A/N: I am still on a kind of a break, but it felt right to upload another chapter, beacuse I have been sick and with nothing else to do with my time other then to sleep and wait for my body to fight the disease, I chose to write. Also I'm in some kind of a process, writing three chapters at the same time to get all the pieces of the story to be correct and also taking the time off to do other things (buying a house), but I can't help that my mind always lingers around this story that are pieces of my heart. So please enjoy and review, and I still don't know when the other will be ready to be uploaded as I am still trying, but clearly failing, to take my break.

Chapter 52 -Falling from the stars

A man falling from the stars was exactly what happened on the Tortallan ship later that night.

She had in the middle of the night taken a stroll around the deck. The captain had dropped anchor for the night when they would arrive at the port early in the morning. She had trouble falling asleep after she had gone to bed and with her patience used up, she had sought up in the cool air. Standing by the railing she had not noticed the change in the air or the quietness from the rats below the deck. That such have alerted her, but it didn't. Engrossed in her own thought she was greatly startled by the unexpected sound that came from an object hitting the hard wood on the deck.

Abruptly she turned to the sound and found a figure laying in the spare light from the shining globe in her hand. Slowly she walked towards the thing, but froze in her movements as a sound of pain came from the person.

A small curse followed and it was trying to sit up, but the meeting with the deck had been hard. The figure was laying down against the wood on the deck again.

She stood perfectly still. Like an animal scared by the small sounds from the figure.

"'Take the ring of and fly to the ship' she said. 'Go see her' she said. She said absolutely nothing at all about meddling with my powers when I reach it or that it was going to be early dark this evening!"

Daine could hear that the voice was clearly male, but she still stood as if she was a statue. The male began the progress to try to sit, but he clearly failed big time, she noticed. Then the light from the globe flickered and went out. Everything was black few seconds. Standing on the deck she couldn't see a thing, but as quickly as the light inside the globe had gone, as quickly it returned. She blinked once by the surprisingly light and was to shocked into screaming as a tanned face was looking directly at her.

"Hallo" he said. "Oh no, please don't scream!" he added by her startled expression.

Ignoring his plea her hand flew up on it's own and she hit him hard on the cheek, she quickly withdrew the hand surprised over her actions. Her hands covered her own mouth in horror. "I'm so sorry" Why was she apologizing, it was him who had startled her, but she said the words anyway with a low voice, lowering her gaze to the wooden deck of the ship in shame. She found on the other hand that it was a extremely stupid idea, because her eyes only found naked skin, naked abdomen. With a jerk she lifted her head, blushing all over her face.

The man in front of her still rubbing his cheek had clearly followed her gaze. He stood with a apologetic smile playing on his lips. "Oh come one! You have seen me naked before, it's not that - " his voice stooped abruptly.

As if he had seen what her body was in the process of doing, he grabbed her quickly placing a large hands on her shoulders, stopping her escape. "I'm not going to harm you or anything, but I would appreciate not to let the others know of my return yet". His words was low and held a clear warning she couldn't ignore.

She became quiet by his words and slowly, as if unsure if she would start screaming again, he removed his hands, almost forcing them away from her. "Thank you and sorry for the fright I gave you. It has been so long since I last flew, you knew of cause how clumsily I am".

She didn't answer his comment. She could only stir at him, at the height he had, the soft black hair combed back into a pony tail and his hazel eyes that almost glowed by the light from the globe. The nakedness reveling trimmed muscles, she wanted to look further down, but lifted her head quickly. It wasn't necessary to prof the naked condition the man in front of her was in. She therefor met his eyes, unsure what to do next.

Uncertainty spread on his face matching her own. "You are stirring" he said with at low voice.

She did. Of cause she starred. There was something about him that she couldn't put her finger on. She had to force her lips apart, almost lost from words. He was stunning. He was attracting, he wasn't like any other man she had ever seen or spoken to and he could possible be one of the men from her dreams she had fantasizing about. "Sorry" she whispered, just as low, matching the level of his voice.

His face lit up in a sincere smile. "That's okay. I knew that you would be a little startled by seen me again, not knowing who I am. But it's going okay, don't you think?" He lifted his hand towards her face as if wanting to caress her cheek, but she flinched away. A hurt look appeared on his.

"Sorry, I don't think that - ahm - I'm sorry" she couldn't find the words, her heart was pouting hard in her chest and the baby inside her seemed to make flick flacks in her stomach. She began to take a step back away from him, uncertain about the situation. Even though his eyes was friendly there was something dangerous about him as well. There hadn't been something like that in the man she had fantasized about. He had read her emotion as if she had said them out loud, and before she could respond he grabbed her and pulled her forward into a fierce kiss with a calloused hand laying softly around her neck, tilting her head up to his.

