Four Weddings, and One Royal Couple

"Where's my lass?  Don't ye be tellin' me she's a run off t'be wit someone else."   George's lilt sounded through the palace hallways.  Alanna smiled at the thief's tone, and laughed at the remembrance that he was now a baron, and she his lady.

"Over here lady-me-love." Alanna teased as she went to meet him.  They were staying at the palace for a month to celebrate.  Myles, Eleni, Coram, Rispah, Alanna, George, Daine, Numair, Jon, and Thayet all were, and/or would be married that full moon.  The scary thing was, that they would all be marrying each other.  Myles to Eleni, Coram to Rispah, Alanna was to George, Daine to Numair, (surprise!), and Jon was to Thayet.  George enveloped Alanna in a crushing hug before kissing her and putting her back on the ground.

"How's it feel bein' the Mistress o' the Swoop?"

"You couldn't imagine…Great Mother Goddess it's true."  Alanna breathed.

"What?"  George's hazel eyes held worry in their depth.

"Numair, he's proposing to Daine, I can sense it.  I have to go talk with her."  Alanna was swiftly kissed and sent off on her way.  George smiled and shook his head at his wife's interest in Daine's affairs.

"She was never one fer the social gatherin's, but if it has ta do with her friends, my Lioness is there."  He smiled and turned to go talk with the King.

******

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," yelled 17-year-old Veralidaine Sarrasri as she tied up her smoky brown curls.  Alanna entered and threw amethyst colored fire into all corners of the room until it spread to cover the walls, floor, and ceiling.

"Ozorne's gone, I don't think anyone's going to listen in on us." Chided Daine as she absently petted Zek's fur.

"This one's more for privacy than protection."  The King's Champion's eyes danced as she calmly explained her actions.

"Alanna what is it?" Daine was suddenly worried and didn't try to conceal it." Is Numair sick? Onua? One of the children? The King or Queen?" 

Alanna raised her hands silently and the listening spell lifted.  She put two fingers to her mouth and whistled, calling Kitten into the room.  The seven children raced in almost immediately after the dragon, knowing that wherever there was that whistle, Kitten would be nearby.  They desperately loved the small immortal.

"Do you children want to play with Kitten for a while?" Alanna questioned.

"Yes mama, please!" A seven-year-old Thom pleaded.  Alanna nodded her head and the children and the dragon raced off giddily, fighting over which got to hold Kitten first.

"I'll take that as a…" Daine was silenced by the Lioness' hand.  In it glowed a ball of purple fire, which showed images of Onua, grooming the horses, Jonathan in his study, and Thayet lecturing the Queen's Riders.  But the most interesting was of Numair.  He seemed to be pacing outside of what looked like Daine's door.

"How in the name of Mithros, Mynoss, and Shakith… did you know he was…?" Daine stared in silence as Alanna shook her head, a wicked smile playing across her lips.

"You can come in now Numair."  Alanna called to the door.

Numair opened the door in surprise as he blurted,

 "How in the name of Bright Mithros?!  Oh, I forgot I taught you that damned listening spell."  His face turned crimson as he saw Daine beside the Lioness.  Alanna looked from Daine to Numair and left saying just loud enough for the two to hear:

"I always knew a lady needed a chaperone to a man's room, but never the other way around, Hmmmm… interesting.  Oh well."  Right before her figure disappeared into the corridor her hand shot the 'privacy' listening spell to the room's corners.  Numair shook his head as the door closed, but nonetheless, let his own black Gift ebb from his fingers to encompass the room's entirety.  He looked at Daine and the two were caught in a heated moment before Numair pulled his student/companion/lover into a passionate kiss.  He held her tight and felt her go limp in his arms.   He pulled out of the kiss and looked her straight in the eye.

"Have I been a very good little boy?"

Daine cocked an eyebrow.  Numair let his lips tease hers once more and looked at her, a hint of pleading, but an abundance of love in his gaze.

"Yes." Was all the poor girl could manage.  He produced the tiny oval locket she had seen in the god's Realms.  Another locket was attached.  He pulled it off and put it around her wrist, silently he left the room without any explanation.  When he reached his tower, a sparrow awaited him.

"Daine?"  The sparrow nodded.  Numair watched the tiny black bird and saw one distinct motion after the initial yes, a nod.  He smiled and started racing through the hallways, he met Daine halfway and gathered her in his arms.  Daine's locket popped open slightly and she smiled.  The whole animal kingdom knew the locket's contents.  Daine buried her face in Numair's shirt, remembering what she had seen only moments ago.  Two simple words engraved inside a single gold locket.

"Marry Me?"   

*******

"And how's my royal queen today?"  Jonathan stared into the eyes of the dark haired woman in front of him.  She had her hair tightly braided and pinned in a circle on the crest of her head.  It gave the impression of a crown, though Thayet didn't need one to show that she was queen.

