(a/n I liked the last chapter. But I think I'm gonna like this one better.)

I'll Never Forget You



Visitors



In Tortall.

The King held up the invitation.

"This is an invitation from the Duchess Of Carthak. Inviting Thayet, Alanna and Numair to come stay at her estates. It also mentions that her estate is free of slaves."

"We're going." Numair and Alanna said at the same time a soon as he had finished.

"I don't know whether you should it might be dangerous."

"Daine would not put her friends in danger." Numair said hotly.

"We don't know this is Daine."

"Of course it is!" Numair and Alanna cried, "Of course it is."

Thayet nodded, "I would like to go." The King still looked unsure. "I'm not sure." Thayet made an exasperated sound. "We are taking a black robe mage. We'll be fine." The King sighed, he'd been beaten and he well knew it. "Then it settled. You leave in two weeks." Two Weeks later. Daine stood in one of her slightly more expensive dresses. You know why it was expensive? It was covered in blue gems. So was her hair. Even her vale had blue gems dotted around the top. She was also wearing her black opal necklace, which Ozorne had given her. It sparkled with a gentle green light. Ozorne's magic. It was a protection spell sealed into the opal.

Daine doubted that anybody was going to try and kill her, but you never knew.

She caught her breath as she saw a boat coming into the harbour. A Tortallan boat. Her friends had arrived.

"Kitt- Skysong, come here!! They're here." Kitten bounded over with Zek clinging on for dear life on her back. He climbed up Daine's hand and onto her shoulder.

Daine watched the boat pull to a stop. She noticed a rather ill looking person in breeches and a mages robe bent over the side. Daine almost laughed she'd forgotten that Numair got seasick. She watched as Alanna and Thayet emerged from a cabin.

Alanna glanced over and saw Daine standing there, flanked by guards on either side. Alanna nudged Numair and Thayet and nodded towards Daine.

Alanna, Numair and Thayet walked down the ramp and towards where the young girl was standing. They couldn't see her face as she was wearing a vale. They stopped in front of her. Painted blue lips smiled at them sadly.

She said in a clear voice. "I am the Duchess Of Carthak, and I welcome you to my home. You'll be staying on my estates." She paused, "I hope you like them." She then knelt down next to the dragon and whispered, "Kitten, go on go say hello." The dragon whistled happily and ran towards Numair.

Numair knelt to stroke Kitten. He looked up at Daine to see her looking back at them. "Are you starting to feel better now you're on dry land?" She asked.

He nodded, "Much better thankyou Duchess. How are you?"

She cocked her head slightly. "I've missed my friends." She whispered. Then turned round and said to the guards. "Leave. I've no need for you."

A guard stepped forward, "I'm sorry your imperial Duchess, but his majesty said your to be protected there are worries arising about your safety."

She stared at him, "My safety? His imperialness mentioned nothing about my safety. What is wrong?"

He looked uncomfortable, "People want you out Duchess."

"Oh, right." She said, "I had heard that. A question though, what is to be done?" "The emperor is keeping guards close to you, and we have guards searching. When they are found they will be sentenced to death."

"Very good." She said. "I must thank the emperor for his concern." She turned round and looked at her friends who were staring at her in horror. "Please follow me." She said. To the guard she said, "Tell me what rank are you?"

"Captain, Duchess."

"That's not good enough." The guard looked at her in terror. "I think you should be a sergeant. I will talk to the emperor about this." He bowed deeply to her.

"Thankyou Duchess. You are to kind."

She said nothing but turned and started walking. Numair, Alanna and Thayet caught up with her. "Daine." Alanna hissed, "Did you hear wrong those people are going to be executed because they don't like you! You think it's a good thing that they'll die?"

Daine didn't have chance to answer because a guard said. "Lioness you forget your station. You will address the Duchess Of Carthak properly or not at all." Alanna scowled at the guard.

"To answer your question Lioness. My safety is in jeopardy, the emperor will take no chances with my safety." She paused, "I am very important to him. I will try though to get a lesser punishment for them. The death sentence is by no means nice here. I have witnessed it once and I have no feelings to witness it again." Daine's voice was cold and controlled. Alanna fell silent.

They walked to a boat and boarded Numair soon started to look sick again. They passed the palace and approached a great mansion with thousands of acres around it. They got off the boat and entered through gold gates.

