Heartwarming / Heralds of Valdemar

The Arrows Trilogy

Arrows of the Queen

• Chapters 2 through 5 are a constant string of minor but touching heartwarming moments, being the story of how a girl who was insulted, beaten and marginalized in her childhood comes into a place where people respect her opinion and genuinely care for her. Watching Talia's opinion of herself- and the world- changing is really beautiful.
• Jadus comforting a then-friendless Talia and teaching her to sing.
  Talia: You mean- music lessons? Teach me? But-
  Jadus: It would be a shame to waste your Talent; and you do have it, youngling. It would truly be something that I would enjoy sharing with you.
  Talia: If you think it's worth wasting your time on me-
  Jadus: (tilts Talia's head up so she's looking him in the eyes) Time spent with you, my dear, will never be wasted.
• Talia babysitting Elspeth and 'un-spoiling' the girl. Talia is never slow to discipline Elspeth when she does something wrong, but she's equally fast to praise her when she does something right.
  • In particular, their second meeting. Hulda ^note Elspeth's abusive nanny who deliberately gave her nightmares and isolated her from other children has left Court, and Elspeth is crying because she thinks Hulda is her Only Friend.
  Talia: I'm sorry for you. It's awful to be lonely and alone. I know; when I was your age, they sent my best friend away to be married to a ghastly old man, and I never saw her again.
  Elspeth: Did you cry?
  Talia: I did when I was alone, but I didn't dare around other people. My elders told me that it was sinful to cry over something so unimportant. I think that that was very wrong of them because sometimes crying can make you feel better. Are you feeling a little better now?
  • Later, when Talia asks Elspeth's name.
  Elspeth: Promise you won't laugh?
  Talia: I promise- but I wouldn't anyway.
  Elspeth: Hulda laughed. She said it was a stupid name. (looks down) It's Elspeth.
  Talia: There was no reason for Hulda to laugh; you have a very nice name. It's nicer than Talia.
  Elspeth: Hulda said only peasants are named Elspeth.
  Talia: That's not true; I know that for sure. There were three Queens of this Kingdom named Elspeth. (lists them) You'll have a hard time living up to the name of Elspeth. Especially if you want to become the kind of person that could win a Companion and be the Heir.
  Elspeth: I- I don't know how. And Companions- I'm afraid of them. Can you- help me? Please?
  Talia: Well, first you have to start by treating people nicer than you do now- and I mean everybody, highborn or low. If you do that, you'll start having more friends, too, and they'll be real friends who like being with you, not people who only act friendly because they think you can get them something.
  Elspeth: I treat people nicely!
  Talia: Oh, really? (imitates the grimace Elspeth makes when throwing a tantrum) If that's treating people nicely, I'd hate to have you mad at me! Do you really think that anyone would want to be a friend of someone like that?
  Elspeth: N-no.
  Talia: If you want to change, you have to start by thinking about everything you say before you say or do it. Think about how you'd feel if someone acted like that to you. (hugs Elspeth) I can see that there's a very nice person named Elspeth sitting here, but there's an awful lot of people who can't see through the Brat. That's what they call you, you know.
• Talia (and Rolan) curing Elspeth's fear of Companions.
• Keren jumping into an ice-covered river to save Talia after a gang of bullies push her in. And later reproaching Talia for not telling the Heralds she was being bullied.
  "We lose enough of the Circle as it is- we're not about to lose you through carelessness." Keren paused, and then added (half in anger, half in hurt), "-and next time, youngling, tell somebody when there's something wrong! We could have avoided all this- maybe caught whoever was chewing your tail! Heralds always stick together, dammit! Did you think we wouldn't believe you?"
  "I- yes-" Talia said, and was horrified to find that her mouth had once again betrayed her. To her further horror, tears began to fall, and she was powerless to stop them.
  (...)
  Her care- her sincerity- was too much to stand against. Talia yielded with speechless gratitude, as the barriers within her that had been weakened by her friendship with Jadus came crumbling down. Keren held her as if she were her own child, letting her sob herself into dry-eyed exhaustion.
• The book's final lines.
  And with a lighter heart, she turned back down the path that led to the Collegium.
  The Collegium- and home.

