= Watch Me Shine =

Chapter 01: Liquid Steel Lightning

Disclaimer: All the recognizable characters and places in this story belong to Tamora Pierce!

* * *

The pages and squires of Corus, Tortall stood in a horizontal line next to the windows, staring at the weather outdoors.

"That can't be right…" One of the boys murmured, making the symbol against evil on his chest. Just a few moments ago, they had all been in the practice court having mock hand to hand combats when the sky growled angrily and burst apart, showering everybody with ice cold rain.

Everyone jumped when the next lightning bolt flitted the sky. It was the oddest colour - like liquid steel. No normal lightning was that colour.

Elsewhere in the Palace, King Jon glanced out the window with a small chuckle. The Lioness, Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Barony Olau, raised an eyebrow. She stuck her head out the window and saw a brown-haired child sitting with her head on her knees.

"Is it our little mage again?" Jon asked, his eyes on the scrolls in front of him.

"I believe so. Has Numair been at her about her lessons again?" Another bolt of silver lightning lit the sky up. "Goddess, she has a powerful Gift," Alanna whispered.

Jon nodded in agreement and joined his friend at the window. "Indeed, she does. But her father works her too hard. She's only nine years young."

Alanna's glowing purple eyes shimmered with amusement. "Look who's come to apologize to his daughter!"

* * *

The mud created by the rainstorm sucked Numair Salmalin's foot under, causing him to trip and fall face first. He cursed as he pulled himself up, his already soaked garments caked with ice cold mud. "Rika!" he yelled, nearing the girl who had her head down. "Rika! Stop this rain immediately!"

Rika Salmalin looked up suddenly her dark blue eyes wide with surprise. Almost instantly, the rain stopped and the clouds faded into the sky. "Papa?" she asked, the corners of her mouth twitching as the lanky figure lumbered towards her, shaking mud this way and that.

"Glad to find you're amused, my dear," he grumbled, lying down and stretching his 6'5" frame to dry in the afternoon sun. "So… are you mad at me?"

"No, sir."

"Are you mad?"

"No, sir."

"Were you mad?"

No answer.

"Rika?"

"I'm sorry, papa. I won't do it again," Rika mumbled, staring at her knees.

Numair rolled onto his side and used an elbow to prop himself up. "What's wrong, sweet?" he asked quietly.

His daughter looked everywhere but at him. Little Rika was an exact mix of him and Daine. Her hair a light black, dark brown colour, went past her chest, and was wavy, unlike the curly mess her ma had. Those deep sea blue eyes were gentle like Daine's, but scholarly - full of wisdom - like his. She was only two heads shorter than her ma, an indication that she would probably be tall. But not as tall as me, Numair hoped.

"Everybody is afraid of me, papa," Rika whispered, fresh tears threatening to spill. The sky echoed Rika's emotions.

Numair sat up and wrapped Rika up in a tight hug. "Hush now. They're afraid because they don't understand. Most fear the unknown."

"I just want to be normal."

"No you don't," chirped a girl standing several feet away. She had fire-red hair, and a cunning smile. "That'll be a bore!"

"Hi Aly," Rika said shyly, peeking out from her pa's shirt.

Alianne was one of Rika's favourite cousins. When she visited her twin, a first-year-page named Alan, and older brother Thom, a University student, she made sure to visit everybody if she had time (which she usually did).

Numair nodded to the fourteen-year-old. "How's your da?"

"Fine as ever, except he misses ma," she answered before turning back to her young cousin. "So, what if you are a bit different? It's better than being normal! And Goddess! You have the most peculiar gift! Silver lightning?"

Rika blushed and shrugged, making Numair laugh.

"Oy!" Alanna yelled from above. "Jon's holding a meeting in five minutes!"

Aly grimaced. "That lady can yell. I better go before I get dragged into this. I have to visit Thom anyway. I guess Ill see you two at dinner, if the meetings don't go too long."

* * *

Rika blinked away boredom while the adults talked about the ongoing war near the Scanran border. Apparently, she was "required" to listen in. It wasn't until several hours after sundown that her ma's name was mentioned.

"Daine reports that if we're to send in more troops, we should do it soon before winter in a months time," Jon said.

The Lioness slapped her hands onto the table. "A month's time! Autumn hasn't even come yet!"

"It's the North, Alanna - winter arrives earlier," offered Numair.

"Several months earlier?" Onua Chamtong, the horsemistress, asked skeptically.

"Could be the work of mages," Jon quipped. "Settle down, Lioness. I've already started preparing the troops. You're to set out tomorrow at dawn, is that all right?"

"The earlier the better, Your Highness."

"We'll also require your skills up North, Numair."

Numair nodded. "But Rika--"

"Aly can look after her," Alanna offered, giving her niece a hug. "After all, they're the best of friends, right?"

Rika bit her lower lip from trembling and nodded. Now her papa was going away? She was suddenly lifted from her seat onto her papa's lap. "I won't be gone long, sweet," he promised.

"That's what mama said," she whispered, eyeing the other adults in the room wearily. A tear escaped her shining eyes and rolled down her cheek.

Numair smiled apologetically at the others. "I'll see you tomorrow morning before dawn."

He carried his daughter back to his room, where they'd been sleeping since Daine left.

It was starting to drizzle outside.

"I'll miss you, papa."

"I know, love. I promise I'll write you at least once a week."

"Will you say hi to mama for me, also?" Rika asked as her papa helped her into her nightshift.

Numair kissed his daughter on the forehead. "Of course I will. Now I have to go bathe, since you muddied me earlier," he teased. "You'd better be asleep when I come to find you again! 'Night, love."

"'Night, papa. Luck be with you," she whispered as the tall mage exited the room.