Part 4

Alois Kalugin's agent visited the Gills a sennight before midwinter. Ostensibly, the woman was negotiating with Tavener about the purchase of mules for hauling overland trade. She gave them guidance on how to pick out incidents that were meaningful and spotting spies among otherwise ordinary travelers and traders.

The story that Tavener was to give his own managers and factors was that, as a member of the Royal Council, it was to be expected that others would spy on him. As this was perfectly true, Tavener's employees would naturally accept it. There would be no reason to suspect that Tavener was passing information to others.

Tavener already did business with the branch of the Kalugin bank in Three Rivers, his reports could be sent to Alois Kalugin through the local manager. Tavener would not have to make any special trips or receive couriers to send his reports, reducing the chance that anyone would notice his work.

On Marcia's part, she worked though the Village Council. Harald Blackthorne, with his memory for faces, was extremely useful. So was Widow Clay's eye for the nuances of behavior, which she had learned on the edges of the Court in Haven.

Both people would alert Marcia to possible spies among the villagers. Marcia would send her reports along with Tavener's.

Jorvan and Daffyd arrived home for their break four days before midwinter, bringing the usual flock of trainees with them. Payne came home in his new whites. Payne had invited Sarem and Poulan, but both of his yearmates had elected to spend their last break before their internship with their families. By arrangement, Coram, Sarem and Poulan would come to Gillhold for the start of their circuit.

Blane and Hansal attached themselves to Jorvan on his arrival, helping to untack Diranna and demanding that Jorvan tell them everything that had happened since they saw him in Haven. Fanna and Falla, cut off from Jorvan by their brother and his friend, ostentatiously paid court to Daffyd and Payne.

The first night, Malleen had her brothers' yearmates to herself. The next day, when all of them left to visit their own families, she joined Blane and Hansal around Jorvan.

With so many of the Gill children now in their Whites and off on circuit, Companion's Hall was much emptier than in previous years over midwinter. The Gills had hoped that the Heralds on the circuits near Gillhold might join them midwinter eve and day. Even the duty Heralds in Three Rivers had chosen to keep their own company.

Widow Clay and Charkan Tor, who had no family and were otherwise alone, joined the Gills for their midwinter vigil. Charkan Tor insisted in staying up until the lighting of the first fire of the New Year, despite the evident strain of doing so. His failing health had meant that he had come to the Gill home in a carry-chair, which had been willingly manned by Marak Blessing, Bartram Austrebon, and Harald and Parock Blackthorne. Neither Widow Clay nor Master Tor had the endurance to stay up until sunrise.

Midnight approached and Tavener extinguished the fire as usual. This year, when he struck the bar, everyone held their breath as, for the first time, Blane deliberately used his gift to start the fire. Payne had sat with Blane for the last few days, helping him to practice. Carefully, Blane centered and grounded before reaching out to the shavings. A tiny flame appeared and quickly spread through the shavings, burning steadily. As Marcia lit her candle and put the burning shavings into the kindling, everyone congratulated Blane.

Endron mindspoke Payne. :Well done, Chosen. You have encouraged him to use his gift in a calm way. That will build his confidence in his gift.:

Payne leaned back and hugged Endron's head.

After the food and ale had been consumed, Widow Clay and Master Tor retired to their beds, while the family went to the Midwinter Fire. The two would join the family for the midwinter feast the next evening.

The bonfire and the next evening's midwinter feast were enjoyed by the family, though Payne, Daffyd and Jorvan became aware of their parents' wistful stares, both at them and the empty seats around the long table. Even with the addition of Widow Clay and Charkan Tor, this was the smallest family gathering for the Midwinter Feast in many years.

The Austrebons kept their own midwinter feast, which followed the traditions of their homeland. Heike was on her journeyman circuit, but Kendra had come home from Haven with Daffyd to join her parents and brother.

Late in the evening, after the feast was cleared away and the gifts had been exchanged, the Gills heard voices singing in Karsite at their door. Opening it, they saw the Austrebons standing outside. Bartram carried a two bottles of his apple brandy, Trista, Hansal and Kendra carried baskets of stollen, a traditional midwinter sweet in Karse. Kendra wore a crown with twelve candles burning at the points while the others carried candles.

When the Austrebons finished their song, the Gills applauded and welcomed them in. For safety, Kendra's crown was extinguished as soon as all had admired it.

:I thought that Karsites never went out at night.: Payne remarked to Endron.

:They have been seeing the Priest from the Temple of the Lord of Light in Three Rivers.: The stallion replied. :He has been showing them how the rites used to be in older times before the schism with the Temple in Sunhame. The Child of Light, symbolized by the Crown of Fire, leads a procession through the town to banish the Demons of Darkness on the night following midwinter night.:

:The song celebrates the return of the Sun and promises that spring will follow.:

Payne smiled. :This spring will be different. Our first circuit!: Payne looked forward to the new adventure.

:It won't seem as much an adventure when cold spring rain trickles down your back.: Endron added a mental picture that sent shivers down Payne's spine.

:Thank you for that reminder, O Joyous One.: Payne replied sarcastically.

Endron whickered a laugh.

Three days after midwinter, Duke Simeon arrived for his promised visit. The official purpose was the review of the care of the fosterlings. After all of the children had met with the Duke privately (and emerged smiling with a candied treat), Simeon met with Marcia and Tavener.

After complementing them on the children's progress, the Duke got down to the business of security for Clevis and Orana on their honeymoon. "I am going to stage some spring training with my personal troops. We'll bivouac near Midwinter Hill, so we will be nearby if anything happens.

"I told General Chase of my plan. I had to tell Chase the reason behind it, of course, but he and I will be the only ones who know. He thought the spring camp was a good idea on its own and will have some of his own troops there. I think he will send Captain Nickal to give her some more field experience.

"We will tell our Captains that we will be holding a drill to defend the villages of Gillhold, Marberry and Sainsville. They will be told that any of the villages may be attacked. They are to be prepared to march to defend it as soon as they see the signal flag.

"You, of course, will have the signal flag."

Tavener saw the point immediately. "And we will fly it if anything untoward happens here. Won't your men wonder if nothing happens?"

"Naturally." The Duke said. "I will tell them that more than one village may be attacked and they will have to keep a reserve so that they are not all drawn off to one place. If nothing happens in the first few days, I will stage a practice on either Marberry or Sainsville. The reserve will be there in case you need troops during one of the practices."

"Why not hold the practice at Gillhold?" Marcia asked.

"There are too many of my troopers who have seen Prince Clevis and might recognize him. That would give the secret away, since the troopers gossip as much as anyone else and such gossip would inevitably get back to the ears of others." Simeon said.

"The Kalugin said he thought there was a danger from Karse. Wouldn't it make more sense to put the troops to the south rather than the east?" Tavener asked.

The Duke shook his head. "If we are dealing with infiltrators, they will come through Hardorn, where Karse trades openly. It is a shorter distance from here to our border with Hardorn than coming all the way north from Karse through Valdemar. Also, the Hardorn border is less heavily watched and easier to cross unseen.

"Our other problem, Ancar, is likely to come from the east as well." Simeon added.

Tavener could not fault the logic, yet still doubted that the troops would stop either threat.

The Duke brought other grim news as well. There had been an assassination attempt against the new Count Poldara. Someone had placed a bottle of poisoned wine in his wine cellar. The wine was a vintage personally favored by Dashan and had supposedly come from his private stock. Due to his knowledgeable palate, the Count had thought the wine was slightly 'off' and had drunk very little. He survived, but only after a serious illness. Two others at the table had died.

Everyone present at the dinner, every server, the entire kitchen staff down to the pot boys, the majordomo, the sommelier, and the guards who had been assigned to cover the area around the wine cellar had been questioned under the truth spell. None of them had been implicated and none of them had any idea who might have been responsible.

A Herald with the touch-sensing gift had examined the bottle, but too many people had handled it for the Herald to get an idea who might have put the poison inside.

A healer with a knowledge of poisons had examined every other bottle in the wine cellar. Two more bottles of the same vintage had been tampered with. For safety, the entire contents of the wine cellar had been destroyed.

Suspicion naturally fell on the Poldara heirs with rival claims, but there was not any evidence to warrant placing the truth spell on them. All of them denied any involvement.

"Personally," Duke Simeon said, "I suspect either Torrens or Kenyon Poldara. Both of them are ruthless enough to do it and mad enough to think that it would allow them to succeed to the title."

Torrens was first in line for the title based on primogeniture, being descended from Jathan, the first son of Rusdian's first marriage. Jathan's first son was Kleben and Torrens was Kleben's first son.

However, Torrens had twice been convicted of assault. The assaults had actually been rapes, but Torrens had persuaded the victim to accept a suffering price to allow a lesser charge. Torrens had also been degraded from his rank due to showing cowardice in battle and abandoning his men in the middle of a fight.

Kenyon Poldara was descended from Rusdian's second wife. Exceedingly vain, he was prone to unpredictable rages and had committed numerous assaults. He had been dismissed from the Guard after a court martial conviction for a savage assault on a trooper under his command.

Tavener asked if either of them could actually succeed to the title. Torrens' claim might be considered superior to Dashan's.

"Not a chance." The Duke replied. "As I mentioned, Torrens was actually formally degraded from the nobility due to his cowardice. This was done in a Special Assembly of the Nobles of Valdemar. He is ineligible for any noble title in Valdemar.

"If there was any chance Kenyon would succeed to the title, I and the other Dukes would convene another Special Assembly if necessary. Personally, I think he is half-mad. He has been known to obsess about what he deems insults and seek violent vengeance for those insults months or years after everyone else has forgotten what happened.

"However, Orana foresaw the possibility of an 'accident' happening to Dashan. She lined up six more suitable heirs after Dashan in the will she forced on Rusdian."

The Duke smiled as he said the last. Tavener and Marcia expressed their relief.

The trainees traveling back to Haven with Jorvan and Daffyd trickled in over the next two days, returning from their own homes further away. Coram, Sarem and Poulan arrived at midday on the third day. All would leave in the morning, with the trainees heading back to the Collegium while Coram and his interns headed out on their circuit.

The Heralds and trainees had an impromptu celebration in the afternoon, enjoying each other's company. As it was market day, Sarem, Payne and Poulan went into the village and wandered among the stalls, looking for small sweets that they could carry with them the next morning.

After a pint of ale at Harald Blackthorne's pub, the three passed by the spice merchant's stall. Trista, Marcia and other women of the village were checking the spice merchant's wares, sharing gossip amongst themselves. Their husbands, interested only in the food once it was on the table, were either at the pub or at the stalls of the bowyer or fletcher.

As the boys passed the women, Trista was saying to the spice merchant, "Good, I will take three folds of jimbu. I use it for Bartram's sausage. It is so hard to find here." Her Karsite accent was still strong.

Poulan glanced at her before speaking to his friends. "No wonder it is hard to find, that spice mainly comes from Karse. I wonder how…"

He did not finish as he stopped to listen to the merchant reply. "Three folds of jimbu. That will be one silver and two coppers." The merchant said.

Poulan ducked his head and whispered to his fellow interns. "Sarem, you go to the Three Rivers road; Payne, you go to the road leading to Marberry. Do not allow that spice merchant to leave the village unseen."

Hearing the urgency in their friend's voice, the two moved to the designated positions while wondering what Poulan had noticed.

Poulan mindspoke his Companion. :Joshur, talk to Krias. Ask him to tell Coram to come to the village square. It's urgent.:

Poulan heard the stallion's mental snort. :And what should I tell him if he asks why, O Princely One?:

Poulan ignored the sarcasm. :Tell him that I may have found the spy who is watching Gillhold.:

"Are you sure?: Joshur challenged. :Coram is not going to like being asked to chase an imaginary spy.:

:No. I am not sure.: Poulan retorted. :But that man is Karsite. It may be nothing, but we can't ignore the possibility.:

:Point taken.: There was a pause as Joshur spoke to Krias. :Coram is coming. He will be there in a sunwidth.:

:Good. I will be at the bowyer's stall, trying to act like I am looking at the horse-bows.:

Coram appeared shortly, walking casually into the market, although Poulan realized that he must have sprinted down the lane from Tavener's home.

Coram approached Poulan, who was testing one of the bows. "I think you will need a stronger draw than that." He said aloud. In mindspeech, he said to Poulan. :What makes you think that the spice merchant may be a spy?:

:Senior, you know my Gift for languages.: Poulan replied the same way. He continued to test the draw on the bow.

:Yes?: Coram waited for more information.

:Everyone, no matter how thoroughly they learn a language, still keeps a trace of their mother tongue in their speech. For most, it is obvious, but even the best student of a second language will still allow their first language to slip through from time to time.:

:Except for you.: Coram said.

:Unless they have a Gift like mine.: Poulan agreed. He put down the bow and picked up another. "This one has a little stronger draw, but I don't feel comfortable with the length." He said aloud before continuing in mindspeech. :That spice merchant is selling jimbu, a spice Karsites use to flavor meats. It is rare outside of Karse.:

Coram shrugged. "Trista Austrebon is a refugee from Karse. There are many others. Where there are buyers, there will be sellers. Selling Karsite spices is not illegal." He took the bow from Poulan and made a show of examining the grain.

:No it is not. But he pronounced 'jimbu' the way a Karsite would, with a softening of the 'j' sound. Valdemarans can't hear or make that sound. Even our best trained Karsite speakers stumble over that. The spice merchant has to be Karsite.:

:He could be a refugee himself.: Coram pointed out reasonably.

:Why wouldn't he exchange at least a courteous greeting in Karsite with Mistress Austrebon?: Poulan asked :Even a simple 'Greet the Sun' would not be out of place. Unless he didn't want people to know he was Karsite.:

Coram was not convinced. :It doesn't mean he is a spy. There may be a commonplace explanation.: Keeping the pretense of helping Poulan make a selection, he handed the bow back to Poulan. "It is just a little shorter than the Collegium bows, but it's a good bow for a mounted archer. I think you'll get used to the length. The grain is good."

:I agree, Senior. But we have had no leads at all on who is selling information out of Gillhold. It is at least worthwhile checking this out.: Poulan drew the bow once more, sighting down an imaginary arrow.

Coram pondered a moment. :True. We'll keep an eye on him for now. The market does not close for another two candlemarks, so he won't try to leave before then. We've got a bit of time to think of something. Meanwhile, you three keep watch.:

:Yes, Senior.: Poulan replied. He turned to the bowyer, who had finished bargaining with Marak Blessing. "I like this bow. How much are you asking for it?" Coram rolled his eyes. Poulan was too much a prince to understand that bargaining shouldn't start with saying that you liked or wanted the thing you were bargaining for.

