Daine woke to the sound of soft knocking. She opened her eyes and gazed blearily around. It was still dark; much too early to be due anywhere.
She lay still; perhaps she had imagined it. About to drift off once again, she heard the quiet, yet unmistakeable sound of someone tapping on her door.
She groaned into the pillow, and then raised her protesting body from her soft bed to answer. She shivered with the sudden cold and grabbed a shawl to wrap around her bare shoulders.
Daine weaved her way around Kitten who was sprawled out on the richly tapestried rug; the dragonet had eaten something or other which had not agreed with her and had been staying put in Daines rooms with a terrible belly-ache and Zek for company. Daine smiled to see the two of them curled together.
Upon hearing her feet padding across to answer their taps, the knocker had remained silent, waiting.
Reaching the thick oak door Daine asked softly, "Who is it?"
The reply met her ears, "It's Numair."
Daine unlocked the door and stepped back as the dark figure of her teacher entered.
He looked… funny.
Daine frowned at him; it had suddenly occurred to her something bad may have happened to have him showing up at her room at night.
He had done this sort of thing before. If they had to skip out in the night Numair would often leave her un-awares until the last minute to make all look as if it were normal to others.
"Is anything wrong?" She asked worriedly, searching his shadowy face, "has something happened?"
"No", he answered, clearing his throat.
The girl frowned, why did he sound so strange?
"I just had to talk to you," he continued, studying her face.
She glared up at him in annoyance; "It couldn't have waited until morning?" she spoke pointedly.
"No." He stepped into the room and again Daine felt another surge of… wrongness about him.
Dismissing it she walked back to the bad and sat, legs curled beneath her to keep off the cold. Lighting a candle for both of them to see by, she placed it on her bedside shelf.
"Well you've woken me, you may as well say what you came to," she told him crossly. She knew she was being rude but couldn't stop the words. She was tired and still wasn't feeling her usual self.
He closed the door then followed her slowly to the bad and sat, looking at her. She yawned and looked back, meeting his gaze squarely.
His eyes shifted, but they weren't his eyes. They held nothing of his personality. "Have you been drinking?" she asked him, unsettled by his unusualness. "You seem different."
He glanced at her, startled. "No," he answered quickly, "I'm sorry if I seem strange. I've been thinking"
"About what?" Daine asked, eyes on him.
Ignoring her question, he leaned slightly against the bedpost and studied her room with interest while absently stroked her blue silken bed sheets with a large hand.
"Do you like it here?" he asked abruptly.
Daine shivered and wrapped her shawl tighter about her body. Considering his question she wrinkled her small nose. "I like parts of Carthak I s'pose, the learning they have here is wondrous, but…," she hesitated and looked down, "no. No I don't like it. I don't like the slaves and I don't like the bowing and scraping and I don't like the secrets. I hate when I have to hide what I truly think behind some… mask."
She looked up at him, "Do you understand?"
He had gone very still. He smoothed a hand over his elegant red tunic and seemed to be thinking.
"You could learn to like it," he said softly, almost to himself.
"Numair!" Daine was out of patience, either he would tell her what he seemed to think was so important it couldn't wait for a reasonable hour, else she was going straight back to sleep, "would you please tell me what is going on?"
He snapped out of his reverie with a slight jerk of the head. His eyes trailed down and she followed his gaze. Her bare legs were goose-pimpled from the cold night air and her teacher reached out to lay his large palm against her cool skin. "You're cold," he murmured, gently moving his thumb against her flesh.
"Of course I'm cold," she grumbled, "its late. Or early," she added thoughtfully.
When he didn't remove his hand she looked up at him questioningly. Catching her look he smiled, his eyes holding an emotion unknown to her though she was held by the intensity of it.
"Numair." Her voice was soft now, pleading, "Won't you tell me what's wrong?"
She felt almost near tears though she had no idea why. "Please?" she added unsteadily.
His hand crept higher up to her trace the scar left by the raider. She winced at the contact; it was still tender.
He didn't appear to notice her discomfort and used his other hand to grip her shoulder and force her towards him.
Feeling desperate by her teachers' strangeness she allowed herself to be pulled into his embrace.
Confused, she buried her head in his neck hoping when she pulled back he would be normal again. She breathed in Numairs scent to try and comfort herself with its familiarity.
