Queen's Own: Now we're back to the road! Sorry about the odd order of the last two chaps!

Ulia: We own nadda, zip, Malkum, Jay, Kenin, Dena and that's all folks!

Chapter Seven: Still on the Road (Surprise!)

Jay rolled herself up in her cloak and leaned up against Kenin. Dena was stretched out in front of the fire she'd painstakingly coaxed to life. Malkum was past Dena in Jay's bedroll. "Certain you are?" he asked doubtfully. Jay sighed.

"I'm fine," she assured her lifebonded for the third time in as many minutes. "I've slept in worse." With that, she dropped her head and closed her eyes. It had been a long day and she was exhausted. Dena stretched lazily.

:Liar,: he said, amused. :But she'll be fine, stubborn as she is.:

"Like a hearthrug, you look," Malkum said, amused. Dena fixed with one eye, a reflection of the flame in its depths.

:Cheery.: Malkum laughed quietly and closed his eyes, ready to doze off. But sleep didn't come as quickly as he liked. His eyes opened again in minutes, resting quickly on the sleeping Herald across the room. She looked sound asleep, curled in her cloak. Kenin was curled around her as though she was a foal. When she felt Malkum's gaze, she lifted her head and met his eyes.

He was both unnerved and comforted by that calm blue stare. The clear humanity shining out of a horse's eyes as well as something that was above and beyond humans startled him. Yet the calmness of her gaze, as well as the fact that it contained no malice or anger comforted him. Kenin had made her peace with them.

After a moment, Kenin closed her eyes. A gentle voice floated across his mind. :You'll do, Sunpriest. You'll do.: The approval warmed him.

The fire popped, releasing sparks up the chimney. Seconds later, snow fell from the roof landing with a wet thud. Jay's eyes flew open. Instantly, Malkum's gaze fell back to her. Jay, noticing his eyes on her, smiled sheepishly.

"Battlefield reflexes," she explained, somewhat embarrassed. "Annoying, but useful." Malkum couldn't think of a response. As a result, silence spanned the distance between them, seeming to stretch for hours. Malkum realized he was staring and hurriedly looked away, blushing.

As he stared into the fire, his thoughts wandered. Woman had never before commanded any of his attention. He had never taken any vows of chastity; they had never seemed worth the effort when he was already practically celibate anyway. Now, all of a sudden, there was Jay. She was a Herald, an enemy of his country. She and her Companion were the stuff of every Karsite child's nightmares, every warning that a mother gave disobedient children. He himself had been weaned on horrific tales of the Demonriders of Valdemar. And yet, this woman now captured all of his attention, waking and sleeping. She was strong, independent and beautiful. That and so much more drew him to her, in a way he'd never before been drawn to any human being. He didn't realize his brow was furrowing in confusion.

:Why am I always the babysitter for idiotic, blinded priests? Why do I always have to explain anything!?: Dena looked sound asleep, but his Voice was anything but.

Malkum ignored the cat- or at least tried to. He succeeded –mostly- but only by focusing his attention back on Jay. Her eyes were still drowsy, hair and clothing rumpled. She had, however, shifted so she was sitting up, using Kenin as a backrest. She looks so innocent now, he thought.

Realizing that he was staring, he quickly turned his attention back onto the fire. As the fire popped again, he watched the sparks fly, red hot. And two words inserted themselves into his mind: Traitors Burn.

The words echoed in his head, an ill omen. He fell into an unknowing trance, staring at the flames, the words echoing in his head.

Jay –who had discreetly been studying him as well- was concerned to find that his eyes had focused on the fire, and he was staring at it, unblinking. Quietly, she shed her blankets and padded across the room to him. Crouching next to him, she gently laid a hand on his shoulder. He jumped and she met his warm brown eyes.

"Are you all right?" she said, never moving from his gaze. Dazed, he nodded. She smiled. Slowly, she began to lean towards him. One of his hands moved, as though of its own will, to cup her cheek. Her hand moved from his shoulder to his neck. Their faces were inches away now.

:Isn't this a lovely picture.: Dena's sarcastic voice startled them apart, blushing furiously. Kenin glared at the cat. :What? Is it my fault if I want some sleep?:

:You stupid cat,: Kenin said, blocking the conversation from Jay. :You stupid, idiotic-:

:I want some sleep!: Dena could not be dissuaded. The Companion settled with sending him a mental snort.

