The war was finally over.
Daine sighed. So many years and supplies and effort that had gone into fighting Orzone and through him chaos herself, and it was finally over.
The wildmage remembered she had exhaustedly returned to the mortal realms and into her beloved Numair's arms. He had been just as tired as she, if not more so, after his long fought with the enemy mage, Inar Hadensra. Still both mage and magelet had found enough energy to embrace and enthusiastically expressed one another's joy at finding each other relatively unharmed after a long and painful battle.
Too soon their friends had happened across them and forced them to act as they normally had. Throughout it all however, they never let go of one another's hands in case they were to be separated once again.
Finally they had gone their separate ways, Daine with Onua and Alanna, and Numair with Jon. Daine was led to the healer and bath house to take a much needed rest. Along the way making pleasant talk and explaining exactly what had happened in the divine realms without revealing anything the Gods would not want revealed.
Finally the day had past, Daine had napped in her room successfully restoring most of her energy, and it was time for a celebratory feast. A maid knocked on her door with a bundle of cloth tucked over her arm. The garment unfolded to become a rich forest green embroidered with interlocking leaves and studded with diamonds at the neckline, hem, and sleeves. Daine let out a held breath. It was the most gorgeous article of clothing she had ever seen apart from the queen's wardrobe.
The maid cleared her throat returning Daine's attention from the dress back to the maid. Daine blushed at her temporary lapse of manners and accepted the card the maid held out. On it was simply written;
"For You Efforts.
Thayet"
Daine gapped at the small card, stunned that the queen had even thought of her. The maid, watching the girl, saw that she would be in shock for some time. Knowing she had other chores that were more pressing the maid draped the garment over a chair and slinked out of the room.
It took several minutes, but eventually Daine noticed the maid's absence. She gathered the garment and held it out in front of herself admiring it before letting th soft fabric slide over her head and down her body.
The dress had a tight bodice that pushed up Daine's breasts without exposing them to the world and bell sleeves that ended at her wrists. The fabric bundled at her hips before gracefully falling to the floor leaving only the tips of her toes to peep out. Overall a relatively simple dress compared to the over done gowns of the court ladies.
Daine heard a knock on the door before it opened and Onua walked in.
"Hello Diane. Did you have a good rest?"
Daine smiled at her friend and replied, "Yes thank you. I did."
Her friend was also wearing a dress, but hers was a deep brown, like the color of a red mahogany that caused her eyes to look deep and mysterious and her short mousey brown locks to appear smooth and silky. Her dress was cut with a square neckline that ended at the rise of her bossom with a gentle puffed sleeve tied at the elbow with a delicate gold cord. This left about a foot of fabric beneath the cord, slit down the middle to allow her arms more movement. At her waist hung a gold belt under which her skirts bundled and fell skirting the floor and making it easy for her to walk.
Daine thought she looked lovely.
"Well my dear," Onua said, "That dress does indeed look lovely on you. Now turn so I may admire the full effect."
Daine turned as requested and grinned when the Hostler let out a shrill whistle.
"Hmm… Now all that's left is the hair…"
Onua paused and put her finger on her chin as she studied Daine before pulling out a chair and ordering her to sit.
Not quite knowing what to expect, Daine obliged smiling faintly to herself. She felt a tug on her scalp as Onua pulled her hair into a fist at the back of her head.
For ten minutes she sat as Onua tugged, brushed, and pinned her hair into a semblance of obedience. Finally she heard a sigh as Onua stepped back smiling happily to herself.
"There we go. I could do better, but that's all I can do with the time limit. So, what do you think?"
Onua handed her a mirror and Daine looked at her reflection hardly knowing what to think. Her curly brown locks were pulled to the back of her head in an intricate bun at the top of her neck. A few wisps of hair had been pulled free to gracefully frame her face.
Diane gasped "Onua! I never knew you could do hair!"
Onua chuckled, "Daine, when you've done even half the things I have, you learn a lot of other things you normally would not. Now let's go or we'll miss dinner!"
Onua turned to go, smirking the entire time as Dine fired question after question about what "things" she had done and learned.
Finally they reached the dining hall and Daine ceased her questions. She had been distracted by something else. Now only one thing ran through her mind as their gazes connected.
Numair.