“Will it be a separate Link?”
“To what?”
“To mine and Per’s?”
He started to nod, then stopped. “It can be, or we can Link them to your Link.” He stood for a moment. “That could work better actually. If Val’s Link to Per is stronger, it would strengthen the Link to Ivo or Holland, which could make Per stronger too…” He waved his hand at her and rushed off.
Valerie shrugged, assuming he would let her in on whatever he was thinking when he was ready. She turned back to watch Per. He was lying on his back now, looking like a strange, giant cat.
You’re strange, with your hair and gangly limbs, he seemed to giggle in her mind.
She smiled and it almost felt like her mind was patting his. In her mind’s eye, an image flashed accompanying the feeling; she was sitting with a smaller Per, he was in her lap and she was stroking him as he gambolled around.
If you’re awake, I think Jon wants to try the Link, she said.
Should I come back to the barge? He rolled onto his stomach and looked over at her, blinking slowly.
She shrugged. I’ll ask Jon. She waved and turned to find Jonathan.
“Peredur wants to know if you need him to come back to the barge,” she asked.
“That would be good. I think it would be best to make actual physical contact.”
He said yes, please, she said to Peredur.
I know, I hear what you hear, he burbled.
Is that always?
If Griffin focussed his thoughts, he could shield them from me sometimes. But there was not much call for it.
If you’re going to be in my mind all the time, there has to be no judging, okay?
He sounded like he was laughing. Only as long as you don’t judge me either.
What on earth would you think that I would judge you for? She smiled.
“What’s going on?” Jonathan distracted her.
“Nothing. Just talking with Per.”
The barge wobbled a bit as Peredur nudged it to show he was there.
“Let’s do this,” Jonathan said.
Valerie thought he looked a lot like he was thinking on his feet, and she hoped he knew what he was doing. She really did not want any more minds in her own than she needed. She started to wonder if she should not have chosen to stay Linked, but as soon as she had thought it she knew she could not have done that. There was a hum in her mind as though Peredur was purring.
“Val, I need you to take Ivo’s and Holland’s hands. I want you to see whose mind seems to be drawn to the Link while I engage it.” She took one of each man’s hands in hers. “Ivo, take Holland’s hand. I will place one hand on yours and the other on Peredur.”
“Like this?” Ivo asked.
Jonathan nodded and put his hand over Ivo’s and Holland’s grasped hands.
“Okay. Now everyone close your eyes, breathe deeply, and let’s see if this works.”
Valerie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She heard Jonathan muttering under his breath. She could feel Peredur’s mind like a cover over her own, and it felt like Ivo’s and Holland’s minds hovered at the edge of her mind.
As before, an image floated in her mind of the feeling; she could almost see her and Peredur standing as one while the other two stood nearby. Ivo seemed to stand closer, and was more brightly coloured. Holland looked faded, like the difference between looking at a reflection in a mirror and in water.
Jonathan’s mumbling stopped. “Val, whose mind is stronger?”
“Ivo is more…solid…he seems closer.”
“She’s right. It’s like I’m looking through fog,” Holland said.
“Okay. Holland, you let go. Val take my hand.”
She felt Holland’s hand leave hers. She groped about and Jonathan’s familiar hand closed over her own. He joined her hand with Ivo’s other one, placed them both on Peredur’s head and placed his own hand on top of the pile.
“Okay, let’s do this,” she heard Jonathan say.
She nodded and Jonathan started chanting.
The image of Ivo in her mind moved closer to them and became more defined. She could feel the combined mind of her and Peredur pull and stretch, and Ivo’s mind seem to close over them. Her mind felt heavier, but it was a comfortable weight, warm.
She felt like the three of them had become one entity, but that there were two paths leading away from her, through fog and trees. One path led to quiet, a place where her mind could retreat to be on her own. The second path was harder to define. She could not see far along it, nor define the feeling she got when she put her foot upon it. It was a familiar, comfortable feeling, much like the path to her quiet place, but she knew it was not of her. She was about to walk down it, when Jonathan spoke and pulled her back to the leviathan Link.
“It’s done.” Jonathan sounded out of breath.
Her eyes flew open. Her mind was busy, thoughts from Ivo and Peredur clamoured in her mind. She could not understand what either one was thinking, just catch words here and there. She felt pain blossom behind her eyes. Her nose wrinkled as she tried stretching her forehead.
“We’ll train you up to be able to block thoughts unless you’re called,” Jonathan said, stretching his back.
“I can’t hear anything,” Ivo said.
Hello? Peredur said.
“I heard that!” Valerie heard Ivo think it before he said it.
Jonathan looked at Valerie. “You can hear their minds thinking.” She nodded and he turned to Ivo. “But you can only hear what is directed at you?”
Ivo shrugged. “I suppose.”
“And, Per?”
The same as Ivo, as it was with Griffin.
“Same as me,” Ivo said.
“He says it is the same as when he was Linked with Griffin.”
“That makes sense. Peredur’s mind is already used to a Link. Are you sure you’ve never been Linked, Ivo?”
“I would know, wouldn’t I?”
