A/N. Oneswordsworn- Thank you for your review. Glad to hear you liked it. I'll try to work on keeping Alberich more in character. I'm using the Exile books to help, but any tips that I get, I will try to use.

Everyone else: I like reviews. They make me happy. At least I know you're reading this if you post stuff!

Talia knocked softly on the door of Myste's room and entered into the neat chamber which the Herald Chronicler kept. Carrying the box that the Healers had sent for Myste to take with her, she perched on the end of the bed and began to fold some of the dark homespun that they would wear on this mission as opposed to the traditional Heraldic whites. It had taken Talia very little time to pack for herself and Rolan, and Alberich and Skif would be more than able to take care of the provisions which they would need, and Dirk still needed to learn his new, and hopefully temporary responsibility. In the meantime, if anything that her Empathy had shown her was right, she had better spend her time helping Herald Myste with the problems in store for her.

on this trip. And they had problems enough as it was without dealing an unacknowledged Lifebond. The way things stood, any harm to Myste would push Alberich over an edge that even the Weaponsmaster was unaware he possessed. and Myste would be just as devastated at his loss. Lord and Lady, it was bad enough keeping a couple with an acknowledged Lifebond from trying wish themselves out of existence when the other was hurt or killed. Working among the Healers, especially after her own fiasco with Dirk and their own unacknowledged Lifebond, made healing difficult and recovery sometimes near impossible. She gave a mental picture of what she feared to Rolan, hoping he would take it to Kantor and Myste's companion before settling back to the thought of explaining this to Myste. Well, explaining once again. She had tried before unsuccessfully, although she was sure the older Herald knew she was right. Hopefully Rolan had more luck with their Companions, who were by far more sensible than their combined Chosen at the moment!

"I have the box of disks which the Healers sent up." Talia said, hoping that this excuse would explain her visit easily. To be honest, she was proud of the devices that her and the Healers had come up with for replacing Myste's glasses on this mission. Inside were tiny glass lenses which would fit into Myste's eye, curved so that they would reflect light the way her normal lenses would. There were enough that with careful washing and packing, they could be reused several times. Talia hoped their mission was short enough that that would not be necessary.

"Thank you, Queen's Own. They were much more comfortable than I expected when you had me try them, and they certainly will allow me to move more freely. Which I have no doubt our kindly Weaponsmaster means to take advantage of on this trip. I wish I knew why he objected to me going so much. After all, it is much easier to replace a Chronicler than it is to replace a good Weaponsmaster or Queen's Own."

"That was not why he objected and you know that full well. Besides, Herald Kerowyn will take over his classes easily enough while he's gone. He was worried over you being hurt. And not because of your glasses or fighting skills." Talia looked levelly at Myste, who had been blushing and turned away since mentioning Alberich's name. "How long have you known you were in love with Alberich?"

"Well, I did not think any of the younger Heralds had even heard a whisper of that. We have worked very hard to keep that matter quiet."

"Most of the other Heralds cannot feel what is going on between the two of you either. And that is a whole other kettle of fish. But you can start to catch them by answering my question!"

Myste sighed, bristling slightly. As sweet as Talia was, she had a stubborn streak. And the Queen's Own was one of the few Heralds who had earned her friendship so easily, in spite of their ages. And she would ask again, no matter how rudely Myste refused if she felt it was an urgent matter. "For as long as I remember. I was Chosen only a few months before he officially became Weaponsmaster. That's one of the things about being an older Herald. Even if you think you know what you feel, you will fight it because you have felt it before and been hurt by it. By the time I realized what it was, well, I can hide what I feel quite easily. I had enough experience as a clerk that I could be a better actor than some of the Bards!" She made a wry face which made Talia laugh, reminding them of one particularly inept Bardic scholar who had performed in court the week before. Myste wrinkled her nose and shook her head which loosened some of her lighter brown hair from where it had been fastened securely behind her head. "I think that is why we argued so much. I don't think he ever realized that I battled with him to hide how I felt."

Talia smiled, her own red brown curls flopping over her forehead as she laughed. "Lady Bright! The last time I spoke to you about this, you nearly snapped my head off. But I still hold what I said before, that it is an unacknowledged Lifebond. You just described what Keren and Ylsa and Sherill felt, and Mero and Gaytha, and any of the Lifebonded Heralds I know felt with a new Lifebond. Myself and Dirk included. Although, admittedly when it happened, I had just ridden over half the country and was frightened and exhausted. If it weren't for Kris -"

Myste let Talia regroup, knowing what she meant to say already. If it weren't for Kris, Dirk and Talia might have died without ever acknowledging their bond. Not only due to Talia's injuries from being tortured by Ancar and Hulda and Dirk's pneumonia, but due to a sheer stubbornness which both of them possessed and which could rival Alberich in his most bullheaded.
"I nearly tore myself apart with that Lifebond. And Dirk nearly drank himself to death. If it were not for three very close friends helping me with that and Elspeth and all of that,we very well might have. And after what I felt today with you and Alberich when he collapsed, I have no doubts at all that that is what you are dealing with." There was no need for Myste to know just what she had felt behind Alberich's shields. Or that he was one of the friends who with Skif and Dirk had gotten her through the most miserable days of her life. Although Herald Keren and some of the others had been close behind those three in their efforts. None of that would change what Myste was dealing with.

"But this has gone on for years. And we've been together for - he has never said -" Myste fumbled for words and finally just leaned back. "I would like to believe you Talia, and I can feel it. But it has been years now, since before Elspeth was born, and there has never given any sign that he felt this. And you only fought yours for a few months!"

So much for not telling her. It seemed like that was the only way that Talia could get through to her. With a mental sigh, she continued. "Believe me, it would have gone on longer if I hadn't snapped during a lesson with Alberich which would have killed one of us, namely me, if it had continued. And if I would have had either of you in the Healer Collegium at that point, I think there might be a new collection of eyeballs there as we speak. Believe me, I would rather go through the task of turning Elspeth from the Brat to the Heir fifty times over before having to try and heal just one more person who has an unacknowledged Lifebond and has lost the other. I think Heralds die more from that than their actual injuries at times. The bond is about as strong as the one you have with your Companion. And you are dealing with the only Herald I know of who kept that bond distant, barely acknowledging what it meant for over a week. Actually over month if what Kantor told Skif's Cymry is true. Knowing what sort of mission we're about to go on, you'll know how devastating that can be and why I am pushing the issue now. Otherwise, it would be one of the million and one things around the Collegium I never poke my nose into. But with the risk we are taking on this mission-" Talia shrugged.

"I'll see what I can do. We won't have time to resolve it before we leave though. But if you can do anything to help, I won't stop you. It might make things a little easier to deal with. I just wish I knew how you are going to hide this from the others."

Talia looked at Myste and smiled "I'll tell Alberich that it is something involved with Healing. As much as that man has spent time in the Healer's Collegium, you would think he would know more about it than he does! And as for Skif. I don't think you'll need to."

Myste looked puzzled. "Why?"

Talia crossed her arms and tilted her head. "Dear, if you couldn't hide it from a little Herald from the back of beyond who is an Empath and Mind Healer, what odds do you think you have of hiding it from our crafty Thoughtsensing friend? Don't tell me you forgot Skif had more gifts than just being a pickpocket?" Talia feigned amazement on this last.

Myste turned a deeper scarlet and threw a wadded bundle of homespun socks at Talia. This was going to be an interesting mission.