This story takes place in Mercedes Lackey's Heralds of
Valdemar world. It takes place sometime after the Founding, and before the
events in Magic's Pawn. I apologize beforehand on any mistakes about Mercedes
world that I make due to ignorance. I have read her books, but there are still
somethings that she hasn't revealed yet. Disclaimer: I don't own the Sentinel
and its characters, or the Heralds, and I intend no infringments. This is
purely for entertainment purposes only, and no money has changed hands. Alright
on with the story. Rated NC-17 for graphic depictions of sex between two
males(J/B), violence, and rape. Don't even bother reading it if youa re under
age, or any of the above offends you in some manner. NOTE: The Argites and the
Malrorian's are of my own creation. They do not exist in Mercedes world. Their
location is just southeast of Rethwellan, and is part of Karse. They are two
small countries that I figure eventually will be swallowed by Karse. But for
now they are seperate from Karse.
Jim lifted his head at the sound of the key clicking in the lock. Pupils
dialated fully gathering in the pinpoints of light that filtered through the
entrance door, Jim could see clearly the guards that had come for him. He
easily recognized the big red-bearded seargent that had been one of the guards
who had dragged him into the cell from the slave block were he had been sold.
He had also been the first to take his pleasure in raping Jim.
Jim figured that it had only been a few days since he had been sold to the
Argite temple by his previous master.
Wondering if this was to be a repeat performance of the first night, Jim
prepared himself for a fight.
Since being captured during the Argite-Malrorian skirmish and sold into
slavery in Argite, Jim had been raped numerous times by his masters and his
masters' guards, but never once had he just rolled over and taken their cocks
up his ass. They had paid for their pleasure with bruises and sometimes even
broken bones. Every stripe on Jim's back was a badge that showed those who
cared to look that the ex-mercenary was not broken. Now, though, Jim was beginning
to believe that the Shadow Lover's kiss was coming closer, and it had never
felt more real.
Jim's thought were brought back to the present as the red-beard and the
other guard with him walked into the cell.
"Let's go, Blue Eyes, its time." red-beard smiled as he came
forward with the iron manacles. The brief struggle that ensued left a bruise on
red-beards cheek, a broken nose for the other guard, and a kick to Jim's
already bruised groin. they locked the manacles on Jim's wrists, securing the
ex-mercenary's hands behind his back. A chain leash attached to the iron slave
collar he had worn for ten years was used to lead him out of the Temple's
dungeons.
In a guilded bath chamber, Jim was stripped of his worn clothing and
scrubbed with a strong lye soap that effectively killed the parasites he had
collected in the damp cell, and his dark brown hair was cropped close against
his skull. Once he was scrubbed clean, he was held down while a eunuch used a
straight razor to shave the wiry hair that surrounded his bruised cock. Once
that was done, he was led nude into another chamber where the Argite priests
awaited.
Jim was lain on an altar, secured in a spread-eagle position. Candles were
lit, and the ceremonial knife was placed in a lit brazier. the chanting began.
Outside the Temple in the market place, a horse trader began his sell of his
horseflesh. Inside one of the corrals a young white stallion stood staring at
the Temple.
Something is wrong, Delian thought. He began to stamp impatiently,
ignoring the horses around him who seemd a bit frightened of the big stallion.
Bells from the Temple began to toll, and Delian could swear he heard chanting
in his head. Fear forced his hooves. Neighing a challenge, Delian leaped the
fence easily. He landed on the other side with a jolt, then broke into a dead
run toward the Temple ignoring the cries and shouts that followed him. Nothing
else mattered to the Companion except to reach the Temple in time.
The knife was withdrawn from the brazier by the head priest. Jim lay upon
the altar, having been turned onto his back now, bleeding after the priests,
twelve in all, had thrusted their erect cocks into the ex-mercenary as part of
the ritual. Only one thrust however, from each of them, then they had
ejaculated into a silver cup. The head priest came forward, the knife glowing a
deep red from the heat. Jim struggled against his bonds usessly.
He tried his best not to scream as the hot knife was pressed against the
left side of his cock and balls. At that moment, while the pain clouded Jim's
mind, the doors to the room were pounded open, and a furious white stallion
with bright blue eyes came inside screaming an equine scream of rage. The knife
was dropped before it could finish as the priest suddenly became afraid. They
began to mumble prayers, and confessing past sins in their fear.