Daine froze.
She took another breath.
She knew it that scent. But it didn't belong to her teacher.
A rich scent, the scent of a wealthy man who ate and drank luxuriously. Traces of cinnamon.
Daine jerked out of Emperor Ozornes grasp and stared at him wildly. "Wha-What?" her strangled words were cut off as he grabbed her once more-violently.
Stripping the light shawl she had used for protection from the cold he exposed her in her shift. Daine, her mind cold with shock, offered him little resistance as she lay under the pressure of his hands.
Numairs hands. But not, not, Numair.
Still dazed with sickness and sleep she was not reacting with the swiftness and clarity she would have normally. Overcome, she watched him with detachment as he traced her lips with his long fingers. She twisted her face sideways to escape his touch and his fingernails scraped her cheek, drawing blood.
The sudden pain drove shock from her mind and she wrenched her body from his grasp with a sudden burst of strength and ran to the door, pausing only to hurriedly scoop Kit and Zek. She scurried into the corridor without once glancing back. Zek looked up at her sleepily, whats happening?
Not now, she answered him harshly.
Kitten hadn't stirred. "Drugged?" the girl wondered, appalled. She examined the dragonet carefully as she continued to move, afraid to stop.
Had this whole thing been planned?
Daine shuddered with horror.
She slowed, where was she? She recognised a hanging print of a unicorn and stopped to get her bearings.
Where could she go? She clutched Kitten to her chest for the comfort of her warmth as Zek climbed supportively on her shoulder.
The Storkman?, he suggested, peering worriedly in her face. He is always helpful.
Daine buried her head in Kittens soft flank.
Numair? But… Coming to her senses she nodded decisively. You're right, she told Zek. Numair.
She stared down the corridor to her left, her bare feet slapping the marble flooring and causing a slight echo in the deserted space about her.
Daine glanced around nervously and felt the blood trickle from her cut down her rounded cheek. She wiped at it savagely and shivered with cold and fright.
Stopping at Numairs door she hesitated a split second- it was hard to get the memory of him forcing himself on her out of her mind- then knocked.
No answer.
She knocked again, harder, and thinking she heard a noise behind her, whispered frantically, "Numair it's me please, please let me in."
There was a bang as the large Mage tumbled out of bed then the door was quickly jerked open and Numair, the real Numair, stood there in his nightshirt, frowning sleepily out at her. "Daine? Is something the matter?"
She pushed past him and stood shivering. "Shut the door," she begged, and put the unconscious kitten on his disrupted bed.
He did so. Flicking his fingers black, sparkling magic spilled forth to cover the entire room to shield them from sound and sight.
Finished he stood and looked at her grimly. "You're bleeding." He reached out to blot her cut but she started away from him and wrapped both arms around herself in protection.
Seeing how little she wore he picked his cloak up from a chair where it had been flung and offered it to her, his face unreadable. She hesitated; then accepted it.
"Sit down," he told her gently and did so himself. After a moment she followed suit and sat on his bed, away from the chair where he himself sat.
He studied her gravely and after a moment of silence asked, "Do you want to tell me what happened?"
She quivered. No, no she didn't. How could she? How could she even begin to try and describe what had happened? It was…
She took a deep breath and tried to get herself under control. He had to be told.
Sensing her inner struggle, Numair had remained silent trying not to conceive his own explanations as to her appearance. His rage simmered beneath his skin, he would not succumb to it until he was sure he had cause.
Daine started, trying to sound as if she were over her fright and shock, "I… I heard a knock at my door and the person said they were you. So I opened it and it looked like you so I let them in. First you… they I mean, said they wanted to talk to me about something or other but when we sat down to talk- he-uh."
Daine broke off, red and bright-eyed with emotion. She didn't want to look at Numair; she didn't want to see his reaction to her news, or her stupidity. She heard him release a quick breath. Afraid he would interrupt her and she wouldn't have the courage to go on, she forced herself to continue. "I sort of knew something was wrong, I thought you might have been drunk and that's why you were acting strange, but then y… he started to… touch me and I realized who it was and I ran away." She swallowed hard. "It was Emperor Ozorne. I smelled him see when he hugged me. He smells a fair bit, it's hard to ignore."
She tried to give a weak smile, and failed. She glanced up at him and quaked at his expression.
