I posted
this chapter (and it’s my longest yet, I think!) for me, since no one, but one
nice person, reviewed or even let me know someone was even reading this.
*sniff, sniff* Okay, so I’m not that pathetic.
But please R/R?
~:|:~:|:~:|:~:|:~:|:~:|:~:|:~:|:~:|:~
Treesong arrived back at her v’raka’kele
in somewhat less then enthusiastic spirits.
She dreaded telling the Eldest of her failure, of her being spotted.
“Don’t worry, alsh’sh’aen. It probably
wasn’t your fault. You haven’t been
there for a while right? So it was probably the last people who did that area’s
fault, and the Tayledras were waiting for you.” Shirl told her. He had
gotten Kyth’s message, but had been unable to do anything as she had arrived
not long after the kestral had winged back.
Treesong shook her head. She knew that it was her fault. That scout couldn’t have know I was
there, there was nothing planned about our meeting. He was simply in the right place at the right time, and I got
caught. By now he’s probably told
whoever rules the Vales, and now they will be looking for us. “It’s all my fault.” She said. “I know it is.” Her clan was secretive, with good reason. They knew that they were almost like the
Tayledras, but also knew that they most defiantly were not. Their Eldest would have told them if they
were, so they lived in isolation, guarding their very existence from
outsiders. Any who ran away or were
Chosen by a Companions were outcaste, and the clan acted as if the person had
never existed. That, Treesong believed,
was the reason her clan was still hiding from all other people. The last person to leave had been her twin,
who had been Chosen months past, and had never returned, much to her dismay. They had even identical in every way, right
down to matching abilities at the Mind-Gifts.
However, Treesong’s ability with the true Mage-Gift hadn’t surfaced
until after her sister had been Chosen.
She often regretted not remaining in contact with her twin, but there
was nothing she could do.
Shirl sighed.
He wrapped his arms around her gently, again reassuring her. “It’s no more your fault then anyone
else’s. We all know that you’re the
best scout and hunter the clan has right now.
There’s no way the Eldest will get mad at you. Or, if he is angry, he won’t do anything drastic. Believe me, Treesong, alsh’sh’aen. It will be fine. Just keep doing your duty, and if any other Tayledras discover
you, well, you won’t let that happen, now that you know that they know we are
watching them.” His embrace was
comforting. He and Treesong were close,
closer then most of the clan. They had
known each other for as long as they could remember, and were the best of
friends.
“I suppose you’re right, alsh’sh’el. But if he asks, I will have to tell him the
truth.” She sighed again.
“But he most likely won’t. Treesong, it will be alright.” He kept up his reassurances, knowing that if
he repeated it enough Treesong would eventually agree.
She didn’t, for once, agree with him. Her encounter with the Tayledras, whom she
did hear his final words, Firestar, had left her as unsettled as him, although
neither knew that.
“That’s all, Elder. I noticed the lone bond-bird, and followed her to that tree. The stranger was not very friendly at
all.” Firestar stood before the council
of Elders. It was two days after his
encounter with the woman, but he didn’t think it was urgent enough to bother
the Elders unnecessarily by calling a council for that.
Dar’ian looked at him. “You are sure she is not part of the Vale,
or the village?” The Elder’s gaze was
intense, focusing entirely on the poor mage-scout. Firestar was only just beginning to be taught his mage powers, so
he could doubly admire his Elder’s power.
Right then Dar’ian looked thoughtful, before
coming out of his trance and dismissed Firestar. Relieved, the scout escaped the intense gazes of the Elders.
When he had left, Dar’ian asked out loud, to
no one exactly, “So, what do we do about an unknown voorthaysehn?”
This time, Treesong kept a close watch on the
Tayledras, unconsciously watching for Firestar. It was four days after their encounter, and none of the other
watchers had encountered anyone. Still,
she kept Kyth with her, hoping the kestral would warn her if anyone
approached. She had her bow and arrows
easily assessable, where she could use them at a moments notice. She also kept her budding mage-Senses alert,
for anyone using magic near her. After
her previous scare, she was not risking anything.
:Scout visit us again?: Kyth asked her hopefully.
Oh great, Treesong thought, now my bond-bird has to
take a liking to the Tayledras fool who nearly scared the wits out of me! :No, Kyth. Hopefully not.: Treesong replied.
:Why?: the bird asked puzzled. :Scout is good.:
:Not good for k’Ren’fa,: Treesong told her. :He may find the clan.: Treesong
stopped, feeling a large group of powerful mages approach the newly-raised Veil
that shielded the Vale of k’Valdemar.
