Poisoned Arrow
(Disclaimer: I don't own the world of Valdemar and am making no profit from this story.)
Spring was dancing joyfully into Haven, the sun was warmly hugging everything it touched as the day went on. Alberich was grateful for the warmth and easing of stiffness that came with age. He shook his head and sighed, never would he have believed he would live to this age. He had been a warrior, striving into battle for his country, then a traitor tossed into a land that should have reviled rather than welcomed him. The nights spent sulking in dark places and alleys were his life was of less value than what someone thought he might have. A thousand times he should have fallen, a hundred times he should have gone to haven, instead he had grown old. His body ached worse each winter and the ghosts of the past whispered louder, their chorus growing each year.
Why had he come to this age when others had not? How many of those bright eyed students had he sent to bleed and die in battles over the years? How many friends had he listened to the death bell wail for? His heart was heavy today, even the children's laughter did little to lighten the weight that settled into his soul. How many of these children would be called to do battle? Still he watched the group dance through the square with the jubilant grace of youth on a warm spring day. The first fair of the season had everyone in a merry mood but the children seemed determined to make up for every moment of confinement winter had forced on them.
A boy with sun gold hair and a quick smile reminded him of another boy too handsome by half, a good student, one of the best, but ambush defeated every bit of training Alberich had spent on the youth. A group playing at a game batting a rock about with sticks brought another dark memory, the game the students played, the game that had died the same day Elspeth's father had. How many had he failed? And what of those that could never learn? One of those students was safe from everything but dust and the occasional book worm. The other, a smile lifted the corner of his mouth, that one was something else all together, the girl had a country that would protect her, their ray of sunshine and hope. But two of how many?
The child fell against him, the near white ringlets soft and silken the little body light as a snowflake when he bent to lift her to her feet. Pure blue eyes almost the same color as a companion's looked up at him with the trust of a child who had never known fear. He brushed one ringlet from her eye's and smiled, "Where be you headed in such a rush small one?"
"I wanna see the copan...compan..." The delicate face scrunched up in thought as the child tried to say the long word,
"Companions?" He guessed the child was perhaps four years, maybe five but small for her age.
"Uh Huh." Ringlets bounced as she nodded and smiled again. "I wanna pet one."
Pain streamed through him, images flashed through his mind as the child slid from his grip and started off toward the companion that stood placidly on the other side of the square letting children pet her. The death bell roared in his brain, mixing with the screams of companions dying in the field, pain, so much pain as companions fell dead and their heralds screamed counterpoint to death bell. And all of it swirled around the image of a child's tiny hand against a companion's leg. The same tiny child he had just held.
But how? What threat did the child hold? What...
Elspeth. Her pale hair and pure blue eyes exposure to magic had bleached the color from her brown hair and eyes. All companions were linked to the web, a death spell on one could spread to all. But a child? Was she the one or was it another who would reach the companion at the same time? Alberich began to chase after the girl, more images blossoming in his mind, Kantor rearing up in agony, eyes wide and throat giving voice to the pain they shared. He swallowed hard, the little girl was a poisoned arrow aimed at the very heart of Valdemar. Kill the companions and their heralds and you took out the best defense of Valdemar. Leaving a gaping wound that enemies could use.
Could he reach the arrow before it reached it's target? Could he break the arrow? The tiny child with soft ringlets and a charming smile, a faint lisp, the child that somehow carried death in her hands. There just feet in front of him the pale curls gleamed in the sun, so small and fragile. Just feet in front of the child Ahrodie stood patiently, unaware of the arrow aimed at her, at all companions.
Alberich reached out, the curls tickled his hand as he grabbed her slender neck, pulling her back. Tiny shriek of surprise, as he pulled the girl to him, carrying her away from the companion as quickly as he could. Surprise turned to tears of fear, or was it anger of being denied her victim. A silent conversation with Kantor, who in turn warned all the companions to stay away as the pair entered the gates heading straight for the mage school.
The child was now in a full storm of tears, fear radiated from her as Talia opened her arms and the child went willingly. Soothing coos as Elspeth and Darkwind studied the child, flashes of anger and fear alternating in their pale eyes. Talia sung a lullaby softly and cleaned the tear stained cheeks, letting the exhausted child fall asleep against her breast. Stressed whispers between Elspeth and Darkwind for a long moment then an apology to Talia as Darkwind surrounded the pair within a trap. No chance could be taken with the child.
Alberich shook with rage as he listened to the pair, a child, a tiny innocent life had been infused with magic. A spell woven from the moment of conception, a spell that stank of blood and death, a spell designed to make the child poison to all companions. Late into the nights the council argues about the child's fate.
Only Darkwind can offer a solution, the child cannot be cleansed so she must be gotten far away from any companion. The city of White Gryphon had mages and mind healers to help the child, teach her as she grew and with no companions to set off the spell.There she would have a chance to grow up free from the monster's that crafted her, free to find her on destiny.
Far, far away from Valdemar a tiny poison arrow would be held carefully and trained to perhaps one day return to the heart of those that had created it. Or Alberich found himself hoping, perhaps they would find away to wash the poison away forever. As dawn came he walked back to the room where Talia slept in a chair still holding the sleeping child. She looked so fragile, a whisper of life against the overwhelming threat of death, "Please Vkandis let your light shine on this child."
Alberich turned away to see if he could help with the arrangements to spirit the girl from Valdemar. Stopping as he noticed the room grow brighter. A single golden ray of light that streamed through a window and gently hugged the Queen's own and the child. Alberich smiled then, the weight lifted from his heart for a moment. Children should be free to laugh and live. He saw an image of the girl just a few years older, the ringlets now long curls damp with sea spray as she raced laughing through lapping waves on a sandy beach, sun shining bright on her and a strange white city carved into a cliff.
The old warrior looked up at the sunlit window , "Thank you."