Disclaimer: Don't own Velgarth or the concept of Heralds, I do own the entire house of Chantrea and the other characters mentioned here! Cept the Grove-born, possibly, and any mentions of any characters in Misty's books.
Muse responsible: Krathnae!
:Mindspeech: and thoughts
OK, I've caved, I'm now using boldness and italicyness. I'll eventually do an overhaul of all my stories, but I recently started high school and won't have much time for it...however, it will happen!
And several weeks have passed. Kamaria, Alain, Lirite, and Mandel are now at the Collegia, and Garethe has recently returned to teach strategy.
Kamaria headed purposefully across Companion's Field, from her Weapons class to her least favorite, Mathematics. Jakob and Tara were involved in a spirited argument about the benefits of the axe over the mace, and Kamaria listened with interest as they followed behind her.
Edim had sprinted ahead, since the boy had proved to have a positive genius for Maths and had been excused from the ordinary class. Instead, he had a free period, and was obviously intent on having a hot bath.
As the three Trainees left Companion's Field and crossed the main thoroughfare into the Palace, they were forced to stop as a division of light cavalry, dressed in the blue and silver of the Guard, came through. Kamaria looked them over with interest-they were travel-stained and tired-looking, and obviously glad to be home. Their commander had his back to the Trainees, directing the cavalry to the barracks, the servants who had appeared as if conjured to the stables with their packs, and so on. A Herald, who had been riding alongside the commander, dismounted and headed towards Companion's Field, giving the Trainees a cheery wave as she passed.
At last, the commander dismounted and handed his horse to a servant, turning. Kamaria recognized him as he turned-
"Sivan!" she shrieked happily, breaking into a sprint to her older brother. "Sivan!"
Sivan, obviously unprepared for his sister, almost fell backwards as Kamaria barreled into him and gave him a hug. With an undignified "Oof," he looked down at his sister and raised his eyebrows. "So you're a Trainee!" he said, in surprise. "How long?"
Kamaria looked up at Sivan, grinning, and said, "Four, five months or so. And Mandel's in Healer's."
Sivan blinked. "Ah," he said, obviously unprepared. "What next? Are you going to tell me the twins are Bards, or something?"
"Nope," said Kamaria, squeezing her brother again, "Aren't you going to give me a hug?"
Sivan recovered himself and returned his sister's hug, then lifted her into the air and spun her around as she gasped in surprise.
"Border's been hell. Am I ever glad to see you," Sivan said, at last grinning at his sister.
"Kamaria, who's this?" said Alain, stopping as he exited Herald's Collegium on his way to Weapons. He looked from Kamaria to her older brother, confused. "Wait-don't tell me," he continued, looking carefully at Sivan, "Your brother. Sivan."
Sivan nodded and released Kamaria. "And who's that?" he said, jerking his head at Alain.
"Alain. My lifebonded," said Kamaria, as Jakob and Tara at last continued towards their class, Tara calling, "I'll tell Herald Renn you're talking to your brother!"
Kamaria waved in acknowledgement, smiling at the dumbfounded look on Sivan's face. "Ah..." he managed, at last.
"Didn't Father send you a letter?" said Kamaria, tilting her head as Alain came to stand near his lifebonded.
"Oh, yes. Something about Mother and that Earl, right?" said Sivan, recollection dawning. "I was in the middle of a nasty little spat with three Sunpriests versus my division, and we were the only ones there for three days or so. My tent got burned, so I really didn't get to reply to the letter."
"Yes," said Kamaria, and paused. "Don't you need to report?" she said at last, reluctantly.
"I do," said Sivan, "Do we still have quarters at the Palace?"
"Father's in them." Kamaria enjoyed another dumbfounded look on Sivan's face. "He's teaching Strategy at the Collegia," she amended, and Sivan nodded. "Dinner?" he offered. "I'll get a message to Mandel-"
"No, I see him in my next class," said Kamaria, "I'll take care of it."
There was another pause-and a bell rang. "I'm late!" yelped Kamaria, as she and Alain started. "Later!" she called over her shoulder as she and her lifebonded bolted in opposite directions.
She stopped in her room for a moment to grab her book for Mathematics, and sprinted downstairs to the classroom.
Maths went uneventfully, as did History after that. Herald Kyra stopped Kamaria after class to thank her once again for bringing Garethe to the Collegia, going on so long about his achievements that Kamaria found herself embarrassed on her father's behalf. At last, after an hour of work in the library, it was dinner.
Kamaria was off-duty tonight, since she had helped make breakfast and cleaned up after lunch, so she and Mandel set off to their father's quarters.
Mandel's reaction to at last seeing Sivan in the small sitting room-Kamaria hadn't told him their brother had arrived, instead deciding to keep it as a surprise-was as enthusiastic as Kamaria's. The Healer-Trainee launched himself at his elder brother, receiving a similar "Oof" as Sivan toppled. Mandel straightened hastily to help Sivan up.