The only reason Treesong even felt something was because the group was
so powerful. She almost staggered when
she tried to assess their strength. Star
Eyed, those must be Masters, probably even Adepts! She started to panic, but drew on her
meditation lessons to calm down. She
knew the legends about the Tayledras Adepts who could sense people with their
minds, and if she was discovered by a powerful mage, she didn’t know what she
would do. :Come, Kyth. We have to go!: she sent urgently to the
bond-bird.
:But good scout comes,: the kestral told her. :Why go?
Don’t want to go.:
:Kyth, : she said, :this is not the time to get
stubborn! Come on! Follow me back to the clan.: Treesong sent the protesting kestral into
the air, just at the moment the group of mages exited through the Veil. She counted four mages, she guessed at high
level Masters, and at least one Adept, as well as one fairly un-trained, whom
she recognized as Firestar. She didn’t
stay any longer, as soon as she got the numbers she jumped to the next tree
almost completely silent, confident in her ability as best scout of k’Ren’fa to
move fast enough away from the dangerous group.
:Halt, trespasser.: An imperious voice called in her
mind. Or rather ait was a voice that
projected to the area, not specifically her.
She ignored it, focusing on the next tree to
jump to, willing with all her heart for that voice to not be talking to
her. Why me? she thought
forlornly. She was out of sight of the
mages, and was feeling relatively safe enough to relax slightly.
She missed her next grip as she felt
Kyth being trapped. The shock the bird
felt was so powerful that she slipped into her bond-birds mind completely,
seeing everything she did. She also
heard the conversation one of the mages was forcing out of Kyth.
:Where is your bond-mate, Kyth?: a strange, beautiful voice asked
the kestral.
:Gone back to clan,: she
replied. Her bond-mate was far away,
she knew, so Kyth thought that they would let her go.
Firesong did indeed release the kestral. He sent his mind out, scanning the trees for
the mind linked to the bird before him.
:There,: he Mindsent to the Vale leader. He then sent his Mindvoice out to the person
again. :Stop. Your bond-bird is here. Why are you even within our lands?:
Treesong recoiled physically as well as
mentally, on the branch she had fallen to.
If the mage who sent the thought to her could follow the bond between
her and Kyth, he must be an Adept. Uh
oh, she thought. Now what? :Let her go!: she sent, using all the force she had to send the thought all the
way back. She cautiously began heading
back towards where Kyth was, following their link. The mage made no reply. Is
this a trap? She wondered.
Nevertheless, she wouldn’t let Kyth be trapped by anyone, especially the
mysterious Tayledras. She arrived back
by the Veil, resting out of sight, high in a v’raka. :Kyth,: she Mindsent to her
bond-bird, :can you come?:
The bird rose from the ground in front of the
mages, slowly at first, but quickly gaining height and altitude. :Here.
I hurt.: the bird said simply.
Treesong sent out a mental caress, feeling
where the bird hurt the most. :Kyth,
go back to Shirl. Shirl will help you,
Kyth. I will come soon.: Hearing the kestrels assent, Treesong
returned her attention to the mages.
There were five in total. There
was a high-level Master mage, one Adept, one she could not tell if he was
Master or Adept, and one she felt that had a different ability, but one she
could not sense, as well as Firestar.
:What do you want?: she demanded from her perch. She knew that they could not see her, but if
she had been found as far away as she was, they probably knew she was there.
:Why are you watching us, trespasser? Why are you watching Tayledras on Tayledras
lands?: the mage wearing the flamboyant, and typical
Tayledras, robes of red and orange asked her.
Firestar winced at Firesong’s
choice of words. He waited for
Treesong’s reply, wondering if she would actually answer this time, rather then
evade as she did his same question.
Her strong voice carried down to them. She must not have been as strong Mindspeaker
if she chose to call from up there, rather then keep up the Mindspoken
conversation. “Who said that they are
your lands, Tayledras? Did you even
wonder if perhaps there were others here before you?” her mocking voice easily
heard by them all.
“They have always been our lands,
Treesong. Why have you trespassed on
them?” the mage dressed in blues and greens asked her, his voice calm.
“Yours?
Who are you then? You do not
look like a Tayledras.” Treesong’s derision was obvious in her inflection to
the words.
“I am Darian Firkin k’Vala k’Valdemar. The leader of this Vale.”
Incredulous laughter preceeded Treesong’s next
words. “So it isn’t even a true
Tayledras Vale? How ironic. What I would like to know is why you’ve set
up your Vale, redirected the ley-lines and formed these new nodes?”
