Stefen was a Bard and Vanyel Ashkevron's lifebonded. He was the reincarnation of Tylendel, Vanyel's first love and lifebonded.
Life[]
Stefen grew up on the streets. Having no memory of a mother or a father, Stefen was raised by an old woman called Berte. As a child, she used him to gain sympathy from townsfolk for coin, dressing him up in fake sores or strapping his leg so he had to hobble with a crutch. Once she discovered he could sing, these practices fell by the way side. With money coming in regularly, she took to the booze and the drugs heartily, becoming violent with her hangovers which led to the discovery of his Wild Talent, to be able to sing pain away.
At the age of 10, Stefen was snatched up by Bard Lynnell and informed he belonged to Valdemar. Believing he'd been sold, Stefen was terrified until Medren set him right.
Stefen excelled at Bardic Collegium, making journeyman at or before seventeen. When his Wild Talent came to light, he was quickly jumped to full Bard so he could be assigned to the King to ease Randale's ever-growing pain. Playing his fingers raw ended up drawing Vanyel's attention more so than the results of his Wild Talent and the two, despite Stefen's growing frustrations, became close friends and despite Vanyel's misgivings, eventually lovers.
Though he was Tylendel's reincarnation, nothing indicated that Stefen was aware of this fact, though he unconsciously retained some of Tylendel's memories. After lifebonding to Vanyel he called Vanyel ashke without knowing what the word meant. Ashke is a Tayledras word that means 'beloved', and had always been Tylendel's nickname for Vanyel. He also felt empathy for the plight of Tylendel and righteous anger on the latter's behalf from the numerous attempts to erase his tragic life from the history of Haven. Though only Savil, Moondance K'Treva and Starwind K'Treva suspected reincarnation in Stefen at first, Vanyel came to the realization as Stefen recalled events and places he never experienced or visited, again without realizing it.
Gifts[]
Stefen had the Bardic Gifted, along with the Talent and Creativity. He also possessed a 'Wild Gift', something akin to Healing in that he could 'play pain away.' The person he focused this gift on didn't have to be consciously listening to him for the Gift to work. This Gift was much aid to pain-riddled King Randale, and because of that he was quickly raised up the ranks to Master Bard.
Relationships[]
Most of Stefen's relationships were professional, though he was charming and very few disliked him (aside from some jealousy over his quick elevation from apprentice to journeyman, more so when he rose to master although he received none of the privileges of that rank).
Medren - Stefen was best friends with Bardic Trainee Medren, Vanyel's nephew. Knowning Stefen was openly shaych, a slang form of the Tayledras shay'a'chern which means 'one whose lover is like self' with the connotation of 'self' being genderwise, Medren tried for a year to set up the Bardic Trainee with his uncle.
Yfandes - Yfandes often expressed her approval of Stefen, even before her Chosen and the Bard became lovers. She was fond of him, and stood up for the Bard when Vanyel was being cold to him.
Ashkevron Family - Stefen was both impressed and overwhelmed by Vanyel's family. He was fast taken with the Lady Treesa and spent time with her when Vanyel himself neglected his familial duties. He played to her enjoyment of the game of courtly love, though the rules by which she played were 30 years out of date, and acted as minstrel for her and her ladies. At the time he met Withen, the man had become less provincial in his thinking and while not quite ready to accept Stefen's place as Vanyel's lover, did not deny them the sharing of a room -- despite their not having become lovers quite yet at the time! Stef liked Withen, but said little on the subject.
Vanyel - Stef loved Vanyel beyond his comprehension even before they became lovers, and Vanyel's resistance to his charms and come-ons led him to much frustration. Eventually, having been roomed together by Vanyel's family under the presumption of their relationship, Stef cornered Vanyel and confessed his feelings and made Vanyel face his own. Tylendel's appearance in Vanyel's dream the same night brought light to their lifebond.
Death[]
A few months after Vanyel's death in Magic's Price, Stefen returned to the renamed Forest of Sorrows with a vial of argonel, intent on taking his life and joining his beloved in the here-after. However, he was stopped by none other than Vanyel himself who had been given the option, at his death, of continuing to protect Valdemar's northern border by haunting the Forest. Vanyel informed Stef that although Stef is a Bard he can receive the same opportunity and thus be reunited with Vanyel, but there were conditions. Stef had to use his Gift to convince the people of Valdemar that the Gifts of the Heralds are enough to keep them safe -- a veritable life's work. Decades later, he was finally allowed to join Vanyel and Yfandes in the Forest of Sorrows. Sadly, he had been unable to convince the people that they don't need Herald-Mages, so he asked Vanyel to stop Valdemarans from thinking about magic. Vanyel complied, casting a spell that made those thoughts impossible except in a historical context.
After several centuries, Vanyel, Stefen and Yfandes joined the group in the remains of Urtho's Tower attempting to stop a repeat of the Cataclysm. The trio attached themselves to the frame of Stefen's old gittern, which he left behind leaning against a tree at the time of his death. Altra Jumped the frame to the Tower, bring all three spirits with him. In their last ditch effort to stop the Final Storm, Yfandes helped Need protect Firesong, while Vanyel and Stefen stood with the mage Sejanes. They succeeded in saving the mages, though they met dissolution themselves. Finally free of their duty in the Forest of Sorrows, Florian indicated that the three were given the more usual choices presented to recently dead Heralds and Companions, and had to make their decisions and move on too quickly to say goodbye.
In the series[]
- Magic's Promise, Last Herald-Mage, volume 2
- Magic's Price, Last Herald-Mage, volume 3
- Winds of Fury, Mage Winds, volume 3
- Storm Breaking, Mage Storms, volume 3