Chapter eleven.
Tarsha was up before dawn and settled at the table with a mug of tea, letting her weather senses take stock of the storm that was coming. She wanted to make sure that Jess and Sena had enough time to get to Haven with out getting caught in it.
She smiled as Jess stumbled out of Sena's stall and gave her a mug of tea and patiently waited for her to wake up a little more.
"You should have just enough time to get to Haven before the storm." She informed her sister. "But only by a few candlemarks."
"But the storm will strike here first, right?" Jess asked rubbing at her eyes.
"Yes, it will hit in two days. When you get to Haven let Travis know that you got there okay, he'll find a way to let me know."
"The bond between you two is really strong isn't it?" Jess chuckled.
"It's getting there yes." She nodded. "It's to the point we can send short images to each other once we've made contact. He knows you've been chosen and is waiting for you."
"We'll at least some one is waiting for me." Jess shook her head in amusement. "Here is the letter for Daniel." She handed over a thick letter. "I better head in and get everything for my trip." She gulped down her tea and stood slowly.
"You'll do fine, Jess." Tarsha assured her softly when she hesitated. She watched as Jess left the stables for the inn and made her way to where Sena was waiting. "You know there is a big storm coming?" She asked the companion and smiled when she nodded. "You have two days before it hits here, maybe a little less. It is going to be a bad one, you are going to have to travel fast to get Jess to Haven before it hits." Sena nodded again and Tarsha knew that she understood completely. "You take good care of my sister, and let Hestia and Rolan know when you get into Haven, or if you get into any trouble." She stroked the soft velvet nose. "Safe journey Sena."
It wasn't long before the family that was still at the inn amassed in the stable to see Jess off, after making sure that she was wearing the warmest clothing she had. Her saddle bags were tightly tied to the saddle and she mounted.
"You keep an eye out for your Pa as you pass through the village and tell him goodbye." Ma ordered sternly.
"Here I was going to give you these later, but…" Tarsha shrugged and handed Jess a pair wool lined gloved and thick socks. "You are going to need them."
"Thank you." Jess gave everyone a small smile as she pulled the gloves on.
"I added a few letters for the others in Haven for you to pass out." Ma added and gave her leg a pat. "Safe journey you two."
"Here, you know how to use it." Griff said gruffly as he handed her a thin blade, sheath and belt. "I'm not sending out any one in this family with out a little protection."
Jess nodded in understanding and placed the sword belt around her waist.
"Travel, fast and safe." Tarsha whispered to Sena and they all watched as Sena cantered out of the stables and was quickly out of sight.
"Oh dear I forgot, how long before the storm hits?" James asked in concern.
"About a day and half." Tarsha said softly. "Sena travelling fast should get them to Haven a full half day before the storm hits the city." She gave a comforting smile to her mother who looked very worried. "Don't fret so Ma, Companions can travel a lost faster and further then any horse can when they have to."
"Yes but does Sena know?"
"Of course she does, I told her." She nodded firmly looking a little put out that her mother would think that she wouldn't warn the Companion.
"Sorry Tarsha, I'm just worried."
"I know." Tarsha gave her mother's shoulders a squeeze. "Is everything ready for the storm?" She asked looking around at her other siblings. I'll be keeping an eye on it all day, so we'll have a little warning if it speeds up."
"Nearly, Devid and I just need to finish the wood piles for every one." James nodded. "All the stock are in the barn, with Uncle Griff and Steph to watch over them when he gets back."
"Annabell and I are starting the large stew pots for those not in the inn when the storm hits." Ma added with a smile. "Oh I have those blankets you asked for too." She handed over a large pile of thick blankets. "I have another stack for those in the barn."
"Then all we have to do is wait for Pa to get back with the rest of the supplies." James nodded. "Until then we can relax."
OOOOOO
Tarsha worked with the other girls late into the night placing small stacks of logs near the many braziers in the stables and refilling the lamps. They made sure that all doors, windows and shutters where tightly closed and latched down firmly so there wasn't a chance they could get blown open.
The extra stocks were put away when Pa arrived and he told them that he had met up with Jess before she had set off. Daniel returned just in time for dinner and was startled to hear that Jess had been chosen and was already on her way to Haven. Tarsha had given him the letter that his twin had written for him and left him the privacy of his room to sort himself out.
They could feel the temperature dropping fast as the wind picked up and Tarsha scanned weather and for any horses out on the roads before turning in for the night. Tarsha made sure to keep scanning lightly even in her sleep just in case some one got caught out in the storm that was fast picking up pace.
OOOOOO
Tarsha shivered as she woke, even with the four thick blankets on her bed and Yual to keep her warm. She quickly pulled on thick woollen socks, shoes and her warmest cloak. She looked at Yual and gave him a small smile when she noticed that he was shivering slightly too. She pulled out a little thick blanket that she had kept just for him and tied it securely around his neck and little woollen booties that Annabell had made for him.
