Title: In a Different World
Day/Theme:There Exists a World/ Day 1
Series: Tamora Pierce's Immortal's Series
Character/Pairing: Daine/Numair
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Guess what? It still belongs to Tamora Pierce and no I'm not her.
Author's Note: This starts off my 31 days challenge, and I decided to tackle Daine and Numair for a first go. Based on the story of Thousandfurs (or Donkeyskin or Furball or Catskin… whichever version you would like to call it.) It's one of my favorite tales, and when looking at the prompt the idea came to me, you can go wherever you like with the conclusion. As for the time movement in the fic, I wanted to end it as close to the Realms of the Gods as Possible.
There exists a world where she never met Onua.
That wasn't to say she didn't reach Tortall, wrapped in furs and in fear of her life with her pony that she hid in the woods. She might look like a two-legger, but the fear of her own kind was as vivid as that held by any of her animal friends. In one of the outskirt villages of Tortall she had recognized her as the "wild girl' and a group of men had tried to capture her. Another villager, somewhat further into the country, almost killed her on sight for whatever reason. A month later? If a nearby wolf pack hadn't been close when a group of bandits attacked over a month later she would never have made it out alive.
It was after the bandits that her animal friends had dragged her various pelts, animals, feathers, things from hunts and from their own homes that she painstakingly sewed into a type of cloak. Cloud had nearly gone crazy from the scents, but it was safer this way. Better.
The disguise worked and she'd had far less trouble after that.
Daine lost track of time, a year passed, almost two by the time she found herself far into Tortall and at the gates of it's capital city Corus. Stares and murmurs as she slipped through the streets, cats and dogs slipping between her feet as she made her way, birds fluttering near her- and everywhere she went people made the sign against evil.
But Cloud had made her see reason, and as much as Daine hated it she knew the pony had a point.
"I'll stay out here until you can afford oats," she had said nipping at Daine, who pulled back in shock.
"What? But Cloud ya can't. You're my only family-" she said feeling tears welling up. "Why can't ya come with me?"
"The two-leggers will suspect something if they see you with a pony and no lead, even if you kept me on one they'd never believe I was yours looking like that. What if they try to take me? You can't have the others attack and protect me or they'll think you've got the wrong kind of magic.. I've been taking care of myself longer than you have-" she nudged Daine. "I won't be far… if you need me call or come visit. Rather I expect you to bring me apples everyday."
"You'll get spoiled," Daine said sniffing, although a smile slipped onto her face.
"Living out here? Hah. I expect you to get decent pay and quarters soon so I can have a nice stable. I'd rather like a nice warm dry place for a while, and oats. I expect lots of oats," she added nuzzling Daine's neck.
"Yessum."
"That's better. Listen to your dame," Cloud said softly. "Be careful. I still don't trust these humans completely."
"'Course I will Cloud. I don't like'um anymore than you. They killed Ma and Gramps and Mamoth and the rest didn't they?
She was done trusting two-leggers, except for all her friends might claim she was People, Daine looked and sounded like a two-legger, and would have to relearn how to live with them.
So it was that several days later, with many failed attempts before, she found herself completely lost somewhere just outside the palace where a few of the ponies were. One had broken away, running straight for her as she gently held up her hands letting the Stallion nibble thoughtfully. Daine looked up under her mask of dirt and furs and shook her head gently, "Sorry. Don't got any sweets love," she stroked the beauty's muzzle as he whickered into her face.
Daine smiled rubbing his nose as he whickered again.
"Oiy! Oiy grab him!" said a young man who was running towards them. "Damn that pony! I swear ever since Mistress Onua got him he's…" he froze as he spotted the Stallion whickering gently to a strange fur covered creature that he thought might be human. "Err…."
"Evin! Did you grab him? You'll be in trouble if you let your new mount get- hey whose that?" The young woman froze next to him watching the mean stallion acting as mild as a mouse to the strange individual. "How'd… er… how'd they do that?"
Evin was already walking towards the odd girl (he thought it was a girl) when she looked up, startling blue-grey eyes staring at him with, was that fear? The horse turned slightly showing his teeth as though protecting the scraggly girl. Odd.
"He yours?" said the girl, her accent heavy and voice harsh like it had been a while since she'd really spoken to anyone. "He's a beaut."