Leaving Poulan to deal with the bowyer, Coram spotted Tavener, who had followed him to the village. Coram drew Tavener aside and told him what Poulan had noted.

Tavener pondered the matter for a moment. "Have Marcia ask him some general questions about where he comes from and what brings him to our market. She is Mayor. She can say she wants to find ways to bring more merchants to Gillhold. That will give us a story to check out."

Tavener had an inspiration. "Have her take Trista Austrebon with her and have Trista bring Hansal. The boy has a touch of truthsay and might be able to tell if the merchant is lying."

Coram agreed that Tavener's plan was a good one. Quickly, they rounded up Marcia, Trista and Hansal and explained to them Poulan's suspicions about the spice merchant and what they wanted. All three agreed readily. Marcia would do the talking, the others would simply listen. Hansal would attempt to use his gift to tell if the spice merchant was lying.

Half a candlemark later, the three approached the spice merchant once more.

"Good afternoon, sir." Marcia began. "As you know, I am Mayor of Gillhold. I and the rest of the council want to see our village prosper. We'd like to have more merchants coming to our market. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions and ask you for your ideas?"

"Not at all, Madam Gill. I am Salen Indarin." The merchant replied, introducing himself. His smile was broad and, so far as Marcia could tell, genuine.

"First of all Master Indarin," Marcia said, "where did you come from? How did you hear of our village and what brought you to our market?"

"I make my home in Three Rivers. I heard about Gillhold three summers back when everyone was talking about all the Herald-Trainees coming here for a moon. People in Three Rivers saw their little procession passing through and were talking about it for a fortnight.

"I knew of your husband's warehouses in Three Rivers and could see how well he was doing. I thought to myself 'That is a village that is growing. It would be good to get in there as soon as possible.' So I found out when your market days were and started coming regularly."

He grinned wryly, looking slightly shamefaced. "I hope you won't mind me saying so, but I would have preferred not to have other merchants coming. I thought I'd found a little gold mine of my own. I was planning to branch out from the spices within a year or so."

Marcia forced a laugh at his sally, trying to make it sound as sincere as possible.

"You are originally from Three Rivers? Isn't there enough business there for you, Master Indarin?"

"There is lots of trade, but lots of competition as well." The merchant said. "I'm originally from a little town called Sweetsprings, way down south. There are already many well established merchants in Three Rivers, so it is hard to build up trade there."

Marcia continued her questions for several sunwidths, asking for suggestions about getting new trade in Gillhold. Once she was apparently satisfied, she thanked the merchant and left.

The three went to the Austrebons' house, where they met with Coram, Tavener and Poulan. Marcia reported what the merchant had said. Everyone looked expectantly at Hansal, who looked proud to be the center of attention.

"He's lying." Hansal said. "He grew up in Echtsten. When you asked where his home was, he thought of it so loudly that I figured everyone could hear him.

"He is a spice merchant, alright, and he does live in Three Rivers. It wasn't the trainees who brought him here though. He was paid to come. Someone – I think they were from Karse – wanted to know what was going on here. So they told him to come here and spy on us."

Poulan grinned with satisfaction as his suspicion was vindicated.

Hansal went on. "He doesn't just pass information to the people who sent him here. He sells it to a lot of people. That's what he was thinking of when he called our village his 'gold mine.' He has a lot of people paying him."

"Did you get anything about who the buyers were?" Coram asked.

Hansal shook his head. "Just that there were a lot of them. The Karsites – he has no intention of ever going back to Karse, by the way – nobles, even criminals. He thinks he was really lucky to be sent to spy on us."

Coram and Tavener questioned Hansal a little longer, but the boy couldn't provide any more details. After sending him on his way with a caution not to tell anyone, even Blane, the five adults discussed the matter.

"Do we arrest him?" Tavener asked.

"No." Coram said definitely. "We have a spy we know about. If we get rid of him, he will be replaced with a spy we don't know. We follow him and find out who his contacts are. We find out what information they are buying and why.

"Then we try to figure out how to spoil their plans." Everyone grinned.

Coram summoned Payne and Sarem. Payne was ordered to take a message to General Chase and Duke Simeon in Three Rivers as fast as Endron could get him there. The Duke and General would have their agents begin watching the spice merchant to find out who was dealing with him. As the best tracker and stalker, Sarem was assigned to follow Indarin to his home in Three Rivers where he would meet Payne and the Guard agents who would take over watching the spice merchant.

The market closed up for the day. The spice merchant joined a couple of other itinerant peddlers making their way back to Three Rivers. Naven, like all Companions, could move noiselessly when necessary, so Sarem had no difficulty following Master Indarin unobserved to his home near Thieves' Market in Three Rivers.

General Chase, accompanied by Payne, personally led the group that met Sarem in Three Rivers. He thanked the two interns before setting up the watch on the spice merchant. Chase agreed with Coram's strategy of following Salen Indarin to see who was buying information, primarily because the spice merchant might not know the real names of the buyers.

The general had one more piece of information to take back to Gillhold. "I am sure that Master Gill will be interested to know that Ancar Kriegmangal used to lodge on the top floor of the house where Master Indarin stays."

Payne and Sarem returned to Gillhold at a gallop, eager to get home to dinner. Marcia had promised to delay it until they returned. Endron and Naven were happy to stretch their legs and race. The darkness did not deter the surefooted Companions.

They relayed General Chase's information to Tavener and Coram, who looked knowingly at each other. Now they knew how Ancar had kept watch on the village. The spice merchant had listened to every bit of gossip between his customers with an ear for what his buyers might find valuable.

The next day, all of the Heralds and trainees set out well before dawn. Coram and his three interns left first, heading through Sainsville towards the Southern Counties Road, where they would turn east towards the border.

Daffyd and Jorvan left with their fellow trainees a half-candlemark later. The group chattered noisily as they left the yard and trotted briskly through the village, drawing a few angry shouts from villagers roused from their beds by the laughing trainees. Once through the village, they broke into a gallop, making a race to be first to the Three Rivers gate.

In the evening, Herald Bose arrived from Haven on his way to his circuit in the Southeast, where the borders of Valdemar, Karse and Hardorn met. Marcia and Tavener welcomed Bose and his Companion Kolat, eager to hear the tales of what they had done since the Herald had visited as a final year trainee.

Kolat passed a message through his Chosen that he was glad to be back where Companions were treated properly.

Bose brought a letter from Duke Simeon's son Ismay confirming that Tavener and Marcia were welcome to stay at the duke's Haven townhouse during the marriage along with their children. Lord Ismay Marduk would act as their host while his father stayed in his suite at the palace. In a post-script to the letter Lord Ismay had added a note in his own hand saying that Blane was welcome to bring his friend Hansal as well. This, Lord Ismay said, was a specific request made to him by "a significant member of the wedding party."

The weather in the first two moons of the new year was exceptionally cold and snowy.

Marcia fretted about the prospect of the journey to Haven with the children. The children had no such worries, lost in their excitement over seeing the Royal Wedding.

Duke Simeon's daughter Tiarie, who had acted as chatelaine for her father since the death of her mother, assisted Marcia and Tavener in finding Court clothes for the ceremony. The formal clothes were appropriate to the Gills' position as Royal Councilors without the extravagance and showiness that the nobility would display. Most of the time, the Gill would be wearing the white cloaks which designated them as Friends of the Companions.

The children would watch the ceremony with the Herald trainees; they would be under the watchful eyes of their brothers in the Collegium as well as any of the older Gill children who could make it back from their circuits to be present.

As the third moon began, the weather finally turned milder, although Marcia still worried about late spring storms. The Gills left for Haven ten days before the wedding. Marcia insisted on carrying winter clothes as a precaution. The extra clothes took up every bit of room in the light carriage they now needed to bring the five children along. Billy Malker now drove the carriage instead of Marcia, who rode inside.

The weather stayed mild and the journey to Haven took the usual four days. Duke Simeon's personal guard met the Gills at the South Gate and guided them to the Duke's townhouse, where Lord Ismay greeted them courteously.

Though Lord Ismay resembled his sire and older brother, including the thick black hair, he was less imposing than either. His demeanor was softer and quieter, though Tavener got the sense that his dark eyes missed nothing, taking in every detail. His precise speech, carefully nuanced, made it plain he was a model courtier: Polite and well-spoken in every way without the condescending air that Tavener and Marcia had encountered in dealings with other members of the Court. The two liked Lord Ismay immediately.

At dinner that evening, Lord Ismay told them that there were two vacancies on the Royal Council.

"The positions came open only two days ago," Lord Ismay said "so you wouldn't have heard while you were traveling. Baron Makris Felthan resigned due to failing health. He sent a letter to the King from his home saying he could no longer fulfill his duties. I am afraid the poor man has not long to live."

Tavener and Marcia both expressed their dismay at the news. Privately both reflected on the implications for themselves as prospective guardians of the Baron's children.

"The other vacancy is Earl Janas' seat. The Earl could not keep his objections to the marriage to himself and was actively organizing a petition to the King to stop it. King Theran finally had enough and publicly dismissed the Earl from the council during Morning Court.

"I think His Majesty wanted to make an example of the Earl: He summoned Janas in front of the entire Court and rebuked him for failing to support the council while being a member of it. He bluntly told Janas that, as he had proved he could not be relied upon to abide by the council's decisions and support them, he was not fit to be a member. The King dismissed Janas from the council and banished him from the court. He emphasized the point by having members of the Royal Guard escort Janas to the Palace Gate.

"It was really rather foolish of Janas to make a fuss about the Royal wedding. There was no hope that it would be called off and his agitation on the matter was infuriating the entire Royal Family. The King was bound to rebuke Janas eventually.

"Now that Janas is off the Council, his creditors are hounding him. Rumor says that he fled Haven to his home in Loningen after dark last night. He might have passed you going the other way." Lord Ismay gave the Gills an inquiring look as he said the last.

Tavener shrugged. "We didn't see him. Either he passed the inn where we were staying at night or he took another road. Loningen is about halfway between Three Rivers and the Hardorn border on the Southern Counties Road."

Lord Ismay named a few nobles who were widely considered candidates for the vacancies. The Gills had met most of them, but knew little about them. "Personally, I favor the new Count Poldara." Ismay said. "He has done an incredible job of whipping Poldara County into shape over the last few moons and has made it plain to his relatives that he will not tolerate their misbehavior."

Ismay looked thoughtful for a moment, then added. "That is probably one of the reasons for the assassination attempt."

In the morning, all rode to the palace in one of Duke Simeon's coaches. Lord Ismay paid careful attention to the children, questioning them about their schooling and interests and answering their question politely. Marcia reflected that he would be a good father once he was married.

At the palace, they parted with Lord Ismay, who went to mix with the other courtiers. The children went off to the Collegium and the salle, where they mingled with the trainees. Tavener and Marcia went first to their appointment with Dean Tuck to update them on the children's progress.

Dean Tuck was pleased that all of the children were making solid progress with their gifts. He knew of Payne's Foresight in the matter of Blane, expressing his frustration at being unable to provide a sure means of forestalling the vision.

"It will all come to fruition soon." He said. "All four of them are reaching the stage where it will soon be necessary for them to come to the Collegium to begin intensive gift-training. I wouldn't be surprised if any or all of them were Chosen before the sun set tonight. The same goes for that Karsite boy."

Seeing the stricken look on the faces of Tavener and Marcia, Tuck smiled ruefully. "I am sorry. The very fact that you have done so well for them has sped the day when you must lose them."

Tavener and Marcia could only sigh.

Tuck then took them to the Lesser Council Room, where they met with the King, Queen and Jedin to brief them. To their delight, Clevis and Orana also joined the private briefing.

Afterwards, Tavener and Marcia went to the audience chamber to attend Morning Court. Speculation as to who would fill the vacancies on Council was rampant. The Gills were besieged by courtiers supporting various candidates. They barely concealed their astonishment when Lord Lakis Corbie asked the Gills to support his name.

To one and all, the Gills gave the same answer: They did not know the King's mind on this and certainly did not know how best to represent the various factions of the nobility. As commoners, it would be inappropriate for them to dabble in matters above their station.

Tavener and Marcia actually had rather decided preferences for the new councilors, insofar as they knew a few that they fervently hoped would not be named, and little regard for the notion that certain matters were 'above their station.' They decided that the flattering the nobles' conceit with a mask of humility was the easiest way to avoid being embroiled in the factional politics of the Court.

Duke Simeon eventually appeared to rescue the Gills from the remonstrations of the courtiers. The Duke drew them out to the garden where they could put some distance between themselves and potential eavesdroppers.

Unlike his son, the Duke did not favor Dashan Poldara as a candidate. "Too damned conservative." was Simeon's judgment. "He was raised among the Ashkevrons and has a large dose of Ashkevron blood. I've only met him once and got the feeling that, if it wasn't the way it was done in Baron Valdemar's time, it wasn't the way it should be done.

"I concede that Ismay is right about Dashan being an effective and decisive administrator, but he has less imagination than a one of his uncle's war stallions and the obstinacy of a mule."

The Duke sighed. "Still, he is at least more interested in the good of the Kingdom than anyone else Westmore favors. He may be the only acceptable compromise candidate."

Tavener mentioned his favorable impression of Lord Ismay and asked the Duke if his son would be considered.

Simeon smiled with pride at Tavener's praise of his son, but answered. "No. Except for the Royal Family, Theran will not have two members of the same family on the council. It has been the practice of Theran and his predecessors for centuries. You two are an exception because you were appointed by the Companions."

The Duke went on to say that Ismay was a Gentleman of Honor in the Prince's retinue and would probably succeed Simeon on the Council when Simeon died or retired. Clevis had asked Ismay to be one of his groomsmen at the wedding. He thought that Clevis trusted Ismay with confidential matters that could not be handled by the Heralds.

They returned to the audience chamber just before Theran and Fyllis entered and Morning Court began. The session was routine with announcements and presentations of the usual sort.

The only matter which caused any stir was when Fyllis announced that the plans for the wedding celebrations were complete and that all of the positions, seating and placings in the ceremony and feasts had been finalized. No further changes would be made and anyone who attempted to disturb Fyllis' enjoyment over the next few days would risk banishment from the Court and from Haven until the celebrations were over.

After the luncheon, it was time for a meeting of the Royal Council. As they approached the council chamber, a page intercepted them.

