Adult-FanFiction.org : Books

Tears of the Phoenix	By : serialcabbit78 Category: S through Z > Valdemar Series Views: 1397 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do NOT own ANY of the rights to the Valdemar Series, those all belong to Mercedes Lackey, who has given me the inspiration. I make no profit from this or any writing.

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
- 16
“So, if you were to make a judgment on someone while you are in the field and they do not agree with it, what do you tell them?” Herald Isa perched on her desk and regarded the trainees thoughtfully. “There are going to be times you have to make the best call with the information you have, so if they seem to think you personally responsible for a bad call, you may have to have back up.”

The trainees in the class all looked at each other. They seemed mystified at where the Herald was going with her question. One boy seemed to think, possibly conversing with his own Companion. He raised his hand.

“Herald Isa, I think I would want to have both sides of something, or possibly more if there are witnesses. There are only three sides, your side, my side and the truth. I would pull the witnesses aside and question them apart from everyone and then decide the case on those who describe the situation closest to what was presented.” He said. “Like let’s say that I have an apple sitting on my desk and it goes missing. No one saw who took it, but people saw Luna eating an apple, most would assume she was the one who took it. If she says she got it in the kitchens, some would still think she was the one who took mine, because mine’s missing but she has one. While she’s eating hers, someone finds the core in the rubbish, then that should take the focus off her.”

“That’s good, Kent. I know you are friends with Luna, and we all know she loves apples. That doesn’t mean that she took yours.” Isa nodded. “So how would you find out what happened?”

“I would question those who had been in the room after I put my apple down. Since I know Luna the way I do, I know that she would have brought hers with her, as she was not in the room when I had mine.” Kent said and tilted his head. “You’re going somewhere with this, aren’t you?”

“You are rather sharp. Good thinking.” Isa smiled. “I am, actually. A few moons ago, we had a little situation here. Most of you remember the rumors and everything around a former Council member’s son. He came to be tested to get into Bardic. See there were a few problems with his story.   He claimed that Bard Stefen tried to use his Gift to seduce him, but the boy had little evidence except that Stefen had been at his father’s estate.”

Luna sat listening to the lesson. She and Isa had a long conversation about using this example to teach the students that not all things that could be brought to them would go in the favor of someone of affluence. She’d recovered as well as she could, she still had nightmares that sent her scrambling into bed with Stefen late at night, but they were starting to fade. She still hadn’t been told the whole situation, as most wanted to keep the whole thing as quiet as possible.

“That’s something I don’t understand. That happened moons before the boy ever came to be tested by Bard Breda. Luna was established in both her sets of training before he appeared here, and those claims came up only after he’d been rejected.” Kasie said, shaking her head. “The boy already had a reputation here of going after girls much younger than himself, and was in trouble with the Guard.”

“He came up here with his father and had lazed about until his father forced him to take classes in something, threatening to send him back home if his grades were not that good.” Kent said. “So there had to be something happen that he personally targeted Stefen over, and when he couldn’t touch him, he went after Luna.”

“Bard Stefen tested him for the Bardic Gift, he noticed something, but he couldn’t be for sure and wanted Breda to confirm it. Because he was over the age of sixteen, most private tutors had done all they could do for him. We may never know the whole of the situation, why they went after those who they did.” Isa stood and walked around the room. “We have a theory, and mind you, it’s only a theory. It has to do with the Counsel and the political infighting. Lord Jacobi has been in a feud with the Bardic representative for years. He also does not like that the Heralds have more sway with the King than he does, and he feels that both King Treven and King’s Own Herald Jisa are too young to hold the throne, even though they have done so for over ten years now.”

“Sounds like he was throwing stones blindfolded.” Luna grumbled. “He wanted to inflict damage on people who had nothing to do with his quarrel trying to hit those he does.”

“He could have simply resigned. That’s not unheard of, and there are plenty more who can do the job more effectively than he was.” Kent rolled his eyes. “The fact of the matter is he chose the best way to hurt us as Trainees, trust in Bardic Students, and inflict pain on Bard Stefen. He even tried to insinuate that Herald Tantras was dabbling with students. They’re building quarters where the students will all have their own rooms, so this nonsense was unnecessary.”

“We may never know what they had up their sleeves. Sometimes there are those with more money than brains.” Isa said. “So what I want you lot to think on is this, just because someone has a convincing story, it doesn’t always mean they are being truthful.”

“There is something more, something many of you don’t know.   When Luna got here, she was good on the flute, and could play the gittern a little. Stefen taught her what he could while they traveled here. Most of the time though, sitting on a horse or Companion doesn’t lend itself to playing instruments,” Trey said. “When I met up with them, he would work a little with her when we stopped for rest. Though she was limited on what she could do, she got very good at it. My guess is Bard Stefen turns up with a child who is turning into a fine musician who never had any formal training after rejecting a noble’s son and that seemed like a grave insult.”

“Then why would they go about the way they did, from trying to harm her reputation to trying to drug her Companion?” Isa asked. “There is something we’re missing in this, something not even the Truth Spell could pull out.”

“Well let’s lay out what we know. Bard Stefen was invited to play at a family wedding last year. He was asked to see if the son had the gift, but it was likely due to his being exhausted he wasn’t sure. He suggested the boy be tested by Breda. Breda eventually tests him and finds he did indeed have the gift, but was misusing it even then.” Luna said. “He decides to retaliate against me, but due to who is sponsoring me, he couldn’t really get me put out of Bardic and he couldn’t convince Surya to repudiate me.”

