A/N: Hey people, this is my first ever Tamora Pierce FanFic so I would love as much feedback as possible. Possitive and negative are fine by me. Before you ask, there isnt meant to be any background knowledge other than this happens after ROTG. And yes Daine is very OC but all will be explained (hopefully) soon. I hope you enjoy...

Prologue-

How can this be the last ever thing that I see? Daine thought to herself struggling weakly against the chains that bound her wrists securely to the wall above her. The jagged rocks that thrust themselves into her back no longer bothered her, the whip lashes that had hurt so desperately a few hours ago had faded outside her consciousness. She didn't have the strength to try and break free, and what was the point anyway? Numair didn't love her, how could she ever have been foolish enough to think that he did?

She had a less than hour left to live and she wouldn't waste her time thinking about him. He didn't want her, so maybe this was the best and only way to stop her longing. She didn't want to think about how she missed holding him in her arms, feeling his subtle touch on the bottom of her back, the ways his lips slipped across hers leaving a tingling feeling even after all these months. She would not think about him, he had abandoned her when she needed him the most and now she was going to die because of his betrayal.

She sat in her prison thinking of everyone she was leaving behind. Onua, the kind motherly figure that daine had come to love; Alanna, the brave knight who had saved her life on so many occasions; King Jonathon and his Queen Thayet, who had always kept and eye on her and almost treated her like a member of their family. Then, she thought about all the People, every animal she had ever talked to, all the injured that she had healed. How could she die now? Now that she had a family and friends to return home to. She had not even had a chance to say goodbye to the aging Cloud and Spots. She hadn't said bye to anyone.

She was roused from her thoughts by the clanging of the gate. Maybe someone had come to rescue her? However, when her eyes had adjusted to the sudden light she saw to her dismay a soldier come to take her to her death. She looked down at her feet unable to look at the man. Did he know that he was walking her to her doom? Or did he even care? Why would he anyway, she was just another prisoner to be 'dealt with?'

He didn't bother to paralyse the Wildmage; he knew that the lack of food and water in the past few weeks were enough to leave her weak and defenceless. He reached over and unlocked her wrists not noticing the raw, sliced skin before grabbing her and forcing her to her feet. If he had not of kept hold of her she would have fallen down again. Her legs barely supported her weight and she felt her whole body shaking, as much from fear as shock and pain. He bound her wrists tightly behind her back, taking no notice of her wincing as the rope dug deeply into her cuts. Sure that she couldn't get free, the guard dragged her out of the cell into the daylight outside. At least it's not raining thought daine warily as she looked up at the sky; she didn't want to die in the rain.

The soldier led her through a gate and into a huge stadium full of people watching her from every angle. She felt herself recoiling away from the audience, trying not to think about the number of people who had come to see her die. Stumbling up the wooden steps to the stage, a large rock covered in wood with a stake in the centre that loomed ominously above her.

They were going to burn her to death! Gods, anything but that; feeling the delicate looking flames lick her skin, burning it to a crisp until finally the pain would be so unbearable that she would pass out and that would be it; the end of daine Sarrasri, Wildmage and demi-God. She would never see her friends again, never be able to hold Numair again. It was now; faced with the end that she realised even though she thought she hated him, a massive part of her loved him, the biggest possible part. Tears slid down her cheeks as she was bound to the post and the crowd started chanting, but she didn't hear what they were saying. She was thinking of her friends and her last thought was for Numair. I hope he knew how much I love him.

Her prison guard threw the burning torch onto the wood around her and the fire took hold sending flames and sparks meters into the air above the stadium and the cheering crowds.

A/N: OK guys, that was the first chapter, I really really hope you enjoyed it! Please REVIEW the story and tell me what you think. The next chapter is coming soon and it will tell you about the events that led up to daine's situation. R&R people...xxx