"Master and Mistress Gill? Would you come this way please?" The page led them towards an antechamber between the Royal Suite and the Council Chamber.

Theran, Fyllis, Jedin and Duke Simeon waited inside. When the couple went to make obeisance, Theran waved them off, coming directly to business.

"What do you know of Countess Lurain Tewkes?" The King asked.

Tavener told the King of his dealings with the Countess, explaining how she had first introduced herself. He praised her intelligence and her sense of duty to Valdemar.

When Tavener emphasized that Lurain Tewkes seemed to place the interests of the Kingdom ahead of her own, Theran exchanged a quick glance with Duke Simeon before asking Tavener to go on.

Tavener told Theran the tale of her first arrival at Harald Blackthorne's inn. "She won't mince words or play coquettish games, but I've never seen her be rude or condescending to anyone. There's no nonsense about her."

The other four grinned at the story and nodded as though it confirmed their own impressions.

"Fyllis wants me to appoint her to the Royal Council." Theran said. The Queen nodded as the King said this. "I think it is a good idea. Other than the Queen, the Deans of the Collegia, and Mistress Gill," he inclined his head at Marcia as he spoke, "there hasn't been a woman from the nobility on the Royal Council since the reign of my grandmother."

Marcia smiled. Elspeth the Cleverhanded was famous (or infamous, if you listened to the more conservative nobles) for being unconventional. She was an inspiration to independent-minded Valdemaran women even fifty years after her death.

"She is also a friend of both Clevis and Orana, who have seconded her nomination. Jedin and Simeon are both impressed with her reputation, but you are the only ones on the Council who have actually had dealings with her. Do you think she would be a good Councilor?"

Tavener and Marcia exchanged looks. Turning back to the King, Tavener spoke formally. "Your Majesty, it is our opinion that Countess Lurain Tewkes would be an excellent addition to the Royal Council. She is direct, vigorous, intelligent, perceptive and loyal. She has judgment and wisdom that are rare in a person her age. Marcia and I fully support Her Majesty's recommendation."

The Queen smiled at both of them as her husband turned to her.

"Very well," Theran said, "I shall broach her appointment to the Council today. Let us go in."

Marcia and Tavener returned to the hall with Duke Simeon before entering the Council Chamber. Protocol demanded that, other than the Royal Family, only the King's Own entered the chamber from the Royal apartments.

Predictably, the council chamber was abuzz with speculation about who would be appointed to the vacancies. Before they reached their seats, all three were asked for their opinion or support for one or other of the nobles. Clevis caught Tavener's eye and winked at him.

Once they were seated, the door from the Royal Apartments opened. Jedin entered and formally announced the King and Queen, who entered immediately after. The Council rose and bowed formally, remaining standing until Theran and Fyllis took their places.

Once the King and Queen were seated, the Councilors resumed their seats. Seneschal Greeley read out the agenda. The question of the vacancies was placed at the very end.

Marcia grinned at that. From her experience as Mayor of Gillhold, she knew that putting the item that people most wanted to talk about at the end of a meeting meant that little time would be wasted on other matters.

Marcia's surmise proved correct. The other issues were handled expediently. All sides for each issue made their points quickly without drawing out the discussion or repeating arguments. The Council worked smoothly through the agenda, adopting what amendments or suggestions were necessary without long diversions into secondary issues.

Once the other issues were dealt with, Theran spoke to the last item. He praised Baron Felthan and his service on the Council. Pointedly, he said nothing about Earl Janas, an omission that all of the nobles, ever alert to courtly nuance, noted.

"We have considered the many names put forward as possible candidates to fill the places on our Council now vacant. We are minded to appoint two members of the nobility who have just recently succeeded to their titles.

"Count Dashan Poldara has demonstrated admirable talent as an administrator in the brief time since he inherited his fief. He is intelligent, loyal and determined. We particularly note his firm hand in restraining the antics of his kinsmen since his accession."

Duke Simeon made a slight grimace as Dashan Poldara's name was announced. Tavener guessed that the Duke had agreed to support Count Poldara as price for the other candidate.

Count Westmore and Baron Pace smiled and expressed satisfaction. They were evidently pleased by Dashan Poldara's known conservative leanings.

"For the other vacancy, we propose Countess Lurain Tewkes. She has also shown prodigious administrative abilities, having brought County Tewkesbury from the verge of bankruptcy to prosperity and wealth in a few short years."

With the exception of Duke Simeon, who carefully maintained a pose of grave consideration, the nobles showed expressions of astonishment and outrage. Marcia thought Count Newcombe's eyes were going to pop out of his head.

The Guild representatives looked as astonished as the nobles. The Lord Patriarch, the Lord Marshal, the Seneschal showed mild surprise, as though they had not considered the Countess, but seemed to accept the idea. The Heralds, evidently forewarned, showed only amusement. The Deans of Bardic and Healing, both women, smiled broadly.

"A woman on the council? That's ridiculous!" Count Rajar blurted. The Queen, the Deans and Marcia looked daggers at him.

"And why is that?" Duke Simeon asked.

"Be – because it's never been done." The Count continued.

"I would remind My Lord that there are presently four women on the Royal Council, shortly to be joined by the Lady Orana." Fyllis said, her voice cold enough to freeze the flames in the fireplace.

"I – I meant as a noble." Count Rajar was obviously flustered. "Not among the titled members of the council."

"In my grandmother's reign, Duchess Heria Spall and Marchioness Tannis Quant both sat on the council in their own right." Theran said, enjoying the Count's discomfiture. "You should certainly be aware of the latter, since she was your great-grandmother on your mother's side."

"But a woman can't lead troops in battle!" Count Westmore joined in. "That is a noble's duty! If she can't do that, how can she properly hold a fief?"

Tavener decided to join the fray. "I would suggest that My Lord Westmore not say that to Captain Nickal in Three Rivers. She is likely to poke holes in both you and that argument."

"Not to mention the fact that the Countess thoroughly thrashed your son in the salle a few years back." Duke Simeon added.

"But she is so young!" Baron Pace said. "She lacks experience."

"She is the same age as Count Poldara, who you personally recommended. She had the experience and ability to save her county from ruin." Theran said. "In my opinion, her youth is an asset. I will not last forever, My Lords. Nor will you. When Clevis assumes the throne, Count Poldara and Countess Tewkes will be experienced councilors who can bridge my reign and his."

"But she will have children someday. She won't be able to care for her children and attend council meetings." Baron Pace said.

"Fyllis has attended the council meetings as regularly as any of my nobles, despite bearing six children. For that matter, Elspeth Cleverhanded ruled this entire kingdom for a generation while raising her own children." Theran said. He chuckled as he spoke.

In the end, the council agreed to the King's choice. Count Poldara and Countess Tewkes would be summoned to a private audience before dinner and offered the council seats. The formal announcement would be made at Morning Court. In the meantime, the Councilors were strictly ordered not to reveal the decision until it was announced.

The order had no effect, of course. The entire palace knew about it by the end of the afternoon and the news was all over Haven by the evening. Everyone on Council denied telling any others, but somehow the news got out. Theran laughed when several people expressed outrage at the leak. He had seen the same thing happen too many times before to be surprised.

Tavener personally thought that observant people had simply deduced the fact from the knowledge that the vacancies were sure to be discussed and noting the summoning of the two to private audiences. Since each of them had emerged smiling from their audience, it was obvious that they had been given good news.

Tavener and Marcia stood among the Royal Councilors for the formal investiture during Morning Court. According to precedence, their place was just after the titled nobility and officers of the council and ahead of the guildsmen.

Count Poldara and Countess Tewkes were summoned before the Throne, formally offered the position on the council. After they gave their oaths, they took their places among the noble councilors for the remainder of the Morning Court.

Over the next few days, the preliminaries of the wedding consumed the court. There were numerous parties and celebrations among the nobles and courtiers. For the most part, Tavener and Marcia were excluded from the fetes at the mansions of the nobles. As members of the council, they attended two High Feasts, including the wedding eve feast.

The children spent most of their time with the trainees, who were as much caught up in the excitement as the rest of Haven. The instructors were worn to a frazzle keeping the student's minds on their lessons. Only the threat that they would not be permitted to watch the wedding kept the students of the Collegia bent to their studies.

There was one treat for the students: Orana and Clevis made an appearance in the Collegium dining hall at breakfast one morning. Tavener and Marcia, forewarned, had brought the children to the Palace early that morning.

To their surprise, two Companions waited with Daffyd at the Palace gate. Hansal recognized Rolan and Bakun immediately and greeted them enthusiastically.

As the Gills left the children, Tavener looked back. The children were standing solemnly before the two stallions as though the Companions were telling them something very important. Tavener wondered if the children were being enlisted to keep the secret of the honeymoon guests.

A spring storm poured rain on Haven two days before the wedding, raising fears that the ceremony would have to be moved inside. Word came from Heralds in the west that a stretch of clear weather was on the way, but no one knew if it would arrive by the wedding day. On the eve of the wedding, there were breaks in the clouds, but there were still showers well into the night.

To everyone's relief, the wedding day dawned bright and sunny. Romir and Pena, who were in Haven for the wedding, arrived just after breakfast to take the children to the Collegium. They would join the trainees in the bleachers reserved for the four Collegia.

Marcia and Tavener walked to the Palace with Lord Ismay, To ease congestion, Theran had decreed that only Heralds and guardsmen on duty, those unable to walk, foreign ambassadors and members of the wedding party would be permitted to ride, whether on Companions or horses or in coaches.

Just after noon, Marcia and Tavener took their places in the Royal Enclosure with the rest of the councilors, seated behind the thrones for Theran and Fyllis and the seats for their children. Poulan had been granted special leave from his internship to attend. He arrived two nights before the wedding and would head back the day after.

The ceremony was conducted with great pomp. Herald Jedin, acting as a 'herald' in the courtly sense, announced the arrivals of Clevis and Orana, including the formal challenges and responses. The actual marriage was performed by the Lord Patriarch, who adroitly blended elements of the ritual ceremonies of The Twain and The Lord of Light, the deities favored by the groom and bride respectively.

The biggest stir in the ceremony was caused by Orana's wedding gown. Rumor said – correctly – that the Kalugin had commissioned it from the legendary Hawkbrothers.

In accordance with the tradition for worshippers of the Sunlord, the base color of Orana's gown was a blazing scarlet. Laid over it was an intricate pattern of flowers and birds in innumerable shades of red from pale pink and ruby to deep auburn and burgundy. As she moved, the pattern seemed to shift, so that the embroidered birds appeared to flit in and out amongst the flowers. Just over her breast, there was a sundisk woven in red and gold thread.

Her hair was woven in a pair of braids bound with white and silver ribbons that wrapped around her brow to meet at her forehead, where the ends were clasped together with a broach bearing the Windrider symbol surrounded by a gold Sun-in-Glory.

Her cloak and train were vast, stretching out five yards behind her and nearly as broad. The huge expanse of silver embroidered white glittered in the sun. Each moment, ghostly hints of blue-white horses and red cats seemed to chase each other across the fabric then vanish as the observer tried to focus on the images. On either side of Orana's head, the collar rose high in the shape of the Windrider with every muscle and line picked out in delicate beadwork.

Once the couple had exchanged their vows, the audience cheered and applauded as they kissed. The cheers turned into a wild roar as Clevis deliberately drew out the kiss in a very long embrace.

The wedding feast that evening exceeded any of the High Feasts that Tavener and Marcia had previously seen, with dishes and entertainments that boggled their minds.

At the end of the evening, Tavener and Marcia collected their children and returned to Duke Simeon's mansion. Lord Ismay had further duties as one of the groomsmen, so the Gills were escorted home by a mounted guardsman. To their delight, the guard was none other than Oakley Blackthorne.

Oakley no longer rode the horse he had been awarded at the expense of Ancar Kriegmangal. Instead, he rode a handsome black stallion he had purchased from a young nobleman who blamed the horse rather than his lack of skill for his inability to handle the beast.

Oakley had offered every copper he had saved from his salary to buy the horse, which would still not have been enough had he not received an unexpected gift. Shortly after Oakley had expressed his frustration at not being able to purchase the horse, his Captain summoned Oakley to his office and presented Oakley with a purse from an unidentified beneficiary. The Gills gave each other knowing looks when Oakley told them of the gift.

As they had to hurry home to welcome the honeymooning couple, the Gills stayed in Haven only one more day, attending a brief Royal Council meeting to welcome Princess Orana formally to the council.

They enjoyed the entertainments offered for the courtiers, though only a few of the nobles deigned to notice them. They enjoyed a long conversation with Count Poldara, whose conservative opinions seemed rooted in a sense of caution rather than opposition to change and whose view of nobility was one of service rather than privilege. True to the Ashkevron side of his heritage, the Count spoke bluntly when asked his opinions, somewhat ruffling the feelings of the more Courtly nobles.

The following day, the Gills started back to Gillhold. The weather did not cooperate and the rain poured down for their entire journey, which took five days instead of the usual four. Tavener began to ache and sniffle with a cold on the fourth day.

They arrived at Three Rivers late on the fourth night. General Chase had his men watching for them and insisted that they stay in his home rather than continue on to Gillhold. Noting Tavener's cold, the General summoned the healer for his regiment and ordered the healer to work his gift on Tavener rather than allow the cold to run its course. He ordered the healer to check the rest of the family as well and ensure none of them came down with a cold.

In the morning, the General summoned Tavener and Marcia to his office before allowing them to continue home.

Chase pulled two packets of paper from a drawer in his desk and threw them down in front of Tavener and Marcia. At their raised eyebrows, he motioned that they should pick them up.

Tavener did so. He opened one and read the first line: "I, Sandor Fane Truewald, do hereby devise my Last Will…"

Tavener looked at the General, his mouth hanging open in shock. "Where did you find this?" He asked.

"In the spice merchant's rooms here in Three Rivers." Chase said. "We watched Master Indarin closely for two moons and noticed some of our criminals and less ethical merchants bringing him packages or picking up packages from him.

"We decided to watch closer, going so far as to place one of our agents in a room next to Master Indarin's and constructing a peephole to spy on him in his rooms. The agent never saw the spice merchant buy anything; he seemed more to be a trusted repository for stolen property and things that people needed to hide.

"By watching closely, the agent noted the location of the secret closets and compartments. When Master Indarin left town one day to attend a market in Marberry, we sent one of our sneak agents in to inspect the secret compartments.

