Disclaimer: I own NOTHING but the plot and the characters.
:colons: are Mindspeech. [brackets] are Kamaria's thoughts. Alain tends to think in Mindspeech or aloud.
Muse responsible: Krathnae
--------------------------------------
Kamaria fit herself into the curve of Alain's body. He was already fast asleep.
Her mind was buzzing. [Me? Lifebonded? Mother won't like this, and Father probably won't either...but I like it. I-I'm not as alone as before. He has a Companion.] The familiar flash of pain swept through her. [That shouldn't make a difference, though. Maybe-maybe he'd share her? No, stupid idea. But...]
Her thoughts were interrupted by something thumping against the closed window.
Alain, who she had thought was asleep, sprang up and opened it.
She watched curiously as he stared outside, concentrating.
He turned to her. "Kamaria, there's a Herald outside our window. She has Fetching, which she can use to get a rope up to us. Ramya is on her way. Two questions: Are you afraid of heights, and can you climb down a rope?"
"No to the first, yes to the second." Kamaria half-grinned at the memory. When she had been young, she had liked nothing better than the ropes course at the Chantrea estate.
Alain put on his boots. Kamaria realized she still had hers on.
Alain pulled her away from the window. Seconds later, an arrow, trailing a heavy rope, shot through the open window.
Alain picked it up and tied it. "Go! If someone comes, you need to get away. I'll be fine."
Kamaria gripped the rope and slid down.
Down. Kamaria remembered a trick from the high ropes course-do not ever look down.
Stones raced past her with blinding speed. Her palms began to burn.
Still, she grimly held the rope. Above her, she could see Alain looking down at her.
Strong arms caught her suddenly.
"Run into the woods. I'll get the Trainee. Meet my Companion and mount. If we get caught, she will gallop you to Haven."
Kamaria ran. She felt exposed under the shining sun. At last, she reached the trees.
A Companion came up to her, and excitement thrilled. She was going to ride a Companion!
But the mare was tall. Kamaria looked for a stump-and the Companion knelt.
She mounted, but did not touch the reins. Instead, like a novice rider, she gripped the saddlehorn.
The Companion looked back and squared a blue eye on her. She jerked her head at the reins impatiently. When Kamaria didn't move, she spoke. :Havens! You don't really think the Heralds would put a bit into their Companion's mouth! Now stop being stupid and take the reins.:
Kamaria gaped, but took the reins. The Companion edged so they could see Alain sliding down the rope.
Kamaria gasped. The tower had to be at least 100 feet high.
Suddenly, a shout rang from the window-and the rope snapped.
Kamaria screamed. She could feel pain radiating down the bond.
He shouted, "GO, Kamaria! Run!"
The Companion whirled and galloped. An arrow whizzed past them and stuck into the ground.
Kamaria was exulted by the feel of the Companion's run.
They reached the main road. Another streak of white flashed past them- Ramya.
Kamaria got no chance to say anything as the wind tore the words from her throat.
She clung on. There were hoofbeats behind them. [What is the Earl doing? I'm on a Companion, for Haven's sake!]
The Companion somehow went still faster. Kamaria watched the ground and trees flash past.
Minutes stretched into quarter-candlemarks, half-candlemarks, entire candlemarks. Kamaria was dizzied by the never-faltering beat of the Companion's run.
She thought of Alain. Was he all right? She'd know if he was dead. She'd know.
She straightened in the saddle as she spotted Haven ahead.
Kamaria prayed that they would make it.
People stared as a girl-not a Herald-flashed past on a Companion, the bells jangling.
They burst through the walls of Haven and began weaving through the streets. They did not slow their pace.
At last, the Companion erupted through the Palace gates and jumped the fence into Companion's Field.
Kamaria saw her mother, and her heart sank.
She was approaching, fury on her face, several nobles behind her. Kamaria slid off the Companion.
Suddenly, there was a swirl of white and Kamaria was surrounded. She looked around-and saw Companions and Heralds, and Herald-Trainees. Ramya had spared no effort.
