" Have you had any more dreams involving the badger? I know he used to come to you often but then he said you didn't need him anymore."said Numair
"No, I haven't but I wish I could talk to him again I miss him sometimes. He taught me a lot." said Daine looking a little sad "But I have had dreams about you" She said changing the subject.
Numair smiled and held her hand. They walked into the forest where Numair spotted some wild flowers.
"For you my maglet" he said handing them to her.
She smiled and said
"Thank you, would you like to take a picnic tomorrow I love spending time with you?"
"Of course my maglet, I love spending time with you too" was his reply.
That night Daine and Numair went out into the field to study. Daine liked the fields because she could talk to the animals and horses. Daine was testing the limits of her power when one of the horses softly butted her with it's head she turned around and saw that it was her horse Cloud. Cloud had been her best friend for a long time.She had been Daine's pony for nearly six years.
"What are you and the stork-man doing?" asked Cloud.
Daine replied "Numair's name is not stork-man. We are testing the limits of my power and I am getting better at it."
Numair sneaked up behind her and hugged her around the shoulders. She jumped but was glad to be in his arms.
"I have a surprise for you" he announced.
Before she had time to ask what he lead her to her room and opened the door, there sitting on her bed was a beautiful brightly colored dancing gown.
"Is that for me?" she said pointing at the garment.
Numair chuckled."To whom else would it be given to my Maglet?"asked Numair.
Daine could feel tears well up in her eyes
"Thank you"she whispered and turned around to hug him. He kissed the top of her head "I love you Daine" he replied. He held something out in his hands.
"I would like you to keep this" he said. Daine looked down and gasped it was the bracelet Numair had always wore hidden by a spell. She had only seen it once before the day after they had first kissed. Numair had used it to find her when she fell of the cliff. Inside it had held a tiny portrait of her and a lock of her hair.
"I can't take this" she replied. It looked marvelous the gold shinning in the light.
"Please" said Numair. He un-latched it and put it on her wrist. "The next thing I hope to give you is a wedding ring" he said. She smiled and started to cry.
"Thank you" she said. He lifted up her chin and softly kissed her on the lips.
"You are welcome,my Maglet.Now for the dress I would like to take you to dinner and dancing at the palace."
"Oh, I would love to go dancing with you" she replied. He kissed her again and she blushed. Numair said
"I should leave you to get dressed" and he left.
"He is wonderful"she said out loud. She went and washed off then taking great care she put on the dress it was a change because she usually wore a tunic and breeches because she was Onua's assistant and she worked with the Queens riders. After she was dressed she went to do her hair. Daine sighed as she looked in the mirror her hair was to curly but Numair had always said he liked it, she didn't she took the brush and tackled her hair with it by the time she was done she looked decent. A few moments later she heard a knock at the door when she opened it she was surprised to find two purple eyes looking at her.
"Alanna!" she exclaimed. Daine ran over and hugged the King's champion. "What are you doing here? I thought you were at Pirate's Swoop."said Daine.
"I was" said Alanna. "I needed a little break so first I spent a couple nights with my Bazhir tribe the Bloody Hawk, then I decided to come here to see Jon and Thayet, the King and Queen, on un-offical bussness I also wanted to see Myles and check up on you and Numair." She winked and Daine blushed.
"Besides George, her husband and the Baron of Pirate's Swoop, has everything under control."
"I've heard that Numair has been courtin' you. You look mighty dressed up, a date perhaps?"
Daine's blush deepened. "Yes, Numair and I are going dancing. Do you like my dress?"
Alanna laughed "It is beautiful. If you don't mind me asking how serious are you and Numair?"
She blushed "We haven't shared a bed if that's what you are asking. Would you like to see something?" asked Daine.
"Sure" said Alanna Daine took the bracelet of her wrist
"Numair gave it to me." she said. "It is beautiful." said Alanna. "Will you promise not to tell a soul on the Goddess' name if I tell you something?"
"I promise" said Alanna. "Well, I am thinking about Numair and his proposal more and more each day. I think I am ready to say yes but I am not sure if I want to make that commitment yet, any advice?'
"Yes" said Alanna "First don't marry if you have doubts about your feelings for him you have to be sure and marry out of love and no other reason."said Alanna
"Thank you" said Daine. "I hope I am not interrupting" said a deep voice. They both turned around and saw Numair standing there.
Alanna got up and hugged Numair "Hi old friend. How have you been?"
"I have been good with my Magelet to keep me company."
He stepped back and took a look at Daine."And who is this beautiful lady?" he asked.
Daine smiled."How long have you been standing there?"asked Daine
"Not long enough to hear your conversation." he said
"Good." said Daine "Well I believe it is time for me to go. It was nice seeing you again, Numair."
"You too Alanna" said Numair.
When Alanna left Daine closed the door, "I have to talk to you." she said.
"This sounds serious"said Numair. "Well it is" said Daine "It's about us, I want you to know that I am seriously thinking about your proposal."
Numair got up and hugged her "Thank you" he whispered in her ear. She smiled and kissed him. "I love you"he said.
