NOTE: thanks for all the kind words guys! Get those ideas in for Chapter
Ten!! Enjoy!
Chapter Nine
Daine surveyed the ballroom, seeing nobility and mages dressed in their best and putting on airs always tickled her somewhat. She couldn't wait to send a mind message to Kitten tomorrow, but she doubt her dragon would have time for her as she was visiting her grandparents. A trumpet sounding interrupted her thoughts as the crowd stood up and parted for the Royal Family. Jonathan, his blue eyes clear, his black beard neatly trimmed, was always a sight to wring female's hearts. However, next to his wife, Thayet, he looked ugly. Thayet's face was clear, with no makeup to cover her natural beauty. Her black hair was drawn up into a jeweled hairnet, allowing her eyes to take center stage. Her big, brown eyes framed by black, soft and full lashes seemed to hold the attention of everyone in the room. Daine tore her eyes away from her beautiful maroon gown and focused on Prince Roald. He was the splitting image of his father and tall and broad. Daine smiled to herself, remembering how he followed her every move as a child. He made her proud every time she looked at him, for she taught him how to have animals obey his hand signals. As the magnificent trio took to the thrones, a thundering of applause overtook the crowd. With the lifting of King Jonathan's hand, the orchestra started playing again, and people continued with dancing, drinking, and socializing.
" Ma'am?" asked a page, offering her a mini potato pastry. She shook her head no and smiled warmly as the page. She saw her husband, Numair, motion her over. She attempted to get out of her seat, but couldn't, as she was so big. Numair noticed this and smiling widely came to help her. " Stuck are we? Perhaps we should find a bigger chair?" Daine looked at him coolly " Oh stuff it Numair or so help me I'll have Cloud sit on you. Then you'll know what this feels like!" Numair laughed good-naturedly and gently lead her to the thrones occupied by the royal family. Thayet beamed as she saw the young couple. " Hello Daine. Might I say that you look positively lovely." Daine flushed and tried to mutter something unintelligible. Thayet laughed. King Jonathan looked at her, a twinkle in his eyes. " I would ask you bow, but who knows if you'll get up again?" he joked as the Queen slapped his arm. His twinkle dropping, he said in a low voice, " I need you both soon, we seem to have a problem." Numair and Daine nodded to him, yet exchanged glances of their own. Without warning, she was seized in a hug by Prince Roald. Startled, she gasped, Roald pushed himself away. " Father, Mother, " he said, bowing, " do I have your permission to speak with Daine alone?" The king and queen nodded their approval, and Roald led Daine to the hall, Numair looking curiously at them.
" Please Daine, sit. I've heard from Neal how exhausted you were. We are all worried about you. " He said smoothly, helping Daine sit on a bench. Daine looked at him and smiled. " I appreciate everyone's concern but this is the best I've been feeling for months." She said. Then, her eyebrow raised, " Now, Roald, why did you need to see me? Is something the matter?" Roald put his head down, embarrassed. " Well, you see, with no communication with the Yamani Isles because of this dratted storm, I haven't -I mean I can't -uh-.." Daine finished the sentence for him " You can't talk to your fiancée and see if she's okay." Roald smiled with appreciation. " You see, the mages can't get through the snow, it drafts their magic somehow, but I was wondering if maybe you can communicate with a creature? I know it might be hard, " he gestured at her belly, " but it would be much appreciated. For a friend?" he took her hand in his and squeezed it. Daine melted. " Of course you twit, anything for love. Now," resettling herself in the bench, she took a deep breath. " Doesn't your lady have a pet cat? What is it's name?" she asked. Roald though a bit, " Siame, it's name is Siame." Daine looked into her pool of copper fire and sent it across the ocean to the royal palace. Mentally calling the cat's name, she finally connected with it. " He wants to know what exactly you want, Roald." Said Daine, gasping for breath as going cross-country was hard. " I just want to know if she's okay, and to tell her what I can't speak with her." Said Roald, his voice coming from far away. Daine asked this to the cat, who snorted at her. Daine relayed his answer to Roald. " He says-and he's quite snobby as well- that his mistress is perfectly well and she was not born yesterday. Meaning that she knows about Tortall's storms and is having a ball shopping for her wedding kimono. - Bless me, he's turned up his nose ... is that okay? Can I break connection? Without waiting for an answer, she broke it, and found herself sweaty and tired. " Thank you so much." Said Roald, and she could tell that he meant it-if only the room would stop spinning. Roald, seeing that she was weak, quickly took her hand and shoved blue magic up her arm, refreshing her energy. He placed a cool hand upon her forehead, soaking up the sweat and making her face fresh again. When he removed his hands he gently helped her up and walked her back to the ballroom. Giving her back to the safety of Numair's grasp, he delicately kissed her forehead, whispering into her ear a thank you. He walked back to his throne.
