More Than Child's Play
by Lady of the Wolves
Dedicated to Team Socket
Numair Salmalin, talented black robe mage and teacher, leaned over his complex simulacrum. Beads of sweat rolled down his tan forehead, hitting his worktable silently. "Just a few more little spells and I'll be done," he whispered to himself, just to hear his own voice. He was working in the mage's wing of the new Royal University in his private workroom on a new project for the King. Picking up the wire with trembling hands, he wound it around his hand and opened his mouth to begin the incantation when-
CRASH! BANG! He dropped the wire and turned around, accidentally dropping his nearly-completed project. Picking it up with a few curses under his breath, he examined it, then dashed out of the room, searching for the source of the sudden noise. It's probably some bumbling student who's knocked down several shelves, he thought peevishly. Turning a corner, he found himself in an empty corridor-with a light shining under one of the doors.
"Just great," he muttered, coming over and pushing open the door. He was temporarily blinded when a shock of bright light reached his eyes; he had been working in nearly total darkness to keep his simulacrum safe. As his eyes adjusted, the first thing he heard was mad giggling and lots of little feet running away.
Numair opened his eyes to reveal what looked like another mage's large workroom. Several tables stood in the corner, on which many books, scrolls, and ingredients rested. The rest of the room was devoted to the shelves; rows and rows full of books, two of which that were knocked down. But the room appeared to be empty.
"He-hello?" Numair asked cautiously, entering the room. He was greeted by giggles, apparently behind the bookshelves. "Who's there?" he demanded. More giggles followed. "Come out now!" he shouted. Obviously, he thought, someone's little kids have gotten loose in here and are about to destroy the place or drive me insane. Whichever comes first.
Warily approaching the bookshelves, he could hear more giggles, which only infuriated him more. "Come out now!" he roared, face growing red with anger. The giggles stopped, but no one appeared. He came forward and knelt to see if anyone was hiding under the bookshelves that had been partially pushed over.
"Ow!" Someone had come forward and kicked him hard in the behind. Turning around with a blush, he came face to face, on his knees, with an innocent-looking little girl with flaming red hair and dimples. And violet eyes that he immediately recognized....or thought he did.
"What the-?" Numair asked, shocked. The child giggled and took off around a bookcase. Numair lunged for her but missed. Landing flat on his stomach with his face in the rug, he felt someone jump on his back, bounce once, then dash off giggling madly. Getting up with an "umph," he sat up and could barely see another child dash around the same bookcase.
Suddenly, short arms wrapped around his neck from behind, making it impossible to breathe. Numair's first impression was that he was being assassinated, and he immediately wrenched the arms off and turned around, standing up and bringing black, sparkly fire into his hands from his Gift. He faced his "assassin."
An adorable little girl with big, blue-gray eyes and brown curls peered up at him, eyes brimming with tears. "What the..." Numair began, but was cut off by a high-pitched wail from the youngster.
"Scary big horsy man hurt me!" she sobbed, standing helplessly as tears fled down her face and her nose ran. Numair hastily knelt down to try and comfort her.
"It's okay, I didn't mean to hurt you. You just scared me," he tried to explain. But she didn't want an explanation. She lunged forward and bit him sharply on the nose. Numair let out his own high-pitched yelp and leapt back, clutching his wounded nose with both hands. The tot came forward and kicked him sharply in the shin, causing another yelp, then took off.
Nursing his injured nose, Numair stood up and followed the cute little demon. As he rounded the bookshelf, he tripped and went flying into a table. Moaning in agony, he rolled over onto his back and stared into the ceiling. A group of curious little boys and a girl came into view, looking down on him. The girl, cute with brown hair and mischievous hazel eyes, was clutching in her plump hands the string that had tripped him.
The boy with red hair crossed his arms and glared down at the prone mage. "Who you?" he demanded, kicking Numair's already aching arm. The other boy, with chocolate hair and green eyes, laughed and jumped onto Numair's stomach, causing another grunt from their captive.
