Disclaimer: Don't own it: remember if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. And I'd have a ton of money. Cheers and enjoy.
A/N: this is all well and good now, that I decided to reformat and edit. There are a few many good people who have reviewed saying that they don't understand quite what in hell is going on here in my little world. So, for your information here it is – The timeline: right after Arrows Fall, after Dirk and Talia got married, before any thing else. But in my little ditty Kris as in Herald Kris, Dirk's blood brother, herald to one Tantris "Featherfoot". In the books he died (Arrows Fall) in Hardorn at the hand of Ancar and Hulda glares evilly at witch. Well I have changed it just a tad; I have Kris living through that ordeal. Herald Lira Hedsfelt is in no way related to Selenay, though they do have a back story. Lira was a trainee at Herald's the same time Selenay was. She is in no way Elspeth's baby sister, one of the twins, though those two rascals are sure to make an appearance later in the show. Everything will be explained in the plot line. If you have any other questions, please drop me a line. Tragically yours, MB.
The Magi
By mingingbent
This is a re-edit: Aug 14, 2005
Chapter One
We can rest contentedly in our sins and in our stupidities, and anyone who has watched gluttons shoveling down the most exquisite foods as if they did not know what they were eating will admit that we can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.
- C.S Lewis
000
:Oh hell:, Lira's first thoughts breaking her veneer of calm as she snaked her way into the city, clinging to her Companion's back.
Kadir remained silent buried in deep thought for a long while before answering.
:My thoughts exactly ashara.:
The Collegium at Havens spiraled into view and Lira smiled slightly, the first time she had since getting the mind call from Kyril a half-moon ago. At least some things never changed.
Lira wasted no time jumping off her Companions back as soon as they got to the field and ran swiftly down the halls to where Kyril had said he and the queen would be waiting.
Nodding to the servant at the door she regained a more placid composure and entered the small conference room.
She looks older, well so does he. Lira thought taking in the two occupants of the room. There's more grey in his hair and more lines in her face.
The Queen of Valdemar, in just plain tunic and breeches, her long blond hair in a braid, broke into a wide smile before getting gracefully to her feet and enveloping Lira in a hug.
After her release Kyril offered up the chair next to him with a smile that didn't reach his eyes (quite).
"So," Lira breathed a heavy sigh, "How bad is he?"
Lira reached over to still Selenay hands; she had been ringing them for the past hour.
"Talia's not even sure if what she's doing actually helps. And we've had to keep him under watch. Not that we're afraid he'll do something stupid. But just incase. Neither Talia or Dirk have been able to connect or concentrate properly since, it's wearing us all thin."
Lira looked to Kyril for confirmation. The Herald who always reminded her of a living, moving stone locked his tired eyes with hers' in affirmation.
:Ashara, I talked to his Companion. He's blocked him out, well not entirely, but every time he tries to talk to him his Chosen goes cold.:
:Laa: That was practically unheard of, Herald blocked their Companions out from time to time but nothing like this, not total alienation.
:Na'am: Kadir seemed sad.
:Shit: Lira couldn't contain her worries any longer.
:Precisely:
"Talia is the best empath we've got and he's closed off with her as well. He still refuses to show any acknowledgment to his Companion or any of us. He's been a walking corpse since the border."
"So," Lira filed all the information Selenay, Kyril and Kadir had been telling her, "You called me up from Paradise to sort this mess out."
Selenay gave her best impression of a cheeky smile and Kyril nodded passively.
And in the back of her mind Lira twitched, Help!
Lira adjusted herself in the overstuffed lime green aberration, that passed for a chair, she was occupying at the moment, which faintly smelled of grape wine and feet. Because it had been overstuffed, bulges dug into Lira's back and made it very uncomfortable to sit in. Twisting her limbs and back again she tried to snuggle into a more comfortable spot. Across from her sat Kyril, his graying face resembling windswept stone, not bearing any thoughts of what his inner monologue was. Selenay next to him, the farthest from the door in the room, fidgeted very un-queen like; it reminded Lira of the fairy child Selenay of her youth when they were both Trainees. The faint knock on the door broke the uneasy silence.
"Come in." Selenay's voice sounded strained and hoarse as if she had lost it and recently regained it again.
A herald dressed in whites silently shifted across the threshold. Lira held her breath, if it wasn't for the black hair and deep blue eyes she would have mistaken him for a ghost; the pale complexion of his skin blending in with the cloth of his whites. He didn't say a word, just came through, stepping only a few paces in and stopped. His blue eyes were so lifeless with his blanched features. His arms threaded behind his back and his head tilted upward, eyes fixed on some point on the wall. Lira would have called him beautiful except for the lucid nature of the soul that radiated off him in waves, rotting out his aura. It almost caused her heart to break. As she studied him, she delved. And at the heart of him she found a large, gaping black hole that seemed to grow larger and fester more by the minute. At his center the black hole seemed to swallow up every emotion. She excepted hurt, regret, pain even sorrow but the void she now faced was slightly more than frightening.
Selenay mind-spoke her, and she faintly heard Kyril explaining something to the young herald.
:See what I mean:
Throughout the session Lira had her mind-link open with Kadir, who pondered on the situation before parting with his wisdom.
:That's verging on not human ashara. May the gods help us; help this boy find himself again.: