Chapte 35: As the sun sets...

Rowland had just returned from a meeting at the Collegium and was now heading towards the palace for the meeting with the Heraldic Circle. As he walked, Rowland pondered the discourse of the meeting at the Collegium. It had to do with a new recruit for the Guard, one Simon Dewwart. It quickly became known this fellow was a bit of a miscreant. He was from the orphanage at Beldorn where Fenix, Aine, and Jewellyn came from. Apparently an 'Aunt Tildy' there, as she was known, was an inadvertent and unfortunate victim of one of Simon Dewwart's latest bullying escapades. As Simon was bullying one of the younger children, Aunt Tildy had tried to intervene, and had received a solid punch in the face. Enraged, and not one to just let things happen to her, she had promptly wrestled Simon to the ground and sat on his stomach; and she wasn't going to move either! Aunt Tildy had one of the children summon the Guard. It then came about that Aunt Tildy figured Simon could use a good dose of 'reality medicine' as it were; hence his arrival at Haven. The basic training they underwent would either make or break him.

The main reason of the meeting, however, had to do with the fact that during his interview and orientation process, Simon had told them that in fact, he was greatly concerned about this 'Aunt Tildy'. When further queried Simon reported that he had seen a rather odd looking figure which apparently was 'spying' on the night-doings at the orphanage two nights in a row. The first night, Simon reported that he was lying in bed, unable to sleep, and had seen someone slowly rise up to view in his bedroom window. Startled and shocked, Simon rose up and simultaneously this person disappeared rather abruptly from sight. Simon told them that he was too scared at that point to further investigate. The second night, however, Simon managed to sneak outside to see if this would happen again. He had managed to hide in a bush nearby, and sure enough, about a candlemark or two later, the 'spy' had returned. This time Simon noticed he was heading in the direction of Aunt Tildy's quarters at the left front side of the building. The rogue had attempted to view into Aunt Tildy's window as well. Simon had dared not move, so he said, and remained there until morning. The bullying incident had occurred one day after that second night of the spying. Despite the doubts about Simon's credibility, Rowland had sent out a couple of the Guards out there to watch over the orphanage at night. But of course, Aunt Tildy was informed that the Guards were on the lookout for a thief who had been stealing much of the surrounding farmer's potatoes and rutabagas.

Rowland had finally arrived at the Palace and was heading towards the King's chamber and some of the adjoining meeting rooms.

Now seating himself in the Lesser Council room, Rowland began to muse upon recent events outside the Collegium. Rowland knew, as well as the other members of the Heraldic circle that the ploy of attempting to draw Valdemar's forces in closer to Karse, was an old one. The Bandits had been ruthless and indiscriminate before but more and more they were going for the 'jugular' by murdering children. The incident at Knoll's Ridge still turned his stomach when he thought of it. He had heard wind though that now there was an unusually deceptive tactic being employed; that the Karse enemy was lying in wait, apparently somewhere else at an unknown location. Also, there was this disturbing news that almost everyone in Karse seems to have inexplicably vanished. They had apparently raised a shield as well, therefore the foreseers and farseers were having quite the time getting any intelligence; it was being effectively blocked. Never before had this shield been used on such a massive scale. The Karsites had used it on their spies and soldiers at times, but when caught by the Valdemar forces, the truth spell was able to penetrate it quite easily. This shield however, was different, stronger, and more encompassing; it seemed to cover the whole capital of Karse's Sunhame. Attempts at infiltration and spying by some of Valdemar's elite and specially trained Heralds was already underway. Very little information had been gathered. None of the Companions seemed to be able to get any information thus far either. How and why they had pulled this latest stunt was a mystery that worried the Council more than anything else that had happened before.

Rowland surveyed those who were in attendance at the long awaited update at this latest meeting. They were all a little nervous and quiet for now as they awaited the arrival of King Theran. Rowland's thick eyebrows arched a little as he noticed Bard Ulwyyn was absent. As far as he knew no one knew or had been notified of the reason of his abscence. The Bard was always good at maintaining communication and contact. Jevan Piers, Captain of the Guard was here, nervously drumming his fingers on the table, attracting annoyed looks from the Lord Marshal and others. This time, King Theran's son Clevis was in attendance, much older and regal looking now, having seen some battle experience. He had the unique gift of fetching, and was able to expand this ability greatly by using the help of Herald Tran, one of the more adept of the farseers. Clevis looked comfortable as usual, and he was eager to hear this latest news and then he would be more than ready to do something about it.

King Theran was conversing with Jedin in his chamber, now pondering about when Clevis would take over the throne of Valdemar. He looked out the window, gazing as if he should be able to see something defining out there, then deciding he could not see it, turned his attention back inwards. I am quite confident my son will do very well as a King, with his intelligence and intuition, in fact-

"I am sorry, Theran, but you seem rather distracted." Jedin was one of the two who would just call him Theran. The other person was Queen Phyllis. He looked at the King with concern.

"Pardon me Jedin, I was thinking about the future a little."

Rolan, Jedin's Companion, intervened. :He is concerned about his mortality, and what will happen afterwards.: The Companions did not often share thoughts about individuals with other than their own Chosen. In this case however, they all shared an intimacy developed through all the trials they had been through.

"I think we all are, Theran. However, this is a little more personal perhaps?" Jedin again looked at the King with the eyes of a true and sincere friend.

"Yes it is. I am unusually worried and anxious, yet at the same time I am confident of Valdemar's future." The King stood up and said, "Jedin, it is time, in more ways than one."

Jedin stood up too and they went out to the meeting to discuss the future of Valdemar.

The future can be unyielding and uncertain at times, yet it seemed very certain that things would become radically changed, and rather tense in the ensuing months. Off in the distance, a little could be seen in the spectral and graceful white form of a Companion, standing on a hill in the Companion's field as the sky began to darken. In a crimson and pastel blue sky, tinged with clouds having flame as their lining, the large red sun began to set on yet another day of Valdemar.

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Koromiel: And there's another chapter! We looooove comments! Anything to say today, Phoenix?

Phoenix: hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Koromiel: I guess that's a "no". Ah well, till next time!