Disclaimer: I don't own these characters they are propertity of Tamora Pierce. Also, I do not own the song (Carry On Dancing) it is by Savage Garden. I'm not making any money and have none to sue for. Please don't sue it would only waste time.
AN. I am a Daine and Numair fan. Please keep that in mind as you read. This is set during book four and changes some events. This is a one-shot story. Thank you to Narm's Briton 44 for commenting about the Author's note at the end. I'd forgotten it was there and when I reread it I could easily see it ruined the tone of the story. Thanks again, the notes been removed. Enjoy.
Carry On Dancing
By: X-wing Day
Numair Salmalin gazed out at the stars over the stream. The evidence of the gods fight against Chaos still lit the sky beautifully but he didn't care. Nothing mattered anymore...
The moonlight...
Shines down interstellar beams
And the groove tonight
Is something more than you've ever seen
The stars and plants taking shape
A stolen kiss has come too late
Numair tossed and turned in his sleep as he relived the day's horrible events. Numair returned to the top of the canyon after the rock monsters let him go. "Daine!" he called out, looking around. She was nowhere in sight. "Where are you Magelet?" he muttered. He walked to the edge and looked over. "Goddess..." he breathed as he found her broken bow and knew Daine must have fallen over the edge.
"Mithros help me." He pulled his sleeve up to reveal a bracelet and locket... Using it as a focus he began to mutter a spell. He was able to locate and go to Daine. He saw three spidrens surrounding her while a web suspended her. He could hear them discussing wither or not to "eat" Daine and their bargain with Ozorne. Rage built in him and he gathered strength. He used another spell and one of the spidrens blew up. The female spidren knocked Daine to the ground and reared toward Numair. Numair raised his staff as Jelly raced across the ground and attacked the spidren. Leaf jumped in and covered it's face. Numair turned in pursuit of the remaining male. He began to beat the spidren to death. As the spidrens died the webs around Daine liquefied. Numair leaned on his staff for a moment, exhausted.
"Numair..." he heard a weak voice. He turned and saw Daine was barely breathing.
"Daine." He ran over to her side, dropping his staff. "Daine are you alright."
"numair... I can't see..." Daine felt weak as Numair gently held her.
"Hold on Daine." He whispered and cursed himself for not being a healer. Daine stopped breathing, her heart stopped beating. "No!" Numair cried out. He had no magic left and as good as Sarra's ointment was, it couldn't bring back the dead. He leaned down and kissed the girl's forehead with tears pouring from his eyes. "I'm sorry Magelet."
In the moonlight
Carry on, keep romancing,
Carry on, carry on dancing
In the moonlight Carry on, keep romancing,
Carry on, carry on dancing
Numair and Daine were camped in a forest area, sitting across a fire from each other. Daine was reading from the pages of the spelled book he gave her.
"Daine." Numair moved to sit next to her. When Daine looked up he kissed her. After a long moment he broke the kiss. "Dance?" he asked quietly.
"There's no music Numair."
"It doesn't matter." He stood in helped her up. He began to lead her in a waltz.
You're never safe 'til you the dawn
And if the clock strikes past midnight
The hope is gone
To move under...
Numair found himself in a dark room with a clock. He saw a vision of the canyon where Daine died. Then he was in the canyon and Gainel, the dream king, stood in front of him.
"Daine is dead." Numair told the god.
"I know." Gainel replied "Sarra and Wyiren also know."
"I..." Numair trailed off. "It's my fault, I should have tried harder to make her stay with them."
"You think you could have stopped her?" Gainel asked.
"I should have." Numair said, angry with himself for the girl's death.
"It wasn't your fault Numair." Said a voice behind him. Numair spun around.
The moonlight...
Carry on, keep romancing,
Carry on, carry on dancing
In the moonlight
Carry on, keep romancing
Carry on, carry on dancing
"Daine?" he choked out.
"You couldn't have stopped me." Daine replied.
"Wait, how do I know you're not just another dream?" Numair asked cautiously.
"You dream about me?" Daine grinned a little. "That's fair interesting."
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you Magelet." He stepped forward and hugged her. Before either could say anything else music began to play. They began to dance. "Magelet how are you here?" he whispered.
"I asked Gainel to let me say goodbye." Daine replied as she danced with her teacher.
Move.
Closer.
Passion.
Stronger.
Numair looked down at Daine. 'Tell her.' Gainel said in a way that allowed only Numair to hear. 'This may be the last time you see her.'
"Daine." Numair paused. "I..." he looked into her eyes and felt strange, nervous. He couldn't get the words out so instead he opted for actions. Numair leaned down and kissed her.
There's a magic only two can tell
In the dark night
Ultra violate is a wicked spell
The stars and planets taking shape
A stolen kiss has come too late.
As the kiss ended Numair smiled. "I love you Daine." He whispered.
"I love you too."
"You must return." Gainel stated. He watched as Daine took the Badger's claw from around her neck and gave it to Numair.
"Keep this." She said quietly "Badger will be able to find me now..."
"Good bye Magelet." He said quietly as he crushed her in one last hug.
In the moonlight
Carry on, keep romancing
Carry on, carry on dancing
In the moonlight
Carry on, keep romancing
Carry on, carry on dancing
Numair woke and it took him a moment to remember everything. Suddenly he remembered Daine's death and the dream. 'That's all it was.' He thought to himself. 'A dream.' He began to get up when he felt something against his chest. He looked down to see the Badger claw on a leather cord around his neck. Numair realized, slowly, that it hadn't been just a dream after all. "I know I'll see you again." He whispered.
Moving on...
Moving all night.