Hey hey, I'm back! I have tried to write this chapter a few times, and only now am I satisfied with it enough to put it up. It's still not exactly what I wanted, but it's alright I guess... oh yes, I decided to try something new, so this chapter is written slightly differently.
Thanks to all of my reviewers who haven't yet lost faith in me, even though I take forever and a half to update!
Chapter Nine: Daine and the Duke
It was evening and Daine was exhausted.
After a demonstration and hours of talking with Alanna, Daine should have gone to bed...but she was glad she hadn't. There had been an interesting course of events after talking with Alanna.
Alanna had just been saying how she should take her leave, when Numair and George had burst in.
George had apparently become worried when Alanna didn't return and had gone to seek her out after it had been awhile.
As he was making his way stealthily towards Daine and Numair's rooms, a returning Numair happened across him.
As George pressed his ear against the door, Numair came running up, trying to tell him what had happened, to save a whole lot more explaining.
George saw Numair and began to slip into the room, Numair tearing after him and almost bowling him over.
It did end up taking a lot more explanations, but eventually everything was sorted out. George was satisfied that Alanna was safe and that Daine and Numair hated Duke Roger as much as everyone else that could see through him.
As the talking ended and minds turned to climbing into beds, Alanna, Daine, and Numair decided to accompany the "old man" with mischevious hazel eyes, and un-old-man-like cat agility who had suddenly appeared next to them in the place of George back to the city.
The walk to the gates was an uneventful one and George returned to the Dancing Dove with a full mind and many things to do on the morrow.
Alanna, Daine, Numair even made it back to the palace before trouble came.
On later consideration, some would say it was Daine being God-born that attracted it, some would say that it was the Duke's conniving mind, and still others would say it was a mere coincidence, but in the home stretch, Daine ran into trouble.
Alanna had bade the couple good night and trotted back to her rooms, not wanting to be late, for curfew and Jonathan.
No sooner had she left than a page ran up to Numair and told him that the king wished to speak to him, seeing how he was so powerful.
A few brief suspicions crossed his mind, but he did not voice them. After giving Daine a meaningful look Numair left witht he page and Daine was all alone.
Something told Daine in the back of her mind that she should hurry back to her rooms.
But before she could make another move, the last person she wanted to meet came over to her.
The Duke asked Daine if she wouldn't mind giving a demonstration to his class the next day, since he taught maic to the students.
Daine was just about to open her mouth with a firm 'No thank you, I'm busy tomorrow,' when three things came over her, in succession.
The first was a sleepy feeling and a feeling that she must say 'yes, I'd be delighted' to the Duke.
The cause of this was the jewel the Duke was fiddling with.
The next was a clambering from the animals that she must not say yes and must shake herself out of this. The animals could sense through Daine what was going on and did not like it.
The third and final was from Daine herself. Something deep inside her telling her she should tell the Duke yes, but only under her conditions.
"That could be an interesting demonstration, but only if my animals and Numair could come with me." Was what Daine ended up telling the Duke, and she could tell the voice deep inside her was pleased.
Now the Duke was shocked and a bit of fear of Daine and her power began to creep over him.
He had expected her to say what she told him to say, but instead she had broken free and said something entirely different.
And now she was aware of what he had been trying to do and she was going to protect herself in his classroom.
After this the Duke hurried away, with some lame excuse.
And Daine was left barely breathing still alone in the hall.
She walked back to her rooms and saw Numair was already there. Apparently the page had led him on a wild goose chase.
Numair eventually corneered the boy and found he had been sent by someone before the boy fainted.
Numair had hurried back to the rooms, but had gone a way so that he had not seen the confrontation between Daine and the Duke.
When Daine had told him, Numair was furious. Knowing all too well of the magnitude of the stunt the Duke had just tried to pull.
After a few minutes of ranting Daine silenced him with a kiss. Numair went to bed with no complaints.
Yet long after Numair went to sleep, Daine lay awake thinking of all that had happened.
The major plot will come into play in the next chapter. You'll just have to be patient! :)
Thanks again to all those who reviewed, I would answer you individually, but at this point in time ff.net is down and I would like to get this chapter up as soon as the problem is fixed, so I won't take the time to answer you all. Just think though, because of it I got this chapter out slightly earlier than I would have otherwise. Take that as a show of my appreciation. Thank you everybody! You all know who you are! ;o)
Sincerely,
Daine
^ ^
- -
o
Look at the cute wolfie! Love the wolfie! Place unnecessary adoration on the wolfie...I said place it!!! ;)
Hee hee, I'm a little too hyper!
