Description: Daine's divine parents visit on the Fall Equinox while Numair tries to hide away in his rooms.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. Everything belongs to Tamora Pierce.
Author's Note: Yes, I know, I love tormenting Numair far too much. I like the relationship I've got between him and Sarra. It's fun having Daine's parents around and at least Numair is aware they can read his thoughts this time. Not that it helps him in any way! I still didn't want things to be easy between him and Weiryn as I'm not sure the two of them will ever truly like one another.
Chapter 9
All the training masters and teachers were preparing in earnest for the arrival of the new pages at the end of September. Tortall had been hit hard by the losses from the war, not just from the death toll, but from knights that were too severely wounded to continue fighting. The kingdom had been recruiting more heavily this year than in the past. All the talk was centred around the new female page, Keladry of Mindelan, who would be starting this year. The latest addition to this gossip was the altercation that had occurred between the king, Lord Wyldon and the Lioness over the new girl page.
"Of all the childish displays of temper!" Jonathan fumed while Numair stood quietly in the king's study watching the monarch pace furiously. "She knows I cannot offend Lord Wyldon. Too many of the great nobles look to him as their voice in court. If he had resigned there would be no chance of Thayet and I being able to introduce any new reforms. The conservatives block us at every turn as it is, if the nobles turn against us too…" The king shook his head tiredly.
Numair's voice was soft as he spoke delicately on his friend's behalf. "Alanna was looking forward to helping the girl –"
"And that is the point I agree with Lord Wyldon over," Jon interrupted. "If the Mindelan girl is to have a fair chance to prove to everyone that girls have an equal chance at becoming knights then Alanna can't be seen to be helping her. She must see that!"
The mage took a steady breath. "I imagine being forbidden to even speak with the –"
"Alanna cannot be seen with the girl!" The king snapped arrogantly. "The gossips will accuse her of aiding Mindelan with her magic. She's the first girl to attempt page training since we made the reform. The girl will be under enough scrutiny as it is, and she must succeed on her own merit."
Numair was beginning to think the king didn't actually want to speak with him on this issue but rant at someone. The mage sympathised with Alanna on wanting to help the new girl, but he also understood the king's fears that her knighthood, if she succeeded, would be as in question as Alanna's was. Even after all these years there were still some ignorant folk that believed the Lioness was only able to fight due to her Gift. The only part of this that Numair did not agree with was the fact that the girl was being placed on a probationary year. He understood the king had been forced to compromise with Lord Wyldon, but it still did not make the situation a fair one.
"Can you speak with her?" the king looked to his Chief Mage. "Make her see reason. I cannot be without my champion."
Numair really did not want to get in the middle of this dispute between the king and his champion, but he couldn't refuse the request. "I can attempt to speak with her, but I don't know if she'll want to speak with me either."
"She won't speak to me. I've tried." In a rare moment the king showed how tired he truly was. "Alanna hasn't spoken to me like that before, even in private."
The mage left the king's study and returned to his rooms before contacting Alanna. After several failed attempts over three days, Numair gave up and wrote a letter to George instead. The curt reply he received a day later said only that the knight was furious and had gone to stay with the Bazhir to cool off. The last line George wrote worried the mage intensely, that the Lioness had no plans to return to Corus until the king rescinded the ban to communicate with Keladry of Mindelan.
As the Fall Equinox approached, the queen prepared for the arrival of Daine's divine parents. It was a day dedicated to hunt gods like Lord Weiryn, where hunters would take their weapons to be blessed at their temples or leave offerings such as claws. Numair was dreading seeing Daine's parents again, especially with her spending most nights in his rooms these days. Either he would have a lot of explaining to do or Weiryn may just kill him on sight, but he needed to find the courage to ask the god's permission to marry his daughter. It did not seem wise to propose again without speaking with him first.
On the day of the Equinox, Daine left the mage in bed while she changed into something appropriate for the day in her own room. Numair had only just finished getting himself dressed for the day when the young woman walked back in.
"How do I look?" she asked spinning for him.
