Description: Daine finally returns to Corus and begs Numair to have sex with her. The mage finally consents but with one condition.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. Everything belongs to Tamora Pierce.

Author's Note: This entire story came about because of this chapter. I just got this scene in my head where Numair goes to speak to a midwife about how to make first-time sex easier for a woman and getting so embarrassed that he wished the gods would just strike him down. It made me laugh so much that I just had to write it. I hope it amuses you too because you know how much I love tormenting the poor mage.

Obviously, I did quite a bit of research (on Numair's behalf) and I've tried to do a mixture of fact with a sort of medieval/Tortall twist on things they'd have available, such as oil for lubrication. I don't want to put any stupid myths or misconceptions that were probably around at that time, so please bear with me on that. There are also a frightening number of myths surrounding the hymen still about today. Clearly Mara is an "enlightened" if a mildly feminist midwife which sort of fits with Tortall's views.

Chapter 17

After three days the snow melted and turned into thick mud. Daine and Onua were already making their return journey to Corus but admitted the going would be slow. It was mid-April when the pair finally returned on a beautiful spring afternoon. Numair had been keeping track of their progress and asked to be excused from lessons on the day of their return. He waited by the stables excitedly with Zek on his shoulder until he spotted the string of ponies approaching. Kitten spotted the mage first as he walked out to greet them, screeching in delight as she launched herself out of her travel bag and raced over the grass to meet him. Numair bent down onto one knee and scooped up his dragon-daughter in his arms laughing delightedly as she nuzzled him happily. He stood cradling her in one arm as Daine leapt off Cloud's back and dashed over to him, throwing her arms around his neck. Their lips met in a passionate kiss as Numair lifted her off the floor finally feeling more complete than he had in weeks. One kiss led to another, and the mage didn't care who was around to see them as he filled his being with the taste and feel of her

"Numair, put her down so Daine can get those ponies settled into the meadow," Onua scolded as she dismounted.

The mages exchanged foolish grins as he rested his lover back on her feet.

"I thought I'd have to come and find you," she gazed up at him. The marmoset chose this moment to hop from the top of the mage's head and onto Daine's shoulder. "Hello, Zek," she giggled.

He cupped his lover's cheek kissing her again tenderly. "Nothing could have kept me from you today." Kitten chattered from under his arm. "Or you, sweetheart," he chuckled happily.

"Hey! Pack it in! Not all of us get that sort of welcome home," Onua complained as she trudged past the pair.

Numair winked at Daine and separated from her walking over to the K'miri to tap her on the shoulder.

"What?" she scowled up at him as he planted a kiss on her cheek.

Onua blushed furiously taking a swing at the mage as he danced out of the way laughing happily as he returned to wrap his arm around his lover. They walked together to the meadow until Numair grudgingly released the young woman as she took the ponies to be introduced to the others. The mage sat on the grass with Kitten watching the Wildmage work as Cloud trotted up to greet them. Numair held out a hand, amused when the mountain pony allowed him to stroke her without biting. Fishing an apple from his pocket he held it up for the mare to munch happily.

"Thank you for bringing Daine home safely," he whispered.

Cloud snorted and lipped his shoulder affectionately as Spots trotted over having been let out of his stall by Onua to receive his own apple and fuss from his master. The Wildmage caught Numair's eye several times while she worked shooting him a heated look full of desire which he returned in kind.

The pair stayed close throughout the midday meal brushing fingers and exchanging intense glances. After lunch, the mage made a nuisance of himself by staying in the meadow to play with Kitten while Daine and Onua checked the herd for ear mites and brushed each pony. Numair began juggling for the dragonet until she tried to copy him. He didn't believe she would be able to juggle with her claws so started demonstrating how to float stones with his Gift. By late afternoon Kitten was successfully able to float one stone an inch off the ground by trilling at it.

"Should you be teaching her that?" Daine asked as she approached the pair. "You know she'll only start raiding your shelves of things you've put out of reach."

"At least if I teach her how to correctly levitate an item there is a chance of it successfully reaching the floor in one piece," he smiled up at the young woman. "Besides, it's not fair to withhold magical knowledge from a student just for my own comfort. It's better to teach her precision and respect for the possessions of others." The mage gave Kitten a meaningful look. "And to trust her that she will not raid my shelves without permission."

The dragonet chirped in reluctant agreement but flopped onto the grass in exhaustion. Teaching Kitten any new magic always exhausted her quickly.

"I think that's enough for today, anyway. We can practice again tomorrow." Numair smiled fondly at his dragon-daughter.

The dragonet crawled towards Daine and tugged on her breeches.

"I think Kit wants feeding. Should we go to dinner?" the Wildmage said picking up the Immortal and resting the dragonet on her hip.