His eyes squeezed shut and his lips pressed together so hard they were white Numair forced himself under control. Upon hearing the very news he had feared his reaction was sudden and violent but he got himself in check and opened his eyes to study his student.
Daine drew breath at the fury she saw snapping in his eyes.
She looked shaken, rightly so, but did not appear to have any other injuries beside her cheek.
"Numair, I'm sorry," she choked out, "I should have known it wasn't you from the start, I didn't…" A tear finally escaped and trickled down her face to merge with her bloody cut.
Numair stood and walking over to Daine, grasped her hands and knelt before her. Forcing her to meet his eyes he said intently, "Daine, Ozorne is an accomplished, experienced Mage whose very trade involves tricking and intimidating. Many people older and more aware of his… gifts have been fooled by him; you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for magelet. Nothing at all. Alright?" Daine nodded, and trembling whispered, "Thank-you Numair,"
"Don't thank me," the Mage said roughly, running an aggravated hand through his black mane.
"I wasn't there and I should have been. Graveyard Hag I knew he was planning something and I should have been preparing you for something like this."
Daine shook her head in incredulity. "You can't watch over me every second Numair. I usually can handle things myself, this time though I was just confused and I was still feeling sick and-" she stopped- this was too much like making excuses for her taste. She just felt tired. And sad. Against her resolve she sniffed and lowered her head.
Numair squeezed her hands gently and when she didn't flinch or pull away he embraced her, arms enveloping her trembling body and she leaned her head on his chest. Feeling his heart pound angrily she would have felt sorry for this Emperor any other day. Not today. Now she was mad.
Numair pulled away and squeezed her hands one last time before taking a seat beside her- not too close- on the bed. "Well, one thing's for certain; you and me magelet are not staying here one second longer."
Daine looked at him in shock, "But, what of the Peace-talks? And the treaty- we need the treaty signed! Numair we can't just leave here knowing we might be causing a war."
Zek chattered angrily in agreement, War is fighting and noise, he scolded Daine, I do not wish to see more war.
Me neither, she told him. He calmed at her words and allowed himself to be gently stroked, nuzzling into her hair.
She shuddered at the thought of going home and having everyone know peace-talks failed due to her. Countless humans and animals would die during war; she would not be responsible for starting one.
Numair, guessing her thoughts, said firmly, "Daine, listen to me, this is important. If our sudden departure causes problems with the treaty, it is Ozornes entire fault. He attacked you using a magical aid to delude you into believing him someone you knew and trusted. Our leaving is the very least course of action I am happy to take; while here I can't do anything that will not jeopardise our mission. I will inform the others of his actions and they will act in the manner they think best suits the situation. I, however, am not allowing you to stay another minute in this country."
Daine- too tired to argue with such logic- hung her head and caught a glimmer of a scale. Kitten! "He drugged Kitten!" she told Numair angrily. "Look at her! She just wont wake-up."
Numair frowned and bent to examine the small figure, "You shouldn't jump to conclusions based on such little evidence," the reasonable words habitually came out his mouth before he snapped it shut. Having known Ozornes disposition as long as he had Daines rash conclusions, this time, could almost definitely be merited.
"Is there a thing the weak-willed, power-hungry coward of a snake would not reduce himself too?" Numair hissed in fury.
He felt a hesitant hand on his arm and he sighed regretfully. "I'm sorry Daine; this whole business just makes me sick. That he would go to such lengths, that he would hurt the one person- but enough! Don't worry; I have the very counter-active property to cure our Kitten." He reached for his carry-belt, then on the realization he was in his nightclothes, rummaged on the floor until he found it. Producing a deep purple vile he carefully eased the cork out and tipped a little of the contents onto a handkerchief and held it before Kittens snout. Her rhythmical breath caught a whiff of the odour and she sneezed and looked up, trilling her anger. Seeing Daine and Numair, she stopped. Chirping questioningly, she waddled over to Daine, who picked her up and gave her a cuddle, explaining what had happened.
Daine looked up to see Numair produce another vile and tip a little onto a fresh handkerchief. "What's that for?" She asked curiously.
He answered by walking over to her and pressing the soaked handkerchief firmly, but gently, onto her slit cheek. "This may sting a little," he warned.
Daine smothered a yelp as the liquid bit into her hurt, making it worse, and then it lessened, and then stopped completely.