"Inside the compartments, the agent found numerous articles of stolen goods and incriminating evidence. Everything was tagged for the 'depositor' under a code name. The watcher had seen where Salen Indarin had placed the code book, so we knew who had left each piece."

The General waved at the documents. "The wills you hold – both Sandor and Claris' are there – were tagged with a code for Ancar Kriegmangal.

"We made an inventory of everything and left it all in place except for the wills and a few other documents. We substituted forgeries for the documents we took. The forgeries have tell-tales that will make them useless to the holder but should not be obvious on a casual inspection."

"How did Ancar get the wills?" Tavener asked.

The General shrugged. "The Duchy archives are not very secure. People come and go all the time and the archivist is frequently off looking for a document. Ancar could have gotten in and taken the will without anyone noticing him.

"As for the copy the Truewalds kept at home, I have a theory, but no proof.

"We have to go back to the robbers who broke in and killed them. Under the truth-spell, they said they had overheard others plotting to rob the Truewalds' house. By eavesdropping, they had gotten their information about the location of the strongbox and Claris' jewelry as well as other valuables.

"They said – again under truth-spell – that they did not know who the other plotters were. In retrospect, it looks like they were deliberately primed to rob the Truewalds. The three robbers were known for their brutality and viciousness. If someone wanted the Truewalds dead, sending those three in would have been the best way to ensure it."

"Why didn't they kill Blane?" Tavener asked.

"From Blane's testimony, his parents ordered him to flee into the woods and stayed to fight the robbers in order to give Blane time to escape." Chase said.

The general went on. "One more fact from the initial investigation: When the guard got to the house, they found evidence that a fourth person had entered the house, possibly after the robbers had left. We never found out who that person was and the robbers said there were no other members of their gang. Again, this last was confirmed by the truth spell.

"Finally, there was the alert we received about the robbery. Someone stopped a watchman less than a candlemark after the robbery and told the watchmen that he had seen three men fleeing from the house loaded down with loot. The watchman, who was new, did not recognize the tipster or get a name before he went to investigate.

"The identities of the plotters who were overheard, the possible fourth robber and the anonymous tipster were loose ends that no one thought important at the time. My guess is that Ancar used members of his gang to prime the robbers, then followed them to the house and entered it after they had gone. He took the copy of the will. After he had gotten what he wanted, he sent another member of his gang to tip off the watchman.

"There may have also been some bearer notes that he took as well. We never found any among Sandor's papers, which seemed unusual for a merchant."

Tavener nodded at the last. He usually had several bearer notes in his office strongbox. They were an essential tool for business and Sandor Truewald would almost certainly have kept some on hand. A knowledgeable thief would have no problem converting the notes to cash.

"Since the will named Herald Coram as guardian, why would Ancar want it?" Marcia asked.

Chase raised his hands, palms upright. "Who knows? Perhaps out of a vague idea that he might alter it in some way. Perhaps he had seen Blane flee and got the idea of making himself guardian at that point. Or maybe he just had a vague idea that it might be useful.

"In any case, he got it and also got his hands on the copy in the Duchy archives – you see the archivist's stamp on the copy you are holding – in what order we won't know until we can question him about it.

"At some point, he got the notion of making himself Blane's guardian. He had convinced himself that he is Blane's father, so he would have the right to do so in his view. Whether he expected the robbers to kill Sandor and Claris or planned to murder them himself after they had left, we don't know.

"If he had gotten himself named guardian, he could even have produced one of the wills at a later date and claimed that, with the exception of the appointment of the guardian, everything was in order as he was now protecting Blane's interest. With his conceit and belief that he was Blane's father, he never considered that the Court would refuse to make him guardian."

"It's as good a theory as any," Tavener admitted, "but our immediate problem is what Ancar is going to do next. Have there been any reports?"

General Chase shook his head. "Nothing touching on Ancar, but there is something else going on."

Tavener raised an inquiring eyebrow.

"Salen Indarin has had customers seeking information about Gillhold."

At the Gills' expressions of concern, the general went on. "Specifically, Kenyon Poldara and someone in the livery of Earl Janas. They asked a lot of questions about you, Gillhold, the visits of the Herald Trainees, the names of the Heralds escorting the trainees and about the villagers."

The general looked straight at Tavener. "At one point, the man in the Earl's livery spoke to Indarin in Karsite. Our spy knows only a few words of Karsite – just enough to recognize the language – but could not understand what the two were talking about."

Tavener and Marcia looked at each other, worry written on their faces. "We've got to warn Clevis and Orana." Marcia said.

"I already did." General Chase said. "I sent a report to Haven a sennight ago. Prince Poulan brought me a reply three days ago." He handed a note to Tavener.

Tavener read the note:

"Thank you for your warning. We will be on our guard. It is too late to find another place. We will come anyways. – C& O"

He handed the note to Marcia, who read it as well. Marcia grimaced. "It's too dangerous." She said.

General Chase sighed. "I agree with you, but one does not argue with Royalty when they have made a decision. All we can do now is try to ensure their safety without spoiling their honeymoon.

"We followed Kenyon Poldara and the Karsite agent when they left. They went to Loningen, where I believe Earl Janas is now in residence. We'll watch them closely and let you know if we see anything.

"Unfortunately, my agent in Loningen stopped reporting a moon ago and hasn't been seen. I am afraid he has been unmasked and killed."

On that grim note, the meeting ended. Tavener and Marcia gathered the children and left, making their way to Gillhold in the continuing drizzle.

Tavener and Marcia returned to their home with a sigh of relief at being home mixed with rising anxiety about the forthcoming visit. Their children and Hansal were besieged by their schoolmates with questions about the Royal wedding.

Tavener noticed that no rumors emerged linking Herald 'Alessander' with Prince Clevis and no one connected the Trainee Orana of three years before with Princess Orana. Tavener surmised that Rolan and Bakun had managed to impress the children with the need to keep the secret.

The evening the Gills arrived home, Heralds Evine and Rosten arrived at Gillhold on their way back from Rosten's internship circuit. The circuit had covered the hilly region along the Hardorn border immediately south of the circuit now covered by Coram and his interns. They had met the others the night before at an inn near Loningen.

"Payne said to tell you he has had no further visions." Rosten said. "The smugglers' trails are not really passable yet; they will be in another sennight or so. There was still a lot of snow, though the rain we had a few days ago will have melted much of it. The paths are mostly thick mud right now."

The village was abuzz with stories about the spring bivouac for the Guard and the Duke's regiment. Scouts had visited the village as well as Marberry and Sainsville to 'get the lay of the land'.

Harald Blackthorne was disappointed to learn the drill was being conducted on a 'War' footing and that the troops would not be permitted leave until it was over.

Harald also had some news for Marcia. Since Marcia had asked him to keep watch for anything unusual, Harald had seen that Paal Fowler, one of the men Tavener had hired when he expanded his mule breeding a few years back, came to Harald's Inn every payday.

This was not unusual, but Harald noted that, every so often, a traveler from the east would show up, usually the same man who wore a livery Harald did not recognize.

On occasions when the traveler appeared, he would exchange a nod with Tavener's employee. Paal always left the inn either a few moments before or after the traveler. Harald had not noted which way the two went or even if they went off together.

When Marcia passed the information to Tavener, he remembered that Paal Fowler had come from a farm east of Gillhold on the Southern Counties Road. He resolved to have Fowler followed one night to see if Paal met the traveler to pass information.

Ten days after the Gills returned home, Clevis and Orana arrived with a new group of Herald Trainees. Herald Dael and Herald Caston would do the actual mentoring and instruction, but no one in the village remarked on the fact that there were four full Heralds with the trainees instead of the usual two.

Caston expressed his pleasure at Jorvan's Choosing, He had seen the boy in Haven and been impressed by how confident Jorvan had become. "I would never have recognized the frightened child that Romir and I rescued three years ago. He's only grown a few inches, but his whole bearing is different. You did wonderfully for him.

Caston laughed about Diranna's height relative to Jorvan's small stature. "Maybe he'll have a growth spurt soon. I still think Dirik planned it, though, wanting his sister to be Companion to be his Chosen's foster sib."

Clevis and Orana were delighted with the suite that Tavener had made for them. Though they often joined the group for the evening meals, they usually took their breakfasts privately and did not leave the suite until late in the morning.

On sunny days, the couple rode out on their Companions, sometimes taking the whole day to wander through the woods and fields.

Dael, Caston and the trainees did everything possible to protect Clevis and Orana's privacy, though at least two of the trainees had their Companions tacked up and ready to ride out at all times when the Royal couple was away from the farmstead.

At the beginning of the third sennight, it became obvious that Master Charkan Tor was dying. The old man was unable to get out of his bed. The women of the village took it on themselves to keep watch and care for him through the day and night. Clevis and Orana spent candlemarks with their former tutor, talking to him when he was awake and keeping vigil as he slept. Blane and Hansal visited after their classes every day.

Charkan Tor died in the early afternoon the day before rest day. The funeral was set for two days later.

On the morning of the funeral, Tavener woke with the feeling that something was wrong. Marcia noted his distraction at breakfast. When she asked what the problem was, Tavener shook his head. Something had to be done, but he could not put his finger on it.

He told the Heralds of his feelings. Dael and Clevis had been briefed by Jedin on Tavener's Earth-sense, but they could offer no suggestions. Through the morning, while everyone prepared for the funeral, Tavener wandered the house.

Just before they all left the house, Tavener went to his office and got out the signal flag for the troopers bivouacked nearby. He put it in a bag slung under his cloak. His feeling of unease did not change.

The family, the Heralds and the trainees all walked slowly down the lane to the village with the Companions following behind.

Most of the village was gathered outside Master Tor's house. A priest and priestess of the Temple of the Twain in Three Rivers stood at the door. Clevis, Tavener, Bartram and Harald went inside.

Gently, the four men lifted the shrouded body of the old tutor to shoulder height and carried it out into the street.

The priest and priestess led them slowly down the street to the village cemetery. The villagers, Heralds and trainees walked as one mingled group with the Companions trailing after.

Hansal, Blane and the rest of the fosterlings walked immediately behind the pallbearers. More than any, they missed the elderly tutor, whose patient instruction had shared his joy in the Hardornen language.

Tavener's feelings of unease steadily increased as the procession approached the cemetery.

At the graveside, the four pallbearers placed the body on the canvas strips across the opening and gently lowered it into the ground.

The canvas strips were pulled up and the pallbearers moved away, joining their wives as the villagers surrounded the grave.

As the priest began the invocation, Herald Caston looked up sharply. "Everybody down!" he shouted.

Four men armed with crossbows sprang out from behind bushes and gravestones around the cemetery.

The Companions charged the two men nearest them. One panicked. Shouting "White Demons" in Karsite, he turned his bow towards the Companions who ran him down before he could fire. The other man glanced at the charging Companions but raised his bow to point it at Clevis. Before he could pull the trigger, the crossbow vanished from his hands. Companions trampled him into the dirt. Malleen stared wide-eyed at the crossbow she now held before throwing it to the ground.

On the other side of the cemetery, Martan Stone tackled the armed man nearest him. The attacker pulled the trigger, shooting the bolt into Martan's chest. As he died, Martan pulled the attacker to the ground with him.

The fourth attacker kept his nerve as the villagers and Heralds charged him. He aimed at Orana's chest and pulled the trigger. The villagers tackled him a moment later.

Frantically, Clevis tried to swat the bolt aside with his gift. He managed to divert it from a killing shot, but the bolt struck Orana in the shoulder. Orana fell to the ground.

The attack was over, but people were screaming and running in all directions. The villagers were pummeling the two surviving attackers. The two who had fallen under the Companions' hooves were obviously dead, their skulls shattered.

"Hold! Take them alive!" Herald Dael bellowed. Everyone stopped at his command and looked at him.

"Bring those two over here." Dael ordered in a more normal voice.

Marcia and the priestess joined Clevis beside Orana. The head of bolt had gone clear through Orana's shoulder and protruded from her back.

"The bone is broken." Marcia said. "Get me some cloths and something to break off the head of the bolt."

As Trista Austrebon handed her a clean cloth to staunch the blood, Marcia looked at Blane. "Fetch my Bear Pack, quickly!" Blane and Hansal took off at a run.

Tavener remembered the signal flag. He pulled it out and handed it to Parock Blackthorne. "Take this to the roof of your father's inn and wave it in the direction of Midwinter Hill. Keep waving it until you see the guard coming."

Parock took the flag and ran back to the inn. As he neared the village, he had to leap out of the way of two Heralds coming the other way, their Companions were galloping full out. Parock glanced after them, then kept on running towards the inn.

Coram and Payne leaped off their Companions who skidded to a halt outside the cemetery. They ran up to Dael. "I had a vision of an attack on the Prince!" Payne gasped out.

"Too late." Dael said sourly. "It is already over. Orana's been hit. Another man is down…"

"Martan Stone is dead." Marak Blessing interrupted as he and the men of the village brought the two surviving attackers to Dael. The miller and his wife knelt together, holding their son's body and crying inconsolably.

Dael paused. "One man is dead. Two attackers are dead and we have the other two. I don't know if there are other attackers still about."

"We may have another conspirator." Coram reported. "As we were coming here, we met Kenyon Poldara galloping in the other direction. We assumed he was up to something, so we took him. Sarem and Poulan are following with him in custody."

Dael nodded. "Let's see if we can get some more information from these two." He turned to the two captives, both of whom were battered but conscious.

Speaking in Karsite, Dael demanded. "Who are you? Who brought you here? Are there more of you?"

One of the captives spat at Dael. He shouted in Karsite, "Away, demon! You cannot touch my soul. I will be dead before I tell you anything!"

"Coram, Truth Spell." Dael said. A moment later, both captives were surrounded by a faint blue glow.

Tavener felt a stirring at the manifestation of the Truth Spell. Something, something to do with Heralds stirred in the back of his mind…

Dael knelt down, putting his face a foot from the captive's. "What is your name?" He demanded again in Karsite.

The captive's mouth opened. He fought against answering for a moment. "I am Lastern Narmack." The man burst out. His eyes went wide "Vkandis protect me!" He cried as he realized he was being forced to speak.

Ignoring the man's fear, Dael continued. "Who sent you?"

"I come for the Sunlord!" The man said proudly.

"Who gave you the order to come here? Who gave you this mission for Vkandis?"

Again, the man struggled for a moment before saying. "High Priest Kolchas, Son of the Sun personally bestowed this mission upon me/"

"What was your mission?" Dael asked.

