Refusing to give
her to any of the others who were perhaps more able to carry her, he was led to
a waiting bed where he laid her gently down and covered her with the proffered
blanket.
"I'm sorry but you won't be able to stay, we need to be completely uninterrupted,"
the Healer in charge said firmly when it looked like Tantris was going to stay.
Looking between Vanyel and the Healer, Tantris sighed and nodded acquiesence.
"All right but if there's any change, I want to be the first to know. I will be
waiting..." he trailed off distractedly and went with the Herald-Mage to make his
report as the Healer nodded.
Vanyel spoke to the Healer in charge briefly before joining him, ensuring the man's
discretion in the matter of the strange woman.
Out in the corridor, Tantris slumped against the wall and sighed. Rubbing a hand
over his face, he wondered what had come over him. He was a grown man for Haven's
sake, he told himself. Why all of a sudden was he so interested in a stranger's
fate? Even if he had been the one to find her. He was shaken from his musings by a
hand on his shoulder. Looking up, it was Vanyel, who'd stood forgotten, waiting for
his friend.
"Come to my rooms and we'll talk about it there. Savil's in a Council meeting and
the others are out on Circuit. We won't be interrupted," he said quietly.
Tantris nodded and followed the Herald-Mage in silence. As they walked, he remained
immersed deep in thought, only just stopping himself from walking into his friend's
back as they came to the suite Vanyel shared with his aunt and some of her students.
Beckoning Tantris to precede him into the rooms and take a seat, Vanyel closed the
door and warded the room carefully, making sure that no-one could overhear in case
there was more to the situation than first appeared.