Closing his eyes for a moment, Numair sat up, making the children back off. The red-haired girl and the blue-gray-eyed demon had rejoined them and they were circling him.
The strange part was, all of them looked oddly familiar....
"Mithros, Mynoss, and Shakith," Numair whispered in disbelief. He did recognize them! The red haired girl was none other that Alanna the Lioness, the first Lady Knight for over a hundred years. "Alanna?" he asked, squinting and moving towards her. The little redhead shrieked and threw the heavy glass paperweight that she had been clutching directly at his head. It hit his shoulder hard and he yelped again, causing another round of giggles.
"Howdja know me?" she asked, glaring at him with her purple eyes. Turning his eyes on the rest of the lot, he immediately knew who they were too. The little green-eyed boy with brown hair was Nealan of Queenscove, a rascal that he had taught in one of his magic classes. The hazel eyed-girl was Keladry of Mindelan, the second Lady Knight in at least a century. The little redhead was Cleon of Kennan, a lad he remembered from a skirmish he had broken up with a spell several years before. And the blue-gray-eyed demon was none other than his fiancée Daine Sarrasri.
"What in the name of Mithros did you do?" he asked incredulously. Pointing first at Kel, then around the circle, he said each of their names. "Kel, Daine, Neal, and Cleon." They all glared at him.
"Big scary horsy man gots it wrong," announced Alanna, chucking another paperweight at him; this time, he ducked. "That's Kelly, then Dainey, then Nealy, then Cleony." Bursting into giggles, the little kids scattered.
"Oh great," Numair moaned. He was in for a long night.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters; they belong to Tamora Pierce {just ask Mage of the Clouds-go read her new game show fic, it's hilarious!}. The little-kid idea belongs to Loose Cable, not me, and I'd like to thank L.C. for the idea. The title belongs to Star Shadow, whom I would like to take this moment to deeply thank {it was originally called "Goat"}.
Well? Do you like it? I'm going to write more soon, this is a lot of fun! Please review and tell me what the evil Kel, Neal, Alanna, Cleon, and Daine should do to the poor baby-sitter Numy-poo.
by Lady of the Wolves
Dedicated to Team Socket
Numair Salmalin, talented black robe mage and teacher, leaned over his complex simulacrum. Beads of sweat rolled down his tan forehead, hitting his worktable silently. "Just a few more little spells and I'll be done," he whispered to himself, just to hear his own voice. He was working in the mage's wing of the new Royal University in his private workroom on a new project for the King. Picking up the wire with trembling hands, he wound it around his hand and opened his mouth to begin the incantation when-
CRASH! BANG! He dropped the wire and turned around, accidentally dropping his nearly-completed project. Picking it up with a few curses under his breath, he examined it, then dashed out of the room, searching for the source of the sudden noise. It's probably some bumbling student who's knocked down several shelves, he thought peevishly. Turning a corner, he found himself in an empty corridor-with a light shining under one of the doors.
"Just great," he muttered, coming over and pushing open the door. He was temporarily blinded when a shock of bright light reached his eyes; he had been working in nearly total darkness to keep his simulacrum safe. As his eyes adjusted, the first thing he heard was mad giggling and lots of little feet running away.
Numair opened his eyes to reveal what looked like another mage's large workroom. Several tables stood in the corner, on which many books, scrolls, and ingredients rested. The rest of the room was devoted to the shelves; rows and rows full of books, two of which that were knocked down. But the room appeared to be empty.
"He-hello?" Numair asked cautiously, entering the room. He was greeted by giggles, apparently behind the bookshelves. "Who's there?" he demanded. More giggles followed. "Come out now!" he shouted. Obviously, he thought, someone's little kids have gotten loose in here and are about to destroy the place or drive me insane. Whichever comes first.
Warily approaching the bookshelves, he could hear more giggles, which only infuriated him more. "Come out now!" he roared, face growing red with anger. The giggles stopped, but no one appeared. He came forward and knelt to see if anyone was hiding under the bookshelves that had been partially pushed over.