The mage stopped dead in his tracks, mouth slightly parted. Daine was wearing a cotton dress of autumnal red with maple leaves embroidered at the collar and sleeves. She looked ravishing! Of all the days for her to decide to wear a red dress, she chose the day her divine parents visited, who could read his mind like an open book!
"Well?" the young woman asked again coming closer.
Numair couldn't think of anything intelligent to say so instead he swept her into a passionate kiss. The Wildmage was trembling when he finally released her, running his hands possessively over her waist.
"I am sure your mother will appreciate the effort," he said huskily.
Daine's eyes were a little dazed as she clung to his shirt for support. "You like it then?"
The mage nodded. "Very much."
He brushed his lips against hers seductively as she moaned softly. Desire pulsed through his veins as Numair slowly deepened the kiss, his mind forming an image of Daine on the floor with her dress pushed up while he pounded inside of her. Breaking the kiss quickly, the mage stepped away shaking and put a little distance between them.
"When do your parents arrive?" he asked.
"I'm not sure," Daine's eyes were glazed as she steadied herself. "I was going to help Thayet set up for the archery competition. Are you coming?"
Numair cleared his throat and shook his head. "I've got some things I need to do here before the festivities begin."
The Wildmage smiled at him mischievously. "I'll see you later."
She went to her tiptoes and kissed him gently on the lips. It took everything he had not to grab her and carry her to his chambers. It terrified him just how much he wanted her. Numair stayed rooted to the spot as she left knowing without a doubt his only chance to survive this day was to hide in his rooms.
The mage kept himself busy in his workroom focussed entirely on his Stormwing research. He'd moved away from trying to combine the skin cells with steel and had begun examining the composition of the feathers themselves. They weren't technically steel despite what everyone thought. The metal had many similarities but there were some distinct differences which the mage was still trying to understand. As far as they knew Stormwings only supped on fear, but Numair's current theory he was testing was if they absorbed anything when they desecrated the bodies. There was a type of prehistoric ant that had metal horns because they ate trace amounts metal in mineral form. The mage was so engrossed in his work he didn't even notice when the door to his rooms opened, and footsteps approached.
"Ma says you're to stop hiding and come and join us," Daine's voice sounded amused as she stood outside his door with her hands on her hips.
The mage looked over at the young woman sheepishly trying not to fixate on how delectable she looked in that dress. "I thought would you appreciate some time alone with your parents."
Daine rolled her eyes giving him a stern look. "Do you know how long you've been up here?"
Numair glanced out the window noticing the sun was beginning to set. "Oh."
"Yes," she tapped her foot impatiently. "Come out of there now and come join the festivities."
The mage took a deep calming breath and placed protection spells over his working. He hadn't even noticed the day slip away he'd been so caught up in his theory. His stomach reminded him he'd skipped lunch as he allowed Daine to drag him outside.
The Equinox feast was being held on the palace grounds and a large table had been filled with delicacies. The cooks had outdone themselves having been told that important visitors were attending. On the training grounds, several targets had been set up and the archery competition was underway. Daine had decided not to compete this year believing it unfair for the daughter of a hunt god to enter and there wasn't anyone in the palace who could outshoot the Wildmage.
Numair desperately wanted to grip Daine's hand for support as they headed towards her parents. The gods were not difficult to spot as most people were keeping a respectful distance. Sarra was dressed simply in a green cotton dress while Weiryn wore only a loincloth. They were watching the archery contest from a polite distance while the hunt god looked unimpressed, standing with his arms folded. Kitten was at Sarra's feet chattering away until she spotted the mages and raced towards them. Numair bent down and swept the dragonet into his arms and tickled her under the chin while she scolded him lightly.
"Have you been having fun with your grandparents?" he asked as they joined the gods.
Kitten chirped and trilled happily.
"Skysong's been fair charming," Sarra smiled warmly. "It's good of you to join us, Master Numair," the goddess berated lightly.
The mage averted his eyes and blushed. "I hope you are enjoying the festivities."
"We are. Everyone has been very gracious," the goddess said kindly.
"As they should be," Weiryn scowled.
"Daine has already introduced us to most of her friends. This is a good home for you both," Sarra commented.
"We think so," Daine grinned at her mother.
"But you haven't told them about your relationship," the goddess frowned at the pair.
