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
- 6
- 7
- 8
Luna woke snuggled in a soft bed, warm and safe. She opened her eyes and looked around the dark room. One lone candle was lit to the side of the room that gave a soft glow. She rose and eased from the bed to look at the candle. It had marks along the side, denoting the time. She guessed it had to be early morning and put on her boots and picked up a robe to wrap around her.

She quietly opened the door and stepped out, listening to the quiet rain falling outside. She found her way to the common area, blinking in the light. A guardsman sat at the table, polishing the bright work on Surya’s tack. He looked up at Luna’s soft steps and smiled warmly to her.

“Good morning, wee one. If you are looking for the facilities, they’re down that hall there.” He pointed to a darker hall and Luna nodded. “Go on, it’s alright. I’ll have you a little snack when you come back, ok?”

Luna had never heard of indoor privies in her life. She moved down the hall the man had pointed to and found the room. She realized that they were still little more than earthen drops, but there was so little smell. She made use of one; then found water to wash her hands. When she came out again, the man was sitting at the table with a plate of bread and cheese slices. He poured her a mug of something to drink and patted a chair near him.

“Don’t be afraid, wee one. I have a few kids your age. My eldest is a Herald, I think you may have met her last night, Isabeth? She comes out here often to keep us up on the news from the Capital, and usually escorts some of us when we rotate.” He smiled warmly when Luna took her shyly took her seat. “I’m Eric I thought you could use a little help with your stuff. I like working on the tack when Isa is around. Keeps my old hands busy when I’m up all night, eat youngling. You’re going to fade to nothing and your Companion will be leaving hoof prints on my bum.”

Luna giggled and began to eat. She looked around the room, seeing other members doing various duties, and morning guards coming in to start their days.   They all smiled to her and gave her a little salute. She blinked at the unfamiliar people, seeming to give her some form of politeness. Though the surroundings were quite unfamiliar to her and should have put her to unease, they didn’t. Again, as with it had with Stefen, it felt safe and comfortable.

“I guess I have so much to get used to. I’m not used to having people treat me nicely, not like this.” She told Eric softly. “Isa is your daughter?”

“She is. I had a rotation up here when she was about your age; that was oh, twenty years ago or so. I’d just lost her mother and brought her up here to help in the stables. She has always had such a way with beasties. Anyway, I hadn’t been up here a moon or so and I come out to the stable to find her standing before this beauty of a horse. White as the newly fallen snow, eyes bluer than the sky, aye, I knew what that meant.” Eric’s eyes misted over at the memory. “Rhoda swept her off back down to the Capital, and well, you can say it sure made me proud. I was down in the city that winter, though.    Wish I had been up here and that we had more of my girl’s sort here. Maybe we could have gotten more support to him faster, but alas, sometimes stories are written afore we’re born and they can’t be altered. I was up here after though, when one of our younger members took the Bard out there, boy was so scared he’d be hurt. Isa tore off when she found out where he went, met him coming back in. She gave him a right piece of her mind too.”

“Why did she get mad at him? She couldn’t have known what was happening.” Luna asked, finishing the last bite of bread. “She seems to be friendly with Stefen now, though.”

“That she is little one. You see, after Vanyel went and did what he had to do, that poor boy was so shattered. Isa knew that he would want to follow his beloved in death, and we did not want that to happen. The healers, Heralds and Bards all tried to keep an eye on him, but everything went bad all at once. I’m sure you know all this though.” Eric sighed, and gave Luna a gentle look. “You will learn more history when you start your training. Best you get it there than from an old muddle headed guardsman.”

Luna giggled and stacked the dishes she’d used.   Rosy hues of morning came through the window in the common area, showing that the rains were slacking off. She looked shyly around as conversations carried on, though most just allowed her to quietly take things in. Soon she got up and drifted back to their room and began to light the candles so she could see to dress.   A peek at the bed showed Stefen was still soundly sleeping.

:I’m surprised he didn’t kick you out of that bed, as much room as he takes up!: Surya chuckled into her mind. :He must be part cat.:

:He’s not as bad as my brother was, he would kick me out of the bed. There were many times I woke up on the floor.: Luna sighed. :He don’t snore either, I didn’t think it was possible for someone so young to snore like that child did!:

:Well, at least I know you are safe with him. You be sure to tell him if he kicks you out of a bed, he’ll have to deal with me!: Surya grumbled.

Luna began dressing, but laughed out loud at Surya’s musings. Stefen’s head popped up and he looked at her sleepily. He sat up and brushed his hair back, trying to wake up more.