She didn't react right a way, so shocked to do anything but feel soft lips pressing on hers, demanding access, but when his mouth succeeded in opening hers she reacted promptly. Images was beginning to force their way into her mind, where empty holes had been, filling in what had been taken from her since her first meeting with Onua. Not seeing her hand, she felt it hitting him hard on the cheek.

He released her immediately. When free from his hands she turned and began to run over the deck, below it and into her cabin. Sobbing, gasping for breath she closed the door behind her, startling the baby dragon. Standing pressed against the wood memories filled her mind and images hit her hard.

'Daine' Something in Numair's voice got her to look at him, and only at him. When she saw the look in his dark eyes she forgot even King Jonathan, still holding her hands. 'I can teach you how to heal'. Him offering her to learn to heal. Images of him shouting at her while she lay on the beach resurrected by Alanna. She being attacked and thrown out into the sea. Him holding her, scolding her for being a foal for healing and communicating with a mature dragon, his touches and resurgence during her first time transformation, him hitting a barrier separating him from her, him turning a man in a courtyard into a apple tree. Then came the next memories. A hand striking her, her lip bleeding, an innocent midwinter kiss, sitting with her back pressed hard against his, laying in front of the fireplace in his chambers with a hand curled around her breast, then movements between them as they accidentally became half intimate with each other, her being kidnapped and then again kissed like she just had been kissed, fiercly, demanding and - and lustfully. A bonefire flashed before her eyes and suddenly she was now in full intimate contact with the man she had found on the wooden deck - with her teacher, with Numair.

She moved herself, holding her arms protectively around herself pressing her back against the opposite wall of the cabin with the door looking at the door in horror. Sliding slowly down towards the floor she looked as the door to where she was, was being opened slowly.

"Please leave me alone" she said crying into her hands.

"Absolutely not, and you know it" the man said as the door was opened further.

His large frame, that was almost to large to the small room she was in came calmly through the door. She noticed that he had managed to find some clothes to put on; a pair of light soft brown trousers and a white shirt. He held his hands raised up in surrender. She just looked at the man she now recognized completely as her teacher or former teacher, she corrected. He took a step inside, closed the door and shielded it with his black magic. Then turning towards her meeting his dark worried eyes, she couldn't help herself ask the one question that was burning on her tongue. "Why?"

Regret reached his face as he moved towards her and standing just mere centimeters from her, he squatted. "I can't explain to you why things have been done, only The Graveyard Hag can and believe me when I say that this wasn't my intention" Numair was sending her a crooked smile "by the way, when did you learn to hit like that" Nuamir said rubbing his cheek where red finger marks could be found.

Always trying to turn the situation around, she noticed before replying "Alanna" she whispered and looked down towards her own hand that burned slightly.

Another smiled played on his lips. "That explains it. By the way, sorry for the kiss, but I figured that it was the only way to get you to remember".

Not wanting to meet his eyes she held her gaze firmly on her hands, trying to control them. She found that she wanted so much to hit him again, and before she knew it, her hand left the place and flew forward. It didn't touch him this time, he was prepared for her attack.

"Would you please stop trying to hit my face" he accused and caught her wrist. "Daine, look at me" Numair commanded.

She wouldn't, but she felt a gentle hand being lay under her chin, lifting her face with tears running down. The emotions that came with the touches was enough to get her to hold her breath. She met his dark ressuring eyes.

"I am the same as I always have been, magelet" Numair said calmly. "I can understand why you are angry with me. I left you and that can not be forgiven, but I hope that you will someday".

'Someday?' he had left her to her own, not remembering anything and furthermore, he had left her pregnant, but that she decided wasn't as important now. She pulled her hand away from his touch, not wanting him to look beyond and find that she carried his child below her heart. That was her secret, and hers alone. "Maybe" she simply answered him. She could still see the hurt look Numair held in his eyes, as she moved a bit away from him. She couldn't forgive him now, but 'someday' as he clearly had said to her mere minutes ago. After that she didn't say anything, letting the silence fill the cabin.


He sat down on the floor, folding his long legs and she was that he sort accepted her need for time to comprehend what had happened the past ten minutes. What she didn't expected was that her eyelids slowly closed and she became relaxed by the soft sound of his breathing.