"Orneriest thing you'll ever see though-" said Evin with a chuckle. "Think you can talk him into coming back?"
Daine studied Evin warily for a few minutes and then looked back at up at the Stallion, "Well boy? You said so yourself he's nice enough. Bet he'll even give you an apple later. If your nice to him bet he'll be nice to you right? No point in fighting he inevitable.." The stallion shook his head, and Daine gave a hard tug on his bridle. The stallion snorted, she raised an eyebrow, and finally he hung his head and turned to trot over to Evin with a whicker.
The girl behind him stared wide eyed, half ready to make the sign across her chest, Evin on the other hand looked at his stallion like it was possessed, "Do you have the gift?" The words tumbled out of his mouth before he realized that wasn't exactly the best way to start off a conversation with a half starved wild girl who just talked your horse into behaving.
"Odd's Bobs!" she said scowling, "Why do ya all harp about the gift. The gift this… the gift that…" she said scowling. "I just have a knack with animals, if ya talk to them they're just like me or you. They're people too," she crossed her arms scowling.
"I didn't mean to offend you!" said Evil holding up his hands, "I just… I mean I've been talking to him for the past week and he's never obeyed like that for me!" He sighed, "I'm Evin Larsen and that's Miri-" he said nodding towards the girl behind him. "We're Queen's Riders. What's your name?"
Daine stared in awe, "You mean… like the soldiers? The ones they let's girls into?"
Miri laughed, "Well not the regulars no. We're different, it's hard to explain. But yeah I suppose so they let me in didn't they?" She smiled letting her guard drop some, "But Evin's right? Who are you? I don't think I've seen you, and without proper clearance you shouldn't be on the Palace grounds."
She looked nervous, her matted brown curls trembling and her face closed up far quicker than she'd dropped her mask. "Daine-" she said looking down. No need to supply a surname incase someone had heard about her. Incase they were still looking for "the wild girl". She wasn't sure she could run in time, and she didn't want to get the stallion in even more trouble if he tried to save her. "I.. I was looking for a job. Someone said they might'n have work up here. I thought I'd see- maybe in the stables or… or kitchen…" she hung her head.
Evin and Miri might as well have been mind linked for as quick as their thoughts went by each other. Obviously the girl was in trouble of some sort, on the run, and possibly hiding. It was also obvious that whatever condition she looked to be in she had some skill with animals. If they had the guards toss her back in the city who knew what would happen to her, but as it was-
Evin spoke first, "Come on. I think I know someone who might be able to find you a job, yeah Miri?"
"I'm sure of it," Miri said with a smile leading the girl along.
The hope on the young woman's face was all it took the two riders to know they'd guessed right.
Another year and the palace was in an uproar as Daine did her best to stay out from underfoot. The rumors of war were immediate and she'd been having headaches everytime these "immortals" came too close to the palace.
In the year that she'd been working in the palace she'd fallen into a steady rhythm. Cloud did a good job of keeping out of sight in the woods, and Daine thought she might be able to rent a stable or paddock for her soon.
She still kept her cloak on though, with her face shut and her still strange appearance it meant the two-leggers mostly left her alone.
She'd do her duty, go about work, and get enough time off to bring Cloud a sweet or two before curling up in her small room in the stables.
It worked out well, and it meant she didn't have to deal much with two leggers at all.
Until she met Numair.
"I think you have magic."
It was an accident he met her at all.
He'd been taking a walk near the stables, trying another spell in warding against the immortals, or at least setting up some type of defense when he saw her from afar, looking for all the world like one of the Horse Goddesses.
Watching her he could see the bronze strands tangled in her aura, all around her she was leaking with what he'd come to call wild magic. It fit, the way he saw the horses wind around her. Birds fluttered into nearby trees, he could see half a dozen other creatures far closer to the paddocks than they had any right to be.
He managed to catch sight of long brown curls around her strange fur coat. A thin wary face, and what he thought might be blue eyes. Enough for a description, although apparently he hadn't needed much of one at all.
The "fur girl" was famous among the servants.
It was after a battle with a flock of storm wings that he met her again. She looked scared to death, clutching her head, and leaning on the inside of the stable just outside where the battle had been.
He'd crouched down to meet stormy blue-grey eyes, and she pulled away like a cornered animal almost immediately.
It took three more tries before he finally got her to speak with him.