"That sounds like an excellent suggestion," the mage said standing and dusting off his breeches. "Onua are you joining us?"

"In a bit. You two go on ahead," the K'miri waved to the pair.

Numair suspected she'd had enough of them both and wanted a little time to herself. They headed to the dining hall with Zek peeking out from the young woman's curls. The mages shared an early evening meal before retiring to their rooms. Daine instantly pressed herself into the mage's side while the dragonet curled up on his lap as he read to his family pausing occasionally to press a kiss into his lover's hair.

As soon as the Wildmage had put Kitten into her basket she flung herself into Numair's arms crushing her lips against his. He lifted his lover off her feet as he staggered into the bedchamber while her hands roamed over his neck and chest. They couldn't remove their clothes fast enough as they fought each other to undo buttons. Boots and breeches were discarded quickly in their need to feel skin against skin. The couple tumbled into bed completely naked kissing and touching everywhere. Hands, mouths, tongues explored as Daine's breasts rubbed enticingly against Numair's chest.

"I missed you!" the young woman gasped wrapping her strong legs around the mage's waist pulling him close.

"As did I, sweetling," he captured her lips again in a deep passionate kiss.

Daine buried her hands into his loose mane holding his mouth against hers while her hips bucked and ground against him driving the mage wild.

"Numair… I want you. Please –" she moaned as she arched against him when he sucked at the nape of her neck.

Panting heavily, the mage pressed his forehead on her shoulder trembling, painfully aware of how aroused he was. "Not tonight," he whispered knowing he had to win this fight against his overwhelming desire to have her.

"Please!" Daine cried writhing underneath him while her fingernails scraped over his back.

Numair caught her wrists and pinned them beside her head as he pushed himself up to look at his gorgeous lover. His groin tightened at the sight of her beneath him and the fierce need to claim the Wildmage. "We can't, love."

"Why! Why not? I have my charm," she pleaded.

"It's not that…" The mage swallowed trying to resist the look in her dark eyes. "I would be your first. It can hurt for a woman their first time –"

"I don't care!" Daine protested trying to free herself from his grip. "I've been apart from you for too long. I'm ready for this and I've waited long enough."

Numair did not want to ruin her first experience of sex. It was the only thing holding him back from plunging inside her. "Sweetling, I would be no good for you tonight." The mage couldn't have been gentle if he tried, he was just too far gone. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't. Please, Numair. I want you," she begged using her strong legs to pull him down against her body.

The mage pressed his face in the hollow of her neck moaning loudly. "I want you too," he admitted kissing her skin softly and releasing her wrists.

"So, can we?" her hands caressed his back and shoulders eagerly.

"A week," he rasped. "Give me a week."

Daine's hands stilled their movement as he shifted position to gaze at her beautiful face with dark blue-grey eyes and soft lips that begged to be kissed again.

"You promise?" she demanded.

Numair brushed his lips against hers. "I promise."

The pair spent half the night proving to each other just how much they'd missed the other. Their cries of pleasure echoed off the walls making the mage wish he'd set an aural ward around his room. Thankfully Kitten didn't interrupt them as they feasted on each other's climax's.

Hours later Numair lay panting heavily with Daine wrapped tightly in his arms feeling exhaustion start to claim him.

"Numair?"

"Hmm…?"

"Why are you making me wait for a week?" she asked swirling her fingers in his chest hair.

"There are a few things I need to prepare," he mumbled against her hair.

"What things? I already have my pregnancy charm," the young woman pointed out reasonably.

Numair sighed and offered her a small smile. "I want to discover if there's a way to make your first-time a less painful experience."

Daine smiled radiantly. "That's fair sweet of you but I know you won't hurt me."

The mage winced at her faith in him. "How can you be certain of that?"

"Because it's you. Even if it's meant to hurt, you'll do everything you can, so it won't," she told him pragmatically. "You always try to look after me."

Numair swallowed nervously, overwhelmed by her complete and unwavering trust in his ability to keep her safe. He was absolutely terrified that she would hate her first experience of sex and never want to be with him again. How could she trust him not to hurt her when he didn't have faith in his own ability to get her through her first time?

"Why are you so worried? You've done this before." Daine giggled stroking her fingers over his chest again.

The mage lowered his eyes. "I've never taken a woman through her first time before."

"Not even Varice?"

Numair did not enjoy discussing his ex-lover when he was in bed with Daine. She had taught him a lot about being with a woman and how to make the experience a pleasurable one for both parties involved. That knowledge he used to its full effect with his Wildmage but he didn't like Varice's name mentioned while they were together. "No. She was my first, but Varice was several years older than me and had already been with other men." His ex-lover had mentioned something about suffering through her first experience.

