Description: Daine and Numair get a bit carried away after the ball. The pair finally tell Onua about their relationship
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. Everything belongs to Tamora Pierce.
Author's Note: I have never written anything like this before. Actually, until my short fic several months ago, I hadn't written full stop, but this is my first venture into mature content. I have seen writers, including the great TP, say things like "they got close several times", but I didn't want to do that. I really wanted to make you feel the tension building between these two. If I have done my job correctly then I hope I have made you feel as frustrated as they feel, if not, then the scene is a failure. I would greatly appreciate any feedback on how to improve if it doesn't hit the mark.
Chapter 8
Numair escorted Daine to the stables and waited outside her door while she unlocked it, intending to kiss her goodnight before returning to his own rooms. The young woman had other ideas however and grabbed him by the tunic once the door was open.
"Warm me up!" she insisted, tugging him over the threshold.
The mage knew he should have protested but it was hard to do so when she crushed her mouth against his causing all rational thought to flee from his head. Numair had just enough presence of mind to kick the door closed and send out his Gift to put an aural shield around her room. Daine's grip on his tunic was firm as she pulled him onto her single bed. It was cramped with very little room for the pair of them, but that didn't seem to matter as the young woman wrapped herself around him, the intensity of the kiss increasing. Their hands roamed politely over each other enjoying the simple pleasure of touch. It was only as Numair started to feel the first signs of arousal that he gentled the kiss until their lips only caressed each other.
"Stay," Daine whispered as she felt him pull away.
"That's not a good idea for a number of reasons," he admitted breaking the kiss.
"Please," her eyes pleaded with him.
"Sweetling, your bed is barely big enough for you let alone the both of us. Once your animal friends join us there definitely won't be any room. I also don't like the idea of trying to explain to Onua why I am leaving your room first thing in the morning," Numair clarified regretfully.
"You could shapeshift," Daine grinned impishly.
He frowned at her, "I suspect Onua might get suspicious if a black hawk flew out of your room."
Granted, shapeshifting was how she had been leaving his rooms in the mornings, but he only had one shape to choose from. It had been a lot harder to sneak the animals out without questions arising, but at least Kitten's presence was easier to explain. Daine giggled as the mage eased himself off the bed and reordered his clothes.
"Will you dance with me at the next ball?" the young woman asked as she propped herself up on an elbow watching him.
He grinned rakishly, taking her hand and bowing flamboyantly before he kissed her knuckles. "It would be my honour and privilege to dance with you, my lady."
The Wildmage rolled her eyes as she climbed off the bed to stand in front of him. "Would you undo me?"
Numair froze as he stared at her. "That's hardly appropriate, Daine."
"I can't do it by myself," she pointed out reasonably. "I'm not asking you to undress me or anything."
The mage swallowed hard. "Turn around." His voice was rougher than he would have liked.
Gathering her tumble of curls, Numair twisted them over one shoulder as Daine held them tight. Very slowly he began to unbutton the dress revealing creamy smooth skin underneath. Without thinking, the mage stroked one knuckle down her back as he undid each button until he reached the base of her spine. Daine's breathing quickened as he caressed his finger up her back, mesmerised by that small path of naked skin. He stopped as he reached the nape of her neck and found himself leaning forward to kiss that spot. She gasped when his lips touched her skin as his tongue snaked out to lick the exposed flesh. Something about being in her room stripped the mage of all his restraint, and he smiled wickedly. Sliding the dress off one shoulder to reveal more skin, his mouth and tongue eagerly explored, enjoying the many wonderful little appreciative noises she made. Numair grabbed her hips, pulling her firmly against him making her moan when he found a wonderful spot that made her knees go weak.
Spinning around, the young woman grabbed a fistful of his tunic and tumbled them both onto her bed again. Their lips met in a fierce kiss as Daine began to slide his tunic up. They broke the kiss only long enough to fling the garment to the floor. Numair kissed her passionately as he began to trail a path of kisses down her jaw, nibbling gently. Daine's fingers were struggling with the buttons of his shirt when he found another spot beneath her earlobe that caused her to moan and arch her back.
The mage was lost in the taste of her as she opened his shirt and found bare skin. He groaned loudly and bit her shoulder, sucking gently as Daine cried out. Numair lost all common-sense when she ran her nails over his chest as he tugged at the fabric of her dress. They both fought to free her arms as the mage yanked the dress down to her waist and returned his mouth to her skin. Her neck was incredibly sensitive as he identified numerous spots that had her whimpering and writhing beneath him.