"There you go, those will keep you a bit warmer until we can get all of the fires going." She stroked his head as he thanked her and they hurried down to that main floor and began stoking up all of the braziers to warm up the stables. With every breath they took it left white fog clouds around their faces. "Bare with me my lovey's." She called out to the horses as she worked on each brazier, checking to make sure that none were in pain with cold. "Yual go and get the girls up to help, it too cold in here." She asked and watched as he trotted off carefully in his booties so he wouldn't slip.
Tarsha looked out of one shutter carefully and shivered at the four foot of snow on the ground, with more snow falling. She could barely make out the inn across the yard with the heavy snow fall.
She sighed and blew warm air into her hands and continued adding more wood to the fires, some times having to restart them all together.
"This has to be the coldest winter in ages." Lissa stuttered out with her teeth chattering as she came down wrapped up in warm clothing.
"Maybe not the coldest but certainly the worst in a good ten years." Tarsha nodded in agreement. "Lissa go put the stew and the tea kettle on the main fire, warm up a little." She suggested as Gamina immediately began helping with the fires.
Working their way back to the main table they began throwing blankets over the horses backs to help keep them warm and gratefully taking steaming mugs that Lissa passed them, along with toasted bread and cheese, which didn't really stay warm for long.
"There has to be an easier way to stay warm at night" Gamina grumbled.
"Share a bed with Lissa, add your blankets to hers, it will keep you a lot warmer." Tarsha suggested with a chuckle.
"Will you be curling up with Daniel?" Lissa asked holding her mug close.
"No, he moved his supplies into the inn, to treat anyone who gets ill." She shook her head. "I'll be curling up with Yual as usual."
"I love his booties." Gamina chuckled.
"So does he, its keeping his paws warm." Tarsha chuckled.
"I noticed some of the horses have paired up so they can share heat." Lissa commented as she looked down the hall of stalls.
"That's why I left the stalls open last night and added extra hay to the stalls." Tarsha nodded in agreement. "It's going to be hard to keep this big place warm." They all glanced up as the wind picked up to the point of howling. "As long as we keep moving and find something to do we'll be able to keep warm, we just have to keep an close eye on the horses."
"There isn't going to be much we can do at the moment so I am going to start making a few blankets." Lissa stated as she finished her tea. "The more blankets we have the easier it will be to keep them warm." She strode over to one of the storage cupboards and pulled out a large basket of clumped wool, Gamina joined her and pulled out the weaver rack.
OOOOOO
Three days later the storm still hadn't let up any.
They had managed to make four blankets for the horses, Tarsha had finished repairing the pile of clothes that she had gathered. She was worried about Jessica and Sena. She had hoped that she would hear from Travis by now. The storm should have hit Haven last night.
She settled down into a warm corner with Yual curled up at her feet, a book in her hands and reached out for Travis. She got a glimpse of two elder heralds sitting next to him in his rooms, looking similar enough that they had to be twins. She felt Travis mind wrap around her in greeting and sent him an image of the storm and got his agreement that it had reached Haven and then added an Image of Jess on Sena and panicked a little when she got a negative feeling.
Jess and Sena were out in the storm.
Travis soothed her gently and felt him speaking to the elder pair, then male frowned and shook his head before leaving the room. She received an image of the male twin asking Dirk about Jess.
She got an image of the inn, with a feeling of curiosity and then the storm. She returned it showing him that the snow was easily six feet deep and her not being able to see the inn.
Tarsha always found it easy to see through her brother's eyes now, after so much practice and patience, it was also getting easier to communicate with him. With the images now also came the faint feeling of words.
She pictured the woman with Travis and sent an inquisitive thought.
An image of two names came back. Keren and Teren.
So these were the twins that Talia suggested that he talk to.
She could see Keren ask Travis something and felt him nod and Keren smiled. It sometimes annoyed her that she couldn't hear the conversations that Travis had while she was with him. She felt Travis listening intently to Keren as she continued talking, as if explaining something.
Tarsha blinked in surprise as she started hearing a faint murmur of voices, that slowly became clearer.
"How's that?" Keren asked him. "Can she hear me now?"
"From the surprise and shock I feel then yes." He chuckled. "It seems over time the bond between us gets deeper and stronger, she's the one that actually spotted it and pointed out that she could sometimes hear me."
"She can see through you as well?" Keren asked in curiosity.
"Yes, we usually project images at each other to pass on messages." He nodded. "It comforting to know that we can contact each other that way, I can keep tabs on the family and her and she can watch over me."
"Teren and I don't have something that close but he is always in my mind." She nodded in understanding. She looked up as Teren came back in. "Anything?"
"She arrived a candlemark ago. Sena is apologising profoundly and says that she will never doubt Jess's sister when she tells her to travel fast." Teren nodded. "She is being looked over by Dirk at the moment and getting settled in, he said he would bring her by when that's all done."
Tarsha sagged in Travis's mind in relief. Jess was safe, if a bit cold.