"I'm a mage-" he said holding out a hand to the frightened young woman. She looked at it hesitantly before taking it- but she dropped it almost immediately.
"Look. I dunno what the other servants have been sayin' but I don't got any magic-" she said firmly. "I've just got a knack with animals. Ma… ma kept trying- and I don't have the gift."
He sighed setting a hand on her shoulder, she winced but he didn't move it, "That's what I've been trying to tell you. I agree. You don't have the gift, but not all magic has to be the gift. There's other types- a type used by the Bazhir in their spells, the people near the roof of the world have another, immortals use a type we're completely unfamiliar with and seems to be specific to their breeds, and of course what I call wild magic." He smiled at her as she finally met his eyes, "Which is what I think you have."
It took almost a month but she began letting him teach her lessons when they had time.
For Numair it was a constant battle though. First he tried to talk her into just quitting her basic work altogether, but no amount of explaining could talk her into stopping. He'd begged Onua to have a word, but the "wild girl," as most of staff called her, would barely say two words unless it was to him. In the end he managed to get her transferred to mostly duties working in the stables, but she firmly refused to leave aside her work pointing out she wouldn't take charity.
He'd offered on more than one occasion to at least invest in some new garments, something other than the servant rags she'd been toting about in, although he did find it surprising that as much as she wore her strange fur over cloak it rarely got dirty… Half the time it acted like some sort of strange disguise, so much so that as much as he was around her he rarely remembered her appearance beyond soft brown curls, a stubborn chin, and stormy blue-grey eyes.
On top of everything else, she was skittish to try anything with her wild magic.
The only headway they'd made at all after the first couple months, was when he'd dragged her away from the bustling courtyards and stables and they'd caught sight of a sylph among the trees. For a moment he'd seen delight, youth in her face. She'd mumbled an age the first time he'd asked, but at that moment he could believe she was no more than sixteen, maybe seventeen at best. A young girl who'd seen far too much for her age.
It took almost six months for her to begin trusting him.
It was at least a year after he met her that he was awoken in the middle of the night by a frantic knocking at his door. He stumbled out of his bed trying to think who in the world would be bothering him at that time of night to see the fur clad wild girl standing barefoot in his doorframe.
Her curls hung free around her face, and he suspected she had little more than a nightshirt under her cloak. Blue-grey eyes were bright and scared as she told him she sensed at least twenty Stormwings no more than a few miles away coming on fast.
Twice more she saved the palace, and twice more she refused to let him introduce her to anyone.
Two years almost to the date and he found out why.
"Daine-" he said softly patting her shoulder as the tears poured out of her. Who knew how many years she'd been holding it in? Numair wondered if she'd ever told anyone.
"It's stupid… I know. But Numair I was so scared-" she whispered. "First they killed ma, and then after they hunted me…" she bit her lip. "I… I might've been fine if I didn't get run out of villages after that. I don't know how word traveled that fast. At first I thought I could go by another name, but by the time I reached Tortall they were looking for any girl with a grey pony."
"I think I understand some-" he keeping his hand on her shoulder.
"How could you!" she shouted looking up at him. "You've never been hunted by your own people. I thought I was dead when the second group of bandits got me. If Whitefur's pack hadn't found me I…I…" the tears poured down her cheeks.
"No. I don't understand completely-" he said softly. "But when I left Carthak I left as a traitor. It didn't matter that I wasn't a traitor. The emperor had me captured and tortured-" he shuddered. "I still don't know how I escaped, but I was barely alive I can promise you that. It took me nearly two years here before I began trusting anyone, I wouldn't even use my magic for fear they'd track me down."
"You?" she said eyes wide.
"Me," he said with a smile. "Personally I think you did a far bit better on your own then I did. Juggling doesn't make much money, and unlike someone I know, I can't hunt for the life of me." He tapped her nose and was surprised to be rewarded with a laugh.
"Now… why don't we fix this problem with your magic hmm?"
Then Thayet held a ball.
That in itself was not remarkable. Thayet held many balls, and many several nights in a row. Unlike most of his friends, Numair even enjoyed going to balls, and Thayet happened to be holding three in a row this time. Right near midsummer, with a visiting party from Carthak including one of Numair's old teachers as well as Ozorne's Nephew the Imperial Prince Kaddar.
