A/N As always, the world and wonder of Velgarth are the sole property of Mercedes Lackey. I feel privileged that she has allowed us to explore it.

Kyminn languished for years in the back of my brain as a short story about a backwoods Healer who helps an injured Companion. I tried to craft it in a manner that matched the quality of the tales in the anthologies.

Six months later, my hopeful little short story has grown into two novel-sized tales and budded a third.

I am constantly amazed at where this has ended up and I thank each and every one of you who has followed these tales for your encouragement, feedback, and correction. Kyminn wouldn't be here without you.

Raelynn Daria Mayne

Chapter 1

"Stand still! I swear Kyminn, you're worse than a small child waiting for the Midsummer parade!" Evin grinned and nudged Kyminn with an elbow to take the sting out his words.

Kyminn tried to produce a glower in reply, but failed. "I'm not fidgeting! I'm just resting my leg. I'm lame you know. The least you could have done was bring me a stool while we wait." It was honey-sweet and innocent.

Evin snorted. "Lame? Really? You seemed to have no problems keeping up with Renya in that game of dodge-tag at her birthday celebration yesterday."

Kyminn grinned at the memory. He'd arranged a small party for Renya and her friends to celebrate the occasion. Although she was, strictly speaking, a Healer Trainee, she was still a (now) ten-year-old child. Standing as he did as quasi-foster brother to the youngest Trainee, he'd thought it important to recognize that fact. The game of dodge-tag had been a lot of fun, with the participants lobbing balls of chalky rags at one another in an attempt to tag out all the members of the opposing team. Kyminn shifted his weight again. Dodge-tag was fun, but possibly a bit too strenuous for a fellow with a weak leg.

"How is she doing?" This time, Evin was more serious. While the Healers didn't coddle Renya, they did tend to keep a protective eye out for her. Her Gifts had emerged traumatically, when her family - along with most of their village - was slaughtered by Tedrels in their war against Valdemar. The then-nine year old had, unsurprisingly, had a difficult adjustment on her arrival at the Healer's Collegium.

"She's doing well." And she was. Kyminn and Renya had become good friends, initially because of their shared experiences of the Tedrel War, but it had developed into a solid brother-sister sort of friendship.

As Kyminn shifted again, Evin shook his head. "You really are as nervous as a cat, aren't you? This is only the first group of critically wounded who will be recovering here in Haven. There's going to be injured and escorts trickling in for the next few sennights."

A sigh. "I know. It's just that I left under such difficult circumstances. I was Avi's mentor, and I was assigned to help Delassia...I just want to make sure they're alright."

"Kyminn," and it was exasperated. "You were evacuated because you'd suffered serious physical and mental injury. It's not as though you wandered off to...go boating! Do you really think they're going to hold it against you?"

A faint reddening brushed across Kyminn's cheeks. "No. Well," he qualified, "I know they'll understand. I just want to see some of them and make sure they're alright. Make sure they know that I'm alright."

Evin eyed his fellow Healer and gave a grudging nod. "Good. For a moment there, I thought you were about to succumb to the usual Healer's hubris of insisting you should be able to fix absolutely anything if you just try hard enough; and then getting frustrated when that proves impossible."

A snort. "Don't worry about me. I gave up trying to do the impossible ages ago. Haven't attempted it for at least a week now."

Evin left off teasing his colleague and left Kyminn to his restless waiting. The older Healer stifled a yawn. This first convoy was a large one, containing as it did several wagons and more than 40 patients. For that reason, the group had overnighted a short distance outside the city, choosing to make their way through the twisted streets of Haven in the early hours, before the gates opened to the crush of daily traffic. Evin glanced at the brightening sky. The day promised to be unusually hot for early fall. Just as well they were doing this in the cool morning.

Someone in the gathered group of green-clad greeters gave a quiet shout and pointed. The first team was just now cresting the final curve towards the courtyard.

Kyminn forced himself to stand still, but that didn't keep him from craning his neck, searching the arrivals for familiar faces. In that he wasn't alone. Everyone at the Healer's Collegium knew someone who'd been serving in the war. Everyone wanted the same reassurances that their friends and colleagues had returned safely.