Moving down he scraped his teeth over her collarbone until he reached the swell of her breast. Daine's hands buried themselves into his hair as he kissed the sensitive skin over first one breast then the other. Slipping his finger into the material of her breastband he tugged and was annoyed when it wouldn't come away.
He pushed himself up intending to remove the offending material and caught sight of the young woman beneath him. Her cheeks were flushed, and her wild curls lay in a tangled mess above her head. It was the most erotic sight Numair had ever seen.
"Don't stop," she begged as her hands went to his trousers.
That snapped the mage back to reality as he climbed off her to sit on the edge of the bed trembling violently. Daine thumped the bed and screamed in frustration as he rested his head in his hands. His breathing was ragged as he realised just how close he'd just come to losing control and ravishing the young woman beside him. Reaching out blindly, Numair took her hand, relieved when she didn't snatch it away. It was several long minutes before he could talk again.
"I'm sorry," he whispered gruffly.
"For what? Starting this or not continuing?" she demanded.
Both. "Starting," Numair said instead.
The young woman sighed heavily and sat up not bothering to cover herself. "When are you going to realise that I want you without having to agree to marriage?"
"Daine…"
"I know, I know!"
The mage squeezed her hand apologetically. "I should go."
She had that look of irritated affection as he stood shakily and rebuttoned his shirt. Retrieving his tunic from the floor, Numair pulled it over his head and glanced at her again. She still hadn't bothered to cover herself and there was a rather incriminating mark on her shoulder revealing just how far he'd gone. Her eyes travelled down his body and focussed on the rather obvious bulge in his trousers making the mage blush furiously. Leaning down he kissed her forehead tenderly as Daine caught his tunic and pulled him down for a deeper kiss.
"I love you," he whispered.
"You are fair frustrating," she glared at him and released his tunic.
"I know," Numair stood and went to the door. "Goodnight."
"G'night," was the grumpy reply.
The mage retrieved his Gift before he crept out of her room into the stables. Cloud and Spots stuck their heads out of their stalls as he passed making him blush. Just how much did the two horses know about what had just gone on in her rooms? He should probably speak to the Wildmage about shutting off her magic when they were together in the future. Numair didn't revel in the idea of every animal around Corus announcing Daine's state of mind when they were intimate.
The mage was seriously considering throwing himself into the fountain, but he didn't think that would calm him down enough. Things got infinitely worse when his mind wondered if she would touch herself thinking of him tonight. With a strangled cry, Numair fled to the privacy of his rooms, grateful that if anyone saw the state of him, he could just blame it on lady Blackwood.
A week after the ball, Daine eventually forgave him for taking things too far, or in her words 'not far enough'. The mage couldn't remember things being like this with anyone else, even Varice. When they had been together, he'd been young and amorous. 'Restraint' hadn't been a word in his vocabulary.
Kitten had fallen asleep on the throne that night had been extremely grumpy when she woke up the next morning. Everyone had commented on how adorable she looked with her bow and necklace which had brightened the dragonet's mood considerably. The gossips had placed Numair and lady Blackwood in bed together which was far better than the reality. At least Daine knew the truth of the situation this time, although there was still the issue of her questioning his fidelity. He had been celibate since Carthak and would stubbornly continue to be so until Daine could accept he wanted her and no one else in his life.
They had slept in separate beds for a week since the night of the ball and Numair was missing Daine's presence in his bed terribly. It was easier to place an orchid on her door when they didn't share a bed, but he'd been leaving one on her pillow while she was in the bathroom when they did. He didn't sleep well without her these days, if at all. The mage had stayed up for the last several nights reading simply because he couldn't settle without the Wildmage in his arms.
Leaving his rooms shortly after midday, Numair made his way towards the stables intending to beg Daine to stay with him tonight. His mind couldn't focus on anything satisfactorily and he'd spent half the morning in his workroom making no progress binding the Stormwing cells to steel.
"… finish up soon so I can dig Numair out from his workroom." The mage heard Daine's voice as he reached the door of the stables.
"How's he doing these days?" Onua asked.
Numair paused in the doorway not sure why he was eavesdropping.
"What do you mean? After the spidren attack? He's fine." Daine replied.
"Well, that and he's been depressed since Carthak." There was a pause before the K'miri spoke again. "You must have noticed. Numair's been more reclusive than ever and very distant even when he's with the rest of us. Hopefully now the war's ended he'll start behaving more like himself. I know he had that trouble with the king before Carthak – uh, nevermind. I wasn't supposed to tell you that."