"Tarsha sends her thanks." Travis smiled in relief. "She was really worried, they have six feet of snow so far and it's only day three for them."
"She's with you right now?" Teren perked up.
"Yes, and listening, Keren helped me fine turn it a little so she could hear what was going on as well as see." Travis nodded.
"You know to all the people I have talked with no one has ever seen a twin bond like you two have. The closest we have is Talia and her bond with Rolan."
"Don't forget there is the bond that the Tayledras have with their bond birds." Keren reminded him.
"Yes but I am talking about people, Keren." He sighed. "Has our courier reached the inn?" Teren asked suddenly. "Dirk asked about it while I was there."
Tarsha shook her head and sent negative feelings. She still couldn't talk to Travis with words yet but she had a feeling with time they would be able to.
"No not yet, the only companion she's seen was Sena when she picked up Jess." He shook his head. "They are probably snowed into a waystation trying to keep warm, until the storm ends."
"And just how long is this storm going to last, everyone is asking." Keren sighed, "I just wish it would warm up and it's only been half a day since it started." She shivered.
Travis tilted his head listening to what Tarsha was telling him. "They are on day three and it seems to never rise to above freezing, she said it should last another week for them, maybe two for us. She is worried because she can't see the end of the storm and it doesn't seem to be wearing down any." He passed along the information.
"She was the Weather gift?" Keren blinked in surprise.
"Weather, Animal speech and Healing, but she can only heal animals." Travis nodded. "She is one of the most accurate ones we've come across, she's the only reason anyone even knew that this storm was coming."
"Hmm, maybe some one should have a word with the mages if this storm came up so sudden." Teren said grimly.
"Tarsha said that it's natural." Travis shook his head and then rubbed his temples.
Tarsha sent him a healing burst of power before apologising for straining him and released him.
She opened her eyes and let the stables come back into focus.
"Jess is safe." She croaked as Lissa noticed that she was back with them and handed her a mug of hot chocolate. "She arrived a candlemark ago, Sena misunderstood when I said travel fast." She chuckled weakly and held the mug tight sipping from it. "We also apparently have a missing Herald out in the storm. They should have arrived a number of days ago…I didn't get a chance to clarify details." She sighed, rubbing at her own temples as the headache faded a little.
"Well at least we know that Jess is safe." Gamina sighed in relief.
"Has the storm died down any?" Tarsha asked as she wrote out a quick note about Jess's safe arrival at Haven and that there was a snowed in Herald out in the storm some where. There just wasn't much they could do about the Herald until the storm died.
"A bit, it's not howling anymore and the snow isn't falling as hard." Lissa commented with a quick look out the shutter.
"Yual you willing to dash across the yard?" She asked softly. "It will be easier if you stayed at the inn, it will be warmer for you and that way we can keep up with what's going on in there." She added.
:And who will keep you warm Sharra?: He asked raising his head to look at her.
"If it gets much colder, trust me I'll be joining Gamina and Lissa in their bed." Tarsha assured him with a rueful chuckle. "Ma needs the relief from worry about Jess, and I need to know that every one is okay, I don't like being out of contact like this." She set her mug down and finished off the note. "We should have set it up like this before hand." She sighed.
:I do not mind Sharra…but why not contact Steph?: He asked.
"You know I actually forgot about that." She shook her head and settled back into her chair so she was comfortable and reached out for her Uncle and tapped on his shields. She felt his relief as he opened them just enough for her to slip in. She flashed an image of Jess with Dirk, and sensed him telling everyone else and chuckled as she heard a cheer of relief go up. She then carefully constructed a image of a waystation, snowed in, a Herald and companion huddling for warmth and a sense of being lost.
She knew that Uncle Steph was stronger then her when it came to finding people when they had to, she felt his reply and she sent negative feeling in reply that she couldn't sense them at all. She got the feeling that he would get back to her and she gave him a mental hug and left his shields.
"You know that is slowly getting easier to do." She muttered. "Uncle Steph is going to search for our lost Herald and find out where he is at, he is clueless as to why I can't sense him." She relayed the information to everyone else as Gamina ladled out stew for everyone including Yual.
"Well what was your last range recorded at?" Lissa asked as she buttered a few pieces of bread. "About a days ride in every direction?"
"About that yeah." Tarsha mumbled through a mouthful of food. "But sometimes it is because of the companion. They sometimes mask themselves and I can't sense them, it's usually the ones that don't know about me…though I am sure that both Rolan and Arodrie told them to stop doing that so I can keep an eye on them when they are in the area." She frowned a little. "Maybe I should ask Travis, he can pass it on to Talia and Rolan, if we can't find them in the next few candlemarks." She mused. "It would help if I knew the companion's name then I could do a wide call for them."
"Maybe it is a new herald, they don't know the area and his companion sensed the searching sweep and hid them fearing a blood mage or something." Gamina suggested. "It's happened before." She added.
