Description: Numair recovers from his rejection in time to celebrate Daine's birthday.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. Everything belongs to Tamora Pierce. I also do not own the idea for the redesign of Numair's rooms. I'm not sure which writer (happy to credit if you let me know) originally came up with the idea of outside access to his rooms, but I'm not the only one who agrees and I'm happy to make this some sort of unwritten rule.
Author's Note: Funnily enough I was inspired by the bolthole in Lady Knight to grant access for the animals into Numair's rooms.
I know I put this is book 4 but I thought I'd put my theory up again. There is nothing anywhere that tells us when Numair's birthday is exactly, so I had to do some detective work. Age over 20 as of January 24, 445 (Tortall: A Spy's Guide). P97-98 (Tempests and Slaughter) "At Midwinter, Arram had the pleasure of buying more than trinkets for his friends…" "And for his birthday he got more gifts". It is then mentioned he goes walking with Sheni in January and February, so as we know the year he's born, I have to conclude he's born after the fourth day of Midwinter but before the new year which is why I'm guessing at either December 30th or 31st.
Chapter 15
Sleep didn't come easily for the mage the night after the Midwinter Ball. He lay awake for a long time just holding Daine and stroking her back. Numair was still awake when the animals began to enter the bedchamber and join them. Zek noticed that the mage was still awake and approached cautiously allowing him to stroke the marmoset's fur with a finger. The tiny monkey settled onto Daine's pillow with the other marmosets and curled up into a ball. The warmth of the animals at his back eventually had Numair drifting off to sleep. He didn't resist when Daine left the bed to get dressed in the morning.
"Ma and Da are visiting today. Are you joining us later?" she asked quietly.
"Not today. I thought I'd go to the college to conduct some experiments," he replied.
"But it's the holidays…" the young woman frowned.
"Yes, it'll be quiet, so I won't be disturbed," the mage said softly. "You enjoy your day with your parents."
The look of rejection in her eyes tore him up further but she still came to give him a kiss before leaving with Kitten. The animals followed the Wildmage out the door all except for two palace cats that were too comfortable to move from the end of the bed.
After an hour of no sleep, Numair got out of bed, dressed for the day and headed to the college. It was as empty as he'd hoped, and the mage lost himself in his research. He was in no mood to see Daine's parents and suffer Weiryn's derision or Sarra's insights into his soul. All Numair wanted was to be left alone to his heartache and brooding. Towards the end of the day the mage realised to his horror that he didn't have a midwinter gift for Daine. He'd foolishly thought she would accept his proposal and the ring. Today everyone would have been exchanging presents and he'd managed to miss the whole thing. Normally Numair handed out his gifts early, not wanting to wait, but maybe this year he'd hand them out late to disguise the fact he didn't have a gift for his lover.
The mage didn't leave the college until he was certain Daine's parents would have returned to the Divine Realms. He made appalling excuses to everyone about being absentminded and distracted, promising to hand out presents in a few days. On the first day the shops opened, Numair headed into Corus to find something for his lover. He finally settled on an ornate comb with a dragon design and a few other trinkets. Kitten had not been overly impressed at receiving her gifts late and had stayed in a mood with him for over a week. It was a harsh reminder that children were not as understanding as adults.
It took two weeks before Numair was able to shake himself of his depression. He gave himself a good talking to one morning, reminding himself that Daine still lived in his room and had given up being a goddess to be with him. Perhaps it wasn't what he'd hoped for, but it had to be enough.
When his lover returned that afternoon, the mage swept her into a passionate kiss and devoted himself to making up for his appalling behaviour. Several hours later she lay half on his chest panting heavily while he trailed his fingers along her spine. Numair was still mostly dressed except for his open shirt which Daine had torn open on their trip to the bedchamber. It wasn't the first shirt she'd ruined with her enthusiasm and the mage didn't really mind after his initial objection.
The Wildmage sighed and began to stroke her fingers through his chest hair. "Have you stopped being angry with me?"