The man coughed. Bloody foam appeared on his lips. "I was to slay the spawn of the White Demon King and his whore."

The man coughed again, spitting up more bloody foam. The other man also began to cough and spit blood. Alarmed, Dael asked. "What is happening? What have you done to yourself?"

The captive grinned. "I go to the arms of Vkandis!" The man coughed and convulsed.

"Hebenon…"the man gasped. He convulsed once more and stopped breathing. A moment later, the other man did the same.

"Hebenon?" Dael said to no one in particular.

"It's a poison. You have a few sunwidths to act after swallowing, but once the symptoms appear, you die quickly." Marcia said. She looked around anxiously. "What is keeping Blane and Hansal?" She said.

Tavener's head jerked up at Marcia's words. The last pieces of what bothered him came together. He glanced towards the road to Three Rivers. Five riderless Companions were cantering towards the village. The reason for his unease was now clear.

"Ancar!" Tavener shouted. "Coram, Payne, follow me!" He set off at a run towards his home, the two Heralds and their Companions following.

Halfway along the lane leading to his house, they found Hansal unconscious. On the ground beside him was the medallion Duke Hesham had given Blane, its chain broken.

While Coram checked Hansal, Tavener and Payne searched nearby. Behind a gap in the hedge, they found bootprints and the hoofprints of several horses. Tracks led away, showing the horses had gone off at a gallop towards the forest.

Tavener and Payne rejoined Coram. "The boy has a lump on his head. He's been knocked out." Coram reported.

Hansal moaned and began to wake. As he stirred, Tavener heard bridle bells and the chiming of Companions' hooves. Two riderless Companions approached down the lane. They stopped when they reached Tavener and the others.

One of the Companions bent to Hansal, whose eyes opened to look into the Companion's. A smile spread across the boy's face as he stroked the white muzzle.

The other Companion looked around frantically. It started to move. Tavener grabbed the Companion's reins. "No! Don't follow!" Tavener cried out.

The Companion plunged, trying to yank the reins out of Tavener's hands. "Krias, Endron, help me! He can't go alone!" Krias and Endron moved around the other Companion, boxing him in. Frantically, the young stallion tried to fight through and away.

Tavener stroked the Companion's neck. "No lad! If you go out there by yourself, they might kill you. They might kill Blane if they feel threatened."

The Companion froze, his eye fixed on Tavener. He lifted his head and bellowed a loud neigh. The sound wrenched at Tavener's heart. "I know, lad. We will find Blane together. But we have to make a plan to keep him safe."

The young Companion hung his head, a picture of dejection. Krias nuzzled him consolingly.

With the Companion now cooperating, Tavener remembered why the boys had come. "Payne. You know where your mother's Bear Pack is. Get it and take it to her. She needs it to treat Orana."

Payne ran towards the house, followed by Endron. A few sunwidths later, they came tearing back with Payne riding. He passed Trista and Bartram coming the other way, followed by several other villagers.

As his parents reached him, Hansal looked up from his Companion's eyes. "His name is Majorian." He said. Trista and Bartram hugged their son and stroked Majorian's neck.

From behind, Marak Blessing spoke up. "Your three daughters got themselves Companions, too." He grinned at Tavener, and then sobered as he saw the worried look on Tavener's face. "What's going on here?"

Briefly, Tavener explained the situation. "The guard is coming. We've got to organize a rescue party."

Over the next half-candlemark, the trainees carried Orana on a stretcher back to Tavener's home. Clevis walked beside the stretcher, holding her hand. Once she was safely in her room, the trainees formed a perimeter guard around the house, allowing no one to enter without the permission of Tavener or one of the Heralds.

Fanna, Falla and Malleen returned home with their Companions. Fanna and Falla had been chosen by mares, Morita and Esaum, respectively. Malleen had been Chosen by Jenja, a brother of Poulan's Companion Joshur. The twins were mildly jealous of the way that the trainees praised Mallen's use of her gift to snatch the crossbow from the hands of the attacker, but mainly they were overjoyed with their own Companions.

All of them sobered when they learned that their brother had been kidnapped. The three of them whispered together for several minutes. They vowed they would not go to Haven until their brother was safe. Hansal, standing nearby with Majorian, overheard them and said he would wait for Blane as well.

When Sarem and Poulan arrived with Kenyon Poldara in tow, Dael ordered him taken to Tavener's office for questioning.

Captain Nickal and a company of the guard arrived on the heels of Sarem and Poulan. Dael briefed her quickly. She ordered a double perimeter: One around the farmstead, replacing the trainees, and another around the whole village. She sent one trooper back with an order to bring the rest of the troopers from the bivouac to the village.

At first, Dael and Tavener were anxious to be off in pursuit of Ancar and Blane. Coram and the Captain pointed out that Ancar could not risk going by the main road and would have to take the smugglers' trails. The latter were all much slower routes than the main roads – if they were faster, they would be the main road – so the pursuers could follow the Southern Counties Road to get ahead of the kidnappers, then cut across to intercept them. They would have time to question their prisoner while preparing for the pursuit.

The Captain, Dael and Tavener stood in the middle of the foreyard. "How did they know the Prince was here?" She asked aloud.

A voice came from the midst of Tavener's employees, who stood to one side. "I can answer that." As the three looked around, Paal Fowler stepped forward, white-faced.

As the man approached, Tavener mentally cursed himself for not questioning him before.

Shaking, Paal Fowler confessed how he had been sent by Earl Janas to spy on Tavener. "I recognized the Prince right off, the first time he came. I passed word back to the Earl.

"But I never thought Earl Janas would do anything. He just wanted to know who from the Council was seeing Master Gill."

"Please," he pleaded, "I had nothing to do with what happened today."

"Nothing except giving traitors information they needed for their plots." Captain Nickal growled.

Paal Fowler fell to his knees. "No! No! I wouldn't have said anything if I thought it would lead to this. Believe me, I wouldn't."

Captain Nickal spat in disgust. "Take him." She said to her men. "He will be held on suspicion of abetting treason."

The man wailed as four troopers hauled him away.

Tavener, Dael and Captain Nickal decided that the next order of business was questioning Kenyon Poldara. They went to Tavener's office, where Sarem and Poulan kept watch on their bound captive.

"What do you know of the attempt to kill the prince and princess?" Dael asked.

Kenyon grinned. "Is the bitch dead?" He asked.

Though shaken by the man's response, Dael said "Princess Orana is alive and will recover from her injuries." Kenyon grimaced in disappointment.

Dael ignored his expression and went on. "Now tell me what you know." He demanded.

"Poulan, truth spell." He added.

As the blue glow surrounded Kenyon Poldara, he laid out the plot, evidently unashamed of his part in it.

The nobleman blamed Orana for "ruining" him, which was his view of how he was cut out of inheritance from his great-grandfather Rusdian. He had vowed to be revenged.

Kenyon had learned of Earl Janas' agitation against the marriage of Clevis and Orana and worked with the Earl to try to prevent the wedding.

Kenyon had gone further, determined to kill both the person he considered responsible for his situation and Dashan Poldara, whom he viewed as a usurper. He had gone looking for smugglers and found Ancar Kriegmangal shortly after the latter's release from prison.

Ancar helped Kenyon make contact with Karsite agents based in Hardorn. Ancar also provided Kenyon with hebenon, which he used in his attempt to poison Dashan.

Through his dealings with Earl Janas, Kenyon had learned of Clevis' incognito visits to Gillhold. Shrewdly, Kenyon had guessed that Clevis would take his honeymoon in Gillhold, where the villagers knew him only as 'Herald Alessander'.

Together, Kenyon, Earl Janas, Ancar and the Karsites had formed a plot to serve their aims: The Karsites would strike a blow at Valdemar, the two nobles would have their revenge on Orana and Ancar would use the confusion to kidnap Blane. Halfway between Gillhold and the border with Hardorn, Earl Janas' estate at Loningen was a perfect staging point.

Kenyon and Earl Janas had known that the Karsites intended a suicide mission. They planned to send the assassins in and conceal any connection with them afterwards. Ancar would take the horses ridden by the assassins as spare mounts for his escape.

Dael did not let on to Kenyon that the connection to the assassins was already known through the spying on Salen Indarin.

They had come to Gillhold four times over the last few sennights, hoping to catch Clevis and Orana out on one of their private rides, but the couple had never taken the route the plotters staked out. When they learned of the funeral planned for Charkan Tor, the conspirators had decided it would be their best opportunity to strike.

The questioners were shaken by Kenyon's brazen admissions, which were almost boastful. He told the whole story without any prompting after the first question.

When they asked him why he was so forthright, Kenyon Poldara shrugged. "Once those four took me prisoner, I knew I was done. You'd have had it out of me by truth spell eventually. I might as well tell it my way." He grinned again in a way that made the others wonder if the nobleman was sane.

The questioning done, they turned Kenyon Poldara over to Captain Nickal's troopers. A detail was formed to take the nobleman to the gaol in Three Rivers. They would also take word of the assassination attempt to General Chase and Duke Simeon.

While Dael and the others had been questioning the suspect, Captain Nickal's troopers had made preparations to pursue Ancar. Marcia, knowing that Tavener would join them, had ordered his horse saddled and a pack prepared for him.

As the group organized itself, Malleen stepped forward. "We're coming too." She announced.

"You are not!" Marcia and Tavener said at the same time.

"Yes we are!" Fanna said, standing beside Malleen.

"He is our brother and we are going to get him back." Falla said from Malleen's other side. The three girls looked obstinate.

Hansal stepped up beside them. "I'm coming with them." He said, folding his arms across his chest. His parents stared at their son, astonished.

"This is no place for children!" Tavener declared.

As the four opened their mouths to protest, Herald Caston spoke up. "Excuse me, but they have to go with you. You need them,"

Dael looked at his fellow Herald in astonishment. "Caston, what are you saying?"

Caston looked back at Dael. "It's my Gift." He explained. "My kenning says they have to be there. I don't know why, but they do."

"Are you sure?" Tavener asked.

"Yes. I am sure." Caston looked from Tavener to Dael and back.

Tavener rolled his eyes. "Very well." He said. "Get them ready."

While travel packs were assembled for the four newly Chosen, the adults quickly made plans.

Due to his Princely rank and his perfect Hardornen, Poulan would go to Altaiburg in Hardorn to advise Duke Hesham of the situation. Poulan would ask the Duke's permission to pursue Ancar into Hardorn if the kidnapper made it across the border before they caught him. Poulan would take Blane's Altai medallion to show the Duke. Hesham's pledge to Blane would virtually ensure that he gave permission for the Valdemarans to enter Hardorn if necessary.

One of the twins would go with him so that Poulan and the Duke could coordinate with the others through the mind-link between the girls. The twins drew straws and Fanna left with the Prince as soon as she was ready. Joshur and Morita were galloping before they were through the gate.

Sarem and Naven, as the best trackers, would follow Ancar and his gang along the smugglers' trail. The Companion would have no trouble catching up to the kidnappers despite the fact that Ancar had a change of horses to speed his flight.

Once they caught up, Sarem and Naven would follow the gang from concealment. Naven could boost Sarem's mindspeech enough that the intern could keep Coram and Payne advised as to where Ancar and his gang were and what part of the trail they were on. The young Companion who had come for Blane followed Sarem; Marcia put a bundle of warm clothing for the boy in the Companion's saddlebags.

The main body of the pursuit would go along the Southern Counties Road. They could travel faster than along the smugglers' trail. They would get ahead of the kidnappers despite the latter's head start. Once the pursuers were sure they could arrive ahead of the kidnappers, they would cut across from the main road along one of the feeder trails that came down to the towns and villages along the route.

Two of the trainees, Baillie and Eloran, saddled their Companions Wiora and Michal to ride ahead of the main group on the Southern Counties Road. They would arrange for changes of horses for Tavener and Captain Nickal's troopers so that the rescuers could press their horses harder for the sake of speed.

The Companions, with their superior speed and endurance, would have no difficulty with the pace.

Half a candlemark after noon, the main rescue party set out. The group set a hard pace, pushing the regular horses to their limit.

Tavener, Payne and Coram kept a close eye on the children, who had not previously spent such a long time in the saddle. Whether it was their determination to save their brother and friend, the easy gaits of the Companions or the riding instruction they had taken over the last few years, the children never complained.

The children were impatient as the group stopped for a break and change of horses at Paddendale, half-way to Loningen. They also fretted when the pursuers stopped for the night at Loningen, where Baillie and Eloran had arranged for them to spend the night at an inn. Only when word came from Sarem that the kidnappers had also stopped for the night did the children agree to go to bed.

Baillie and Eloran had made inquiries. Earl Janas was not at his manor and had not been seen since that morning. No one knew where he went.

The party set out again before sunrise the next morning. Baillie and Eloran again went ahead to arrange for fresh mounts, food and shelter.

Naven relayed word from Sarem that the fugitives had rested only a few hours before pressing on. He had seen Blane riding on a horse tethered to Ancar's mount. The boy had been gagged and tied to the saddle. Sarem had tried reaching Blane with mindspeech, but Blane was too frightened to think coherently.

The rescue party reached Crossing, on the border with Hardorn, in the middle of the afternoon. They were now ahead of the fugitives, but Sarem said that Ancar would be over the border before the rescuers could move up the feeder trail to intercept him.

After yet another change of horses, they left Crossing to head across to the smuggler's trail.

As they left the town, Falla relayed word from her sister. Prince Poulan had met Duke Hesham and told him what had happened. The Duke was outraged at the kidnapping and readily granted permission for the rescue party to enter Hardorn.

Within a candlemark of meeting Poulan, Duke Hesham had set out with a party of his own. They would proceed along the smugglers' trail from the Altaiburg end. Ancar and his men would be boxed between the two rescue parties.

Poulan and Fanna went with Duke Hesham. The two parties would coordinate through Fanna and Falla.

The sun was low in the west when they met Sarem. Sarem had bad news. Ancar was aware of them.

"I don't know how he knew Naven and I were there. I've even outfoxed Tevar in the field tests. I don't think we made any mistakes and the youngster" – he nodded at the unpartnered stallion – "has been as quiet as a ghost.

"But he knows we're following. He's set at least three traps for us. I saw the triggers and avoided them, but going around them silently has cost time.

"Just before we met here, I found this." Sarem held out a piece of paper.

Coram took the paper and unfolded it.

We will be in Hardorn before you can catch me, Herald. Ancar wrote. You cannot touch me there. Go back to your own country. The boy is mine. If you try to take me, I will kill him.