"Hmm, maybe…" She broke off as she felt Steph tap on her shields and she felt his frustration. She sent a calming thought and flashed an image of her talking to Travis and felt his agreement, along with an image of a mug of herbs. She nodded and he left. "Lissa grab me a headache drought and a energy boost herb." Tarsha asked moving out of her chair and into a cot they had set up for who ever was on watch at night so they could keep warm. "Uncle Steph can't find them so I have to go through Travis." She laid down and wrapped herself in warm blankets and Yual joined her to keep watch.
She once again reached out for Travis and was glad that he was talking to Talia and Dirk, with an unknown blonde herald. Once again the voices slowly began clear. She knew from his unresponsivness that he didn't realise that she was there yet.
"That little talent could come in handy but it also could be dangerous." Dirk was saying. "If you are injured or killed or vice versa, it could very well take the other with them."
"There isn't much we can do about it now, it is too late to block it. The bond is too strong and too deeply embedded in both of them." Talia shook her head. "Now you said that Tarsha hasn't seen our courier yet?"
"No, and the storm is really bad up there, it is well below freezing and the snow drifts are six feet high."
Tarsha snorted. Try eight. She though with a shiver.
"Tarsha?" Travis's head jerked slightly. "Don't sneak up on me like that." He complained rubbing his wrenched neck. "Hang on I can hear you!" His face beamed.
"You can hear her now?" The blonde woman blinked.
:That's because I am annoyed and really worried Travis.: Tarsha told him, letting some of her worry bleed through.
"What's wrong? What has her so worried, even I can feel her." Talia asked in concern.
"Don't know yet, Sis?"
:The missing Herald. I can't sense the companion anywhere, so I had Uncle Steph search as well, he couldn't find them: Tarsha informed him. :Is it a new Herald? Sometimes the companions panic when they sense me for the first time and shield themselves and their herald so I can't find them. Thinking that I am a blood mage or something.:
"Who did you send?" Travis asked with a worried frown. "Neither Tarsha or my Uncle Steph can sense them. Tarsha has a range of a day and half from the inn, and Uncle Steph is a mage who can sense even Haven if he strains himself."
"Please don't tell me we have a panicking Companion who is shielding them both again?" Dirk groaned. "I thought Rolan told all the companions not to do that up there."
"He did, but Tarsha's mind presence can be a little startling if you aren't used to it." Talia sighed.
:If I know who the Companion is I can call them they can always hear me and I can find out where they are.: Tarsha explained and listened as Travis relayed the message.
"It's Eldan and Ratha." The Blonde woman sighed. "it's been awhile since they were sent out."
:I'll send out the call but I'll have to break contact with you to do it, I'll contact you when I find them.: Tarsha promised and drew herself away from her twin. She was a little surprised that her head didn't ache like it usually did and sent out her searching presence again. :Companion Ratha can you hear me? I am Tarsha of Traveller's Rest. We are searching for you. This storm is getting too bad for you to out in it, even in a waystation. Haven is worried about you…where are you?: She sent out and waited for a reply, she knew that companions could talk to who they wished when they needed to.
:Tarsha? That was you we sensed?: A strange voice returned.
:Yes, and my Uncle, he is a mage.: She replied with relief. :Where are you?:
:We don't actually know, we got caught out in the beginning of the storm and stumbled into a waystation, it has been well stocked to get us through this storm, if it doesn't last much longer.:
:Drop your shielding around you and I'll be able to pin point you. I'm afraid this storm has at least another four to eight days left in it.: She requested.
:Done.:
Tarsha searched again and almost cried in relief when she found them with ease. :You aren't that far from the inn, it's an abandoned waystation that we keep stocked for lost travellers in bad weather. At full speed you should make the stables in quarter of a mark, if you think you can get through the high drifts.: She sent a image of where they were and how to get to the inn stables.
:To think that we weren't that far after all.: Ratha sighed. :What about the storm? Do you think it will stay quiet enough for us to make it?:
:It should stay like this for half a candlemark, in not a full candlemark.: Tarsha assured the companion. :After this lull there won't be another one for a long time, this is your only chance to try.:
:Yes and if you are correct about the weather, we only have enough food and firewood for another two days…We come.:
:I'll get everything ready for you.: Tarsha promised and returned to herself and stumbled out of the blankets.
"Well?" Gamina asked.
"Found them and they are coming now. They only have enough food for another two days and they won't last out the storm where they are." She replied, tossing more wood on the nearest fire. "They are at the abandoned waystation we keep stocked."
"Shouldn't take them long to get here them." Lissa nodded and grabbed another mug and bowl with a large stack of blankets to warm by the fire.
"Umm how are we going to get the doors open? The drift is too high?" Gamina asked looking worried.