“I’m sorry, Surya said something funny. She said that you must be half cat, I guess because she thought you took up too much of the bed.”

“That’s not the first time I’ve heard that one.” Stefen chuckled softly. “Good morning, Luna. Vanyel would say that sometimes, that I must be part cat because I took up more space than physically possible. I hope I didn’t push you out of the bed.”

“Good morning, and no you didn’t. I woke up a little bit ago and needed the privy. Surya says if you manage to kick me out of the bed, well she may put hoof prints on your backside.” Luna pulled some clean clothes from a pack for Stefen. “The rains seem to have moved out, but I don’t think we should leave too soon.”

“We’d just ride back into them. I think it stormed most of the night. I’ll have a word with the guard posted here, see what they think. I don’t mind riding in the rain, but hail and wind are worse.” Stefen got up and began to dress. Luna went to the window in their room, flinging the curtains back a bit. Sunlight streamed in, but the haze of clouds still lingered to the south.

“Has it only been a week since we left? That salve worked wonders though. I’m not nearly as stiff as I was a couple days ago. I guess I’m getting used to riding though.” She turned from the window to see Stefen lacing his tunic. He made a rather lovely picture in his full scarlet finery, his reddish hair falling just past his shoulders. Luna pulled her comb from her pack and handed it to Stefen.

“It has, and we have about a week or more to Haven from here. If you were going alone, I’m sure Surya could get you back in less time. Between her and me, I think we can manage to keep you fed and sheltered in the time it takes though.” Stefen smiled taking the comb and using it. “You may have had a little bit to eat, but I’m starving. Shall we go see if there is much for breakfast?”

Together, they went back down to the common room where the day guard were eating breakfast, Isa leapt up to greet them and steer them to her table and gave them plates. Dishes were passed around and before long they both had a hearty breakfast.

“Surya’s tack has been cleaned up, not that it was all that dirty. Dad likes to work with that sort of stuff when it’s quiet. He told me he met you, Luna. I’m sure he’s told you stories that I may never live down.” Isabeth chuckled. “You look better this morning, Stef. I take it a decent night’s sleep in a bed has made you feel better?”
“I have been on the road quite a bit the past few years, but yes it was nice to have a quiet bed to sleep in. I slept quite well in the forest to, but I’m sure you understand. Companions are better to sleep around than horses, and they don’t kick as much.” Stefen applied himself to the meal before him.

“It was a rather cozy bed, best I have ever slept in.” Luna smiled as she ate. “I am just trying to adjust, so forgive me if I seem a bit like a little barbarian.”

The others around the table chuckled and gave Luna warm smiles. They launched into a series of stories about the young people Companions had Chosen, some had seemed to be on the genteel end of life while others had lives similar to Luna and Stefen.

“I remember this one young lad, Chosen about two years ago now?” Isa looked around the table and got a few nods. “The poor thing was overwhelmed by what had happened to him and he was frantic about a friend of his. He’d wondered who would watch out for her because when he was carried off the little thing had no one. I have the feeling he won’t be worrying much longer.” Isa looked to Luna and gave her a broad wink.

“Thad was Chosen?” Luna gasped. “They would never tell me what happened to him, and several made big stories about how either the spirit carried him to his doom or that the Hawkbrothers carried him off.”

“By ‘the spirit’ I can safely assume you mean Vanyel, little sister?” Isa asked. “It has been my experience that he only harms those who are bad. He doesn’t bother any village within the forest, because he doesn’t wish to unsettle people more than he has to. If they decide to take themselves into the woods then he deals with them. I think if it wasn’t for him, there would be far more deaths than we wish to have to deal with.”

“That’s what the Wise Woman from Luna’s village told me. I think we may need more Heralds going through there than have been, as some of the reports we’ve been getting are not adding up. Luna, you have pieces to a puzzle that we’ve been trying to figure out for over ten years.   Thad was too traumatized by his experiences to tell us the history there, maybe knowing you have been chosen and the fact that he knows you, together you can lay out things we desperately need to know.” Stefen set down his utensils and looked at Luna. “Every Herald and Bard are extremely important to Valdemar. We hold the keys to history and the things that are the vary lifeblood of what we hold dear. The Heralds are the eyes and ears of who sits on the throne and in turn they share their decisions and decrees. The Bards, we take the stories and traditions and spread them. Many from outside our realm see us only as singers and musicians, but we are just as gifted as any Herald. Those of us that make Master Bard have gifts that can make someone feel and live the stories we tell. To even be trained as a Bard, you must have talent, creativity and the Bardic Gift. You know the nights I played music on our way here, and the pain you felt seemed to ease? That’s part of my gift. That’s why I was so important to Co-Consort Jisa’s parents. I was able to make Randale able to function as King. He was very sick, something they tried to hide for a long time. He was told that I had a unique gift, but not the full extent, not until I had proven myself.   When I played, it was a dual purpose. I had to put those who came before him in a mood to compromise.”