"Not yet, squirt," said Sivan, yanking Mandel down and mock-wrestling him until he sat upon the younger boy's chest. "Surrender?" Sivan taunted, throwing dignity to the wind.
"Surrender! Surrender!" Mandel squeaked, struggling.
"That's enough," said Garethe, amused, from the position he had just taken up in the doorway. Folding his arms across his chest, the slender man eyed his sons sternly until they disentangled themselves and stood up, bowing formally to each other.
"They'll be bringing dinner in shortly," said Garethe, in his usual blunt way, "Let's try to act civilized." The stern tone gave the lie to the smile twitching at the corners of his lips.
Sure enough, dinner was soon brought by, not a servant, but one of Garethe's retainers-the Guards who had served as his under-officers in the army had retired when their General had, their loyalty to their commanding officer bringing them to serve as men-at-arms in his household. The two remaining of Garethe's three direct assistants-sadly, Kila had died of a brainstorm several years before-traveled with Garethe, his unofficial bodyguards and possibly his closest friends. Kamaria had fond memories of Kavin and Jare, the former teaching her patiently to ride her first pony, and Jare giving her lessons in knife-fighting. Neither was the Weaponsmaster, but they were the best at what they had taught each of Garethe's children-exactly the lord's point.
Kavin left with a short bow, eliciting a sigh from Garethe, and grinned at his lord-this obviously being an ongoing joke between them-before turning and leaving the room.
There was a shuffle for seats as Sivan and Mandel raced for the best chair, but while they were tussling playfully, Kamaria slipped into it and smiled angelically when her brothers turned. Sivan rolled his hazel eyes-identical to his father's-and took the chair on Garethe's right. Mandel sat on Kamaria's left, placing the Heraldic Trainee and her father face-to-face.
"How long have you been here?" said Mandel, as he politely passed the potatoes to Kamaria.
"Just a few candlemarks," replied Sivan with a sigh. "Kamaria saw me coming in-she tackled me, just like you did." Kamaria lifted her chin and tried to look dignified.
"So you got Chosen!" said Sivan, turning to look at Kamaria. "What's your Companion's name? Tell me about him. Or her."
"Sitara," said Kamaria, "She's very intelligent, and eats enough for about five horses, even though she's only about half the size of Father's monster." Kamaria smiled at Garethe who gave her a mock-stern look.
Well, it looked stern, with nothing mocking to it, but something told Kamaria it wasn't...
"She likes to look through my eyes while I'm reading," continued Kamaria, "And she's the fastest Companion in the Field!"
"Have your Gifts manifested yet?" continued Sivan, taking the potatoes from his sister.
"Alain said Mindspeech and a bit of Empathy," said Kamaria, slowly, "Then...Sitara said, or maybe it was Alain, a very minor Gift of Fetching, probably some Farsight, and Othersight, whatever that is."
"Seeing the life-energy in things," said Mandel, as if by rote. At Kamaria's look of surprise, Mandel said, blandly, "I learned to see that way...last week, I think. It's hard to do at will, but I'm getting better." With that, the Healer-trainee took a bite of his chicken.
"Well...yes," said Kamaria, blinking and coming back to herself. "But so far, only Mindspeech and Empathy have manifested."
:Farsight shouldn't be far behind, and I wouldn't be surprised if you learned to Fetch within two months or so,: commented Sitara in the back of Kamaria's mind. She relayed it to her family.
"Ah," said Sivan.
Garethe took the short silence as an excuse to start questioning his son about the Karsite border. "How is it down there?"
"It's bad down there," said Sivan, after a few moments, "When I was riding back, I saw three Heralds with Healers on pillion going full speed. My rank probably won't be back for long-but we're at two-thirds strength only, and we need to recuperate."
Garethe nodded, slowly. "And how is Catdance?" he inquired, referring to the warhorse he had given to his son-Garethe's own steed had been the young stallion's sire.
Sivan flinched. "Shot down by some arrow from the Karsites," he said, quietly, "I think the Sunpriests had been at it or something-it went right through his armor as if it were paper."
Garethe sighed. "I suppose I'll have to give you another one, then," he said, lightening the mood slightly, "Just don't make this into a trend, all right?"
"Agreed," said Sivan, gratefully.
"Now," Sivan continued, turning to look at Kamaria, "What was this 'Earl' business you were talking about earlier?"
Kamaria paused in taking another forkful of potato and stirred it for a moment. "Mother decided to arrange a marriage for me," she said, bracing herself-Sivan's temper was legendary among the siblings and cousins of the Chantreas.