Arrows' Flight

• Kris's stubborn determination and care for Talia after her Gift goes wild. He builds her up back together with the help of their Companions over the course of a winter. Now that is friendship.

Arrows' Fall

• Talia and Dirk finally getting their happy ending. Just... yes. This. And damn if they don't deserve it a thousand times over.
• Kris managing to give a couple farewell gifts to Talia — a moment of incredible joy as he passes (which she is later able to share with Dirk to ease his grief), and a bouquet of her favorite flower for her wedding, though what we can only assume is direct divine intervention.

The Mage Winds

Winds of Fate

• Darkwind realizing that Starblade's cold, cruel behavior towards him was the only thing that a horribly broken, brainwashed man could do to prevent his own son from being victim to the same fate. The relief he feels at knowing that the father he loved was always there is nearly enough to bring him to tears.

Winds of Change

• Starblade finding healing and redemption through a new romance with his Healer and a new bond bird.
• The patience and care with which Darkwind courts and beds less-experienced Elspeth, setting her sense of security and happiness in the forefront.
• Need showing Nyara some of the only affection the poor girl has seen ever, while training her to survive and fight.

Winds of Fury

• Darkwind proposes to Elspeth, by giving her one of Vree's decorated feathers and using the words to signify a Hawkbrother marriage.
• doubles when Elspeth pulls out a ring, with a braid made of her Companion's hair sandwiched between metal and a hertasi version of resin. Verges into Funny Moments when they realize they had hertasi craftsman make them at the very same time, and how much the hertasi must have been laughing about the silly humans since.
• Herald-Mage Vanyel, after 'kidnapping' the party to the Forest of Sorrows and warning them about a new magical threat, mentions Companion Sayvil by name, meaning that he knows about his Aunt Savil's reincarnation.
• Elspeth and company in Hardorn, undercover as carnival hucksters — deadly serious stuff — taking some joy from a routine where Firesong picks particularly impoverished children from the audience, does a lengthy round of What Have We Ear?, and leaves them with a handful of actual money, disguised by illusion to look like cheap painted coins. The narration tells us that they all wish they could be there the next day when the illusion wears off.

Darian's Tale

• Darian casually telling a mildly despondent Keisha that no, he isn't particularly impressed by her more vivacious, popular sister and he quite enjoys Keisha's company instead. By the way she reacts, one has to feel for the girl, who hasn't been told she's ugly or cruel... just taken for granted and ignored, which can still hurt too.
• Darian traveling hundreds of miles, facing numerous perils, tracking an incredibly cold and faint trail... and finding his parents again. Complete with a couple of cute little siblings!

The Collegium Chronicles and Herald's Spy

• When Mags first meets Lena, she is crying over her pet rabbit, Bumper, dying. He offers to help bury Bumper. His eulogy for the rabbit is awkward and heartwarming.
  "He was a good rabbit. An' he was a friend when Lena needed one. Reckon that's how ye knows a friend, they be there when ye need them.
• Due to Foreseers having a vision that is interpreted as the king being in danger from a foreigner and Mags discovering that his parents (and by extension himself) were foreigners, many of the other Trainees from all three Collegiums start distrusting him. His friends, including his teammates from Kirball, immediately stand up for him once they catch wind of the distrust, and make a point of sitting with him at mealtimes and escorting him to his classes.
• When Mags has to take the herbs that will force the memories of the clan his parents were from on him, he is able to hold on to his core self and not get swept away by the memories by focusing on his bond and brotherly love with his Companion Dallen, friendships with his oldest and best friends Bear and Lena, and love of his girlfriend Amily. In fact, Dallen and Amily are his twin supports, with the narration noting that a big part of why Mags loves Amily is that both can see past each other's respective labels to the true person beneath.
• Mag's and Amily's whole My Own Private "I Do", with only themselves, Amily's father Nikolas, their Companions, and the priest officiating the ceremony in attendance. The whole thing is very sweet, with Mags noting how lovely the wedding vows of the religion the priest is part of are. Nikolas states that he is happy to have witnessed his daughter's marriage ^note since he's had to miss other events in her life due to his duties and won't have to worry now if duty causes him to miss the public wedding that's to come later.