Hails and warm cries of greeting were suddenly drowned out by a tremendous clamour of barking. Three dark forms leapt from a wagon bed and arrowed directly towards Kyminn, paws scattering gravel in their wake.

Kyminn had barely enough time to drop to his knees and attempt to brace himself for the onslaught. He shortly found himself tumbled over by a thrashing, licking, wagging pile of dog. Tip and Bull - two scarred mastiffs who had been with Kyminn for four years now - and who had saved his life more than once. With them was Raff, a more recent addition to 'Kyminn's menagerie', a shaggy brown and black animal who had proved herself a superlative search and rescue beast. The tangle of canine greeting left Kyminn breathless with delight.

A strong, green-sleeved arm reached into the melee and extricated Kyminn. A mental request from the Healer and the dogs withdrew, but their happy gyrations continued. Evin shook his head. "I take it these aren't the friends you were expecting?"

"No," but Kyminn was still grinning, "But I'm certainly glad to see them again! I just wonder if someone sent them - hoping they'd help me - or brought them…" He broke off and gave a gleeful shout of greeting.

"Tysen!" Tysen's nearly seven-foot height meant that the Healer was distinctive in any crowd. Tysen gave a small wave from the back of a wagon and a lopsided grin, gesturing for Kyminn to remain where he was.

So focused was he on Tysen, the voice at his elbow made him jump a bit.

"Kyminn?" Cydris's voice was equal parts warmth and concern. Hazel eyes searched Kyminn's scarred face, seeking some clue as to his well-being.

"Cydris!" Unheeding, Kyminn let his cane fall and swept her up in a rib-crushing hug. He was aware that he was grinning like a fool, and he didn't particularly care. Greatly daring, he bussed her soundly.

"Kyminn!" The half-hearted protest was broken by her laughter. She pulled back, but didn't break free. "How are you?" Hope and concern warred in the query.

"I'm fine." Kyminn eased the hug and set her down. "Really, truly fine. Crathach and the rest of the team agree. More than fine, I'm back at work."

"Kym!" The relief was profound and her voice roughened. "We were so worried about you!" It was her turn to hug him, surreptitiously drying her tears on his chest.

Kyminn simply held her, wishing that when she'd said "we" that she'd really meant "I". He hadn't realized how much he'd missed her quiet strength and wisdom until just now.

"If you two are quite finished?" Eiven's tone was dry. He handed Kyminn the cane, his face bland.

Startled, the two stepped apart, blushing. Kyminn looked from Cydris, to Eiven to Tysen. "All of you? You all got posted here? How on earth did that happen?" He didn't really care, he was just glad to see his friends again.

Eiven gave a rueful shrug. "Cydris and I," he said pointedly, "Are posted here. Tysen," and he indicated the tall Healer who was presently waiting his turn to dismount the wagon, "Was posted back to Warford."

Kyminn's eyebrows shot up. "Was? Why don't I like the sound of that?" He peered through the milling crowd of Healers, litters, porters and animals in the courtyard. Catching sight of Tysen, he took in the drawn look on the Healer's face and the arm bound firmly against Tysen's chest. "What happened?"

Cydris and Eiven exchanged glances. Cydris answered for them. "A few days before he was to turn off at the junction for Warford, Tysen managed to get himself injured."

"He was helping hitch up the horses one morning and one of the horses was out of sorts. Let fly with a kick. She mostly missed him, but smashed his hand up against the wagon tongue. Managed to break most of the bones of his hand in the process." Eiven sighed at the randomness of the event.

"Anyway," Cydris took up the tale again, "The powers that be decided that he'd heal more quickly - and with a better outcome - if he was sent back here. Leaving him at Warford with the injury would mean the camp was short a Healer for several sennights while he recovered. So, since there were plenty of us to choose from, they switched out postings. A Healer who was originally supposed to come here ended up in Warford in Tysen's place."