Coram handed the note to Tavener, who read it. The two men stared at each other.

"We have two options." Tavener said. "We can let him go and then bargain with him afterwards for Blane's return. Or we continue to follow and force a confrontation now."

Coram shook his head. "We can't depend on him to bargain in good faith. He could take what we offered and decide to kill Blane anyways to prevent Blane leading us back to him.

"Besides, Duke Hesham is coming the other way. His scouts know all the trails on the Hardorn side and the Duke will surely have them all blocked. A confrontation is inevitable." The Herald had an inward stare as he tried to think of an alternative.

"We could use Falla and Fanna to send word to the Duke to let Ancar through." Tavener suggested.

Coram shook his head again. "That would still leave Blane in Ancar's hands. We know where they are now. Our best hope is to confront him now and convince him that his only safe alternative is to release Blane in exchange for Ancar going free. He doesn't know that Duke Hesham has given us permission to pursue into Hardorn, so he may rely on the notion that we have no legal authority to arrest him on the other side of the border."

Tavener mulled Coram's words for a moment. He signed. "I suppose you are right." He conceded. "How far are we to the border?"

Sarem pointed to a ridge a mile ahead of them. "Just over that rise. You see the cleft in the rocks? The trail runs through there. He's probably across by now."

With Sarem and Naven leading, the group set out along the trail.

As they approached the cleft Sarem had pointed out, they stopped just out of arrow range. Four of Captain Nickal's scouts dismounted and disappeared into the bush, checking for a possible ambush. After a quarter-candlemark, one of the scouts waved them forward from the top of the rocks beside the cleft.

As the sun touched the horizon, the rescuers crossed into Hardorn. In the deepening twilight, they worked their way down the eastern slope.

The woods grew darker as they went and the group was forced to rely on the Companion's senses to follow the path. Just as the darkness became complete, they could see light from a fire through the trees ahead.

The rescuers halted to plan their next move. Coram summoned Falla. Quietly, he asked her to mindspeak to her sister and find out where Duke Hesham's party was. The girl closed her eyes and reached out.

After a few moments, Falla opened her eyes. In a whisper, she said "Fanna says they have just crossed a stream below us. The Duke said he is about a mile and a half away. They are using lanterns to follow the path."

Falla paused a moment. "Fanna says the Duke asks if he and his men should keep coming and if they should put out their lanterns."

Tavener and Coram glanced at Captain Nickal, who pondered the information for a moment. "We've already decided to confront Ancar. If we do so now, he will be focused on us and may not notice Duke Hesham approaching." She said.

"The faster the Duke gets here, the sooner we can close the trap. I say tell the Duke to keep coming and use the lanterns so he can move faster."

Tavener and Coram looked at each other. Coram nodded. "Agreed." Tavener said. Coram told Falla to pass the information back through her sister.

Coram summoned Hansal forward. In mindspeech, he asked :Hansal, can you hear me like this?:

At Hansal's nod, Coram went on. :Do you think you can speak to the others as well? Including Captain Nickal's troopers?:

Hansal concentrated for a moment. :Majorian says he can help me do that.:

Coram thanked Hansal. Speaking softly, he told the rest of the rescue party to expect messages through Hansal and not be startled if they heard Hansal speaking in their minds.

Looking back at Hansal, Coram mindspoke him again. :Hansal, I want you to see if you can hear Ancar's thoughts. Tell me what he is thinking, if you can.:

As the group moved forward, Hansal looked ahead towards the camp.

:I can hear him.: Hansal reported. :He knows we are coming.:

The boy paused.

:He has farsight! That's how he knew we were following him.:

Coram stopped momentarily. Whispering, he told Tavener and Captain Nickal what Hansal had told him.

"That tears it." The Captain said. "We might as well go straight on in."

Coram had one more question for Hansal. :Is Ancar a mindspeaker? Does he know you can hear his thoughts?:

There was a pause. :No.: Hansal said. :He knows Heralds are mindspeakers and he assumes we can hear his thoughts, but he has no mindshield and is not aware of what we are thinking.:

Hansal paused again. :Majorian just told me to probe Ancar. He wasn't even aware of my probe. Majorian says that means he has no mindspeech.:

A note of panic came into Hansal's mindvoice. :He's got a knife at Blane's throat. He will kill Blane if we charge him. He thinks we will withdraw once we see what he plans to do.:

Coram relayed the information to Tavener and the Captain.

Tavener looked grim. Payne's foresight was foremost in his mind. "We go on." He said. "This has to be brought to a head."

The group moved forward, following the path. Two hundred yards later, they entered the clearing where the fire blazed.

Ancar was waiting for them. He was seated on his horse facing the rescuers across the fire. He held Blane in front of him. As Hansal had warned, Ancar had a knife at Blane's throat. Blane's hands were bound in front of him, but he no longer wore a gag.

On either side of the clearing, Ancar's henchmen were also on their horses, bows drawn.

Krias paced into the clearing, his neck arched and his ears pinned. The stallion snorted, causing Ancar's gelding to step back a pack.

Captain Nickal and Tavener were on Coram's left and right. Payne moved up between Coram and Tavener. Sarem took position outside of the Captain. The troopers formed a semi-circle behind them and the four youngsters sat on their Companions at the rear. Baillie and Eloran moved to flank the troopers, placing themselves nearest Ancar's henchmen.

"Your only chance is to let the boy go." Coram began. "Do that, and we will allow you to go free. If you harm him, we will kill you."

Ancar laughed and spat. "You can do nothing here, Valdemaran. We are in Hardorn now. You have no authority here."

Coram decided not to tell Ancar that Duke Hesham had given permission. Instead, he shrugged. "Lack of authority will not save you. Do you think the Duke of Altai would care if we hung you and your gang? He'd probably thank us for cleaning up Hardorn's trash."

Ancar bristled. "My uncle – he is my uncle, though he denies me – is bound to Hardorn and our laws. However he feels about it, he cannot countenance your violation of our land."

Coram shrugged again. "You will be dead, so what does that gain you? You are a thief and a kidnapper…"

"He is my son!" Ancar interrupted.

"You were in Morgenthal prison for a year prior to his birth." Coram said. "It is not possible that you are his father."

"You lie!" Ancar said. "This is a trick to get me to renounce my son."

"Eg ni sono den vehlo wis." ("I am not the son of a slave.") Blane said.

Enraged, Ancar hit Blane's head with the pommel of the knife. "Silence, you little bastard." Blane flinched at the blow, but did not cry out.

"If he is not of my blood, then why did my uncle put the token of Altai on him? I saw Duke Hesham do it three years ago."

"Ah, yes." Coram said. "You used your farsight to watch, did you?"

"That farsight explains how you got away with so many crimes and evaded our patrols." Captain Nickal put in.

Ancar sneered. "Your conceited Heralds think they are the only ones with mind-gifts. Or deserve to have them."

Coram shook his head. "Oh, we know others have Gifts. We do not object to that. We do object to people who use their Gifts wrongly, however."

"Pathetic little goody-goodies." Ancar retorted. "Power and wealth belongs to those with the ability and will to take it."

Captain Nickal laughed. "Ah, yes! Your will and ability have served you so well. How many years have you spent in prison? Three years in Greyscarp plus how many in Morgenthal?"

"Your petty laws are an impediment." Ancar said. "And they have unjustly taken my son from me."

He gestured at the unpartnered Companion, who was dancing in place. The Companion, fearing for the boy, was growing more agitated by the moment. "Make that damned horse stand still. He's making my horse nervous."

While Captain Nickal argued with Ancar, Coram looked beyond the kidnapper. He could see the glimmer of lanterns coming up from below.

The approaching lights made Coram anxious. He worried over how Ancar would react when he realized he was trapped between the two bands of rescuers. He tried not to look towards where the Hardornen party approached.

For now, the Captain kept Ancar's attention. Scornfully, she said "Laws keep people safe from mad dogs like you. You can let the boy go now or you will hang. If you harm him, I will hang you by your wrists and let you die while the crows pluck out your eyes.

"Give the boy to us safe and sound and we will let you ride away."

Payne mindspoke Coram. :Senior, the moment from my vision is coming. I can feel it. It will happen very soon.:

Payne's prompting forced a decision on Coram. Ancar's comment about the Companion making his horse nervous and Payne's reminder about his vision had given Coram an idea. He reached out to Blane with his mind. Thinking as strongly as he could, Coram sent :Blane, can you hear my mindvoice?:

Blane's eyes widened. He nodded slightly. Coram could sense the boy attempting to reply the same way, but Blane lacked the training to focus his thoughts. All Coram received was a vague sense of the boy saying yes while his lips silently mouthed the word.

Coram nearly cheered with relief. He thought at Blane once more. :Focus on the fire. Think about making it blaze up. When I mindshout "now", try to make it flare up as much as you can.:

Blane nodded again and stared at the fire. It began to burn a little stronger.

Coram asked Krias to pass instructions to the other children through their Companions.

Coram also mindspoke Baillie and Eloran, telling the two trainees to be ready to move against Ancar's henchmen. Michal and Wiora, with the stealth that only a Companion could have, moved gradually closer to the mounts of the two gang members.

Falla replied to the Herald directly in mindspeech. :Fanna is now in reach. She and I can work together on this.:

Hansal told Coram he had passed Coram's instructions to the guards. Krias reported that Malleen was ready.

Ancar was answering Captain Nickal, his voice full of sarcasm. "You cosset people like puppies, trying to make them your lapdogs…"

At that moment, one of the approaching Hardornen party broke a branch, Ancar's head snapped around to look behind him. "What…" He began.

Putting all of his mental force behind the thought, Coram sent :Now:, broadcasting his mindspeech to all who could hear.

Between the two parties, the fire roared up, the flames reaching above the heads of the riders.

Ancar's horse spooked and reared as the fire blazed. Ancar, still turned to look behind him, could not stay on. He fell, taking Blane with him. The two hit the ground, Blane on top. Ancar's body cushioned the boys fall and his hands fell away.

Baillie and Eloran charged Ancar's men, who were staring dumbfounded at their bows from which the nocked arrows had suddenly vanished. The horses were knocked flat by the Companions, unseating the two men and leaving them on the ground. Before they could rise, Wiora and Michal put hooves on their chests and pinned them where they lay.

Coram and Krias rushed forward as Ancar fell. Flinging himself off his Companion, Coram scrambled towards Blane. Before he could reach the boy, the young Companion knocked Coram aside. Coram stopped and watched.

Still lying on top of Ancar, who wasn't moving, Blane stared into the Companion's eyes. He rested his bound hands on the white muzzle.

While the boy and the Companion formed their bond, Duke Hesham and his men charged up the slope. As the Duke crashed into the clearing, Blane looked up from the Companion's eyes. "His name is Krioven." Blane smiled as he spoke.

Coram lifted Blane to his feet. Drawing his knife, Blane cut the binding on Blane's wrist.

The boy and the Herald hugged each other briefly before Krioven nudged Coram, who stepped back to allow Blane to hug his Companion.

Duke Hesham, meanwhile stared down at Ancar, who lay unmoving on the ground with his eyes wide open. "Aufhesen, vehlo." The Duke growled at the prostrate kidnapper.

Ancar didn't move.

Captain Nickal, who had dismounted at the same time as Coram, touched Ancar's neck. "He's dead!" She reported. Coram looked away.

The Duke spat on Ancar's face. "Vehlo pardo, ta lexte abfreden." ("Stinking slave, you escaped justice.")

Coram flushed and looked off into the darkness. Krias nudged his Chosen, but the Herald continued to stare into the distance.

Tavener looked at Coram curiously for a moment before putting his arms around Blane's shoulder.

Keeping one arm around Krioven's neck, Blane put the other around his foster father. With one hand, Tavener reached up and stroked the Companion's neck.

While Blane, Krioven and Tavener shared their embrace, Duke Hesham and Captain Nickal set about putting things in order.

Malleen came forward and proudly presented Coram not only with Ancar's knife, but the arrows she had snatched from the drawn bows of Ancar's men. "I thought it would be good to take them as well."

Coram took the weapons with an absent "Thank you."

Seeing the disappointment at the girl's face, Payne embraced his foster sister and praised her effusively. When Fanna and Falla boasted how they had made Ancar's horse rear and bolt, Payne praised them as well.

Payne spotted Hansal standing to one side. He ruffled the boy's hair. "You did well, too, youngster."

Captain Nickal's troopers had taken the two surviving gang members into custody after Wiora and Michal had lifted their hooves from the men's chests. Both seemed greatly relieved that the Companions had not trampled them.

As the troopers wrestled the captives to their feet, one of them called out to Duke Hesham. "Higt-heglo, dugu Hardin werens. Dugu in Hardorn werens. Ne das Valemares

duges pregent legen."

The Duke's face went cold. He drew off his gloves and handed them to a young man riding at his side. Reaching into his saddlebag, the Duke took out a pair of white gloves and put them on. He paced his horse over to the two men and looked down on them. The men stared back fearfully.

While the Duke did this, Poulan translated quietly for the Valdemarans. "High Lord, we are Hardornens. We are in Hardorn. Do not let the Valdemarans take us."

"So, daelen, ihr lextin Harden cherchens?" The Duke asked.

"So, men, you seek Hardornen justice?" Poulan translated.

The men fell to their knees before the Duke. "Ja, Higt-heglo, dugu par lextin Harden plenens."

"Yes, High Lord, we plead for Hardornen justice." Poulan said.

The Duke began questioning the men about their role in the kidnapping and the assassination attempt on Clevis and Orana. They denied any knowledge of the latter but told everything they knew about the former.

Poulan kept a running translation as the Duke questioned the men for a half a candlemark.

When the Duke finished his questions, he stared down at the two men for a long time.

Finally, he spoke. "Zeer goed. Ihr se lextin Harden habearens".

"Very well, you shall have Hardornen justice." Poulan said.

The Duke waved to his own men. "Dem prenent."

"Take them." Poulan seemed unsurprised at Duke Hesham's command.

"My Lord," Captain Nickal protested, "these men kidnapped a child from his home in

Valdemar. They aided an attempt on the life of the Heir to the Throne of Valdemar, they should face Valdemaran justice."

The Duke looked at her blandly. "I gave permission for you to pursue them into Hardorn in order to protect my ward. My ward is now safe. Your mandate here is done.

"These men are Hardornen and they are in Hardorn. They are therefore protected by the laws of Hardorn."

"But…" The Captain began.

