A loud bang and a bone-piercing shriek interrupted their kiss as fateful lightning struck an unlucky tree. Daine, startled, tore away from Numair and stared at the very upset Kitten, standing in the middle of the bedchamber threshold. She'd thrown the door open with a magical trill, and now rapidly scolded her guardian. Flushed with heat and frustrated with the intrusion, Daine groaned with all impatience.

"Go away, Kit," she pleaded, propping herself up on her elbows.

The little dragon rose up on her haunches and produced a particularly high trill that both irritated and hurt.

"What does she want?" Numair asked edgily.

"I don't know!" Daine slumped back down to the bed and snuggled up close to Numair, throwing an arm over his chest. "She'll go away eventually, won't she?" She looked up and smiled contentedly as he caressed her lips with his again.

Kitten let of a series of clicks and chirps most emphatically before slamming the door shut again with a final, demanding whistle. Seconds later, a knock sounded on the bedchamber door. Startled yet again, Daine threw the covers back madly and leapt out of bed. She seized the doorknob and yanked, about to severely chide an impudent dragonet.

"Is this a bad time?"

It was Thayet who stood there, a tad tentative and cringing. She looked past Daine, clad only in her underclothes and Numair's shirt, at Numair, who was naked to the waist and slowly turning red. Daine's eyes widened as she blushed, turning a deeper shade of red than she already was.

"Ah - Thayet," she stammered. "I hadn't realized you were here - we'll - uh - get dressed then." Daine laughed nervously and promptly shut the door in the queen's face.

"That wasn't very nice," Numair said resentfully. He sat up in bed and brushed his hair back from his face. "I'll take that shirt from you then, and you can get one of your own?"

Daine shrugged, pulled the shirt off, and threw it to him. Numair's breath caught in his throat as he watched her lovely form turn around, slipping on an appropriate sized shirt and breeches of her own.

"Yes?" Daine raised an eyebrow, looking at Numair quizzically. "Was there something?"

"Sort of," Numair said blandly. "Come here." He held out his hand to her.

Daine obliged and placed her hand in his, only to be pulled back into bed and kissed thoroughly. "Numair," she protested, "if you don't stop - it's the queen out there." Her words were feeble, and easily smothered by another firm kiss. "Numair!" Daine said finally, and forced herself to roll out of bed. "Get dressed, and come out." She left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Sorry, Daine," Thayet said sheepishly, sitting on a chair by the table in the centre of the main room. "I knocked, and Kitten let me in, but you weren't there. She kind of scampered to your bedchamber door, and flung it open and everything, so I stayed on the couch. Then she came back, chattering like she was angry - she kind of whistled at the door again, and opened it. Tkaa was there. He told me that I'd best get you out of bed myself, based on what Kitten said, and left with her. I didn't know you were - um - occupied."

Daine laughed. "And I'm sorry for being - occupied, I suppose." She blushed. "Well - can I do something for you?"

Thayet grinned. "Actually, you can. Let's go down and get some lunch - you're a late riser - then I'd like to let you meet someone, and then later tonight we'll go to the meeting."

"Meeting? What meeting?" Daine frowned.

"A special one. You can tell Numair that he needn't get out of bed if he wouldn't like to - it doesn't concern him."

Daine shrugged. "Okay." She informed Numair, still in bed, who greeted the news with much happiness and wished her a good morning, or, as he pointed out truthfully, afternoon. Scowling, Daine turned to leave.

"Wait," Numair said suddenly.

"Was there another something?" Daine smiled.

"Well, you know, the ball tonight?"

Curses, Daine thought. I forgot about that bloody Chaotic wreck. "Yes?"

"I was uh - kind of assuming that we'd be going together, but I never really asked you, and since we're well - you know, I thought maybe I should ask." He looked suddenly uneasy.

Daine burst out in laughter. "Of course I'll be going with you!" She shook her head. "Who else would I be going with? Goddess bless, Numair!" She kissed his cheek lovingly as he grinned awkwardly before she left.

"He had to ask if he could go to the ball with you?" Thayet looked at Daine incredulously as they exited the suite.

