A/N: Happy Spring Break to those on Spring Break! XD. Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter!
Dedication: For Michael- who fell off the top of my computer a few days and I haven't yet put him back.

A few days later Faolan had the luck to stumble upon Herald Jamie Lauren as she was brushing Raul in the Companion's Stable, early in the morning, just after breakfast but before her archery practice, and few were wandering the stable. A long legged Companion mare was following him, and when they walked past Raul's stall, Faolan asked the filly to wait a moment and sprang after them.

"Excuse me?" she called out quietly and the Herald paused, his Companion's ears flickering backwards.

"Um… Faolan, right?" he asked, raising a soft eyebrow over a single, intensely green eye.

"Yeah," she answered with a nervous smile, wondering what she was doing exactly, "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure," he answered, then paused and asked, "Is this about the time at dinner?"

"Sort of," Faolan admitted, glancing at his Companion every once and a while.

"Come, lets sit outside," he suggested and as they walked through the stable, Faolan trailing after the Herald, his Companion stayed behind.

There was frost on the grass and it crunched beneath their feet as they walked. About ten yards from the stable Herald Jamie sat himself down onto the grass and Faolan copied him, crossing her legs across from him.

"So," he said, his eyes calm and his fingers interlaced with his chin resting upon them.

"Do you remember Carry Rolf?" Faolan asked, and her breath caught after she spoke the name, as if saying it made the life real, made the danger of what she was doing even realer.

His eyebrows twitched as if in barely controlled surprise and it was a long time before he answered. His eyes became distant and Faolan thought he almost hadn't heard.

"Yes," he finally said and Faolan's heart leapt into her throat and almost screamed, "I'm her! I'm Carry Rolf!" But she didn't, and she knew she never would.

"Did you know her?" he asked, but he seemed doubtful, because, of course, Carry Rolf died six years ago, and Faolan was only about four.

"I…" Faolan said, unsure of what to say, "I knew of her."

"And how did you know of me?" Jamie asked and Faolan's eyes flickered up to his and her breath came in quicker.

"I…" Faolan said, "I…"

"Never mind," he said, shaking his head and Fao sighed with relief, "It doesn't matter. Was there something you wanted to know about her?"

Yes! Faolan yelled, but said, "Um… Just… Why didn't you ever try and take Raleigh's place? As a Herald you could have, but you always sat in the shadows… why?"

This time his eyebrows did flutter upwards, but he seemed to take it in stride for he shrugged and said, "It wasn't my place. And Captain Raleigh Van den Acker was a very skilled man. I do not honestly think I could have done a better job than he."

He was, wasn't he? Faolan thought with an inside sort of smile and then she nodded, "Okay. Thanks."

They stood up and made their ways back into the stable, and when Faolan stepped back into Raul's stall she found the filly tense and on edge, and when she spied Faolan she stepped over quickly, and looking right into Fao's eyes she said, :Do you have any idea how close you were to-: And then she stopped.

"To what?" Faolan asked, feeling like she sort of knew and sort of didn't.

:Never mind: Raul said, and then, :But Marcella had to nudge him several times in the right direction to stop him from asking the wrong questions of you. I'd be careful Faolan. If you ever meet someone from that life again, please don't go and ask them about it, okay?:

:Okay: Faolan said, speaking the words silently but meaning them all the same, and she picked up a brush once more and moved to her Companion's side.

Doink

Faolan was still struggling to teach herself how to ground, and Raul was still keeping her shielded from the thoughts and emotions of those around her. Rathmir said she was doing quite well, but Faolan wasn't sure what Rathmir was comparing her to. Well compared to who? Her powers, like a wellspring inside of her, were not the cool summer streams that Rathmir had tamed them into, but a flooded spring set of rivers, each angry and cold and unwilling to do her will. And grounding was only part of the basics!

