An Immortal Secret

Daine paced her room like a caged animal. She was not caged however, she knew as much, not physically anyway. She wondered how long she had been awake as she looked out the tantalizingly open windows. For a moment she thought on the seagulls who's call's she could hear even over the grunts of men cleaning the battle field. She lent out the window and glanced down, bloodied corpses still scattered the plain between port walls and forest. Shaking her head she turned her eyes up to the sky, she did not want to think about the lives lost in the war. In the clear blue sky two Stormwings flapped about lazily heading towards the forest. She followed there movements until they landed neatly on a tree branch, about them where other Stormwings. Daine shook her head once more, thinking on the Stormwings would only leave her anxious again.

Looking up again she found a Seagull gliding on the strong wind currents high above the port. She reached out to great the seagull smothering her envy of it's freedom only to find herself too weak to make the connection. Frustrated she pulled herself into the window and rubbed her face vigorously. However long she had slept it had not been long enough to restore her magic. Absently she wished she had slept longer, then she wouldn't be caged or confined. She could fly out with the seagull instead of hanging out the window hoping for enough strength to simply converse with it.

Again she lent out the window, clutching it's frame tightly she allowed half her body out to where the winds that circled the ports wall caught her hair throwing it about. Closing her eyes it almost felt like flying, except there was the uncomfortable reminder of wood where he belly lent against the frame.

The door latch flicking open startled Daine. She pulled herself into the window fiercely aware of how strange it would appear to any visitors. Except Numair, he might laugh at her, but maybe he would be worried because she might have fallen. She smiled faintly at the thought of him.

She had woken only that morning, with the sunlight flickering on her eyelids demanding her attention. There had been a guard at her door, who had told her the king would want to speak with her when the mage woke, and until then she should wait in her room, where she would be easily found. Numair had outslept her, which surprised her, he was usually the first up when they where both drained, but she suspected Gainel's coat had been more affective then she had originally granted it to be.

"Lady Sarrasri."

Daine nearly jumped at the address and recalled the lady entering her room. She had let her mind drift, if her weak magic had been no indication her absent mind was proof that she was not yet fully recovered.

"Hmm?" Daine queried absently wondering if the servants presence meant Numair was awake. The thought made her giddy. They hadn't managed to talk since she had found him on the battlefield, not alone anyway. Onua had come too soon, and when they had gotten back the healers who had met them just inside the gate where in such a flurry of activity that it had all become a big blur until Daine had found herself sinking into a comfortable bed. All other thoughts had been put on hold for sleep.

"The king want's to see ya, Lady, miss." The servant gave a wobbly curtsey and waited. Daine looked at the open door with a little hesitation before recalling herself. With swift decisive movements she grabbed her fathers bow and the quiver of arrows that rested by her bed and slung them over her shoulder. Their pressure on her back was comforting, that it was her fathers gift gave her more courage then any normal bow would have.

"Very well." Daine stepped out of her room briskly ignoring the expression the servant cast on the bow and arrows. Most did not go armed to see the king, and Daine would not normally consider it, but she had lost the other bow so quickly she didn't want to have to explain a second to her father, especially so soon after the first.

After shutting her door the servant set off at a fast pace leaving Daine no time to consider why she was being called before the king so soon after waking.

*****

Daine entered the large hall, the servant disappeared at the door. It had been the hall she and Numair had dinned with the King in, on their first night in Legaan. It still impressed her, though she had seen much grander halls in her travels, Legaan's hall had a solid appeal to it. It was no overdecorated as many places where, but it did not lack in beauty. Delicate engravings decorated furniture and walls, scenes of forests and seas, and dotted in amongst trees and waves where images of animals, almost hidden from the viewing eye. Daine had spent a good deal of time during that meal so long ago searching out the animal engravings.

"Ah, Daine." King Jonathans voice called across the hall and Daine looked from the engravings that had caught her eye so easily once again. The large wooden table had been moved from the room, instead there was a long table at the end of the hall and behind it sat Jonathan and several other men, and women. Daine examined the others as she walked towards the table. At least two of them looked like they where mages, she had seen enough mages to have a sense for them. Of the other four Daine recognised three, although she did not know there names she had seen them about court. "Numair." Jonathan added, and Daine heard the sound of the hall door closing.

She turned quickly to meet his calm expression. His dark eyes seemed just as calm but he was hiding something. Not from her though, Daine tried to tell herself, they had been through too much for him to start hiding things from her. ­Unless his had time to change his mind about me- The thought disturbed her, and brashly she tried expel it.

"Jonathan." Numair muttered politely, but he walked over to her side and his presence removed the disturbing thought. As close as he was she could see he too was not fully recovered, his dark skin was still lighter then it should be, and he had not taken the care to dress as he often did when they had to meet an assembly of some sort.

A thought suddenly caught her. "Where's Kit?" Daine was suddenly looking about the room, as if expecting the dragon to bound out of the shadows. She realised she had not seen her dragon since falling asleep however many days before that had been. She tried to send her magic out in search, but it hardly reached the edges of the room before the magic failed. When she turned, ready to leave in search of the dragon Numair gently caught her arm. She looked up surprised by the action and meet his calm expression but it was his loving gaze that set he nerves humming.

"Tkaa has been looking after Skysong." Numair's voice although just as calm as his expression was weak from fatigue. She suddenly wondered why they where there again, neither should have been dragged into meetings so quickly. Daine nodded acceptance of the information and turned back to Jonathan. Numair's hand lingered on her arm for the briefest of moments before he too turned back. Jonathan was waiting, the other six people behind the desk where shuffling papers about the desk.

"Daine, Numair, we understand you have both been awake for only a short time, but…"

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Argg! What a silly place to end it. It's just where my fingers stopped typing, it's not meant to be a cliff hanger. Please forgive! And please review, or more importantly please read more and review (if there is more up when you read this… errr…).