Summary: So you're a Herald patrolling the Karsite Border. You're missing your lover back home when you get sent to rescue a fellow Herald. When you take a Karsite Sunpriest captive, the last thing you expect is to be playing 52 card pick up with your life. Companion's secrets and one long road trip await Herald Jay…
Disclaimer: Mercedes Lackey owns everything you recognize.
Chapter One: Of Spying and Sneaking
There are many myths of Heralds, charging heroically into battle upon their pristine white Companions to vanquish the foe with magic and some flashy sword tricks. The ballads and legends never mentioned the part of the job that involved crouching in the mud, cold and wet from repeated slips in that mud. It didn't help that the only cover on the entire hill was a few low, leafless shrubs, even for a short slender Herald.
:Ah: a wry voice commented. :The joys of Karse in early spring.:
:It can't be spring,: Herald Jay said. :That would imply warmth and green. All I see is cold and brown.: Her Companion, Kenin, let out a purely mental laugh from where she was hidden on the other side of the hill.
:The sooner we get a count,: Kenin commented idly. :The sooner we get back to camp.: Her Chosen sighed.
:Aye, aye, Captain,: she said, sarcasm dripping from her mindvoice. Despite her sarcasm, she snuck to the crest of the hill and, from behind yet another leafless shrub, extended her Farsight –which was minimal and could only sharpen her eyes to magnify what she could already see- and looked at the small Karsite village.
Jay was fairly proud of her assignment. Because of her Gifts –strong Mindspeech, Farsight, and quirky Fetching that could do things like trip latches on doors- she had been stationed on the Karsite Border for the last six months, spying on small Border villages to get troop counts and signs of priestly action. Karse had been fairly quiet lately; the Tedrel Wars had only been a few years ago. Still, as Weaponsmaster Alberich and Dethor before him had said a hundred times, caution always paid.
This village was nothing out of the ordinary. :Four squads of Sunsguard,: she informed her Companion dutifully. :A captain –pretty awful looking if you ask me- who's old enough not to be green, and a Sunpriest.:
:Sunpriest: Kenin asked.
:He's young,: Jay told her, sharpening her Sight to get a better look at the black robed figure standing with the captain in the village square. They were reviewing the troops from the look of it, making it all the more convenient for her. :He doesn't look more than 3 years older than me- 24 at most. Typical Karsite features. Wouldn't stand out in a crowd there.:
:Any Fires?: Kenin asked.
:Hang on,: Jay said. Staying low, she began to circle the village, to ensure she wasn't missing anything. As she slipped again and again in the mud, she heaved a purely mental sigh. It was going to be a long day.
It was nearing sundown when they had finally finished. Unfortunately, she was across the village from Kenin. :Wait before you come around,: Kenin said. :I'm going to pass the information to Mores.:
:Not Rolan?: Jay asked, confused momentarily. Then she remembered. :Oh: Rolan had left on Search three days ago. :I guess I'm a bit out of touch out here,: she said guiltily.
Kenin sent a smile before disengaging gently from her mind to send their information to Mores, the Companion whose Herald commanded the Guard outpost they were camped with. Jay found a relatively dry patch of dirt and sat, leaning against yet another leafless shrub and wrapping her arms around her knees. The first time it had happened, she assumed she'd get used to it. Yet the Gods only know how many villages later, she still felt horribly vulnerable whenever Kenin left her mind. She knew that all she would have to do was send out a mental 'scream' but that didn't shake the fact that she was sitting on a hillside above a populated village on the wrong side of the Karsite Border.
She smoothed earlobe-length hair nervously away from her face. I need to cut it, she thought absently. It was getting in her eyes. Sighing, she rested her chin on her knees. At least I'm not wearing Whites, she thought, not for the first time. She instead was dressed in a worn shirt and breeches. With her normally brown hair dyed black, her skin darkened slightly with make-up and her breasts bound, she would –at a passing glance- pass for just another young Karsite boy. And as she didn't expect to let anyone close enough for more than simply a glance, she should feel disguised. Yet, she didn't.
A wave of relief greeted Kenin's greeting several moments later. :Sorry to be gone so long,: Kenin said.
:It's alright,: Jay said. :It's just stupid nerves.:
:They're not stupid,: Kenin scolded slightly. :You're a Herald in Karse. I'm surprised we're not shaking in terror.: Jay sent back a mental laugh.