"Of course he didn't have to - don't know what got into him," Daine replied confusedly.

"Men are different creatures," Thayet said sensibly as they entered the mess hall.

.::.

"Who did you want me to meet?" Daine asked Thayet curiously. They'd eaten lunch, and the queen had led her from the table quickly. "Are we going down to the stables?"

Thayet smiled and nodded. When they reached the stables, Daine bid good afternoon to Stefan Groomsman, a stable hand with wild magic, before following Thayet down the long line of stabled horses, saying hello silently to all the horses greeting her.

At the end of the aisle, Thayet stopped. "This," she told Daine, "is Prince."

A gelding, perhaps the same size as Spots, nickered softly at Daine. He was bigger than Cloud, certainly, and was a deep chestnut brown, with white socks and star.

You are like the other one, Prince said. Two-legger, yet People.

"I am People," Daine said, blowing into the gelding's nostrils to teach him her scent. "I am to work with you - wait - I am, right, Thayet?"

The queen grinned. "Your Cloud is noticeably smaller than our mounts, and when we ride south before boarding the ship to Carthak, we'll be under considerable scrutiny as a royal delegation, particularly since Jonathan and I will be present. We took the liberty of finding you a more suitable mount, and relocated Cloud to the next stall here so they could get acquainted with each other."

Cloud? Daine asked silently. What do you think of this?

The mare snorted. I won't like being apart from you, and I know I'm strong enough to take you anywhere myself, but the queen is quite correct in that I am smaller. She's right, Cloud said. Take Prince. I rather like him myself.

I like her too, Prince said. The three of us will get along.

Daine patted the gelding and mare on their necks. "Thank you, Thayet. They like each other, and Cloud's fine with everything."

Thayet beamed. "Lovely - now, I estimate it to be late afternoon, and in such case, I'd like to practise some archery. Coming?"

Daine shrugged. "Sure." She bid farewell to the horses, and followed the queen out of the stables.

.::.

"You didn't tell me this would be a ball meeting!" Daine fumed vehemently.

"You never really pushed the issue," Thayet said innocently.

Following archery and an early supper, Thayet had reminded Daine of the 'meeting' she had to attend, and dragged her up to Alanna's quarters.

"Now that we're all here, though at some people's expenses -" Alanna smirked. "- I expect we can start what we came here for." She shared a grin with Onua and Buri.

"What?" Daine asked, a little put out.

They all smiled, which unnerved her slightly.

"Why, to get you ready for the ball tonight," Onua said smugly, and by a mix of brute force and threats, the four women managed to convey the struggling girl to the bath in Alanna's rooms.

Twenty minutes later, with everyone much too wet for their liking, Buri wrestled a dripping Daine to a chair in the main room of Alanna's suite. Daine wrinkled her nose - she smelled like sweet oils and perfumes; some concoction had been worked throughout her hair to make that vigorously fragrant as well.

Buri clucked her tongue. "You've spent the past two days mastering your new powers of Nature, haven't you? Do us all a favour and get rid of the water, won't you?" she asked Daine.

She scowled and thought hard, and everyone's clothes were suddenly dry, as was her hair and body. "Now what?" she asked agonizingly.

"Hair time," Thayet announced.

Alanna flicked her fingers, and suddenly a dressing table with a mirror appeared in front of Daine, complete with an array of combs, pins, nets, and jewels. Daine groaned miserably as Thayet pulled and twisted her smoky brown curls, causing slight discomfort and internal emotional pain as she looked into the mirror and saw herself, wrapped only in a towel, with the queen of Tortall working mousse into her scalp. Cursed, cursed dismal balls, she thought. Dismal wasn't even a word for it. Daine sighed, resigned to her fate.

While Daine sat, undergoing what she thought was torture, the other ladies laughed, talked, had their turns in the bath, did their hair, and put on face paint. Alanna took over the intricacies of working jewels into Daine's hair when Thayet had to wash up herself.

"All done," Alanna declared, when she'd finished with Daine's hair. She snapped her fingers, and the mirror on the magical dressing table vanished, much to Daine's dislike - she'd wanted to see what she looked like, as she'd been looking down. "No peeking until after," the Lioness said firmly. "Now stick out your hands."