On the other hand, she was, as far as she could tell, excelling in archery. She'd been set up to practice with other beginner archers, all Heraldic Trainees. Herald William strode behind them, shouting instructions and correcting any problems he saw as he scanned the trainees.

"Draw…" he yelled, "And shoot!"

Faolanreached down into the quiver and plucked out a white arrow and notched it onto the string, then pulling it back to her cheek and sighting down the arrow. She was pulling back hard, and her arm, as she tried to aim, quivered with the effort. But she was getting stronger, and every day she could hold the arrow longer, before releasing it.

As soon as she thought she had it aimed correctly she released, and before she had a chance to watch the arrow it was sunk into the target, not in the bull's-eye but not too far either. Glancing at the other targets Faolan found that she was averaging about the same skill as all the rest, and despite knowing she had past lives backing her up, she felt a glimmer of pride.

I love archery, she decided then as she plucked up another smooth painted arrow and prepared to shoot. To send that arrow flying from her hands and down a line she drew with her eye… it was beautiful.

Later that same day, at lunch and before lessons with Rathmir, which Faolan, for once, was not looking forward too, Christopher Alaska approached, a sort of vacant expression in his eyes. He was staring right at her, and not at the sky or ceiling as he often did, but she had the feeling his eyes weren't focused on her.

"Want play a game with Tobie, Ranae, and Keanu?" he inquired, as if he didn't really care either way. But Faolan knew better than that and she smiled.

"Sure!" she said, her curiosity piqued, taking a sip of milk, "After classes? What kind of game?"

"Nah," Alaska shook his head, his messy blond hair staying in exactly the same position, "It'll get dark too soon after that. Tomorrow's Sunday, remember? No classes. Meet us at breakfast. And you'll see what sort of game it is."

"Okay," Faolan nodded and Alaska wandered off, lost in his own little world.

Faolan finished up her lunch and hurried to the empty classroom where she always met Rathmir. When she entered, Rathmir was already there, leaning up against a desk with a nonchalant expression upon her face, and her teal eyes were distant.

"Rathmir?" Faolan inquired, shoving red hair from her eyes.

The Herald looked down at Fao and a smile crossed her face, "Today, we're going to practice outside, while the weather stays nice."

"I can't wait for snow," Faolan admitted as she followed Rathmir out the door and to the grounds around the Collegia, but not inside the Companion's Field.

"Yeah, snow is fun," Rathmir agreed, "But it really messes up travel and with the war… Soldiers can get lost in snowstorms."

"I know," Faolan said with a shiver, memories drifting up before her eyes…

"Damn," I whispered up my breath, "Shit."

Small flakes were slowly starting to float down before my eyes and the forest had taken on a very quiet atmosphere. All the animals were tucked away, safe and warm, and that made me nervous. Would this develop into a storm?

I crouched lower and glanced around, taking in my position and trying to remember it. In any other war if it had begun snowing I would have headed back to camp, for fear of being lost. But not this one. We were drawn too thin and the Karsites were being too crafty. Abandoning the mission could mean death.

My fingers hovered at the hilt of my dagger as I crept through brambles, moving as silently as a fox. I was alone, and if anything happened to me no one would know- except the Scout Carry Rolf wouldn't come back, and everyone would know what had happened, or at least suspect. These days, Karsites weren't too keen on taking prisoners but one never knew. Considering it and all, I think I'd prefer death to captivity by those sun worshipping devils.

Snap! A twig broke beneath my foot and I froze, my ears tense and picking up every sound in the area around me. Nothing. No one was here. No one heard, but that was the sort of mistake that could get me killed. It wouldn't happen again.

I place my feet carefully, continuing on, winding through trees and brush. It was easier to move through the woods in the winter, with the undergrowth severely cutting back the ground cover. I drew my dagger as I heard the sounds of people up ahead, and in the darkness I could make out light. The snow was starting to come down heavier, and the ground beneath my feet was turning white. It was cold.

