Author's Note: Thanks again to reviewers! Yup, thanks for the positive comments! My chapters are way too short...

Title: Daja and Kirel

Rating: G

Spoilers: Not really. Maybe.

Summary: Daja and Kirel start to figure out their feelings for each other.

Disclaimer: I don't own Daja, Kirel, or any of the other characters in Circle of Magic.

Setting: This story is set after Briar's Book.

*** = setting change

italics = thoughts

~A Visitor~

Kirel stood in front of the cottage, pondering whether or not to let his presence be revealed to the residents of Discipline.

There's a reason you came here, you know, he thought.

Yeah, but what if...

Never mind that! Two parts of himself argued with each other. He sighed; why was it so hard for him to make this decision? Knock, or don't knock, it was so simple—yet his mind continued to be indecisive.

To knock, or not to knock, that is the question… he thought, remembering the previous day's events.

He took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock on the door.

***

The door opened and Kirel stumbled in surprise. I didn't knock yet, did I? he thought frantically.

No, I couldn't have, he answered himself.

"Kirel? What are you doing here?" It was Sandry. He tried to think of an answer, but all that came out was, "Uh..."

"Are you here to see Daja?"

He nodded in reply. It was the only thing that he was capable of doing at the moment. He was still in shock from having nearly literally fallen into house Discipline.

"Sandry? Who are you talking to?" Lark called from inside.

"Oh, it's Kirel. He's here to see Daja," replied Sandry.

"Well, tell him to come in then," said Rosethorn matter-of-factly.

Sandry moved aside as the youth stepped into the house. Everyone in the room looked at him as he stepped into the room. They were all involved in their post-supper activities. Briar looked up from his spot on the floor where he was playing with the dog that was all energy and ivory curls, affectionately called Little Bear. Tris glanced at Kirel for a moment from her chair, down to where Briar and the dog were playing, then stuck her nose back in the book she was reading. Lark and Rosethorn were at the table—Lark was mending some clothes while Rosethorn was writing a letter. Finally, Daja, the one he had come to see, looked at the young novice over the edge of her book about iron and grinned. Sandry walked past Kirel to her area on the floor, where she was practicing spinning wool. Daja closed her book, got up from her chair, and walked across the room to greet her friend.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I...uh..." Just get on with it! Kirel yelled at himself. "I wanted to know if you would like to take a walk with me."

"Sure." Daja turned around to ask Lark for permission. "Lark, may I go out for a while?"

"Of course," Lark answered. She handed the dark-skinned girl an iron token, which indicated that she had permission to be wandering. "Just don't be too long, all right?"

"Okay," Daja answered as she took the token.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Author's Note: I've decided to stick another chapter in the story, since it works better this new way, I think. Anyway, I hope you like this story, because I sure like writing it!