He removed the handkerchief and used a clean section of it to wipe the dirt and dry tears from his students face.
He held it to her nose "Blow."
Daine managed a weak grin at his foolishness, and then obeyed.
He smoothed curls from her face with both hands, "Good girl." He sighed, and slapping his knees rose.
After that things moved so fast all Daine could do was sit and watch.
Kitten and Zek eyed Numairs actions warily, not pleased with the way both humans were acting.
Are you still unwell? Zek asked her anxiously.
Daine shook her head. Not unwell exactly, she answered silently, watching Numairs speaking spells to first Duke Gareth the Elder, then the younger, then Alanna.
Just… scared. She admitted finally with a sigh. I'm scared of what the others are going to say.
Zek patted her head with his small hand, I will protect you. His small voice shook and Daine bit down a grin.
Thankyou Zek, that's very kind. I hope it won't be necessary though. She swallowed. I hope.
Kitten moved under Daines arm and chirped comfortingly. Daine, feeling better to be surrounded by such good friends, calmed.
Numair, having contacted the others and was waiting for them to arrive, paced pack and forth his dark face a frown.
He stopped as he realized he was making Daine and her companions nervous.
"Numair," Daine swallowed hard, "what will we be telling them exactly?" She fiddled nervously with his robe still wound tight around her, "Must I tell them the whole thing or will you?"
Numair sat on his chair again. "I'm afraid they must be told the whole story sweet, but I can tell them if it makes you uncomfortable."
Daine nodded gratefully.
"Is there any other thing he said to you that you can remember?" Numair asked suddenly, leaning forward towards her. "Anything at all? It may hold some significance to his intended plans."
Daine nodded-what he said made sense- and tried to remember. "He... he asked me whether I liked it here or not and I said I didn't," Daine blushed, realizing she had insulted the Emperors kingdom to his face without even realizing, "Then he said I could if I tried, or I could learn to, something like that." She rubbed her face, "I'm sorry, that's all I can remember. He didn't say much."
Numairs swarthy face was brooding. "I see…" He smiled at her, "Don't worry, even he probably realized the folly in giving too much of himself away to you."
His face turned stormy once again.
Someone banged on the door; Daine and Numair both started at the sudden sound. Numair rose to open the door and Alanna came storming in with both Gareths close behind. Confronted with the sight of Daine sitting, pale faced, on the bed hugging to her Kitten and Zek she paused, brow furrowing. "What's going on," she demanded, taking a seat beside Daine and looking her over. "All Numair said was to get here quick."
Duke Gareth the elder seated himself in Numairs vacated chair. His son leaned heavily on the wall, dark eyes sharply taking in his surroundings.
"It would be nice to be informed of the news which has dragged us out of our beds in the dead of the night," The mild voice came from Duke Gareth from his seat.
Numair concealed the room once again, "I intend to do so, Your Grace. Believe me; I would not have called you here unless I believed it to be crucial." He spoke quietly.
He seated himself on the other side of Daine and Alanna looked at him sharply. "Well do so then," she said with awful patience.
He continued to relay the story Daine told him, voice carefully clad in iron restraint, as Daine blushed red and studied her bare toes, trying to block out his words.
A stunned silence greeted his story. "You mean to tell me," Gareth the Younger spoke slowly, obviously digesting the news, "The Emperor would throw away the opportunity of peace and risk war, to bed the Wildmage?"
Daines' blush worsened at his words and she drew in a wobbly breath, afraid to look up and meet his face.
Kitten chirped with anger at his tone as two protective arms slung about her shoulders; Nuamir and Alanna both glared at Gareths tactlessness.
"That is exactly what I am saying," Numairs anger started to seep through on his words, "and my student and me shall not remain here one night longer. We leave as soon as I can arrange it."
Duke Gareth the Elder had not spoken throughout this transaction; now he sat up straight and the rooms occupants all looked at him.
"Understandably, both you and your student are upset by what has happened. But, forgive me Daine, how can you be sure it was the Emperor himself who pulled this piece of trickery?" Daine opened her mouth to explain but the Duke held him hand up to stop her.