"Not yet," the Wildmage shrugged. "Numair didn't want anyone knowing about us."
"I wanted to give Daine time to decide if she truly wanted this or not," the mage interjected softly, not surprised the gods new about his courtship.
"Am I to expect grandchildren any time soon?" Sarra aimed her question at Daine.
"Ma!" the young woman cried blushing. "I'm not ready for that just yet!"
"Which reminds me, what daughter of mine does not wear any protection when lying with a man?" Numair blushed, utterly mortified, while thinking this ought to have been a private conversation between mother and daughter. "At least one of you thought to take precautions in case you got carried away," Sarra shot the mage a meaningful look.
He looked away turning an appalling shade of crimson. Numair had been keeping a pregnancy charm in his bedside table just in case and was ashamed that Sarra knew about it. He hadn't even told Daine in case she got the wrong impression.
The young woman narrowed her eyes at him before addressing her mother. "I keep losing them every time I shapeshift."
"Come here," the goddess ordered. "That is something I can sort for you, at least."
Sarra produced a gold pregnancy charm from a pocket in her dress. Untying the cord that held Daine's badger claw the goddess threaded the charm onto the leather before retying it. Holding her daughter by the shoulders, Sarra turned the young woman until she faced her. Unhooking the necklace from under Daine's dress the goddess held the charm between her palms until there was a flash of silvery light.
"There," Sarra said firmly. "You won't lose that one."
A cheer sounded as the archery competition ended and the winner was announced.
"Come daughter, let us show these mortals how a real archer shoots," Weiryn said gruffly holding out a new bow to her. "To replace the one your mage destroyed," he said glaring at Numair.
The mage blushed again wishing he could escape back to his rooms. This was far worse than he had feared it would be. Numair still felt guilty for accidentally incinerating Daine's bow and quiver in the spidren attack on their return to Corus. At the time he hadn't known she'd been given a replacement for the one she lost in the Divine Realms. The mage had apologised profusely when Daine let slip that it would be hard to replace.
The young woman accepted the bow testing the weight and balance. "Thanks Da. I'll try not to lose this one," she grinned.
Weiryn grunted as father and daughter headed towards the practice fields. Kitten squirmed in Numair's arms and trilled a question at him.
"I'm sure you can join them, sweetheart," he gently placed her on the floor as the dragonet raced after Daine.
"You'll make a good father one day," Sarra commented dryly as Numair straightened feeling himself blush for the umpteenth time. "I assume you want children, of course?"
The mage instantly thought of those two little girls with his colouring, brown curls and blue-grey eyes. "I do," he whispered.
"What if you had boys?" the goddess asked reading the mage's thoughts.
Numair thought for a moment before answering. "I like the idea of having a daughter, but I wouldn't love a son any less."
Sarra nodded smiling. "You were right about my daughter not being ready to start a family just yet. That charm will disappear when she finally is ready."
The mage frowned. "Shouldn't that be her choice?"
"It will be," Daine's mother replied pragmatically.
Numair was not sure he agreed with Sarra's loose definition of the word 'choice'.
"I'm glad you finally told her how you feel," the goddess looked up at him her blue eyes sparkling.
The mage returned her gaze anxiously. "You don't think I'm too old for your daughter?"
"You are asking a woman who took a god as her mate," Sarra reminded him. "Age doesn't matter to me, and it didn't matter to my daughter until you put the thought in her head. Do you think she is too young for you?"
Numair looked away feeling his stomach clench. "I'm afraid of trapping her with an old man. She may care for me now, but what if in a year's time she wants someone younger. Someone not so – easily distracted by academia."
The goddess took hold of his chin and forced him to look at her. "I suggest you find out why my daughter loves you before you go assuming the worst."
Numair had to admit he hadn't thought to ask Daine for a reason. He still half-assumed she simply enjoyed kissing and touching someone with experience. The mage flinched and quickly blanked his thoughts.
Sarra grinned at him shrewdly. "You give yourself very little credit. That Scanran mage showed you one of your worst fears not a vision of the future."
