Magic's Promise (8 page)

Lighten up, dammit,
he told himself angrily.
They've got their own problems – they
don't
need yours.

He grinned and winked, and both of them relaxed again.

Randale laughed heartily, and hugged him hard, taking Shavri away from Vanyel as he did so. And Vanyel felt a strange twinge; another flash of uneasiness.

Gods, what's wrong with me?

He didn't stop to think about it. The hug wasn't as hard as it had been a year ago - and there was a transparency about Randale that made Vanyel's heart lurch. Randale had grown a neat brown beard - was it to hide the fact that his cheeks were a little hollower? Was that tidy-to-a-fault brown hair a little lackluster? There
were
shadows under his dark eyes; were they there from lack of sleep, or some more sinister reason? Within a few breaths Vanyel had noted a dozen small signs of
“
something wrong
”
- all of them little things, things that someone who saw him day - in, day-out might not have noticed. But
Vanyel
had been away for a year, and the things he saw shook him.
Gods, gods - my King, my friend - Shavri is right. You’re ill, at the very least
-

Randale was
not
a Herald-Mage; his Gift was FarSight, and his Mindspeech was not as sure a thing as Vanyel's and Shavri's. For once Vanyel was grateful for that lack. He changed the subject before Randale could note his unease.

“
It seems your little shadow is developing precocious Gifts,
”
he said.
“
At least she said she 'felt me coming in her mind.'
“
Jisa ran back in, and attached herself to Vanyel's leg.
“
Didn't you, imp?
”
He looked down at her, surprised by the surge of love he felt for the child.

She nodded, very well pleased with herself.

“
We thought about taking her to Savil, but she's been so busy,
”
Randale replied, shrugging.
“
I don't suppose
you'd
test her, would you? That's a major spell for anyone else but you and Savil.
”

“Now
I see the reason for all the concern that I stop by!
”
Vanyel teased.
“Not
that you've missed me!
”
“Van
-
”
Shavri said indignantly.
“
I never -
”

Randale chortled, and she hit his shoulder.
“
You can just
stop
that, you beast.
”

Jisa giggled, and Vanyel looked down at her.
“
Hold still for a minute, impling,
”
he said.
“
I'm about to make your head feel funny, like Mama did when you had the measles.
”

“
All right,
”
Jisa said calmly, and Vanyel had the sudden unsettling feeling that she would permit her totally-trusted
“
Uncle Van
”
to chop off her hand if he wanted to.

He rested his palm on the top of her brown curls, and focused
out
and
down
-

-and came out again, blinking.
“
Well.
”

“
Well,
what?”
Shavri and Randale demanded in the same breath.

“
She won't be a Herald-Mage, not unless she gets blasted open the way I did - which I do
not
recommend,
”
he added lightly, trying to catch his breath. Even that little magic had been more of a strain than he had thought it would.
“
But she's carrying the potential in a double dose; she'll certainly pass it to her children. She
will be
a MindHealer; she
is
an active Empath, and her Mindspeech center is opening early, too. With that combination, Randale, she'll very likely be King's Own after Shavri.
”

Gods, she is
so
like me. Right down to the Mage-potential. Jisa, sweetling, I swear I will do anything to keep you safe
-

Shavri trembled, and Randale's arm tightened around her shoulder.
“
Is she likely to be Chosen anytime soon?
”

Vanyel did not answer immediately. :
'Fandes?:
he called, softly.
:Are you awake?:

:And following the conversation. Yes, provided it's needful for her to get the training and she stays as sweet as she is. I'd say by age ten. Maybe sooner, two years from now. :

“
Yfandes guesses that if she needs the training, between age eight and ten. Remember, for the presumptive King's Own, that won't be a bonded Choosing - she won't bond until - until she gets the office. Then she'll bond with Taver.'' Vanyel ignored both Shavri's frightened face and Randale's elation.
“
So, given that - there's a little something she and I ought to do.
”

He focused himself
down
again, pulling on Yfandes' strength to assist his own, and thanking the gods he could do so, because Jisa should not remain as open as she was now. This time he did not close his eyes, but locked them with the child's, and showed her without words - for she did not yet have sufficient Mindspeech to use words- how to shield herself from unwanted thoughts and emotions, and unshield again at will. He was, he feared, the only person who
could
have taught her at this stage; Empathy not being a normal Heraldic Gift, and most Healers not using it in the way a Herald-Mage could.

He showed her how to find her center - she knew with an instant of studying
him
how to ground. The fundamentals it had taken him so long and so painfully to learn came to her with the ease of breathing, perhaps because learning
was
as easy as breathing at her age, and perhaps because
his
learning had come at the cost of so much loss and pain that had nothing to do with his Gifts.

“
- there. That should hold her until she's got enough to be taught formally. Teach her yourself, Shavri. You won't find anyone in the Heralds with Empathy as strong as hers. When she's got it at full power, she'll be able to control a mob in full cry.
”

Shavri had herself back under control again, and the smile she gave Vanyel was genuine.
“
Thank you, love.
”

He shrugged.
“
No thanks needed. Before I forget it - I brought you two some 'pretties' also.
”

Shavri took the pendant with an exclamation of genuine delight as he handed the matching cloak-brooch to Randale.
“
Van, you shouldn't have -
”
she began.