"That is my decree." The Duke interrupted. "I am the Duke of Altai and we are within my fief. I speak for the King here."

The Captain looked ready to protest further when Poulan spoke up. "Leave it." He said. "This is not our land and we have no power here." Poulan seemed unconcerned by the Duke's decision.

He drew himself up. "As a Prince of the Blood Royal of Valdemar, I defer to our host."

He faced the Duke. Crossing his arms over his chest with his fists clenched towards himself, Poulan bowed to the Duke. "Higt-heglo, dugu te mandemas sugeans."

He said, then repeated in Valdemaran. "High Lord, we submit to your command."

The Duke nodded. He crossed his arms and mirrored Poulan's bow.

Captain Nickal turned to Coram, who seemed barely aware of what was going on. She looked at him for direction.

Rousing himself briefly, the Herald said. "The Prince is right. Do as he says." Coram looked away once more.

Krias stood at Coram's shoulder. The Companion's head was low and his ears drooped as he nuzzled Coram's arm. The Herald did not respond.

Duke Hesham's men took control of the two prisoners. They did not untie them.

It was too late to try moving down to the main road so the two groups of rescuers set up a camp in the clearing.

First, they built a shelter for the children to sleep near the center. The Companions stood around the youngsters to guard them.

Once the children were protected, the two groups made shelters for themselves.

Ancar's body was bound and set to one side. The Hardornens set a guard over the prisoners, who were bound to a tree.

Two men worked by the fire, preparing a meal from the rations they had brought with them. The soldiers of both sides mingled, sharing rations and stories as best they could with hand gestures and the help of the few who spoke both languages.

The children were tired from the long pursuit and went to their bedrolls once they had eaten. Tavener watched Blane closely, concerned about how the kidnapping might have affected the boy. However, Blane seemed as content as the others and fell asleep with his hand reaching out to Krioven.

Tavener, Captain Nickal, the Heralds and trainees sat with the Duke, his lieutenant and the young man who had been at the Duke's side. The young man, blond haired and blue-eyed, proved to be Lord Pelys, the Duke's heir and only son.

The conversation was in both Hardornen and Valdemaran. Poulan translated for Captain Nickal. Payne translated for his father; though not as fluent as his yearmate's Payne's Hardornen was adequate to the task. Lord Pelys translated for the Hardornen lieutenant.

Tavener told the Duke of the assassination attempt on Clevis and Orana.

"I like Clevis." Duke Hesham said. "Like his father, I think he will be a good friend to Hardorn when he comes to the throne. I hope that King Theran will not blame Hardorn for this. It does not look good that Hardornens were involved in a Karsite plot against Valdemar's Heir."

Tavener tried to reassure the Duke. "Duke Simeon, General Chase and I have known of bits and pieces of this plot for some time.

"My view, and I'm sure that Simeon and Chase will agree, is that this was a plot by Valdemaran nobles with Karsite fanatics. The Hardornens who were involved were criminals who joined the plot for their own ends. That is what I will tell the King when I next see him."

The Duke looked grim. "I will write to King Alessander on my return. He is going to be worried when he hears of this and will want reassurance that no one in Valdemar faults Hardorn."

Tavener sighed. "With the apparent involvement of Earl Janas after his dismissal from Council, Count Westmore's faction is going to be looking to pin the blame anywhere else. Duke Simeon and I will do what we can to counter them. I think my King will listen to me and Simeon."

"I hope you are right." Duke Hesham said.

Privately, Tavener thought that some of Count Westmore's faction might also try to put blame on him and Marcia. Tavener was sure that Clevis and Duke Simeon would support him. Tavener shrugged. If it came down to it, he would not mind leaving the council.

The conversation drifted around the campfire for some time. Tavener noted that Coram said nothing and stared glumly into the fire.

Beyond the fire, Krias watched his Chosen, who avoided looking at the Companion. The stallion held his head low. Krias took half-hearted mouthfuls of grass while watching Coram; he sighed heavily from time to time as he looked up repeatedly, trying to catch Coram's eye. Coram never looked up from the flames.

At one point in the evening, Lord Pelys leaned over to Sarem, who sat beside him, and asked. "Who shouted 'Now' just before we charged up to help you?"

Sarem looked perplexed until Naven mindspoke him. :I think he heard Coram's mind-shout. Lord Pelys has a touch of mindspeech.:

Sarem's eyes widened. Tactfully, he said to the young Lord. "Coram shouted the signal to take action with his mind. Sometimes, people who are sensitive can hear such open mind-sendings when the sender puts enough force behind it."

:You needn't be coy with me.: Lord Pelys replied in mindspeech. :I can speak mind to mind with others and hear other's thoughts. People in Hardorn are a little afraid of those who can do this, so I try to be very discrete. Father and mother know and the healer who helped me when I was young know as well, but I try to keep it secret from anyone who can't speak mind to mind.:

Sarem smiled at his neighbor and gently punched his arm. Pelys smiled and tapped Sarem in return.

As the last-quarter moon rose, Captain Nickal and the Hardornen lieutenant set the watch rotation while the adults took to their bedrolls

After a breakfast of flatbread and kava the next morning, the rescuers broke camp.

While the children were busy saddling their Companions and out of earshot, Duke Hesham gave three of his men an order to stay behind at the camp. Once the main party was gone, the men were to strip Ancar's body and cut the head off. The body was to be left for the scavengers; the head was to be nailed to an evergreen tree on the edge of the camp.

The trainees and Heralds overheard the order. All spoke enough Hardornen to understand it. All but Poulan and Coram grimaced; Poulan had a look of satisfaction while Coram scarcely paid attention.

Payne asked Poulan what the Duke was doing.

In a whisper, Poulan explained that leaving the body for carrion was an expression of contempt. Hardornen superstition said that a head nailed to an evergreen bound the soul of the dead person to the spot, preventing it from going to the afterlife or wandering in this world to bother the living. It was intended to extend the dead man's punishment beyond death.

The group began the trek back home. Escorted by Duke Hesham and his men, they descended to the main road on the Hardorn side. They reached the road just at the point where the guardposts of Hardorn and Valdemar marked the border.

Duke Hesham came forward and shook the hands of the Valdemaran rescuers as they crossed back into their homeland.

Blane held back, crossing last. Instead of shaking the Duke's hand, he crossed his hands on his breast, fists clenched and bowed in the saddle. "Higt-heglo, eg to danbt en gang till" ("High Lord, I thank you one more time."}

The Duke answered in Valdemaran. "Young man, there is nothing to thank me for. That swine besmirched my honor when he kidnapped you. I am glad that nothing worse came of it. You kept your courage and sense, which is more than most could have done. I've been watching you, though you were not aware of it. You are growing to be a man any father would be proud to call his son."

Hesham motioned to Lord Pelys to come forward. "I would have you two be brothers, so I could claim you as a son in spirit. Would you two be willing to do this?"

"Ja, Higt-heglo. Eg ta gres espet. Te yn hignen lauden dabet." ("Yes, High Lord. I wish it very much. You do me a high honor.")

The Duke's son agreed as well, pulling the glove off his right hand.

Drawing his dagger, the Duke pricked both of their thumbs. The two grasped hands, thumbs pressed together.

"Frator." Lord Pelys said, his blue eyes twinkling as he smiled at Blane.

"Frator." Blane replied, smiling back at his new blood-sib.

:You know,: Krioven mindspoke Blane. :if he were Valdemaran, Pelys would be Chosen in an eyeblink.:

Blane laughed and repeated the remark to Lord Pelys.

Lord Pelys went wide-eyed for a moment. "Your Krioven tempts me to change countries."

"Eg yn sono ty arvino in sed Taren hosten stayet." ("I prefer to have my son and heir remain within his own country.") Duke Hesham said.

Lord Pelys laughed. "Mas Padre, vre tantalant bint." ("But Father, it is so tempting.") He reached out and stroked Krioven's neck.

"Eg kont quey Companienen nis pferden wis. Ty do Companieno mit lauden ta verto gros, aber in Hardoren te stat." ("I know that Companions are not horses. And this Companion honors you with his praise, but you will stay in Hardorn.") The Duke finished to his son.

Pelys grinned and bowed towards his father. "Vre se bint" ("So be it.")

:Tell your new brother that, if he ever comes to Haven, I will let him have a ride on me.: Krioven said. Blane passed his Companion's promise to Lord Pelys.

Pelys laughed once more. He addressed Krioven in Valdemaran. "I will collect on that promise next year, My Lord. I will take my wanderyear to visit Valdemar."

Captain Nickal cleared her throat loudly.

"I see the Captain wishes to be off." Duke Hesham said in Valdemaran.

Blane glanced at those waiting on the Valdemaran side. Crossing his arms on his chest once more, he said. "Vale, Higt-helgo."

Instead of returning the boy's salute, Duke Hesham leaned forward and hugged Blane to his chest. "Vale, yn sono." He said.

"Vale, yn frator." Lord Pelys saluted.

The Duke and his party turned back towards Altaiburg. Krioven walked past the guardpost back in to Valdemar, beginning the journey back to Gillhold from where he and his Chosen would head on to Haven.

The horses were tired from the pursuit of Ancar, so the return to Gillhold took three and a half days. Payne and Endron galloped ahead to assure Marcia and the villagers that all was well.

Captain Nickal's troops guarded the front and rear as well as flanking both sides. Absently, Tavener admired the Captain's vigilance; she did not assume for a moment that the threat was over.

Baillie, Eloran, Poulan and Sarem minded the children, who had no thought for anything but their new Companions. Blane in particular kept leaning forward to hug Krioven's neck as though trying to make up for the time lost due to the abduction.

The youngsters were impatient with the slow progress, wanting to get home and then be off to the Collegium. Every so often, the five would gallop ahead, spin around and head back to the main group in a burst of exuberance.

Coram hung back near the rearguard, glumly lost in introspection. When he looked up to see Blane and Krioven racing ahead with the rest, he smiled before returning to his distant preoccupation.

Coram remembered his own first trip to Haven on Krias, when the two had left the road for wild, joyous gallops through woods.

Coram shook his head at the memory. He reached out to stroke his Companion's neck before abruptly withdrawing his hand. Krias turned his head, trying to catch Coram's eye, but the Herald only stared at the ground.

Tavener noted Coram's dejection, dropping back several times to speak to the Herald. Getting only absent, one-word answers to his questions, Tavener gave up for the moment. He resolved to confront Coram after they reached home.

On the second day, Sarem brought up the subject of Ancar's accomplices. "I am surprised that Duke Hesham granted their request to remain in Hardorn." He said. "From the look on his face when he spat on Ancar's body, I felt sure he would turn them over to face justice in Valdemar."

Poulan snorted loudly. "They may well wish he had." He looked up at the sun, which was nearing the zenith. "Right about now, I am sure they would prefer to face Valdemaran justice."

"What do you mean by that?" Sarem asked his yearmate, guessing that Poulan knew something. "They were kidnappers. They would have been hanged in Valdemar."

"Did you notice what the Duke of Altai did when they claimed the protection of Hardornen law on Hardornen soil?" Poulan asked.

"He granted them the right of Hardornen law." Sarem said. "So?"

Others in the party seemed equally mystified as to what Poulan was driving at.

"Do you think kidnapping is legal in Hardorn?" Poulan asked, evidently enjoying the puzzlement of those around him. Rousing from his reverie, Coram nodded; he seemed to know where the Prince was going.

"No." Sarem sounded tentative.

"Well, it isn't. And Hardornen law makes no distinction between the kidnapping of foreigners and their own citizens. When they took Blane across the border, they were committing kidnapping under Hardornen law. To return to my question, did you notice what the Duke of Altai did when they made their claim? What did he do before he answered them?" Poulan sounded so much like one of the Collegium instructors that Coram had to smile.

Sarem thought a moment. "He changed his gloves." Sarem said at last.

"What color were the gloves he put on?"

Sarem recalled the scene. "They were white." He said. "Does that mean something?"

"Duke Hesham is a High Justice of Hardorn." Poulan said. "By tradition, a High Justice of Hardorn wears white gloves when judging a capital case. What did Duke Hesham do next?"

"He asked them questions about what they had done." Sarem said. "You mean he was conducting a trial right there?"

"Yes." Poulan said. "A Hardornen judge may question an accused and take any answers the accused gives into consideration. He got them to admit that they had participated in a kidnapping."

"You mean the Duke intends to have them executed?" Sarem finally understood Poulan. "So they are no better off than they would be in Valdemar."

"Much worse off." Poulan said. He glanced at the sun again. "Executions in Hardorn are carried out at noon. The penalty for kidnapping is death." He paused for dramatic effect. "By impalement.

"Given that it would take a day or so to get back to Altaiburg, the sentence is probably being carried out right about now." He looked at the sun one more time.

Sarem gulped. "I see why you say they would have preferred to face Valdemaran justice." The rest of the group looked a little sick at Poulan's words. Only Captain Nickal expressed satisfaction, deeming the punishment fitting.

The group rode in silence for half a candlemark before breaking for a noon meal. Coram returned to his introspection.

They arrived home in the afternoon of the fourth day. Captain Nickal and her troop returned to the spring bivouac, leaving a troop to guard the village until Clevis left.

Orana was recovering from her injury. She was up and about, though she would have her arm in a sling for three more sennights. "Clevis and I are trying some experiments." She said, drawing a blush from her husband.

Duke Simeon and General Chase were waiting for the rescue party with news of the plot and related matters.

Kenyon Poldara was under arrest, charged with treason. A search of his home had turned up a bottle of the poison used in the attempt to kill Count Dashan; Kenyon was also facing murder charges for the two people who had died.

Herald Rhodia had taken dispositions from all those who were present in the attempt on Clevis and Orana's lives, although Kenyon had already confessed under the Truth Spell. The trial would take place as soon as Clevis and Orana returned to Haven. Conviction was a foregone conclusion. Kenyon would hang for his crimes.

Earl Janas had disappeared, fleeing before he could be arrested. How the Karsite assassins had come into possession of his livery and why they stayed at Loningen was unclear. From what the Heralds had learned, it appeared that the Karsites and Ancar's gang had stayed at Janas' manor in Loningen on their way from Hardorn, corroborating the information from Kenyon Poldara.

The search of Loningen had turned up the body of General Chase' missing spy, who had been garroted. Once he was captured, Janas would be questioned under the truth spell about the plot and the death of the spy. If what Kenyon Poldara had said about Earl's role in the plot was confirmed – and the fact that Janas had fled made that seem likely – he would face treason charges as well.