"She's fine, and how's her lord?"

"I don't quite know, but I do know that she could find out with a kiss."  Jonathan gave her a crooked smile and leaned in to give her a kiss.

Alanna swore violently.

"I knew someday I would do this.  Jon's talking to the live version of his artwork, such a romantic moment by the way, and here I come to what I was told was to be a council meeting.  Mithros I have bad timing!"  She smiled wickedly before adding, "Oh, I see I seem to be a bit early, well then, as you were."  She exited the King's Council Chamber to leave a very red Jonathan and a bemused Thayet alone once again.

"A living version of your artwork?  I didn't know my sire knew how to draw.  And what, Goddess bless, has Lady Alanna seen of this masterpiece?"  Thayet drawled after Jonathan had kissed her.

"Nothing, it's just…um… something I drew of you…um…when I was to be King…um…that's all."  It took Jonathan about three minutes to get out the sentence, much less get over the embarrassing heat that had crept over his face.

"Do you still have it?  May I see it?"

"Does my lady need an image to show her I loved her even then?"  Jonathan cocked an eyebrow at his queen.  When she returned the gesture, he blushed and pulled a paper free from his stack.

"Interessstiinngg."  Thayet smiled and handed the parchment back to Jonathan, she gave him a quick kiss before sliding off the table to open the door to a waiting company.

"Finally! I was afraid I'd have to come in and tell Jon his kingdom had fallen before he'd remember he called us here."  Gary exclaimed as he strolled into the room.  He gave Jon a look and made him blush before taking the seat to the left of the king.  Jonathan coughed and waited until all his advisors and friends had taken their seats.  Thayet had just stood to start the meeting when two very out of breath visitors dropped in.

"I'm so sorry Jon, we ran as fast as we could, Mithros, Mynoss, and Shakith I'm tired."  Numair took a seat by Alanna and Daine beside him, before the engaged couple realized that the entire room was staring at them.

"Thank you for joining us, Master Salmalin, Daine."  Jonathan acknowledged them both before smiling to let them know he was no slave to punctuality.  "Whilst I don't mind your late entrance, would you mind entertaining us with the reason you had to run to my meeting?  Other than I'm sure you couldn't wait to hear Gary go over the annual rainfall and livestock."  The room stayed silent for a moment then erupted into laughter leaving Gary with a very red face.

"Thank you Jon, that was last week, population of immortals and humans is this week."  Gary played with Jon's comment and made the King smile.  He then turned his gaze back to Numair and Daine.  Daine blushed and sunk lower in her seat looking at Alanna for comfort.  The Champion smiled at Daine and then looked innocently at Numair.

"Yes, Master Salmalin, do tell, do tell."  He shot her an I'm-going-to-get-you-soon look and cleared his throat.

"Well, if you all must know, Your Majesties, Daine and I are betrothed."

"Well, Congratulations, now Gary you had said population?"  Jon dismissed the announcement as if someone had told him the squires were doing an exceptional job in fencing.  Daine looked worried, she wondered if the King simply didn't want anything to do with it, wasn't surprised, didn't approve, or what.  Was it because of our age differences? Daine mulled over the Kings reaction until Numair spoke up.

"That's all?  Congratulations, then let's move on?"

"Well, it's not as if we didn't expect it.  You two love-birds have been pondering the subject well since the Immortals Battle, maybe before, no?"  Jon inquired, but his face was kind, which made Daine feel a little more at ease.  She still didn't like the feeling that the two were so obvious about their whereabouts.  Numair thought over Jon's question and concluded that he was probably right.

"If it's any help, I for one think it's a joy, and that you both should be very happy.  It once said in The Book of Immortals and Their Repetition Over Extended…" Professor Lindhall Reed would've continued had he not seen the look on Numair's face.

"Thank you Lindhall, Daine and I welcome your openness to the situation at hand."  Daine felt a long arm snake over her shoulders as Numair pulled her closer.

"As opposed to my lord's rather informal congratulations, I, too, think it's wonderful, and would be most upset if you asked anyone else to make your wedding dress for you."  The Queen gave Daine a comforting smile and literally elbowed Jon in the stomach.

"Ouch!"  Jon looked exasperatedly at Thayet and then realized what she wanted.

"Daine, I apologize, I didn't mean to make this seem a casual matter, but the Queen and I have to go to a royal ball, well, actually all of you are attending."  He looked around as everyone nodded. "And I wanted to wait until we had more time to celebrate.  Forgive me."

No way I couldn't.  Daine thought to herself.  His sapphire eyes held a pleading for her to forgive him, and she couldn't resist.

"Forgiven Your Majesty…er…Jon."

"Thank you, Daine.  Now, Gary, although it is one of your most interesting subjects, the rest of us aren't as enthralled, so if you wouldn't mind quickly going over our current population, it would be greatly appreciated."  Jon looked at his big prime minister and continued the meeting.