"Leave that to me." Tarsha waved her off and contacted Steph, sending everything that she need and then waited. When she got the confirmation she hurried to the door with Lissa right beside her. "Uncle Steph is going to use his mage power to melt and vanish the snow between our doors and the main road, it's going to tire him out but he was very firm about doing it to get a herald safe and warm." She explained and they all shivered as they felt power sweep over them. "Now we wait." She sighed as they removed the bar locking the doors and held on to the handles ready to open and close them fast.
:Incoming!:
"Now" She barked and the doors groaned in protest as they pulled open, a white blur slid into the hall and they slammed the doors shut again. "Good evening Herald Eldan, Ratha." Tarsha grinned at them as Lissa replaced the bar. "Warmth and hot food this way." She led them down to the table and the largest fire.
"Gods it's so cold." Herald Eldan exclaimed shivering as he dismounted next to the table. Gamina threw three warmed blankets over him and Lissa deftly stripped Ratha of his tack and threw a few warmed blankets over the shaking companion.
"Here warm you hands." Tarsha handed him a hot mug of tea. "Gamina could you make Ratha a bucket of hot mush?"
"On it." She nodded and hurried off.
"We'll have you both warmed up in no time." She smiled at them both.
"How did you get rid of the snow?" Eldan asked between chattering teeth.
"My uncle Steph is a adept mage, I think he wore himself out to clear it for you." She replied with a gentle chuckle. "He said any Herald was worth a little headache, even if they are silly enough to get lost and then hide from those trying to find them." She turned her eyes to Ratha, who looked a little sheepish. "And you silly little companion did exactly what Rolan asked you all not to do up here."
"He said he didn't expect your presence to be so strong, it startled him." Eldan chuckled.
"Yes well, Talia did say that I startle many of the companions when they first meet me." She sighed. "Off with your shoes I want to make sure you didn't get frostbite." She ordered while she gave Ratha a quick look over with her eyes and hands.
"You're a healer as well as a mindspeaker?" Eldan asked in surprise as he sat down and pulled his boots off.
"I have Animal speech, Weather gift and I can heal, mainly horses though." She shrugged. "Though Talia thinks that both my twin and I are getting mindspeech if only between the two of us." She knelt down and carefully peeled Eldan's wet socks off. His feet were pale and cold.
"Here." Lissa handed over a pair of thick socks. "I warmed them."
"Are you sisters?" He asked looking about.
"No, the rest of my family are in the Inn." She glanced at Lissa and the returning Gamina. "Though we three are becoming like family, they help me keep the stables running properly." She chuckled up at him. "Also three siblings are in Haven with their companions and another has just made journeyman Bard. Plus a healer who is in the Inn."
"Talented family" He whistled softly.
"That's not all of them." She chuckled along with the girls at his startled look. "There are twelve children, all twins, two nephews also twins, plus Ma and Pa, six uncles, one of who is a Herald, plus Aunt Talia and Uncle Dirk." She explained calmly and she tugged the warmed socks on to his feet.
"Aunt Talia?" he blinked.
"Ma's sister." She shrugged. "Here eat." She handed him a large bowl of stew and some bread and saw Ratha tucking into his hot mush. "I had better let Talia and Dirk know I found you." She sighed tiredly and accepted the energy boost drought from Gamina.
"How? I mean Ratha can contact Rolan…" Eldan looked up from his food.
"My twin bond with Travis is very strong, we some times talk at night even when he is in Haven." Tarsha said as she curled up on the cot again. "That's how we knew you were missing, Travis was asked if I had seen a Herald recently." She closed her eyes and reached out for her twin for the third time that night.
"Tarsha is back." He said to the four heralds waiting near by. She was too tired to speak and sent images. "She has them, they were in an abandoned waystation that the inn keeps stocked for lost travellers, they are with Tarsha now scoffing down hot food and warming up."
"I sware that man is an idiot." One of the new heralds scowled.
"Tarsha how long until the storm dies down enough for him to head back?" Dirk asked as if she was standing right in front of him.
"She doesn't know for sure. Right now she can't see the end of the storm but she will update me every two days." Travis replied already knowing the answer to that one. "Last time I asked she said any where up to a week to two weeks before she'll see the end of it."
"Alright, you two get some rest." Dirk nodded looking tired himself.
"And give Eldan a slap across the back of the head and say it's from his wife!" The other herald growled.
"She'll do that." Travis chuckled and gave her a mental hug before letting her go.
Tarsha stumbled out of the cot and accepted the warmed bowl of food that she didn't get to finish and passed the slap on to Eldan.
"What was that for?" He demanded.
"That's from your wife." Tarsha murmured as she began eating.
"Kero was there?" he winced. "I'm not going to hear the end of this one for awhile." He sighed.
"Tarsha go get some sleep." Gamina urged as she caught her before her head fell into her stew. "Come on, let's get you to bed." Gamina easily picked her up and carried her up to her room with Yual right behind her. "You still need to put on some weight Tarsha, your still way too light." Gamina chided her and she set her down in bed heaping blankets over her. Yual jumped up and curled up next to her back and nodded in thanks as Gamina threw another two over him. "Sleep well."
