Black and White
By Tazzmania Tygar
I OWN NOTHING (although I would like a Vanilla Coke right about now...)
~~~~~*~~~~~
Nerolie Rowan, also the Shang Kitten, aka Lady Nerolie of Quentin rode a sturdy dappled grey mare named Darcie down the great road north, towards Corus. Nerolie, who was 16 and three quarters, had not long ago embarked on a great journey back to the country of her birth: Tortall. An orphaned noble and the heir to Fief Quentin, Nerolie was a great beauty. She had long white-blonde hair, Cobalt eyes framed by long dark lashes and blood red Cupid's bow lips. She also had dimples, many a woman's worst nightmare. Her mother had been kin to the family of Stone Mountain, which more than accounted for Nerolie's fair good looks.
Nerolie may have looked like a nice young maiden but in truth she felt anything but. She had inherited her father's brilliant mind, darkened by some of the horrors she had encountered in her more youthful days. By taking part in many battles large and small she had sharpened her battle skills considerably. She regretted being too far away to help with Tortall's recent war against Scanra.
Being exposed to such undesirable things she had been changed, hardened. Her experiences from a sweet girl with not a care in the world to a lonely, experienced warrior of war had moulded her. Despite all these, it was rare that Nerolie would seek companionship of the male or female kind. She had no shortage of male admirers at the few places she stopped. These would-be suitors often tried to woo her with many a tale, song or gift. Nerolie felt sorry for the men that chose to waste their time in such a way for she had not a care for anything of the sort. Drink a man under the table she would; share his bed for the night she would not.
All Nerolie really wanted centred around one thing; getting to the city of Corus. She wanted to meet Alanna the lioness, with whom Nerolie's mentor had spent his last few days. Nerolie wished to present herself at court to prove that she was alive and ready to take charge of her fief again. She had a top-secret matter to take up with his majesty king Jonathon. She also wanted to go to Corus simply because it was a place she had not yet experienced and she was always open for adventure when it reared its' ugly head.
Suddenly a bird called from high overhead. Startled by the noise, Nerolie glanced upwards and noticed that the light was quickly fading. She was approaching an inn and decided to rest in comfort for a night at least. She was tired of cold baths in streams and rocks digging into her back as she slept. The inn was named Mary's lamb and while besieged by fantasies of hot baths and real food Nerolie regally approached a boy filling the water troughs outside.
"How would I go about finding a room here, lad?" she asked him, removing her black travelling cloak. He regarded her for a moment with curiosity before answering.
"Jus' go inside to the bar an' ask Ivy for a room." He answered with an unfamiliar accent. "I'll see to tha' ladies 'orse then?" Nerolie took the saddlebags off her horse, slung them over her shoulder as if they weighed nothing and nodded.
"You make sure she's treated good, you hear?" Nerolie told him as she flipped him a coin. She entered the warm inn and for a moment all attention was on her. Then people averted their eyes and the chatter regained volume.
"One room please. I would like, if it's possible, a warm bath." She asked the pretty barmaid.
"Certainly, miss." The girl replied. "Righ' this way then."
Nerolie followed the girl, who couldn't have been much older than Nerolie herself up a flight of stairs and down a hallway. The girl stopped outside a door and let Nerolie in the room.
"Jus' a moment miss an' I'll 'ave Gunther bring the 'ot water up." Called the barmaid over her shoulder as she walked off.
Nerolie went inside the room and unpacked her saddlebags. Out came her clothes, toiletries and medicine chest. Then she unpacked the more precious items. The reed flute that Liam Ironarm had made for her and the only thing she had of her father's - The Magical Book of Everything. The book was blank; it responded to whatever the owner wanted to know. If anyone but Nerolie had tried to use the book it would snap shut and not respond. It really did seem to mention everything. The only thing she had of her mother's was a black opal pendant on a fine gold chain, hidden below Nerolie's clothes.
The opal vibrated when powerful magic was being worked nearby and Nerolie realised that it was shivering profusely. Nerolie unsheathed her beautiful sword with its' blue Yamani steel blade and stepped into the hallway. She was still wearing her riding clothes; black breeches, blue silk shirt and white vest. Wisps of her blonde hair had escaped her braid and framed her determined face. She moved down a maze of hallways, using the opal to guide her to where the magic was being used. Nerolie was, perhaps, acting rashly. The magic might have been harmless. Nerolie had been raised with a strong mistrust for magic; Liam Ironarm himself had been suspicious of any mage that had crossed their path.