He'd tried to talk Daine into coming with him to one of the other balls. There was a while where it was nearly all he'd bring up, but this time all he'd managed to do was end up having her stay least in sight for nearly a week.
He gave up.
Eventually.
This time though he would have done anything to have Daine come along. Anything would be better than what he supposed would be his head on a golden platter.
Part of him hadn't realized how much he enjoyed teaching, helping, training her in a type of magic that he was only beginning to understand. They'd recently begun playing with transformation, and Numair suspected he wouldn't be able to keep it a secret much longer from Jon- not without treading along the fine line between obedience and becoming a traitor.
Somehow he was going to have to talk her into working with the others.
That and she might have saved him from having to talk with Carthaki's who'd want to dig up his history. Lindhall might be coming, but there were a good deal of other dignitaries he had no wish to deal with. The situation was going to be in no way pleasant for him, or anyone else he suspected, but at least his student might give him something to distract himself. (Was she a friend now? He wasn't certain, but he liked to think of her as one. In many ways he trusted her with somethings more than he trusted either Alanna or Onua.)
And as magnificent as Thayet planned to make this ball, he was starting to wonder if he could do what Alanna normally did and hide behind the nearest curtain. At least it was a masquerade… which might have worked if he wasn't the only black robe in attendance.
"Who do you think she is?" he jumped as a hand rested on his shoulder and he turned to see the knight looking across the room musingly. "She didn't come with the Carthaki entourage, and Galla didn't send any of their ambassadors. She's obviously no one I know, of course I suppose that doesn't say much, but no one else seems to be familiar with her either. Not to mention her surname…" the knight chewed on her lower lip, "Why does that sound familiar?"
"Huh?" Numair's eyes looked around the room trying to catch sight of whoever Alanna was talking about, She must be astonishing to have grabbed the knight's attention, "I wasn't listening. What did you say?"
"Her-" said the knight pointing across the room, "His Imperial Majesty seems taken with her at least, but that doesn't answer the question of who she is. The last thing we need is a hired assassin by Ozorne in the form of some girl. But Weirynsra? Why does that name-"
Numair stopped listening as he finally saw the young woman Alanna was rambling on about. Soft brown curls piled up on her head, a slim figure that proved to be far more lithe than any of the other courtiers. She moved as graceful as a doe, and familiar to say the least, "Daine?"
Alanna's eyes widened as she turned to Numair and waited for an explaination. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes, "It couldn't be."
No. This girl may be short, but she had several inches on his magelet. Her body showed little sign of unease as she glided through the crowd, and her eyes were brighter, bluer than Daine's wary grey ones. Without seeing her face he couldn't be sure, but except for the color of her eyes and hair… the two didn't bear that close of a resemblance.
That being said, he was across the room before Alanna could say another word.
She jumped at the sight of him, but then his reputation always did proceed him. This young woman looked like she could be an heiress, and his magelet could barely afford new boots for winter. (And when had he begun to call her his magelet?) Her tumbling curls were soft around her shoulder, and although she had the same stubborn chin, the smile on her lips no way looked like anything he'd seen on Daine's face.
He bowed gracefully and took her hand, brushing a courtly kiss upon her fingers, "Milady-" he said with a smile, "I'm not certain we've been introduced."
Calluses, another hint, but then even the Queen had callouses on her hand, and for that matter when he'd shook Kaddar's after meeting with him and Lindhall… well the Prince had calluses. There was little to be said about that in Tortall.
Her brow furrowed, and he could almost see her mind racing as she watched him. Is it Daine? Wouldn't she have told me? I would have been happy to escort her, so why would she have gone incognito? Where would she have gotten the garments from though, unless she has another patron I don't know about. He felt like a terrible teacher. Almost two years teaching her and without her fur cloak and layers of grim he wasn't certain he would even recognize his student. He decided that would be the first thing he discussed as soon as the week of Emissary-ship was up.
"Veralidaine Weirynsra," she said and he picked up the hint of Gallan accent. Not as heavy as Daine's usually was, but still the name didn't go unnoticed. Veralidaine? It has to be her… but then- fine. If she didn't want to tell him he'd play along. He raised an eyebrow and thought he noticed a blush on the edges of her mask.
He felt a grin spread across his face, "Numair Salmalin at your service." He nodded towards the dance floor, "Would you care to grace me with a dance?"