Daine placed her hands on the table, and Alanna stared. "I know," Daine said, "my nails are a mess."

"Nothing that can't be fixed, dear," Alanna said brightly. "Look here."

Daine blinked, and missed whatever the Lioness had done. But when she looked again, she was awed. Her hands were free of grit, and her nails had somehow grown a quarter of an inch, painted glossily clear, and filed to perfect, ladylike shapes. "What did you do?" she asked Alanna, awed.

Alanna paid no attention, and rummaged in one of the dressing table drawers for something. "Here we go," she said when she found it. "Hand cream - have some." She unscrewed the lid of a jar and held it out to Daine, who took some and rubbed it into her skin doubtfully.

Abruptly, her hands began to tingle. She raised her eyebrows wonderingly. "What's it doing?" Daine asked.

Alanna smiled. "Feel your palms and fingertips now."

Daine complied, and found something extraordinary - all her calluses had softened, and on closer observation, she saw that her hands resembled those of a court lady.

"The roughness will come back tomorrow, of course," Alanna told her, "but if you keep using it, it'll go away. I doubt you want that though, being the working girl you are."

Daine nodded hurriedly. "It's nice to have pretty hands for court functions - thank you, Alanna," she said gratefully.

Thayet came rushing back in a flurry of distress. "Daine," she pleaded, "I've gotten the dress I'm going to wear wet - I don't suppose you could dry it?" She held out a mass of soaking gold fabric.

Smiling, Daine evaporated the water, leaving the dress dry.

"Thank you so much," Thayet burst, and bustled away.

"What a beautiful young lady we have here!" Onua exclaimed. She was the first of all to finish preparing for the ball, and was lovely in a deep maroon.

"And isn't she?" Buri added, beaming. She was ready too, in scarlet. It occurred to Daine that she looked very pretty - perhaps Raoul wouldn't dread the ball so much once he'd seen her.

Alanna headed off to change as Thayet returned, dressed in gold, with a gown of sky blue draped over her arm. Daine noted that it was only slightly darker than the horrendous creation she'd tried on a few days ago.

"This is your dress, Daine," Thayet said grandly, and handed the garment to her.

"Go on," Alanna said as she returned in lavender. "My bedchamber's right over there; you can use it to change."

Daine nodded and went into the room. She stripped and donned the blue dress, pulling it up. Complex messes of laces at the front and back were too much for her, so she took her clothes and went back to the other ladies, requesting help. Alanna deftly did up the back while Thayet worked on the front, and between them, they finished in a minute. Daine thanked them and tried to pull the bodice of the gown up higher, as she hadn't put it on properly, to discover that, as a matter of fact, was as high as the gown went, and shrieked.

"Oh gods, no, I am not wearing this!" Daine yelped.

Daine really couldn't see much of a difference between this dress and the other one. They were both strapless with daring low necklines, but this one had sparkly beads and embroidery at the hem of the skirts, laces on the bodice, and even more complicated designs that must have tied someone's fingers in knots. Damn whoever made this dress, she thought furiously.

"Daine, you look lovely," Onua said. "You are wearing it." She held the silver and sapphire necklace and bracelets that went with the other dress in her hands; she stepped over to Daine and fastened them around her neck and wrists.

"Agreed," Buri said firmly.

"I don't see you four wearing anything like this!" Daine said, outraged.

"I don't see how that matters," Alanna said loftily, her eyes dancing. She waved at Daine's face, magically accenting her features with face paint, and smiled agreeably. Then she frowned. "You haven't got any earrings." Suddenly, sapphire drops appeared in her hand, and she put them through Daine's ears, satisfied.

"Monstrous court lady attire," Daine grumbled.

"We were all set on the other blue one," Thayet explained, "but Numair had already seen you wearing it, much to our disappointment. So we picked this one - and you'll wear it of course." She looked at Daine and grinned.

Daine sunk down into a spare chair, her skirts flouncing. "Alright, you win," she said, a tad huffily.