“Um…yes, that you would.”
“How can we train me to block out the other stuff?” Valerie asked. Images flashed in her mind of what the others were thinking of. Peredur was imagining chasing a fish that swam passed. Ivo was imagining practising to direct Peredur.
“It will get easier the further we travel from them,” Jonathan said. “The further apart you are, the more the Link moves to the back of your mind. But you will still sense them and you will hear anything strongly directed to you.”
“So I will still be able to talk to them?”
“When you need to or want to, yes,” Jonathan said.
She turned to Ivo and smiled. “Not that I would be very helpful with matters of barge driving.”
Ivo laughed, and Peredur laughed in her mind. “Perhaps not. But it will be nice to know how you’re going with your quest. Besides being in a Link with the crown princess of Mor might have its advantages.” He chuckled.
“Lord. Your father’s going to kill me,” Jonathan said, but he was smiling.
Valerie laughed.
Peredur left for a swim, and Jonathan and the new Captain Ivo made plans to move off again in the morning. They would be at their destination two days later than planned, but overall that did not seem such a bad setback. Lorira and its mountain range was not going anywhere.
She would be sad to leave her new friends, though it seemed the trend of this journey, but she was excited that the wizard could be so close.
Chapter Fourteen
Valerie and Jonathan had packed up their belongings, loaded Perry’s saddlebags and went in search of a second horse.
The dock at Southport bustled. It was one of the busiest places Valerie had ever seen. It made her realise how sheltered her life was in some respects. Sure, she had travelled. However, she started to wonder if she was only taken to previously approved towns and villages until the day she ran away.
People brushed past her as she pushed through
the busy crowd. Jonathan was at her side, leading Perry and carrying the extra bags with the clothes and other necessities bought from Kailan.
Ivo had offered to let them leave Perry and their belongings on the barge while they searched for another horse, but Jonathan felt it was easier to take everything with them and continue on. Ivo understood and Valerie said they would call if they needed anything.
“Southport is a trustworthy place, but there’s no use in Ivo and the crew staying longer than they need to,” Jonathan said as they pushed on down the dock.
“You’ve been here before then?”
He nodded absent-mindedly. “Once or twice with Hugh.” He was looking around and, try as she might, Valerie had no idea what he might have been looking for.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to take anything?” she asked for what seemed like the umpteenth time. She was only carrying her pack on her back and, while it had more in it than when she left the castle, it was still nothing compared to what Jonathan and Perry were hauling.
“It’s fine, Val,” he said, obviously not really paying attention.
“What are you looking for?”
“Just keeping an eye out. I thought I saw… Oh, never mind.” He adjusted the strap on his shoulder and looked at her. “I need to go and see a friend. She should be able to let us know who has horses for sale.”
“She?”
“Mm. Fina. Her father’s the blacksmith. She’s worked for him since her brother died in the war,” Jonathan said, but rather as though he was not really paying attention.
The crowd was finally starting to thin and the ground beneath them had turned from boardwalk to dirt, and was sloping upward. Valerie had a better chance to see around them now that she could see more than people’s heads and crates.
The path wound up into hills dotted with houses and other buildings. Smoke rose in wisps above many of the houses and Valerie could see people bustling about. There were farms around the buildings, and she could see people hard at work. Southport looked like a thriving town that seemed to have been barely touched by war or plague.
That or they’re incredibly resourceful, she thought.
Who are? she heard Ivo ask.
Sorry. Talking to myself.
She felt him smile. Not to worry. Call if you need anything.
Will do. Thank you.
She felt his presence diminish slightly and wondered if perhaps she was getting a better handle on keeping their background thoughts out.
“Where is the blacksmith?” Valerie asked.
“About halfway along the main street.” Jonathan pointed up the hill as though he could see it. Maybe he could. Valerie certainly could not.
“And the mountain range is ahead of us?” she asked, looking past the town. Behind it rose a mountain range, the tops of which were jagged and snow-capped.
“Yes. So we need to head in this direction anyway.” His step hesitated. “You do know it’s that mountain range, don’t you? We are going in the right direction?”
“The people of Clade said they heard the wizard lived in the Valspring Mountains. If that is them, then yes we are going in the right direction.”
“Because the people of Clade are so reliable,” Jonathan muttered sarcastically.
“Well, yes. I realised that. But it’s still somewhere to start, isn’t it?”
“It is. But do we really need to wander around lost and take more time than we need?”
“What? Did father give you a timeframe? ‘Get her home by Yuletide, Jonathan’,” she replied, doing a terrible impersonation of her father. Although the Council had wanted her to have a husband and a child on the way by Yuletide…
“No, he did not. But I’m sure he’d rather you were home in a timely manner.” He sounded angry and frustrated. She was not sure if it was her or something else.
“You didn’t have to come with me, Jonathan,” she said.
“I did. Or you would have been killed hundreds of times by now, I’m sure.”
“You can only die once, Jonathan.”
“If only that were true,” he scoffed.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. Just come along. We’re almost there.”
“Sorry to be such an inconvenience,” she huffed as they walked along.
