Disclaimer: Valdemar and concepts belong to Mercedes Lackey; this fic and original characters belong to their author.

Notes: Hmm… haven't gotten anything posted in a while. I'm not entirely sure why. I guess I just haven't felt much like writing the last bit. I've been really tired and doing a lot of sleeping instead. =/

Anyway, meet Rosie Harker and Miska, whom I pretty much just made up on the spot here. :P lol.

AFTERSHOCKS
Chapter Three: On Healing and Sisters
By Senashenta

It was just under ten hours later when Seth woke again, this time to Ryn rapping on the door and then letting herself in, once more carrying a tray of various medical supplies and concoctions. She set the tray on a side-table, then set about mixing up what was sure to be another vile-tasting potion. Seth considered closing his eyes and pretending to be asleep again just to get out of taking it, then changed his mind when his various aches and pains began to make themselves known again.

So instead he cast a quick, groggy glance toward the window, confirming that Tanay had left at some point while he had been asleep, then licked his lips and offered, "come to torture me again, I take it?"

"That's my job." Ryn's reply held a hint of amusement. She turned to regard him critically for a moment before setting the bottles and potions aside. A moment later she was touching his forehead, eyes closed and clearly Feeling for something—but when she didn't seem to find anything, she withdrew her hand again. "Well, your head is better at least. You had a bit of backlash shock earlier, but it's faded now. Do you still have a headache?"

"A little bit… yeah." Seth lifted one arm and brought his own hand up to push his hair out of his eyes, then winced when his ribs protested the movement. "What's backlash shock?"

"Mm…" Ryn considered for a moment, trying to decide the best way to explain. "It's when psychic energy leaves burns in your mind. Yours was minor." Waving absently, she tilted her head. "Do you think you're up to sitting up for a minute? I'd like to check your back and redo your bandages."

It took Seth a minute to reply to that one. With how his ribs were feeling and his legs bandaged to the point of practically being immobile he wasn't sure if he could sit up, never mind if he was up to it. But he supposed he could give it a try at the very least.

"I'll need some help…"

"Of course." Turning a little, Ryn reached to pull the door open before leaning out into the hallway. "Come on in, Rosie." Standing aside, she allowed a petite blonde girl in Heraldic-Trainee Grey's into the room. The girl smiled, lifting one hand to give a little wave, even as Ryn was introducing her: "Seth, this is Rose. She's a got the Healer's Gift so she trains here with us part of the time." And then, "Rosie, this is Seth."

"Pleased to meet you." Rosie held a hand out, grasped his when he did the same, then shook them gently, careful not to jostle him too much. "You can call me Rosie. I only get called Rose when I'm in trouble… or visiting my family." She gave a half-grin, "The Holderkin aren't really into nicknames."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me." Seth returned her smile as he took back his hand. From what he knew about the Holderkin they weren't really into a lot of things. "Nice to meet you, too."

"Alright, introductions made." Ryn clapped her hands, then rubbed them together. "Rosie, we're going to sit Seth up so I can check his back and ribs and re-bandage them. Take an arm and we can lever him up. Be careful, though, he's got a lot of healing breaks right now."

"Right."

Friendly as she appeared, Rosie was suddenly all business. She took hold of one of his arms, Ryn took the other, and then they both very carefully helped him sit up, legs swinging slowly over the edge of the bed. Seth tried very hard not to show how much it hurt just to move that much—but couldn't help wincing and the soft hissed curses that escaped his lips.

Rosie gave him a sympathetic look, then hefted a little more and the next thing he knew he was seated properly. Which was about when he realized he wasn't wearing anything besides the bandages. Flushing red, Seth quickly jerked the sheets over his lap, sending another sharp pain across his ribs even as Rosie was rolling her eyes and waving a dismissive hand.

Ryn chuckled and assured him that he didn't have anything either of them hadn't seen before, which really didn't make him feel much better about the entire situation, though considering they were Healers he had to concede that she was probably right.