"I understand Numair tells us that you recognised the Emperors scent, but that is hardly concrete evidence, my dear. Could not have someone worn his Imperial Majesties cologne to try and fool you? It's not enough to act as a breach on the peace-records. If leaving causes offence, we will go to war alone. The other Empires won't fight knowing our only evidence of mal-practice is a scent recognised by a girl who was recently wounded." The Duke sighed remorsefully, his eyes troubled as they rested on Daine. "I am very sorry to have to doubt you this way Daine. Understand it's my job to bring peace to the realm. At any lengths."
Daine nodded, face down once again. "I understand," she whispered, tears stinging her eyes.
Resentment burned through her at his words, she was positive it was the Emperor. She wouldn't have said so otherwise!
Another part of her accepted the news; stop being a baby! She told herself fiercely, you're nothing in the grander scheme.
A large arm, Numairs, which still rested about her shoulders, went tight with anger.
Alanna's arm drew back and she rubbed her face tiredly. "Gods, I would have done anything for this not to have happened." She spoke emotionally. "It's far too complicated. I want Daine safe, but to fight a war against Carthak alone would destroy us." She rose and began to pace.
Numair finally spoke, "If I were to tell you the Emperor had his claws into Daine from the moment we arrived here, would that change anything? That he's been following her, he went to her rooms when she was sick and if I hadn't happened along, Gods know what would have happened. Your Grace, you heard him speak at the Peace-meetings- he wants her to stay here, you don't know him as I do. Once he wants something he won't ever leave her alone-" He broke off, breathing hard with anger.
He began again, softer, "I won't have you telling my student that she will be responsible for the outcome of the Peace-talks. I'm sorry to cause distress but I won't be persuaded otherwise on this matter. We will depart for Tortall, as I have said, as soon as it can be arranged."
Daine thought hard, her brain reeling with all this information. She reached a decision. "Numair," she said firmly, fingers winding into and tugging his nightshirt sleeve, "I'm staying. Until all this is sorted, I'm staying."
He looked at her sharply, "You are not. Don't you understand that you are in danger here? There is nothing to sort; both you and I know it was Ozorne and with that knowledge I shall not allow you to remain here."
Daine gave a small sigh. He was going to be stubborn. "Numair see it from my point of view. The Emperor wouldn't dare try anything now. I'll not step foot from Carthak 'til we have the treaty signed."
She held his angry gaze until he broke the tense silence, "Absolutely not. I won't allow it. You can't presume to know what Ozorne will do now; failing will just have incited him to try harder." His hands wound round each other in his aggravation. He stared her in the eyes; his own were shadowed. He drew a deep breath, "I can and will force you to come if I have to."
Daine looked him in the face. Knowing his threats came from worry for her safety she did not hold them against him. "Maybe you could," she agreed, "maybe you couldn't. But if you tried you'd be just as bad as he is." He refused to meet her gaze.
"You don't understand what you're doing," he spoke softly, fiercely. "You can't see what folly this is. I am positive the Emperor has no interest whatsoever in these peace-talks. He cares nothing for their outcome. If you remain, so do I. I will die before you're harmed but Daine just think. This cannot end happily or peacefully."
Daine listened soberly to his words. Part of her- a big part- wanted to give in and be out of this god-forsaken place by tomorrow.
A greater part of her had to make sure that her home would be safe to go to. What's the point of leaving if I have no home to go back to? Daine thought miserably, chewing a curl from her thick head of hair. Alanna's right; war with this place would finish us. She remembered the army she had witnessed her first day here and shuddered.
"We have to try Numair," Daine whispered forcefully, "We can't leave now without trying."
"We have tried," The mage snapped, "He exploited your help. He betrayed all our trust."
"You never trusted him," Daine pointed out.
"With good reason as it turns out! Gods Daine how can you be so stubborn! For once in your life listen to reason, for my sake if not yours."
Their eyes locked one long moment. Numair let his held breath out in one long whoosh.
"Fine. Have it your way. From now on you sleep in a cot in my room and you do not, do not, leave my sight. Agreed?" Numair simmered with wrath and Alanna, Gareth the Elder and Younger chose to remain silent.
"Yessir." Daine wondered what the strict and gossipy Carthakis' would think of their new sleeping arrangements. She gave a mental shrug; not her problem.
Alanna seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Daine because she spoke up hesitantly "Numair, are you sure it's such a good idea, Daine sleeping in here? You know what these people are like."