He closed his eyes feeling ashamed. "I cannot forget that image however hard I try." Even now, he could still picture with disturbing clarity Daine mounted on top of another man in his bed.
The goddess took his face in her hands as he opened his eyes to look at her. "It's left a scar on your heart, one that only time will heal," she said gently.
The mage nodded trying to hide the pain he felt as Thayet approached the pair. The queen was wearing a similarly coloured dress to Daine, only hers was red silk and with much more embroidery on the fabric. Numair was more than a little relieved the Wildmage wasn't wearing that dress, or he would have been utterly defenceless.
"Lady Sarra, would you be so kind as to bless our table? The feasting will begin soon." Thayet asked politely.
"I'd be delighted," the goddess smiled as she followed the queen, leaving the mage blessedly alone.
Onua approached grinning knowingly at Numair "I thought you looked like you needed rescuing."
"I did, thank you," he said softly.
"Do they know?" the K'miri whispered conspiratorially.
The mage nodded. "They already knew of my feelings when we were brought to the Divine Realms,"
"And you survived?" she mocked him mercilessly.
"Lord Weiryn tried to shoot me on our first meeting, but he allowed me to stay in his home," Numair admitted. "I don't think he likes me. I'm almost certain Daine's mother approves of me."
Onua chuckled shaking her head. "I don't envy you, my friend."
The mage stood silently with the K'miri watching Daine and her father show off their skills to a growing audience. It was a masterful performance that none could match as Daine hit every target with Weiryn's arrow splitting hers shortly after it struck. Numair was very glad of his friend's company needing a moment to centre himself before he approached Daine's father.
Sarra called to her daughter when she had shot her last arrow and the young woman joined her mother at the banquet table with Kitten at her hip. Weiryn separated from the crowd to stand intimidatingly to one side.
Taking a deep breath Numair turned to Onua. "Would you excuse me? I need to speak with Daine's father."
"Is that wise? He's still armed," the K'miri teased.
The mage ignored his friend and approached the hunt god warily trying to ignore his pounding heart. As he'd feared, Weiryn turned to face him, piercing the mortal with his emerald-green eyes that looked straight through Numair. The mage wondered if he would even have a chance to speak or if Daine's father would read his thoughts and give his opinion instantly.
"Lord Weiryn," Numair bowed politely.
"Mage," the hunt god acknowledged him. "Do you destroy every token given by a god?"
He swallowed attempting a smile. "Your staff helped me to defeat a powerful enemy and stopped our magic from indiscriminately killing others."
Weiryn grunted. "You trapped yourself with your prey. Every good hunter knows not to fall victim of his own trap."
"It was intentional," Numair spoke in his own defence. "Inar Hadensra had to be stopped."
The hunt god snorted but said no more as the pair stood silently until Weiryn growled at him. "Ask your question, mage."
Numair gulped and took a deep breath. "Lord Weiryn, your daughter means everything to me, and I hope to spend the rest of my life proving that to her. I wish to marry her and humbly ask for your blessing."
"What will you do if I refuse to give my consent?" the god gave the mage a hard stare.
Numair fell silent feeling torn. He did not wish to offend Daine's father, but could he really spend his life without her? "I would ask her to marry me, with or without your consent," the mage answered honestly. "I would prefer it of course, but in the end it's Daine choice whether she will have me or not."
"That is the correct answer," Weiryn said, his lips twitching. "Gods do not make decisions for their children. Mortals were blessed with the right to choose, and I have no right to take that from my daughter."
Numair nodded unable to stop himself from worrying if Daine's father would ever approve of him.
The hunt god chuckled which was an unsettling sound. "I only care for my daughter's happiness. You make her happy and that is enough for me."
Feeling glimmer of hope, the mage smiled and bowed graciously.
"We should join the women at the table. It seems the feast is about to begin." Weiryn took three steps before turning sharply. "And mage?" Numair met the god's eyes. "If you ever hurt my daughter I will hunt you down, skin you and mount your head on my wall."
The mage swallowed nervously but admitted to himself it seemed only fair. If he ever hurt Daine he'd probably allow the god to punish him without offering any resistance. Weiryn's lips twitched in a smile as the mage joined him and the two walked down to join the others for the feast.