Numair steered her towards the door. "Numair, what are you doing? Jon needs us shortly!" Numair glared at her. " You did magic, I felt it. Why can't you obey orders? We're leaving!" He tried to pull her towards the doors. Daine grabbed his arm and forced him to look at her. " Numair, I want to dance. I haven't danced in a long time. After a dance, just one dance, we can go, okay?" Daine hated smoothing things over like that but she desperately wanted to enjoy the evening. She looked up at him with big blue-gray eyes, and Numair sighed. " Sweetling, you know I only want what's best for you and our child." He said softly, putting his hands over hers atop her big belly. " You also know I simply can't stand it when you look at me like that. One dance, then we leave." Daine, thrilled, kissed him and lead him to the dance floor, as a slow soothing tune started. He placed his left hand on her back, pulling her closer to him, while with his right holding her other hand. He twirled her delicately and gracefully around the dance floor. Daine looking into his eyes with love. When the music stopped, he kissed her softly on the lips.
Jonathan approached them then. I need you now. I need Daine to communicate with animals in Pirate's Swoop. Alanna says that she can feel trouble there. The Baron doesn't have enough food for the people, and we need to know what he needs so we can find a way to send it to him by Daine's eagles or something. Follow me, please." Daine and Numair sighed regretfully and followed their ruler.
Chapter Nine
Daine surveyed the ballroom, seeing nobility and mages dressed in their best and putting on airs always tickled her somewhat. She couldn't wait to send a mind message to Kitten tomorrow, but she doubt her dragon would have time for her as she was visiting her grandparents. A trumpet sounding interrupted her thoughts as the crowd stood up and parted for the Royal Family. Jonathan, his blue eyes clear, his black beard neatly trimmed, was always a sight to wring female's hearts. However, next to his wife, Thayet, he looked ugly. Thayet's face was clear, with no makeup to cover her natural beauty. Her black hair was drawn up into a jeweled hairnet, allowing her eyes to take center stage. Her big, brown eyes framed by black, soft and full lashes seemed to hold the attention of everyone in the room. Daine tore her eyes away from her beautiful maroon gown and focused on Prince Roald. He was the splitting image of his father and tall and broad. Daine smiled to herself, remembering how he followed her every move as a child. He made her proud every time she looked at him, for she taught him how to have animals obey his hand signals. As the magnificent trio took to the thrones, a thundering of applause overtook the crowd. With the lifting of King Jonathan's hand, the orchestra started playing again, and people continued with dancing, drinking, and socializing.
" Ma'am?" asked a page, offering her a mini potato pastry. She shook her head no and smiled warmly as the page. She saw her husband, Numair, motion her over. She attempted to get out of her seat, but couldn't, as she was so big. Numair noticed this and smiling widely came to help her. " Stuck are we? Perhaps we should find a bigger chair?" Daine looked at him coolly " Oh stuff it Numair or so help me I'll have Cloud sit on you. Then you'll know what this feels like!" Numair laughed good-naturedly and gently lead her to the thrones occupied by the royal family. Thayet beamed as she saw the young couple. " Hello Daine. Might I say that you look positively lovely." Daine flushed and tried to mutter something unintelligible. Thayet laughed. King Jonathan looked at her, a twinkle in his eyes. " I would ask you bow, but who knows if you'll get up again?" he joked as the Queen slapped his arm. His twinkle dropping, he said in a low voice, " I need you both soon, we seem to have a problem." Numair and Daine nodded to him, yet exchanged glances of their own. Without warning, she was seized in a hug by Prince Roald. Startled, she gasped, Roald pushed himself away. " Father, Mother, " he said, bowing, " do I have your permission to speak with Daine alone?" The king and queen nodded their approval, and Roald led Daine to the hall, Numair looking curiously at them.