Kamaria was grateful as she cowered among them, hiding from her mother. If she had been wearing her usual clothes, she wouldn't have been found-but she was wearing a peasant's rough brown jerkin.
At least her head wouldn't be noticed, since her hair was almost the color of a Companion's mane.
Kamaria watched her mother try to force her way in, for once not acting like a butterfly-brain.
The Companions, Heralds, and Trainees only made a tighter barrier.
Kamaria gaped as she was jostled against the Queen, who smiled and moved away.
A Trainee came up to her. "Are you Alain's lifebonded?"
Kamaria replied, puzzled, "Um, yes."
The Trainee glared hatred at Lady Amaya. "Your mother was forcing you to marry? And not Alain?" she asked.
"Yes," said Kamaria.
The Trainee whispered something into the ear of one of her friends. The Trainee took on a look of concentration. "He's Broad-sending to the rest of the Trainees," explained the first Trainee.
Kamaria thanked her.
Another swirl appeared from nowhere, this time of gray.
The Trainees surrounded her, Companions and Heralds surrounding them. "They're furious about it. Alain's really popular and nice-and hilarious, and you're his lifebonded," said one of them.
"Lucky," muttered someone else. Kamaria looked around. The first Trainee whacked the guilty one gently.
Lady Amaya shouted, "Kamaria Aysel Selena Chantrea! Get out of there right now!"
Kamaria shrank back inside the circle. [This should be my greatest dream- being surrounded by Heralds, Trainees, Companions. Instead, with Alain hurt and an arranged marriage and an angry mother, it's my worst nightmare,] she thought dazedly.
One of the Heralds stepped forward. "I'm afraid not, Lady Amaya. She may be unChosen," the now ancient pain slapped Kamaria in the face again- "but she is the lifebonded of one of our own, namely, Trainee Alain," he said, his words weighted with the full brunt of the entire Heraldic Circle in Haven.
Kamaria blinked. [Whoa. Lots of support here. Too much?]
Lady Amaya snarled, all butterfly-brainedness vanished, "She is my daughter and will marry who is best for her!"
"Ah-but the one who is best for her is Trainee Alain. Nothing else could have lifebound them," said the Herald-and now Kamaria recognized the Queen's Own.
Lady Amaya tried to force herself into the circle once more, but there were too many of the Heralds.
The Queen's Own turned to Kamaria. "You will stay in the Herald's Collegium until we decide what to do about all the legal matters," she said, smiling now.
Kamaria, however, at a surge of pain from the bond, fell back in a dead faint, hitting several Trainees and knocking over the one who had Broad- sent.
--------------------------
Whee! There's chapter 8 done! And no, Alain isn't dead. NOT DEAD! I like him too much. And Kamaria would die, and then I wouldn't have a story no more. And my readers would hate me, and-whoa, getting carried away.
Reviewer-thanking time!
Faeborn2930: Here. Have more cookies. Kamaria and Alain would thank you, but both are unconscious...their bond is *very* close. ;)
Cat: Thank you, and I'll try!
Midnight.Star: Scheherezade is looking pretty murderous by now-and she's left for the moment. Phew. It's OK about the S. I know what it's like to be sleep-deprived. In fact, I'm sleep-deprived right now. And, (Hey, here's a hint into the next chappies!) the Earl is going to hole up on his estate for a while for harming a Herald-Trainee...and once Alain gets all healed up and Domanda is dragged into Court to testify, Alain and Kamaria are all sweet together. Bwahaha. Sirius Fluff is making a late showing in this fic.
Etcetera-cat: There ya go! And that explains why no random Companion has been asking me about Choosing Kamaria, if they're on strike. I am still not promising anything either way.
Wyntyr: I like your name. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Yes, you repeated that enough! Did I?
OK, pie and cookies for EVERYONE! Whee! *hands out pies, cookies, cookies, pie, sporks, plates, and napkins.* Nobody throw the sporks at me, please! They're to eat the pie!
There you go! Thankees!