The mage froze knowing he should interrupt but couldn't make himself move.
"What do you mean? What trouble?" Daine demanded.
Onua sighed audibly. "I heard from Alanna that when the king ordered Numair to go to Carthak our tall friend turned the meeting table to ashes. It really scared the king because there was no warning. I don't think Numair meant to do it because apparently, he just stood up and walked out."
"He didn't tell me that," the Wildmage sounded affronted.
"He didn't tell anyone. You know he doesn't like it when his temper gets the best of him. According to Alanna, the king told him you were going and then poof – no more table," the K'miri elaborated. "But it's not just that, when you returned from Carthak he barely spoke to anyone – I mean, when you two weren't off fighting somewhere and – he wasn't himself at the last two balls. Normally he'd be off flirting with every beautiful woman in the room, but I think I was the only one he danced with at midwinter, and that's because I told him off for being unsociable. At the Celebration Ball Alanna said he looked downright miserable and was actually dismissing invitations to dance. Just keep an eye on him for me, would you? You're the only one who can drag him out of his rooms these days."
Numair finally shook himself and entered the stables plastering a smile on his face. "Hello ladies."
Onua looked up as he entered. "Well, well. Speak and he shall appear. Your ears must have been burning. We were just talking about you."
"Oh? Nothing too bad I hope," he teased but his eyes drifted towards the Wildmage.
"Wouldn't you like to know," the K'miri quipped. "What can we do for you?"
"I came to see if Daine wanted to join me for a walk." His pleading brown eyes met concerned blue-grey ones.
"Sure. I'm finished up here anyway. I'll see you later, Onua." She waved and followed the mage outside.
Numair headed away from the palace walking at an easy pace as he headed uphill.
"I didn't know you'd been depressed," Daine said quietly.
"You knew – even if you didn't know what it was," the mage replied voice equally as soft.
"I did?"
"You were very – attentive," he ventured. "After Carthak you didn't leave my side for several months. Although, that may have been due to your believing I'd been executed. You'd spend hours in my rooms making excuses to come and read and you'd insist I ate regularly."
"Why didn't you say anything?" she looked up at him deeply concerned.
"Because you were the reason for my depression. Or rather, my feelings for you were," he smiled apologetically.
"You should of told me," Daine scolded him.
"I didn't want to mislead you," the mage sighed. "At the time, I didn't believe there was even a chance that you would return my feelings."
The young woman slid her hand into his. "You were wrong about that."
Numair smiled warmly. "I have never been more pleased to be so utterly mistaken in my life."
They walked uphill until they found a quiet spot with a great view of the palace. The mage sat down, wrapping an arm around Daine as she tucked herself against his side. Burying his nose in her curls, he kissed the top of her head, smiling contentedly.
"Am I completely forgiven for taking things too far?" he asked hopefully.
She huffed giving him an exasperated look. "I s'pose so."
"Stay with me tonight?"
"You wouldn't stay in my rooms," she pointed out defiantly.
"Please?" Numair was too tired to care about his dignity. He'd beg and plead and do almost anything she asked to fall asleep with her tonight.
"What do I get in return?" Daine looked at him from under her lashes.
The mage felt his insides turn to jelly. "My undying love and adoration."
She giggled and shook her head at his silliness. "You're fair daft, you know?"
He kissed her softly pulling the young woman down with him as he lay on the grass. She rested her head on his shoulder as her fingers tracing idle patterns on his silk shirt. The mage closed his eyes half-worried he may drift off to sleep with her like this.
"Numair?" The mage opened his eyes and met hers expectantly "I want to tell Onua about us." He swallowed nervously as she continued. "She knows I'm spending less time in my own room at night. Onua's not said anything, but I can see she's worrying about me. I've known her for as long as I've known you and I hate keeping secrets from her."
"When did you want to tell her?" There was a tremor in his voice betraying his fear.
"Now?"
Numair paled at the idea of not being able to plan what to say to his K'miri friend. While he understood Daine's reasoning, was she prepared for Onua's reaction if she wasn't pleased to discover who the Wildmage's suitor was?
He nodded nervously as Daine pulled him to his feet. The pair returned to the stables with the mage fretting silently the entire way back. As they entered the young woman took his hand firmly in hers as they approached the K'miri who was sat mending some tack.
"Onua? We've something we wanted to tell you," Daine said.
"What's up?" the K'miri looked up at them smiling.
The Wildmage shuffled uncomfortably. "You wanted to know about the person who's been leaving me the flowers."
