Chapter One Summary

Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey, is the story of a young woman named Talia who has been Chosen by a Companion to become a Herald of the Kingdom where she lives. As the story begins, Talia is sitting under a tree reading a fiction book about Heralds and Companions. Heralds are people of the kingdom who travel around the countryside dispensing justice, spreading the news of the Queen and gathering information that will assist the Queen in making decisions. Companions are horse-like creatures who have powers beyond ordinary animals and chose their riders themselves.

Talia lives in a Holding, a community of people, on the outer edge of the Kingdom. In her Holding, the men are stern and have several wives, fathering many children. The girls are taught to handle domestic duties around the community, but Talia has learned...