Tarsha only managed to mumble something unintelligible before slipping into sleep.
OOOOOO
Tarsha rubbed her arms as she headed down for tea the next morning, Yual was once again wrapped up in his cloak and booties which now had legs to keep his own warm, with a fifth on his tail. Muttering to herself she poured herself a mug of tea and Yual a bowl of stew and slouched down at the table, sipping at the hot brew, waiting for her mind to come in to focus properly.
Finally standing to make up a pot of hot cereal she growled as she tripped over something and glared down at a pile of sopping wet white leathers. Growling a little louder and muttering all the while under her breath she found the rope they used for dry clothes and strung it up in three empty stalls and hung up the wet clothes, muttering that it would have served Eldan right if they had frozen together and had ripped.
She started the pot of cereal and greeted Jona as she joined her at the fire, stroking her neck and listening as Jona filled her in on the latest horse gossip around the stable. She chuckled as she heard about different sleeping for warmth with different partners and cut up an apple in to quarters and fed it to Jorna.
"And who are you sleeping with for warmth Jorna, hmm?" She asked, stroking her cheek lovingly.
:Ox: Jorna admitted and Tarsha had a feeling that if horses could blush Jorna would be.
"Uncle Feren's Ox?" Tarsha burst out laughing. "Well to be honest, Jorna Ox is a very fine Stallion and I could think of no one better to keep you company." She patted her neck firmly and turned to give the cereal a good stir and noticed Eldan was sitting up wrapped in, blankets and looking around blankly. "Good morning Eldan" She greeted him before testing to see if it was ready to serve.
"My clothes?" He asked sounding confused.
"If you mean your whites you were wearing last night they are hanging up so they can dry." She gave him a glare. "I found them by tripping over them this morning. Your saddlebags are at the end of the bed. Nearest privy is up those stairs." She pointed over to the stairs that led to her rooms. "Yual wake up duty if you please." She asked her friend who yipped in amusement and trotted off to another set of stairs. She watched as Eldan stumbled up her stairs with his saddlebags.
"Morning Tarsha" Lissa greeted cheerily as she pretty much bounced into the room.
"Morning Lissa" She chuckled and began serving out the cereal. "Why didn't you put Eldan in one of the spare rooms?" She asked gesturing to the cot.
"He insisted on being near Ratha." Gamina grumbled as she appeared and snatched the offered mug out of Tarsha's hands and began sipping at it, before sitting down.
"So we doing stall duty today?" Lissa asked spooning cereal into her mouth between sips of tea.
"Yes, the hay needs to be changed today." Tarsha nodded. "I'll have them move to empty stalls so we can work." She leaned back in her seat and looked down the long hall. :Okay, ladies and Gentle horses, it's stall duty day, please move to an empty and clean stall for the day, you should all know this routine by now: She called out to all of the horses with a chuckle as they all began to move with out any one helping or leading them. She turned back to her meal. "Hey Yual, be a champ and check out the window to see if Uncle Steph cleared a path to the inn last night, or if it has been buried again" She asked him once he had finished his own meal.
:It looks to be clear, only a few inches of snow on the ground…want me to do a quick run to the inn?: He offered.
"Would you mind?"
:I do not mind.: He shook his head.
"Good." Tarsha wrote out a note to her mother for a few things, a written message that Jess was safe in Haven and the Herald had been found and was resting with them, and handed the note to Yual. "Do you have any messages for the inn anyone?" She called out leading Yual to the smaller stable door for humans to slip in and out of.
"I have a few." Eldan replied pulling a few letters out of his saddlebags and handing them to her. She flipped through them to see three for her and handed the rest to Yual.
"You have half a candlemark before it starts howling again." She warned him before heaving at the door to open it enough for him to slip through and make the dash to the inn door.
"Is it calm enough out there for us to venture out?" Eldan asked.
"No, the winds are pretty strong and bloody cold too." She shuddered as she let go of the door and it slammed shut again. "Yual will be back soon with a restock of tea and cereal." She told the girls with a grin. "I didn't think we would go through it so fast."
"Maybe because it's the only hot filling food we can make?" Gamina drawled with a grin.
"True." Tarsha chuckled.
"How long have you three been stuck in here?" Eldan asked with a dawning look of understanding on his face.
"Well I think this is day four since the storm hit, we haven't left since." Lissa shrugged. "We are used to being in here all the time, our rooms are up there." She pointed up at the roof. "Plus every winter we get cut off from the inn, we don't mind, we have the horses and each other for company."
"That doesn't mean that you don't crave new company every now and then." He pointed out as he sat down at the table and nodded in thanks as Gamina dished out a bowl of cereal for him and handed him a clean mug for the tea. "How long has you family owned the inn?" He asked digging into his head.