Jim was breathing heavily, panting through the pain when he heard the
strange bell like sound of Delian's hooves on the marble floor. Strong teeth
bit through the leather straps that bound Jim's wrists and ankles. Jim turned
his head, blinking back tears, and icy blue eyes met bright blue ones, and Jim
was lost in their depths.
*I am Delian and I Choose you.*A soft mindvoice said, *Hurry,
Chosen. We must leave quickly.* Jim recognized the being for what he was.
He had heard of Valdemar and its legendary Companions. Once his limbs were
free, Jim slowly got to his feet with Delian's shoulder to lean against. Delian
led Jim to a downed guard. As Jim's hand kept contact with his shoulder, Delian
sent his meager healing abilities toward his Chosen in an attempt to lessen the
pain, and provide a foundation for future Healing.
Jim knelt down and stole the breeches from the guard, and placed them on
himself. The burn wound had ebbed down to a dull ache which he was able to
ignore.
*Come Chosen. We leave this Hell behind.* The Companion said.
Jim swung up onto the Companion's back easily. He could hear guards making
their way to the room, and he wondered how they were going to get away.
*Easily.*the Companion answered, then leaped over the fallen body and
raced toward the stain glass window. Jim easily stayed on and he ducked low
over the white neck as the Companion leaped breaking through the glass. Colored
glass rained over them in a shower of refracted light as the Companion landed
lightly on the cobblestones outside the temple, then broke into a full gallop.
Jim had been on horses since he could toddle, but he had never been on a
beast as fast as the Companion. Jim leaned low over the stallion's neck and
enjoyed the feeling of freedom that came from the flying speed.
People and animals scattered as they rode through the city heading for the
gates. At the gates, the guards tried to stop them, but the Companion continued
his charge. The gates were open and the guards were trying to lower the
portcullis. The stallion passed through the gates with seconds to spare as
behind the portcullis slammed into the ground.
Once on the road, the Companion slowed to a canter that was faster than a
real horse could run, but was easier on his injured rider. There was no chance
of pursuit. No horse could hope to keep up with a Companion.
Jim slumped over the Companion's back. the shock of his injuries and his
timely rescue was sapping his strength.
*Can you stay on?* the Companion asked.
Jim felt affronted, "I have NEVER fallen off a horse." Jim's
people were literally born on the backs of horses. Children were taught to ride
before they were taught anything else. Unlike the Shinain, though, Jim's people
did not have magically created horses. When Jim had joined his first mercenary
company, he had to learn how to ride in a saddle. His people never used saddle
or bridle on their horses. Their horses were trained to respond to signals, not
reins. No horse of his people would ever accept a saddle on its back.
The Companion recieved Jim's whole life through the mindlink. Delian saw Jim
as a young lad on his black gelding his father had gifted him for his seventh
Naming Day. He saw Jim and his father arguing, and Jim chased from his home
because of his abilities. He saw Jim sign up with his first Mercenary Company,
Norin's Eagles. He saw Jim's first battle, his first kill, the first time he
was with a woman. Then he saw Jim, Captain of his own Mercenary Company, Jim's
Jaguars. Delain lived the battle that found Jim in the hands of an enemy. Sold
into slavery, the slave collar locked around his throat. The first time he was
raped, and every rape thereafter. The whippings, the brandings, the
rapes...everything passed through Delian's mind in a flash, and his heart broke
for his Chosen. Delain used his own gifts, the gifts of Mindhealing, and began
to set the foundation in his Chosen's mind for healing. Right now Jim could
never tolerate the touch of a man, he could not live inside a dwelling because
the claustraphobia would tear him apart. All this and so much more needed to be
healed, because a sentinel needed a guide, and Delian only knew of one Herald
that was guide material.
"YYYYYEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWW!" The shout resounded
through the Companion's field, and everyone there looked up in time to see a
Companion mare and her chosen racing through the field.
Herald-Mage Blair leaned low over his Companion's neck as they raced through
the field at breakneck speed. Aria loved to run. She was the fastest Companion
next to the King's Own Companion, Rhuare.