Onua put down her tools giving the young woman her undivided attention.
"It's Numair." Daine squeezed his hand as she spoke.
The smile fell from the K'miri's face as she looked between her two friends. Numair's heart sank as he tried to prepare himself for rejection or outright fury. Onua's reaction was not at all what he suspected when she threw back her head and burst out laughing.
"How did I miss this?" she stood up giving Daine an enthusiastic hug. "You two have been practically living together for years," she grinned up at the mage. "I'm very happy for the both of you."
"You're not angry?" Numair asked in disbelief.
"Angry? Why in the name of the gods would I be angry? I'm relieved if anything!" Onua grinned shamelessly.
"I know you've been fair worried about me." Daine apologised.
"I was. At least I can stop worrying if this mystery swain of yours loves you or not." The K'miri winked at Numair who blushed.
Daine grinned at Onua. "We've not told anyone else. We wanted to keep it between us until we had things figured out."
"You mean you didn't want the rest of us sticking our noses in," the K'miri teased.
"That's not quite how I would have put it, but I did want to court Daine and let her come to her own decision without any outside influence." Numair confessed.
Onua shook her head and chuckled. "Daine can you check on the herd for me? I want a word with our tall friend here."
"You're not going to yell at him, are you?" the young woman asked suspiciously.
"Be off with you!" the K'miri laughed giving Daine a playful shove.
The Wildmage left the stable glancing back at Numair guiltily as she headed to the meadow.
"I can't believe you didn't say anything!" Onua punched his arm when Daine was out of hearing range.
The mage winced and rubbed his arm. "What was I supposed to say?"
"Anything! Is this why you've been such a misery this past year?" she turned on him planting her fists on her hips.
"Yes," the mage blushed and looked at his feet. "I discovered I was in love with Daine while we were in Carthak."
"I wish you'd have said something. I could have spoken to her." Onua touched his arm sympathetically.
Numair's head flew up looking horrified. "That was precisely why I didn't say anything!"
"I don't mean I'd have told her." The K'miri scolded him. "I could have found out if she had any feelings for you in that way. How long has this been going on between you?"
The mage blushed. "It started when we were in the Divine Realms."
"You're going to have to give me more than that!" Onua folded her arms giving him an imperious look.
"I kissed her." He could feel his cheeks burning. "I didn't intend to, but I thought she'd been killed by spidrens. When I learned she was alive – I wasn't thinking clearly."
"It takes quite a woman to stop you from thinking," the K'miri teased.
The mage smiled shyly. "She is."
Onua grinned. "I don't know how I didn't figure this out before. It's so obvious that you love her when you think about it!"
"I hope it isn't that obvious," he muttered.
"She's the only woman you spend any time with, and we all know the lengths you'd go for her," the K'miri explained making Numair blush again. "You're a good match. She reminds you to leave your books every once in a while, and you remind her she's still human. Is Daine going to make an honest man out of you? Wait – you great oaf!" The K'miri punched him again, harder this time. "It was you wanting to marry Daine! And you led me to believe it was some disreputable cad after her."
"I'm hardly considered reputable, am I?" Numair rubbed his arm knowing that was going to leave a bruise.
"You love her, though," Onua gave him a hard look. "Anyone can see that. And you'd treat her right. I'd have spoken differently had I known it was you wanting to marry her."
"Thank you. Your approval means a great deal to me," the mage's voice was thick with emotion.
"I'll need to do something scandalous when word gets out about his," the K'miri winked at him. "The gossips will be so focussed on you two I could get away with murder."
Numair winced. "Please don't say anything."
"I won't. But you're going to have to tell people eventually," she looked up at him seriously.
"I know." He wasn't looking forward to that day.
"Don't look so worried. I think everyone will be thrilled when you tell them."
The mage wasn't convinced of that. "You don't think the age difference is too much?"
The K'miri was thoughtful for a few moments. "It's a bit unconventional I grant you. But you two aren't what anyone would call 'normal', are you?"
"Onua…"
"Do you love Daine or not?" she demanded.
"I do. Very much," Numair met her eyes earnestly.
"And does she love you?" Onua asked.
"I think so."
"Then who cares?" The K'miri shrugged offhandedly. "I've been through a bad marriage. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. But I've seen it work with Jon and Thayet, and Alanna and George. If you two love each other then I wouldn't let anyone else stand in your way."
He cupped her cheek with one hand and kissed the other gently. "You truly are a wonderful woman, Onua."