"WE always have." Tarsha shrugged. "It used to be a farm, but more and more people ended up getting caught out in storms and out after dark with no where to go, so Great Grampa started adding rooms to the back of the farm for travellers to rest. The tradition continued as each year more and more people showed up, so it moved his house around and turned it into an inn. This is actually the first year we haven't had to renovate to add more rooms or stalls to the buildings." She grinned.
"How many stalls do you have?" He asked looking at the two halls.
"two hundred and fifty normal stalls" Tarsha pointed to the hall off to her right. "These stalls here behind you are for companions or can be modified to hold two horses, they hold forty companions or eighty horses."
"You need that many companion stalls?" He asked in surprise.
"Around midwinter break yeah." Lissa nodded joining in. "We had what…thirty two companions come through here?"
"About that yeah." Gamina nodded in agreement. "Eighteen were grey students, the rest were heralds."
"I had no idea that so many come from around here." Eldan blinked.
"Most live with in either a candlemarks ride or three days travel from here." Lissa shrugged. "Then we have the caravan trains that come through every spring and winter."
"Every year we get over eight hundred horses through here, and around forty companions." Tarsha commented with a small shrugged as she finished up her meal.
:Ready to come back Sharra.: Yual warned her.
:Head on over then.: She stood and leaned against the door and heaved it open when she heard Yual bark. Yual entered with the wagon once again harnessed to his back.
"Oh good Ma sent over another pot of stew." She crowed in delight as she spotted the large pot. She followed Yual over the table and lifted the large pot out of the wagon, along with two bags and handed them over to Lissa who opened them.
"Pies!" She cried out in delight.
"Here are the reply letters" Tarsha handed the stack of letters to Eldan, after flipping through them and pulling out the one for her. It was thanks for letting them know that everyone was safe and where they should be and that Uncle Steph would be up and about tomorrow.
Gamina snatched one of the meat pie and set it to warm on the stove. "That can be lunch." She declared with a grin, before adding the new stew pot as well. The old one was placed in a half barrel they used to wash their dishes.
Tarsha placed the wagon out of the way. "Alright we have chores to do." She announced rubbing her hands together.
"Can I help?" Eldan asked.
"Well you can either help us muck out stalls or you can do the dishes." Tarsha offered with a grin.
"I'll start with the dishes." He chuckled.
OOOOOO
"How many days has it been now?" Gamina whined. "It's nearly spring."
"Ten." Tarsha sighed as she dragged her dagger over the small horse she was carving. "I'd better do another scan, I haven't done one in three days." She leaned back in her chair and let her eyes go out of focus and scanned the weather and blinked in surprise. "This should be the last day of it, it should start to settle down tomorrow." She cried out in excitement.
"How long until we get sun?" Lissa asked in joy.
"Don't rightly know, we'll get a bit of light rain day after tomorrow, I'll have to check then." Tarsha shrugged. "With luck you could be out of here in four days Eldan." She chuckled at the Herald who brightened a bit. "I think everyone is going through a bit of cabin fever right now." She glanced down the hall and looked at the horses who looked pleased at the thought they might be getting out soon and chuckled. "I'll do a deeper scan, see what I can come up with." She promised and went into a full trance, following the weather currents as far as she could reach and sense before refocusing her eyes. "Well, ignore my comment on the rain, it will only be a drizzle, enough to turn the snow to slush." They all pulled a face at that. "And that will be tonight, it should be warmer tomorrow, with breaks in the clouds for sun, maybe some light snow but the next few days looks good, no snow or rain."
"Good news at last." Gamina muttered.
"Well I am sure that Travis will be glad to hear that we can see the end of the storm." Tarsha replied with a grin. "Haven should see the end of the storm in a day or two."
"You better tell him that." Lissa chuckled. "I bet all the heralds will be glad to hear that they'll be able to get out to see their companions again."
"I'll do that." She chuckled and moved to the cot and reached out for her twin, and found him in a room filled with other Heralds, most of who were swearing at the weather and wanting to know when it was going to end.
:Travis, my dear twin the sun is coming.: She crowed in his head and saw everyone staring at them as a grin crossed his face, she felt his joy at sensing her again and at the news.
"When?" He asked almost bouncing on his toes. Every herald stopped what they were doing and watched him closely.
:The storm ends here today, a bit of rain tonight, some sun tomorrow, but the storm is over, you have maybe tonight and tomorrow left.: She reported with delight. She listened as he passed on the message and laughed at the relief written over every face and knew exactly how they were feeling. :Eldan should be free to leave in two or three days, so he should be there in about a week.:
"Oh thank heavens, it has been years since we've been snow bound at Haven." Talia sighed in relief. "How is everyone dealing with it up there Tarsha?"
:Damn relieved that it is over.: Tarsha grumbled and smiled at her twins laughter. :How's Jess doing?:
:She is doing well Sis. Guess what her gift is?: He replied privately.
:What?:
:Mage Gift.:
:Wow, Uncle Steph is the only one with that gift in the family, maybe it is a gift that only turns up once a generation?: Tarsha blinked in surprise.
