Of Hawks and Herbalists
Omarie and Dahlia ambushed me the moment I stepped out of the salle, clinging to my arms as though I'd disappear if they let go. The Heraldic Trainee had waited outside for me too, and he was conversing with a rather wiry fellow in pale green robes. Kavyn smiled over at me, his eyes bright and dancing, and he beckoned us all once I'd called down Ametha to my shoulder. Kavyn's acquaintance clarified my name once we reached the pair, his smooth voice a very comfortable baritone.
"Watersong, was it?" I nodded with a smile, and propped my arms on the fence around Companion's Field.
"That it is. May I ask your name, fellow Trainee?" I queried the young man in green, and felt a thrill of delight up my spine as his warm hazel eyes met mine, grinning sheepishly.
"That you may. I'm Evan, Healer Trainee. Obviously from your bond bird, you're kin to the Tayledras.." His eyes took on a very piercing look, but rather than frightening me, it seemed to enhance my knowledge of him. "And you have enough Shin'a'in in you to make a difference. Half and half?" I laughed and clutched my chest at the heart.
"Dead to rights, my good man! You sure hit the arrow head there. How'd you know?" He chuckled, pressing his thumb against his chin and leaning in to the fence as well.
"Your dear cousin Darkwind was the one who told me what to look for. You aren't mage-gifted, and you seem to have the stalking kind of walk that the Shin'a'in are famous for. Further more, though you have a Tayledras bond bird, your gauntlets are arife with Shin'a'in patterning. Not to mention the tales he told of you being able to ride a bucking warsteed bareback." I felt a flush creep up on my cheeks, but grinned him down anyway.
"Looks like Darkwind and I will be having a little bit of a talk, eh? In any case, yes, I can do a lot, but compared to even you, I'd be useless. I don't have the ability to pain-block with music, though I can induce trances, and you're going to be a Healer! I do have Mage-sight, but that's only enough to really see leylines and such. I'd go blind if I looked at a Heartstone or even a river of magic. You can Heal anyone you touch, and depending upon your strength, you could be the reason a war is one." I shook my head and smiled gently. "I'm just a lowly Bard, my dear. Nothing special here." He laughed and bowed in mock apology, his eyes gentle and understanding.
"You never know, milady…" He looked up at the sun suddenly, and with another sparkling laugh, broke off from his retort. "I fear we can argue later, as it's right at noon time, and we Trainees always need our strength, no?" I grinned in return, nodding, and soon the five of us were tramping into the great hall, arm in arm. Kavyn and the girls broke off, all three heading to a throng of Reds and Grays, leaving Evan and I to chuckle. He smiled at me, and I realized suddenly that we were equal in height, with not even an inch in difference.
"Shall we grab some food? I'm ravenous." I admitted, prying myself from my new friend's comforting gaze. He nodded, and within a few minutes, we had a healthy helping of vegetables and meat, and were seated near one of the few open windows. I silently called Ametha to me, and when she landed on the window sill, fed her the rich meat I'd begged off the cooks. Evan couldn't stop watching her through out our meal, but I didn't mind the little space of silence within the sea of sound. It was peaceful, just sitting here, not speaking, and not needing too.
Our lunch passed in a very companionable silence, when I decided to practice one of the songs from my flute. It was a newer song than I was used to, a Rethwellen tune that danced and flirted the edges of propriety. As I started, I was astonished to hear Evan join in, his voice bouncing along the notes. The Herald Trainees around us started grinning and smiling as he carefully put the plates on the bench, gathered up his robes, jumped up precariously, and started dancing on the table! I had to fight to keep playing, but the laughter in my eyes only grew as the others joined in, Kavyn and another lad pushing a table up to ours. Said Herald Trainee then hopped up next to Evan, jumping and dancing in time with him.