~Fireblade and muses
:colons: are Mindspeech. [brackets] are Kamaria's thoughts. Alain tends to think in Mindspeech or aloud.
Muse responsible: Krathnae
--------------------------------------
Kamaria fit herself into the curve of Alain's body. He was already fast asleep.
Her mind was buzzing. [Me? Lifebonded? Mother won't like this, and Father probably won't either...but I like it. I-I'm not as alone as before. He has a Companion.] The familiar flash of pain swept through her. [That shouldn't make a difference, though. Maybe-maybe he'd share her? No, stupid idea. But...]
Her thoughts were interrupted by something thumping against the closed window.
Alain, who she had thought was asleep, sprang up and opened it.
She watched curiously as he stared outside, concentrating.
He turned to her. "Kamaria, there's a Herald outside our window. She has Fetching, which she can use to get a rope up to us. Ramya is on her way. Two questions: Are you afraid of heights, and can you climb down a rope?"
"No to the first, yes to the second." Kamaria half-grinned at the memory. When she had been young, she had liked nothing better than the ropes course at the Chantrea estate.
Alain put on his boots. Kamaria realized she still had hers on.
Alain pulled her away from the window. Seconds later, an arrow, trailing a heavy rope, shot through the open window.
Alain picked it up and tied it. "Go! If someone comes, you need to get away. I'll be fine."
Kamaria gripped the rope and slid down.
Down. Kamaria remembered a trick from the high ropes course-do not ever look down.
Stones raced past her with blinding speed. Her palms began to burn.
Still, she grimly held the rope. Above her, she could see Alain looking down at her.
Strong arms caught her suddenly.
"Run into the woods. I'll get the Trainee. Meet my Companion and mount. If we get caught, she will gallop you to Haven."
Kamaria ran. She felt exposed under the shining sun. At last, she reached the trees.
A Companion came up to her, and excitement thrilled. She was going to ride a Companion!
But the mare was tall. Kamaria looked for a stump-and the Companion knelt.
She mounted, but did not touch the reins. Instead, like a novice rider, she gripped the saddlehorn.
The Companion looked back and squared a blue eye on her. She jerked her head at the reins impatiently. When Kamaria didn't move, she spoke. :Havens! You don't really think the Heralds would put a bit into their Companion's mouth! Now stop being stupid and take the reins.:
Kamaria gaped, but took the reins. The Companion edged so they could see Alain sliding down the rope.
Kamaria gasped. The tower had to be at least 100 feet high.
Suddenly, a shout rang from the window-and the rope snapped.
Kamaria screamed. She could feel pain radiating down the bond.
He shouted, "GO, Kamaria! Run!"
The Companion whirled and galloped. An arrow whizzed past them and stuck into the ground.
Kamaria was exulted by the feel of the Companion's run.
They reached the main road. Another streak of white flashed past them- Ramya.
Kamaria got no chance to say anything as the wind tore the words from her throat.
She clung on. There were hoofbeats behind them. [What is the Earl doing? I'm on a Companion, for Haven's sake!]
The Companion somehow went still faster. Kamaria watched the ground and trees flash past.
Minutes stretched into quarter-candlemarks, half-candlemarks, entire candlemarks. Kamaria was dizzied by the never-faltering beat of the Companion's run.
She thought of Alain. Was he all right? She'd know if he was dead. She'd know.
She straightened in the saddle as she spotted Haven ahead.
Kamaria prayed that they would make it.
People stared as a girl-not a Herald-flashed past on a Companion, the bells jangling.
They burst through the walls of Haven and began weaving through the streets. They did not slow their pace.
At last, the Companion erupted through the Palace gates and jumped the fence into Companion's Field.
Kamaria saw her mother, and her heart sank.
She was approaching, fury on her face, several nobles behind her. Kamaria slid off the Companion.
Suddenly, there was a swirl of white and Kamaria was surrounded. She looked around-and saw Companions and Heralds, and Herald-Trainees. Ramya had spared no effort.