:Maybe, but she is settling in fine, she has a few friends of her own. She misses everyone something fierce, just like we all did, but we all meet up once a week and have 'family' time.: He chuckled at her.
:Good, she needs to step out of everyone else shadow. I'll pass the news on to the Family. I better head back before we both end up with another headache. I'll be in touch Brother.:
:Later Sister.:
Tarsha opened her eyes and stretched. "They were all as relieved as we were to hear the news." She laughed, dancing around a bit and moved to one of windows and moved aside the hide that covered it. "There already is a bit of sun out there, the clouds are already lightening up and the wind is gentle." She reported.
"Still cold though." Gamina grumbled.
"You can't have everything at once." Tarsha chided her. "In case you hadn't noticed it isn't nearly as cold as it was yesterday. There isn't any fog breath."
"Stop trying to cheer me up!" Gamina demanded fighting back a chuckle, but eventually gave up.
Tarsha just laughed and saw Eldan shake his head at their antics. She sat down at the table and wrote the news down for her family and handed the note to Yual who happily bolted through the door she opened and ran amuck in the snow for a few moments before heading for the inn door.
"What's it like standing outside?" Lissa asked.
"Cold." Tarsha grinned. "I'm just glad we won't have to dig everyone else out, thanks to Uncle Steph. So while the field is out of commission we can use the yard to let the horses out."
"Think it is safe to do that today?" Gamina asked looking at the horses, who all had their heads perked up as they smelt fresh air.
Tarsha cocked her head a little and triple checked the weather for the next few candlemarks. "It's safe, just cold." She nodded.
"Nothing we haven't done before." Lissa waved it off and helped Tarsha lift down the huge bar locking the large stable doors and pulled them open. "Wow something that doesn't smell like horse!" Lissa laughed teasingly.
:Alright lovlings, you can move out into the yard for awhile and stretch your legs, the field is too buried in snow so stay in the yard.: She told them all. :I want a nice calm and tidy two by two line to exit, so no one gets hurt by accident.: She added firmly as they all began to move at once.
Eldan chuckled in bemusement as a tidy line of two by two lined up in the hall.
"A slow walk…" She burst out laughing as the inn door was thrown open and grown men raced out of the hollering in excitement and began throwing snow at each other. "Show me that you are more mature then my own family," Tarsha told her charges shaking her head as they walked out of the stable.
"Is it truly over?" Pa bellowed from the inn door, ducking a snow ball from his brothers.
"Yes Pa, storms over. Might be a bit of rain tonight, but give it two days and it should be perfect travelling weather, if a bit cold." She bellowed back as Lissa and Gamina joined her siblings and Uncles in the snow.
"How many members in your family again?" Eldan asked at her side looking over the crowd of people have a snow fight.
"About twenty two I think but only sixteen are here at the moment." She pointed to the large group of men. "The older ones are my uncles they are a mercenary group the Demon Dogs, Uncle Redick is the Captain, the three younger ones are my brothers, Devid, James and Daniel. Daniel is the healer." She gesture to where a group was making snow men. "The eldest girl is Annabell my eldest sister, the youngest kids are hers, the next set are my youngest brothers, the other girl is Jazmine, Annabell's twin. Over in the doorway is Ma and Pa, and that group over there are the people from the village that work here." Pointing out the last group just standing in what little sun there was.
"I've never seen a family as big as this one…and I thought Dirk's family was big." Eldan shook his head.
"HE spends half midwinter with them and the other half with us." Tarsha grinned. "He says he's got the biggest family if he adds us all together."
"I would believe it too." Eldan shook his head.
"And that's not counting all the other cousins on either side of family." She added with a cheeky smile before bolting towards her brothers and Uncles and joined in the snow fight.
OOOOOO
It had taken awhile to get everyone calmed to and introduce Eldan to them, by the time Dinner was served he was sure that he would never get the names right. But he was getting on fine with her Uncles.
"So your in charge of the Demon Dogs?" He asked biting into the fresh bread and using what was left to soak up his stew juices.
"Yes, have been for about seven years now." Feren nodded. "It was a tradition in our family, if we were chosen or married by seventeen we left to either join the army or a mercenary group." He gestured to the eldest two boys. "Those two have broken the tradition."
"We are quite happy where we are thank you." James laughed.
"My wife used to curse your group all the time a few years ago, you got a contract her group wanted." Eldan chuckled.
"What's her group?" Feren asked in interest. "It's not often we captains get married."
"Kerowyn of the Sky Bolts."
"Herald Captain Kerowyn?" Feren blinked and then roared with laughter. "We clash all the time we do, mainly cause we love to argue. I must admit I haven't seen her around lately."
"Been busy playing ambassador" Eldan shook his head.
"Waste of her talent that is."
"She is also the Weapons Master at the Collegium, and no doubt waiting to chew me out for getting lost and causing a fuss." He sighed as the other men laughed.