They were coming toward the the low fence that surrounded the field. Blair
shifted his weight automatically as Aria leaped the fence. Landing lightly on
the other side, she pivoted on her hindquarters, and reared up. Neighing at the
top of her lungs, then her forehooves regained the ground. Blair threw back his
head and laughed in pleasure. His people, the Shin'a'in, knew the pleasure in
riding horses, but not even a Shin'a'in battlemare could equal riding a
companion. When Blair's mage powers began to surface, he decided that leaving
the Plains he had known as his home for so long was the only answer. He did not
want to be a shaman, nor did he want his powers taken away. His search for his
bethren, the Tale'edras, the Hawkbrothers, hand ended when in a small
bordertown he was accosted and beaten. His attackers had been about to rape him
when Aria had appeared. She had killed his attackers, stomping them into fine
red dust, then Chosen him on the spot. Aria then had taken him to Haven where
the Herald-mages had taught him the use of his gifts.
A familiar sound of Companion hooves, like bells ringing, reached his ears,
and Blair tuned to see the King's Own Herald Simon riding toward them on his
Companion Rhuare. Simon was a tall dark skinned man from the far south. Very
few people knew the history of the King's Own, some said not even the King. But
Blair had learned to like and respect the man.
"Blair I need you to report to the Healers."
"What's the matter?" Blair asked as Aria fell into stop beside the
big stallion.
"Your student, Rafe, just had an accident in the work room. Luckily the
shields in the room kept the energy from leaking out, but Rafe was burned
pretty bad. The Healers are caring for him now."
"Dammit, I told him not to work without me around. Damn stubborn
fool." Blair muttered and Aria launched into a gallop.
Inside the Healer's Collegium, a healer student showed Blair to Rafe's room.
The Herald-Mage trainee was a little older than Blair, having been chosen not
more than four years ago. Blair had been thirteen when he had been Chosen.
"I'm sorry, Herald-Mage Blair. I shouldn't have tried to practice
without you." Rafe said in a low voice tinged with pain.
"Easy Rafe, I'll yell at you when you’re better. Right now, you need to
take it easy. Don't go laying a guilt trip on yourself, okay, kestra."
Rafe nodded. Blair waited until Rafe had fallen asleep, then went in search
of the Healer treating him.
"How is he?" Blair asked Healer Rhonda.
"Stable. He'll survive barring any complications. He was burned mostly
on his chest and shoulder, but he should have full use of his arm if he sticks
to an excercise regimen. There will be scarring, but not to bad. All in all,
I'd say Rafe got lucky." Healer Rhonda said. Blair released the breathe he
had been holding.
Later, Blair knocked on Simon's door.
"Come on in, Blair." Simon said.
"I don't know if I can do it anymore," Blair said all in a rush.
"Accidents happen, Blair. Students are always going to test the
limits."
"Perhaps if I were older, he would listen to me."
"That old tune again? Blair, you may be young but you have a lot of
experience. And your the strongest Herald-Mage here. Your an Adept-class mage.
You've been working with the nodes for so long your hair is practically all
silver."
"But my face is still young. The students like Rafe look at me, and
they see a kid. How can a kid teach them something."
"Alright, Blair. I don't understand how you feel, but I am trying. How
about we transfer your students to Joel. His last student just got his whites,
so he's free to teach. We'll give you some time to work it out. Luckily, the
borders appear to be quiet. Have you talked to Henri yet?"
"No. I was a bit surprised that I didn't find him with Rafe."
"Does he even know?"
"Lifebonded pairs know when the other is in danger, or hurt. I'm sure
he did. Perhaps the Healers had to sedate him. That happens sometimes. The
other will get hysterical or shut down completely when the one of them is badly
hurt."
Simon nodded. "Rafe and Henri are the only lifebonded pair here. We
know so little about the bond."
"Its a bit more common among the Shin'a'in. Our healer was lifebonded
to his mate."
"Any news from White Foal Pass?"
Simon shook his head, "No. After the fiasco with those barbarians,
things seemed to have calmed down, for now."
"Megan doing alright."
"She's still recovering from the mage battle. She did a good job taking
out that dark mage and his two apprentices. Still no word for when she will be
coming back."
"When we do, I want to go out and meet her half way."
"If nothing else comes up, I'll let you."
Delian stopped on the outskirts of the small bordertown. From the distance,
the Companion could see the Valdemarian guards in their blue and silver in the
bordertown. Jim was slumped over Delian's neck, half asleep. There was a
Healing Temple in the town, Delian knew that. He was afraid of how Jim was
going to react to healers. Sighing, the big Companion continued his trot toward
the town.
The guards were a bit taken back by the Companion's rider. Jim was still
only wearing breeches, and the heavy iron slave collar. His back bore the
evidence of his enslavement, and the guards took pity upon the sentinel.