"I love you,too"was her reply. "Well we better get going or they will worry" he said.
"Ok" said Daine.
They walked out of her room arm in arm. When they got to the palace Numair escorted her inside. It was beautiful inside the palace, everything looked wonderful. Numair and Daine went to the dinning room. There weren't that many people just the Queen and King, Jonathan and Thayet, Alanna,Buri, Onua and the Duke Sir Gareth Numair and Daine were the last to arrive. For dinner Daine had ham, vegetables, wine, strawberries and some cake. After dinner they went to the ballroom for dancing. Numair and Daine were the first ones to dance. As they were dancing, the others had a conversation.
"I think they make a marvelous couple" said Thayet.
The others agreed
"Does anyone know when or if they getting married?" asked Jon "I would like to give such close friends of mine a royal wedding"
"All I know is that he asked her" said Onua.
"They look they are in love" said Buri.
They were interrupted when Daine and Numair stopped dancing
"Excuse us be we want to take a walk in the gardens" said Daine.
"Ok, have fun"said Jon
Numair and Daine walked outside. The weather was very nice. It was late but the full moon shined light on everything, casting shadows and making everything look beautiful.
"I forgot how beautiful it is here at this time of day" said Daine
"Yes, me too. Daine, would you like to take a walk with me in the Royal Forest? I know it is late and all but will you?" said Numair
"Sure" said Daine.
They walked until they reached the Royal Forest they walked down the path into the forest while Numair used his gift to light way. They stopped in a clearing. Suddenly Daine remembered she had been here before.
"So you remember?" said Numair seeing the look in her face.
"Yes, you took me here a long time ago it was where you helped me discover my pool of wild magic." said Daine.
"Yes, this is also where I found my feelings for you." said Numair
"But I was only thirteen what could you have possibly seen in me then?"asked Daine
"Well" said Numair scooping her up in his arms "I saw intellegence, gentleness, beautiful gray-blue eyes and an endless smile." said Numair.
She smiled and then felt his lips gently caressing her own. They sat down on a log, side by side, holding hands. ,p> "Can I ask you something?" said Daine.
"Sure" said Numair
"When did you first know you loved me?" asked Daine.
"I knew I loved you when we were in Carthak and the Emperor said something about you and I got mad and hit him, also when you were kidnapped and I thought I had lost you." he said. "When did you know you loved me?" he also asked.
"Well it was also in Carthak, when I saw you with that woman, Varice then I knew I had feelings for you. I just didn't want to admit them. But when I thought you were dead I knew I loved you and I felt so sad, sick, and lonely when I thought of living without you. I knew I was hopelessly in love with you though the first time we kissed"
"Me too" said Numair "After that I knew we felt the same way about each other."
"I am glad it happened" said Daine. "Even if I did fall of a cliff and get captured by spidrens"
Numair laughed "That you did my Magelet"
She smiled
"Well we better be getting back" said Numair
"Yea, we don't want them to get worried" said Daine.
They kissed one more time, Daine feeling the same tingling as always. They walked hand in hand back to the palace.
"Goodbye,I will see you tomorrow,right?"said Daine
"Yes" said Numair. "Why don't you come over to my tower tomorrow morning for breakfast then you can go do your job with the Queens Riders and I will see the King?"
"That would be lovely, Numair, thank you." she kissed him again and went back to her room.
Back in Daine's room it was nice enough to leave the door open. She always enjoyed listening to the animals as she fell asleep. Tonight it was unusually loud but she was to tired to listen. When she woke up it was dawn so she washed up and got dressed. It was a bright sunny spring morning. She walked over to Numair's tower. The door was unlocked so she went in and found a sleeping Numair in his underwear. Daine blushed a deep red and cleared her throat hoping to wake him up. It worked.
"Daine!" he yelled shocked "This isn't proper turn around whilst I get dressed!" said Numair still shocked. Daine obeyed.
"I-I am sorry" said Daine "I didn't mean to. I didn't know you were asleep." said Daine
"I know" said Numair "I am sorry for yelling, I just don't want you to get the wrong idea." he said.
"It is alright, I know you were surprised is all."she said. After he was dressed they went to his kitchen. "So why weren't you awake? You are usually an early bird?" said Daine
"Well" said Numair "I was well...um..I.was..."
"Out with it"said Daine
"I was thinking" he said.
"About what?" said Daine
"Well about you, what else can I ever think about" he said.
Daine smiled. "I think about you a lot, too" she said "I am kinda glad you were sleeping like that" said Daine, full of amusement.
"Daine." said Numair blushing a deep red.
"Well I am" said Daine "You are quite attractive when you aren't fully clothed." she said.
Numair chuckled " Okay I will take your word for it, so what would you like to eat?"he said.
"Some oatmeal with strawberries would be nice" she said.
"Ok. I will be right back" he said. A few minutes later he came back with two bowls of steaming oatmeal.
"Thank you" she said.
