Disclaimer: I do not own the miraculous world that Tamora Pierce has created, I only borrow and visit said world occasionally.
Baby Mine
Numair Salmalin, Black Robe Mage of Tortall was awakened from his slumber by the soft, slightly distressed cry of a young tot in the next room. Lifting himself up, he tried not to disturb the woman lying asleep next to him. He smiled, and thanked the gods that she was brought into his life.Upon reaching his three-year-old daughter's crib, he noticed that Kitten, their dragonet, had been trying to entertain her using affectionate clicks and chirps. He tiredly grinned at Kit and picked up Sarralyn.
Over the course of five minutes, the Mage had given up trying to soothe the precocious child. He had placed Sarralyn back into her crib, wondering what to do without waking his Wildmage, Veralidaine. Numair needn't have worried, for one of the loves of his life had approached Mage and daughter.
Wrapping an arm around her, making allowance for her swollen stomach, he sighed into her hair, exhausted. "Go back to bed, Love. I'll figure out something."
Daine fixed him a look with her gorgeous blue-gray orbs. "Jon's had you stretching your Gift all day; it's you who should be asleep."
Picking up her daughter, Daine made her way over to the rocker, talking softly to Sarralyn as she sat down. "He's your father."
Numair rolled his eyes and went back to bed. After ten minutes of pointless tossing and turning, he realized that no matter what, he was awake and couldn't possibly fall asleep by himself.
Making his way back to the nursery, he heard the crying lessen and disappear. Opening the door, he spotted Daine in the rocker with a tired Sarralyn on her lap, hugging her mother's stomach. Daine was rocking back and forth, humming as she rubbed Sarralyn's back; distantly, Numair recognized the tune.
The peaceful scene was obliterated as a flash of lightning illuminated the world and the quick rumble of thunder followed. Sarralyn squealed, holding onto her mother tightly. Another spark of lightning split the sky, and on it's heels was more thunder. As the downpour began, he noticed the little girl crying. Daine picked her up, wiping tears and put words to her humming.
"Baby mine, don't you cry. Baby mine, dry your eyes," rising, she laid Sarralyn across her upper body, gliding around the room. "Rest your head close to my heart. Never apart, baby of mine."
The tune caught Numair's attention, and he leaned against the doorframe, listening.
"Little one, when you play. Don't you mind what they say," Daine continued dancing with her daughter around the room, softly singing the tune and soothing Sarralyn's fear from the storm and possibly a bad dream. "Let those eyes sparkle and shine. Never a tear, baby of mine."
Daine placed her in her crib, lying on her back and tickled the nearly asleep child slightly. "From your head to your toes. You're so sweet, goodness knows. You are so precious to me, cute as can be, baby of mine."
She continued humming the tune as she picked up Kitten and placed her in the basket next to Sarralyn's crib. When she returned, she was rewarded with the sleeping face of her daughter.
Numair thought that this was probably a good time to enter, so he placed his arms once more around his wife, and they stood a moment, gazing at their darling child.
"Where'd you learn the song?" he asked, whispering.
Turning, she looked up at him. "Ma used to sing it to the little ones when they didn't want to fall asleep." Realizing that he was here, she scolded him in a whisper. "You should be in bed, Master Mage."
"You should be too," he replied, smiling. "You're a little over eight months along, Love. You should be sleeping."
In response, she buried her head in his chest, smiling because there was no retort to that. They stayed like that for a moment, until Numair reached down and picked her up, carrying her bridal style to bed.
Short, sweet, my first DN fic, so don't murder me. Yeah, I know it's a little. . . odd. But reviews are appreciated!