"Angry with you?" Numair frowned. "I wasn't angry with you."
Her hand stilled. "I thought – because I wouldn't marry you –"
The mage cringed inwardly and tightened his grip around her waist. "Sweetling, no. I was upset – disappointed, but I was never angry with you."
Daine shifted slightly rubbing her cheek against his chest. "You haven't wanted to kiss me since the ball – not unless I kissed you, and you stopped giving me flowers – I was afraid you didn't want me anymore."
Numair cursed himself for being a self-indulgent buffoon and rolled onto his side dislodging the young woman from his chest. He tilted her chin and placed a firm kiss on her lips. "Never! I'm so sorry you believed that. I've been such a fool!" The mage kissed her again tenderly. "Starting tomorrow you shall have flowers again and I promise to stop feeling sorry for myself."
The Wildmage reached out a hand to stroke his cheek. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm just not ready –"
"I know, my love," he said gently rubbing the small of her back. "If you prefer, I won't ask again."
Daine bit her lip and searched his eyes. "I don't know…"
Numair swallowed, desperately trying to bury the surge of hope. "What if I waited – a year?"
She smiled and nodded. "Maybe."
It was the second time she had told him 'maybe'. At least it wasn't a 'no'.
Numair planned to spoil Daine rotten on her birthday after the mess he'd made of midwinter. The mage woke before his lover on her birthday, very excited and filled with anticipation. He indulged himself by watching the Wildmage sleep for a while. It still astounded him that he could wake up with her lying beside him or mostly curled into him. The mage stroked his fingers into her tangle of curls smiling happily as he bent down to pepper her forehead with kisses. Daine mumbled incoherently and tilted her chin up giving him access to the rest of her face as Numair kissed her cheeks, her nose and her eyelids.
"Why are you awake?" she grumbled.
The mage grinned and brushed his lips against hers teasingly. Daine moved into the kiss, but he backed away keeping it light and provocative until her hand came up to curl around his neck and pull him into a deep, intense kiss. Numair moaned pulling her flush against him as her naked leg snaked around his hip. This wasn't entirely what he'd planned for this morning, but he was rarely the first one awake. Apparently waking a Wildmage early was to awaken her sexual appetite, which was formidable.
The mage broke the kiss not wanting to get carried away, especially when they weren't alone. "Happy birthday."
Daine's eyes fluttered open as her fingers began to caress his neck. "Good morning to you too."
Numair grinned until she rubbed herself against his groin making him gasp as his hips thrust in response. He might be wearing a loincloth, but she certainly wasn't. Daine was learning from him faster than he could keep up with and her insinuations for sex were a lot less subtle these days.
"Darling, this is hardly appropriate when there are animals sharing the bed," the mage rasped.
"I can ask them to leave," she whispered huskily as she began to kiss her way down his throat.
"Kitten is in the next room," he reasoned pitifully feeling his resolve crumbling.
Daine's only response was to capture his lips again as the animals started to leave the bedroom.
Numair was starting to lose his common-sense as her leg slid up and down. "I have presents," he gasped against her lips.
She moved back with a curious expression. "Presents?
He kissed her nose and smiled. "Get dressed and you can have them."
The mage untangled himself from his lover and escaped the bed before he did something he might regret. Numair had warned her months ago about playing with fire and felt he needed to take his own advice these days. Daine might still be a virgin, but she was by no means innocent or unaware of the affect she had on him. He opened the wardrobe and selected a white silk shirt and black breeches to wear.
"Why have I got to get dressed?" the young woman sat up in bed watching him.
Numair chuckled as he pulled on his breeches aware of her eyes on him. The mage could admit he loved to watch her get dressed in the mornings. Daine had no problems walking around his rooms almost completely naked while he appreciated her lithe, toned body. He'd tried to keep a semblance of propriety between them at first but had quickly given up. The mage had caught enough glimpses of her naked body over the last few years and the Wildmage seemed almost irrationally confident while walking around in nothing by the badger's claw.