Marcia asked about the spice merchant, who had sold information to Ancar, the Karsites and to Kenyon Poldara.

General Chase grinned. "Oh, we've doubled him. He is now our agent on a very short leash. We're using him to feed information back to Karse that we want them to know. We're also using him to tap into the criminals in Three Rivers and report what they are up to."

When Tavener asked how they had made him change sides, General Chase explained that Salen Indarin had been given a choice: Either work for Valdemar or be sent back to Karse as a failed agent. "Aside from the fact that the Sunpriests would probably burn him due to his long contact with Valdemar, he really does prefer living here. Seems he has picked up some heretical ideas about the Sunpriests and has decided he likes being able to say what he thinks."

Paal Fowler had been released. His involvement was insufficient to charge him with complicity in either treason or kidnapping and it was not a crime to spy on behalf of a nobleman. Naturally, Marcia had dismissed him from his job and sent the man away.

The senior Heralds decided that their group and the newly Chosen would return to Haven as a single party, leaving the day after next. Clevis and Orana would ride with them.

The children forsook their bedrooms for rooms in Companions' Hall so they could be near their new bondmates.

By late afternoon, all were settled in. As Hansal would be staying in Companions' Hall with Majorian, Marcia invited the Austrebons to stay in their guest suite until the children left.

Once everyone was settled, Tavener went looking for Coram. He found the Herald in the yard, sitting disconsolately by the horse trough. "I will see you in my office. Now." He stalked off, leaving the Herald no choice but to follow.

When Coram arrived, Tavener motioned him to a chair. "We will wait for Marcia." was all he said.

Marcia arrived a few moments later. Tavener locked the door and drew the blinds. Coram watched this apprehensively.

Tavener sat down facing the Herald. "You have been moping for four days. It is time we had a talk."

"About what?" Coram said. He felt like a child again, facing his own father.

"No games. You have been brooding ever since Ancar dropped dead. You used your gift to kill him, didn't you?"

Coram gaped at Tavener. "How could you know that?" He did not bother to deny it.

"Ancar was no more than thirty-five, still in his prime. There was no mark on his body. There was no reason for him to suddenly drop dead. A fall from a horse was not enough to kill him, not on soft ground. You were the one who made the plan to free Blane, you had Hansal relay the instructions to the others, you were the one who thought of using Malleen's gift to snatch the knife from his hand, you were the one who told Blane to make the fire blaze up, you were the one who had Fanna and Falla make Ancar's horse spook and rear." Tavener counted off each point on his fingers.

Tavener stabbed a finger at Coram as he made his final point. "You told me yourself nearly four years ago that you could use your gift to work with healers inside another's body without cutting through the skin. As Marcia has often said, those who have the ability to heal also know best how to kill."

Tavener leaned forward. "So what did you do?"

Coram collapsed forward, covering his face with his hands. "I tore the artery leading from his heart. The healers taught me years ago that a rupture of that artery would cause almost instantaneous death."

Marcia sat beside Coram and put her arm over his shoulders. Coram flinched at her touch. Softly, Tavener asked. "So what do think was wrong with that?"

Coram sobbed. "I used my gift to kill. That is not right. I'm not fit to be a Herald."

"Are you suggesting that Heralds do not kill bandits or pirates? You've been on circuit for over ten years. You must have killed enemies and sentenced people to death for their crimes during that time."

Coram did not lift his head. "But it is not the same. Using my gift that way is wrong."

Tavener snorted. "Would you have killed Ancar with a sword if you could have done so without endangering Blane?"

"Yes."

"Would you have shot him from concealment with a crossbow?"

"Yes."

"Would you have stabbed him in the back?" Tavener pounded the questions at the Herald.

"Yes."

Tavener's tone changed. "So why is if different to use your gift?"

Coram said. "It is different. It's wrong. I am not supposed to use my gift that way. Not against people who can't defend against it."

Tavener raised an eyebrow, though Coram could not see his expression. "I fail to see how one can defend against a crossbow ambush or a knife in the back any better than one can defend against mind-gifts."

"It's different. It's wrong." Coram insisted.

"Did not Herald Vanyel use his gifts to kill his enemies? Your own cousin used his gift to kill thousands at White Foal Pass. I was there. I saw it." Tavener refused to accept Coram's self-imposed guilt.

"That was war." Coram shook his head.

"What makes killing thousands better than killing one? Vanyel and Lavan used their gifts to save Valdemar; you used yours to save your son."

Coram's head jerked up. "What did you say?" His mouth hung open in surprise.

Tavener wondered why people assume that no one could deduce what their own actions betrayed.

Tavener leaned back in his chair. "Grant me some degree of intelligence, sir. It has been obvious since the night before the custody hearing, when you told me that Sandor was infertile then became so discretely private.

"I had noted Blane's resemblance to you the day you brought him to us. At the time, I thought it was probably because you and Sandor and Claris all came from the same town. Most people in small towns are related to some degree.

"But you not only knew Sandor was infertile, you told me you were his best friend. As you are a Herald, what better man could he turn to for help in getting a son?

"Sandor and Claris named you as guardian in their wills. Why would they choose you - a Herald - as guardian when they knew you could not actually take on the duties of a parent? There had to be a relationship stronger than 'childhood friend' behind that.

"Then there is Blane's gift. The very same gift that your famous cousin had. Two people from the same town with the same gift? If they are not related, that is stretching coincidence a long way.

"What clinches it is that letter which you are holding for Blane's sixteenth birthday. The letter which will tell him the name of his blood father. Who but the blood father would possess that letter?"

Marcia now put in a word. "If that is not sufficient, look at your face in the mirror. Blane will be staring back at you. The resemblance is growing stronger every year."

Coram looked down once more. "It is true. I am Blane's blood father. But that just makes it worse."

"Why?" Tavener asked.

"Because I used my gift for my own personal ends." Coram said. "We are supposed to use our gifts for all of Valdemar, not just for ourselves."

"Has Krias repudiated you?" Tavener's asked quietly.

Coram looked up again. There were tears on his face. "We haven't mindspoken since I killed Ancar."

Tavener paused, staring at the Herald for a long while. Finally he spoke in a whisper. "You haven't spoken to the one person who loves you more than anyone else in the world?"

Coram looked down, shaking his head. "I'm afraid to." He said.

"Why?" Tavener's voice was barely audible.

"Because I'm afraid he will tell me I am no longer his Chosen." Coram choked out the words.

"If Krias was going to repudiate you, do you think you could even have gotten on his back?" Tavener asked logically.

Coram went blank for a moment. The idea had obviously not occurred to him. "No." He said tentatively. For the first time, he looked hopeful.

Marcia spoke once more. "Open your mind to Krias. Open your heart and mind to him. You may have been afraid, but you were hurting him by pushing him away. I could see that by the way he looked at you when you got back."

"I was hurting Krias?" Coram's face took on a new expression of guilt.

"Yes." Marcia said. "Lower your shields and open your mind to him." She repeated.

Coram swallowed and obeyed. A wave of love poured into him from his Companion. :Oh, Chosen. I do understand.: The Companion said. :How could I ever stop loving you because you did what you had to do? Don't push me away, Heartbrother.: Krias' mindvoice was almost a sob.

Coram's face showed his relief as Krias spoke. :I am sorry, so very sorry, that I hurt you.: He said to Krias. He got up to go to his Companion.

:Hold a moment longer, Chosen. I think our host has something more to say.: The Companion's voice sounded amused, puzzling sat down once more.

Coram looked at Tavener. "Krias tells me there is something else."

Tavener snorted. "He's a wise man and very perceptive."

:So is our host.: Krias said, laughing in Coram's mind. The Companion's mental laughter carried a sense of joyous relief that Coram was no longer shutting him out.

Coram passed the comment to Tavener, who saluted Krias through Coram's eyes. "I thank you for that, O Wise Horse." Coram smiled at Krias' mental splutter.

"You used your gift to protect your son. If it had been Hansal with the knife at his throat – Hansal, a child of the country that is Valdemar's worst enemy – would you have used your gift to protect his life?"

"Yes." Coram did not hesitate. "Yes, I would." His voice was stronger and more hopeful.

"You used your gift in a way that was right and proper." Tavener said. "You used it to defend your own son, which any parent would do."

Tavener looked towards the window as though he could see through the blinds and off into the distance. "We give our children life, we give them our knowledge and experience and we give them our protection. Most of all, we give them our love. That is the greatest gift of all, the one true gift a parent gives."

He looked back at Coram, who absorbed his words in silence. "Now, go to Krias. He needs you now. After that, you can help your son with Krioven. I take it that the similarity of the names – Krias and Krioven – implies a relationship?"

Coram got to his feet, grinning. "Oh, yes. Krias is Krioven's sire. Krias is as proud of his son as I am of mine."

:My son is handsomer, though.: Krias taunted his Chosen.

Coram laughed as he left the room. Marcia and Tavener smiled at each other, knowing the signs of the teasing between Companion and Herald. Coram had healed.

The Companions, Heralds and trainees spent one more full day in Gillhold. The five children spent every possible moment with their Companions. Dael encouraged this, telling Marcia and Trista it was important to strengthen the bond between the Companions and their Chosen in the early days. It was especially important for Blane, whose bonding with Krioven had been delayed by the kidnapping.

Marcia tolerated the children slipping into the stalls to curl up beside their Companions at night, but insisted that they take a full bath before every meal.

"They may be Companions, but they smell like horses. I will not have you coming to the table smelling like that." She told them sternly. Krioven pinned his ears when she said it. Majorian did the same when Trista Austrebon told Hansal that the same rule applied to him.

Both mothers also insisted that the children attend their usual classes at Widow Clay's school on their last day in the village. Marcia felt there was no better cure for inflated dreams of Heraldic glory than grammar and arithmetic drill. Fanna and Falla took particular exception to not being allowed to ride their Companions to school until Morita and Esaum firmly told their Chosen they would have to walk.

Naturally, the children basked in the admiration of their classmates, who wanted to know all about their Companions.

At the end of the day, Marcia relented on her 'no showing off' rule by allowing the children to introduce their Companions to their classmates. Widow Clay made the introductions a practice in 'Courtly Graces': Every child had to properly greet a Companion and introduce themselves. Widow Clay made it a rule that the students had to solve one problem or answer one question correctly before they could ask a question about the Companions.

That evening, there was a special feast for the final dinner before the children left. Alwyn Dane produced a variety of roasts and special dishes. Out of gratitude for way the cook had listened to her and the cook's practical advice in her years with the Gills, Malleen took special pride in helping Alwyn Dane prepare the vegetables.

After dinner, the conversation was subdued, dwelling mostly on life in the Collegium. All four parents kept looking wistfully at the children, knowing that their homes would soon be empty.

Dael, Caston and Coram all told stories of their years on circuit. The final year trainees sang a few songs.

Baillie played a few tunes on his harp, accompanying Blane in "Going Away", an old song about a child leaving home. Tavener and Marcia wept unashamedly and no one was certain whether the cracking of Blane's boyish tenor was due to his own feelings or his voice starting to change.

Dael called an early end to the dinner as all had to be up before dawn to be on their way. With Clevis and Orana joining the group, it had been decided that safety demanded that the group travel as fast as possible. They would try to make it to Haven in two days.

The pace would be hardest for the newly chosen, but all of them were fit from the riding and weapons practice that they had done over their years with Tavener and Marcia.

Dael roused all the Heralds and trainees out of their beds two candlemarks before dawn. Tavener, Marcia, Bartram and Trista got up as well. None of the parents had slept well.

After a hurried breakfast, the Heralds and Trainees were ready to leave a candlemark later. All the children, including Hansal, hugged Tavener and Marcia. Blane and Malleen hugged Trista and Bartram after Hansal had mounted Majorian.

Blane was last to mount. While Krioven danced impatiently, he hugged Tavener and Marcia one more time. Tavener lifted Blane into Krioven's saddle and the Companion joined the others.

Then the cavalcade was off. They were cantering before they rounded the bend and galloped through the village where only Widow Clay was awake to see them go by.

At the village, Coram and his three interns turned towards Marberry from where they would join the Southern Counties Road and head east to resume their circuit. Blane and Coram exchanged glances as they parted.

The parents stood in a four way embrace in the foreyard for a long time, staring down the path and straining to hear the last chiming of a Companion's hoof. Finally, Tavener sighed. Marcia looked at him and they kissed. Bartram and Trista did the same. After a few moments more, the four went inside to a silent breakfast before setting about their daily routines.

The next few days passed slowly for Tavener and Marcia. Both of them went about their work in a rote, desultory fashion. Frequently, they would look absently Northwards in the direction of Haven before sighing and returning to their work. No Heralds made use of the Waystation, so they were alone in their home with nothing to distract them.

In the evenings, they joined the Austrebons and the Thornes for dinner. The Thornes, whose children had gone to Healers years before, were understanding of the loss felt by the other two families.

A sennight after their children had left, Tavener woke with the 'itch' that told him he needed to do something, although he wasn't sure what. He wandered the house irritably, going from room to room. Marcia, who had seen this before, watched quietly, ready to help when Tavener's restlessness found a direction.

Eventually, Tavener's wanderings took him to the children's rooms. He glanced at the mattresses, which had been stripped of the bedding. "Marcia, we need to make those beds." He said.

The two of them set to work, making up the beds and cleaning the rooms. They emptied the closets and drawers, packing away the children's old clothes.

Once done, Tavener felt refreshed. He returned to his office and caught up on his correspondence, which had lagged. He kept looking out the window towards the gate.

After luncheon, he returned to his office. A candlemark after noon, he heard the clatter of horses and a carriage coming down the path. As he looked up, the carriage entered the yard. Beside it, Sanjay Tross rode as escort.

Tavener hurried out into the yard. Marcia emerged from the kitchen.

Sanjay Tross dismounted and saluted them. "Mistress and Master Gill, it is my sad duty to inform you that Baron Makris Felthan passed away a fortnight ago. In accordance with his will, I have brought his children to you for fostering."

While the Gills expressed their condolences, Rogan and Roxanne got down from the carriage, both looking somewhat lost.

Rogan, now Baron Rogan Felthan, squared his shoulders and strode up to Tavener and Marcia. With a formal bow, he said "Master and Mistress Gill, my father said you were to be our guardians. May we stay with you?"

Tavener and Marcia opened their arms; they hugged the two children, who dropped their formality and hugged them back.

"Of course you can." Marcia said. "Our home is now your home."