A group of ten men stood around a campfire, wearing no uniform but clearly not Valdemaren. Their clothes were leather, old and worn, and I identified them as the enemy Karsites. It was strange, this war, because the enemy didn't look very Karsite all the time. There were a few open battles with red robed priests, but the soldiers they sent to ambush us in the night… No one was sure if they were Karsite or not. They were stealthy, and at times they seemed to slip through our lines like wolves, unseen and unheard. But my job wasn't to wonder why Karse was hiring soldiers from other lands- if that's who these were. My job was to find out what they were doing and where they were going without getting caught myself.

I crept closer to the camp, moving slowly now, moving with more care, but the snow was beginning to muffle my steps and other sounds, and the men around the fire were looking cold and uneasy. One of them moved to a pile of packs and pulled out a few small tents and started setting them up. Was the snow going to be that bad- that a scout group was tenting? I debated turning around and going back with just their location, but they hadn't seen me yet and the snow was making me daring so I crept closer, listening.

One of the men paused, and looked in my direction and then said something to those around him and suddenly ten sets of eyes were staring right at me. How did they know I was here? Fear leapt through me and I turned around, running now, and no longer trying to be quiet. They didn't look prepared to fight or chase, and with luck I could escape them. The snow was heavier, and with a horrible sinking realization I knew I'd never be able to find my way back to the camp now. And with my thin scouting clothing I wasn't sure I'd be able to survive the night either. I heard footsteps behind me and pushed myself faster. They were catching up!

Suddenly I tripped and then I was rolling down a ravine, rolling over leaves and snow and rocks that cut at my clothing and then with a thud I was at the bottom, gasping for breath. Above me, with eyes that glowed yellow, stood five men, staring down at me through the snow that had begun to twist and wind in a picking up breeze.

And then they were gone. I blinked, wondering if my eyes were playing tricks on me, but they were gone and I sat up, rubbing my head, with ached sorely. The wind whipped around my head now, slipping under my clothing and I shivered, standing up and wrapping my arms around myself.

There was a low snort and I looked up at the other side of the ravine, where a black horse stood, the white snow swirling around him in an ethereal manner. A man sat upon his back but I couldn't make out the face. Was he Karsite or Valdemaren? I couldn't tell.

"Carry?" a voice called out and smile of relief came across my face.

"It's me Raleigh!" I shouted and started to crawl up the hill towards his white wreathed shape.

He dismounted and made his towards me. Was his appearance what made the men disappear? Were five of them really no match for two of us? I supposed I'd never know. Right now, I was just happy Raleigh was here. The snow made the slope slippery, and I struggled to get up to him. A moment later I felt a strong hand grab by arm and pull me up, and then together, both of us with snow coating our bodies and soaking through our clothes, worked our way up to the hill to where Raleigh's black horse waited patiently, stamping his legs every once a while in the snow. He looked angelic, with the snow creating a white blanket on his back and putting tinsel in his mane and tail.

"You ride," Raleigh shouted over the wind that was beginning to howl, "I'll lead."

I nodded, too tired and cold to protest, and pulled myself up into the saddle. The gelding shifted underneath me and I held onto his saddle horn as Raleigh took the reins. A few minutes later I could barely see him ahead of me and I was numb to the bone. I had no idea if Raleigh knew where he was going or he was just guessing, but what seemed like ages later the wind suddenly stopped.

I pried open my eyes, just then realizing they had been shut and found that Raleigh had discovered a cave. The black gelding snorted once more and Raleigh helped me slide off his back. The horse was quickly untacked and Raleigh was building a fire from a small pile of sticks and a piece of flint. I sank down to the ground and leaned up against the rock, feeling myself sinking into a dark, dreamless sleep.

Later, possibly only minutes later, I came to, to find a fire burning cheerfully, thick smoke billowing from the wet wood. Raleigh had gotten the gelding to lie down and he helped me over so that we leaned against the creature's warm side…