Kamaria was grateful as she cowered among them, hiding from her mother. If she had been wearing her usual clothes, she wouldn't have been found-but she was wearing a peasant's rough brown jerkin.
At least her head wouldn't be noticed, since her hair was almost the color of a Companion's mane.
Kamaria watched her mother try to force her way in, for once not acting like a butterfly-brain.
The Companions, Heralds, and Trainees only made a tighter barrier.
Kamaria gaped as she was jostled against the Queen, who smiled and moved away.
A Trainee came up to her. "Are you Alain's lifebonded?"
Kamaria replied, puzzled, "Um, yes."
The Trainee glared hatred at Lady Amaya. "Your mother was forcing you to marry? And not Alain?" she asked.
"Yes," said Kamaria.
The Trainee whispered something into the ear of one of her friends. The Trainee took on a look of concentration. "He's Broad-sending to the rest of the Trainees," explained the first Trainee.
Kamaria thanked her.
Another swirl appeared from nowhere, this time of gray.
The Trainees surrounded her, Companions and Heralds surrounding them. "They're furious about it. Alain's really popular and nice-and hilarious, and you're his lifebonded," said one of them.
"Lucky," muttered someone else. Kamaria looked around. The first Trainee whacked the guilty one gently.
Lady Amaya shouted, "Kamaria Aysel Selena Chantrea! Get out of there right now!"
Kamaria shrank back inside the circle. [This should be my greatest dream- being surrounded by Heralds, Trainees, Companions. Instead, with Alain hurt and an arranged marriage and an angry mother, it's my worst nightmare,] she thought dazedly.
One of the Heralds stepped forward. "I'm afraid not, Lady Amaya. She may be unChosen," the now ancient pain slapped Kamaria in the face again- "but she is the lifebonded of one of our own, namely, Trainee Alain," he said, his words weighted with the full brunt of the entire Heraldic Circle in Haven.
Kamaria blinked. [Whoa. Lots of support here. Too much?]
Lady Amaya snarled, all butterfly-brainedness vanished, "She is my daughter and will marry who is best for her!"
"Ah-but the one who is best for her is Trainee Alain. Nothing else could have lifebound them," said the Herald-and now Kamaria recognized the Queen's Own.
Lady Amaya tried to force herself into the circle once more, but there were too many of the Heralds.
The Queen's Own turned to Kamaria. "You will stay in the Herald's Collegium until we decide what to do about all the legal matters," she said, smiling now.
Kamaria, however, at a surge of pain from the bond, fell back in a dead faint, hitting several Trainees and knocking over the one who had Broad- sent.
--------------------------
Whee! There's chapter 8 done! And no, Alain isn't dead. NOT DEAD! I like him too much. And Kamaria would die, and then I wouldn't have a story no more. And my readers would hate me, and-whoa, getting carried away.
Reviewer-thanking time!
Faeborn2930: Here. Have more cookies. Kamaria and Alain would thank you, but both are unconscious...their bond is *very* close. ;)
Cat: Thank you, and I'll try!
Midnight.Star: Scheherezade is looking pretty murderous by now-and she's left for the moment. Phew. It's OK about the S. I know what it's like to be sleep-deprived. In fact, I'm sleep-deprived right now. And, (Hey, here's a hint into the next chappies!) the Earl is going to hole up on his estate for a while for harming a Herald-Trainee...and once Alain gets all healed up and Domanda is dragged into Court to testify, Alain and Kamaria are all sweet together. Bwahaha. Sirius Fluff is making a late showing in this fic.
Etcetera-cat: There ya go! And that explains why no random Companion has been asking me about Choosing Kamaria, if they're on strike. I am still not promising anything either way.
Wyntyr: I like your name. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Here's more. Yes, you repeated that enough! Did I?
OK, pie and cookies for EVERYONE! Whee! *hands out pies, cookies, cookies, pie, sporks, plates, and napkins.* Nobody throw the sporks at me, please! They're to eat the pie!
There you go! Thankees!
~Fireblade and muses