"Welcome." Daine said, "To the lands of The Duchess Of Carthak." She led them into the mansion. "Your belongings will be taken to your rooms."

She led them into a smaller room. A bit like lounge. There she took the vale off. To show them her extravagantly made up face. She smiled. "I've missed you." Numair who was holding Kitten put her down and walked over to hug Daine.

"It's not been the same in Tortall without you." They broke away. Daine looked at Alanna.

"Sorry the guard snapped at you. But it's Duchess out of here."

Alanna nodded smiling, "Is this where you stay?"

Daine shook her head. "I mostly stay at the palace. There's more need for me there. His imperialness likes it better as well. He's quite.fond of me."

Numair raised an eyebrow and glanced at Alanna and Thayet they were both looking at him. "Fond isn't the word I would have used from what I've heard."

"You listen gossips." Daine snapped.

"The emperor is dangerous you shouldn't fool around with him."

"I'm not fooling around with! I also know he's dangerous I do live here!" Daine snapped back, "He gets angered easily too." She touched her eye lightly.

Something dawned on Thayet. "He's hit you." She said quietly. Daine turned away.

"He didn't mean to." She said defensively. "I made him angry it was my fault. He was sorry he did it. Sent me fresh flowers every day for two weeks." She paused again, "Got to sleep in my own bed for while as well." She muttered her back still turned away.

"I don't get it Daine. Why didn't you tell him no? Your only fifteen!" Numair said angrily.

Daine turned and looked at him, now that she wore no vale you could she the blazing fury that flashed through her eyes. "Have you ever tried telling him no? No I didn't think so." She said when Numair shook his head. "I'd lost my friends." She whispered, "I didn't want to lose my life." She turned away from them, upset. "It's not so bad." She whispered. "You get use to it after a while."

They saw a hand go up to her face as if to wipe away a tear. Numair stepped forward; "Daine I-" Numair never got to finish because at that moment a servant hurried in. She turned to him.

"What is so important that you must disturb me?" She asked sounding harsher than she meant. She put the veil back on as she knew that the servant wouldn't look at her if she didn't.

"S-s-s- sorry Duchess, but the emperor wants to see you. He said you could bring your guests."

"Thankyou for relaying the message." Was all she said. She turned to look at her friends. "I'm afraid I will have to go to the palace you can come and I'll find Lindhall and Kaddar or you can stay here. I shouldn't imagine that I'll be that long. But you must decide quickly. It's not a clever thing to keep the emperor waiting."

"We'll come." Thayet said. Daine nodded and turned to go. The Tortallan's followed.

Numair, Alanna and Thayet were left with Lindhall. Minutes into talking they heard a raised voice.

"A day how can you need that much time?!" It was Ozorne and he was shouting.

They heard Daine practically shriek in reply. "A day is all I ask. Just one day! It won't make any difference." She sounded close to tears.

"We both know what the answer will be so why do you need time?" Ozorne shouted back.

They heard Daine say in a quieter voice, "Just a day then you will have my answer." They heard nothing for a while than a muffled shriek rose to their ears and they looked at each other shocked, then they heard Ozorne's voice it sound out through the hall. He sounded sorry.

"Veralidaine I'm sorry I lost my temper, forgive me." No the voice it wasn't sorry it was pleading.

When Daine spoke she sounded like she was in tears. Her voice was wobbling. Yet all she said was, "Give me a day."

The argument seemed to end then. The next minute saw Daine walking through the doors she was shaking and had her veil on. When all her friends just stared at her she spoke softly, "I'm sorry you had to hear that, but the argument wasn't as bad as it sounded."

It was Numair who spoke. He sounded angry. "Don't lie to me Daine," He snapped. "Don't lie to us. He hit you didn't he? Take your veil off and look at me damn it!!"

She didn't take her veil off. "It's no concern of yours Numair. He practically owns me now he can do as he pleases."

"He can't hit you Daine. Not without someone telling him straight."

"Oh and I suppose you'd be the one to do it? Come off it Numair you'd get us both killed."

Lindhall said quietly, "He wouldn't kill you Daine, he'd kill Numair but he wouldn't kill you. He loves you."

Daine sighed, "I know he loves me. That's why he's asked me to marry him."

(a/n Commercial Break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Till the next chapter!! This would be a good time to tell you that I want at least 12 reviews or I will leave the story like this. There's an interesting twist in the next chapter as well. So remember no reviews no next chapter. *Laughs evilly*)