Aaaaaaah this is the worst question to be asked right there in front of everyone, he's so self-conscious now. 

"Um, I'm a Herald of Valdemar. Meaning I was Chosen by one of the Companions to, er, be a part of Valdemar's government. I - have a lot of Gifts." 

"That's understating things. Vanyel is the most powerful Herald-Mage in the kingdom - the most powerful we've seen in centuries, maybe ever - and has, what, eight other Gifts as well? He's a war hero, he's saved Valdemar from a number of threats, and he's - I guess he's part of the reason we weren't already at war with Leareth when this happened." 

"He sounds useful, then. Would you like to come with us?" he asks Vanyel.

"Also," he says to Randi, "I don't think we've been introduced either."

"King Randale of Valdemar. And Shavri's lifebonded." He squeezes her shoulders. "I'm - guessing you can't get us back to Valdemar easily right now? Any idea what's going on there, right now?" 

"Dara's in charge. She's - stressed but doing fine. Leareth's organization helped us an awful lot. It'll be all right." 

Randi blinks. Then turns to Leareth, and bows his head. "I suppose we owe you a debt of gratitude, then." 

....It's been an awkward number of seconds and Leareth's mind is still drawing a blank on what to say. 

"I could hardly have done anything else," he manages, finally. 

Is there a non-awkward response to that. Randi isn't sure if that exists. 

"Um, well, thank you." 

Vanyel draws himself up. "I can be a test subject for the time travel. If you need that."

"No!" 

"Van!" 

"- Huh? What? Someone has to." 

Leareth takes a deep breath. There's absolutely no reason for him to find that proposal as upsetting as he apparently does. 

"I think that we ought return to Earth and discuss this further then," he says tightly. "And I suspect it would make the most sense for one of my people to volunteer." They're a lot more expendable, although he isn't going to say that in front of Vanyel. 

He's a little surprised by Randi's introduction; Randi doesn't exactly look like a king, although his idea of what a king should look like is his father and no one is ever going to be like his father.

"I don't know where your planet is in space," he tells him, "but there is a natural speed limit to the universe and it's unlikely that our ships could return you there in less than several decades, as time would be measured there. You would experience the voyage as taking much less time, but I'm not supposing that that would be helpful?

"—there is also a place in Valinor, the domain of one of our gods, where you could potentially observe events in Valdemar. Possibly she can also send you back; you've experienced Vala-teleportation, I think, I don't know if there's a range limit—"

He turns to Vanyel. "I was inviting you on the time-travel mission, assuming we are able to do this at all, not to be the first test subject. However, you are right: someone has to go first, and I don't personally have any opinion on who it ought to be, so if you would like to you may. I actually think we should perform the first trial here and now, where we already have the equipment set up, and are nearer to Mandos if anything does go wrong. He's already sent you back once, I expect he'd do it again, though one never can be sure."

Shrug. "There's a pretty good argument for it, right? I–" 

:No: A mindvoice interrupts all of them. :I lost you once, Van. I'm not risking it a second time: 

"'Fandes, but–" 

:Don't I get a say? You're my Chosen. Gods, Van, and they need you. ...Honestly, if anyone's more expendable, it's me: 

"What. No!" 

"Also you are not human-shaped." Sigh. "Honestly, the only one of us without a soulbond to someone else is myself." 

"Leareth!" 

"What?"

He switches to private Mindspeech with Vanyel alone. :Also, unlike any of you, I have a backup plan:

:Yes, and your immortality method is horrible: 

"I was assuming the Earth humans don't have soulbonds?" Randi offers. "Though, obviously, it's not my place to ask them to volunteer. ...Sondra might be the most expendable of us. If Shavri's all right then I - could handle losing her, I think. Probably. And she's human-shaped now."