She stepped back worry flashing in her eyes, "Ah I'm not-"
"It's alright-" he said still smiling and feeling better than he had all evening, "I have a feeling we'll work it out. Just one turn around on the floor, after all my feet can survive that much I believe." He winked and still holding her hand drew her towards the music, "Agreed?"
"But I don't… "
"Excellent."
Alanna raised an eyebrow the next evening as Numair's eyes ran back towards the door every few minutes. She crossed her arms as an amused look crossed her face, "Alright lady-buck, explain. I want to know because not only is she young but she's also neither blond nor busty, so why fore doth you woo with such vigor?" She poked his side with a malicious looking grin.
"I am not wooing her for your information, and its private information. Until she wants me to I can't say anything," his sigh sounded languishing even to his own ears, and even after Alanna's remark he couldn't stop his eyes from looking back towards the doorway every few seconds.
He felt another finger prod into his ribs and he winced looking down to meet angry violet eyes glaring upwards, "You want me to bring it up to my hubby and have him dig it out? You'd best tell me sonny boy or suffer the consequences."
He scowled, "Alanna it's personal. I am allowed to have person business yes?"
"Does this have to do with those private lessons you've been having? Oh don't look at me like that, of course we know you're still teaching that mystery girl, my husbands the spymaster for pete sakes!"
"Alanna I already told you-" he stopped mid-sentence as he caught sight of her from across the room. She appeared from seemingly nowhere, and was once again in deep conversation with his Imperial Highness. She laughed, something he'd rarely seen in his enigmatic student.
Tonight? Dressed like the sun and every bit as radiant as any of the Carthaki.
He could hear Alanna's whistle, but ignored it as he continued to watch her until the prince finally pulled away. He felt surprise as he felt a sharp pang as the arrogant boy flirted shamelessly with her. "I'll explain later Alanna."
"Sure you will lady-buck, or I will sick George on you. That's not a threat either, that's a promise."
He'd grab her for the next dance or die trying.
"I don't think this is a good idea…" she said the final night staring at the badger from across the room.
She'd gone to the ball the night before just as she was suppose to, with the mindset that this time she would tell Numair everything. Or rather she'd promised the Badger she would after he had threatened her quite soundly if she didn't. Instead? She'd run off before she'd even had a chance to change her mind. Her teacher looking at her worriedly, and the prince (Had she really been dancing with a prince?) chasing after her wake as well.
"No choice. You look beautiful, and tonight you must tell him. Explain. Everything," he added firmly. "Things are getting dangerous, and you're torn between two worlds. The humans will understand, and they will be thankful for you help, but not if you continue hiding like an injured pup."
"Badger, I'm scared. I've been here this long, what if they're angry at me? What if he's mad? What if Kaddar really does wish to court me? I don't know what to-"
She fell back onto her bed as the Badger pushed her back with one paw, "Kits shouldn't talk back. If they're angry they're angry, but they'll get over it. That mage has been teaching you for two years now, and you've given him little reason to be patient with you. There is no time to be fickle, do you understand? More is at stake then just you, and both the humans and people need you."
He nudged her cheek as a tear slipped out against her will, "Kit, I promise. I wouldn't send you to hunters again."
"But once they find out what I am… who I am…"
"The mage told you himself he was a traitor. You should read into the history of a few of these legends here… you might find they aren't all that perfect themselves. Now… do you think you're ready to go tonight?"
"I suppose Badger…."
"Good."
Except she wasn't, not really, or rather no more than she'd been the other nights.
It was no surprise that Kaddar was right at the door to meet her, or perhaps it was, the Carthaki prince swept her away to talk about all sorts of new projects he had. She was surprised that he willingly listened to her stories about the various creatures she'd encountered, and other than Numair, the only person she'd willingly talk to about her magic.
"So why is Master Salmalin so interested in you?" Kaddar said curiously, "He's glaring at me again like I'm about to sneak you out the back door anytime." He grinned at Daine as a blush painted her face.
"He… he's helped me with my magic. Apparently he's familiar with wild magic, and I suppose he's a bit protective of me."
"A bit?" Kaddar glanced over at him, "Well it must be flattering to have one of the few black robe mages in the world interested in you."