"Because it's cold outside," he answered turning to grin at his lover.
Daine's eyes travelled over his body until she met his eyes. "My present is outside?"
While Numair knew he wasn't unattractive there were times when he wondered what she saw in him. "Get dressed, sweet, and you'll see."
He was doing up the buttons on his shirt when the young woman finally slipped out of bed to find her clothes. The mage left her to get ready and stepped into the next room to wake Kitten.
"Wake up sleepyhead. It's your mother's birthday."
The dragonet raised her head and snorted at him.
"You can either be awake when I show Daine her gift, or you'll miss out."
Kitten grumbled but sat up yawning, showing off her impressive set of sharp teeth. Numair picked her up, holding the dragonet gently while they waited for the Wildmage to emerge. Daine never took long to dress as she appeared looking curiously around the room. The animals that had left the bedchamber had gathered in the main room with one of the dogs pawing at the door. Numair handed the dragonet to her mother so she could wish her a happy birthday and guided the young woman by the shoulders to stand in front of the back wall.
"I don't see anything," she frowned in confusion.
The mage chuckled "Kit, would you like to do the honours?"
The dragonet chirped happily, sitting up in Daine's arms before letting out a series of croaks and clicks as the illusion dissolved. Instead of the back wall between his workroom and the study there now stood a wooden door with a panel of glass cut into it.
"A door?"
Numair rolled his eyes and sighed "Open it."
The young woman stepped forward and opened the wooden door onto a small balcony with a stairway leading to the ground. The animals in the main room followed the Wildmage outside either as a means of escape or out of their own curiosity.
She looked around confused. "It's lovely, but –"
The mage followed her outside trying not to shiver as the cold morning air hit him. "I noticed after a few weeks of your moving into my rooms that we were only joined in bed by the palace animals. I thought your woodland friends would be missing you too, so I asked Jon and Thayet to have this extension built. I had to tell Kitten, of course, otherwise she would have removed the illusion spells and ruined the surprise. There's something else." He waved his hand over the stonework next to the door to reveal an opening. "This is a concealed entrance so that your animal friends can come and go as they wish. It has protection spells only another black robe mage could break." It also had a spell to keep the draft out that had taken Numair two days to perfect. "It won't allow anything as big as a bear or a stag in, but the rest of your friend's should manage."
Daine put Kitten on the floor gently and looked around quietly at the stairs and the opening. The mage watched her beginning to feel quite nervous until she spun to face him tearfully and flung herself into his arms. He staggered backwards, supporting her weight, as her mouth crushed against his taking his breath away.
Numair laughed delightedly when he could finally breathe again. "I take it from your reaction that you like your present?"
She looked at him, her face the picture of happiness. "No one has ever got me anything so perfect before!"
"You will have to thank Jon and Thayet as well. I can't take the full credit for this gift," the mage smiled adoringly at his lover setting her on the floor. "I imagine you'd like to contact your friends and show them the door."
The Wildmage grinned eagerly. "You don't mind?"
Numair kissed her forehead, "Of course not. I'm glad you like it."
The mage entered his bathroom to finish readying himself for the day. When he returned to the main room fully groomed, Numair laughed to discover their rooms crowded with curious animals. They all froze when he entered but a silent word from the Wildmage had them relaxing again. The mage sat in a chair allowing Daine's friends to introduce themselves slowly. The young woman spent most of the morning telling the People about their new access to her and explaining about the hidden door.
Most of their friends had entirely the wrong impression when they arrived for a late breakfast, and Numair saw no reason to tell them the real reason why they were delayed. Only Onua asked what they'd been up to and almost choked on her coffee when the mage told her about the outer door and all the animal visitors to his rooms. The Wildmage opened several gifts from her friends and the mage presented her with a fine, embroidered shawl that he suggested she might like to wear if she continued to take evening walks in the gardens after court functions.
