Rea woke Vell at the first light of dawn. The storm from the night before had blown over and sunlight shone brightly through the open window in her room. She changed quickly and joined her parents and Senar for breakfast.

“What horse are you taking?” Rea asked her.

“Sparkra,” she replied.

“What about Rett?” Senar reminded her.

“Jinann,” Vell said with a smile. “She’s the other mare. She had a foal a couple days ago but she died. Rett is bonded to her almost as much as he’s bonded to Sparkra. Jinann even nurses him at times. I don’t think he’d be too upset if I took Sparkra and left him with Jinann.”

“It can work,” Nir told her. Senar agreed.

“Do you think we need Thor?” Vell asked Senar.

He shook his head. “We should be fine.”

They rode away less than an hour later and neither of them spoke until they entered the woods after a few minutes.

“Your father is protective,” Senar said, glancing over at her.

Vell shook her head. “I can’t believe him sometimes. Last night was one of those times.”

He laughed slightly. “I could tell.” His face became serious. “By the way, I’m sorry if I seemed a bit distant while I was there. Being around your parents made me nervous.”

“Why?” she asked, realizing that they hadn’t been very close the evening before or that morning.

He shrugged. “I was just afraid I’d have a bad impression on them. Though it seems your father had a bad impression of me anyway.”

Vell smiled at him. “You don’t have to worry. Mother always thinks the best of people and Father always gets bad impressions at first. Once he knows you better he’ll change how he thinks of you.”

“Do you think he at least trusts me?” Senar asked, his midnight blue eyes questioning.

She shrugged. “He has to trust you a bit if he let us leave together. He’ll trust you more as time goes on. That’s how he is with people. I know he can trust you.”

“Thanks,” he replied with a smile.

It was a moment before Vell spoke. “Senar, this may seem odd, but have you been able to Speak to some of the Spiritesses since we were Bonded?”

“Yes,” he said, looking at her, his eyes sparkling, “and it scared me half to death the first time.”

She laughed. “When one of the Spirits talked to me for the first time it scared me too.”

“Go quickly but do not rush. You still have time.” The interupting male voice had a ring in it that all Spirits had.

Senar looked at Vell.

“Yes, I heard him,” she said before he could ask. “Just like last year, the quicker we get to the Temple, the better.”

“Vell,” Senar asked after a time, “can I ask you why your father is so protective of you?”

She shrugged. “I think it has to do with Mother. The winter after I was born we had a lot of snow, and one day the roof over the kitchen caved in from it. Mother was cooking dinner at the time and was badly hurt. Father had to dig her out and go for the healer. Ellasa, the village healer, was able to help her. Mother survived, yet she’d never be able to bear children again.

“Father realized he’d never have the son he had hoped for. I was all he’d ever have, as his child anyway. Besides Mother I was the one he cherished above all else. He did all that he could for me, even when he learned I was a Speakeress. He’s always been protective, but more so now that I’m older.” She played with Sparkra’s mane. “Father doesn’t want anything to happen to me, good or bad. He wants me to stay with him and Mother all my life. I don’t think he even wants me to marry, even though I’m nearly old enough. He’s my father, I love him, yet he makes it so hard to be a Speakeress.”

Senar squeezed her shoulder. “He can’t hold you back forever. Someday he’ll realize that.”

“I just hope that’s soon,” she admitted looking up at him.

“I do, too,” he agreed, “for your sake.”

She nodded.

“When we’re done aiding the Temple this time,” Senar began after a moment, “I want you to come meet my father and Nitessa. They both know about you. Father would love to meet you and you and Nitessa would get along well.”

Vell smiled. “I’d enjoy meeting them,” she replied honestly.

“We don’t live very far from you, I discovered,” he said with a smile. “I left early in the morning yesterday and was at your home by nightfall.”

“That is close,” she stated, slightly surprised. Why hadn’t they gone to see each other earlier?

“Didn’t you recently have your birthday?” Vell asked when they stopped for lunch.

Senar nodded with a smile. “Sixteen two days ago.”

“Then happy birthday... late,” she said with a smile. Moving closer to him she gently turned his head to her. She kissed him tenderly for a moment.

“Thanks,” he whispered when she pulled away.

She smiled at him. “You’re welcome,” she replied quietly. “I wish I had something better to give you.”

“What’s better than us being together again after so long?” he asked.

Vell searched for a joking look on his face but there was none. He was completely serious and she was thankful.