Luckily the guards seemed to understand what Delian wanted, since Jim was to
out of it from the Healing energies Delian sent him, and the throbbing pain he
could still feel. The guards showed Delian to the House of Healing in the town.
The Healer, Dionne, took one look at Jim, and knew immedialty that she would
need to handle him with kid gloves all the way.
"If you would please, Companion." She began,"Bring him
inside. We'll take care of him."
Delian bobbed his head in agreement, and walked inside the Temple, his
hooves ringing off the stone floors. Dionne led the companion into a private
sick room. With the companions help, Dionne was able to maneuver Jim onto a
bed, carefully. The sentinel flinched from her touch, but his Companion's warm
presence kept him calm. Dionne used her abilities to put the already weary
Sentinel to sleep, so that she could deal with his injuries without causing
undue alarm.
Once the sentinel was layed in bed, Dionne quickly, but with care, removed
the breeches which had dried on them. The first thing she saw was the angry
red, blistering burn on the sentinel's penis.
Brionee gasped in shock of the wound. A closer examination revealed that he
wound was Healing, and Brionne knew that it was the work of the Companion.
Using her own abilities, she augmented the Companions Healing with her own.
Immediatly the blistering healed, and the redness went down. Extending her
Healing touch outward, Brionne discovered the tears caused by the recent rape,
as well as the scars made by past rapes. Biting her lip to hold back tears,
Brionne sent her Healing into that area. She found the old scars from
whippings, and the bruising from more recent beatings.
When she was done, she stood up and looked at the Companion who had been
silently standing behind her.
"The burn was pretty bad, as you know. There is some permanent damage,
and it will scar heavily. I would suggest you have the Healers at Haven look at
it. The redness and swelling will go down within the next few hours."
The Companion nodded his proud white head, and Brionne covered the sleeping
man, and left the room.
Delian watched the Healer leave then placed his nose on the sentinel's
shoulder and continued sending his mindhealing abilities to his chosen.
The next day, Jim awoke in the strange Temple of Healing. He was relieved to
see the Companion standing near his bed. The door opened and Jim looked up in
time to see a woman wearing green robes come inside carrying a delicious
smelling tray.
"Good morning, are you hungry? I have breakfast."
Jim narrowed his eyes, wondering what she wanted in return for the breakfast
she had brought.
Brionne saw the sentinel's eyes narrow, but she refused to let that deter
her.
"You probably don't remember but this is The Temple of Healing for
Three Falls. You are in Valdemar now and your Companion brought you here so
that we could attend to your wounds." She sat the tray near on a small
table next to the bed he was lying on.
Jim watched her movements carefully. The Companion seemed to trust her, and
he didn't think such a creature would steer him wrong. He hoped the Companion
wouldn't.
*Its alright, Healer Dionne will not hurt you. You are safe now, my
Chosen. Rest, eat. When you are better we will continue toward Haven.*
Jim couldn't help but be comforted by the Companion's mind voice.
The Healer placed the tray on rolling tray that moved over the bed, and
removed the cloth that covered it. The food was fruit, and eggs, cheese, milk
and flapjacks with butter and maple syrup. Jim enjoyed the taste so much that
if the Companion hadn't been shielding him he would have zoned on the taste.
For ten years all he had eaten if he had eaten were sometimes table scraps from
his Masters' tables, or gruel and little water.
Jim finished off everything from his plate, and a full stomach made him
sleepy. Healer Dionne smiled at the sentinel as she removed the empty tray. The
sentinel closed his eyes and slept again.
Later Dionne brought a locksmith fromt he town who was able to remove the
heavy slave collar Jim had worn for ten years. Jim felt the lack of its weight
immediately. The skin beneath was scarred from the rough abuse caused by people
using the collar to control him, or hold him, and Dionne was upset that she
could do nothing for the scarring on his neck, nor the scars on his back. The
sentinel would have the reminders of his slavery.
That afternoon, Jim, clean and dressed in borrowed breeches, shirt and boots
mounted up on the bare back of his Companion. He had thanked Dionne for her
help, but the closed in walls of the Temple had started to close in, and he
felt strong enough to continue.
Delian had felt the panic rising in his Chosen, and had decided reluctantly
that getting on the road would be best.
They traveled at a quick but easy pace. Delian would stop each night at a
Waystation, and Jim would use the brushes found within to curry the Companion's
coat, the food to feed them both. Afterwards Jim would sleep with his head
pillowed against the Companion's shoulder with only the night air around them.