She felt as though Peredur was hugging her in sympathy. She smiled to herself, glad that someone was on her side.
“Jonny!” she heard a woman call. She felt a twinge of…something at hearing someone else call him by his pet name.
“Fina!’ he called, sounding a good sight more cheerful than he just had and passing Valerie Perry’s reins.
She glared at his back as he walked over to a rather buxom young woman with long black hair. Valerie would have been surprised if she was more than twenty-five. She was wearing a shirt, trousers and a black apron, and held a hammer. She smiled hugely as Jonathan advanced and he certainly seemed pleased to see her. Valerie was certain of it when he hugged her.
Valerie came up to them and waited for Jonathan to introduce her.
“What are you doing this way? I thought you and Hugh were going up north.” She looked past Valerie as though she did not even see her. “Where’s Hugh?”
“He’s, uh, still touring.”
“What?” She blinked, looked at Valerie and then seemed to realise something. “Oh. Will you meet up with him later?”
“Possibly. But I have some things I need to do first.” He gestured Valerie forward. “This is Princess Valerie.”
Fina’s eyes widened and she bowed somewhat awkwardly. “It’s lovely to meet you, princess. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Valerie looked at Jonathan. “Only nice things, I hope,” she laughed to stave off the awkwardness she felt.
“Of course!” Fina smiled. “What do you need, Jon?”
“We need another horse. I was hoping you could point us towards anyone selling.”
“What kind of horse do you need?”
“Something like Perry. We have a lot of travelling to do, through a lot of terrains.”
“I think Old Man Peterson has one or two good ones. He’s the most likely to have what you’re after.”
“Great. Thanks, Fina.”
“Don’t mention it. If you need shoes shod, come back and I’ll sort you out.”
“Thanks, will do.” He waved, took Perry’s reins back and indicated Valerie follow him.
“Nice to meet you,” Valerie said.
“You too, princess,” Fina said, walking away. Valerie watched her go. Fina’s hips swayed and her hair shone magnificently in the sun.
Valerie ran to catch up with Jonathan, whose long legs had already carried him a fair distance.
“Old Man Peterson lives further up the hill.”
“Because you know everyone here, obviously,” she said, letting the sarcasm show.
“Hugh and I have spent some time here, yes.” He sounded cheerful now, despite her tone of voice. Not at all quick to snap at her like before.
Valerie wondered what sort of relationship he had with Fina that his mood could change so much. She also wondered why she had never heard of Fina before. She supposed that there were a great many people Johnathan and Hugh met on their travels that she did not know about. Even so, she felt now that there must be a lot more to Jonathan she did not know, and it made her feel uneasy.
“Here, Val,” Jonathan called, turning down a street.
Valerie followed as he walked into a yard at the end of the street. It was a small house, but nice. It was two storey and made of stone. There was a gate to the left of the house and Jonathan peered over it.
Valerie waited with Perry out the front.
“Hallo, can I help ye?” An old man hobbled around the side of the house from the right. He was frowning and the wispy white hair on his head made him look like an angry, wrinkly baby.
“Oh. I…um…” Valerie p
ointed to Jonathan and the old man turned.
The old man obviously recognised Jonathan because once he saw who it was – after a lot of squinting – he smiled. Jonathan turned and smiled in return.
“Mr Peterson!” Jonathan called, walking towards them.
“Jonathan, lad. What can I do for ye on this fine day? I wasn’t expecting ye back again anytime soon.”
“I was hoping you’d have a horse to sell my friend here?” he asked.
“Och, lad, anything for ye! I’ve got just the thing for a pretty lass like herself,” he said. “Comes from the same stock as young Perry there.” He turned and waved for them to follow.
Jonathan hurried to walk beside him, and Valerie and Perry brought up the rear. They followed the old man around the right side of the house and into a small paddock. There was what looked like a stable coming off of it, across from the wall of the house. Two horses stood in the paddock. One was black and white and one was a light tan.
“Ye can pick either of ‘em. They should serve ye the same as Perry has. I don’t ken what adventures yer up to this time, Jonathan. But both those girls will look after yer young lass,” the old man said.
Jonathan went bright red. “She’s not my lass, Mr Peterson.” He rubbed the back of his head self-consciously. “I’m just taking care of her.”
Mr Peterson laughed. “If she’s with ye she’ll need taking care of! Though she looks like she can handle that sword hanging by her side there.”
“That she can, sir.” Jonathan smiled. “I’m not sure who’s more in need of being looked after when we’re together, but I’d say we do a good job of watching each other’s backs.”
Mr Peterson nodded gravely. “That’s good, that is. Always want to be able to rely on yer companions, lad. Too many have learned that lesson in the last decade.”
“Aye, too true. Can I have a closer look at them?” Jonathan asked, pointing to the horses.
“By all means, lad. Ye two take yer time and let me know when ye’ve made yer choice. I’ll be in the house with a cup of strong coffee and some biscuits for when ye’re done.”
“Thank you.”
Valiant Valerie (Ballad of Valerie of Mor #1) Page 14