"Black robe?" she looked at him curiously, "What does that mean? I noticed her was wearing one, and given he's normally as flamboyant as a peacock, well I was a bit surprised, but I didn't really think anything of it." She couldn't explain that asking would fully give away her disguise, not that Numair hadn't known from the first day, but thus far she'd done well enough dancing around the subject.
"You don't know?" Kaddar said in surprise. "The university has ranks, white, red, yellow… each is a different color robe designating your rank among mages. Reds, for example, are usually battle mages. Black is the highest you can attain, there are only seven… or well.. I think there may only be six now. Master Numair is one of them."
She stared back at the still sulking mage in disbelief, "Him?"
"Him."
"But-" she shook her head. "Why would he bother with me? That doesn't make sense! Shouldn't he be teaching someone of more importance? I'm just…"
Kaddar shook his head, "Given the way you've explained your magic, I suspect your precisely the kind of individual he wishes to be teaching. I wouldn't be all that surprised at all.
"Odds Bobs but courtiers are strange," she said shaking her head and ignoring the questioning expression on Kaddar's face. "….and now he's coming over here."
"No doubt to rescue the damsel from the evil prince," Kaddar said with a smile. He brushed a kiss across her fingers, "Hopefully I'll see you before I leave?"
"I'll try," said Daine before turning to see the towering mage walking towards her as she let out a sigh and told herself she would tell him this time.
"Badger please! I just want to leave! I can't do this, I'm not one of them," she tried to grab for her things but was stopped as the Badger God moved in front of her. She'd run off before she'd even had a chance to change her mind. She'd been dedicated in staying, but somehow she'd found herself fleeing from the dance the moment her mask came off. She'd seen her teacher looking at her worriedly, and the prince (Had she really been chatting with a prince?) chasing after her wake as well.
"Too late-" said the Badger god looking miffed, "I already dropped one of your mother's beads into his soup that you were making. They'll call for you any moment now, and don't even think about changing." He nudged her leg. "You will tell them everything."
"But Badger!"
"Kit… they need you. The Gods need you. You need them. They are good people, you see that now, and the mage will help you. He cares about you, obviously, and you trust him at least. He wouldn't let any thing happen to you."
"Numair's…"
"Your pony wishes to tell you that while your mage friend may have helped you get her a stable, she would like some better oats in the next year. You should keep your promise, you could have had that by now."
Daine hung her head as the Badger turned towards the door his glow slowly appearing around him, "Now here comes the cook."
She wrapped her fur cloak firmly around the dress from that evening. It looked like starlight, and was easily the most beautiful of the three. She had to raise the hood slightly to keep her cleaned curls from showing through too much, and hung her head as the woman scolded her all the way to the main floor telling her that she'd finally get her comeuppance and see if it wouldn't be her fault if war broke out between Carthak and Tortall.
Daine was too terrified to really dwell on what the old woman was saying.
The tables were lined up, and it was different to see the courtiers arranged as though readying her for a trial. She wondered what would happen if she simply turned into a bird and flew away, especially since she knew now she could do it.
More than likely they'd think she was a spy and she'd be hunted once more.
Instead she kept her head down and waited.
"You're the girl who fixed the soup tonight?" she heard the voice of someone she didn't recognize. Or rather, glancing up she felt her stomach drop as she recognized him as the King of Tortall.
"Yes your majesty-" she said dropping to the ground.
From the corner of her eye she saw Numair on his feet, and almost to the floor as a knight in gold plated mail grabbed his sleeve whispering something to him. He froze but didn't sit down as he watched her.
"Our guest found a bead in it-" the king's voiced was amused, "Would you happen to know something about this?"
"You're Majesty please, I didn't really have anything to do with it… it's the badger's fault!" she said the words pouring out of her mouth. Murmurs ran among the royals and she felt her cheeks burn. Moments later she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Numair looking down at her.
"It's alright," he told her softly as her hood tumbled off. "Explain."
"Numair?" said Jonathan in surprise. "Do you know this girl?"
"Indeed Jon, you remember I mentioned I had a somewhat unusual student? This is her. Although you might all recognize her-" he said as he reached for her cloak. She hesitated, but after several moments let him take it from her. A gasp filled the courtiers and Numair couldn't help but grin, "May I present Veralidaine Weirynsra?"
"Sarrasri…" she said softly reaching for his hand and squeezing it.
He looked down in surprise, "What?"