He held his patience outwardly, hoping that
their elusive trespasser would show herself.
If only they knew more about this strange woman, who claimed a clan keep
but was obviously not Tayledras. And
who knew about the ley-lines and nodes.
“Because we were entrusted with this duty by the Queen of Valdemar, to
direct the flow of magic back into usable streams.” He paused. “It would be much easier to speak if you
were closer to us,” he suggested casually.
“Fine.
If you really want a look at me that badly, why not? I’m in enough trouble as it is. Be warned, though. If I feel that I cannot trust you, or if I am in any danger, I
will shoot first, escape second, and perhaps apologize later.” She jumped down from branch to branch
easily, using the outermost ones purposefully to show her agility off to the
Tayledras. She would not come to them
as inferior!
When she was about ten feet off the ground,
she stopped, sitting deceptively casually on the branch, her long-bow held
loose in her hand.
Dar’ian managed to stifle his gasp at her
appearance. She looked every bit the
Tayledras Adept, down to the bleached, braided hair, silver eyes, and
confidence so strong he felt nearly smothered in it. She wore an outfit designed to blend into the forest, but he felt
that if she wanted she could wear mage robes and still be invisible among the
trees.
“Had a good look?” she drawled. Her eyesight and other senses were sharp,
and she wanted to remind them of that.
“Who are you?” the one who she couldn’t
identify asked her.
“Although I’m sure your good friend Firestar
already told you, I am Treesong k’Ren’fa.
Scout, and hunter.” She smiled
at the looks of startlement on some of the faces. I guess they didn’t believe Firestar, then.
“But, how?
There is no Vale k’Ren’fa!” the Master level mage said.
“Of course not,” Treesong drawled, “we’re not
Tayledras. We don’t manipulate the
nodes around us, nor do we change our environment to suit our needs,”
she bit out maliciously. “Now, since
I’m already in over my head, I’m going to go now. I’m so terribly sorry I cannot stay longer. Before I do enough damage to be outcaste.”
She waved jauntily, and disappeared, melting into the trees.
“I don’t think so,” Firesong said, catching
her mind, freezing her in place. At his
instructions, Firestar climbed up the tree, gently bringing her down to the
ground. Treesong fought him as much as
she could, but she was caught fast. As
soon as they reached the group still in the clearing before the Veil, though
she was still held by Firestar, Firesong released her mind. Feeling this, she tried her best to break
free from Firestar, only managing to force him into holding her far tighter then
he had meant to.
Deciding that her struggles were getting her
nowhere, she ceased moving. She glared
with the lightest eyes Firesong had seen on anyone not a mage who had been
manipulating magic since they were born, shooting arrows with her gaze that he
could almost feel.
“I hope you do realize the moment I break
free, I will go straight to my Eldest, and he will punish you for what you have
done to me. That was the most painful
thing that anyone had ever done to me, and I have been through a lot. And I’m not even scratched!” She was already sending a message through
Kyth that she was in past her depth, and she knew that Shirl at least would
come to her aid. “You may outnumber me, but I will
not take this.” Her accusations made the Tayledras feel acutely
embarrassed. Who knew that one person
had the will to shame a group of strangers?
However embarrassed he was, now that he had
had a hold on her mind, there was no way Firesong would let her go. “Do you realize how much Mage-potential you
possess, Treesong?” he asked her quietly.
Firestar gasped. Why hadn’t he felt it?
She continued to glare at him. “And so now you think I should be jumping
for joy, begging to be taught by the legendary Hawkbrothers?” she asked
sarcastically.
Firesong looked pleased. Finally! He thought, I’m getting
somewhere.
Her expression didn’t change. “I was being sarcastic, you fool. I don’t want anything to do with you. Even if you are as powerful as I think you
are, I won’t let you touch me,” she stated firmly. Her anger was beginning to overcome to barriers she had erected
between her and her emotions, and she didn’t want to know what she would do
when she lost control.
Dar’ian spoke from behind Firesong. “You need the training, Treesong. Now that
Firesong pointed this out to me, you are, or have the potential to be, as
strong as him. Maybe stronger.”
Treesong snorted incredulously. “You expect me to believe you? I won’t.”
She began struggling again, using her fairly large amount of strength
against the taller man. She couldn’t
break free yet, but she could try.
“You should let her go.” A completely new
voice came from the nearest tree. An
arrow flew through the air, whistling less then an inch from Firestar’s
head. He glanced up at the same time
the rest of the group did, finally paying attention to their surroundings.
“No.”
