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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
- 17
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- 19
Luna and Stefen rode into the village sometime after noon on their second day after leaving Baron Tashir’s.    As she looked at the crops along the road, she noticed that the bad spots were in patches. The blight wasn’t even nor did it have any discernible pattern.   Sometimes, blight hit in patches, and others it seemed to hit an entire field. She halted Surya and closed her eyes. She could feel the plants begging for help, that something was hurting them and it was in the very soil itself. It wasn’t disease or normal blight. It was something drastically odd. She opened her eyes to see children coming up to them, some crying others having the look of young ones who went with too little to eat. They’d ended up bringing one of the mules with them, carrying some food with them. She and Stefen began to push hearty meat pies into small hands as they mobbed the pair of Bards.

They rode further into the village and were met by adults and they kept handing the pies out. Tashir felt they needed something now and his cooks had spent the entire night making up the pies. They had more than enough to feed the village for at least two days. Even the men looked relieved and there were many with tears in their eyes.

:Surya, contact Corden and tell him that they need to get here. I think they’re going to be very receptive of Heralds.: Luna asked her Companion. :Havens, how are they even surviving. Tell Corden this village needs help again. He’ll know who to tell.:

:Done, I did that when the children started mobbing you. I’m in range to contact Starwind myself, he says help is on the way.: Surya said, causing Luna to sigh with relief.

Luna held stood in her stirrups and whistled to get quiet. The villagers were not that noisy, but they came closer and quieted.   She sat down again and held herself steady in the saddle.

“I am Herald Luna, and I’ve come to help you with your problem. Yes, I’m dressed as a Bard, and my friend here is indeed a Master Bard. We have Help on the way.” Luna said in a strong, clear voice that rang out over the crowd. “In your annals, you have history with the k’Treva clan and we’ve sent on word to them that you are in dire need of their assistance again.”

Stefen smiled in pride. She’d taken to her Bardic training to calm the crowd and get their attention. He looked at the villagers and saw expressions he didn’t expect to see. He expected shock at the fact that Heralds were indeed coming to aid, and was rewarded with that, along with relief. He saw joy at her second announcement. These people trusted magic. They were alarmed and afraid that that same power had been used to deceive them.
“Lady Herald, we humbly thank you. Baron Tashir has been helping us, but he’s stretching his own land’s resources to do so. We don’t understand what went wrong.” A man one could take as the village’s leader spoke up. “We had treaties with the Hawkbrothers, but once we were able to sustain ourselves without their assistance, they allowed us to ease from their protections, that was in my grandfather’s time. How can the Heralds of Valdemar help us though, we know they no longer have mages.”

“Because of your previous treaties, we can appeal to the clan. We are here to help in ways that others cannot. Baron Tashir has sent to King Treven to send up more supplies to aid you until your crops can be restored.” Luna said, still using the same strong voice.

They could hear two more riders approaching at a high speed. On top of that, they could hear something else, a sound that neither Luna nor Stefen could identify.   From the other side of the village, a small band of people, all on foot approached, from behind, Trey and Isa rode up. Luna had not expected help to arrive so quickly. She dismounted in a fluid grace that she would not have been able to when she was first Chosen. The crowd parted as she took Surya’s reins and lead her and the mule further into the village center. Stefen lead the other two as they entered the village. When Luna got closer to the other party, she saw who was leading them. She dropped the reins and ran to Moondance.

“Bright the day, Luna, my you have grown!” He exclaimed as he reached to hug her. She fell into the embrace and felt another holding her as well. She looked up and saw that Starwind smiled at her. She felt a soft touch to her mind and allowed him in.

:I sense a deep pain in you, little daughter. Maybe when we Heal this place, we will help with your pain.: Starwind said softly into her mind. :I think this will take more than just healing of the mind, as you still have physical pain.:

Luna cast a confused look at Starwind, though his face did not reflect the concern in his mind voice, Luna could feel it. She gave a little nod and felt both tighten their hugs.

