Chapter 1: The Art of Persuasion

Daine slept a troubled sleep. She tossed and turned as different, but equally disturbing images presented themselves to her mind's eye. She spoke often, crying out, mumbling things.

But once, as Alanna the Lioness watched the sleeping girl, she said, quite clearly, "I love you, Numair." Alanna stared at the girl. Had she heard right? She pondered this until Numair came in, for it was his turn to watch Daine.

Alanna confronted him and said, "You know how Daine's been sleep-talking? Well, she said something that's been worrying me." Numair looked half confused, half embarrassed.

Then Alanna went on, "Did something happen in the Divine Realms that I should know about?"

Numair sighed and asked, "What did she say?"

Alanna looked at him with her piercing purple eyes and said, "She said that she loves you."

Upon hearing this, Numair felt his heart soar. She was dreaming about him! His love, his magelet. He looked at her, momentarily astounded by her beauty. Then he looked up at the Lioness.

He blushed deeply. "Um, well, when she fell off that cliff…" He stammered, then was momentarily caught up in a surge of memory;

A voice sounded behind him as he stared at the dead spidern, feeling lost. "Numair?" The voice seemed kind of familiar but he did not turn.

Then it spoke again, "Please…are you alright?" Numair turned slowly. When he saw her he gasped, "You—you're alive. I thought…" He watched as she staggered towards him.

"I hurt too much to be dead."

Numair dropped his staff and swept this girl, the love of his life, whom he had nearly lost, into his arms. He stroked her back. Their eyes met for one breathless moment, then he let his heart rule his head and kissed her passionately.

It was better than he'd ever imagined. She tasted so good! And better still, she was returning the kiss. Elation made Numair lightheaded as he took his mouth away.

But she whispered, "No." and brought his face back to hers. Words could not describe the emotions Numair was feeling.

Numair was brought back to the present by Alanna poking him and asking, "Well?"

Numair gave a great sigh and explained the situation to Alanna.

Alanna glared at him and said curtly, "Don't you dare take advantage of her." And was about to sweep out of the room when she opened the door to find her daughter, seven-year-old Alianne.

"Aly!" The Lioness exclaimed, shocked, "What are you doing here?" Alanna forgot her anger as she stared at her young daughter.

Aly smiled up at her mother and said, "I found out something important and I wanted to tell you and Uncle Numy. And maybe Daine, if she's awake."

Numair smiled, "I think everyone in this room knows what you are about to say, since Daine already announced it."

There was a soft croak from the bed, "I announced what?" Everyone's eyes turned to Daine. Numair was next to her in a flash. So was Alanna.

Numair stuttered as Alanna glared at him, "Well, um, well, magelet, lets just say our relationship isn't a secret anymore. And you talk in your sleep." He stroked her hair.

Aly bounded over, crying, "Uncle Numy, Uncle Numy! Are you going to ask her to marry you?! You should! You should!"

Alanna scooped up her daughter and said, "Now, now, Aly, he can't do that, he's too old for her."

Aly looked up at her mother and cried, "No, no! They are perfect for each other!"

Numair made a small coughing noise and said, "Well, I sort of already asked her."

Alanna's face started turning purple, then she let out a torrent of bad language, directed at Numair. Numair covered Aly's ears as the Lioness ranted at him.

In a few moments, George, Kitten, Alan, Thom and some footmen came running in. George went and put a hand over his screaming wife's mouth as Aly, Alan and Thom looked at her in awe. Kitten came forward and began to scold Alanna empathetically. Alanna looked down at the young dragon and sighed.

George took his hand off her mouth and said, "Now lass, what's all this shouting about?"

Alanna, Aly, Numair and Daine exchanged glances. Numair gave a slight shake of his head but the Lioness glared at him.

Alanna said sweetly, "Well, why don't we ask Aly?" There was a wicked gleam in Alanna's eye.

They all turned to Aly, "Aly?" Alanna prompted.

Aly gave a brilliant smile and said, "Well, mama was mad because Daine said something when she was sleeping and I figured out that Daine and Uncle Numy are in love, then I told Uncle Numy to ask her to marry him and he said he already did and that's when mama started screaming." The seven-year-old told the story so quickly no one had time to react until the end.

Then Aly turned to Daine and asked, "So what did you say, when he asked you?" She was practically jumping up and down with joy.

Daine, blushing profusely, said, "Well, I said maybe…"

Aly lost some of her excitement, then regained it, "If I got him to ask you right now would you say yes? Please? I want to call you Aunt Daine!"

Now everyone was shouting all at once. More people entered the room as Aly pestered Daine to say yes.

In the midst of all the shouting, Daine and Numair were quiet. They were staring into each others eyes. Daine gave a smile and a nod. A smile lit up Numair's face.

Aly, the perceptive little seven-year-old, saw this and started screaming and jumping up and down with joy. Persuasion isn't an art, it's a push from a perceptive seven-year-old.

AN: I have decided this story will be mostly AU (I want to name the kids hehehe) but it will follow the basic time line with the exception of the times when the kids are born.