Winds Of Fury

Elspeth?' he asked tremulously. 'Have you never seen those features before? Are there no portraits in your home in Valdemar of your ancestor and mine?'

The spirit folded his arms over his chest. It looked, perversely, as if he was enjoying this. It was hard to feel frightened of someone who had that kind of mischievous twinkle in his eyes - or whatever passed for eyes.

'My ancestor?' she repeated, feeling remarkably stupid. 'I mean, it looks like he's wearing old Herald's Whites, but I don't - I mean, there isn't anyone in the royal family who looks like - there's no one in the Royal Gallery who - '

Firesong regained a little more color. 'Elspeth, have you no eyes in your head?' he asked, in a much steadier - and rather impatient - tone. 'Look at him. Look at me! This is Vanyel. Your great-great-many-times-great grandfather, and mine. Herald Vanyel. The last Herald-Mage, Elspeth. Ally of the Clans.'

Her mouth dropped open. The apparition winked broadly :Very good, Firesong,: he said.

:Close your mouth, granddaughter,: said a voice she knew was only in her mind this time :You look very pretty, but not overly bright that way. There is no Veil to hold insects out; something might fly right down your throat.:

She snapped her mouth shut and blushed in confusion.

She was not the only one with a reaction to the identification. 'If that is Vanyel,' Skif said, and gulped, 'then this must be - the Forest of Sorrows!'

She knew even as he said it that Skif was right. But how? How had they gotten here? Skif might well gulp, for she had thought there was a reasonable limit on how far one could Gate - and this was well beyond that limit. As nearly as she could reckon, they were more than the length of Valdemar off-course, and none of them had ever been up here before, not even Skif.

This was insane. Or else, she had gone insane. Or it was a dream -

:It's not a dream,: Gwena said, lipping her to prove it.

:No, it's not a dream,: the spirit said, still smiling :And you haven't all gone mad. This is Sorrows and I am Vanyel Ashkevron. I am still in the service of the Goddess and Valdemar. I brought you here.:

She could only blink. If this was Vanyel - no, who else could it be? It must be. If her mage-senses weren't supporting his claims, she would have thought he was just someone playing a trick on all of them. 'Ah, I'm sorry, but - I've never seen a ghost before - I - ' she stammered in confusion.

Firesong continued to stare at the spirit, but there was a certain expression of growing accusation on his face. And well there might be, since this ghostly Vanyel had just run roughshod over their plans with this little excursion.

Elspeth tried to shake her thoughts loose. If this was Vanyel, then this was the spirit of one of the most pivotal Heralds of all time. His death had ended the age of Herald-Mages. And if her researches in the Archives were correct, he was also personally responsible for the fact that it was impossible for magic to be performed or even thought of inside the borders of Valdemar. She had a million questions in her mind, and was afraid to ask any of them.

But another thought occurred to her suddenly. What if this was still some kind of trick? Just because he was a Herald, then....

:It is Vanyel,: Gwena repeated, in reply to the unvoiced suspicion. Elspeth could sense that she was seriously shaken :And this is not a trap or, at least, not a trap of an enemy. Trust me in this.:Then, as if to herself, she added, :This was not in the plan.:

Before Elspeth could react to either statement, the spirit himself replied - his smite fading, and being replaced with a look of stern seriousness :There have been many things done that were not in the 'plan,' sister,: he said, without apology :And for the better. I have many reasons to be less than fond of predestined paths. And it would be wise for you and Rolan to recall that plans seldom survive the first engagement with the enemy. A plan that has been in operation as long as this one of yours should never have lasted as long as it did.:

Gwena's head came up, and her eyes widened, as if she had not expected to be chided. She staggered back a step.

Vanyel's smile returned, this time for Elspeth. :Personally, I think you have been doing well, especially for someone who had to constantly fight 'plans' that had been made without her consent or knowledge.:He glanced from Elspeth to Darkwind and back :I think you will upset a few more plans before you're through. Things should be very interesting for you, at any rate, once you reach Haven. For what it's worth, you have my sympathy.:

'This is a fine family chat. I'm having a delightful time. May I interrupt and ask how in the silver skies did you bring us here?' Firesong demanded.