Author's note: OK, here it is. My one-shot D/N somewhat sad ficlet. Yes, sadly, only one chapter. But too bad. I may write a longer version someday, but not yet. Sorry! Just read and enjoy!

One Last Kiss

A bit of light came through the barred window, blanketing the room with an eerie glow. The dungeon walls had cracks in them, which mice busily scurried in and out of. Two people sat on an old, creaky wooden bench. Their faces looked tired and defeated. Their hands were chained loosely together in front of them, allowing their hands some freedom. Their clothes were tattered and worn, holes popping up here and there. Those two people were the Wild Mage Veralidaine Sarrasri, and the black robe mage Numair Salmalin. Daine sat in Numair's lap, resting her head against his chest. Her hair was clearly unkempt. Numair looked down at her, his also not-so- neat hair falling out of his horsetail. His faced seemed etched with sadness. "Any ideas, the all powerful mage?" Daine said, almost in a whisper. Her voice showed the struggles she had faced in the past week.
"No," Numair replied, shaking his head tiredly. "I don't." His voice was a solemn, gloomy tone. Daine looked up and looked into deep into Numair's eyes.
"So we're just going to give up?" She said stubbornly through silent tears. "Just let them take away the lives we worked so hard for?" Numair hugged his beloved close.
"And what are we going to do? My Gift is all gone, and they made sure that none of the animals could help you." He said. Daine looked down sadly. She had tried, but none of the animals she reached helped. She was too tired to shape-shift, also.
"I couldn't do anything. I was our only chance, wasted..." Daine said, her tears coming out. Numair hugged her even closer.
"Of course you're not wasted, Daine. I am more of a waste then you are. I wasn't able to even offer a hope of protection." He said.
"But we still have a chance," Daine said, regaining her confidence slowly. "We still will make it out of here." Numair sighed.
"I know I shouldn't think it," Numair sighed wistfully, "but there is no hope for us. None. You know it, too." Silence.
"We will get out of this alive, Numair. We will. You'll see..." Daine said, but trailed off as she again lost confidence in herself and her survival. "But, just in case we don't..." Daine said, then turned slightly sideways in Numair's lap. She closed her eyes, brought her face close to Numair's, then closed that gap in a passionate kiss. Numair kissed back, savoring every moment of it. Because it could be the last. Daine broke the kiss, yawned, and whispered in Numair's ear, "How much do you want to bet we'll live? If I were you I wouldn't bet much." Daine then closed her eyes again, and rested her head against Numair's chest, falling into a peaceful slumber.

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Sun light leaked through the barred window, lazily falling over Daine's face, forcing her eyes open. Numair looked down at her solemnly. "It's almost time, isn't it?

She asked. Numair nodded. He looked grey under the warm sunlight. The sun's warm rays were usually something they both looked forward too, but today they had dreaded its arrival. It marked the time of their execution. The door was shoved open roughly suddenly, and two stiff knights marched into the room. Daine looked yearningly over at Numair as the soldier yanked her arm, and forced her to stand up. "I love you," he said, offering the only words of comfort he had to Daine. "I love you too," She said back as they were lead out the door. "This is it, magelet," Numair whispered to her as they neared a solemn- looking wood door. The knights opened it roughly, unlocked their chains quickly and carelessly, and shoved them into the room. The door locked behind them. The room was dark, cold, and almost seemed lifeless. Then a red light illuminated the room. A mage stood, his left hand enveloped in the fire of his gift. Daine looked at Numair, who suddenly cried out it pain. Before she could look back at the mage, a seering hot pain shot through her body. It first started at her fingertips, and it weaved its way through her venerable body. Numair collapsed to the ground, and Daine felt her legs start to tremble, starting to give in. Daine cried. "No, we can't give in!" she said, but it was in vain. Her own legs betrayed her and let her fall onto the stone floor. Daine struggled over to get to where Numair propped himself up against the wall. Daine then managed to get into his lap. With her last dose of energy Daine said, "One last kiss," in the faintest of a whisper. She managed to get her body to pull herself up, and her lips almost touched Numair's. A heat rushed through their bodies when their lips finally managed to come together in one last kiss. Numair felt Daine's body give up, and he could no longer feel her heartbeat. He hugged her close, and joined her.

end

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