"Me?" Daine interrupted warily. "What could the king want with me?"
"You possess a unique power that is much needed in these times." He explained, trying to make her see. "Your ability to sense immortals could save many lives."
She stewed it over in her mind, weighing all the advantages and disadvantages.
"Alright. I'll go." She finally decided, much to his relief.
"Do you want to tell anyone? Family, friends?"
Her eyes grew distant and Numair saw pain in them. "I got no family sir, just Cloud and the animals."
She gestured behind her to the pony who was peering at him warily. The ponies eyes held an intelligence more human then animal. Unnerved, he looked away, back to Daine. She was looking at the pony and oddly they seemed to be conversing somehow. Daine frowned and the pony – Cloud, he remembered – walked over to a patch of grass and started munching and Numair could have sworn that she was sulking.
"So… when will you be ready to go?" He asked slowly.
"We should be ready to go by tomorrow." She told him.
"We?"
"Me n' Cloud."
"Right. I'll meet you at the edge of the forest at noon?"
"Sure."
Numair stood up and Daine couldn't help noticing just how tall he was, easily over six feet.
"See you then."
"Yeh bye."
He walked away and left Daine wondering if she had made a good decision or a terrible mistake.
Numair had just arrived when Daine's distant figure could be seen coming closer. Once again he was taken away by her beauty and quickly diverted his gaze.
"Hi Numair." She called out happily, seeming in a much better mood.
During the night Daine had decided to make the best out of her situation.
"Hello."
"Good sleep?"
"Fair enough."
They set off at an average pace, neither one wanting to rush.
"So how long have you had Cloud?" Numair asked after a while.
"Ages. My ma got her for me when- yeah she gave her to me." There was no way that Daine was going to tell this almost stranger why cloud had actually been given to her, because she first could call animals with her mind. Out of all the animals in the pen, Cloud was the one she felt connected with most.
Numair frowned, sensing that there was more to the story but not wanting to push it. Moving on, he chose another question.
"So where are you from?"
"Snowsdale, up in the mountains."
"What made you leave?"
"Bandits. My ma and Grandda were killed in January two years ago and I've been traveling ever since." She was surprised to hear the truth come out of her mouth, usually she lied. There was something about this man that made her trust him though.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Wouldn't you get lonely though, constantly moving, having no one to talk to?"
"I have Cloud. She and the other animals are all I need."
"Yes I was meaning to ask you about that… I've heard some rumors that I think need clearing up. Would you mind telling me about your gifts?"
She was quiet for a moment before replying. "I can talk to the People. I can heal them and I can command them if I choose to. I sense them in my mind in colours and that's how I know if there's immortals about."
Numair processed this in his mind, putting rumor an fact together. "Who taught you how to use your power?" He asked curiously after a moment.
"My da. He would come every now and then and teach me how to control it."
"Your father? Is he around somewhere? Maybe he could be of use as well." Numair mused to himself.
"I'm not something to be of use to anyone." She informed him, her voice shaking with rage. "And if that's what you think them me n' Cloud are turning around right this instant and leaving."
She glared at him and Numair could sense animals gathering around them.
Just how big is her gift? He wondered. That they could sense her emotions so clearly without her even thinking about it.
"My sincerest apologies Daine. I was just thinking to myself. I did not mean any disrespect."
She nodded to show her forgiveness but they didn't speak for several hours after.