"I doubt there's a book you can read about it," Daine pointed out, her eyes dancing.

The mage chuckled lightly having come to the same conclusion himself. "No. I'm not that lucky. I was planning on speaking with a midwife to ask her advice."

Her eyes lit up with excitement. "We could go together."

"I hadn't thought of that," he frowned stroking a hand into her curls. "With your mother being a midwife, I wasn't sure how much she would have already told you."

"I know the basic idea of canoodling and how babies are made," she explained. "Ma never told me any details and she never mentioned anything like what we've done so far!"

The mage smiled and kissed her forehead tenderly. "I suspect, even for a mother who is a midwife, there are certain subjects you do not wish to discuss with your daughter."

Daine scowled and snuggled into his chest. She never liked knowledge withheld from her for any reason. "When can we speak to a midwife?"

"I'll make an appointment as soon as possible," Numair sighed contentedly starting to drift off again.

She nuzzled him happily. "Thank you."

It was the last thing the mage heard as he fell into a peaceful and dreamless night's sleep.

Numair woke the next morning wonderfully warm with his bed full of animals and his lover wrapped tightly in his embrace. He never would have admitted to anyone how much he needed this in his life, the animals included. Daine was in no hurry to leave the bed that morning as the pair kissed and caressed each other until Kitten stormed in demanding to be fed. The Wildmage spent the morning with the horses but joined Numair in the afternoon for his lessons with the pages. The mage completely readjusted his lesson plan to talk about wild magic and how animals had assisted in their battles and their roles as spies. It took a bit of convincing to get Daine to start talking about her magic, but after a little encouragement, she proved to be a natural teacher as Numair had suspected she would be.

Every day the Wildmage pestered him about when they would speak to a midwife. He wasn't prevaricating as such it's just he wanted to speak with the most knowledgeable and impartial midwife in Corus which took a bit of uncovering. After several days of searching and careful questioning he found a woman who would be suitable and made an appointment with her one evening.

Numair walked hand in hand with his lover through the marketplace trying to formulate all the questions he needed an answer to. He would have much preferred to have found a book on the subject than to speak with a person, but Daine was more important than his dignity.

They entered a small, quaint shop making a little bell ring as they opened the door. The shelves were lined with charms and vials with different ointments and oils. On the back wall hung a collection of pregnancy charms on different chain lengths with a strong protection charm over them. From behind a curtain a short, slender woman emerged wearing a cream shirt and dark green linen breeches. She looked to be in her fifties with dark brown hair streaked with silver and lively bright green eyes.

"Welcome," she said taking in the pair. "The capital's Chief Mage and Wildmage, I'm honoured. My name's Mara. Am I to assume you're here to find out if you're pregnant?"

Numair's eyes hardened. "Actually, we wished to discuss a different matter."

"About canoodling," Daine explained.

The midwife looked between the two mages and smiled. "And that's why you should never believe what the gossips say. Come in the back and take a seat."

Mara showed them through the curtain to a large room with an examination bed and several chairs. They settled into the cushioned chairs near the fire while Mara sat opposite the pair smiling kindly.

"How can I help?" the midwife asked directing her question more at Daine.

"What can you tell us about canoodling for the first time?" the young woman asked bluntly.

"Us? I never thought to find you gracing my door, master mage," Mara turned her sharp gaze at Numair. "Word is, you don't need any advice in that regard, so why are you here?"

The mage blushed but met the woman's piercing green eyes. "I am as ignorant in this as anyone."

The midwife nodded in acknowledgement and directed her attention back to Daine. "What do you know?"

"My Ma was a midwife. She told me some," the young woman answered.

"Tell me. I'd rather start with what you know to see if you've learned any falsehoods," Mara demanded.

The mage got the distinct impression this woman was very direct and practical. She was the sort of woman Daine would respect and respond to.

"Ma told me that a man has a fiddle which he sticks inside a woman and moves it about until he's put his seed inside her," the Wildmage stated. "I've seen it done with animals when they mate."

Numair cringed at the description Daine had given. He knew she didn't have any romantic inclinations, but it was a rather harsh description of the act between a man and a woman, even though it was technically accurate.

"Animals aren't the same as people when it comes to sex but that is the basic principle, yes," Mara smiled encouragingly. "Have you heard any of your friends tell you it will hurt the first time or talk of piercing your maidenhead?"

The young woman nodded her head slowly as the mage frowned in concentration.