A fortnight later...
Jim tried to make his six foot plus frame small as he hunched down over his
Companion's back as Delian manuevered through the streets of Haven. Normally
the smells, sights and sounds would overwhelm the sentinel, but Delian had
placed his own shields over his Chosen's senses, and would keep them there
until Jim could bond with his Guide and his Guide could shield him. Such was
the way of the Sentinel/Guide bond. The Guide brought into the bond the ability
to create maleable shields for the sentinel. Shields in which the sentinel
would learn to pierce through with his senses when needed, but would
effectively protect him from sensual assault. The shields Delian had on Jim's
senses were not maleable. The kept the sentinel from using them and from being
assaulted.
Delian trotted up to the Herald gate where all newly chosen Herald's were brought
through so that the process could be quickened and the new Herald could be
assigned to a Mentor and Teacher.
The guard there waved the Companion on through and sent a runner with a
message to the Collegium.
Herald Simon read the message that the runner had brought. The guard had
recognized the Companion as Delian and had sent the runner directly to Simon
quickly. Simon knew Delian to be a Mindhealer. Delian had dissapeared over five
months before to look for his Herald, and some had feared the Companion had
been killed or captured. Though the other Companions had assured the Heralds
that Delian wasn't dead they could not say where he was. All anyone knew was
that when he showed up with his newly bonded Herald that they would have a
delicate situation on their hands.
*Take Blair with you, Chosen.* Rhuare said in his mind.
*Why?*, Simon asked his Companion.
His skill will be needed. That seemed to be all the Companion
had to say.
Simon found Blair rather easily at the Healer's Temple. Henri had been
sedated by the Healer's and Blair was with both Henri and Rafe at that moment.
"Blair, I need to talk to you for a second." Simon said.
Blair stood up and followed Simon out of the room, "What's wrong,
Simon?"
"Delian came in today with his Chosen."
"Shit. How bad is it?" Blair asked.
Don't know. Rhuare wanted me to bring you to meet them. Don't ask why
though."
Blair's face went blank then he refocused his eyes on Simon, "Aria
thinks its a good idea to. Guess we need to see what they are conspiring
about."
Delian was waiting for them outside the Herald Collegium with his Chosen
still seated on his bare back. Blair looked at the man that Delian had chosen.
He was surprised that Delian's chosen was an adult. They usually Chose children
around thirteen. As they got closer, Blair could see the strange ring of scars
around the man's neck, and the scars on his face and arms. Blair's eyes went to
the man's eyes and he felt himself being swept away in the blue depths. It felt
almost as if he had been Chosen, again.
Simon smiled as he approached the man. The Chosen swung his leg around and
slid down the Companion's shoulder to the ground at their approach.
"Welcome to Haven." Simon said.
The man looked at them suspiciously.
Simon was not deterred, "My name is Herald Simon, this is Herald-Mage
Blair."
"Jim." was all the man said and Simon took it as the man's name.
"Look, I don't want to be a bother. But is there a Mercenary Guild House
here. I need to report. Oh and here is your Companion back."
Simon and Blair looked at each other, then Blair looked at Jim, "There
is no Mercenary Guild House in Valdemar. Jim, I don’t think you fully realise,
but Delian Chose you. He's your Companion."
"Look. I mean I'm glad he helped me and all, but I have to report in.
The Guild needs to know what happened. Maybe they can get the others out as
well."
"Others?" Simon asked.
"My men. At least those that survived. I don't know if they are still
alive or not."
"Where are your men?"
"In Argite."
"Is that were you’re from?" Blair asked.
Jim looked at him with hard blue eyes, "No. That's where I been held in
slavery for the past ten years."
Blair tried not to gasp at the statement and succeeded for the most part. He
understood now why the man was hesitant toward them and it also explained the
scars on his neck.
"You believe your men are being held too. Ten years. That means you
were part of the Argite-Malrorian battle. I thought that no prisoners had been
taken."
"They took prisoners alright. We were sold on their slave markets. I
don't know what happened to the rest of them." "We'll send a
messenger to Rethwellan. They can get it to the Guild House there. Will that
do?"
"Yeah, yeah, thanks, that will do."
There was an awkward silence for a moment then Blair broke it, "Come
on. I'll show you to your room."
Blair watched as Jim became visibly shaken and shook his head saying,
"No. No not inside."
Then Blair realised. Stupid. He's been a slave for ten years. The
claustrophobia is probably driving him crazy.