As much as Numair would have liked to have kept Daine to himself for her birthday, he understood that would be impossible. The young woman had far too many friends, two-legger and People, that wished to fuss over her. He enjoyed sharing the day with her and was more than pleased when she proceeded to tell everyone about the stairway and the door. Daine knew without him needing to say anything that the hidden access was for her eyes only and for the People.
After a long but enjoyable day of fine company and good food, the mage finally convinced his lover to return with him to their rooms.
"We left Kit behind," Daine said as they entered the bedchamber. "She's going to be fair cross with us."
"I asked Tkaa to take her tonight," Numair whispered suggestively as he opened the wardrobe and brought out another wrapped parcel. "I have another gift for you."
She paused as his words slowly sank in. "You don't need to. What you've done is more'n enough."
He kissed her forehead tenderly. "I enjoy giving you things."
Daine sat on the bed and undid the string. The mage had bought her three floor-length silk nightdresses in blue, grey and burgundy with long sleeves. She lifted one out and gasped looking slightly embarrassed. "They're lovely – thank you."
Numair grinned at her. "I must confess, I bought those more as a gift for myself."
"I don't think they'll fit you," the young woman teased.
He tweaked her nose before leaning over to brush his lips against hers.
"Numair – why don't we ever celebrate your birthday?"
"Because it isn't important. Let's get ready for bed," he suggested and began to strip off his shirt.
"I don't even know when your birthday is…" Daine complained watching him.
The mage smiled noticing her attention and tilted her chin to press a seductive kiss on her lips. "Why don't you wear one of those tonight?"
"Stop trying to distract me," she scowled. "I've known you for almost five years and we've not celebrated your birthday once in all that time. I don't know that I've ever seen you receive a gift."
Numair sighed realising she wasn't going to let this go as he removed his breeches. "Darling, no one knows when my birthday is. Well, Lindhall may remember if pressed, but I suspect it's slipped his mind. It isn't important."
"It is to me. Why have you never told me?"
He cupped her cheek tenderly. "I don't celebrate my birthday. For most of my life it was just another day. There was a period of time during my university days when we celebrated, and I received gifts, but it didn't last long. When I fled Carthak, I didn't keep track of the days so for two years the day passed me by without any acknowledgement. More recently, I would rather forget it entirely as it only reminds me of the fact I am now in my thirties, and you are not even twenty."
Daine rolled her eyes at him. "Will you at least tell me when it is?" When the mage hesitated, she looked at him imploringly from under her lashes. "Please?"
"It has already passed. It's not –"
"Numair!" The young woman's stubborn chin jutted out as she narrowed her stormy eyes, and he knew she would not be put off.
"It's a few weeks before yours." At her hard stare the mage finally gave in. "December 30th," he whispered.
"The last day of the midwinter festivities?" she asked in surprise.
Numair sat on the bed beside her and dragged a hand through his hair dislodging the tie. "My parents never saw the point of me receiving gifts within a few days of each other, so I would get a few extra at midwinter instead. We never celebrated and it mostly got forgotten. Since moving to Tortall I haven't mentioned it to anyone because it is of no importance."
"It is to me," Daine touched his leg and met his eyes. "I've never even got you anything."
The mage smiled warmly and linked his fingers through hers, lifting her hand to his lips kissing it gently. "If you wear one of the silk nightdresses tonight you can consider that my birthday gift."
She giggled. "Which one?"
"You decide." He knew which colour he'd prefer her to wear but Numair was interested to see what her choice would be.
Daine hopped off the bed and entered the bathroom to change while the mage sat on the bed and waited for her. Despite having been utterly miserable on his last two birthday's it really didn't bother him that the day went by unnoticed. He normally spent it in the company of friends and that was all he really needed. It was very sweet that his lover wanted to get him something, but Daine hated buying gifts and it caused her a lot of stress.
The young woman exited the bathroom after a few minutes dressed in the burgundy nightgown and Numair's mouth went dry. She smiled self-consciously and walked towards him when he held out his hand.
