Now, thank yous to:
Ashfur- Changechildren rule…
Fireblade K'Chona- YES! Maybe shootie the centaur-thing! o.o I am so evil…
Wizard116- Thankies.
Little Apple- My first cliff-hanger and someone actually liked it…. . I feel so happy!
Breezefire- I knew I spelled her name wrong, but I was at work and didn't have my books with me. sweatdrops Thanks. .
Chapter Four: I Doth Stick Thee With Arrows.
"STOP!"
The Changechild behind him tensed and Julian took a deep breath. "This is not a monster. His name is Rowen shena Tale'sedrin, and he is a Shin'a'in warrior from the Dhorisha plains. I don't know how he got to be this way- he never told me, but please, lower your weapons. Heralds, trust me. He saved me from bandits, and gave me shelter for two days and three nights. I'm imploring you- lower your weapons."
Rowen relaxed slightly behind him and Julian started to let the tension ease out of him as he heard the Heralds announce to the men to take the arrows off the strings, when a voice behind them on the road screamed, "Monster!" Rowen spun around, inadvertently bringing Julian with him, and the Bard heard a sickening whistle, and a thud. Somehow he knew that Rowen had been hit somehow. The Shin'a'in screamed, and Julian screamed with him. The Guardsmen and the Heralds shouted, and he heard Rowen gallop at his attacker. A second whistle pierced the air and Julian felt a sudden pressure in his shoulder.
Even without sight, he knew that a second arrow had hit him in the shoulder. Pain suddenly coursed through his shoulder and he heard the attacker scream, and thuds. Even with the distraction of the pain, he knew that Rowen had barreled into the person, and he heard and felt the Guardsmen rushing past him to separate the two combatants. A creak of leather and the male Herald was by his side, helping him to sit down, and remove his pack, and he heard the female Herald trying to calm Rowen down.
The male Herald spoke to him gently. "Julian, the arrow is lodged in your shoulder. I'm going to pull it out now. Do not move." Julian felt another twist of pain in his shoulder. "On the count of three. One-" the Herald pulled the arrow out before Julian could tense.
"Not- nice," Julian gasped when he could talk again.
The Herald said nothing, merely snorted and placed something onto Julian's shoulder. Down the road, he heard strangled yells and muffled cursing in a language he didn't really recognize. The former he didn't recognize, but the second sounded like Rowen.
'Rowen.'
"Where was Rowen hit, sir?" he asked the Herald next to him.
"It's Herald Kyndri, lad. Your… friend was hit in his- erm…. flank… where the horse's…. in the lower body's right shoulder."
"Is he alright? Who was the man that shot at us?"
"He's fine, he'll just have some problems walking for a bit. The man-" Herald Kyndri paused for a few moments while Julian listened to Rowen's cursing anxiously. It didn't sound like he was 'alright.'
"He's a bandit, from the same group that attacked you earlier. Apparently he got separated from his fellows and decided to get back at the 'monster.'"
"Bastard," Julian spat.
"Indeed. But look, Rowen's coming this way. The men are afraid to get to close to him so Lisha and Inyam(1.) are helping him over. We're going to pull the arrow from his shoulder, but we need you to help us do it."
Julian nodded, and the Herald patted him on the shoulder. He could hear hard breathing and a hoof sometimes thudding into gravel. Step step step hop, step step step hop, until they made it over. Rowen eased himself onto the road next to Julian with a, "Damn, this hurts."
The Heralds helped Rowen to lie down on his left side, back towards Julian. "Julian, start singing something. You have a minor Gift of painblocking, don't you?"
Duh.Why hadn't he thought of it before? Self-consciously because he was in front of Rowen, he started to sing, 'The Shadow Lover.' He could feel Rowen's gaze on him and the Bard flushed. Julian felt a hand touch his good shoulder.
"The pain's… fading…"
Herald Lisha grasped the arrow at the shaft where it entered the flesh, tightened her grip, and pulled. The Changechild jerked, and then lay still. "Thank you," Rowen ground out between gritted teeth.
Kyndri took some bandages out of one of his Companion's saddlebags and started winding it around Rowen's shoulder. Lisha did the same for Julian, and soon they were both patched up nicely.