"Sarrasri. I'd… I'd druther you used Sarrasri- I've gone by that my whole life, and it's silly for me to change it now even if I know who my father is."
Jon sighed and rubbed his temples, "I believe you must start us from the beginning. Unlike your teacher here, the rest of us have been making guesses on your appearance from royalty to assassin- which from Numair's reaction we must agree you are not."
"Well, the Badger said I must, so… I suppose I should-" she said with a sigh. "I was born in a village in Galla by the name of Snowsdale-"
He felt worse as her story grew and began to wonder if his own neck was going on the chopping block as well.
Numair wasn't certain how long it would take him to recover from everything she told them.
She didn't mention going crazy, well not in as great detail as she'd explained to him. He might have stopped her if she had- after all she deserved some privacy. She did explain how she was hunted though, that bandits had burned down home and killed her family, that she'd lost herself in her magic and been scared to come out after nearly being killed several times after she'd left her village. Listening to the story again it was little wonder she'd hidden under he fur cloak as long as she had. He could see Onua crying from across the table.. and Alanna looked very ready to hit something herself.
He slipped an arm around her at some point as she continued her story, although as she began stumbling through her experiences with wild magic he took up the explanations. For that matter he made certain they understood that all the forewarning they'd had on Immortals had come from this source, although Jon looked ready to eat him alive for not mentioning her prior to now.
Oh well, as long as he was the only one accused of being a traitor he'd survive.
He still wasn't certain why he'd even been willing to keep her a secret.
"So if you've been struggling as a palace servant," here Jon looked at Numair expectantly, and the mage simply shrugged. He'd be grilled for it later, but he'd been afraid she'd make a run for it had he been anymore vehement in trying to get her to move. "What about these gowns that you've worn the past three nights? Surely you didn't spend all your earnings?"
She shook her head, "No Your Majesty. They were gifts. My Ma and Pa, since… well I suppose they're both Gods now… the Badger brought them for me. He wanted me to explain everything the first night, but I was so overwhelmed… and I got scared the second and third. Only tonight he wouldn't let me, so he stole one of my Ma's beads from the necklace I was wearing and slipped it in the Kaddar's…. Oh!" a hand flew to her lips, "I mean His Imperial Highness's soup." She blushed, "I apologize sir."
…He'd been teaching a demi-Goddess and didn't know it… figured. He really was going get it from everyone later. Oh well, he'd survive, somehow. Or maybe he'd take his student, and go for a vacation to his tower. It had been quite a while since he'd visited after all.
"It's so improbable I suppose I have to believe it, " said Jon with a laugh. "Although I have seen stranger things in my day, and been part of incidents just as odd, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." Numair turned in surprised forgetting they were still in front of a panel of judges for lack of a better term.
"Well…" said the king. "I believe this is enough excitement for tonight. I will speak with both you and Numair tomorrow, we need to discuss arrangements. I will not have you living as a servant, especially if Numair is right about your talents. It would be a shame to waste your skills." He felt Daine nod next to him.
"You have a guest room next to your quarters yes Numair? Surely you can show her to one of those rooms?"
"As you wish Jon."
And as Onua came down to meet with the girl, promising that Cloud would be given the best quarters they could muster, and would see if she couldn't help her with some of the more troublesome ponies he saw her eyes light up and a smile touch her face.
Maybe, just maybe, things would be alright.
Author's Note: This is to clear up things. What happened to Kitten? I'm afraid in this universe she probably didn't make it, that or they didn't pull the dragon through, or she's somewhere else altogether. Maybe some stormwings found her and raised her- I'm trying not to think to much on that subject. How did the others survive? Well, as impossible as the situation was at Pirate's Swoop, we're going to make the argument that with all the heroes floating around Tortall something came together, and the Dunlath Valley may likely just be a wasteland. I'm not dwelling into too much in whatifs, I considered it but this fic would be epicly long, and I am not known for keeping updates so this is meant as a oneshot. Just suspend your belief for the fic. The Badger showed up even later, Ozorne's putting off his battles and they had to send an emissary instead of our group going to Carthak, etc. That's the fun with AU's- playing with the world you have.
Also? I'm not certain what has done to my breaks/spacing etc... I've tried to reedit it in the editor but it's been nearly six months since I've used and and noticed a problem with the break system... so we'll see (for the major ones I just used their lovely lines).