"He doesn't see it, does he?" Her voice was small, reminding him of when she was a child. He had known her back then he realized. He had known her longer than he had known Arram really, but they had never been close. Her petite frame was turned away from him, and he thought he noticed her trembling slightly. He followed her gaze, his own landing on the tall mage sitting next to the striking young woman in the garden. A dragonet played at their feet, and a small winged fleshless creature hovered in the air in front of them, bones clicking as it danced back and forth.
"Varice..." Lindhall hesitated, not sure how to say it without causing her more distress. He exhaled, watching as Arram, Numair now, reached forward and brushed a curl back from the young woman's cheek, hand lingering there before dropping to caress her shoulder. He inhaled, pushing forward. "Arram wrote to me recently, just before they arrived. He told me she was the only person he had ever met who had never once been afraid of him." He dragged his eyes off the couple on the bench and back to the beautiful blonde woman next to him. She looked tired, her dress plain, her hair dull. Her focus remained on the couple, and he noticed she stared intently at Arram's hand, still stroking the girl's shoulder. Her lip quivered. His voice softened. "I certainly can't say that Varice... can you?" Her eyelashes fluttered, as she blinked back tears, dropping her eyes to her slippers. He squeezed her shoulder in awkward reassurance. They watched as the girl laid her curly head on Arram's shoulder, forcing the mage to drop his arm around her. He saw it there, even now after her draining, the overwhelming coppery luminesce of her magic. "Of course," he whispered, "after what we have witnessed here, I doubt anyone as powerful as her has need to be afraid of anyone."
"Do you think it is true then...do you think she really is the child of a god?" Varice said. Her voice somehow sounded steadier than before, despite the topic being so much more alarming. He was silent for a time, wondering if it was wise to respond. Finally, he answered.
"Arram has suspected it for some time now." He said. He sighed again, relenting to the fact that he was confirming something that all of Carthak probably assumed was verified. He was surprised to see a small smile grace Varice's features.
"I suppose it was hopeless then really..." she whispered. The words were barely audible, and he watched her fiddle with the ends of her limp hair. A wistful expression crossed her face before it became sad and pensive once more. "What mere mortal can interfere with the will of the gods?" She took a step back, as if preparing to leave, but paused. "I do hope he recognizes it soon though. Arram...Numair," her voice faltered at the name. "He has never been very good at noticing the things right in front of his face."
With that she was gone, and Lindhall was left to alone to witness Emperor Kaddar interrupting the mages to ask for a word with Daine. He saw the irritated look cross Arram's features, and watched the soft gleam of black gift light around the man's clenched hands, only to recede as Daine gingerly laid a hand on his forearm as she stood from the bench. The mage's expression softened at her touch, and he allowed the red headed lioness to drag him off.
"I don't think recognition will be the issue here..." Lindhall whispered after Varice's retreating form. He sighed yet again, "but admitting it to himself, and accepting what it will mean, may take him some time."