:Well you won't be shaking much longer. I'm on my way: she said, standing and brushing off her clothes. Carefully, she began to make her way around the outskirts of the village. The mud was a little less slippery now, as it had been in the sun –albeit not warm sun- all day. The sun was hovering on the edge of the horizon as she neared the place where Kenin was.
:I'm moments from you,: she said. :Be there-: Her mindvoice broke off as she looked up towards her Companion's hiding place.
Standing between her and Kenin was a figure in black robes. Jay froze, brown eyes growing even larger in her face. And then the Sunpriest –for it must have been a Sunpriest- turned and looked straight at her.
Time froze for an instant. Then Jay was in motion, pulling a dagger from its wrist sheath and calling Kenin.
:What do I do?: she asked, panic kept clearly to the edges.
:Don't kill him,: was Kenin's immediate response. :Not if you can help it. I would like to –bastards, all of them- but we do need to come back and it wouldn't help if they tighten security- or worse decide to retaliate.: Jay swallowed. The prospects of such retaliation weren't good. Their Guard outpost outmatched these four squads, but if they called for help- no better not to chance it.
:Hopefully he'll think I'm out catching game,: Jay said. She slid the dagger back into its sheath, though ready to drop directly into her hand.
She met the Sunpriest's eyes, already thinking of a lie –she was a bastard, the product of a Valdemarean soldiers rape if he asked, checking traps, hunting game, gathering plants-
He had his mouth open, no doubt to challenge her-
But then, somehow, their eyes met and locked. And then she was drowning those twin pools of deep amber- and somehow, that wasn't a bad thing-
:Chosen: Kenin's mindvoice broke in sharply. :What-:
The spell of those eyes broken, Jay turned away. The Sunpriest was still stunned- apparently he'd experienced something similar. Though the tug of her duty and of her waiting Companion pulled strongly, she couldn't bring herself to run like she should.
"Sunpriest Malkum!" a harsh voice called. "We need you for Sundown services." The Sunpriest looked from Jay to the village, then back.
She bowed slightly. "Go, I need to," she said, praying she wouldn't stumble over the awkward Karsite. "Check snares, I must." His eyes were confused, as he waved her away.
"With Vkandis' blessing go," he said, dazed. With that dismissal, Jay turned and ran. She sprinted as fast as she could, until she reached Kenin. Once there, she vaulted easily onto the Companion's bare back and grabbed a double fistful of mane as the Companion lurched into a ground-devouring gallop. It wasn't until they were safely within Valdemar's borders that Kenin halted.
:What happened there?: she demanded. :What were you thinking Chosen?:
:I don't know,: Jay confessed. :It was so-:
:You were foolish,: Kenin said curtly. :I don't care what it was- you don't stare into the enemy's eyes, Jay!:
:I know,: Jay said, feeling an embarrassed flush creep the freckles liberally sprinkling her nose and cheeks. Suddenly, the Sunpriest's last words hit her, and she doubled over laughing. :He wished me Vkandis' blessing!: Tears made tracks in her face paint as she laughed. Kenin unbent enough to send a tiny tendril of humor.
Tension partially dissolved, Kenin picked up a lope to get them back to their camp. Even at her pace, though, the sun was all the way down before they reached the place that had been 'home' for the last months.
Jay hailed all the guards by name- there were Mo, Eva, Jakson, Drake, Sera and Persi guarding tonight- before sliding off Kenin's back inside the camp. She gave the Companion a good grooming, and it wasn't until Kenin scolded her for stalling that she put the grooming box away and went to report to Vena –Mores' Chosen and her commander.
Vena insisted on thorough reports and it was a candlemark before an exhausted Jay could go get food and clean up. Later, stomach full and smelling faintly of the peppermint used to scent the soap she'd used, Jay curled up under a blanket in her tent. As soon as her eyes closed, her mind went straight to the Sunpriest. Those dark eyes seemed tattoed to the inside of her eyelids, and one question was branded in her brain.
What exactly did happen back there?...
Queen's Own: So how do you all like the repost? I know it's still really short, but it's more than double the length of what I wrote last time, and I don't want to combine chapters or go too far beyond what the first set said. I hope you appreciate this- I know I prefer it vastly to what I spit out last time. Until next chapter!