AN: Hello, all!

Despite the hiatuses, I can never seem to put this work down. The next few months will be busy for me, so just wanted to give y'all a heads-up in case it gets spotty again. I can't express how grateful I am to everyone who read to this point. I'm humbled and hope I'll be able to deliver.

The full investigation would be a nightmare, but thankfully Alberich's part in it would be at an end. They had only caught a handful of the perpetrators at the scene, but with them in hand, the rest fell like dominoes. Nearly every mark since the first sweep of arrests, the Guard hauled in another hired arm or a victim. It was a parade of long faces and bruises.

:Not bad, Mellien Fanvareld,: Kantor said cheerily. :It seems to me you've saved our middle-to-upper crust.:

:Only from themselves, and from embarrassment,: Alberich replied, his gaze falling askance on the seat where Rahlen Poitregas had been interrogated. After everything he had seen, the truth of the recent troubles was both expected and beyond belief. As he had suspected, Poitregas's cohort had orchestrated the large-scale heist. They lured unsuspecting scions of wealthy families into gambling matches, which they fixed to make them win steadily and lose suddenly. They then made a show of bringing in thugs and sellswords as a warning of what happened to bad children that didn't pay their debts, and the debtor, too frightened and ashamed to go to the authorities, was coerced into obtaining the money any way they could, usually by stealing from their household. Jedeth Levalen, beaten black and blue, had been most cooperative in ratting out his former teammates, though he was evasive when it came to his own involvement.

"I said, we had an ethical disagreement about their conduct," Jedeth had said, bloody nose thrust high in the air. "And then they turned on me. What use is your Truth Spell if you're going to keep doubting my word? And I've never seen such appalling bedside manner."

If Jedeth really had issues with extorting his peers, things wouldn't have gotten so far, but it was true the nature of his disagreement with Poitregas was beyond the point. No doubt Jedeth's involvement in the matter would become clear once they found previous victims. The only question was how much he should be rewarded for his current good conduct.

What to do with Jedeth would only be the start of Talamir's headache. How the punishment would be doled out would be a labyrinth of politics. Poitregas was not from a very old house, and was likely to go down as the ringleader. Fairtheld and Orthallen, on the other hand, weren't likely to get more than a slap on the wrist. There would be an uproar in the houses of the victims demanding justice or in the very least compensation, and it would be someone's thankless job to ply and plead and compromise.

Not Alberich's. He supposed something good had come of his outsider status in Valdemar, after all.

Alberich looked over to the cot Kerchen and Alys had been hovering over. The boy there drooled soundly. :Where are the Trainees now?:

:Trainee Kerchen has returned to his quarters. Trainee Alys is currently chasing Alvira around Companion's Field and yelling at her.:

:I see. Wait, what?:

Kantor did his best to hide his amusement, but delivering lines straight in Mindspeech wasn't easy. :You're right, I've never seen Trainee Alys ride so fast. Come to think of it, Lani either. They'll never catch Alvira, though. I suppose it's my duty as an older stallion to help.:

:Kantor.:

:Excuse me, Chosen. I have some horseplay to attend to.: Kantor must not have been joking about reining them in, as his consciousness slipped away from Alberich's mind. A grin traced Alberich's lips as he left the Healers' Ward with all its guards and politics. After such a night, the Trainee still had so much energy.

Because she was a kid, after all. They were all kids, even the former assassin, whose serious demeanor was only a facsimile of having grown up, after all. Even if dark days were ahead of them, Alberich had protected that innocence tonight, having been at the right place at the right time. He didn't know what future he had seen in that flash of Foresight, but clearly he had made it in time to stop the worst of it. The Trainees had not been in immediate danger when the Heralds and the Guard arrived, but the Guard had intercepted another group of villains led by an oil-drenched sellsword. What could have happened after that...but it didn't happen, and now the Trainees were lively enough to ride horses past midnight.

It felt good.

Kerchen stood at the edge of Companion's Field, gripping the bars of the surrounding fence as though it might transfer courage the way it did cold. He had initially gone back to his room, but he couldn't sleep.

Despite the fear that had coursed through his veins through Exile's Gate, the night had ended well. Dieder looked as content as he ever had in the Healers' Ward, and Kerchen still felt the warmth of Alys's hug. Kerchen should have slept better than ever, but the wall in his mind still plagued him, perhaps even more.

A sense of righteousness had prevented him from caving to Alvira, yes, but also his pride. Why else did he consider it caving?

