Chapter 1

Queen Selenay was sick and tired of all the squabbling among the counselors. A quick glance to Talia, the Queens Own Herald and to Elspeth, the heir showed the same boredom and annoyance. The council had been in session for 3 days with little break to even breathe. The flooding, unusual for this time of year, in the north was destroying villages and crops. This coupled with increased bandit activity had the palace coffers beginning to strain.

It had not been long since the battle with Ancar and just as Selenay was hoping to make some headway back to normalcy more crises were evolving. The current debate, which had them occupied for the past 3 days, was trying to determine how the Realms remaining coin should be spent and what programs, if any, might need to be cut to save coin in case of an even more dire emergency.

There were currently two sides vying for the correct course of action. One side was being spearheaded by Lady Counselor Cathan who was the speaker for the Guilds and the other side was being spearheaded by Lord Counselor Gildas who was the speaker for the south and its rich grain lands. Both had logical plans; however both also tended to favor one action over another with little to no compromise, which always left someone out in the cold.

In this case Lady Cathan wanted to cut the program Selenay herself started to feed and teach all the realms children, long enough to use the savings to increase the size of the army to deal with the bandits. Then using what was left in the coffers and some of the royal grain to aid the villagers in the north. A good plan but Selenay was not about to cut the one program that fed and taught the poor people of the realm. The poor relied on that food for their children and the teaching that might let them escape their poverty. Besides, Selenay knew very well that a short term cut in the program would lead to a long term cut which would lead to who knows where. Also this plan seemed to not affect the guild in any way, which is probably what Lady Cathan wanted. No, she would not do that to her people.

On the other hand Lord Gildas was vying not to cut any programs at all, just raise taxes again and use that coin to rebuild the army to fight the bandits and use what was left in the coffers to help the villagers in the north. He also had the idea to not use the royal grain, but to impose a grain tax (with grain being the payment) for one season to help the north. Selenay also knew this plan wasn't fully a good one. The people had already been taxed enough to pay for the previous skirmishes against Ancar and she knew instigating another tax would induce riots. Besides, Lord Gildas was from the south where they could afford further taxation, not to mention the rich grain fields which could also afford to lose some grain. The counselors just didn't understand how hard tax raises were on the people. Why should they? They were among the wealthiest people in Valdemar. This plan was a no go as well.

But just as soon as it looked as if the council was to spend another day debating, Princess Elspeth came up with a solution, that when laid out, seemed obvious to everyone and even encompassed both sides of the debate.

"Stop, just stop," Elspeth stated loud enough for everyone to hear. A shouting match was about to ensue and by the look on her mother's face Elspeth knew it would have brought on another headache. Talia didn't look much better; she had just recently been cleared by the healers to begin normal, albeit not too strenuous duties again. It had taken her a few months to recover from what Ancar had done to her and she still wasn't her old self yet.

"I have an idea, and let me get it all out before you all start squabbling again like a bunch of chickens." The council members stared at her, mouths open at the remark. "What if we don't cut mothers program and don't totally raise the taxes but instead use some of the coin from the coffers to increase the army whom we allow to go after the bandits and pillage their valuables. They will not be allowed to murder and rape as most pillaging parties might since it's just wrong. We can then use those valuables to help rebuild some villages in the north. Further we can use a small amount of the royal grain as well as placing a small grain tax, with grain being the payment as Lord Gildas suggested, but only taxing those that can afford to lose some. This will save us money incase Ancar decides he wants to attack us again soon. Sound like a plan?"

The counselors continued to stare at her; even Elspeth's mother and Talia were staring. They were wondering how no one had been able to combine both plans in to such an elegant solution. This plan was a good one since it encompassed both sides as well as allowing for no single party to be left out in the cold. Even though pillaging was highly frowned upon in Valdemar its use in this manor, with restrictions, did not seem too bad.

A few minutes later Lady Cathan and Lord Gildas looked at each other after thinking how such a plan might really work and both agreed that such a plan was feasible, which led the other counselors to also agree. However just as an official plan was taking shape, another crisis emerged.

-* To the Grove! To the Grove! And Selenay was instantly shut out of the mental contact with her companion.

Selenay heard her companion, Caryo, react in immediate alarm and by the face of the Queens Own and the Heir, they must have received similar messages from their companions. As Selenay thought about it, Caryo had been unnaturally quite for the past hour, which made Selenay even more confused.

She had clearly heard Caryo exclaim "To the Grove" which could only mean that the situation was very urgent. The Grove was sacred and Caryo sounded so stricken. Selenay immediately wondered if a Grove born companion had just arrived making her excited but worried. A grove born, with the exception of one like Rolan meant to be the Queens Own Companion, would only mean that great change was coming to Valdemar, and possibly not for the better. It still didn't make sense though for Caryo to have shut her out so completely, leaving her blind to the situation. She desperately needed to end this session.

"Counselors," she said standing up, "I am sorry but I must immediately end this session. Something has come up with the companions and I need to discover the source. We will continue this as soon as I get a chance. Good day." Right after she swept out of the room almost as fast as a companion runs, followed closely behind by Talia and Elspeth. For a second time in an hour the counselors were stunned with mouths open agape, not knowing what to do.

"Mother, you heard that didn't you?" Elspeth asked as they hurriedly walked down the hall.

"Yes, I did. How about you Talia?"

"Yes, something has happened to the companions, something so vital they must all be headed for the Grove."

"Then we have little time," Selenay remarked. "They are ahead of us and I for one want to know what has them so riled up enough to cut us off."

Out in the companion's field an almost immediate sense of alarm had swept through the companions. All at once every companion in the city of Haven and the immediate countryside side shot their heads up, eyes bright and wild with alarm. The Heralds were completely confused as every one of them was cut off from the mind contact with their companions. And almost as one all the companions, whether young or old, bonded or unbounded, left whatever they were doing and immediately ran in the direction of the grove. If one was to ask someone who witnessed the immediate departure of the companions they would tell you that their blue sapphire eyes had begun to glow as well as the surrounding air around their bodies. They would tell you it was an eerie moment, a moment a few ever get to witness.

As all the companions rushed to the Grove, members of the Palace and of the surrounding Collegium were pouring out of various buildings. At the front of the group was Queen Selenay, Queens Own Talia and Heir Elspeth. They were immediately met by Herald Alberich who didn't say a word about the situation. Instead they all jogged and ran as fast to the Grove as their human legs could carry them. When they neared closer a brilliant flash of light came from the direction of the Grove, blinding everyone for a few seconds. It immediately disappeared to be followed by a steadier glow and as the Queen and her entourage were within feet of the companions they saw it was now the companions themselves glowing.

They could not see what had appeared in the Grove as so many companions were blocking their sight. After pushing and shoving their way to the center of the companion's attention, they saw in utter disbelief what had arrived. It was a girl, no a young woman, lying on the ground and she seemed to be unconscious. It was as if she had called the companions to her like a beacon. What struck the people of Valdemar the most however was that she was wearing clothing, however very torn and ragged clothing, that none of them recognized. It was dark blue in color and there seemed to be a belt on her waist with an odd assortment of items. There was blood all over her whether her own or someone else's no one immediately knew. They were all too shocked to move a muscle.

-*Quickly Heralds, she is dying, she is severely wounded. We have done what we can but she needs immediate healing.

It was Rolan who had spoken, speaking to all of them and not just his Chosen, Talia. The statement that she was dying awoke them from their astonishment. Selenay immediately moved to action.