“That’s right, little sister. We were so focused on issues close to the crown, with Randale’s father dying in a freak accident. Then Elspeth passed on, and then we were embroiled in a war with Karse. Father told me that Vanyel spent a good bit of time down there and the conditions were absolutely foul.   Mother and I thought that surely he wouldn’t be home a few times, and when he did come home he was so horribly thin. Yes, my father served on the lines with Vanyel. We lost five of our best Herald-Mages then, and Vanyel was relieving all of them. We see the pattern now, but hindsight is always better than what you see in the present.” Isa took a long drink of tea then set her mug down with a dull thud. “I think when I was chosen Father rightly hoped I didn’t have that gift. Given what we’ve learned in the past few years, I can’t say I blame him.”

“What happens if someone is chosen, who has that gift?” Luna asked in a small voice. She knew the answer though. “Was the Mage Gift all that common?”

Isabeth gave the child a long and thoughtful look. Some of the guard members grew quiet, listening to the conversation. Some favored Luna with a sympathetic look, others seemed to feel uncomfortable. One woman spoke up.

“Nay, child, it was not all that common, and seemed to get less common from King Valdemar’s time. I think at the best of times, we had a few dozen, now the only one who can be called active guards the Sorrows. He paid one hell of a price though. There was nothing to be found for us to bury.   Only his love was able to find something, and I can’t fault the lad for keeping it.” She looked nearly as old as Nana had, and had a hawkish look to her. Luna knew she couldn’t be much older than Eric, though the years had been clearly etched on her face. “I held that poor child as he wept and put him to sleep in my own bed. It was the best I could do. I am so proud to see you again, lad.” She reached across the table and held Stefen’s hand gently.

“During Randale’s time, the mages seemed to get fewer and fewer. Some of the deaths we could have attributed to battle, some accidents, some there was no good cause for them. They just dwindled in numbers before our very eyes until we were faced with the last four. Then one by one.. They were gone.” Isa’s voice cracked with tears. “They were good people, they did so much for our country and some bastard decided that we didn’t deserve magic. I guess they thought if they got rid of the Herald-Mages, they would take us all out. The only one who saw the pattern, though it was way too late then was Vanyel. The reason you felt the death, little sister, was his doing. We all knew before, but it was vague if you were away from the palace. When you are there, you’ll hear the bell. Vanyel connected us all, and now we know when one goes, or if a particular gift is needed somewhere. We don’t have anyone to train someone with that gift, nor do we have any way at all to detect it. I suppose we could seek out those in the Pelegirs, but I highly doubt anyone would survive that encounter.”

Luna thought over what she’d been told. She tried to think of how she could help with the history of her village. She’d felt the mage gift, and the only time she had felt it from anyone was Cody. He’d gone to live with the Tayledras, never to know his former life again. She wasn’t sure she could positively sense it, nor did she want to. She didn’t want anyone to be a living target.

“I know the people who took over our village did so before I was born. We had Heralds come through every few years, but not ever with any regularity. I don’t know how they never saw what was going on, unless it was just willfully hidden. I think I maybe saw Heralds four times in all the time I can remember. When I wasn’t hiding in the forest, I stayed with a young family that’s now among the dead.” Luna felt and sounded very small indeed. “Most of the people in my village shunned me, I never knew why. My parents only wanted sons, and once they started having them, I was left to my own. I think for a few months, my mother loved me, but when I was able to walk, it got bad.”

“Bright Goddess, little sister. How did you ever manage? You seem to be so wise and so mature for your young age, who made sure you were able to tend to yourself?” Isa dropped her mug, which landed with a crash on the table, spilling the last bit of tea. Stefen snatched a napkin and blotted up the mess. “How did our Heralds miss that?”

