Sorry that this is so short! I didn't intend to write this, but as people requested it I thought I would. I hope the next chapter makes up for the length.
The moment stretched out, and the silence grew so heavy that Numair felt an insane urge to scream, just to end it. Eventually it was Kitten, her scales now a pale grey, who broke the tension. Having been denied admittance to the bedchamber where Daine had kept a constant vigil at Numair's side, she had expected an affectionate welcome from her ma to make up for the two day separation. Instead, Daine ignored her completely, and only stared at the King and his Champion. Whistling angrily, Kitten crossed the distance to the bed and leapt onto the mattress, placing her forepaws firmly on Daine's back. Daine sat up quickly and gathered the disgruntled dragonet into her arms, attempting to soothe her with a voice that trembled slightly.
Whatever spell had kept Alanna and Jon silent, Kitten's irate chirping broke it. "Well," Jon said softly, surveying his two mages, "I can't say that this is entirely unexpected, but there are far more subtle ways of announcing a relationship."
"We didn't plan on anyone walking in on us," Numair grumbled quietly, pushing himself up into a sitting position.
"I would like to speak to Numair," Alanna said, eyes boring into her lanky friend. "Alone."
"Alanna," Daine said hesitantly, flinching slightly as the knight's intense gaze turned on her, but refusing to look away. "Both me and Numair are involved in this. If you're angry then it shouldn't just be at him."
"I'm not angry; I just have concerns which need to be discussed with him." Seeing the girl hesitate, Alanna sighed and added, "I promise that I'm not going to hurt him."
"It's alright, Magelet," Numair said, just loud enough for her to hear. He laid a reassuring hand on her arm and squeezed gently. "There are things that I need to discuss with Alanna, too."
"I meant what I said, this involves both of us. If you're going to talk about what's happened since my fall in the Divine Realms, I should be here too," she muttered back to him.
"You're perfectly right," he conceded. "When the time comes to tell the rest of our friends about our relationship, we will do it together. But right now, I think Alanna has worries that only I can assuage." He had a very good idea of what Alanna's concerns were, and he would prefer it if Daine wasn't there when she voiced them.
She stared at him, a small frown creasing her brow, clearly torn between not wanting to refuse Numair's request and an unwillingness to leave him to face the brunt of Alanna's supposedly non-existent anger alone. The soft plea she read in his eyes, along with Kitten's constant chirping for attention, decided her. Setting Kit down on the floor, Daine rose to her feet and carefully picked her way through the various pieces of fruit and cold meat that were scattered around the bed. As she passed Alanna, she nodded to her sword and said, "Keep that sheathed?"
Alanna grinned, although her gaze remained serious. "I think I can manage that."
Jon, who had remained silent since his initial comment, spoke up again. "Come," he said gently. "From the look of the floor, you haven't had much of a lunch." Daine followed her monarch silently from the room, pausing to smile at Numair from the door. Kitten trotted happily behind her, her scales finally returning to their normal shade of blue now that her ma's attention was secured for a while.
Once they were gone, Alanna closed the door. "Numair," she said quietly, turning to face him, "I have to make sure of something. Please don't take offence." Numair only moved to sit at the edge of the bed, finding a space on the floor that was clear of food on which to set his feet. He regarded her silently, waiting for her to ask whatever she needed to. Finally, she said, "Is Daine another Prudence, or Clara, or Isabelle?"
He had been expecting the question, but that didn't prevent the blush that rose in his cheeks. Midwinter had marked a turning point in his life. Although his reputation for pursuing and bedding ladies of the Court was well deserved, after the revelation that came with the fall of the barrier he found that he was no longer capable of flings. Several times he had kissed Court ladies, only to find that his thoughts always wandered to Daine, and in his mind it was her lips that he caressed. Disgusted with himself and his desire for his student, he had always pulled away, leaving the woman puzzled and hurt. Prudence, Clara and Isabelle, however, were women he had met before Midwinter. All three affairs had been brief and tumultuous and, in Clara's case, had ended in angry recriminations and tears.
"No," he said firmly, meeting her eye. "I'm not interested in bedding Daine-" At this, Alanna's eyebrows shot up, and Numair's blush darkened, making his cheeks burn. "Well, I'm not just interested in that. I've loved Daine, as you love her, for a long time. Since our first meeting, I have admired her for so many reasons: her strength, her longing to expand her magic, her ability to feel compassion despite the cruelty she has encountered so often. But I only realised that I was in love with her at Midwinter. I never intended to tell her; I never wanted to put our friendship at such great risk, and I didn't want to influence her into believing that she was in love with me when she wasn't. But in the Divine Realms-" he broke off, grinning sheepishly. "Well, perhaps that story is for another time. I don't think Daine would forgive me if I told it in her absence."
Alanna smiled again, and this time it was reflected in her eyes. "I'm sorry that I had to ask, but-"
Numair held up a hand, cutting her off. "I am grateful that you asked." In response to her sceptical look he added, "You asked because you care a great deal about Daine, and for that I am deeply grateful."
Alanna nodded, accepting this as the truth. "Now, we must find the young woman in question before she wanders too far away. I'm longing to hear about what happened in the Divine Realms."