Jay realized that, now that she was out of her cloak and no longer sharing Kenin's body heat, she was actually fairly cold. With this realization, she started shivering. Instantly, Malkum was on his feet.

"Cold, you are," he said, concerned, his hand once more coming up to cup her cheek.

"I'm fine," Jay insisted, still shivering. "Really, I'm-" Her words were cut off as Malkum –at a mental nudge from Dena- wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him. The move was bold and he felt embarrassed doing it. But as Jay rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her own arms around his waist, he practically glowed with happiness.

"Take the bedroll, you should," he said quietly after the Herald had stopped shivering.

"I'm fine," Jay protested again. "Don't worry- I've got Kenin."

:Heralds. Always too self-sacrificing and stubborn for their own good.: Dena sounded annoyed. :I have a wonderful idea. Why don't you share Kenin and the bedroll?:

"Asleep, I thought you were," Malkum said irritably, arms still wrapped around the Herald.

:I would be if you two weren't so loud,: Dena retorted. :Since you two need so much advice, I can't go to sleep until you resolve the problem. So resolve it and go to sleep!:

"Sharing body heat might be a good idea," Jay admitted, not moving her head from his shoulder. "Especially since it's going to get colder."

"Colder?!" Jay almost laughed at the Sunpriest's surprise.

:Much.: Trust Dena to come up with a comforting answer.

"A good idea, I think he has," Malkum admitted finally. "If," he added quickly. "Alright with you, it is."

"I think it is," she said, lifting her head and meeting the Sunpriest's eyes.

Neither one moved. Finally, Dena completely lost patience with the two of them. :Humans! Worse than anything else with their damned cuddling!: Jay and Malkum started as he vanished.

Before they could react, the bedroll appeared across the room next to Kenin, with Dena seated on top of it. Jay looked over Malkum's shoulder. The bedroll was no longer there. She blinked. "Dena can Fetch?" Malkum looked at her blankly.

:She'll explain in the morning,: Dena said irritably. :Now-: He vanished again. Suddenly, Jay felt a warm, furry body rub against her leg. She had enough time to whisper a curse before her stomach dropped and she was on the bedroll, once more next to Kenin.

"Dena, you bastard!" Hot fury rushed through her. How dare he- The Firecat looked up from where he lounged across her legs.

:Go to sleep.:

"Absolutely not! How dare you?!"

:Sleep, blue jay.:

Jay stiffened. :Don't call me that, Dena.:

:As you wish. Now will you please just sleep!:

:Fine!:

Jay rolled over to face away from Malkum. A look of confusion darted across the Sunpriest's face, but he had little time to dwell on it before sleep took a gentle but firm hold.

Jay on the other hand, was in the hold –not of sleep- but of guilt. Guilt that took the face of a slender, brown-eyed, black-haired, handsome Herald, currently on circuit near the Holderkin. His name was Fas and he had been her lover. He thought they still were lovers. And he had been her friend for years before that. She didn't want to hurt him.

Guilt had a heavy hold on her heart as she slipped into sleep.

She was no longer a little girl, but a grown woman and a Herald. She'd just gotten home from circuit on the Karsite Border. The fact that she'd been given circuit down there had still had her floating on air. The Heralds completely trusted her not to desert them for her former home.

Right now, she was sitting and leaning against Tilar's white side under a tree in the Companion's field. She played with the grass under her toes as she laughed at a joke Jhon had just made. Jhon had been her yearmate and her good friend since the day they'd met. Now that friendship was looking to develop into something more, a direction she was all too willing to let it take.

:Kenaen,: Tilar said. :Don't wander.: She dutifully turned her mind back to what Jhon was saying.

He laughed at something his Companion, Dylia, had said, Then, his blue eyes locked with her brown ones. And they said everything she wanted them to. They smiled. And kissed.

Jay woke with a start. "Kenin," she whispered. Her Companion didn't reply. Her realization made it impossible for her to sleep, and she lay awake for the rest of the night, thinking.


A/N: The fluff will start coming in small increments. What you think? Please review and I will have the next chap out ASAP, probably within a week. Zhai'helleva! Queen's Own