"Ow!" Someone had come forward and kicked him hard in the behind. Turning around with a blush, he came face to face, on his knees, with an innocent-looking little girl with flaming red hair and dimples. And violet eyes that he immediately recognized....or thought he did.
"What the-?" Numair asked, shocked. The child giggled and took off around a bookcase. Numair lunged for her but missed. Landing flat on his stomach with his face in the rug, he felt someone jump on his back, bounce once, then dash off giggling madly. Getting up with an "umph," he sat up and could barely see another child dash around the same bookcase.
Suddenly, short arms wrapped around his neck from behind, making it impossible to breathe. Numair's first impression was that he was being assassinated, and he immediately wrenched the arms off and turned around, standing up and bringing black, sparkly fire into his hands from his Gift. He faced his "assassin."
An adorable little girl with big, blue-gray eyes and brown curls peered up at him, eyes brimming with tears. "What the..." Numair began, but was cut off by a high-pitched wail from the youngster.
"Scary big horsy man hurt me!" she sobbed, standing helplessly as tears fled down her face and her nose ran. Numair hastily knelt down to try and comfort her.
"It's okay, I didn't mean to hurt you. You just scared me," he tried to explain. But she didn't want an explanation. She lunged forward and bit him sharply on the nose. Numair let out his own high-pitched yelp and leapt back, clutching his wounded nose with both hands. The tot came forward and kicked him sharply in the shin, causing another yelp, then took off.
Nursing his injured nose, Numair stood up and followed the cute little demon. As he rounded the bookshelf, he tripped and went flying into a table. Moaning in agony, he rolled over onto his back and stared into the ceiling. A group of curious little boys and a girl came into view, looking down on him. The girl, cute with brown hair and mischievous hazel eyes, was clutching in her plump hands the string that had tripped him.
The boy with red hair crossed his arms and glared down at the prone mage. "Who you?" he demanded, kicking Numair's already aching arm. The other boy, with chocolate hair and green eyes, laughed and jumped onto Numair's stomach, causing another grunt from their captive.
Closing his eyes for a moment, Numair sat up, making the children back off. The red-haired girl and the blue-gray-eyed demon had rejoined them and they were circling him.
The strange part was, all of them looked oddly familiar....
"Mithros, Mynoss, and Shakith," Numair whispered in disbelief. He did recognize them! The red haired girl was none other that Alanna the Lioness, the first Lady Knight for over a hundred years. "Alanna?" he asked, squinting and moving towards her. The little redhead shrieked and threw the heavy glass paperweight that she had been clutching directly at his head. It hit his shoulder hard and he yelped again, causing another round of giggles.
"Howdja know me?" she asked, glaring at him with her purple eyes. Turning his eyes on the rest of the lot, he immediately knew who they were too. The little green-eyed boy with brown hair was Nealan of Queenscove, a rascal that he had taught in one of his magic classes. The hazel eyed-girl was Keladry of Mindelan, the second Lady Knight in at least a century. The little redhead was Cleon of Kennan, a lad he remembered from a skirmish he had broken up with a spell several years before. And the blue-gray-eyed demon was none other than his fiancée Daine Sarrasri.
"What in the name of Mithros did you do?" he asked incredulously. Pointing first at Kel, then around the circle, he said each of their names. "Kel, Daine, Neal, and Cleon." They all glared at him.
"Big scary horsy man gots it wrong," announced Alanna, chucking another paperweight at him; this time, he ducked. "That's Kelly, then Dainey, then Nealy, then Cleony." Bursting into giggles, the little kids scattered.
"Oh great," Numair moaned. He was in for a long night.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters; they belong to Tamora Pierce {just ask Mage of the Clouds-go read her new game show fic, it's hilarious!}. The little-kid idea belongs to Loose Cable, not me, and I'd like to thank L.C. for the idea. The title belongs to Star Shadow, whom I would like to take this moment to deeply thank {it was originally called "Goat"}.
Well? Do you like it? I'm going to write more soon, this is a lot of fun! Please review and tell me what the evil Kel, Neal, Alanna, Cleon, and Daine should do to the poor baby-sitter Numy-poo.