Chapter 6: Lady Margarita of Devil's Valley, Tusaine


The next night....
Lady Margarita of Devil's Valley was bad. She wanted Numair-even though she hated him, she knew how rich and powerful he was. With a husband like that, she often told herself, love wouldn't matter. She didn't even believe in love-her heart was filled with evil.
And she was a very dangerous woman.
She had persuaded the King of Tusaine to allow her to come by *certain* methods. once she learned Numair was accompanying them. However, she wasn't interested in him. She wanted Numair's money. And she wanted it bad.
Throughout the journey she had tried flirting with him and being aggressive, but he constantly ignored her. Margarita had wondered why-but now she knew.
"That wench," she muttered, thinking of Daine. The lady was lying alone in her bed, the lights turned out. Her blonde hair was long and rolled up in metal curlers. "How could he choose someone like that to marry? And I'll bet all of my jewelry that she wasn't born a noble, unlike myself." She sniffed angrily. Actually, Margarita came from a bad family. Devil's Valley was known for evil daughters (hence the name).
Suddenly, lying there in the dark, a plan came to her. She smiled evilly and got up. She left the room to join the meeting with the rest of the Tusaine party. Everyone had been trying to come up with a plan to ruin Tortall in some way or another.

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Numair shifted in his sleep. He had had a much better time at the talks than at Carthak (although he had spent most of the time whispering to Daine). Except for one thing. Margaret or Marjorie or Madeline of somewhere in Tusaine had continued to bother him, at the discussion and during the following ball. She had repeatedly tried to flirt with him and be charming, but he was disgusted with her. Numair could tell she wanted to attract his attention because of the way she kept batting her eyelashes, purring, and jutting her chest at him.
He fervently wished she would stop. It was obvious what a lady like her wanted: money, power, and someone to share a bed with. Numair wanted none of that with her.

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It was morning and all of the ambassadors had just begun for the treaty talks when a messenger burst into the room. "Wildmage," he croaked, causing everyone, especially Daine, to look up, startled. He paused, panting. "Wildmage, there's an injured unicorn! She-"
Daine didn't give him a chance to finish. She immediately left the room with him, Kitten following behind her. Lady Margarita used this as a perfect opportunity to take Daine's seat. Numair, playing the courteous host, said nothing, but scooted his chair away as far as possible from her.
The talks continued without a further emergency, but Daine did not return. During a break, Margarita asked to see him in private for a moment. He agreed reluctanltly as King Jonathan mouthed not to upset anyone from Tusaine.
"Master Salmalin?" Margarita said, placing her hand on his upper arm. He quickly jerked away, angry.
"Yes? May I help you?" he replied stiffly.
"Yes...Are you by any chance-married?" she batted her eyelashes.
"No, but I am betrothed and will become a lady's husband shortly." He obviously did not want to speak with her, but she seemed oblivious to his anger.
"To that-animal girl?"
"Animal girl?!" he asked furiously, trying to keep his voice low. She stared at him, lips puffed out in a pout. "She's the Wildmage, and isn't a mere girl. She's a young woman!"
"Darling, she's about 20 years younger than you. Are you a cradle robber?" Margarita knew she was angering him. She patted her blonde curls and smiled.
"What?! You have no right to say that!! And-" Margarita tried to kiss him, but he pushed her away before she could. She made a gesture to the mage from Tusaine who was waiting behind him, but Numair was too angry to notice. Suddenly, before he could do anything, the mage cursed him.




Chapter 7: Bewitched Argument


There! Daine told the unicorn, Dancing Star. Do you feel better? The exquisite animal had been shot in her left foreleg by a hunter wanting her horn.
Yes, much better. I thank you, and so does my kind, Dancing Star replied. She shook her radiant mane. They were in the Northern Pasture and the Wildmage had finally finished repairing the delicate tissue and bone structure in her leg. The immortal nuzzled her and slowly trotted away.
Daine sank down in the soft grass, exhausted. It had taken all day to fix the unicorn, and she desperately wanted to rest. Glancing up at the darkening sky, she remembered about the ball. With a sigh, she got to her feet and started back towards the palace.
Once inside the rooms she shared with Numair, she bathed quickly and donned a beautiful gown made out of silver silk. It had no sleeves, but to long "wings" on each side, attached to each lower and upper arm by a gold band. She fixed her hair in an elegant knot as Kitten chirped her approval. Then the Wildmage hurried down to the ball.
Everyone's eyes were on the beautiful young maiden in the stunning dress as she made her approach. It was Daine, and she was embarrassed at being late. She looked everywhere for Numair, but couldn't find him.

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Meanwhile...

"Those are your instructions. Follow them!" a mage hissed to a tall man. the man nodded blankly and left fot the ball.


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"Daine?"
She whirled around. "Numair! Where were you, I was looking-"
He cut her off. "Daine, we need to talk." She looked at him strangely. Something in his eyes bothered her.
"But-"
"Now."
Frowning, the Wildmage followed behind Numair Salmalin as he led the way to the palace gardens. He didn't even offer his arm to her or walk beside her. Leading his fiancee over to a bench, he sat down. Feeling uncomfortable, Daine sat beside him. For a moment, no one said anything.
"So," Daine said, desperately wanting to break the silence. It was strange, she usually felt fine even when no words were spoken between them.
"Daine. Why did you say that you would marry me?"
Daine looked up sharply. "What?"
"You heard me."
She frowned. "I thought you knew. I thought it was obvious."
"Obviuos? That you want my money?"
Daine's eyes widened in shock and anger. "Excuse me? You think I accepted you proposal to become rich?!"
Numair turned angry eyes on her. "It appears so."
Daine stood, shaking with fury. "I can't believe you! How dare you accuse me of-of that! I said yes because I love you!"
"Do you, Daine?" Numair stood too, looming over her in a threatening way. "I used to think you did, but now I'm not so sure."
"What's gotten into you?" she snapped, trying to avoid the hot tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes at any second. "Why do you suddenly doubt my feelings for you?"
"I just woke up, Veralidaine Sarrasri," he said coldly. She looked deeply into his eyes and saw something she hadn't seen before.
"Numair, wait! You're under a spell! Don't move, I'll get Alanna!" Daine's words were laced with hope. Of course, this was the reason he had said those things!
"Daine, no. Stop!" She grabbed his arm in panic, trying to pull him back inside. She pulled harder.
"Stop!" With that final word, Numair yanked Daine off and shoved her forcefully away from him. She fell down four steps leading to another part of the garden and crashed into a iron bench and a pot large filled with roses, which broke under her. She didn't move at first. Finally, raising her head slowlu, painfully, she looked at him, tears streaming down her beautiful face.
"Fine. If you're convinced I don't love you and you don't want to marry me, I won't. How could I marry you? This isn't the Numair I love."
"Shut up, Daine! You're so-"
She stood and took off her ring, her silver band studded with delicate sapphires, and threw it at his feet. With that, she turned and fled from the garden, palece, and Numair.



So...what will happen? Thanks for the reviews. OK, I need a vote: put one of the choices in your review! (Just the letter)
a. Daine and Numair get back together, wedding at the end
b. Daine kills herself, Numair becomes depressed
c. Numair kills himself, Daine becomes depressed
d. After more problems and conflict, they get back together
or . . .
e. other-any of your suggestions.

~Lady of the Wolves