“Most of the village Elders took in the orphans, and Nana, our Wise Woman helped. Most of those who were turned out by their parents were girls.   If any of us showed potential of any kind of gift, most were killed, girl or boy. From the time I could walk, I spent most of my time in the forest. I know I had gifts and was different. They left me alone for the most part, but when I was seven, I was banished from the village. Thad tried to help me some, he found a cave for me to stay in and made sure I would be warm. They put him out because he preferred boys. They said it was a perversion, the Elders that is. I think they felt he would contaminate people, but what about those evil bastards raping the girls? They didn’t say anything about them and let them destroy our lives.” Luna’s blue eyes took on an icy hue as her anger flared to life. “They let children like me starve, left food in the stores to rot, and took most if not all of the crops and the herds. I had to scrounge for food in the forest, and thankfully had a gift that I can use to coax plants that provide food to give me enough to eat. I had to learn, as a toddler not to take fruits and nuts home because it unsettled people. The fact that a three year old is roaming a haunted forest didn’t bother them, but my bringing food did? WHY??”

Stefen reached for Luna, touching her arm lightly. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and several of the men on the guard pulled out handkerchiefs to hand her. They had tears of their own, feeling her anger, fear and heartbreak. Footsteps sounded on the stairs and Eric burst into the room and ran straight for Luna. He scooped up the child as if she were his own and held her tightly. He sat in the chair she’d been sitting in and just held her.

“Now don’t you let that get you down, little one. The Goddess knows you fought hard for everything you are today and I know that She had help keeping you alive.” He rocked her gently, as if she were a child much younger than she was. “Vanyel would never let someone with your potential die. I know you’ve been touched by his spirit, and my girl does too.”

They watched the man hold the girl, as her sobs broke loose. Stefen watched as she clung to the Guardsman, his heart breaking at the sounds of her tears. A scratch at the door had someone going to open it and Eric stood and carried Luna outside, to take her to Surya. He followed them and saw him sitting on a bench outside, Surya nuzzling Luna tenderly. Another Companion stood near them and he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned in time to be engulfed in a tight hug from Isa.
“Father knew she was close to shattering, I know she cried on you last night, but right now he’s who she needs. I swear he has to have some kind of gift, he knows when a child is hurting. I’ve seen him pick up children caught up in wars and hold them when their parents fell in battle. It didn’t matter what side of the battle lines they were from, he’d hold them. If you ask me, someone we both know sent that storm to stall you long enough to put her in his arms.” Isa said softly. “I know she had healing and I know they were the ones we tell stories of. You will be a good mentor for her, but right now how about we let her feel my father’s love.”

Isa led Stefen back into the post, leading him to another room. He could tell it was one she used often when she was here. She pulled the chair at a desk out and invited him to sit. She sat on the side of the bed and she seemed to be lost in thought.

“I feel so helpless, like I should do more for her. She’s had so much to overcome in her short life, in some ways she makes me think of him.   He fought his whole life to get his father’s acceptance, even though he was loved by all who knew him, he was still so very lonely. I was told by a friend that she has the foundations to heal.” Stefen wasn’t sure how to voice how he felt, seeing Luna weeping so brokenly twice in less than a day had him rattled. “She’s like him in ways, she’s good at hiding when she’s hurting, until the pain is more than she can handle.”

“Stef, you knew him better than anyone but Savil, save for his nephew. Surely you can see the reason you are the one he chose to guide her. Yes, the Hawkbrothers laid the foundation for her to heal, much like a healer will lance a badly infected wound. You have to open the wounds to let the infection out, then you have to clean them so healing can begin. What they did was open those wounds and let the rot drain away. Her tears are cleansing them, so they can heal anew. I could see their touch upon her.” Isa gave him a smile. “She’s had other helpers too, ones who were living, but run upon for paws instead of two feet. I’ve met several Kyree in my travels, one seems to seek me out when I’m up in this area.”

“I have one almost impossible task he’s set me to, this one doesn’t seem so hard. I’ve seen so much growing up as I have, I can’t even imagine how she’s feeling though. I never felt real love or acceptance until I met Medren, then Vanyel. Savil accepted me warmly as did Yfandis. I wish they were here, but then again, if Vanyel was here, would we have any life at all?” Stefen slumped in the chair. “How did your dad even know she was crying? I figured he’d have gone on to bed after his shift?”

“Father often sits up reading for a while. He’s got keen hearing, he could hear a kitten’s mew in the midst of the worst of storms. They say some mothers have that same ability, they can know when their own young needs them, or even when any little thing needs a bit of love.” Isa gave him a warm smile. “You are also wondering how he knew that was Surya at the door and not someone else, aren’t you? That’s easy, when I was chosen, I was scared to leave him and broke down not much unlike our little sister out there. Rhoda scratched at the door the same way and he carried me out there and told me it was going to be ok. He told me she’d never let something real bad happen to me unless she couldn’t help it. Trust me, there’s been several times she’s done damage getting to me.”