"Never turn your back on a mage, whether they be friend or foe." The Shang dragon had always told her. She had ignored his advice once and doing so had almost cost her life.
Nerolie reached the end of a corridor. The magic was being worked behind this door. Suppressing a shudder at the intensity of the magic flowing under the door she rapped on the door sharply. Just as she was about to knock again the door swung open and she found herself staring into a pair of coal black eyes.
Nerolie's eyes swept up the image of the person in front of her. The coal black eyes were set in a handsome face of a young man, perhaps eighteen years old. He had curly, dark brown hair and a trim body. The boy's gaze went from her to her sword and back again.
"Could you please put the sword down? You're making me very nervous." He asked in a rich voice.
"Only if you stop the magic." She shot back in an instant.
"If it bothers you, yes. I could stop it." He replied, staring at the sword in her ready grip. She nodded and sheathed her sword as the magic stopped. The opal stopped trembling.
"My name is Cosmo Draper." He said, offering his hand.
"Nerolie Rowan." She replied, using the name that she'd made up for practical purposes. She shook his hand. They stared at each other for a moment.
"Ah, here comes Numair. Hey, maybe we can dine together later." He said, smiling. Nerolie hesitated.
"I promise I won't do any magic." He apologised while grinning.
"Alright then. Meet you downstairs in an hour." She proposed and turned to go. Instead she bumped into a very tall man who looked a lot like Cosmo, only much older with grey streaks in his hair.
"Sorry," he apologised and turned aside to let her past. Everyone seems to be apologising to me today, Nerolie thought as she let herself back into her room. She threw herself onto the bed.
"What am I going to wear?" she wondered aloud. "When was the last time I actually dined with anyone?" Nerolie sniffed. There was a terrible smell coming from somewhere. She noticed that the tub had been filled with hot water and understood.
"Water drawn from a sulphur spring. Yuck!" She muttered.
Nerolie bathed as quickly as she could after locking the door. She then threw on the only acceptably clean garment that she owned; a light white gown embroidered with blue and green thread. She weaved a blue ribbon through her freshly washed and braided hair and was ready.
On her way down to the main room she noticed that the tattoo on her right arm was exposed. Liam Ironarm had created it himself when she was only four. She could only vaguely remember the pain. The tattoo cuffed her arm once and was made up of strange marks that were Ancient Shang for "This is the perilous kitten, who earned her place among the Shang through hard work, skill and dedication to her task and her teacher. Mistreat her at your own peril for she has the skill of ten men and is equal to the dragon."
It had been a stretch of the truth when she was four but twelve and three quarter years later it was quite accurate. She didn't even really need her sword but it seemed a good idea to carry one just in case. Her virtue was being questioned as it was. Being an attractive young woman and travelling alone was definitely more trouble than it was worth.
By the time Nerolie got downstairs an hour had passed.
There weren't many women around. Then again, not many women travelled these days. It was too dangerous with lone Scanrans sometimes wandering about. She saw Cosmo sitting with the tall man she had bumped into earlier. She strode over to them, glad that her dress covered her boots. She only owned one pair of shoes and they were huge riding boots that were covered in mud and other unmentionables. When she got to Corus, she supposed, she would have to get some of those dainty little boots that the fashionable noblewomen wore, or else some of those little wooden platform sandals or something. She hadn't worn anything else but big smelly boots for years so she was quite unaware of what was fashionable. She pulled up a chair and sat down at Cosmo's table.
"Hello, Nerolie. I started to think that you weren't coming! Meet Numair Salmalin, Mage extraordinaire and my esteemed cousin." Cosmo introduced, grinning broadly.
"How do you do?" Nerolie pronounced politely, raising her hand to shake his. To her immense surprise, he kissed her hand and let it go.
"Charmed, I'm sure." He replied.
"I'm sorry I was late," apologised Nerolie as she studied Numair. "I got rather lost. This place is like a rabbit's warren." "Indeed it is." Numair acknowledged. He had curly black hair streaked with grey tied with a leather thong where Cosmo's was shorter, like a cap. They shared the same Coal black eyes to the smallest detail, though.
"So, Nerolie. Why are you travelling down this lonesome road?" Numair asked conversationally. "And why are you alone?"
"I'm heading to Corus." She replied earnestly.
"Great! Us too. Why are you going there?" Cosmo asked cheerfully.