"Oh Daine, you saw the way Numair looked at you when he came in, don't you remember?" Thayet reminded her slyly.

"Is this for him?" Daine asked resentfully.

Onua shrugged. "Don't see why not," she said.

The door crashed open and closed again, alarming the group. A sky blue blur streaked across the ground and hopped into Daine's lap. Kitten was looking very bright and earnest, and she pressed her snout against her guardian's cheek in cheerful greeting, chattering happily. Surprised, Daine hugged the dragonet tightly - Kitten had been a little indignant as of late, and the show of affection was welcome.

"No, no!" Buri said wildly, and dragged Kitten off of Daine. "Look now, you'll get her hair and dress all roughed up." She gestured at stray locks of Daine's hair and a slight wrinkle in her skirts.

Kitten hopped to the ground from Buri's arms, unimpressed, and rolled her eyes. She trilled imperiously, and the misplaced curls wound themselves back into their places while wrinkles disappeared.

"Isn't that remarkable," Alanna said, smiling. "You're welcome to stay here whenever you like, Kitten, what with talent like that."

Kitten chirped happily and nodded as a bell rang, its sound echoing throughout the palace.

"Already?" Thayet exclaimed. "I've got to find Jonathan. Wait - Daine, look at yourself before I go; I want to know what you think."

Alanna flicked her fingers and a full length mirror appeared out of thin air. Daine stepped over to it and peered at herself, shocked. She was lovely - she was beautiful. Her hair was done up in a twist, curls left out artfully and dangling about her head. Rouge made her cheekbones prominent, and her lips were stained a rosy pink. Her eyes had been emphasized with colour, and her gown, though revealing, was incredibly elegant - Daine had to admit it. Her jaw dropped open, and she couldn't find words to say.

"You don't have to say anything," Thayet reassured her. "You look divine. I'll see you all later, then," she said quickly, and dashed out of the room, hoisting her skirts a little higher so she could run.

"You forgot your slippers," Buri said mockingly, and presented a little blue pair to Daine, who traded them for her boots.

"Thank you," Daine said finally, when she was finished with the footwear. "It's splendid."

"We know," Onua said, and laughed. "You don't have to thank us."

Kitten chortled from the floor and chirruped gaily before whistling the door open so she could leave.

"Well, now we wait," Alanna said, and flopped down into a chair herself. Buri and Onua sat down in chairs of their own. The lady knight waved nonchalantly and the dressing table and mirror disappeared.

"For what?" Daine asked.

Buri and Onua snorted. "Dates," Buri explained.

"Oh, right," Daine said, and laughed at her folly.

A loud bang sounded at the door after a few minutes of idle chatter. "Must be them," Onua said, as another giant peal of a bell rang throughout the building. "Oh look, the ball's started already - Jonathan and Thayet already entered. Pity." She rose and opened the door, to reveal four distressed men, elegant in doublets and hose.

"We've been looking for you everywhere!" Baron George of Pirate's Swoop exploded. "I come all the way from the barony and leave the children to find my wife, only I can't." He opened his mouth to say more, but gaped at his wife instead as the four women rose from their seats. "You look - enchanting, m'lady. And lass, look at ye!" he exclaimed, looking at Daine.

"Yes, yes, look at 'ye'," Numair breathed. He rushed in and took Daine's hand, raising it to his lips as she blushed charmingly. "You're gorgeous," he told her, heat in his voice and eyes as he leaned in and kissed her cheek. "And you smell good," he added, laughing with Daine.

Daine curtseyed and took the offered arm as Buri took Raoul's and surprisingly, Onua took Harailt of Aili's, dean of the royal university. George had already swept Alanna out of the room, and the others followed them, closing the door. Numair pulled Daine back for a moment and kissed her swiftly in the hall, hands roaming over her back, left bare by the dress.

"You know," he said, gasping when they separated, "we don't have to go to the damn ball if you don't want to."

Daine, too, had other ideas on her mind, but they were unacceptable. "No, we have to," she reminded him reluctantly. "Remember, it will look bad if we aren't present, as we are part of the delegation."

Numair sighed. "Right," he said. "Did I get any of that stuff from you on me?"