"WHAT?" bellowed Sivan, jumping to his feet and nearly upsetting the table. "You weren't going to get married until you were seventeen!"
"I know, I know," said Kamaria, soothingly, rising to place a hand on her brother's forearm, "It was one of Mother's notions."
Sivan sat. "Tell," he said, hazel eyes narrowed.
Kamaria took a sip of cider from her goblet and began. "She arranged it with the Earl Frethatsa," she said, and waited. Instead of leaping to his feet, however, Sivan's eyes began to burn with rage. "That lecher? Sorry, Father," he said, hastily, looking at Garethe.
Garethe took a sip of his own wine and looked back at his daughter.
"Yes, him," said Kamaria, "She said it was because he had a Council seat. Anyway, it comes to that I tried to run away, a Herald-Trainee called Alain followed me, worried for my safety, the Earl's men kidnapped both of us, we discovered we were lifebonded while we were trapped in a tower, and a Herald got a rope to us so we could climb down. Oh, yes, and Alain broke his leg," said Kamaria, shuddering slightly with the memory.
"Oh, that boy you introduced to me earlier," said Sivan, eyes narrowing further. "I'd like a chat with him."
Kamaria held up a finger and Reached.
:Alain?:
:Yes?: replied Alain, as he swallowed a bite of some sort of food.
:Sivan wants a chat with you,: said Kamaria, adding several "tags" of information on the edges.
There was a pause while Alain "read" them. :I'm guessing he doesn't want to be friendly, then,: he said, :I thought this was coming...he really only saw me for a moment or two. Tell him, Companion's Field in a candlemark and a half. Don't come yourself-but send Sitara. She'll let you watch.:
:And you'll have backup,: said Kamaria, smiling slightly.
There was an unmistakable smile in Alain's voice. :I'm sure it won't come to that, but arguing with a Trainee who's braiding the mane of a Companion who is watching him carefully is unwise.:
:I'll tell him. Love you.:
:I know.:
Kamaria broke the contact. "Companion's Field, candlemark and a half," she said to Sivan, who had been watching her bemusedly.
"Oh," said her older brother, the wind taken out of his sails.
Garethe changed the subject tactfully by asking Mandel about his training, and the rest of the dinner went without mishap.
About a candlemark or so later, Kamaria was reading out in Companion's Field, leaning against the trunk of a tree. Sitara stood under her, looking through her eyes as they read the book together.
:Time,: said Alain, to both Kamaria and Sitara. Kamaria Sent an assent-feeling, and Sitara wandered casually off. Kamaria shifted herself in the tree and closed the book, balancing it on the branch in front of her.
With a twist of her mind, she was suddenly in Sitara's body, looking through her eyes. :Hello, sweeting,: said Sitara, ambling along as if she hadn't a care in the world.
:Where are they?: said Kamaria, trying to get used to the disorientation of the horse's point of view.
:Right-ah. Here we are,: said Sitara, stopping on a slight rise and turning to supposedly graze, but really to keep one eye on Ramya and Alain.
Alain was finger-combing Ramya's mane idly, braiding it as he went along, until Sivan came up to a few feet away from him.
"You're Alain, aren't you?" said Sivan, guardedly; well aware that the Companion watching him meditatively was as intelligent as he was, if not more.
"Yes," said Alain, "And your sister's lifebonded. Good to meet you again."
He nodded to Kamaria's brother, then returned his attention to braiding Ramya's mane.
Sitara's attention was distracted for a moment as she turned her head sharply, a swallow swooping dangerously close to her head, and they missed the next few words, catching only, "...right."
Alain stopped his braiding to look at Sivan, leaning against Ramya's shoulder. "Of course I'll treat her well," he said, making eye contact, "Your sister is my lifebonded. How could I not?"
"Er..." said Sivan, discomfited.
:No confrontation after all,: mused Sitara, letting Kamaria eavesdrop, :I suppose there's no real point to remaining here.:
Kamaria slid from her Companion's mind without reply.
"That was anticlimactic," she muttered to herself, climbing down from the tree. "I hope Sivan doesn't try to find the Earl, though..."
:Did anyone mention to you that the Earl's duties have been changed to tending the unbonded Companions?: said Sitara, suddenly.
Kamaria nearly fell out of the lowest branches of the tree as she laughed triumphantly at the images of the Earl's ordeal among the younger mares. :He deserves it,: she said, satisfied at his punishment and not even feeling guilty about it, :It's about time us girls taught him we aren't playthings.:
All right...nothing really happened in that chapter...just more plot development, and you met Sivan!
Reviews are muchly loved!
And I have just started high school, so I probably won't be posting as often. Rest assured that I am NOT abandoning this story.
Oh, yes-I have begun the story of Garethe's life, and I am reformatting LTM gradually to show italicyness and boldness!
-Fireblade K'Chona