A/N: Heya all! Anybody else get to enjoy that 80 degree weather last Monday? Thanks to...
Stormy Phoenix, mugglepirate, Mad-4-Manga, and Glaciours for reviewing the last chapter!

When Faolan woke, she found herself not alone, as usual mornings went. Curled up beside her under the sheets was Rathmir, still asleep. Odd, Faolan found herself thinking as she sat up and blinked her eyes in the streaming sunlight, To see someone so strong look so fragile. Does everyone look that way asleep? Then, She doesn't know the real me. I've told her so much, but at the same time so little. I never knew keeping secrets could be so… painful.

:Raul: Faolan prodded, reaching out to the part of herself that was out in the Companion's Field.

:Yes, love?: the familiar voice asked.

:Can I tell just one person?:

There was a long pause before the Companion answered, and her voice was heavy when she spoke, :No Faolan. You cannot. But… I don't think it will harm anyone to let her draw her own conclusions. Do you see what I mean?:

Faolan grinned, having the feeling that Raul was bending some rule or other, and then, feeling mischievous under the guise of a four year old, she stood up and started jumping up and down on the bed, hopping over Rathmir's legs and reveling in the sunlight that pressed up against her body through the window.

"Ugh," came a moan from beneath Fao and she looked down to see Rathmir waking up slowly and looking annoyed in an amused sort of way, "Nice way to wake someone up Faolan."

"Your welcome!" Faolan giggled, landing in a sitting position and peering down at Rathmir with a grin.

"You know, you're so quiet when I'm teaching you one would never guess there really IS a hyper child inside of you," Rathmir commented, running a hand through her untied hair.

"There's a child in everyone," Faolan said quietly, in a serious tone, "I just have the luck to be able to express it."

"When you say things like that sometimes I wonder if you're just quoting a book, or you actually thought that on your own," Rathmir said softly, looking outside at the rising sun.

Faolan paused a moment and tried to look at it from Rathmir's point of view, and when she did, her good mood caused her to burst into a fit of laughter. Rolling on the bed, her eyes wet, she finally looked over at Rathmir and said, "I see your point!"

"Breakfast?" the Herald inquired and Faolan nodded, leaping off the bed and running over to her dresser, yanking out a set of trainee grays that actually fit her (the baggy ones had been gotten rid of once a few sets had been made by the seamstress). With the one four year old habit that had stayed with her, she unashamedly stripped her pajamas and jumped into her grays and stepped into her shoes.

"Let's go!" she said, turning around to see Rathmir sitting on the edge of the bed, her long nightgown hanging around her ankles. It, Faolan was curious to note, was purple, a fact she had been unable to differentiate in the night.

"We'll have to stop at my room so I can change," Rathmir pointed out and Faolan nodded.

When they slipped out into the hallway a few other trainees were wandering down, but it was late- most of them would already be in classes. Rathmir's room was farther away, and when they stepped inside Faolan realized it was a lot bigger, which made sense, because unlike most of the Heralds, Rathmir was living at the Collegium.

While Rathmir changed, Faolan looked out her window at the Companion's Field stretching out for acres. White shapes dotted it like exotic flowers and Faolan imagined she could see Raul- slightly smaller than all the rest and with a delicate beauty…

"Fao?"

She turned around and found Rathmir neatly dressed in Heraldic whites. Her hair was no longer loose; in a few short minutes the Herald had managed to get it back into a braid, giving her usual sharp appearance. That was quick, Faolan mused, and they headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

After a silent half hour of eggs and toast Rathmir left- presumably to teach classes, and Faolan wandered down to the Field that Rathmir had such a pretty view of from her bedroom window. Raul met her near the Stable and led her inside the large structure for a good brushing, of which part of it Raul had to lay down for so Faolan could reach every white hair that sprung from the Companion.

"I think Rathmir suspects something," Faolan admitted while Raul crunched on some hay.

:Well there isn't anything she can do about those suspicions. Her Companion could ask Rolan, but the Groveborn isn't telling: Raul said calmly.

Faolan leaned down to brush one of Raul's fetlocks, when she felt the filly tense up. Fao spun around, and her eyes alighted upon a large Companion standing in the door to the stall they were stationed in. His blue eyes looked strangely dark and he appeared oddly imposing. Faolan sat down and wrapped her arms around Raul's leg, looking up to the Companion.

:Don't say anything Faolan: Raul warned, and Fao found comfort in the fact that Raul's voice was not at all nervous, only perhaps a little angry.

Watching the two Companions, Faolan could tell they were speaking, but she couldn't hear what was said. Closing her eyes, she reached down her bond to Raul and listened, pushing her desire to hear what was being said. And then, as if she'd pulled pieces of wax from her ears, she heard, with perfect clarity.

:You know Rolan likes to play high and mighty: the Companion stallion said, :The fact that he tells me its none of my business only concerns me more.:

:Conlan…: Raul sighed, and shook her head, :Calm down. What happened to 'A Companion Can't Choose Wrong?:

:I never said you shouldn't Choose Faolan.:

Fao suddenly blinked, the name Raul had used clicking somewhere in her head and she felt a leap of fear. Conlan was Rathmir's Companion! There was a low snort and suddenly another Companion appear beside Conlan, and this one Faolan recognized.