"I have a great many errands to run there. I also wish to talk to talk to Alanna the lioness about a great man who died in the palace a long time ago." Nerolie stretched while sitting down.
"Who would that be?" Numair frowned. "If you don't mind me asking."
"Not at all. My mentor, Liam Ironarm or the Shang Dragon was with lady Alanna when he died. I was very young when he left me. I intend to find out the way he lived his last few days and the way he died. I was... indisposed when the official news came out." Nerolie told them sadly.
"I met him once, I recall. Good man." Numair remembered.
"Yes, he was." replied Nerolie.
"What do you mean when you say he was your mentor?" Cosmo asked, leaning forward in his seat.
"He taught me to be Shang. I'm the Shang kitten." Nerolie revealed.
"Wow!" Exclaimed Cosmo, knocking over the sugar jar. Their food arrived and they chewed quietly for a few minutes.
"Wait a minute," Cosmo said thoughtfully. He turned to Numair. "I thought you said that the battle for the palace was Almost twenty two years ago?"
"It was." Numair replied. "I still don't understand what you're getting at."
"Liam Ironarm, the Shang Dragon, Died in that battle when Eldorne and Tirragen forces combined to bring Duke Roger back to power." Cosmo said.
"Ah. So?" Numair prompted.
"So if Nerolie is indeed 16 and three quarters then she was born approximately four and a quarter years after Liam died. She can't possibly have known him." Cosmo revealed. They both turned to look at Nerolie, who had slipped as low as she could under the table.
"The truth please, Nerolie." Numair asked sternly.
"It is the truth! Just, something happened... the gods..."She trailed off.
"And here I thought only Alanna was lucky enough to have gods meddling in her affairs." Numair said dryly. The subject was changed. Intensely relieved, Nerolie found herself asking the two why they were headed to the capital city.
"I live at the palace and Cosmo is staying with me for extra tutoring." Numair said genially.
"What do you do at the palace? Surely you work for the King?" Nerolie said curiously.
"I'm King Jonathon's chief mage." Numair told her, cocking his head. Nerolie could not contain her shock. Mages! Both of them! Of course. I should have guessed. If Cosmo was playing with strong magic then the both of them probably were. The pretty serving girl interrupted her daze, bringing after dinner drinks. Nerolie took a big swallow of the strong alcohol.
"This is great, Thankyou." Nerolie said. The girl smiled and curtsied.
"You have a very educated manner of language for a sixteen year old commoner." Cosmo remarked.
"Oh, I'm not a commoner." Nerolie told him, taking another swill of her drink.
"I thought the Shang only took commoners?" Numair stated.
"I'm an orphan, but my family were in the book of silver. My parents were murdered in front of me when I was two." She admitted quite matter-of- factly.
"How awful! I'm so sorry." Cosmo cried, looking horrified.
"My Father just had time to hide me and our most prized possessions before barbarian thieves ran up the stairs. Quentin, my fief, is southeast from Corus, on the coastal way that faces Carthak. I think it was Carthaki pirates that killed my parents and I will have my revenge." Nerolie thumped the table for emphasis.
"Why would they kill your parents though? Pirates normally just steal what they can and leave." Numair wondered aloud.
"I'm not sure, but I think they were looking for this." She said and pulled her necklace out of her shirt to show them. "Black Opal. It's very powerful, very expensive and quite rare these days. I felt it before but I thought what I could feel was your gift." Cosmo said.
"Me? The gift? No, No no no." She replied, shaking her head profusely.
"Is the thought really quite so alarming?" Numair asked.
"Yes, because not only is it dishonourable to use magic in battle, I'm plain scared of it. It's about the only thing I am scared of."
"This could pose as a problem." Cosmo muttered.
"It's quite natural to be afraid of something. I, for instance, am frightened of my wife after she's been playing with her various bows and arrows." Numair said dryly, draping his long arms across the table.
"Oh?" Nerolie raised one eyebrow.
"Mithros, don't get me started." Numair replied, head in hands. Cosmo laughed. By the time they had finished dinner they were talking like old friends.
"We leave tomorrow. Perhaps you would ride with us?" Numair asked Nerolie. Nerolie nodded and thanked him.
"I would like that." She said shyly.
"Yes," Said Cosmo dreamily. "So would I."
~~~~~*~~~~~
I'd SO love to thank ff.net for not letting me log in and causing many a tantrum, and my friend Mel, who gave me powerful tranquilliser before fixing the problem up.
Please Review!!!