Thanks to all of my reviewers who haven't yet lost faith in me, even though I take forever and a half to update!
Chapter Nine: Daine and the Duke
It was evening and Daine was exhausted.
After a demonstration and hours of talking with Alanna, Daine should have gone to bed...but she was glad she hadn't. There had been an interesting course of events after talking with Alanna.
Alanna had just been saying how she should take her leave, when Numair and George had burst in.
George had apparently become worried when Alanna didn't return and had gone to seek her out after it had been awhile.
As he was making his way stealthily towards Daine and Numair's rooms, a returning Numair happened across him.
As George pressed his ear against the door, Numair came running up, trying to tell him what had happened, to save a whole lot more explaining.
George saw Numair and began to slip into the room, Numair tearing after him and almost bowling him over.
It did end up taking a lot more explanations, but eventually everything was sorted out. George was satisfied that Alanna was safe and that Daine and Numair hated Duke Roger as much as everyone else that could see through him.
As the talking ended and minds turned to climbing into beds, Alanna, Daine, and Numair decided to accompany the "old man" with mischevious hazel eyes, and un-old-man-like cat agility who had suddenly appeared next to them in the place of George back to the city.
The walk to the gates was an uneventful one and George returned to the Dancing Dove with a full mind and many things to do on the morrow.
Alanna, Daine, Numair even made it back to the palace before trouble came.
On later consideration, some would say it was Daine being God-born that attracted it, some would say that it was the Duke's conniving mind, and still others would say it was a mere coincidence, but in the home stretch, Daine ran into trouble.
Alanna had bade the couple good night and trotted back to her rooms, not wanting to be late, for curfew and Jonathan.
No sooner had she left than a page ran up to Numair and told him that the king wished to speak to him, seeing how he was so powerful.
A few brief suspicions crossed his mind, but he did not voice them. After giving Daine a meaningful look Numair left witht he page and Daine was all alone.
Something told Daine in the back of her mind that she should hurry back to her rooms.
But before she could make another move, the last person she wanted to meet came over to her.
The Duke asked Daine if she wouldn't mind giving a demonstration to his class the next day, since he taught maic to the students.
Daine was just about to open her mouth with a firm 'No thank you, I'm busy tomorrow,' when three things came over her, in succession.
The first was a sleepy feeling and a feeling that she must say 'yes, I'd be delighted' to the Duke.
The cause of this was the jewel the Duke was fiddling with.
The next was a clambering from the animals that she must not say yes and must shake herself out of this. The animals could sense through Daine what was going on and did not like it.
The third and final was from Daine herself. Something deep inside her telling her she should tell the Duke yes, but only under her conditions.
"That could be an interesting demonstration, but only if my animals and Numair could come with me." Was what Daine ended up telling the Duke, and she could tell the voice deep inside her was pleased.
Now the Duke was shocked and a bit of fear of Daine and her power began to creep over him.
He had expected her to say what she told him to say, but instead she had broken free and said something entirely different.
And now she was aware of what he had been trying to do and she was going to protect herself in his classroom.
After this the Duke hurried away, with some lame excuse.
And Daine was left barely breathing still alone in the hall.
She walked back to her rooms and saw Numair was already there. Apparently the page had led him on a wild goose chase.
Numair eventually corneered the boy and found he had been sent by someone before the boy fainted.
Numair had hurried back to the rooms, but had gone a way so that he had not seen the confrontation between Daine and the Duke.
When Daine had told him, Numair was furious. Knowing all too well of the magnitude of the stunt the Duke had just tried to pull.
After a few minutes of ranting Daine silenced him with a kiss. Numair went to bed with no complaints.
Yet long after Numair went to sleep, Daine lay awake thinking of all that had happened.
The major plot will come into play in the next chapter. You'll just have to be patient! :)
Thanks again to all those who reviewed, I would answer you individually, but at this point in time ff.net is down and I would like to get this chapter up as soon as the problem is fixed, so I won't take the time to answer you all. Just think though, because of it I got this chapter out slightly earlier than I would have otherwise. Take that as a show of my appreciation. Thank you everybody! You all know who you are! ;o)
Sincerely,
Daine
^ ^
- -
o
Look at the cute wolfie! Love the wolfie! Place unnecessary adoration on the wolfie...I said place it!!! ;)
Hee hee, I'm a little too hyper!