Eiven's tone was droll. "The replacement is, I understand, very familiar with the camp and I'm sure he'll do a fine job. I'm told though, that Senior Healer Menden wasn't best pleased to find himself back in a Guard camp instead of spending a winter in the comfort of Haven."

Kyminn tried to stifle his smile at the prospect. Given Kyminn's unhappy experiences with Senior Healer Mennis's prejudices towards non-Gifted Healers, he found it rather hard to generate sympathy for the Senior's circumstance. "Oh dear. I imagine so," he murmured politely.

"Kyminn!" Cydris nudged him in mock chastisement. "Be nice! As it so happens, Senior Healer Menden has been forced to become somewhat more open-minded on certain topics."

A raised eyebrow. "One can only hope." Kyminn broke off to offer Tysen a rough, if cautious, clasp of greeting. "Ty. It's good to see you! I can only wish it were under better circumstances!"

"Well, you know me. Anything to get out of Warford." The grin was twisted with irony.

Eiven snorted and gave Tysen a second, sharper glance. "Some patients…" A gentle touch on Tysen's shoulder and the lines of pain faded from the tall Healer's face.

"Thanks Eiven. I didn't want to ask." Tysen looked chagrined.

"Healers," Cydris muttered. "Worst patients ever!" Kyminn got the distinct impression that she counted himself in that statement. He smiled.

"Eiven? Cydris?" Two figures in paler green wended their way through the crowd towards the group.

Avi and Betra! Of course they would be back, Kyminn reminded himself. The Trainees still had to complete their final year and internships, although the latter would be shortened greatly given the students' recent months of service at the front.

"Go ahead and report to the Dean. I imagine he'll know where you're supposed to go from here." Eiven glanced at Kyminn. "Unless…?" he let the question trail off. Until Kyminn's devastating injury, Avi had been Kyminn's mentee and Kyminn's responsibility. Clearly, Eiven had taken over that role during Kyminn's incapacitation.

A shake of his head and a smile. "Eiven's quite right, Avi. You're his charge until we hear differently. In the meantime, I'm here if you need me, but I'll not step back in until we know what's what." Kyminn took a moment to assess the Trainee. Avi carried a new confidence yes, but also a dark maturity that spoke to the strain of the summer's labours. Kyminn knew that look well - it lurked in the eyes he greeting each morning in the mirror. He made a note to find a quiet moment to check in and make sure Avi was managing alright.

"And...you, Kyminn?" Betra glanced at Cydris in question.

"Well and hale. Back at work and ready to wrestle bears." Kyminn assured her with a smile. "Or at least, the dogs. Or perhaps kittens."

A laugh and a polite nod and the two Trainees faded back into the crowd. As Kyminn watched them go, he glanced over at Cydris. "Are they still…?"

A nod. "More or less. I don't think the attachment is permanent though. I think it will just fade on its own as they settle back in."

Tysen and Eiven broke off their quiet consultation to interrupt. "We should get Tysen checked in and onto the treatment schedule. And figure out where we're supposed to be. I don't suppose you know?"

Kyminn shook his head. "Sorry. I didn't even know you were going to be here. I just hoped at see at least one familiar face." With a 'follow-me' wave, Kyminn searched through the thinning crowd for a distinctive shock of frizzy blond hair.

"Evin!" At Kyminn's shout, Evin looked up from his consultation with a harried looking servitor.

"Evin, this is my friend - and presently a patient - Tysen, Cydris, and Eiven." Kyminn pointed at each in turn.

Evin and Eiven regarded each other and then chorused, in unison, "We've met."

"Really? Oh, I suppose so. You both trained here of course. Sorry."

Evin shook his head. "I was a few years ahead of Eiven here. That didn't prevent people from getting us mixed up . time." The last words were enunciated with profound exasperation.

A blink. Kyminn looked at Eiven's stocky frame, straight black hair and dark brown eyes and then at Evin - slender, freckled and with that astonishing shock of hair. "How…?"

"Evin. Eiven." It was Eiven's turn to sigh. "Never mind that one is E-vin and the other EYE-vin. Apparently, similar spelling was enough to cause just about everything to go astray."