“
Of course I should have,
”
he said.
“
Who else have I got to bring things to?
”
It came out bleaker than he intended.

“
Oh, Van -
”
Her eyes softened, and Randale cleared his throat and blinked. They reached out in the same moment and each took one of his hands. He closed his eyes, and for an instant allowed himself to feel a part of their closeness.

But it was
their
closeness, not his.

And I have no right.

“
Mama, I have lessons,
”
said a small voice, still at I Vanyel's knee.

“
Bright Havens,
 
so you do!
”
 
Shavri exclaimed
“
Van -
“

“
Go,
”
he said, wrinkling his nose at her. “I'll be back in a few weeks, and maybe this tyrant of a King will let me stick around for a while this time.
”

She shooed Jisa out and followed her with the light step of a young girl. Randale's gaze followed both of them.

“
You sire wonderful children, Van,
”
he said softly.

“You
raise better ones,
”
 
Vanyel replied, uneasily.
“You
are Jisa's papa, don't you ever forget it. I was nothing more than the convenient means to a rather attractive little end.
”

The King relaxed visibly.
“
I keep thinking you're going to want her back-especially now that she's showing Gifts. She's more like you than you know.
”

Vanyel laughed.
“
Whatever would I
do
with her? Great I good gods, what kind of a parent would
I
make? I can't even train the palace cats to stay off my pillow! No, Randi, she's all yours, in everything that counts.
I
would rather be Uncle Van, who gets to spoil her.
”

Randale reached out without looking and snagged a chair with one hand. He swung it around and put it in front of Vanyel.
“
She'd make a good Queen.
”

“
She'd make a very bad Queen,
”
Vanyel replied, draping himself over it as Randale took another.
“
The things that make a
good
Monarch's Own are weakness in the Monarch.
”

“
Like?
”

“
Empathy. She'd be vulnerable to everyone with a petition and the passion to back it. She'd be tempted to use projective Empathy on her Council to make them vote
her
way. MindHealer are
drawn
to the unbalanced; but a Monarch can't waste time dealing with every Herald in trauma she encounters.
”
Vanyel shook his head.
“
No. Absolutely not. Jisa is going to be a lovely young woman and a good Monarch's Own; be satisfied with that.
”

Randale gave him a wry look.
“
You sound very sure of yourself.
”

“
Shouldn't I be?'' Vanyel folded his arms over the back of the chair and rested his chin on them.
“
Forgive me if I sound arrogant, but other than Savil, I
am
the expert in these things. Ask my aunt when I'm not around and I'll bet money she'll tell you the same thing.
”

Randale shrugged, and scratched the back of his head.
“
I guess you're right. I was hoping you'd back me, though-
”

“
Why?
”
Vanyel interrupted.
“
So you can have something else to pressure Shavri into marrying you?
”

Randale winced at his bluntness, and protested weakly,
“
But that's - I mean-dammit, Van, I
need
her!
”

Gods, so young . . . so uncertain of himself, of her. So afraid that without
bonds
he won't hold her. “
You think she doesn't need you? Randi, she's your
lifebonded,
do you really
need
any further hold on her than that? She'd rather die than lose you!
”

Randale studied the back of his hand.
“
It's just ... I want something a little more-
”

“
Ordinary?
”
Vanyel finished wryly.
“
Randi, Heralds are
never
ordinary. If you wanted 'ordinary,' you should have become a blacksmith.
”

Randale shook his head.

Vanyel gritted his teeth and prepared to say to Randale what no one else could - or
would. “
Now you
listen
to me. You're making her miserable with the pressure you've been putting on her. She's doing exactly what she should; she's putting Valdemar and Valdemar's King ahead of her own wishes.
”

Mostly.

“
She knows the situation we have just as well as you do, but
she's
willing to face it. Things went to pieces when your grandmother Elspeth died, and they've been getting worse since-steadily.
”

“
I'm not
blind,
Van,
”
Randale interrupted.
“
I -
”

“
Quiet, Randi. I'm making a speech, and I don't, often. I want you to
think.
There's a very real probability that you'll have to buy us peace on one of our Borders with an alliance marriage -
exactly
how your grandmother bought us peace with Iftel. And why do you think she never married Bard Kyran after your grandfather died, hmm? She knew her duty, and so should you. You
have
to stay free for that.
”

Randale was flushing; Vanyel didn't need Empathy to know he was getting angry.
“
So what business is it of yours?
”
he burst out.
“
I thought you were a friend -
”

“
I am. But I'm a Herald first. And my first duty is to Valdemar, not to you.
”
Vanyel sat straight up and let his face grow very cold; knowing what he was doing and hating himself for it. Randi
wanted
his friend, and at some levels,
needed
his friend. He was going to
get
Herald-Mage Vanyel Ashkevron.
“
You, Herald-King Randale, cannot permit your personal feelings to interfere with the well-being of this kingdom. You are as much Herald as I. If you cannot reconcile yourself to that - give up the Crown.''