A/N: Hey everyone! I know it's been a YEAR since I put the first chapter up, and I have no excuse other than laziness. But I got great reviews for the 1st chapter that asked me to write more, so here tis--Chapter Two!
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Telemain nodded. "So you're saying that oven mitts are actually a magic attractor?"
"Exactly." Numair took a swig of his water.
Telemain sighed and leaned back in his chair. Daine, mixing bird feed near the window, looked up, surprised by the sudden silence. It was the first break in conversation in almost three days, and Numair and Telemain had pondered the meaning of life, the meaning of magic, and why in the world the holes in colanders were circular instead of square. She sighed and stirred the feed. She didn't exactly dislike Telemain. It was just that he hadn't even noticed her at all for the past few days. All he did was talk, sleep whenever he was tired (on the floor of the workshop; he never seemed to mind the uncomfort) and ate dazedly.
And Numair. She hadn't gotten a single word out of him since the guest had arrived. Well, she'd give him a good talking-to. Boy, was he in for it.
Meanwhile, Telemain was inspecting his surroundings, not really having noticed them before. He was in a large, airy room that looked to be a magical workshop. A very pretty young girl--what was her name? Diane or Dana or something--was doing something with birdseed over at the window. Next to the window was a shut door.
Telemain frowned suddenly. "Ah, Numair--"
"Yes?"
"How long have I been here?"
His host shrugged. "Three days, give or take."
"Three DAYS?!?!" Telemain shot out of his chair. "I have to be getting home! My wife will be worried, and the cats--"
"Cats?" Daine was next to him in a flash. "That's the first comprehensible word you've said for days! How many cats? What colors? What names? Males and females?"
"Well, um..." Daine's enthusiasum was a bit much for Telemain. "They're my wife's cats. I can't keep them straight. You should ask her. Why are you so interested?"
"Daine has wild magic." Numair stood up and streched. "It bonds her to all creatures."
"Really?" Telemain asked. "Tell me all about it!"
"NO!" Daine shouted. She had had enough. "NO more talking! You've driven me out of my MIND for the past few days!"
"Daine--" Numair began. She was angry! He had never seen her like this before. Mithros, Mynoss, and Shakith, he thought. Now I know how she wrecked Ozorne's palace. Her anger's worse than Alanna's.
She whirled around and glared fiercely up at him. "And YOU! Allowing this to happen. Doing NO work whatsoever, just when Jon needs that spell! I've half a mind to set Cloud on you!"
Numair opened his mouth, then closed it. She's right, he thought. As always. "I'm sorry, magelet..."
"Well, stay away from the stables for a couple weeks."
"Ahem." Daine spun about and fixed her black look on Telemain. He decided to remain as meek as possible. "Sorry to break this up, but I just would like to go home now, if you please."
Daine softened a bit. "Yes--we're going to get you home, Telemain." She glanced at Numair. "Finish that spell up for Jon, then start working on this. In the meantime, let's find Telemain a better place to sleep."
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Telemain nodded. "So you're saying that oven mitts are actually a magic attractor?"
"Exactly." Numair took a swig of his water.
Telemain sighed and leaned back in his chair. Daine, mixing bird feed near the window, looked up, surprised by the sudden silence. It was the first break in conversation in almost three days, and Numair and Telemain had pondered the meaning of life, the meaning of magic, and why in the world the holes in colanders were circular instead of square. She sighed and stirred the feed. She didn't exactly dislike Telemain. It was just that he hadn't even noticed her at all for the past few days. All he did was talk, sleep whenever he was tired (on the floor of the workshop; he never seemed to mind the uncomfort) and ate dazedly.
And Numair. She hadn't gotten a single word out of him since the guest had arrived. Well, she'd give him a good talking-to. Boy, was he in for it.
Meanwhile, Telemain was inspecting his surroundings, not really having noticed them before. He was in a large, airy room that looked to be a magical workshop. A very pretty young girl--what was her name? Diane or Dana or something--was doing something with birdseed over at the window. Next to the window was a shut door.
Telemain frowned suddenly. "Ah, Numair--"
"Yes?"
"How long have I been here?"
His host shrugged. "Three days, give or take."
"Three DAYS?!?!" Telemain shot out of his chair. "I have to be getting home! My wife will be worried, and the cats--"
"Cats?" Daine was next to him in a flash. "That's the first comprehensible word you've said for days! How many cats? What colors? What names? Males and females?"
"Well, um..." Daine's enthusiasum was a bit much for Telemain. "They're my wife's cats. I can't keep them straight. You should ask her. Why are you so interested?"
"Daine has wild magic." Numair stood up and streched. "It bonds her to all creatures."
"Really?" Telemain asked. "Tell me all about it!"
"NO!" Daine shouted. She had had enough. "NO more talking! You've driven me out of my MIND for the past few days!"
"Daine--" Numair began. She was angry! He had never seen her like this before. Mithros, Mynoss, and Shakith, he thought. Now I know how she wrecked Ozorne's palace. Her anger's worse than Alanna's.
She whirled around and glared fiercely up at him. "And YOU! Allowing this to happen. Doing NO work whatsoever, just when Jon needs that spell! I've half a mind to set Cloud on you!"
Numair opened his mouth, then closed it. She's right, he thought. As always. "I'm sorry, magelet..."
"Well, stay away from the stables for a couple weeks."
"Ahem." Daine spun about and fixed her black look on Telemain. He decided to remain as meek as possible. "Sorry to break this up, but I just would like to go home now, if you please."
Daine softened a bit. "Yes--we're going to get you home, Telemain." She glanced at Numair. "Finish that spell up for Jon, then start working on this. In the meantime, let's find Telemain a better place to sleep."
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