Shoot, she thought, Everyone whom I talk to has Companions being suspicious. I didn't think I was being so bad with Alaska.

:She doesn't act like a four year old: the new Companion said, Noland.

:So? Does every forty-year old act forty? Faolan has experienced more in her four years of life than many people experience in twenty years: Raul said and a shiver ran down Fao's back and she clutched Raul even tighter, staring at the three Companions were nervous eyes.

:Why not let Faolan tell us that?: Conlan said, and there was a smirk to his voice.

:What, so you can interrogate her like a Karsite prisoner?:Raul retorted sharply and Faolan hid a grin.

:Leave them alone: a new voice said and another Companion stallion shouldered his way through the two and touched Raul gently with his nose, bowing his head with the added, :My apologies, Raul.:

Who is THAT? Faolan wondered, and pricked her 'ears' even more, hoping to catch who he was.

:Thank you Aram: Raul sighed, and then reached down to nudge Faolan comfortingly.

:Listen- if she's not normal, don't you think the rest of us have a right to know? For the safety of our Heralds?: Nolan put in and Aram's ears went back and he whirled upon the younger Companion.

:Do you think Rolan would withhold information that could endanger your Heralds? NO. Be content with the knowledge you have. If Faolan does not act the way you expect her to, consider this: Is any Herald ever normal?: Aram growled and Noland backed off, looking a bit edgy, and he bowed his head in defeat.

:My apologies, Aram: he said, :I will not question Faolan's place here any more.:

:Conlan: Aram asked, his ears still back.

:The same: the big Companion muttered, :Sorry Raul.:

And they were gone. Faolan stood up, peering at Aram, whom she'd taken an immediate liking to. With a grin at him she peered curiously at Raul, pretending to have heard none of it.

:Don't be silly Faolan. I know you heard every word of that- you were listening through me, remember? Raul gently rebuked, peering down at her Chosen.

"Oh," Faolan said with a short, embarrassed laugh, before looking over at the lanky Companion dubbed Aram, "Who are you?"

Aram snorted, looking uncomfortable at being Heard and said, aiming it at Raul, but still watching Faolan to see if she was still Listening, :Is her Mindspeech that strong already?:

:Yes: Raul said, with a hint of pride to her voice, :Although it was amplified through me. Mindspeech isn't her strong suit. She won't be able to Hear any shielded person on her own.:

And Faolan wondered what her strong suit was, if it wasn't Mindspeech, and then Raul added, :She's still listening, so you might as well say what you want just to her, through me: Raul said and Aram shifted again.

He said softly, :Do you think its right to… let her listen?:

Then Raul said, to Faolan, :He's the Queen's Companion- he knows you're a werewolf.:

"You do?" Faolan asked, startled, but she supposed it made sense.

:And he thinks that's why you're strange: Raul added with a mental wink, and Fao knew Aram hadn't heard that last comment.

:Maybe you should… uh, prove you're still a kid, albeit a strange one…: Aram suggested hesitantly.

Faolan raised her eyebrow at him and he jerked back, visibly startled at this expression on the face of a child. She grinned and stood up, reaching out to pat him on the nose, and as her fingers touched his white silky coat she felt a flash of wonder, fear, and confusion flood through her and she stepped back, leaning up against Raul's leg, staring up at him in confusion.

:What do you mean, prove it?: Raul inquired suspiciously.

:So far she's been acting very mature- going to classes on her own, taking her studies seriously. She's very independent for a child. No one sees her playing very much. I mean: Aram looked at Faolan, :There's nothing wrong with being serious, but you could, you know, have a little fun sometimes Faolan. Run around. Be a kid. It's okay, the people here are ones that will respect and care for you. You can… let down you guard, you know?:

"Uh," Faolan said, glancing up at Raul and then back to Aram, "Okay…"

When he left, Raul gave Faolan a mischievous look and said, :He means you should do something only a kid would do.:

"Nu-uh," Faolan said with a smile, "He just wanted to me to relax. I like him."

:Me too: Raul agreed, :But if he knew the rest of it that's what he'd say. So… what's something only a kid would do?:

"I dunno… run around naked, jump on beds, randomly attack people with clods of grass, refuse to go to bed…" Faolan shrugged.

:You jump on beds already, dearest: Raul pointed out and Faolan giggled, running a hand through hairless tangly than usual, and she picked her brush up once more and resumed removing dirt from Raul.

"I don't know. There really isn't anything I can do to convince them I'm a child. I think in the long run I'll just keep the big sentences down and let them think what they want- why can't anyone know about… the rest, again?"

:Faolan: Raul's voice became deadly serious, :It is not something people are ready to know about.: The filly sighed and Fao stared up at her, and she continued, :Fao.. If people or Companions knew you remembered your past lives they'd start questioning your knowledge of the afterlife, which we both know is nil, and they'd want to know if you knew such and such… That knowledge is there for your use, not their's, and people would try and take advantage of such memory. A werewolf is something solid, something that will frighten a few people and entice some others, but it won't hurt them. Do you understand what I'm saying?:

:Yes: Faolan said, speaking to Raul with direct Mindspeech.

:All right then: Raul said, with a mental smile, and the brushing resumed.