By Tazzmania Tygar
I OWN NOTHING (although I would like a Vanilla Coke right about now...)
~~~~~*~~~~~
Nerolie Rowan, also the Shang Kitten, aka Lady Nerolie of Quentin rode a sturdy dappled grey mare named Darcie down the great road north, towards Corus. Nerolie, who was 16 and three quarters, had not long ago embarked on a great journey back to the country of her birth: Tortall. An orphaned noble and the heir to Fief Quentin, Nerolie was a great beauty. She had long white-blonde hair, Cobalt eyes framed by long dark lashes and blood red Cupid's bow lips. She also had dimples, many a woman's worst nightmare. Her mother had been kin to the family of Stone Mountain, which more than accounted for Nerolie's fair good looks.
Nerolie may have looked like a nice young maiden but in truth she felt anything but. She had inherited her father's brilliant mind, darkened by some of the horrors she had encountered in her more youthful days. By taking part in many battles large and small she had sharpened her battle skills considerably. She regretted being too far away to help with Tortall's recent war against Scanra.
Being exposed to such undesirable things she had been changed, hardened. Her experiences from a sweet girl with not a care in the world to a lonely, experienced warrior of war had moulded her. Despite all these, it was rare that Nerolie would seek companionship of the male or female kind. She had no shortage of male admirers at the few places she stopped. These would-be suitors often tried to woo her with many a tale, song or gift. Nerolie felt sorry for the men that chose to waste their time in such a way for she had not a care for anything of the sort. Drink a man under the table she would; share his bed for the night she would not.
All Nerolie really wanted centred around one thing; getting to the city of Corus. She wanted to meet Alanna the lioness, with whom Nerolie's mentor had spent his last few days. Nerolie wished to present herself at court to prove that she was alive and ready to take charge of her fief again. She had a top-secret matter to take up with his majesty king Jonathon. She also wanted to go to Corus simply because it was a place she had not yet experienced and she was always open for adventure when it reared its' ugly head.
Suddenly a bird called from high overhead. Startled by the noise, Nerolie glanced upwards and noticed that the light was quickly fading. She was approaching an inn and decided to rest in comfort for a night at least. She was tired of cold baths in streams and rocks digging into her back as she slept. The inn was named Mary's lamb and while besieged by fantasies of hot baths and real food Nerolie regally approached a boy filling the water troughs outside.
"How would I go about finding a room here, lad?" she asked him, removing her black travelling cloak. He regarded her for a moment with curiosity before answering.
"Jus' go inside to the bar an' ask Ivy for a room." He answered with an unfamiliar accent. "I'll see to tha' ladies 'orse then?" Nerolie took the saddlebags off her horse, slung them over her shoulder as if they weighed nothing and nodded.
"You make sure she's treated good, you hear?" Nerolie told him as she flipped him a coin. She entered the warm inn and for a moment all attention was on her. Then people averted their eyes and the chatter regained volume.
"One room please. I would like, if it's possible, a warm bath." She asked the pretty barmaid.
"Certainly, miss." The girl replied. "Righ' this way then."
Nerolie followed the girl, who couldn't have been much older than Nerolie herself up a flight of stairs and down a hallway. The girl stopped outside a door and let Nerolie in the room.
"Jus' a moment miss an' I'll 'ave Gunther bring the 'ot water up." Called the barmaid over her shoulder as she walked off.
Nerolie went inside the room and unpacked her saddlebags. Out came her clothes, toiletries and medicine chest. Then she unpacked the more precious items. The reed flute that Liam Ironarm had made for her and the only thing she had of her father's - The Magical Book of Everything. The book was blank; it responded to whatever the owner wanted to know. If anyone but Nerolie had tried to use the book it would snap shut and not respond. It really did seem to mention everything. The only thing she had of her mother's was a black opal pendant on a fine gold chain, hidden below Nerolie's clothes.
The opal vibrated when powerful magic was being worked nearby and Nerolie realised that it was shivering profusely. Nerolie unsheathed her beautiful sword with its' blue Yamani steel blade and stepped into the hallway. She was still wearing her riding clothes; black breeches, blue silk shirt and white vest. Wisps of her blonde hair had escaped her braid and framed her determined face. She moved down a maze of hallways, using the opal to guide her to where the magic was being used. Nerolie was, perhaps, acting rashly. The magic might have been harmless. Nerolie had been raised with a strong mistrust for magic; Liam Ironarm himself had been suspicious of any mage that had crossed their path.