“Oh I know they can get quite angry. I saw Yfandis take out a mage that wounded Vanyel. There was nearly nothing to scrape up off the ground, she trampled him that bad. I owe you and your father a large debt of gratitude, for you have both helped us in so many ways. I’ve never forgotten that little chat we had. I was stupid then, and he even called me an idiot.” Stefen chuckled, but sighed heavily.

“No need to thank dad, that’s just who he is. I think he stays on as Guard here to help any newly chosen that may come though. He rotates through the different outposts, and there’s been many a scared child he’s comforted.”   She gave him a warm smile. “You are not stupid, lad. You were quite brokenhearted. I have never really met many who have had a Lifebond, but I don’t think I could handling someone I love that much. Watching Shavri slowly go mad was bad enough. And that was while Randi was still alive. I heard about when she lost her head when Jisa ran off and married Treven. She damned near let her little secret out, it was a damn good thing the lot kept the most of the conversation to Mindspeech. I heard a few were asking why she had Vanyel there, yes I know he was doing a lot of Randi’s duties, but that honestly was a family argument. What you may not know is he was the very first she asked the pages to get.”

“Wait, how do you know that? That’s something that cannot get out, under ANY circumstance!” Stefen gasped. “Van was of the idea it would unsettle some, but you seem to not mind.”

“I was one of the Heralds helping keep Shavri’s secrets inside her head. After you and Van left for that mission, Randi got much worse and when he passed, they both went mad together. You helped keep Randi together up to that point, but you didn’t see some of the things we did. I’m one they use to help shield others, and it was almost beyond my control. She was projecting so forcefully it took four Heralds to hold her back, but I kept THAT secret under the tightest shield I could manage, waking or sleeping.”

“Thank you, Isabeth, I will be sure to pass that on when my time is done. You know when I first met Luna, she Saw that. She also told us that we were right to keep it, but I think she may see a different reason. She said something , that history wasn’t ready for the secret yet. I still don’t know what she means.”

“You never know with Foreseers, they see things sometimes even they don’t understand.   You just have to listen to their wisdom. If she is saying history isn’t ready, take her for her word. She may be seeing something farther beyond our lifetimes, and there will come a time that the person that secret will affect will need to know.” A knock at the door interrupted their conversation and Isa got up to answer it.

“I’ve put Luna back in bed, poor thing cried herself sick. The healer is seeing to her, but I think she needs her friend. Isa, if she needs me again, don’t be afraid to wake me, but I’m going to try to sleep.” Eric smiled then wearily walked away.

Stefen got up and walked to the room he shared with Luna, hearing Isa following him. He paused outside the door, sensing the healer was still tending to the child. After a few moments, she stepped out and smiled.

“She’ll be alright after some sleep. Whoever worked healing on her did some wonderful work, especially with the trauma to her mind. She’s got some strong foundations to build on now that the painful memories are blunted. She’ll have a few more times of tears like this, but with someone kind and gentle to help her, she’ll be fine.   Eric would be the best medicine for her though. He’s a father and has kids her age, and grand kids just a bit younger.” She hugged Stefen then stepped away.

Stefen quietly went into the room and saw Luna tucked into the bed, sleeping soundly. He sat on the side of the bed and stroked her cheeks lightly. Her face was still red from crying, and he could tell her clothes had been changed. He stood then took off his boots and tunic, laying beside her. She turned to lay her head on his shoulder and snuggled close to him.
Isa smiled warmly at how Stefen tenderly handled Luna. She could see a gentle radiance in his features, the same one she saw in her own father when he held children. Stefen should be a teacher, with the way he handled children. She’d heard stories how he would work with the kids in villages, including them with his ballads to get others to sing along. She sat on the bed by Luna and smiled at them both.

“I am afraid to ask what you are thinking.” Stefen whispered. “You look like you want to pop out a little one and hand it off to me.”

“Well, I would have considered that, if your love was still alive. I don’t think he’d take me up on that offer though. I was more thinking you have the same gentle touch my father has. You have a bit of a glow to you, tending to her. I’ve seen the same with him when he’s soothing a child.” She whispered back. “The poor little dear, I’ll see to it the cook makes her a soothing soup or something to be ready when she wakes. You should try to get some sleep, you may get precious little on the way back. That’s the life on the road though, especially when there aren’t many inns or way stations along the way.”

Isa got up and quietly left the room after drawing the curtains around the bed. Stefen fell asleep, gently holding the child who needed him so badly.
- 6
- 7
- 8
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