Brightly Burning

• Lavan being questioned about the bullying he suffered. He's unable to control his anxiety and gets angrier and angrier, his Firestarting Gift on the verge of consuming him and everyone else...and then Kalira Chooses him.
• Everyone involved in uncovering the school's corruption, from guards to Heralds to aristocrats, is horrified that such atrocities could have happened, and do everything they can to prevent it from ever happening again. It just drives home the point that most people are generally good.
• A BFF-style version with Lavan and Tuck, when the latter calmly and methodically talks Lavan through the various legal definitions of murder and manslaughter, in order to convince Lavan that no, he's not a monster or a psychopath because he lost control of his Gift and killed the bullies who were torturing him. Possibly doubles as an intellectual Moment of Awesome, and triples as a Crowning Moment Of Friendship.
• every scene involving Lavan's sister Mercy visiting him at the Collegium. At least one member of his family can actually, truly, connect with him. it's really no wonder she ends up marrying Tuck, who's been shown to be smart enough to know a good thing when he sees it.
• Kalira's last words. Even through the excruciating pain she's feeling, the horrific war they're fighting, and Lavan's own encroaching madness, she manages to make this clear:
  I- love- you...

The Exile Duology

• Not exactly a crowning moment as an ongoing and extended smaller moment, but all of Alberich's slow-burning romance with Myste. Even Selenay (in the crowning depths of her infatuation with Karathalen) thinks it's the most adorable thing ever.

Honor

• Kantor and Taver appearing Just in Time to save Alberich from a gang of vigilante Companions. The latter states vehemently that violence against a Herald will not be tolerated no matter his race, and that they will protect Alberich- with teeth and hooves if necessary.
• The "invasion of Karse" to rout the Tedrel camp - The Valdemaran army comes across orphans and camp followers who decided they had had it and were going to make their own lives without fighting as mercenaries. After a brutal last battle from years of a draining war of attrition, the Valdemaran army rejoices at a task that does not involving killing (no matter how justified) and takes them to a new, loving, safe home.
• In the epilogue, Alberich meets Vkandis Himself, who reassures Alberich as no-one else could that he has not betrayed Karse or the Sunlord.
  • Read retroactively, Vkandis's words imply that Alberich's heroism will be immortalized in Karsite scripture itself. This is the highest honor a Karsite could ever dream of.

Valor

• After Alberich has a bout with Prince Karathalen in the salle, the Guards, who had been watching in increasing bemusement because Alberich was using a fighting style completely out of character for him against the prince, catch on very quickly as to why Alberich was doing it (summation: Alberich had his suspicions about the prince's intentions but didn't have enough evidence to pin him as more than an arrogant bastard) and subtly offer their support in keeping an eye on the prince. For a man who had been viewed with suspicion for a good deal of the populace of Valdemar for years, including the Guard and Palace staff and Heralds themselves, the quiet moment of trust in seeking a common goal is heartwarming.
• Alberich's presence immediately helping soothe a new Chosen who was a Tedrel orphan and was terrified that he was going to be thrown into Tedrel-style hellish military training. To clarify, the Tedrels' way of training boys who were entering puberty was taken right from The Spartan Way, including putting them into groups, feeding them little, and beating them senseless if they were caught stealing food.