"Never turn your back on a mage, whether they be friend or foe." The Shang dragon had always told her. She had ignored his advice once and doing so had almost cost her life.
Nerolie reached the end of a corridor. The magic was being worked behind this door. Suppressing a shudder at the intensity of the magic flowing under the door she rapped on the door sharply. Just as she was about to knock again the door swung open and she found herself staring into a pair of coal black eyes.
Nerolie's eyes swept up the image of the person in front of her. The coal black eyes were set in a handsome face of a young man, perhaps eighteen years old. He had curly, dark brown hair and a trim body. The boy's gaze went from her to her sword and back again.
"Could you please put the sword down? You're making me very nervous." He asked in a rich voice.
"Only if you stop the magic." She shot back in an instant.
"If it bothers you, yes. I could stop it." He replied, staring at the sword in her ready grip. She nodded and sheathed her sword as the magic stopped. The opal stopped trembling.
"My name is Cosmo Draper." He said, offering his hand.
"Nerolie Rowan." She replied, using the name that she'd made up for practical purposes. She shook his hand. They stared at each other for a moment.
"Ah, here comes Numair. Hey, maybe we can dine together later." He said, smiling. Nerolie hesitated.
"I promise I won't do any magic." He apologised while grinning.
"Alright then. Meet you downstairs in an hour." She proposed and turned to go. Instead she bumped into a very tall man who looked a lot like Cosmo, only much older with grey streaks in his hair.
"Sorry," he apologised and turned aside to let her past. Everyone seems to be apologising to me today, Nerolie thought as she let herself back into her room. She threw herself onto the bed.
"What am I going to wear?" she wondered aloud. "When was the last time I actually dined with anyone?" Nerolie sniffed. There was a terrible smell coming from somewhere. She noticed that the tub had been filled with hot water and understood.
"Water drawn from a sulphur spring. Yuck!" She muttered.
Nerolie bathed as quickly as she could after locking the door. She then threw on the only acceptably clean garment that she owned; a light white gown embroidered with blue and green thread. She weaved a blue ribbon through her freshly washed and braided hair and was ready.
On her way down to the main room she noticed that the tattoo on her right arm was exposed. Liam Ironarm had created it himself when she was only four. She could only vaguely remember the pain. The tattoo cuffed her arm once and was made up of strange marks that were Ancient Shang for "This is the perilous kitten, who earned her place among the Shang through hard work, skill and dedication to her task and her teacher. Mistreat her at your own peril for she has the skill of ten men and is equal to the dragon."
It had been a stretch of the truth when she was four but twelve and three quarter years later it was quite accurate. She didn't even really need her sword but it seemed a good idea to carry one just in case. Her virtue was being questioned as it was. Being an attractive young woman and travelling alone was definitely more trouble than it was worth.
By the time Nerolie got downstairs an hour had passed.
There weren't many women around. Then again, not many women travelled these days. It was too dangerous with lone Scanrans sometimes wandering about. She saw Cosmo sitting with the tall man she had bumped into earlier. She strode over to them, glad that her dress covered her boots. She only owned one pair of shoes and they were huge riding boots that were covered in mud and other unmentionables. When she got to Corus, she supposed, she would have to get some of those dainty little boots that the fashionable noblewomen wore, or else some of those little wooden platform sandals or something. She hadn't worn anything else but big smelly boots for years so she was quite unaware of what was fashionable. She pulled up a chair and sat down at Cosmo's table.
"Hello, Nerolie. I started to think that you weren't coming! Meet Numair Salmalin, Mage extraordinaire and my esteemed cousin." Cosmo introduced, grinning broadly.
"How do you do?" Nerolie pronounced politely, raising her hand to shake his. To her immense surprise, he kissed her hand and let it go.
"Charmed, I'm sure." He replied.
"I'm sorry I was late," apologised Nerolie as she studied Numair. "I got rather lost. This place is like a rabbit's warren." "Indeed it is." Numair acknowledged. He had curly black hair streaked with grey tied with a leather thong where Cosmo's was shorter, like a cap. They shared the same Coal black eyes to the smallest detail, though.
"So, Nerolie. Why are you travelling down this lonesome road?" Numair asked conversationally. "And why are you alone?"
"I'm heading to Corus." She replied earnestly.
"Great! Us too. Why are you going there?" Cosmo asked cheerfully.