“I really hope we can fix this, these people did not deserve what has happened.” Luna said softly. She pulled away, reluctantly. “I’m sure Trey and Corden have told you more.”
“Treyvor has told us much, including what you shared about your own village. We have word they have moved the fields and have found all the ills that plagued them. They are well on their way to growing.” Moondance said with a smile. “This taint has the same feel. I think if we were to search the fields, we would find what is causing it at the center of the ill.”

There were several in the group with Moondance and Starwind, and they each sent up their bond birds to overfly the area. Soon there were birds hovering areas and they began to dig through the dirt to pull up the talismans.   Luna mounted Surya, and rode around the fields, and as each was cleared of the magical artifacts, she began playing her flute. The clear sweet music spread through the air and the plants that had nearly withered to nothing were beginning to revive.

It was nearly sundown when they called a halt to the work. There were still smaller areas in the fields and smaller household plots that needed work, but the crops that would sustain the village as a whole were well on their way to being far more viable than they were when Luna and Stefen had arrived. Luna stiffly dismounted and leaned her head against Surya’s shoulder. Her entire body ached and her head throbbed dully with her pulse. She’d pushed herself far harder than she had before. She felt a light touch to her shoulder and tried to turn, darkness claimed her before she had moved a half step.   Moondance caught her deftly before she hit the ground and carried her into one of the small houses set aside for them.

Stefen saw the pained look on Luna’s face as she dismounted. He’d already groomed Evanna and set her loose to bed down for the night. He made it a few steps towards Luna when he saw Moondance turn and then run for the girl. He quickened his steps and made it to her side as Moondance scooped her into his arms.

“Go lay her down, I’ll tend to Surya then come in to help. I’m sure several of you are aching in more ways than one.” Stefen said as he began stripping off Surya’s tack. He’d set it aside when she nudged him.

:Go, they need your help more than I do. Isa is better off than the rest of them and she’ll tend to me.: Surya said and Stefen took up his own gittern and Luna’s and carried them in.

Stefen stepped into the front room, seeing bedrolls laid out all around. Several of the k’Treva Journeymen and mages were already laying down, looking to be in various stages of reaction. He’d often had to seek help for when he overtaxed his gifts, and there wasn’t much he could do to help the crops, but he did help keep most of the villagers calm. He began to tune his instrument then began playing softly. He knew as long as anyone was hurting, they would not be able to eat, and that was vital to recovery.

Starwind began to perk up first. He sat up and gazed at Stefen for several long moments. A slow smile crossed his lips as he realized the power behind Stefen’s gift. Starwind looked over to Moondance whose face was showing some strain, now that strain was beginning to ease.   Within moments, everyone else began to revive just a little. Isabeth came in and started help distribute tea and food.

It was quiet as those gathered were slowly eating, trying to get their strength back. Starwind was among the first to finish eating and he moved over to Luna to check on her. She was still unconscious, but it didn’t seem to alarm many.   Though she couldn’t use magic, not the way those who had helped them could, she’d worn herself down by using her own gifts. She’d learned that she could use music to help plants much the way she could by touching them, but it used more of her energy.

Moondance recovered enough to move to her side and gently wake her. She sat up rubbing her head but accepted the tea she was offered. She slowly sipped at it, then accepted some food and as her pain eased, began eating.

“I feel like something ran over me.” She said softly. She looked around the room and realized most here looked the way she felt. “Guess I’m not the only one.”

“No, it was far more damage than we realized. Thankfully your Gifts have given more help than you realize, little daughter.” Moondance said. “I think we can handle the last bit tomorrow, but I want you to rest.”

Luna rolled her eyes. All she needed was a good night’s sleep. She wanted to tell Moondance she could help them in the morning, if things were not as bad as they were today.   She felt she had to, that these people had been so close to spending a miserable winter with little food and short tempers. It could have been bad. She wished she could do more, but being able to affect a few plants by touch couldn’t help. She’d had to use music to affect the entire crop, and that took more energy at times than she thought possible.

She finished her tea and the meal and stood. She staggered outside to go find a privy. She felt weak, but she was able to move slowly. She felt a gentle touch at her side and knew that Moondance was beside her to steady her. Instead of leading her to the privy that was farther away than she’d realized, he pulled her over just behind the small dwelling.    She managed there, but just barely. It was all she could do to keep from falling over with exhaustion. She found a pump and washed her hands. Then she looked up at Moondance.