Daine giggled - his lips had turned a little pink. He performed a scouring charm that efficiently washed it away, and offered her his arm once more as they made their way down to the ballroom. The herald looked at them and nodded curtly before opening the doors.

"Master Numair Salmalín and Lady Veralidaine Sarrasri!" he announced as they entered.

The ballroom was full of dancing couples; the current dance was that of a Gallan waltz. Daine held her skirts out, as was proper, and caught Thayet's eye, smiling. She was at the front of the room, greeting people as she was the queen of Tortall, and waved back, winking.

Numair and Daine walked around the room, arm in arm, greeting those present whom they knew. Daine was pleasantly surprised to see Maura of Dunlath, come out all this way to attend the ball. When they'd finished talking, a slow piece from Tusaine began, and Numair bowed.

"A dance, my sweet?" he asked Daine.

"Why, Numair," Daine said sweetly, "with all the air of a gentleman, such that you're normally lacking, how could I say no?" She took his hand and they walked out to the dance floor.

"Scoff not, fair maiden," Numair said, drawing her close and placing his hand just so on her waist. "I've already won your heart, and that is no small feat." He smiled his special smile at her, one that she knew was reserved solely for her and no other. His eyes were full of love, and as she smiled back, her heart throbbed with longing for him.

"True," she said softly, "but I let you win."

They danced a few more times, until Daine tired, the wretched slippers taking their toll on her feet. She hobbled to the side of the room and sat in a plush velvet chair, sighing with relief.

"Are you alright?" Numair asked concernedly.

"I'll be fine," Daine said good-naturedly.

"Master Salmalín? It is Master Salmalín!" The owner of the ringing, feminine, flirtatious voice came into view.

"Yolande of Storm Hill!" Numair exclaimed delightedly. "How are you, my dear - it's been ever so long." They exchanged kisses on cheeks familiarly.

"And hasn't it!" Yolande agreed. She was buxom, blonde, and pretty, but aloofness marred her features. "I want you to meet somebody, Numair!"

Numair met Daine's eyes for a moment, and she waved him off. He followed Yolande to a group of young women, who heralded his arrival by smiling, batting their eyelashes, and touching him with well placed hands.

It made Daine sick to look at them. He's mine, she thought fiercely, mine. No, another side of her said, it's protocol for him to be entertaining guests, and you shouldn't be so jealous like that. You aren't married, after all.

Marriage. The word struck harshly as she stared at it in her mind. Married - what would that be like? Numair, her love, her husband. Husband. That sounded so alien, so unfamiliar and of worlds yet unfound. She watched the way he was grinning and talking, the look in his eyes so alive. Those women were university-educated, as Daine never was, beautiful, and on Numair's standard of intelligent talk. They were older, more mature - Daine felt like a child suddenly, a child out of place in an adult's sphere of dominance.

"Veralidaine Sarrasri."

Daine turned and looked at the woman who had seated herself in the chair across from her at the table at which she was sitting. She was young, only slightly older than Daine, but her soft blue eyes seemed to hold wisdom and infinite knowledge. Her waist-length, perfectly straight hair was pale blonde and left down, a jewelled band holding it back from her face, and she was dressed in a simple, yet elegant gown in a very light pink. Her visage was alabaster, fair and serene; she had high cheekbones and looked to Daine to be angelic - she was pretty, but in an unearthly, individualistic way.

"Have we met?" Daine enquired politely.

"No," the woman said, "we have not. I am Lisette of Whitecross, from the northern reaches of Tortall." She spoke Common with a faint accent and with an aristocratic turn of the tongue that bespoke her nobility, her formal speech rising and falling in cadences.

"Pleased to meet your acquaintance," Daine said graciously, nodding in acknowledgement. "I am Veralidaine Sarrasri - though you already knew that."

Lisette smiled faintly then, but not enough to ruin her composure. "My mother came from a village not far from Snowsdale, you know."

"Snowsdale? How did you know I would recognize the name?" Daine was surprised.

