Hey everyone,
This is being reposted today. I'll work on chapter two too. Then I'll put up chapter three. I'm sorry it has taken me so long, I've just been busy with school. sigh Senior year is fun but hectic. I'm editing this and sending thanks to all my reviewers! I never dreamed it my story would be so well received. Well, that being said carry on to my disclaimer.

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, it belongs to Tamora Pierce. The rest is my own. IS NOT MEANT TO BE LIKE MEET THE FOCKERS!I have never watched either of the movies, so any similarities is strictly coincidental.

Veraldaine Sarrasri, also known as Daine to her friends, was reading a book by the fire in Numair's bedchamber. The sun was setting, sending red and orange light through the open window to dance on the gray stone floor. Numair was in his study revising the communication spell that the Queen's Riders used. Throughout the set of rooms there was a feeling of quiet and calm. Daine sighed. She had not felt this much at home in a long time. When the fifth bell rang and Numair showed no sign of coming out of his study to go to dinner, Daine wrote a note to the chef requesting that supper be brought to them. A castle cat agreed to take the message (as Daine's messengers were always given extra special treats). The food arrived about quarter of a candle mark later, and there was still no sign of Numair. She went to his study.

The fifth bell rang startling Numair Samalin. He was supposed to be working on a spell, but something else had his attention. He turned the ring over in his large hands. It had been two years since the Immortals War. In that time the relationship between Daine and Numair had grown immensely. Numair decided that it was time to settle down. He looked at the ring. He had made is especially for Daine. After much research and a little help, he made it so that it would stay on when she shape-shifted. It was made with copper and emerald green bands intertwining, six in all. The stone was a diamond, clean cut and crystal clear. A prize that any bride-to-be to be proud to show her friends. But inside the diamond was what made it so special. Deep in the diamond's depths was a black and silver ball of fire, his Gift. He sighed. It was beautiful…he was very proud. He heard the door open and quickly slipped the ring into his breeches pocket. He looked up and smiled as the object of his thoughts peered at him. Yes, this was right.

"Hello Magelet."

As Daine opened the door to the study, her eyes went straight to him. The study was in its usual condition, somewhat orderly disarray, as crazy as that sounds. Though it may look like a disaster area to anyone else, if needed Numair could tell you exactly where an item was.

He looked up at her and smiled. The look in his eyes was one of pure love. Deep rich brown eyes met smoky gray as the two lovers looked at each other.

"Hello Magelet." He said, using his pet name for her.

"Hello Numair." She said as she made her was to him. He looked sort of…flushed. She ignored it and as she got nearer, he pushed himself away from his desk. Before he could stand up she sat down in his lap and pulled herself to him. He chuckled softly. She always loved to cuddle. He often wondered if she was taking on traits of the animals she turned into permanently. Not that he minded. His only reaction however was to pull her closer.

"And what brings you to my study this time of day?" he asked teasingly. His breath caught as she looked at him, a playful gleam in her eyes. In a heartbeat she captured his lips with her own.

Surprise quickly turned to pleasure as he returned the kiss. Numair had kissed many women in his two and thirty years, but none of them made him feel the way the young woman in his lap did. Whenever she came near him, his whole body tingled. Just a simple kiss from her would drive him to the brink of madness. How could he love someone so much? After they were both light-headed with the lack of air, they parted. Breathless, he licked his abused lips, massaging hers with his thumb as he cupped her cheek.

"Where…did that come from? He asked laughing.

"You're a bad influence on me Master Mage." She replied nuzzling his neck. She could feel his breath hitch. "I had dinner brought up, but you know we will have to go to the ball for the Tyran and Scandrian delegates, remember?"

Numair sighed. They should have been at the banquet, but as long as they were at the ball by the eighth bell, he could always use the spell as an excuse.

"Thank you sweetling, let's go eat."

Taking a better hold on her, he stood up carrying a giggling Daine into the living room. When staying in Corus, the mage used a set of rooms in the castle given to him by the king and queen. He had a living room, washroom (with extra storage space), a workroom (warded against fire and explosions), and a bedchamber. Daine had her own set of rooms, though hers did not have a work room. Hers was also on the ground floor with a door to the outside. She was hardly ever there anymore though. Even though she spent most nights in Numair's arms, they still had not made the official move.

They sat down at the table Numair had put there just for occasions like this. It was big enough to hold their food, yet small enough that they could still reach each other to hold hands. In other words, perfect. Helping themselves, they both made a plate…which was then passed to the other person. They weren't exactly sure why they did this just that they did. Daine began to eat, but Numair was too nervous.

Daine looked up to see him staring at his plate. He hadn't touched a thing. Something was wrong. She put her fork down and looked at him. "Alright," she said, "Spill."

He looked up at her, startled. His mouth opened to speak but he couldn't make his voice work. Clearing his throat he looked down. Why was it so hard to start? He loved her, and he knew that she wanted to be his wife. She had told him. What are you afraid of Numair? He thought.

"Numair, you are scaring me! You know how I hate that! Now what's wrong?"

"No sweet, nothing is wrong. I promise." He said quickly. He hadn't meant to scare her. Taking her hand he stood up. "Come with me."

He led them to his bedchamber. Seating them in the same chair she had occupied earlier, he pulled her sideways into his lap, so that he could see her face. She looked into his eyes. "What is it?"

Numair cleared his throat again and began, "Daine…I've…been thinking…about us. These past two years have been the best of my life. I never knew that I could love someone so much. Daine I want us to be together forever."

"But Numair, I..."

"No, don't interrupt me please…" he said putting a finger to her still slightly swollen lips. "I love you more than life, air, magic, anything. I think about you constantly when our duties take us in opposite directions. I know we haven't talked about marriage in a while, but I will always remember when you said that you wanted to be my wife, just not yet. That was a year and a half ago. About a month ago, I started working on this." He pulled the ring from his pocket, showing it to her. Daine, whose eyes had suddenly gotten very wet, gasped.

"Numair…it's beautiful." She took the ring from his palm and examined it. Looking into the diamond, she discovered the pool of his Gift. "Your Gift…"

"It's a speaking spell." He explained. "For when we are apart." He took the ring from her. He stood them up then sat her back down. Kneeling, he took her hands and looked into her eyes.

"Daine, I love you. I want it to be that when I am old and gray, reading stories to my grandkids, that you will be right there beside me, holding the littlest one." Daine laughed.

"You'll never be old and gray. You use too many hair lotions." Numair glared playfully at her, then smiled.

"True. Daine, would you accept this ring, as a promise to you that I am yours, until the day I die, and forever after that? And to wear it as a symbol, shouting to the world our love?"

Tears were now flowing freely as she nodded, unable to speak. Numair slipped the ring on her finger, as a single tear slid down his cheek.

"It's spelled to stay on even when you shape-shift. You can thank the badger for that. He helped me develop the spell. Daine," his tone turned serious again, "I'm not trying to rush you. This is just a promise. I'll be ready when you are. In the meantime, all you have to do to talk to me, no matter where you are, is to place this ring in the palm of your hand, and say my name. I will answer."

Numair was knocked backwards as Daine leapt out of the chair. Laughing they both fell to the floor as Daine kissed him all over.

"I…love…you…so…much." She said between kisses. Numair laughed and flipped them so he was on top.

"The feeling is mutual, Magelet." He said, capturing her lips for a gentle kiss. At that moment the seventh bell rang. Where had the time gone? Sighing, Numair pulled them up. Giving her one more quick kiss he said, "I'll see you at the ball, love."