Numair glared at her, "Under the circumstances, I think it's an excellent idea. Would you rather Daine was left alone to be harmed once again?" At the anger in his words Alannas' mouth snapped shut.
Daine looked at him in surprise; she had never seen him behave in this way before. Kitten trilled alarm at his tone and Zek had buried himself in Daines curls.
Numair paused a moment, looking at them, then sighed in aggravation. He raised his large body from his position next to Daine and leaned into the wall, brooding.
Gareth the Younger had surveyed the entire scene with silent scrutiny, brown eyes giving away nothing.
The chair creaked as his father raised himself wearily. "Now that's settled, I am going to return to bed." His eyes lingered on Daine and he added softly, "Do take care of yourself Daine, listen to Master Numair carefully whilst we remain here. I did not say that I thought there to be nothing… unsettling in his Imperial Majesties attitude towards you. I'm afraid, in other circumstances, I would have agreed entirely with your teacher and whisked you back home. But…" He raised his hands as a sign of defeat.
Daine did her best to smile at him, despite his lack of faith in her. "You need not explain yourself to me, Your Grace. I understand how important this treaty is."
He nodded to her, eyes still troubled and left through the door.
Daine looked up to see Gareth appraising her thoughtfully, then with a glance at Numair and Alanna left silently after his father.
Alanna gave a small groan and flopped back onto the bed. Numair remained standing, viewing them mutely.
"I'll stay with you two tonight," Alanna informed them, "then tomorrow let's see if we can't find a more suitable arrangement that leaves everyone happy.
I'd hate if Daine was the target of mean gossip while we're here."
She looked across at Daine. The exhausted girl was curled around Kitten and Zek, fast asleep.
"Poor thing," Alanna murmured, running a hand over the girls' hair. "She really has a time of it doesn't she?"
Numair moved from the wall to sit in the chair, sighing heavily. "She certainly does," the mage said quietly. "She has a knack for drawing trouble unequalled to anyone I've known."
Alanna grinned at him wickedly, "Beside your own large self, of course."
She looked at him, properly, for the first time tonight and softened her tone, "Daines a smart girl, Numair. You needn't worry so much about her. Trust her to do the right thing."
Nuamir raised his face from his hands and stared at her in disbelief, "How can you say that? How can I not worry, now that I know what Ozorne had, has, intended for her?" He raked his hair back from his weary face in frustration. "Despite Daines intelligence, she is still young and innocent. Ozorne mistakes her innocence for stupidity and that is what has foiled him up to now. He underestimates her. However the longer we stay here, the longer he has the opportunity to learn her weaknesses and exploit them." His voice cracked, "How can I not worry?"
Alanna had been looking at him gravely, now she leant alongside Daine until she was lying with an elbow propping her face up towards him. "You love Daine, the Emperor can see that Nuamir. He's not a fool. He can see she is your weak spot. You have to learn to control yourself around him; don't listen to his jibes about your intentions towards Daine! I know, Daine knows, anybody who knows you well knows that you would never abuse your relationship with her."
"I know" the mage said tiredly, "The things he says are just so… But you're right. I've heard it all before. He always did know the very things that would get under my skin,' Numair smiled crookedly. He yawned hugely.
"You look as tired as I feel," Alanna informed him dryly. "Let's try to get some sleep, shall we? Gods know we need all our wits about us from now on."
Numair nodded assent. "Do you still wish to stay here?"
Alanna snorted, "I would have thought living here so long you would be more aware of these issues. You can't act as you would normally toward Daine, seeing her in private, let alone sleeping with her in private; you may as well shout "scandal" from the rooftops. I think our girls got enough attention on her already."
Alanna darkened with anger. "I almost hope this Emperor does something wrong just so I can teach him a lesson."
"I know the feeling."
Alanna looked over at him. "I can sleep up here with Daine if you can fit onto the sleeping pad."
Numair pulled the spare pad from underneath the bed and laid it out on the floor. "I'll fit," he said tiredly and lay down.
Alanna threw a spare blanket down to him and he stretched out, wrapping it around him.
Alanna tucked another blanket around Daine, Kit and Zek, and then lay down herself, after blowing the candlelight out.
Soon Numair could hear her rhythmical breath along with that of Daine. He himself lay awake hours after she slept, staring unseeingly at the ceiling.