"Books. Like the time you kept 'forgetting' your copy of Mallin's Historical Herbology and people kept bringing it to me," Evin mused.

"Schedules," Eiven pointed out. "I was in second year and rather surprised to find I was apparently supposed to take an advanced obstetrics course."

"Mail," Evin shook his head. "At least that was pretty straightforward."

"Except for when I kept getting love notes and poems from that Bardic Trainee that was chasing you." Eiven rolled his eyes. Getting (bad) love poetry from an unknown Bardic student (of the wrong gender, no less), had been decidedly awkward.

Evin bit back a grin. "Um. Yes. Sorry about that."

Kyminn shook his head. "I'm sure we could stand here all morning, exchanging tales of bureaucratic mistakes, but I think we'd be better off getting these folks checked in."

Evin nodded agreement. "That's just what Perralt and I were discussing. Apparently, the advance notices discussed the numbers and classes of patients and a very general list of returning Healing staff. So many males, so many females and so forth. So there's no fixed room assignments as yet."

The servitor, his badge identifying him as a member of the Housekeeper's staff, nodded to Eiven and Cydris. "We are, unfortunately, extremely short of space. We've been partnering with Healer's to house everyone, but first priority was, of course, the patients. With Healer's so crowded, we've had to make some adjustments." Perralt consulted his list. "According to my information, there were five women Healers returning today. Does that sound right?"

Cydris thought quickly and nodded. "Yes, that's right. There were five of us."

"We have made some changes to the instructor's guest house. The rooms there are quite large and we've turned most of them into doubles and one we managed to fit three into. Unfortunately, I believe the double is spoken for. That leaves you in the last room I'm afraid." Perralt straightened, a man confident in his authority, but realistic about how his words might be received.

Cydris sighed. "Well then, I guess I'll have a couple of roommates then. It won't be the first time and I daresay it won't be the last."

Perralt nodded, clearly pleased that Cydris was prepared to be reasonable. He turned his attention to Eiven, his brow furrowed as he consulted his lists. "I have two possibilities for you, sir. But before I commit, I'm wondering if one of you might be Healer Danner?"

Kyminn raised a hand. "That would be me."

The servitor looked relieved. "I have a message for you from your Dean, Healer. Apparently you are being moved out of your old room and we've been asked to add you to our list for housing." The man hesitated, "Do you wish to confirm this with anyone?"

"No," Kyminn nodded in understanding. "It makes sense. I'm currently in the Trainee wing, and I imagine with all these senior students returning that they're going to need the space. In any event, I don't need to be there any more. Dean Tannel mentioned they were going to look at shifting me."

"In the Trainee's wing?" Eiven looked at Kyminn in askance.

A headshake. "It's complicated. I'll explain later, maybe over dinner." Kyminn turned his attention back to Perralt. "I'm sorry. You're very busy and we're busy chatting. You were saying?"

Perralt leafed through his pages. "There are two choices. One is a smaller, single room in the servant's wing of the palace. It is, however, on the third floor." The clerk politely did not glance at Kyminn's cane.

"I'll take it." Eiven didn't hesitate. "Unless the other one is somewhere equally inaccessible, in which case I'll let Kyminn decide."

"The other one is also a single, and while it is on the ground floor, it used to be a storage room for linens. It is...rather rustic. I'm told it's clean, and the carpenters installed a small window for light, but it is rather humble. It is also located in the instructor's wing."

"Done and done." Kyminn didn't hesitate. Having slept in everything from private quarters in a baron's estate to rain-soaked canvas in a sodden field, the notion of sleeping in a converted linen closet bothered him not in the least.

"There. That's settled. Kyminn, if you could please get Tysen checked in? There's probably room in the new ward. I've got to finish up here." Evin indicated the partially unloaded wagons.

Kyminn nodded, then paused. "Dinner tonight? I was thinking the small room at The Willow. At the seventh hour?"

"Agreed." "I'll be there!" "Gladly!"

Footsteps crunched on the gravel as the small group made their way across the courtyard. The morning sun gilded the buildings with gold and the faint scent of autumn filled Kyminn's lungs. This was looking to be a good day.