Kerchen took in a deep breath. It only stilled his heart a little, but he went ahead anyway. Memory of that night still clutched his chest, both the cold and Alvira's rejection, but Alvira had been panicked, and hadn't he assumed the worst of Valdemar in the past? He'd said those awful things to Alys, but she forgave him. Maybe...maybe he could move on from Alvira's words as well.

He couldn't find Alvira using Mindspeech, but he did know her favorite haunts. There was a shaded knoll in the northwest corner that Alvira often brought him to after he was too exhausted from riding to make it back to his room. Kerchen ignored the stares from roused and awake Companions as he picked his way across the field. The field was larger than he had remembered.

He reached the hill. Alvira was there, and to Kerchen's surprise, awake and exhausted, her white body sprawled on the grass. She turned her head to him, and Kerchen felt a stone in his throat.

"You're tired," he observed lamely. "Are you all right?"

Alvira considered him for a long moment. Confidence drained out of his body one tick at a time, and soon enough he wondered what it was he'd wanted to say, what had given him the nerve to come, why would she do anything besides walk away? He had last seen her a lifetime ago.

The light sound of bells momentarily distracted Kerchen. It was another Companion, who had decided to rest at the foot of the hill. Then the wall in his mind thinned, and Alvira spoke, and the world narrowed to her.

:I've been a horse, Chosen.:

Chosen. That word made his heart soar. :Alvira?:

Carefully, Alvira stood up. :Some of the Companions have doubted you because-well, because you tried to kill Selenay.: Kerchen's heart dropped a few feet. :I shouldn't have listened to them-I mean, I know you best of all. And I didn't. It was just the night I...stopped talking to you, I'd had a bad feeling early on, but I didn't know what was happening until too late. Sometimes it's hard to reach you, you know, and for some reason it was especially hard then. It was probably just that your Mindspeech isn't very good, but I let myself listen to their doubts. I expected you to act like all the other Trainees, which was unrealistic of me, your upbringing was very different, after all. I, I suppose I was nervous, and I jumped to conclusions.:

The reminder that the Companions distrusted him didn't feel particularly good. Neither did the bit about not being able to reach him. But this was her admitting regret, wasn't it? Her reconciling? Another beat of silence lapsed, and Alvira took a few steps to him. She gave him a hesitant nudge of her nose. Something fluttered in Kerchen's chest, the way hunger shifted when it sensed food. He lifted his arms to hold Alvira's head into his hands-

:Mm, I'd wait if I were you.: The new voice was feminine and musical, and both Alvira and Kerchen turned to see the other Companion trot up the hill. :Bet you she didn't say sorry yet.:

"I thought Companions didn't talk to other Trainees," Kerchen said out loud. Alvira gave an annoyed snort.

The new Companion didn't miss a beat. :Oh, I'll make an exception for you.: Kerchen didn't realize Companions could wink. :It'll annoy Alvira, after all. Come back tomorrow instead. She can suffer to wait another day.: The Companion lowered herself slightly, and Kerchen realized she meant for him to ride. Alvira glowered at the Companion-Kerchen didn't realize Companions could glower either. :Quickly, now. You can tell her she has to say sorry.:

:I just want-:

:I know, you're a very good boy. That's why I'm here. Trust me, this will be better for both of you. By the way, I'm Lani.:

Kerchen blinked. She was Alys's Companion? Things made a little more sense. If Lani was doing this for him, then Alys must figure into this somewhere.

"Then...then I'll come back later," he said.

Alvira started. :Chosen-:

:Very good, now hop on. Feel free to comment on how smooth I make the ride and the softness of my mane.:

Lani, like Alys, had some force of personality that made it hard to say no. Soon Kerchen found himself riding away from Alvira at what could only be described as a smug gait. When they reached the dormitory tower, Kerchen slipped off and looked back to the Companion, unsure whether to say bye or if Lani was done talking to people other than her Chosen, or whether he should ask why she did that or if he should say thanks.

Lani turned her head and regarded him with a large, sapphire eye. :Sleep well. Alvira will come around.:

:...Thank you.:

Her tail swished. :I have one request for my services, if you please.:

:Request?:

:I would like you to tell Alys that I'm proud of her, and I would suffer to have Chosen anyone else.:

Kerchen felt a smile on his lips. :Of course.:

The Midwinter holidays ended, and several Trainees were converging on their usual table in the dining hall. Elyssa and Alys had already arrived, and Elyssa watched Alys pick apart her breadroll like a daisy, with the fondness that came with absence.

Alys finally dropped a puff of the roll into her mouth. "Did you have a nice Midwinter, Elyssa?"

