Chapter 11: Decisions
The Wildmage froze. Numair Salmalin stood in front of her, like an image from a dream. For a second, it seemed as if time stood still. Then Numair stepped forward hesitantly.
"Magelet," he whispered, breaking the sudden spell of silence. Even the noise of the waves had disappeared. But after he spoke that single word, everything started again. She took a single step backward, refusing to meet his eyes for fear she would cry. Daine knew that she was still wearing the same, now-dirty dress that she had been the last time he had seen her.
She took another step back, then another. Numair moved forward again, terrified that she would run away. Again. Suddenly, he moved forward and took her dainty hands in his large ones and knelt before her. She immediately tried to pull away, but he held fast.
"Let go!" she shrieked, shaking violently. She managed to pull away and stepped back again, glaring at him with fearful eyes.
He stood up. She hates me, he thought, feeling empty inside. "Please just listen to me," he whispered, wanting to pull her into his arms and kiss her. "Please."
Daine continued to shake. "Why should I?" she spat, not at all wanting to be polite. Why should she, after he had been so mean?
He looked down, avoiding her accusing eyes. "Because I love you," he said softly. "I don't know if you believe me, or if you feel the same way toward me anymore, but I do love you."
His words touched Daine's heart. "I-I-what did you want to say?" she whispered, taking a stap forward.
Numair's heart leapt. He jumped into the explanation of the Tusaine mages and how their argument had been bewitched and everything. "I was under a spell," he said.
At this, the Wildmage turned away. "I told you that," she whispered, again watching the ocean. Numair took one of her hands in his and turned her around. She started to cry, but wouldn't let him hug her. She looked squarely into his eyes, blinking away the tears.
He lowered himself again to one knee, gripping her hand tightly. "I know we've had some problems," he whispered, "but I promise that we can make us work. I promise that I will pledge myself completely to you, and never let a spell overcome our love. Veralidaine Sarrasri, will you marry me?"
Daine felt the silence spell happen again. She couldn't move. A thousand questions and problems raced through her mind. What if he wasn't serious? What if he left her one day? What if-
While Daine was silent, Numair had reached into his tunic and pulled out the ring Daine had thrown at him. It was the same, but it seemed different. It was almost as if this time it was covered in love.
The sun slipped beneath the crashing waves as Daine stood there, obviously lost in thought. Numair clenched her hand tightly. What if she said no? What if- No! He clamped down on the bad thoughts, forcing them out.
Then Veralidaine Sarrasri, the Wildmage, spoke one word that would change her life forever.
"Yes."
The Wildmage froze. Numair Salmalin stood in front of her, like an image from a dream. For a second, it seemed as if time stood still. Then Numair stepped forward hesitantly.
"Magelet," he whispered, breaking the sudden spell of silence. Even the noise of the waves had disappeared. But after he spoke that single word, everything started again. She took a single step backward, refusing to meet his eyes for fear she would cry. Daine knew that she was still wearing the same, now-dirty dress that she had been the last time he had seen her.
She took another step back, then another. Numair moved forward again, terrified that she would run away. Again. Suddenly, he moved forward and took her dainty hands in his large ones and knelt before her. She immediately tried to pull away, but he held fast.
"Let go!" she shrieked, shaking violently. She managed to pull away and stepped back again, glaring at him with fearful eyes.
He stood up. She hates me, he thought, feeling empty inside. "Please just listen to me," he whispered, wanting to pull her into his arms and kiss her. "Please."
Daine continued to shake. "Why should I?" she spat, not at all wanting to be polite. Why should she, after he had been so mean?
He looked down, avoiding her accusing eyes. "Because I love you," he said softly. "I don't know if you believe me, or if you feel the same way toward me anymore, but I do love you."
His words touched Daine's heart. "I-I-what did you want to say?" she whispered, taking a stap forward.
Numair's heart leapt. He jumped into the explanation of the Tusaine mages and how their argument had been bewitched and everything. "I was under a spell," he said.
At this, the Wildmage turned away. "I told you that," she whispered, again watching the ocean. Numair took one of her hands in his and turned her around. She started to cry, but wouldn't let him hug her. She looked squarely into his eyes, blinking away the tears.
He lowered himself again to one knee, gripping her hand tightly. "I know we've had some problems," he whispered, "but I promise that we can make us work. I promise that I will pledge myself completely to you, and never let a spell overcome our love. Veralidaine Sarrasri, will you marry me?"
Daine felt the silence spell happen again. She couldn't move. A thousand questions and problems raced through her mind. What if he wasn't serious? What if he left her one day? What if-
While Daine was silent, Numair had reached into his tunic and pulled out the ring Daine had thrown at him. It was the same, but it seemed different. It was almost as if this time it was covered in love.
The sun slipped beneath the crashing waves as Daine stood there, obviously lost in thought. Numair clenched her hand tightly. What if she said no? What if- No! He clamped down on the bad thoughts, forcing them out.
Then Veralidaine Sarrasri, the Wildmage, spoke one word that would change her life forever.
"Yes."