Lisette tilted her head slightly. "I am a seer," she said simply, "not only of the future, but of the past as well." That explained the knowing look she had. Daine's eyes widened as she went on. "I see also into the minds of others; some are easier than most to read. You are troubled."

Daine nodded. "That's fair wonderful, the gift you have," she remarked.

"Gift sometimes it may not be," Lisette said quietly. "There are some things one would rather not know, of which knowledge then becomes forced."

"I understand," Daine said gently, "and I'm sorry."

"One must not be sorry for what one cannot help. But I wish to help you, Veralidaine," Lisette offered.

"Please, just Daine."

"Daine, then. I feel I can help you - I feel also your emotions."

"What emotions?"

"The mage." Lisette looked in Numair's general direction. "You love him, but you are uncertain as to whether he loves you or not. Fourteen years is a wide breach, and you are unsure. Look at how they fawn now, you think, those court ladies. I am a child. They are women. Is that not correct?" It was more of a challenge than a question.

Daine nodded mutely. "Easy to read seems like an understatement."

"Hardly," Lisette protested. "That is the only thing I can see. It is at the forefront of your mind; it is the one thing you think about. That is why I can see it - it called to me, from the other side of the room, your soul in distress. If you wish, I offer you his thoughts."

"His thoughts?" Daine murmured. Dear gods - what she would give to hear what he thought. But did she want to know how much he loved the court ladies?

Lisette stretched a hand out across the table. "I also offer you my companionship," she said softly. "My mother died also by the hands of raiders on an afternoon ride we shared, shielding my body from arrows as I escaped, and I too never knew my father. He ran away with another woman. No one knew him for who he was, as he was secluded, aside from the fact that he was the master of Whitecross; following my mother's death when I was seven, I was raised by my brother. Like the wolf Silver, you and I are of kin. You live in a world of men and women, all with their own problems. But we are close of age; you are eighteen, and I but one year older. Let me help you," she urged.

Daine looked at Lisette with new understanding. She spoke with wisdom - what awful things had she seen in her life, by reading the lives of others? Looking into her eyes, Daine saw compassion and true caring, and knew at once that her intentions were pure.

"Thank you, Lisette." Daine smiled. "It means a lot." She paused, not quite ready to talk about her offer for help yet, and saw understanding of her reluctance in the seer's eyes. "So, what brings you down here?" Daine asked amiably.

The two of them talked for perhaps twenty minutes as old friends; Daine introduced Lisette to Numair when he returned. She spent the rest of the night alternately dancing with Numair and talking with Lisette and other friends who dropped by when she was tired, or when he'd gotten pulled away yet again.

It was nearing the end of the night when Yolande returned, taking Numair by the hand and leading him away. Daine rolled her eyes; Lisette emerged from the crowd immediately, having read Daine's mind and knowing that Numair had gone.

"Lise, I don't understand," Daine said, annoyed, using the nickname that she'd been asked to use.

"Daine, you're fussing over nothing, I really do tell you," Lise assured her. "He's upset at having been pulled away so many times, and the one thing he keeps thinking about is the kiss you two shared before the ball." She smiled slyly, and Daine blushed.

"Well - if you say so - thanks, Lise," Daine said, laughing.

Suddenly, Lise's brow furrowed, and Numair returned, looking flustered. She took her leave, looking worried, and melted into the crowd of people. Daine wondered at her newfound friend's behaviour, but thought not to ask about it.

Soon, the night was drawing to a close - thankfully, Daine thought; Jonathan was announcing the last dance and dedicating it to the well-being of the delegation whilst in Carthak. Numair and Daine, already on the floor, changed their tempo from the last gigue to the current, stately allemande. When it was over, guests began filtering out of the ballroom, laughing merrily and probably high on spirits.

Daine and Numair were two of the last people to leave, saying goodbye to their acquaintances and having words with the king and the queen.

"Daine, I hadn't had a chance to tell you earlier, being bogged down with all those fluffed up court popinjays who have the delusion of thinking that having a word with me must be the world's highest honour, or I would've. My dear, you look lovely." Jonathan bowed grandly, flashing Daine his perfect smile with his straight, white teeth and his lovely sapphire eyes. Not for the first time did Daine catch herself thinking that the king was an exceedingly handsome man - but he wasn't really anything compared to Numair.