"It could have been worse," said Elyssa. Her mouth pressed and some regret briefly lined her face. "It could have been better, but it could have been worse."

"What went wrong?"

Elyssa was a little surprised by the question. "Nothing big. What about you?"

"I had a great Midwinter!" Alys said. Elyssa dodged the enthusiastic flying arm that came with that. "I became very good friends with some people! One of them's a Trainee, so I invited him today."

Elyssa looked pleased. "Is that so? I'm looking forward to meeting him."

"Oh you might know him, it's-hey, Jedeth!"

"It's Jedeth?" Elyssa repeated incredulously, but she turned and saw Jedeth passing in the hallway, looking rather more haggard than usual. Elyssa's eyes narrowed, then bugged again when Alys waved at him.

"Hi Jedeth!" she yelled out. Jedeth looked over with dark-rimmed eyes, crinkled his nose, but finally gave a small wave back and added some accompanying mouth movements before quickly pacing down the hall.

Elyssa stared at Alys like she was a centipede that had fallen from the sky. "I thought you hated him."

"Oh, he's not the worst person ever."

"What? Are you sure you're the real Alys? Have I accidentally ridden to Karse instead?"

"He's been nicer after I saved him." Elyssa's stare turned deadpan. "Well, I had help from-it's Hannan and Eldren! Heyla, it's been so long!" Alys nearly toppled the bench over in an effort to hug them both. Eldren returned a cheery hug before sitting across from Elyssa, picking off stray bits of Alys's breadroll from his clothes. Elyssa hesitated, but with Alys and Hannan distracted with each other, she figured this was the best chance she would get.

"Eldren," she said, as Hannan tried not to look too blissful as Alys hugged him. "I broke your mirror. I'm sorry." Even though they were watching so much entertainment, Elyssa couldn't keep the dejection from her voice.

Eldren blinked at her, then smiled. "That means you were using it, doesn't it? I'm glad. I can get you another one," he added slyly.

"No, no need for frivolous gestures," Elyssa said, flustered. She shoved a package at him. "A late present for you as well. Happy Midwinter."

Meanwhile, Hannan presented his own gift to Alys: a hairpin with a simple bird decoration. "Um, I wanted to give you more, and I wanted to give it to you earlier, but, well-"

Alys snatched it. "It's so pretty! I love it. It's perfect."

A grin grew across Hannan's face as she put the pin in and kept growing. "Really?"

"Of course! I'll be sure to wear it the next time I see Alberich!"

The grin aborted. "Uh, oh, I see. Um, oh."

Elyssa glanced at Hannan's pitiful face and remarked to Alys, "I doubt anyone would approve of wearing accessories to weapons practice."

"The next time I see Alberich outside of weapons practice then," Alys concluded cheerfully. Hannan slumped into the seat next to Eldren.

"By the way, I see a Trainee lingering over there." Eldren pointed, and Alys turned in that direction without thinking anything of the topic change.

"That's my friend! Come here!" Alys waved furiously until a young Karsite Trainee finally approached their table. Hannan blinked, and Elyssa stared. Kerchen inwardly fidgeted.

"Heyla," he tried.

"Heyla Ker'! Sit down!"

"I know Kerchen," Eldren spoke up, and patted a space between him and Hannan. "Sit here."

Relieved, Kerchen obliged, and Eldren put an arm around him which drew another unhappy look from Elyssa. "How's our Alys been treating you?"

"It's been nice," Kerchen said, eyes fixed on the table. "Alys has been very helpful. She's very kind, even when she should be mad."

Although Hannan had been prepared to be jealous, instead he silently beamed at Kerchen for these words.

Alys was less silent about it. "You're also very helpful! He's been teaching me to put on makeup, you know," she added.

"What?" This time Elyssa was joined by the other two guys.

"To help me look older, remember! Now with this hairpin too, Alberich will surely be able to see me as more than a Trainee."

"What?" asked Kerchen.

Alys flung her arms open. "We're definitely fated to be together! Alberich saved me again this Midwinter, in Exile's Gate. It was wonderful!"

"It was dangerous," Kerchen warned as Elyssa said "That's dangerous." They stared at each other, and Eldren did his best not to laugh as Alys continued.

Soon the Collegium filled again with Trainees. King Sendar prepared his speeches, and Talamir's desk piled with plans and manifests. Alberich and Dethor watched their students train in the salle, the sounds of wooden thuds turning into metal rings in their mind's eye.

Spring arrived, carrying with it the scent of chilled dew and smoke on the horizon. The borders of Valdemar burned, and the Tedrel Wars had begun.