After watching the ruckus grow to a crowd, I passed off the flute to Dahlia and joined them both, laughing and spinning between both handsome guys. Suddenly, Evan grabbed my arm, Kavyn the other, and I felt myself go airborne as they swung me up, up, and over! Oh, it was frightening, but fun as well. We linked arms and threw our legs up to the skies, dancing the jig like no one else was willing to. As I let my body take to the new movements, I managed to catch Elspeth's eye as she, Selenay, Darkwind, my own Master, Lira, and Herald Dirk as they all filed into the mess hall. Grins split their faces, Darkwind's with envy. I laughed and called out to him, my own smile ear to ear.
"Darkwind! We're short of a Mage!" His laugh echoed over the clapping and stomping, but rather than joining us, I saw one of his gold-robed students leap up on the far end. He was a strapping, farmer-looking lad, but his feet soon joined ours in the delightful dance. We were at it for nearly an hour before we all four collapsed, sprawled over each other and the table like so many strips of blatant color. Evan's arm had come down just beneath my chin, and I laid against his heaving chest. I could feel Kavyn's weight against my legs as he lay spread-eagled. The Mage Trainee, huge as he was, seemed smaller as his head laid on Kavyn's stomach.
Needless to say, we couldn't have moved even if we wanted to, and Darkwind certainly didn't refrain from mentioning that to my face as he bent over me.
"Heyla, cousin."
"…you're going to make fun of me…"
"Absolutely."
"…bloody mage…"
"You're welcome, Watersong."
"…gee, I'm so loved…" Evan and Kavyn were fighting back laughter as they over heard this; but they couldn't see the faces I was making at Darkwind. He finally gave up and keeled over with laughter, leaning against Elspeth to catch his breath. I hauled myself up with a groan, accepting Master Lira's help with a sincere thanks. Herald Dirk took care of Kavyn and Elspeth the Mage Trainee, while Selenay helped Evan. We could stand, but Evan was the only one who could do it without falling flat on his face. I snagged his arm, and winded though I was, called Ame to me. She clucked with disapproval, and with a very real unhappiness as she had to dig in her claws to keep from falling off. I sighed and willed myself still. Soon, I could walk without Evan's concerned hand, and I managed to at least make it to Bardic by his side.
We stopped just outside the back door, yawning a little now that we'd exhausted ourselves. As I turned to the door, I heard the shift of Evan's robes as he reached to open it for me. I smiled at him and laughed a little.
"Such the gentleman!"
"I do try, my dear."
"I noticed that. Thank you, by the way…"
"For what?"
"For giving me a reason to dance again, and to laugh. I don't play often, and rarely for those who actually appreciate my work." I chuckled and nuzzled Ame. "It makes me feel as though I belong for once." His face took on a troubled look at that.
"Did your people treat you badly, simply because your blood?" I sighed and nodded, absently scratching my neck. I'd taken out my feathers that morning, and so my hair was barely to my ears, providing a distraction from the question. He raised an eyebrow at my reaction, but shook his head and smiled back at me. "Go to bed, Watersong. We've all had an interesting day, and I know that bed isn't far from my thoughts." I laughed again and we parted, he with a wave, I with a smile.
A yawn broke my dazed expression, and hauling myself up to my room, I threw open the window and set Ame on her perch, tossing her the last tidbit of hare from my pouch. Stripping off all but my under things, I curled up in the covers, pulled my Shin'a'in blanket over my shoulders, and let the night winds carry my soul away…
I've never traveled the Moonpaths; though the Star-Eyed opened them to all of her peoples, I never felt the courage to walk upon them as easily as the Sworn and the Shamans do. That was never so true as for tonight; though the moon was bright and skies clear, I pursued dreams instead. Most were innocent, peaceful; I never expected to be visited by another nightmare…
I felt myself fall back into the mess hall, talking with Evan, Kavyn, and the Mage Trainee Adyrin. I'd just managed to avoid another fight with the Blues outside as I left Companion Field. But just sitting there had it's problems as well. Arlen and his cruel features kept coming back to haunt me, making me wonder if this wasn't a new danger to my beloved family and friends. Ironically, as though I'd summoned him from the seven hells, Arlen's bulk seemed to rear it's ugly head and shade our table. Ametha mantled again, and it took my strength and my mind to keep her from ripping his face off. Evan coolly turned to face him on the bench.
