It was early Midsummer's morning in the Tortall Palace and all the Nobles started to wake up, all but two. Those two were the greatest mage in Tortall, Numair Salmalin and the Wildmage Veralidaine (Daine) Sarrasri. The only reason that these two were not awake was because, on the order of the king, the bell that normally woke the palace had not been rung. Servants, page's and squire's ran around waking the older nobles. In the barracks Sarge's voice ordered everyone out of bed. Outside preparations were being made for Daine and Numair's wedding.

Half an hour later Alanna the Lioness knocked on Daine's door waking her. At the same time Lord Raoul knocked on Numair's.

"Come in Alanna, I'm decent" came the sleepy reply from the bed chamber, that was followed by a high pitched shrill as the door unlocked itself and opened.

"Thank you Kit" Alanna told the young dragon.

"Come on Daine" said Alanna "or we'll be late"

"Coming, coming" answered Daine. Just as her reply left her mouth, Daine's room quaked, Kit squealed.

"Go on Kit, go see your grandda" Daine told the dragon. A silver mist appeared beside Daine's feet "Hello Badger" Daine said to her former guardian

-Hello kit- was the god's reply.

"Come on Daine, Thayet is waiting for us. And no you can't go and see Numair first" Alanna added quickly reading the young girl's mind "I sent Raoul to wake him up"

"Alanna, sometimes I think you know me too well" Daine joked as they walked from the room. "Alanna who has arrived so far?" asked Daine

"Let me see, other than the people and animals who were here yesterday, there are the Dragons, Queen Barzha, Lord Hebakh. George has brought the children up from Pirates Swoop. Some bats, Tkaa says come from Dunlath, also some birds and marmosets from Dunlath, the Long Lake Pack, all except for Frostfur, Broadfoot, the Badger. Your parents are due at noon." "Now we'd best hurry up"

"Let's go then, I don't want to keep the Queen waiting."

At the same time Raoul's attempts to wake Numair were not going so well. Even after 15 minutes of banging loudly on the door and shouting "Numair Get up" the mage would not wake.

"I wish somebody had told me he was a heavy sleeper" muttered Raoul under his breath. All of a sudden the ground quaked. "Oh goody, the Dragons have arrived" as he said this he heard sounds of life in the room.

"What in the Goddesses name was that?" Came Numair's startled cry

"Hurry up Numair or you'll be late for your own wedding. Oh, and by the way, that noise was the dragons arriving" came Raoul's answer.

Mid way to the Queen's apartments Alanna and Daine were stopped by a juvenile wolf with a scar on his head

"Hello Silly" said Daine to the young wolf "I see you still have your scar"

There was silence as Daine listened to the wolf's reply

"Yes I still have that rattle. You were a very brave pup to attack that big scary coldfang" Daine turned to Alanna "Alanna this is Silly, the pup that broke off the coldfang's rattle"

"Now run along young one"

When the two women arrived at the Queens apartments they met a very happy Maura of Dunlath wearing her rose pink bridesmaid dress with her hair done up nicely.

"You look beautiful Maura, simply divine" complemented Daine to which Alanna agreed.

"Your going to look even more beautiful Daine" said the young girl.

"Hello little one" said Alanna looking over Maura's shoulder at her daughter "now who do you belong to" she said pretending to not recognize her.

"Ma it's me" said Aly blushing.

"Why so it is" replied her mother "I didn't recognize you all dressed up"

In the room Alanna and Daine were greeted by two K'mir women one was dressed in a shirt and birches while the other was wearing a crimson dress trimmed with gold braid, her jet black hair held back with a crimson hair band.

"Good morning Daine and Alanna" said the woman with the jet black hair

"Good morning Thayet" replied Alanna to the queen

"Hello Buri" Daine said to the other K'mir

"Morning Daine" came the reply "my husband told me he had trouble waking Numair earlier"

"So no one told Raoul, Numair is a heavy sleeper" said Onua as she walked into the room "good morning, young one" she said aiming the comment at Daine.

A green swirl of magic appeared in the corner of the room catching Daine's eye

"Ma" cried Daine running of to the spot where Sarra had appeared.

"Hello my dear" said Sarra hugging her daughter. Turning to the on coming Alanna "good morning Alanna" she said.

Hearing the goddess Alanna dropped to a curtsey then walked past and disappeared behind the dressing curtain.

"I thought you weren't coming till noon ma" said Daine

"Your Da will be hear at noon, I came earlier to help get you ready and to give you these" Sarra said handing Daine 4 things, a small wood box, a necklace with a picture of a wolf on it, a Stormwing feather and a black opal.

"What do they do? Asked Daine

"Open the box" replied her mother. Daine obeyed. When she opened the box it was empty.

Sarra muttered the words "my family" magically the box sprouted an image of Daine, Sarra, Weiryn and Numair. "As your family grows and changes so will the image, it will also show what and where someone is or what they are doing"

"Can we try it out" asked Daine

"Okay, when I get to the other end of the room turn your back on me and say my name" replied Sarra as she started to walk off.

Daine turned her back and said "Sarra" a little color image appeared in the box of her mother at the other end of the room closing the box she turned to her mother who had appeared behind her and said "it worked"

"The necklace is a present from the wolf gods it will stay on when you shape change. Its purpose is to call the closet wolf to your help even if it is out of the reach of your magic." Said Sarra, handing Daine the gift. "The feather was Rikash's, I found it in the kitchen when I cleaned up, Daine I think he knew he was going to die" Sarra said sadly hugging her daughter. "The opal, you must thank of father for. He was the one that went to Dunlath and found it laying there"

"What do you think Daine" asked Alanna as she stepped out from behind the changing screen wearing a sapphire dress with matching eardrops.

"You look Beautiful Alanna" replied Daine

"Your turn Daine" called Thayet holding up a butter yellow dress with a copper trim. As she stepped behind the screen she found a pair of copper ear drops and a yellow headband.

"But I can't wear eardrops" said Daine. A green swirl appeared beside her as her mother appeared.

"I know, but that can all change" replied her mother. As she said this a needle covered in green magic appeared in her hand "hold still this might hurt a bit" said Sarra as she pushed the needle through her daughter's ear. Daine gulped back a scream.

"Now for the other ear" said Sarra calmly. Again Daine fought down a yell. Her mother carefully put the ear drops in the holes she had made and fastened them. "Now put your dress on" instructed her mother.

A few minutes later Daine walked out from behind the screen wearing her dress, ear drops, shoes and her hair tied up neatly.

"You look beautiful" said all who were in the room. At this comment Daine blushed.