Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, Tamora Pierce does.
: Three months after Numair and Daine the War:
"Numair?"
"Numair!" Daine said louder to snap her teacher out of his thoughts.
"Hm? What was the Veraldaine?" Numair said as his eyes focused on Daine for only the second time that night, the first being when she'd arrived and he'd let her in.
"Actually, you seem a bit preoccupied; maybe I'll talk to you later instead. Okay?" Daine said realizing this was not the time to be talking to Numair about their future…if there was any future for the two of them.
In truth, Daine had absolutely no clue what else she could feel when for the three months her and Numair had returned from the war Numair hadn't so much as truly looked at her. Sure, he'd spoken with her, but he was so detached, almost as if he hadn't a care for what happened to her.
In the beginning she thought that he'd been trying to cover up so others couldn't guess that they were involved in that way. Yet when Numair acted that way even if they were alone she questioned the whole situation. Numair hadn't mentioned a thing about the proposal under the willow tree, therefore she hadn't either. The absolute last thing she needed was Numair to think her childish and over attached. Daine found herself wondering if she was trying to light a fire in a bucket of water when it came to their relationship.
"Alright Daine, I shall see you tomorrow evening then." Numair said with a slight wave of his hand, not even looking at her.
It tore her heart that he couldn't even look at her to dismiss her. As Daine began to walk out she turned back in realization, "Evening? I thought we had lessons during the afternoon, before the big dinner." What was he playing at? This were their first lessons in nearly a week and a half.
"Oh shoot, I completely forgot, you see I'm meeting Lady Eliza from court and we'll be together for the day," Numair said trying to solve the problem, "I suppose you and I will have to reschedule lessons."
Wait! We have to reschedule the lessons?! We've had this planned for a whole week!
"I guess we will," Daine said in a tight voice. She couldn't believe he just told her that, he didn't even make up a good excuse!
Hadn't this man said that he loved her? Wasn't this the man that proposed to her?
"Well then I shall see you by morrow night, Master Numair." She felt so low now; she hardly realized that she had returned to calling him Master again, after almost 4 years.
"Goodnight Daine," Daine heard as she exited his chambers.
It wasn't until she reached her own chambers that she realized that Numair had stopped calling her Magelet.