“Why?” She asked. She was so tired she didn’t think she could say more.

“To prevent your humiliation, and I do think you would not like being found face down in the dirt.” Moondance said simply.

She sighed as she made her way back into the small house. Moondance led her into a different room, and she saw she and Stefen’s packs were here, as well as the gear that Moondance and Starwind had brought with them. Bedrolls were set out and her gown was lying on top of hers. She didn’t even think about anything but getting into bed as she changed into the loose gown. She pulled her blankets back and lay down, asleep before she was completely prone.

Moondance shook his head and pulled the blankets over her. The girl had grown in the young woman now sleeping on the soft bedding. He and Starwind both could see some fairly severe emotional scars to her, and they had not been there before. They both wanted to help her, as they had before, but this situation came first. He heard a soft sound and turned as Stefen came in. Stefen set the two instrument cases against the wall and went to pull out a change of clothes to sleep in. Moondance noticed their little gift hung from one of the cases, one that had a very familiar feel to it.

“Something has happened to our little one. I can feel it on her.” Starwind said softly. “I do not pry into her thoughts, but I can see the pain and the scars that have not yet healed.”

“It’s not something I really want to go into, not right now. Our healers have done all they can for her, and our thought was to send her out this way on her internship. We hadn’t counted on this situation presenting itself, but it was welcome.” Stefen said, sighing heavily. “I don’t know what you have found on your own, from her or Surya.”

“We were simply told she needed us. I know you do not feel right in telling her story, but while she sleeps, it would help you to share your pain.” Moondance said. “It is hard to watch someone you love hurting so deeply.”

Stefen sighed as he changed into something more comfortable. He sat on his own bedroll and reached to brush Luna’s hair away from her face. She shifted in her sleep and a smile crossed her lips. He hoped her nightmares would not intrude on her sleep tonight, she needed her rest.

“Her first summer in training, I took up with a traveling fair. I figured it would be a good way for me to get some of the tales I’ve been working on out in a good way and to keep to the task he left. Had I known things were going to go the way they did, I don’t know…” Stefen shook his head. “I can’t say I wouldn’t have gone because it could have happened even if I was there.”

“What happened to her is not your blame to carry, Singer.” Starwind said. “There is more than just this, though.”

“Well it goes back to her first winter. She’d been in her training for several moons when this young man who I’d referred to Breda finally decided to come to her for testing with the Bardic Gift. I had thought that in the time I was looking for Luna and bringing her back, he’d have done gone through with this, but he hadn’t.” Anger infused Stefen’s features. “Instead he starts rumors that myself and her friend, Thad were sleeping with her. No one really bought it, but I took over some classes at Bardic and that took me out of the wing she was staying in.”

“Was there a reason they thought to try this tactic? I take it that it would be very unlikely that either you or her friend would consider a child as a plaything, especially one that is female.” Moondance said.
“Thad and I are both Shay’a’chern. That’s not what bothered us about the rumors it was that she was a child. She’s still a child in some respects.   They even tried to find Surya, for whatever reason they thought they could get Luna turned out. I didn’t know until later that Breda had tested the boy and it turned out that he did have the Gift, but he apparently knew more than enough to misuse it.” Stefen shook his head. “The day I came back from the fairs, I found Luna.”

Stefen bit his lip. That day was still so very vivid in his memory. He didn’t know how he didn’t notice the smell of blood in the room or the fact there was dribbles on the floors and wall.    He had been exhausted, even though he was in good spirits when he returned.

“It is entirely possible that those who did that to her expected you to be the one to blame for the condition you found her in. From what we know about the Heralds, they did not anticipate the bond they all share; or the bond you share with her. They figured you would be hauled up on charges with little evidence.” Moondance pointed out.

“Believe me that is something that didn’t occur to me. The mentor over her wing, Herald Tantras noticed I was back and asked if I had seen her, that she had missed an appointment she’d been scheduled for. I told him she needed a Healer and we put her in bed.” Tears streamed down Stefen’s cheeks and both men moved to hold him. “She was only twelve years old and a virgin. This whole mess was because this stupid little brat got caught misusing his gift and couldn’t handle the consequences.”