"Arlen. I thought that you had had enough of being beaten for one day?"
"Shut the hell up, you useless excuse for a Healer. This bitch didn't do as I said earlier, and now she's going to pay for it." I cleared my throat and stood up, facing his eyes with a very real anger.
"I am still right here, you know. Now, I suggest you leave before I give up holding my bond bird. She has and will gladly kill another man if he decides to ignore my warnings. Please leave." He glowered at us both, snarling angrily. I didn't see the saber coming until it was too late, the blade burying itself into my gut. The pain roared up like a beast, and I silently thanked the Star-Eyed that I'd thrown Ametha to the winds…until the twang of a bow silenced her screams. I snapped up out of the waves of pain, and paled as Ametha plummeted to the ground, her body already lifeless, our bond severed and destroyed in a heartbeat.
I could hear Evan's cries to me, his power flooding my system, Healing me as he carefully removed the saber. I didn't understand anything anymore, though, and I just stared at her fallen form, dazed, confused, forgetting everything…
"Watersong!" Dahlia…
:WATERSONG!: Who…?
"She's not waking up!" Master Lira…I can't see you…
"Watersong!" Omarie…where are you?
"Let me through!" Evan?
"Help her!" Help…who?
:SONG!!!: Ametha…AMETHA!
"AHHH!….hah…hah…" I awoke with a scream, my fingers raw from clawing up the covers and blankets. Frantically, I searched the crowd of people around me, the blood draining from my face until Evan fought his way forward, a distraught Ametha in his hands. She fluttered to me with a heart-rending cry, and I hugged her tight, tears trailing down my face faster than rain. Evan wrapped his arms around the two of us and squeezed us gently; his warmth eased away the last terrors from the nightmare. I felt Darkwind's hand on my shoulder, and peeped up from beneath Evan's chin. My cousin's eyes were haggard and drawn, his mouth a thin line. Wordlessly, he motioned to everyone surrounding my bed, and with a very real dread, I realized just what I'd done.
I'd projected my nightmare to the entire Palace, trapping many within it's terrible clutches. With my own unique power, I'd locked the dream in such a way that only my will could break it; those around me had obviously shielded themselves from it. I hung my head in shame, sobs threatening to overtake me as I tried to meet their gazes. A mixture of anger, worry, and disappointment lay on the faces of my new-found people; I wanted to die of shame. How could I possibly make this up to them? I didn't know…
Everyone went back to bed, Darkwind included. He'd asked Evan to stay with me, mostly so that I wouldn't bother them again. His gaze back at me was both sad and condescending; he thought that I should have controlled that even a little bit better. By then, though, I'd pushed away from Evan and curled up in the far corner of the room next to the fire, my eyes blind to all but their pain and resentment. Ametha had long since taken to her perch, and I brushed away a sniffle.
"Watersong…" His voice was kind, worried, gentle. I felt his long arms wrap around me again, pulling me into his lap on the rug. "You couldn't possibly have helped what happened."
"B-but…I could have locked myself away, not those innocents…"
"You had no idea this was going to happen…and I don't think this was a mere nightmare."
"W-what?"
"Remember when they tested you for gifts?"
"Y-yes…"
"Dirk said that there was a very slight chance of you having Farsight and Foresight. It seems to me that your Foresight is directly connected to your Bardic Gift. We all heard a distinct tune when the vision started, a Shin'a'in tune mixed with Valdemaren, so I'm hard-put to believe that it was a mere coincidence."
"Maybe so…but…"
"Don't beat yourself up…tell you what. In the morning, we'll go see Alberich and Kerowyn."
"Why is that?"
"He's one of the strongest Foreseers we have, and she has a great deal of experience when it comes to dreams…you'll see."
"Alright…But…Evan, I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep tonight." He pulled a blanket from her bed and wrapped it around the two of them, then leaned against the bed frame.
"I didn't plan to either."
Yay! After what, how many months? Anywho, two new OC's and a whole range of options!
Laters,
KD