Numair sat with his eyes closed for minutes that felt almost like hours, but when he opened them he found that she had fallen asleep with her head resting back against the wall of the cabin. Her lips parted, her head titled slightly upwards with her brown curly hair hanging loose over her shoulders. God, how he had missed her during the six month stay in a country that once had been his, but no longer was.

He belonged together with her, ever fiber in his body told him so. The thought that the goddess had purposely had brought her into his life, or the other way around. Which it was didn't matter. He just felt lucky to sit and see how her chest rose and decreased by every life-giving breath she took. The anger he had towards the patron of Carthak was no faintly noticeable inside him. That he had spent the last days at the palace yelling, screaming and shouting at a statue of The Graveyard Hag didn't matter anymore.

He was content right now just to sit on the hard wooden floor with her near him. With the thought that he just only had to reach over and touch her. That luxury he hadn't had in what felt like forever, but sitting near her while she slept sitting like him on the floor he couldn't get himself to do it. To touch her again. He had done so on the deck and what had he gotten; a slap in the face. He couldn't blame her for her reaction, he wouldn't. He had hurt her and he knew it. Still, sitting near her he studied her features, the redness in her cheeks from sitting to long in the sun. The visible necklace containing a badgers claw and a charm against pregnancy. Numair felt his eyes linger at the charm, wanting and not wanting to remember the night of Baltane. The night where the last line between their student/teacher relationship a been broken, but also the night he had been forced to leave her behind, lying securely in his bed, sleeping. Another piece of jewelry lay resting on her warm dense skin; a black opal. He knew that he would have to take it back, but not now. Not when they were sailing directly into the arms of a maniac.

A gasp escaped her lips and he saw had she slowly woke. Holding his breath she only turned her head to the side, only to fall asleep again. She can't sleep like that, his absent mind thought and casually and quietly he rose. Standing before her, he slowly took her hands in his, pulling her to him. With his hands sliding under her legs and around her back, he lifted her up. A bit surprised by the weight she had, he frowned. He had held her like that before, but never had to complain about how heavy she was, he pushed the thought back. He hadn't taken his time in the palace to maintain his body as he used to in the royal palace in Corus, so of cause she felt heavier to him.

Settling her on the bed carefully he paused only to look down into the calm expression her face held. She was so beautiful, he thought and grabbed the soft blanket and pulled it over her. Numair knew that it was still night around them and with a sleeping dragon baby also present in the bed, he had to sleep on the floor, but he didn't mind. As long he was around her yet again, seeing that she hadn't changed from his absence. He once again settled down on the wooden floor and fell asleep immediately.

What woke him up he didn't know, but there was something disturbing hanging in the air. Something that wasn't right. Numair opened the door carefully, not wanting to wake the two sleeping persons inside the cabin. Slowly, quietly he took the stairs up towards the deck and it was there the change in the air became clear. With darkness still around him, he could without difficulties point out where a dark shadow hung in the air, clutching onto the sail, not moving a muscle. He wasn't the only one who had noticed the presence of the creature. As he took one careful step upon deck, the woman standing with her back didn't turn towards him, but shifted uneasily. Violet, almost unnoticed sparks danced around her fingers, like fireflies waiting to be caught. She was ready for battle.

"So you have noticed it too?" came the soft whisper from Alanna.

He tried to sound as calm as she seemed to be, but he knew that his foreign voice would give him away as being a new passenger on the ship. He knew that it was to soon for her to have gotten all of the memories back about his existence "Yes" he told her and walked slowly towards her. He saw how she moved her body, so her legs was standing apart, in perfect balance. She had heard his unknown voice and she knew that he could be a potential threat to her.

"What are you? Friend or foe?" She asked him, still with her face turned towards the position of the unknown creature.

Knowing that the creatures attention was on them both, one single gesture could scare it away before they got a chance to check was it was made off. "I'm more friend then what's hanging up there" he replied, softly clutching his fingers so the creature couldn't see that he held black balls sparkled with silver in them. He could hear how an half accepting sound escaped the Lioness.

"If so," she said "then you wouldn't have a problem getting rid of that thing together with me?" The violet sparks around her hand grew bigger, as the surroundings around them became lighter. Dawn was slowly forcing the blackness of the night away.

"No – it's your call. You discovered it. I'm only here to help, if I may say so". He scanned the deck wanting to check that they were indeed completely alone, besides the thing looking down on them.

She seemed to agree. "Well then – shall we see what it is?" she asked and the mere second the last word left her lips she released the now angrier violet sparks, letting them go up into the air.

Surprised over the sudden attack, the creature screamed a terrible scream almost forcing Numair to cover his ears if it hadn't been for the black fire in his hands. As the violet sparks reached their destination, he let go of his – attacking the panicked animal that tried in vain to hold on to the sail.