"I have a great many errands to run there. I also wish to talk to talk to Alanna the lioness about a great man who died in the palace a long time ago." Nerolie stretched while sitting down.
"Who would that be?" Numair frowned. "If you don't mind me asking."
"Not at all. My mentor, Liam Ironarm or the Shang Dragon was with lady Alanna when he died. I was very young when he left me. I intend to find out the way he lived his last few days and the way he died. I was... indisposed when the official news came out." Nerolie told them sadly.
"I met him once, I recall. Good man." Numair remembered.
"Yes, he was." replied Nerolie.
"What do you mean when you say he was your mentor?" Cosmo asked, leaning forward in his seat.
"He taught me to be Shang. I'm the Shang kitten." Nerolie revealed.
"Wow!" Exclaimed Cosmo, knocking over the sugar jar. Their food arrived and they chewed quietly for a few minutes.
"Wait a minute," Cosmo said thoughtfully. He turned to Numair. "I thought you said that the battle for the palace was Almost twenty two years ago?"
"It was." Numair replied. "I still don't understand what you're getting at."
"Liam Ironarm, the Shang Dragon, Died in that battle when Eldorne and Tirragen forces combined to bring Duke Roger back to power." Cosmo said.
"Ah. So?" Numair prompted.
"So if Nerolie is indeed 16 and three quarters then she was born approximately four and a quarter years after Liam died. She can't possibly have known him." Cosmo revealed. They both turned to look at Nerolie, who had slipped as low as she could under the table.
"The truth please, Nerolie." Numair asked sternly.
"It is the truth! Just, something happened... the gods..."She trailed off.
"And here I thought only Alanna was lucky enough to have gods meddling in her affairs." Numair said dryly. The subject was changed. Intensely relieved, Nerolie found herself asking the two why they were headed to the capital city.
"I live at the palace and Cosmo is staying with me for extra tutoring." Numair said genially.
"What do you do at the palace? Surely you work for the King?" Nerolie said curiously.
"I'm King Jonathon's chief mage." Numair told her, cocking his head. Nerolie could not contain her shock. Mages! Both of them! Of course. I should have guessed. If Cosmo was playing with strong magic then the both of them probably were. The pretty serving girl interrupted her daze, bringing after dinner drinks. Nerolie took a big swallow of the strong alcohol.
"This is great, Thankyou." Nerolie said. The girl smiled and curtsied.
"You have a very educated manner of language for a sixteen year old commoner." Cosmo remarked.
"Oh, I'm not a commoner." Nerolie told him, taking another swill of her drink.
"I thought the Shang only took commoners?" Numair stated.
"I'm an orphan, but my family were in the book of silver. My parents were murdered in front of me when I was two." She admitted quite matter-of- factly.
"How awful! I'm so sorry." Cosmo cried, looking horrified.
"My Father just had time to hide me and our most prized possessions before barbarian thieves ran up the stairs. Quentin, my fief, is southeast from Corus, on the coastal way that faces Carthak. I think it was Carthaki pirates that killed my parents and I will have my revenge." Nerolie thumped the table for emphasis.
"Why would they kill your parents though? Pirates normally just steal what they can and leave." Numair wondered aloud.
"I'm not sure, but I think they were looking for this." She said and pulled her necklace out of her shirt to show them. "Black Opal. It's very powerful, very expensive and quite rare these days. I felt it before but I thought what I could feel was your gift." Cosmo said.
"Me? The gift? No, No no no." She replied, shaking her head profusely.
"Is the thought really quite so alarming?" Numair asked.
"Yes, because not only is it dishonourable to use magic in battle, I'm plain scared of it. It's about the only thing I am scared of."
"This could pose as a problem." Cosmo muttered.
"It's quite natural to be afraid of something. I, for instance, am frightened of my wife after she's been playing with her various bows and arrows." Numair said dryly, draping his long arms across the table.
"Oh?" Nerolie raised one eyebrow.
"Mithros, don't get me started." Numair replied, head in hands. Cosmo laughed. By the time they had finished dinner they were talking like old friends.
"We leave tomorrow. Perhaps you would ride with us?" Numair asked Nerolie. Nerolie nodded and thanked him.
"I would like that." She said shyly.
"Yes," Said Cosmo dreamily. "So would I."
~~~~~*~~~~~
I'd SO love to thank ff.net for not letting me log in and causing many a tantrum, and my friend Mel, who gave me powerful tranquilliser before fixing the problem up.
Please Review!!!
