Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey Page A

chance, we would have nothing but peace.”
    Camayo lowered his head and hesitated before turning back to face his Herald-to-be. :Do you think no one in the history of the world has ever “chosen” peace? Do you imagine that all humans but you slide out of the womb with a sword in hand and destruction at heart? Peace is the normal state of human existence. You see it every day, in every corner of the world.:
    Evita gritted her teeth. She could not believe anyone would dispute such obvious and inarguable points. “Of course, I know that. But in the places that do have war, if they only tried peace . . . ”
    :But isn’t peace merely the absence of war?:
    “Yes, but . . . ”
    :So unless an area has been in an unremitting state of war since the beginning of time, they must have ‘tried peace.’ One has to assume that, for some reason or another, peace proved ineffective.:
    Evita did not appreciate the argument. She did finally realize that she had lost her grip on Mindspeech and attempted to regain it. :It’s just a turn of phrase, Camayo. You’re not supposed to take it literally. I just mean that there are better ways people can work out their differences than by fighting about them. If weapons were not invented, if none of us ever learned how to use them . . . :
    Camayo interrupted, : . . . the strongest, greediest men would take everything. Then others would band together, employing branches and rocks, to overcome them.:
    Evita rolled her eyes. :You’re a hopeless cynic, aren’t you, Camayo?:
    :One of us,: Camayo said diplomatically, :is not living in the real world.:
     
    Dreams of entrapment invaded Evita’s sleep. She found herself running from one container, only to find herself hopelessly caught up in another. No matter how hard she tried to escape, she either wound up cornered, shut in, or closed up in dark, musty places that threatened to suffocate all reason. She awoke with a gasp, heart racing, warm against something furry. She smiled, petting what she initially took for Bruno. Then, her eyes snapped open to white hair and a form far more massive than any dog. Camayo lay against her, staring at her through one startlingly blue eye.
    :Are you all right, Dear One?:
    Remembrance came rushing back and, with it, excitement. “I’m fine. Just bad dreams.” Evita leaned more fully against Camayo’s warm body. “Do we have to go to Valdemar?”
    :Of course, Dear One. And use Mindspeech.:
    Dutifully, Evita switched. She wondered if she would ever get used to it. :Can’t we take a . . . longer route?:
    Camayo went utterly silent for so long, Evita worried he had fallen back to sleep. But, when she looked at him, the eye she could see remained wide open . :How much time do you need, Dear One?:
    :Five years?: Evita tried.
    Amusement trickled into Evita’s mind. : I was thinking more like a week.:
    The panic of her dream assailed Evita. Her heart pounded, and she felt as if the trees crushed in on them. :Two years.:
    :A month.:
    Bartering, Evita understood . :Half a year.:
    :One season.:
    It was more than Evita had expected. She could make the most of a season, especially if it stayed as beautiful as the previous day. :Deal.:
    Camayo added conditions. :At the end of which, you go to the Collegium without complaint. And you attend every class and session with an open mind.:
    Evita took offense. :No mind is more open than mine.:
    Camayo clearly snapped off an answering comment. Evita received nothing but a hint of cynical irritation that only upset her further.
    “Are you suggesting I don’t have an open mind? Because I pride myself on being the most open-minded person I know. I look at sides of situations that most people would never even consider.”
    Camayo drew his legs tighter to his hip-shot body . :Your so-called wide open mind snapped shut faster than a trap when I mentioned weapons training.:
    “Well, that’s just . . . wrong. Weapons are . . . ”
    :Evil?: Camayo suggested. :Bad? So, let me make