:Of course she's right. One thing you do need to learn is that Healers are pretty much always right.: Tanay's Voice piped up abruptly, out of nowhere and a little startling. It was going to take Seth a while to get used to sharing his head with someone other than Sara. :For that matter, so are Companions. Companions are pretty much always right, too. That would be a good thing to make note of right now.:

The teasing overtone to her words made his lips quirk upward slightly, and both Ryn and Rosie gave him knowing looks. Of course, given that they lived, worked and trained at the Collegia, they would know the look of someone talking with their Companion more than anyone—Rosie especially, since she was Chosen herself.

:Miska says Rosie thinks you're cute.: Tanay interjected again, making Seth jerk and blush once more. :She's already planning to marry her off to you. Honestly, she's such a matchmaker it's ridiculous sometimes.: And then, with a sly little Feeling, :ooooh, but you think Rosie's cute, too, don't you? Hey Miska, guess what—:

"Tanay!"

Seth yelped the protest out loud, then very much regretted it between the pain that shot up his side and the amused expression on Ryn's face. Rosie, for her part, was beginning to look a little flustered herself, which probably meant that her own Companion was teasing her the same as Tanay was him—or at the very least relaying the conversation.

Seth thought he might just like to crawl under the bed and die of embarrassment right then and there, but instead he got to sit, still doing a credible imitation of a beet, while Ryn and Rosie—who was also still burning red—removed his bandages and checked him over.

He decided that next time he saw Tanay, he was going to kill her.

o-o-o-o-o

:Seth and Ro-sie sitting in a tree~:

Sara! Quit it!

:But it's so cute, Seth! The last girl you had a crush on was two years ago!:

Y-yeah, well, I'm getting enough of this from Tanay!

:Right… Tanay.:

…Sara?

:It's nothing, Seth. Go to sleep before your head explodes from all that blushing.:

Sara—!

o-o-o-o-o

It was another week of visits from Ryn and Rosie, potions, bandages and healing and merciless teasing from his sister and Companion before Seth was finally allowed out of Healers' for a while. He could still barely walk, and not without help, but he was beginning to go stir-crazy—and finally Ryn agreed to let him go out into the garden for an afternoon. She thought it might be good for him to spend more time with Tanay, anyway.

So a short hobble later—aided by his caregivers, of course—found him seated comfortably on a bench in the gardens outside of the Healers' Collegium, leaning back slightly with his face turned to the sky. He took a few deep breaths of fresh air, then turned his attention to the sound of hoof beats in the grass as they approached from the general direction of Companion's Field.

It was funny, but even though every Companion was the same silver-white and boasted crystal blue eyes, he could somehow, miraculously, recognize Tanay when she came around the corner, ears perked and tail flagging in the wind, clearly happy to see him out and about rather than completely bedridden.

:Seth! Why didn't you tell me you were coming out? I had to hear it from Miska—:

"Sorry." Seth winced a little, even as Tanay was slowing to a stop in front of him. She craned her neck to nuzzle into his shoulder gently and he lifted one hand to touch along her cheek. "I'm still getting used to sharing my brain with someone other than Sara."

There was a short silence at that, then Tanay whuffed softly against his shirt and closed her eyes.

:…Seth, about your sister…:

Seth was mostly focussed on running his fingers through her mane, so his reply was an absent, "hm?"

Tanay shook her head, though, and stepped back to look at him properly. :Chosen, pay attention. This is important. It's… about Sara.:

Blinking, Seth let his arm fall back down, eyebrows lifting in surprise. "What about her? Can I see her finally? I know I can't walk much, but she could come here, couldn't she? I mean—or is she hurt, too? Is she in Healers' like me? Maybe I could get Rosie to find her for m—"

:Seth,: Tanay's Voice was suddenly subdued, and the change made him pause, a frown tugging at his lips. :Your sister… how do I say this?: The mare shifted anxiously. :Chosen… Sara… she didn't—she didn't make it.: And then, as if to clarify what she was saying: :Sara died in the earthquake, along with your parents.:

o-o-o-o-o

Sara, what's she talking about?

:I don't know, Seth. I'm right here, the same as always.:

Right. I know that. But Tanay thinks—

:Does it matter what she thinks?:

She's my—

:I know, but she's obviously wrong.:

Yeah, but…

:I'm here, Seth. I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere.: