A/N: I forgot to put a disclaimer on one of my stories, and you know what? Nobody sued me! How do you like that? But I'd still like to say that any idiot who's read the Tamora Pierce books knows that these characters aren't mine, and I know it, so don't sue me!

Wait, a few of the characters are mine, such as Radinel the steward and Agisa (say that AG-iss-uh, kind of like Agatha).

Numair is the kind of person who gets bored when he doesn't have something to do, and a lot of this story is based on that.

I think this story is kind of slow in the beginning, but it picks up in the end. Also, the first-person may feel kind of strange but then so am I.

Another early spring thunderstorm was pummeling the palace. That particular day, I had been planning a complicated experiment. However, I was quite tired, and long hours of magic had depleted my Gift. A basic spell was required to prepare my working area, and it simply would not work properly. In three attempts, I had cracked a glass jar, scorched the table, and sent my best quill into another dimension. Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself to try again.

I focused on the spell…nothing. A frown creased my forehead. This wasn't right; I had sufficient amounts of my Gift left for this. I tried to concentrate on the spell, but my mind drifted off, perhaps to join my quill. Admitting defeat, I sank onto my stool and put my head in my hands.

I simply couldn't put my finger on my problem. Maybe the almost constant thunder was distracting me. Or perhaps I was just too tired. It had been days since I'd had a good night's rest.

Abandoning my spell, I stumbled to the door—when had night fallen? I had entered my workroom early in the morning! I heaved a sigh, thoroughly exhausted, and opened my door.

However, it was not my door.

Muttering an apology to the man who I had disturbed, I trudged along the torch-lit passage for a few more feet. Before opening my door, I verified that the nameplate did indeed read "Numair Salmalín, Mage."

Although the sun had not yet risen when I left my room after a restless night, I had not remembered to light my lamp. Simultaneously cursing and thanking myself, I tumbled into the bed without bothering to remove my clothes.

I labored to find a comfortable position on a mattress that had seemed to turn to stone. My bed was wide enough for me to stretch out my arms and not reach either side, and I did this now, in a futile quest for the magic position. If only I had a healing gift! I thought desperately. When I turned onto my back, the covers all fell to the floor. I felt for them, but the floor was too far away and I just wanted to go to sleep.

I rolled over one last time and fell off the bed. That was the final straw. I got to my feet, cursing as I hadn't in years, and promptly fell down again, my feet entwined in the covers. My head made a sharp connection with the corner of the desk, and I rubbed the sore spot as I lurched to my feet, moaning.

Maybe I should have lit a candle to help me cross the dark chamber, but the way I had been lately, I would surely have burned my hand or spilled wax on the floor. Instead, I fought my way around unseen obstacles and finally made my way out into the dimly lit hallway.

More sure of my path now that I had light, I strode angrily to Alanna's room. Why Gainel was hiding from me, I didn't know, but I was determined to find him as soon as possible. I only hoped the Lioness would help me.

"Alanna!" I called, pounding on the door. "Let me in!"

Scuffling and footsteps could be heard from within, the room, but I continued to pummel her door. Finally it opened, and my small friend was leveling her sword at me.

The sword went back in its sheath when she saw my face. "By the Goddess, Numair! Have you any idea what time it is?"

"I know what time it is," I replied angrily. "It's time for me to sleep for the first time in an extremely long week. Please, Alanna, put me under a sleeping spell. I would do anything."

The champion quietly closed the door and led me to my room. "I knew something was wrong. I've hardly seen you in days! What's the matter?"

We reached my door and went into my room. Alanna lit my fire with her Gift. "I have no idea. I've been feeling out of sorts lately, I haven't been able to get to sleep, and my desire to do anything is completely gone."

"Maybe you've been holed up in your workroom too long, and your experiments are starting to affect your brain," she retorted, grinning. "You like it in there too much. There's a sun out there; you should really pay it a visit."

I shook my head, too exhausted to laugh. "That's another thing that's bothering me. I have no wish to do anything, even magic. I don't know what I want to do, I just know that I don't want to do anything."

Alanna frowned and shook her head. "Do you think your symptoms are feeding off each other? You couldn't get to sleep one day, so you were tired, and didn't feel like working, which made you agitated, so you didn't want to eat, so you were hungry, and then you couldn't get to sleep?"

"It's possible, I suppose," I admitted, skeptical of the whole idea, "but I think I just need something important to do. My little experiments aren't really worth anything."

Maybe Alanna saw my bleary eyes, or my pale complexion, or maybe she heard the pleading in my voice. "Let's just get you to sleep now and figure the whole thing out later. Lay down."

I obeyed, casting her a grateful look. She pulled a stool over to my bedside while I rearranged the covers on top of me.

"Goodnight, Numair," she said as she took my hand. I felt coolness overcome my body, and then I fell at last into a gratifying slumber.

Well? I know that part's kind of boring but as hard as I try I can't write all action. The next parts should be better.