Both Heralds and their Companions helped Rowen to his feet, and Rowen in turn helped Julian to his feet.
"Well, then, that's done," Lisha announced briskly.
"Now's the real question," she continued, "How do we get back to Haven? It's a five-day trip with a good horse, and the Changechild's wounded."
"Could we fashion a sling?" Kyndri ventured.
"No, too awkward. How about-"
'Haven? But- Rolan's never been to Haven- the courtiers would stare, at the very least, and I'm sure that no few of the religious fanatics would label him a demon. Still- the Lady Nyara and the Shaman An'desha survived there. Granted, their changes were not as dramatic as this- but still, he could stay in that Tayledras structure out in Companion's Field… I'm sure that if the Tayledras Firesong were to be contacted, he wouldn't mind. Besides, I would be there to help him adjust-'
Julian came back to the conversation in time to hear a flat 'No,' interrupt Herald Lisha.
"Huh?"
"No, I am not going to Haven," the Shin'a'in repeated. "I have no interest in becoming a study for your Artificers, nor an acquired challenge for the Mages, nor a thing to be stared at among the Court. I came here to live in peace, without being an outcast, and this is where I shall stay."
The Heralds were gaping at him like fish out of water.
"But you must, Rowen," Kyndri finally managed. "We could help you adapt, see just what your new body can do, perhaps induct you into the Guard for training or as an envoy for the Changechildren that have yet to come forward, and those who are afraid of normal humans."
The last argument provoked something in Julian and he stepped forward. "Rowen, please come back with us. We have Adepts there, people that could help you, and Priests and Shamans from many religions, including your own Goddess, who could send pleas to their deities and yours to change you back to normal. And-" Julian smiled uncertainly. "And I would also like to have you there. You're my friend, and I don't like to see my friends in danger or hurt. Our Healers can put your leg back to rights, and there is an- 'eh kay lay' that you can stay in to keep away from the curious," he pleaded. "Just come until the Healers can patch up your leg, then you can decide whether you want to leave or stay. I will always welcome you there, and the Shin'a'in envoy is a very understanding man. He worked with two Changechildren in Urtho's Tower, so he understands them well. And- again, I would like you there," he ended lamely.
"That's- very kind of you, Julian," Rowen said after a long pause. "I was aware that the Shaman Lo'isha was working in the Tower, but I didn't know that he was with other Changechildren. I would be honored to stay in Haven, as long as I can keep away from most of the- most of the humans there. I don't really appreciate being stared at. And I could stay in the ekele- wait, you have an ekele in Haven? But- oh, of course, I should have known. Firesong. However, I-" he paused again, and for a long time Julian thought he had made up his mind not to go to Haven. At the thought, his heart twisted. 'I'm just worried about him,' Julian reasoned with himself. 'I'm just worried. He's my friend, and friends worry about friends.'
Finally the Shin'a'in spoke again. "I will go with you to Haven, and stay in your ekele. However," he cautioned before anyone could say anything. "I will not become a study among the Mages, the Artificers, the Guards, or a subject of gossip among your courtiers. Is that understood?"
"Yes," both Heralds chorused together.
Inside, Julian was giddy with joy. Before he could stop himself, he had stepped forward and hugged the Changechild gently around the middle- the only part that was level with Julian's shoulders that he could get his arms around. He felt the muscles under his arms shift slightly before two hands came down to rest lightly on his back.
'I could get to enjoy this,' Julian thought with a grin.
One and a half days later, they crossed the invisible boundary between Jkatha and Julian's home country. It hadn't been easy on Rowen; his leg had probably been hurting him more than he would admit, and the bandit had been fighting every step of the way for the first dozen hours until Rowen had threatened to trample him, and the Heralds had volunteered their Companions. Needless to say, the man had shut up quickly and was now almost completely docile except for one or two minor problems. Julian was excited to be back in his own country, despite the fact that the trees, plants, and animals hadn't been any different on either side of the Border. He turned towards the Changechild, and felt his face break out into another grin, before he pushed it aside and bowed slightly.
"Welcome, Rowen," he said formally. "Welcome to Valdemar."
(1.) If you can guess where Inyam is from, you get a cookie. (Hint: She only appears in one story.)
Please RR, even if you have already done so…