The Mage Storms

Storm Warning

• Talia taking time out of her very busy schedule as Queen's Own and mother to personally soothe Karal by reciting a script from Karse's holy book. Hilariously, Karal's second thought (after surprise) is just how appalling her accent is!
• Whenever people go out of their way to soothe and comfort An'desha, who is still struggling with a great deal of trauma and self-hatred after the events of Winds of Fury.
  • When he storms off after his lover, Firesong, flirts just a little too much and publicly with Darkwind, Elspeth finds him and tells him that it's perfectly all right to be angry.
  • Karal becomes unlikely friends with An'desha. At one point he deliberately pushes An'desha's emotional buttons and remains standing in front of him, undergoing great risk just to prove to An'desha that he is not a sadistic, sociopathic monster. An'desha rips up the entire room around them... but his magic doesn't so much as ruffle Karal's hair or clothes.
• 90% of Karal's interactions with his master, Priest Ulrich.
• After tragedy strikes, Talia and Kerowyn comfort Karal as he's grieving. Later, Florian does too.

Storm Rising

• Tremane forges the Imperial seal - a crime punishable by execution - to ensure his soldiers get enough supplies to make it through the winter.
  • Tremane's gradual concern for the people of Shonar, who were once his opposition
• Natoli and Karal's conversation when Karal is trying to decide whether or not he will go to Urtho's tower. They end up affirming that they will never hold the other back from the important roles they will both hold in the future - Karal as a priest and mage channel, Natoli as an artificer - and when it's clear that Karal will go, Natoli asks him to come back to her.

Storm Breaking

• The sheer joy of the people of Hardorn to see that they finally have a decent man as ruler of the country. They don't even mind that he originally came in to conquer them in the name of the Empire.
• It's subtle, but Vkandis Sunlord opens the border between Iftel and Hardorn once King Tremane has been installed, sends a party of gryphon ambassadors to request an alliance (with hints that the whole army would put itself as his disposal if needed), and makes a point of doing so while High Priest Solaris happens to be present. If the Sun Himself has forgiven Tremane for assassinating one of the Sun-priests, his Son of the Sun has no excuse to keep holding it against him.

The Founding of Valdemar

• After spending Into the West putting as much distance between the bulk of his caravan of refugees and the Empire as he can and being given a Tayledras Vale that a clan is in the middle of moving out of to lay the foundation of the future Valdemar capital, Kordas gets the visit of a familiar being: the earth elemental he freed from the Empire's capital, that was able to track him down because of the progress towards freeing the vrondi inside the Dolls. The elemental calls Kordas "Saver" before learning his name and the Dolls are also overjoyed to see it as a now-freed former cellmate of sorts. Being personally thanked by the earth elemental and spending time with it gives Kordas some much-needed relief and levity before the book's final problem shows up.
• A couple from the freeing of the Dolls:
  • Rose is so reluctant to leave Kordas' side that she lets all the others ones get their freedom before she goes last.
  • Amethyst turns out to have left her namesake decoration behind for Delia.

Anthologies

• In general the existence of the anthologies themselves. Mercedes Lackey got her start as an author by submitting a short story to Marion Zimmer Bradley's long-running anthology Sword and Sorceress, which was the first place dozens of authors managed to publish in. The Valdemar anthologies are similar, though they all take place in Velgarth. Lackey writes forewords to the short stories that can be quite glowing about new authors.
• Mercedes Lackey writes Vanyel Ashkevron in two short stories found in No True Way and Seasons respectively. Compared to the Last Herald-Mage trilogy they are very light. Vanyel hangs out with friendly villagers, a sarcastic-but-kind Healer, and heroic talking spiders. There are some problems but they're solved fairly easily as collaborations between him and the other characters. Van gets to eat good food, sit in the warm, and spend time with people who are not afraid of him and don't need him to go to hideous lengths out of duty to them. It's nice to think that as tormentous as the trilogy is, there was still space in his life to hang out and take it easy.