"Are you sure this is okay?"

"Of course it’s okay. That power’uv yers needs trainin’ an’ the faster, the better."

The strawberry-haired boy squinted up at the tall man, "But to go to the Academy! Even if we did get past the gates, how do we meet up with the right person? And what if he reported me? I’d be thrown in the prisons for life!"

Jei felt that scar tissue across his left eye stretch as he grinned, "Don’t worry so much, boy. I’ve got contacts in there."

Teal green eyes lifted incredulously.

"Ya don’t believe me?"

A small shake of head.

"Hmph," reaching into his coat, the burly man drew out a silver coin and flipped it into the air, "ya know what this is?"

Hands outstretched, the boy caught it and, upon further inspection, realized it was a badge. Teal eyes lifted, this time, in disbelief.

"Y-you served in the Dragon-Phoenix War?! That’s got to be the most famous war there is! There’s more ballads on that than there are rocks in Ryder’s Canyon!"

Jei rolled his good eye, "Turn it over."

The boy did as he was told and the burly man bit his lip from nearing roaring with laughter as his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

"Y-y-y-you’re Captain Jerald?! I don’t believe it... I’m walking with a legend!" timidly raising his head, the boy studied the burly man’s features, "I thought you’d be taller."

"I’da thought ‘em prophecies’ ‘miracle bard’ would’a been older, too," a large hand patted the boy on the head, mussing up his already unruly strawberry bangs. "What’s your name, boy?"

A small smile, "Velireon."

"How old’re ya?"

"Somewhere around eight."

The man raised an inquisitive eyebrow but didn’t question further. "A thing to remember, boy: I’m called Jei now, got that? Call me Jerald an’ I’ll whap you so hard, the first four letters uv’re name’ll be knocked off."

"Y-yessir!"

"Good. Besides, it’s time to pay Vedrain a visit."

A small pause, then:

"Y-y-you know Dreamer-Mage Vedrain?!"

"Dren! Dren! Dren! Dren!" Light feel bounded up the narrow staircase, stopping in front of the huge oak door, the small boy knocked and waited approximately 3 seconds before pushing it open anyway, springing into the room and bouncing into his brother’s lap, effectively disarming him in a hug. "Dren, guess what?"

"What Vree?"

The boy smiled, orange-brown eyes dancing in the candlelight, "I had another dream again!"

"Really?" picking the small boy up and settling him in a more comfortable position against him, Dren shut the volume of spells he’d been reading, turning his attention toward his brother, "Care to share your ideals with me oh-gracious-one?"

"Kay," the boy snuggled closer into his cloak, the firelight glimmering in the blonde highlights in his chestnut locks, "but only if you take me riding tomorrow."

"How about the day after tomorrow?"

Pouting, Vree shook his head, "You’re always so busy—I want tomorrow."

Pale green eyes softening, Dren nodded, "Very well, tomorrow, first light. Now, are you going to tell me or not?"

An impish smile, "Well, I was playing with the horses—"

"I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t go into the horse stalls by yourself at night..."

"Dren!" a pout, "Prideth was lonely! ‘Sides, you don’t play with me no more."

"..."

"Kay, kay, like I said, I was in the stables and I musta fell asleep because I was back in that place—you know, the one where you can imagine stuff and they come real—"

"Tel’aran’rhiod."

"Yeah! That’s it! Well, I was there and there was these other kids there, all naked and stuff, and they couldn’t even imagine clothes on themselves! But that’s not what I was going to tell you. There was these mans—"

"Men. Don’t get too excited, you lose your grammar, Vree."

An exasperated look, "You wanna know or not?"

"I’m listening," was the smooth reply.

"Well, there were these men," a significant look, "and lady, and they were talking about a ‘disturbance’ an’ ‘mage’ that had somethin’ to do with the ‘Academy’."

Dren’s interest was piqued, "And then?"

"And then they started saying stuff over and I left."

"Hmmm..." a thoughtful look crossed the older man’s face.

"Dren..."

"Hm?"

"There’s somethin’ more."

"And what’s this little piece of information going to cost me?"

"I wanna sleep with you tonight, kay?" the smile faltered on Vree’s face, "Ever since we moved here, I’ve been really, really lonely..."

wrapping a protective arm around the boy’s thin shoulders, Dren smiled with as much reassurance as he could muster up. "Done," a chuckle, "and what was so important that I just gave up half my bed and blanket?"

"Oh, that!" Vree’s face lighted up again, "A mean bear’s gonna attack one of the mountain-side deer-traps tomorrow around noon."

A defeated shake of head, "I’ll go set the wards."