"I thought you said you never needed me to be some silk wearing lady…" Daine objected as the mage pulled her to stand in front of him.
His hands started to roam over her silk clad waist and hips. "I don't," he whispered as his hands ran up her body to caress her breasts gently. "But you cannot argue that it's nice to touch."
"Me or the gown?" the young woman gasped softly.
"Both." Numair said as his hands explored her body.
Daine closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. "Did I choose right?"
"That depends on your intention," he whispered.
The mage pressed his face to her chest and began to scatter kisses over her breasts. Taking her silk clad nipple into his mouth, he swirled his tongue around and sucked gently feeling it harden. Daine grabbed his head and whimpered softly as her fingers buried into his hair. Numair moved his attention to the other nipple while his hands continued to caress her body. A small part of his mind that wasn't driven by lust thought he should have asked her permission before using his mouth.
The mage grabbed his lover by the waist and rolled her onto the bed as he climbed on top and began to kiss and suck on her neck. Daine's noises increased as he slid his hand between her legs to stroke her through the silk. Her fingernails scraped up his back as she arched and writhed beneath him.
"Numair… I want you…" she thrust her hips against his hand.
"Not tonight," he whispered and nibbled on her earlobe. "I have something else in mind."
Daine started to protest until he returned to her neck and slowly began to work his way down her body kissing and sucking, leaving damp patches on the silk. Her moans and gasps of pleasure were louder than normal as he indulged himself. Numair nuzzled her crotch and breathed in her scent as he slid the hem of the gown up her legs. Daine gasped when his lips found skin and began to lick and scrape his teeth over her thighs. The mage slid his hands under her hips, lifting them slightly as he looked at his lover. Her eyes were closed, and the brown curls were a wild a tangle around her face as she lost herself in pure sensation. Daine cried out when he buried his face between her legs and began to lick and suck. She gasped when the first orgasm took her. By the second orgasm she'd forgotten any need to be quiet as she moaned and cried out and at her third orgasm Numair finally succeeded in making her scream as he worked her with fingers and tongue.
Daine lay limp on the bedsheets as the mage kissed his way up her body and lay beside her. She was panting heavily with her eyes still closed as he trailed his fingers lightly over her breasts. Her eyes fluttered open as she moaned and rolled into his chest. Numair smiled and wrapped his arms around his lover's body enjoying the feel of silk under his fingers.
"Happy birthday, sweetling."
The Wildmage made an incoherent noise and nuzzled her nose at the base of his neck. The mage chuckled and held her while his hand stroked up and down her back. They lay together quietly until Numair thought she had fallen asleep. There was no chance of him joining her until he'd taken care of himself as the mage tried to untangle himself from Daine's arms, but she simply tightened her grip and buried herself deeper into his chest.
"Where are you going?" she grumbled.
He smiled and kissed her hair. "I need to use the bathroom, sweet."
The young woman's only response was to tighten her grip on him as she tilted her head to look at him. "We could – canoodle… I want to."
Numair shifted as the heat in her gaze went straight to his groin. "Not tonight, love."
"Why?"
The mage wasn't sure why he was still refusing her persistent requests for sex as he kissed the tip of her nose. Originally, he'd wanted to wait until after midwinter when he thought she would have accepted his marriage proposal. Then Numair had wanted to delay until after her birthday but was seventeen years of age any different to sixteen? It still did nothing to decrease the age gap between them. He wasn't sure why he was still denying them both what they clearly wanted but a part of him still wasn't quite ready to take that final step with her.
Daine muttered something as her hand travelled down his body and slipped inside his loincloth. Numair gasped and groaned as she started to stroke him.
"You don't have to…" he moaned as her hand sped up silencing any further protests.
"You'll only run off to the privy and do it," she complained. "I am perfectly capable."
The mage couldn't formulate any sort of argument to that statement, although 'capable' was a vast understatement. It was far too soon when he erupted in her hand with a loud groan.