“I think we should seek our rest for now. We can discuss this more when this village is safer.” Starwind said.

Luna woke late the next morning. She wasn’t sure how late, as the windows to the room had been covered to block most of the light. She sat up and realized she wasn’t exactly alone in the room. Starwind lay by her, soundly asleep. She wasn’t sure of the time as she unwound herself from the blankets and quietly dressed in the dim light. She yawned and went out into the main room, noticing that most of the bedrolls there were made and there were people outside talking. She stepped out into the sunlight, noticing it had to be well after noon.

One of the women ran up to her and handed her some food and something to drink once she’d taken care of a few matters after waking. She ate the food and finished the tea, setting the dishes on the porch to the house she’d slept in the night before and found Surya waiting for her. The sunshine sparkled in her mane as she tossed her head. Luna reached up and patted the Companion’s neck.

:You look better today, you slept very late.: Surya said softly. :We let you wake on your own, you needed that rest. Your song weaving has helped the crops here. I have to say I’m glad you found ways to use your Bardic Gift with some of your others. Of course, they saw that when they began training you, that is why you started with Bardic first.:

:I had no idea that it would work the first time, let alone this time. There must have been far more damage to the land than anyone thought.: Luna thought and sighed. :I’m not going to be able to hide all my pain much longer. I thought I had it shielded, but I think they saw through it.:

:It’s who they are, Moondance is first and foremost a healer, not only of places but of mind and body. Starwind is as well but not nearly as powerful. Stefen knows you are still hurting.: Surya said gently. :So maybe we can get you to stop having those nightmares. They didn’t bother you last night, but that could be because you were around so many healers.:

:I don’t think I even pulled my blankets up, I was out that fast. No, I dreamed of nice things.: Luna ran her fingers through Surya’s mane and giggled. :That massage Stefen gave me really has kept me from getting too tense.:

Luna felt someone approaching her, rather than heard. She turned to see Starwind behind her, a smile on his face.   The ill feeling in the village had nearly vanished with little more than a day’s work, there was still a few places that needed to be cleansed, but she had the feeling it wouldn’t take much to get them back where they should be.

“I think we caught this before it got as bad as where you came from. I think it is your gift that helped them more than our magic.” Starwind said “It is tampering of a sort we have encountered before, but not for a very long time.”
Luna had a thought. One of the things that Vanyel had taught her was that anyone who could use magic would not be comfortable, but that would be within certain boundaries.   This village, like hers had been outside of those boundaries, and required certain things to happen. No one thought to use a Truth Spell here, so maybe they hadn’t caught the attentions yet.

“Starwind, Vanyel had told me some things, along with what you tried to. If someone is using magic here, what’s keeping them out of Valdemar?” She tilted her head to the side. “Where did they come from?”

“That we do not know, they could not have come through that forest, not carrying those things.   We will be leaving some help here though. It could have just been someone who found the things and didn’t know what they were. We have destroyed them.” Starwind gave her a look that made her smile. “You do look better than you did last night.”

Starwind made a very subtle scan of Luna. He could see the emotional battles she’d been fighting for nearly two years.   From what Stefen had told them last night, without coming right out and saying it, she was indeed still suffering from the after effects of rape. Both he and Moondance longed to put things off for just a day to help her, but the best way to help the village was to allow her to work as she was. Their energies were needed for this, and it pained him to put off the girl until they had this in hand. He watched her as she wandered off with her Companion, she still had duties to do, as did he.

It took the better part of three days to have the crops brought to their proper rate for the season, but it had been worth it. Luna often wondered if her Gift had any magic to it, but many of the k’Treva Tayledras had told her it wasn’t exactly magic, not the way those with that gift used it. It was more of a way of encouraging the plants to grow and erased damage. It was more of a Healing gift than magic. In reality, had Luna been born to one of the villages closer to the Pelagirs, she might have gone to one of the clans. There was still a possibility she’d have been Chosen.

Isa stayed with some of the clan that stayed behind to bring the village back under the protections.    They would retain protections from Tashir’s lands as well, but until the harvest come due, they were at the mercy of the elements.
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Tears of the Phoenix