A sudden light erupted from Alanna forcing the darkness away completely as Numair's fireballs flew up, touching the creature, forcing it to let go of its hold and then send it crashing down upon deck. It lifted its head slowly as if it had been unconscious a few seconds. The body was black with reptile like skin. Long white claws carved into the wood on the deck as it slowly lifted its body up on all four legs. Equally sharp teeth was unveiled in a low growling and read eyes blinked every few seconds.

He starred at the creature. Never in his entire life had he seen such a thing before and as he looked he didn't notice that the creature pressed its body back on its hind legs, getting ready to jump. Suddenly it moved and with a growl it threw itself against the sudden shield that surrounded him. Not his own magic, but Alanna's. The sound of the crash was loud, loud enough to wake the grew. The creature crawled back a little, then turned its head towards Alanna who had drawn her sword. He threw a spell at it at the same time Alanna with a warning cry threw herself at it, but before she managed to touch it, it was gone. Dissolved as a shadow leaving only an invisible ball, The Queen of Chaos, hanging behind the female Champion touching her with its tentacles, multiplying the anger build inside Alanna's body. The first rays of the sun hit him and Alanna landed hard on the wooden deck.

"Where is it?" she screamed in anger lifting the sword again, ready to strike looking around herself in search for it.

The shield around him was gone. Numair was in a kind of shock and it took him a long time before he realized that Tortall's Champion was turned towards him, pointing the sword at his throat.

"Where did you hide it?" She hissed and moved closer to him. Her violet eyes flashing with anger and – was that insanity that enlightened her eyes?

He took a step back. "Calm down Alanna," he said her name in hope that it would ease the confusion, but in vain. She only lifted the tip of her sword and pointed directly at the skin of his throat.

"Where is it?" she asked and pressed the tip further into his skin.

Puzzled over the situation with the creature and the now insane woman in front of him, he only reacted as he had learned from the same woman who had attached him. Defense. Without any sound escaping from his lips the sword flew out of her hand and buried itself into the mast. Numair sighed low and with relief, but not for long. Disarmed and unarmed she threw herself at him, moving with ease and took his legs away from under him. Laying suddenly on the deck he pushed her back with his gift so he could regain his standing.

Alanna flew backwards and landed hard on the deck. Now the grew would be awake, he began to think as the door indeed was pushed open. Numair managed to stand as he was attacked magically by violet flames, that mid air took shape as ice picks. He raised his shield quickly, not only in front of himself, but also in front of the grew. "Alanna, stop it!" he yelled as the ice picks hit the shield. "It's me – Numair!"

Violet eyes met his. "Never heard of the man" Alanna spoke while forming a huge ball of plain fire between her hands. "Where did you hide it?" she asked again, releasing the fire.

The heat from the fireball hit his shield and Numair took an involuntary step backwards. "I didn't!" he yelled at her. "Why should I? It was attacking me to – remember?" Another fireball hit him as he said the last word. Magical hands took suddenly hold of Alanna's body and pushed her down against the deck.

She tried to escape, fought the spell with every power she had, but he only purred more of his gift into the spell. "Stop fighting!" he told her as he reached over to her laying body.

Slowly as if she had heard his words she did, and fooled by the trick Numair let go of the spell, not wanting to hurt her. Her attack came without hesitation.


She woke by the noise erupting from above her head. Lifting her cheek from the pillow she glanced around her cabin, unsure if the episode with the man had been a dream. Then another noise startled both her and the baby dragon. Kitten, her foster child was out the door before Daine could react. As six months pregnant she didn't had the quickness in her body she had before, so she slowly turned and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Another noise came and it seemed that the ship tilted a bit. With sore legs and a bit unbalanced Daine moved to the door as the ship tilted the other way bringing her body into the door frame. With only her side bruised she hurried towards the stairs and up the steps. Opening the door she was met with the vision of Numair being attacked by Alanna. She took another step out on the now slightly warm deck and ducked as a spell was being thrown back from a shield.

With her attention turned on Numair and the pale glow in his face she screamed at Alanna, who was about to fire another set of fireballs towards the black robe mage. "Stop!" she screamed and Alanna turned in the last second, startled towards her releasing the ball.

Numair seeing where the ball direction was going tried to raise a shield around Daine's unprotected body, but in vain. The fireball was fast and without any more gift he could only look as the ball hit his loved one. "No!" he yelled, horrified by the possibility of loosing her all over again as he did at midwinter.

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