Daine suddenly remembered her deal with the rats and turned to relay it to Kaddar quickly before she left. His expression nearly made Daine laugh before she recalled that she was supposed to be sulking – at Numair for dying and coming back to life, scaring her half to death in the meantime, but also at Alanna for finding the whole thing incredibly funny. Instead she smiled in a way she hoped seemed grudging to Numair and Alanna but friendly to Kaddar. It was quite a feat but she seemed to manage it. Once she had waved goodbye for so long that her arm hurt and she could no longer see Kaddar, she turned to find Alanna standing behind her. The Lioness grinned, making Daine groan.

"Aren't you seasick yet? I was looking forward to a break in the teasing," she said, knowing full well what that grin meant. She didn't really wish her friend ill, but the natural seasickness that she couldn't help seemed a good way to avoid her merciless teasing.

"Shame on you, Verlidaine," Alanna replied, mock-stern, "I should hope that you don't speak to the Emperor in such a way?"

"Yes I do, as a matter of fact. Especially when he's being a dolt. Or brings up the state of his palace," Daine retorted.

"Oh yes, that probably wasn't the strongest argument," Alanna returned to her amused face and tone, "well happily for me, the seasickness doesn't settle in for a moment or two but even when it does you shall get no such break. Being seasick may confine me to my bed but it doesn't confine my jokes to my head. The Lioness of Tortall is not defeated so easily!" She puffed out her chest and put her hands on her hips, trying to create the image of a self-important, proud and stuffy noble from court. The corners of Daine's mouth twitched but before she could give Alanna anymore satisfaction, she turned back to the ship's rail and looked out to sea. Alanna came to stand next to her, a little unsteadily.

"Oooo look at all that sloshing, swaying water Alanna," Daine prodded.

Alanna groaned. "Be careful, or I'll end up throwing up on you."

"I was merely showing you that two can play at your game," Daine retorted grumpily. Alanna looked over at her, frowning.

"What's the matter, youngling?" she asked, concerned, "it's just a little teasing – gods know I've had to put up with plenty for my temper. You did well, even if you did get a bit angry." She smiled crookedly, not letting her concern entirely overtake the humour of the matter. It had been a stressful time in Carthak and now she was letting off some steam.

"Did I?" Daine asked absently, still staring off to sea, "what if it hadn't worked? It was completely reckless and I could have ruined everything for Tortall – and Numair wouldn't have been any less dead! I mean, I know he wasn't, but what if he had actually died Alanna? And I had destroyed any chance of preventing war and...and..."

"Hey, hey. Slow down, Daine," Alanna was slightly alarmed, she'd had no idea that the younger woman had been harbouring such thoughts. Stupid, she thought, of course she was – and here you've been, teasing her about it! "You need to stop thinking about the 'what ifs', Daine, and focus on the good that you've done. We have a peace treaty with Carthak, thanks to you. And now you're friends with its current Emperor, as well as having already been friends with the king of Tortall. This is not small stuff, Daine."

Daine sighed and looked back at Alanna. "I guess. It's just...what you were saying about me being Numair's weak spot?" Alanna nodded, "well I think it's fair obvious now that Numair's mine too," she looked down at her nervously wringing hands, "I just don't think it's good that either of us should have a weak spot. I mean, Numair's a black robed mage for Mithros' sake! He shouldn't have a weak spot! And me? When your emotions bubble over, Alanna, you crackle purple and challenge someone to a duel – when mine bubble over, all animals within ten miles go berserk and turn on their owners. It's just plain dangerous."

Alanna could feel the seasickness coming on now but her sympathy for the girl she counted as a sister overwhelmed it for the time being. No wonder Daine was grumpy about all this; she'd had a lot of things bottled up.

"Oh Daine, you can't think like that," she said, putting an arm around the younger woman, "everyone's got weak spots, sweet. We can't help it. It means we love and are loved," she smiled, "that can't be a bad thing, surely?"

"Well, no, when you put it like that...but have you destroyed any palaces or turned anyone into a tree for the people you love?"

Alanna chuckled. "No, I can't say I have. But it's kind of different for you and Numair..." she trailed off, remembering her conversation with Gary about mage and magelet. When Daine prompted her, she merely shook her head ruefully. "Never mind. Look, there's two ways to think of your weak spot," she counted it out on her fingers, "either you look at it the way you already are, saying that it puts everyone in danger. Or you can be glad that you know your weak spot and know that there aren't many, so you can focus your energies on keeping the person in question from harm," she sighed, "I, for one, know that the amount of weak spots I have only increases with age. Be glad that you only have a few – I wish I could do better at protecting mine."

Alanna had never sounded so bitter, not to Daine's ears, and it caught her by surprise. She rubbed the older woman's shoulder affectionately.

"I think you do a mighty fine job," she wondered how the tables had turned so quickly; now she was comforting Alanna. "Thank you for this Alanna. I'm feeling much better about it now."

"Well that's good because my stomach is kicking up a fuss already," Alanna looked greenish, "and think about it – by focusing your energies on protecting Numair, you'll just have to spend more time with him," she grinned, picking up the last ounce of humour she could muster before stowing away, "I think you and I both know how much you enjoy his company." And before Daine could question her further, Alanna retreated to her cabin. Daine was left by the rail, pondering whether or not there was deeper meaning to that statement.