“Wait, didn’t Lord Downly try to pay for Luna’s expenses with the healers and pay for the repairs to an undamaged instrument.” Kent asked. “There’s something about you, Luna that they had to know. Something that not many know and that is what they tried to exploit.”

“As far as I know, there have been times in Council that they discussed the Sorrows and the village Luna is from. They never have discussed anything that had to do with her directly. Those situations were discussed in private with only a very select few.” Isa said. “Since those discussions were only held in private, with Heraldic Trainees as servants, there was little reason for anyone to know.”

“There is no getting information about Luna out of the Ashkevrons either. Lady Treesa does brag on Luna, but anything that may have been discussed between them has never left that suite.” Trey pointed out. “So what the problem is, these people decided to be petty and vindictive scum for no reason. Money isn’t everything. My teachers before I came here don’t hold to material values, but one’s own merits.”
“How do they pay for food and homes? You can’t get anywhere in life without money.” Kent blinked. “Unless they have secrets no one knows about.”

“I dare not share their secrets, as I have made vows to their clan not to. My village is held within their protection and we give them a percentage of our harvests and herds. It is always negotiable depending on the how well our season of harvest is. To be honest, they are in many ways like Heralds. Rank and Privilege before being chosen mean nothing after.   We’re all on an even footing.”

“That is why we hear very little about them outside of legends; that goes for some I those I interact with. Many outside of the Heraldic Circle don’t understand what makes us Heralds.” Isa explained. “It has much to do with how the Companions choose us.”

Later that day, Luna was rushing from her arms practice to working with Surya. Surya met her at the fence and she jumped on her back without the saddle.    In the months since being raped, her bond with Surya had deepened and today she let Surya lead their ride.

:There’s something I would like to show you. Mind you, years ago there was an incident here that nearly destroyed this little grove, but it is still there.: Surya said softly. :I think you may feel at home there.:

:Well, show me then. I miss the forest so much. It was peaceful and quiet.: Luna said to Surya. :So what sort of incident happened?:

:I’ll let you see if you can sense it. I don’t want to cloud your gift.: Surya said.

They rode quietly through the field to a grove of old pines. Luna could see that many of the trees seemed to be missing and some had evidence of long ago damage. She dismounted and she and Surya stepped into the tree line.

It was quiet here, and there was a peace that was unlike anything she’d ever sensed before. She touched one of the trees and closed her eyes. It didn’t take her very long at all to sense why Surya wanted to bring her here. She Felt him. She felt that this was a place he shared many happy memories with his love, and one tragic event that altered the course of his life forever. The traces of the one known as Tylendel were still there, but it was only a trace. The echoes that had been there were faint, but she saw that was because Stefen was him. For a moment, she could see the two, sitting beneath one of the trees, against a Companion.

:That was Gala, Tylendel’s Companion. This echo that you see was the night Tylendel’s twin died. Vanyel looked so beautiful with that dark hair.: Surya chuckled. :He’s still beautiful though.:

:I wouldn’t know about his dark hair. I only ever saw him after his death and his hair was purely silver then. So, I guess that Tylendel’s gifts went rogue and caused the damage here.: Luna sat where she’d seen them sitting. :How is it that when the twin died, the other didn’t get what he had, it feels like the boy’s life was erased.:

:He was killed by a powerful mage. Whatever he did pulled everything away from him but sent the shock through Tylendel. Vanyel tried his best to help him, but because of his own mistrust in others it wasn’t good. No one speaks of him, Tylendel that is. He called a pack of Wyrsa on the family his family feuded with.: Surya sighed. :Do you feel him here?:

:I do, and nearly as strongly as I do in the Sorrows. I wonder if the amber from his Focus was pine sap.: Luna tilted her head to the side. :He resonates well with evergreens.:

She sat there for a while, just thinking on how her life had changed. Despite the challenges she’d faced in her life, even after being chosen, she didn’t think she’d have her life any other way. She’d made good friends here, she was healthy and even though she’d had a few stumbling blocks, none were of her own doing.

:You know, what happened to you with that idiot could happen out in the field. Some find it better to try to exert their power over someone else by proving they are stronger.: Surya said. :If you ask me though, humans are stupid because all that proves is you are weak.:

:What I’ve realized about myself since then is I may carry scars in my life, but those scars prove I was strong enough to survive what was in my way. Van had so many scars. Not all of them were physical and one of his worst began healing when he met Stefen. I just wish he could have had more time with him though.: Luna sighed. :I know they’ll reunite eventually, but it won’t be until Stef’s very old.:

:Vanyel knows this, and he knows that when it’s Stef’s time they’ll guard together. They’re going to have one of the best love stories.: Surya chuckled. :Though I think that between you and me, it will be a story not many will know for generations to come.:

Luna laughed and patted Surya’s neck. She stood up and brushed the pine needles from her clothing. She and Surya left the small grove and she felt a small breeze touch her face. She smiled warmly as the sun dazzled her eyes.

“Let’s go get you groomed and I can go clean up for a very nice hot supper. Thank you for being the best friend I could ever ask for.” Luna said and kissed Surya’s nose. “I don’t know how I would have survived without you and Stefen.”

:You will always have me, little one. I won’t ever leave you.: Surya nuzzled her. Luna jumped back on Surya’s back and they rode into the evening breeze.
- 14
- 15
- 16
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Tears of the Phoenix