" Please Daine, sit. I've heard from Neal how exhausted you were. We are all worried about you. " He said smoothly, helping Daine sit on a bench. Daine looked at him and smiled. " I appreciate everyone's concern but this is the best I've been feeling for months." She said. Then, her eyebrow raised, " Now, Roald, why did you need to see me? Is something the matter?" Roald put his head down, embarrassed. " Well, you see, with no communication with the Yamani Isles because of this dratted storm, I haven't -I mean I can't -uh-.." Daine finished the sentence for him " You can't talk to your fiancée and see if she's okay." Roald smiled with appreciation. " You see, the mages can't get through the snow, it drafts their magic somehow, but I was wondering if maybe you can communicate with a creature? I know it might be hard, " he gestured at her belly, " but it would be much appreciated. For a friend?" he took her hand in his and squeezed it. Daine melted. " Of course you twit, anything for love. Now," resettling herself in the bench, she took a deep breath. " Doesn't your lady have a pet cat? What is it's name?" she asked. Roald though a bit, " Siame, it's name is Siame." Daine looked into her pool of copper fire and sent it across the ocean to the royal palace. Mentally calling the cat's name, she finally connected with it. " He wants to know what exactly you want, Roald." Said Daine, gasping for breath as going cross-country was hard. " I just want to know if she's okay, and to tell her what I can't speak with her." Said Roald, his voice coming from far away. Daine asked this to the cat, who snorted at her. Daine relayed his answer to Roald. " He says-and he's quite snobby as well- that his mistress is perfectly well and she was not born yesterday. Meaning that she knows about Tortall's storms and is having a ball shopping for her wedding kimono. - Bless me, he's turned up his nose ... is that okay? Can I break connection? Without waiting for an answer, she broke it, and found herself sweaty and tired. " Thank you so much." Said Roald, and she could tell that he meant it-if only the room would stop spinning. Roald, seeing that she was weak, quickly took her hand and shoved blue magic up her arm, refreshing her energy. He placed a cool hand upon her forehead, soaking up the sweat and making her face fresh again. When he removed his hands he gently helped her up and walked her back to the ballroom. Giving her back to the safety of Numair's grasp, he delicately kissed her forehead, whispering into her ear a thank you. He walked back to his throne.
Numair steered her towards the door. "Numair, what are you doing? Jon needs us shortly!" Numair glared at her. " You did magic, I felt it. Why can't you obey orders? We're leaving!" He tried to pull her towards the doors. Daine grabbed his arm and forced him to look at her. " Numair, I want to dance. I haven't danced in a long time. After a dance, just one dance, we can go, okay?" Daine hated smoothing things over like that but she desperately wanted to enjoy the evening. She looked up at him with big blue-gray eyes, and Numair sighed. " Sweetling, you know I only want what's best for you and our child." He said softly, putting his hands over hers atop her big belly. " You also know I simply can't stand it when you look at me like that. One dance, then we leave." Daine, thrilled, kissed him and lead him to the dance floor, as a slow soothing tune started. He placed his left hand on her back, pulling her closer to him, while with his right holding her other hand. He twirled her delicately and gracefully around the dance floor. Daine looking into his eyes with love. When the music stopped, he kissed her softly on the lips.
Jonathan approached them then. I need you now. I need Daine to communicate with animals in Pirate's Swoop. Alanna says that she can feel trouble there. The Baron doesn't have enough food for the people, and we need to know what he needs so we can find a way to send it to him by Daine's eagles or something. Follow me, please." Daine and Numair sighed regretfully and followed their ruler.