"Anything for you, my Magelet"
When they were done eating they shared a brief kiss. "I should go, Onua is probably waiting for me" said Daine
"Ok, bye, my Sweet I will see you tonight" he said. She left and went to the stables. "Hi Onua, how is everything?" she asked.
"Disturbing" said the K'mir.
"Why is that?" asked Daine.
"Well when the stable boy woke up he found all the ponies and horses huddled together, scared out of their wits. It took more than an hour to get them a little calmed down but they still are bucking. One of our men had to see a healer 'cause he got kicked. We don't know what caused them to do this, maybe you can talk to them" said Onua.
"Ok" said Daine. She found Cloud and decided to talk to her. Just as she got close to her Cloud reared and started to buck.
"Stop it now!" she screamed at Cloud with her mind "It's me, Daine. Calm down it's me." Cloud stopped bucking. "What is wrong?" asked Daine.
"Danger, there is danger, the animals last night were fleeing they told us." said Cloud.
Daine remembered how many animals she had heard last night. If only she would have listened and not fell asleep! "What kind of danger and where at?" said Daine.
"I don't know but it scared us and them."s aid Cloud
"Thank you, Cloud"said Daine. She walked over to the Onua.
"What was wrong?" she asked
"Well I am not sure. Cloud said the animals spoke of danger but they don't know what or where the danger is."explained Daine.
Daine spent the rest of the day soothing the horses and helping cleaning up the mess the horses made. That night Daine walked over to Numair's tower. This time she knocked on the door remembering what happened that morning. When he opened up the door she could see in his face something was wrong.
"Numair,what is? she asked.
"Nothing" he said "Come in and sit down" There was a worried look on his face but Daine obeyed.
"I know it's not nothing"she said. " I know you better than you think, something is wrong I can see it in your face, so please tell me!"she said
"Ok."he said. He went and got them some tea. "Well today at the meeting we have found out there is a problem in Snowsdale." Daine knew Snowsdale all to well, to well she had grown up there until it was burned to the ground, destroyed by bandits and her family killed. She had turned mad after that, acting like a wolf killing people. The survivors of the town had tried to kill her. Those were very painfully memories for her and she almost hated Numair for bringing them back to her.
"Daine, are you ok?"asked Numair
"Yes."she said holding back tears. "So what is the problem?"she asked.
"Well, people are disappearing and animals are fleeing fast. The Queen and King of Galla has asked Tortall to intervene. They need someone to go and investigate."he said.
"So!"said Daine tartly remembering how she was treated.
"Um...Daine..I am...I was picked to go"said Numair
"You what!"said Daine shocked and outraged the tears rolling down her face.
"I wanted to help"said Numair. He was mad at himself after seeing the hurt in Daine's eyes. "I am sorry."he said. He went over and held her in his arms."I didn't mean to hurt you. I am so sorry"he whispered as she cried onto his shirt.
"It's ok"he said soothingly, comforting her.
"I should have known those memories would be hard for her how could I do this?" he thought to himself.
"It's ok"said Daine. "You want to help is all I understand that"she said drying her tears, "But if you are going so am I" she replied. "Daine,
”I won't let you."Numair said firmly. "It will be to hard on you, I won't let you go through that."he said
"You have no choice, I am going and that's final."she said.
"But-"Numair started to say. Daine leaned over and kissed him.
"No buts about it I am going"she said firmly
"I can see there is no arguing with you so ok." he said
"When do we leave?" she asked , "The day after tomorrow at dawn."he said.
"Ok, I will be ready"she kissed him again and left. Walking back to her room she breathed in deep and smelled spring flowers. She got to her room and decided to stay up a while to see if she could learn something, the animals last night must have came from around Galla. She must have dosed off because when she awoke it was passed dawn. She washed and got dressed and hurried out the door. Daine was walking when she ran into Alanna.
"Hi, Alanna how are you doing?"she asked
"I am fine"said Alanna. "By the way the King wants to discuss the trip to Snowsdale with you and Numair at noon. Are you sure you want to go to Snowsdale?"asked the King's champion.
"Yes, I am sure." said Daine
"Ok"said Alanna. "Well I have to go, I will talk to you later."she told Daine
"Alright, bye."said Daine She walked over to Numair's tower, she knocked and he answered the door. "Jonathan wants to see us at noon."said Daine
"Yes, I know."said Numair "Come in"he told her.
"Ok, Onua gave me the day off to rest for the trip tomorrow." said Daine.
"Jon said the same to me"said Numair. "So I suggest we take that picnic"he said putting his arm around her.
"Ok, I would like that."she said
"I thought you would so I took the liberty of making a picnic basket"said Numair with a grin.
"Oh, thank you Numair!"she said giving him a hug. They decided to have their picnic by a large Willow tree. "This is nice of you."said Daine
"You deserve all of it and more."said Numair. They picnicked by a large Willow tree where they watched the Queens riders practice fighting from a distance. Numair took out some bread, cheese and salted pork and they shared it.
"Are you nervous about leaving tomorrow?" he asked
"Yes, a little."she said He squeezed her hand
"It will be ok. I promise to help you." They spent the rest of the day being together and enjoying the day.