"You don't break anything when you have sex the first time, not if it's done properly. If there was something blocking your opening, then you wouldn't have monthlies," the woman stated candidly. "The only reason a woman bleeds during sex is if the man," Mara shot Numair a meaningful glare before turning back to the young woman again, "is too eager or too hard when he penetrates you. It should not hurt! If there's pain, then you're doing something wrong, and you should stop immediately," she waited for both the mage's nod of understanding before she continued. "There's no physical way anyone can tell when you've had sex your first time despite what barbaric customs still teach young girls to believe."

The mage sat in stunned silence. Sex wasn't supposed to hurt for a woman her first time. How many women weren't aware of that fact? For that matter, how many men didn't learn anything before they took a woman to their bed for her virgin night and hurt them? The idea seemed unfathomable to him.

"I have an oil which will help reduce the friction and makes things easier. I assume you'd like that?" Both Numair and Daine nodded. "Do you have a pregnancy charm, young lady?" Mara asked.

"I do. Ma gave it me," Daine responded.

"I'd like to see it please." The midwife held out her hand.

The young woman fished out the leather cord which held the badger claw and her pregnancy charm and handed it to Mara. Numair shifted his sight as he observed the woman examine the charm with her pale pink Gift.

"This is excellent work. Truly excellent," the midwife praised. "I've never seen anything of it's like. You say your mother made it?" At Daine's nod Mara continued. "I'd love to speak with your mother about this."

"She's dead," the young woman said quietly.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the midwife squeezed Daine's hand in sympathy and returned her necklace. "It is a wonderful charm she gifted you. I've nothing better I could sell you. Now, have you both had medical examinations to check for any diseases?"

"No mum," Daine shook her head.

Mara gave the mage a hard stare. "And what about you?"

"I was seen by a healer in summer and have not taken any other woman to my bed except Daine," he answered honestly.

"Diseases don't just come from having sex, master mage. They can occur from fondling too. Give me your hands both of you," the midwife said sternly.

Numair and Daine held out their hands which the midwife took in hers firmly as she examined them both thoroughly with her Gift.

"Good, no signs of any infection in either of you," she said after several minutes.

"Ma never mentioned any diseases from canoodling to me," the Wildmage frowned in irritation.

"If there's any bleeding or grazing to the skin during sex or heavy petting that can cause infections," Mara explained indicating her nether regions. "These can then be easily passed on during sex, especially if one of you has had more than one partner. We tend to look harder at people who've taken more than one person to their bed." Numair blushed deeply. "Have you two done much foreplay?" she looked between the mages.

Daine's brow wrinkled in confusion at the unfamiliar term. "I don't –"

"Yes," the mage interjected, sure he must be a deep crimson by now.

The midwife nodded and returned her attention to the Wildmage. "It's a good idea if your partner prepares you first with his fingers before sex."

"Oh! Yes, we've done lots of that," Daine supplied eagerly.

Numair looked away wishing the ground would swallow him whole. He'd known this was going to be humiliating but the mage had no wish to discuss the intimate activities he and his young lover had engaged in, not that he was likely to get any relief in that respect.

"Good," Mara smiled seeing Numair's discomfort. "That's very good. It should make things a little easier." She turned her bright green eyes on the mage "It's best to go slow for a woman's first time and make sure she's nice and relaxed before you start."

"I understand," he said softly.

"Now, do you have any other questions?" the midwife asked.

"Do we only have to take it slow the first time?" Daine asked curiously.

"It's a good idea to use the oil and take it slow until your body gets used to it, but it all depends on the individual," Mara gave the young woman a sombre stare.

The mages stood and thanked the midwife for all her advice as she took them back through to the shop. Numair paid for a bottle of oil and the woman's services as well as adding a few extra coins in gratitude.

"Put that on yourself and your girl and don't be sparing with it," Mara explained kindly as she handed the mage the bottle. "You know where to find me if you have any more questions."

Daine and Numair exited the shop bidding the midwife a good evening as they made their way slowly back to the palace. The mage wasn't sure if he felt better or more nervous from the information, they'd gained that night. He'd already guessed that he would need to be slow and gentle but there was still a very real threat of hurting his lover if he didn't maintain rigid control over his body's responses.

"So, can we – tonight?" Daine looked at him, her eyes shining brightly.

Numair had no idea how anyone could be in the mood for anything after that frank and clinical discussion about sexual intercourse. "Not tonight."

"What's the excuse this time?" she scowled.

"We need to find someone to take Kitten," he explained quietly. Plus, he also wanted to speak to the college about acquiring some of the crystal globes they'd created based on the designs from Carthak.

"Tomorrow night then?" the Wildmage asked.

The mage took a deep breath and nodded gravely as Daine beamed happily at him. She had always been the braver out of the two of them. It was humbling and terrifying that the young woman showed no fear for what might happen on her virgin night.