Firesong’s unafraid voice aggravated Treesong. “Would you let me go? I
don’t care about being a mage! I want
our forest back!” she cried, still, just barely, holding onto her emotions.
The people grouped in the trees stopped. They were uneasy around magic ever since the
mage-storms, and having their best scout captured, then shouting it startled
them. They shared her sentiments about
their forest however, and a few more arrows shot down towards the group, not
hitting, but meant to intimidate.
“Stop shooting!” Firesong demanded irritably.
“Why should we? Let Treesong go.” The same person called out. “We’re only trying to get our forest back!”
The small group of mages was now encircled,
outnumbered and facing some very angry archers. Treesong smiled to herself.
Kyth winged down to land on her shoulder, choosing the one closest to
Firestar. The smug satisfaction of Kyth
showed that the kestral had brought back not only Shirl, but most of the
off-duty scouts as well.
However, Kyth just sat there on Treesong’s
shoulder, not helping her at all as she tried to get away from Firestar. “Great.
Now my bond-bird won’t even listen to me!” she muttered under her
breath, and watched the events unfolding before her.
Unfortunately, for Treesong at least, Firesong
had no intention of letting her go. “We
found a trespasser on Tayledras lands.
You are all trespassing on our lands, and we deal with them as we feel
necessary. We also do not harm others
unless they provoke us, so Treesong will be fine. We only had some questions for her,” he said placatingly.
The spokesperson for the scouts laughed. “That’s exactly what we are here to
stop. We don’t let others attack our
own, even if all you wanted was answers.
We can’t give them to you, so don’t bother. We are the k’Ren’fa, so back off.” The spokesperson was Shirl, Treesong was relieved to note.
“Look.
All we want is to investigate the watcher we noticed on the edge of our
Veil. We will not harm her, so will you
please back off? We will only take her
into the Vale.” Firesong used his most
sincere voice. He didn’t want a clan of
who knows how many angry at the new Vale.
“That is enough.” A commanding voice said,
with a definite sound of finality.
Treesong, and all the other scouts were
shocked. The Eldest stood there
next to Shirl, the latter obviously hadn’t notice the older man as he
maneuvered through the trees. The
Eldest descended nimbly to the ground, his powerful presence and authority over
Treesong and her clan obvious to the mages. “I would appreciate if I could count on my watchers to remain
undetected, but I suppose it was inevitable.
Still, Treesong, why did it have to be you?” The Eldest sighed as he
stopped near her. He lifted her chin
from where it had slouched at his words.
He was called Eldest, although he was not nearly the oldest in the clan,
merely because that was the name of his station as leader of k‘Ren’fa.
“Eldest, I didn’t—“
He cut her off. “I’m sure you didn’t mean to, but you were found out. I can’t believe it was you, and I really
don’t like it. This is not good, leeka. You know who this man is, do you not?” he
gazed at Firestar intently. At her
ignorance, he sighed. “No, this is not
good. How did this happen?” he asked,
sounding almost as if he was talking to himself.
“Eldest, I was caught by magic, as was
Kyth. I could do nothing. He is an Adept, sir.” Treesong managed to
get one arm free to point at Firesong.
The Eldest, glanced up quickly, before nodding
to himself. “Yes, he is. I do not know what I can do for you child. This Adept is right, you do need training,
which is something I cannot give you.
And you were caught. That is not
permissible. I’m sorry leeka. As much as it pains me to admit it, I think
he is right.” The Eldest faced her, looking straight into her eyes. “I think you must stay with the
Tayledras. You no longer belong among
the clan. You are still k’Ren’fa at
heart, but you belong elsewhere.” His
quiet words that only she and Firestar heard changed her completely. She collapsed in Firestar’s arms, seeking a
foreign comfort in him. She glanced
imploringly at the Eldest, but she saw the truth in his eyes. She nodded in mute acceptance, straightening
up in pride, and, showing a strength she had been holding back before, tore
away from Firestar completely. Turning
her back to the Eldest, she walked calmly over to Firesong, and said clearly,
“I accept your offer of guidance and teaching.”
A shocked silence came over everyone gathered
there. Her clan was mortified, but knew
it something to do with what the Eldest had said, therefore it was
alright. They vanished into the trees,
the Eldest with them, leaving the small group of five alone.
Firesong stared at her. He wanted her to accept what she needed, to
be taught before her Gift got out of hand, but the complete and total pledge
shocked him. Deeply.
As her clan vanished into the trees, Treesong
heard one last message from her Eldest.
:Be well with your shrey’kreth’ashke,
Treesong. May you learn well.: