A/N: Hey all! NaNoWriMo is finally over! I got 50k but didn't finish (as usual). hugs NaNo story I'm gonna finish it up before I work on other stories, there are so many I want to write right now! ;D. Well... thanks to:
ShadowHunter Mashell and I Forget for reviewing the last chapter!

Haven is a beautiful place in winter. It's a beautiful place in the other seasons but somehow… winter has always captured its beauty in a gentle way that the other seasons can't seem to pin down.

From afar, the city spreads out like a city made of snow, magical and untouchable, like something out of the tales. Inside, it's even more magical, if possible. Snow almost always lines the streets, like fairy dust on everything, and icicles hang down from every possible place like glass ornaments. Moral and cheer is high, with holly and bells strung out on every bit of decoratable house and storefront. Candies are being sold at every corner and carolers flock the streets, singing Midwinter songs with cheer and joy.

Of course, I suppose I don't see the slums, the areas where the snow has no where to go and turns brown from the dirt, where the people are too poor to afford gifts or decorations… where the cold kills one of every five people who can't get the clothing or shelter they need… But, as I was once told in a life a long time ago- if there's beauty, enjoy it, and if there's suffering, be aware of it, but that doesn't mean you can't still enjoy the beauty.

Teryl, meanwhile, was fascinated. She'd never been to Haven, so I can't blame her. I led the way, and it was only Lucy and Jack's companionship that kept Teryl with me. Her eyes were as round as the glass globes hanging from trees and it brought a smile to my face when I saw her expression. But it was a bitter smile, because I knew she wasn't coming to stay.

We stopped just before entering the Collegium, where a small market fair had been set up. Now that I was home, my sense of urgency was gone, and I felt I could stop to let her have a bit of fun- that was what we were here for after all. Right afterwards I could bring her to the Collegium and get myself changed back- she could stay, and I'm sure the Heralds would understand and lend her a spare room- if not, I could and would pay for her to have a hotel room and if she needed it or wished it, an escort back to her home… yet I felt sad that I would have to betray her like such and I think that may have also been delaying my feet and words.

We left Jack and Lucy at a local stable and paid a silver to keep them there before going to the fair. I took Teryl's hand so we wouldn't lose each other in the crowd and together our breath steamed out in puffy clouds in the glowing, candle lit fun in the fading light.

"It's so amazing," Teryl whispered, staring around at everything and holding tight to my hand, "We have fairs at home, but nothing like this. If only I could take a bit back to share!"

"You could take back a cookie," I said with a grin, buying two gingerbread men from a stand and tossing one fresh and steaming man shaped cookie into her hands.

She laughed and we sat down on a few abandoned barrels off to the side between two booths to eat the cookies. I burnt my tongue on mine, but ate it quickly anyway. Now cookies are one thing I've always like as a Companion as well, and the gingery taste brought back memories of past Midwinters, with my mother's Herald bringing us Midwinter treats.

And that reminded me of the Field- so close and yet so far and I looked around, almost expecting to hear a jingle of bridle bells and a Herald riding through, but there were none, although I could see the blue and silver of the Guard wandering about here and there.

"Daneric!" Teryl said suddenly and leapt to her feet and I jumped after her, shoving the gingerbread man's last leg into my mouth the chase after her.

"Teryl!" I said, cursing softly under my breath but not really mad.

"Let's sing!" she said as I caught up and I saw a scrap of paper in her hand and looked around to find myself in the midst of a group of carolers. I shrugged defeated and she pulled me close to we could both read the words scribbled onto the paper.

"I am walking with a ghost," she sang and I felt a cold chill run down my back- and not from the dropping temperature.

"I am walking with a ghost. When I say no, please stop and listen," I turned to stare at Teryl, but she didn't seem to notice me. It was as if time was slowing down and I heard nothing but her voice softly piercing the silence with grace and beauty- if those words can be applied to music.

She didn't have Heraldic Gifts. She had the Bardic Gift. Now that I was looking for it, I could see it, burning brightly in her like a flame that would never die. And now too- that I knew of the connection between her and Dash, I could see an invisible line stretching out into the distance, and down that bond I raced, spinning through a spiritual world until I saw Dash in my mind. Burning in him too- was a flame.

My heart sank to my stomach. Of course. Of course! Even when half the puzzle came into place I still hadn't seen the other half! If I were human I would have slapped myself, but I was a Companion, yet a true Companion would never have made the mistakes I made.

They were Dash's Gifts. He had dream sensing, he had animal Mindspeech, he had telepathy! How had I not noticed it, all those times he said things and it looked like he wasn't speaking? How hadn't I noticed the way Teryl had phrased things?- like she was spouting off information read in a book. She was repeating him, all those comments about dreams and the vultures, (she had said so, hadn't she?), were his. That dream- the one with the field druid that so resembled Teryl, it was his dream, not hers.

He was the Herald, true to the bone. He was the one making sacrifices, he must have known, somehow, that I wanted to Choose Teryl, and he knew that he might be saying goodbye forever when I took her away to Haven. He was the one accepting responsibility, being brave… How could I have not seen it?

I moaned and felt a touch on my shoulder and opened my blue Companion eyes to see Teryl staring at me.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Oh she was sweet all right but she wasn't a Herald.

I leapt to my feet, not even wondering when I had sat down. I had to be changed back now. I needed to get back to Dash, or Dacian, which was his real name; my brief touch with his soul had revealed to me all sorts of information. I knew, deep in me, that Dacian was my Chosen. It wasn't the sort of oh she's nice and has good qualities I had experienced with Teryl, but a deep, aching love for him.

I started running, pushing through the crowds, and only partially in the back of my mind did I notice Teryl running after me, calling my name, my Companion name.

"I'm a Companion!" I shouted wildly, pushing past the crowds, "I'm a Companion!"