"Thank you, sire," Daine said, dipping a graceful curtsy, "but really, you must compliment your wife. She arranged all this finery, and I certainly didn't deserve it."

"Nonsense," Thayet said, smiling kindly. "We'll repeat the process in Carthak, don't you worry."

"Yes, nonsense, it suits you quite well," Numair said pointedly, putting an arm about her slender waist.

"Your Majesties!" a voice called from a throng of people. A young man in ridiculously bright attire came rushing towards the monarchs, his pimply face bright and happy for this fortunate opportunity. "Your Majesties," he gushed again, as Daine and Numair cautiously backed away from the vicinity of the man - boy, really.

They walked close together, hand in hand, as they left the ballroom, and bumped into Lise. Daine promised to meet her the next day out in the city for lunch, and they said good night. The corridors leading back to their rooms were, for the most part, deserted, as Daine and Numair had loitered after most of those who lived in the palace had left. Tired, they went straight to bed, though Numair had to undo the laces on the back of Daine's dress as she couldn't do it herself. Her hair was a mess of gelled and twisted curls; Kitten did her a favour by croaking the gel out of hair and pins out of knots. Daine merely had time to don one of Numair's shirts and remove her jewellery before she fell into bed, exhausted. Her feet ached sorely, and her eyes fluttered shut almost immediately.

Numair had simply thrown off his top and crumpled into bed. He pulled Daine to him as she fell in too, and kissed her once before she fell asleep. Slumber didn't come too easily to him - he had a lot on his mind from the ball, and he couldn't stop thinking about how lovely Daine had looked. Finally, he felt his eyes closing.

"Goddess bless you, magelet," he whispered against her hair, before he sank into oblivion.

.::.

Lise couldn't believe it. She'd sifted through Daine's thoughts countless times, and she hadn't found a trace of knowledge.

Hadn't the girl seen all the men looking at her?

There'd been so many ardent young suitors staring at Daine throughout the entire ball, and as Lise had noticed, as many of their eyes had been fixated at her face as those whose eyes were not. She sighed unhappily. It was her life's work to help people through any kind of emotional trauma, and from what she'd seen, these two might not last a trip to Carthak. There were older women going after the man, and young, passionate men chasing after the girl. Lise knew Numair had seen it - it was probably the fact that the girl was with a black robe mage that none had dared to approach her. She also knew that a certain emperor was heavy on Numair's mind - Kaddar. Another one of Daine's admirers?

And Numair - Yolande had kissed him the last time they'd gone off together; they'd walked out on one of the balconies for air, and she'd done it. Lise had gone through Yolande's mind, and she'd seen danger there - the woman and Numair shared a history, but Lise hadn't been able to see it, as it was buried deep beneath many other thoughts. What she had seen had frightened her - there was obsession in Yolande's mind, and a strong hatred of a young woman with smoky brown curls and blue-grey eyes. If only she knew what had happened.

Lise promised herself that she'd try to help Daine, and that meant going to Carthak. They were very much alike, from their stubborn streaks to the favour they both had from the gods. Satisfied with her decision, Lise settled herself more comfortably in the saddle and continued the ride back to the inn where she was staying.

.::.

Spice: Good luck with your exams! And I hope this was soon enough - I've got so much homework too! Thanks for your support (:

6-a opal: Glad you like it, and that's true, but I wanted something light- hearted. Thank you!

Anigym: Thanks! Hope this was worth it.

a_lady_who's_sure: Thank you (: And about mush, don't you just love Daine and Numair? I do - :D

Martini: Okay, now! LoL I hope this was soon enough (:

ryt: The next Tammy? Are you kidding :P Thank you for your flattery, LoL, and I hope you liked this chapter.

TamoraFan: Thanks for waiting! Hope you liked it.

Thank you to all my reviewers, and to the rest of you, please tell me what you think! Next chapter's Carthaki soil, finally - I think I'm a little longwinded 'cause this chapter was quite long (: Thanks for reading guys!