Disclaimer: I don't own anything bla bla bla.
Another 2 days later.
CHAPTER 3
Daine stirred and slowly opened her eyes to a dark, starry sky. Her whole body was sore, as if she had been dragged along the ground or had been running hard. Her limbs felt heavy and her head was woozy. As she came to her senses, she felt a patch of warmth pressed close to her neck, which smelled very familiar...
Zek?
Shhh the marmoset cautioned. Don't let them hear you! There are predators here.
But Zek's warning had been too late. "Well, well, well," a gruff man's voice said. "Looks like Sleeping Beauty is awake." A form came into her line of vision-by the slight light of the stars, she could see that he was dressed like a Carthaki. A second man joined him, this one hooded, his long robe covering him entirely. This new man spoke now, his voice a surprisingly soft, musical baritone. "It had to happen sometime. Tell me, little one, how do you feel?" She didn't answer. Little one. Daine thought furiously. If only they knew what she could do.. The man laughed. "Defiant, are we? Well, we'll soon cure you of that. Oh, and don't go trying anything stupid. We have you covered. Oh yes, we know of your power," he said when he saw her doubtful expression. "That's the whole reason you're here. They wouldn't want to lose a gem like you, would they?" He laughed again. "See, you won't be able to move out of a certain area unless we're all traveling together. Try it." Daine struggled to her feet, and stood, swaying slightly. She walked two tottering steps forward and promptly bumped into something. Tentatively putting out her hand, she felt a smooth sliver of liquid-like wall. Her hand slid off it almost as soon as it made contact. The same thing happened everywhere she went, including above her head. Amused, the gruff man talked for the first time since he had called her 'Sleeping Beauty'. "We've got powerful mages here that made this 'area' immune to magical detection and most spells. Plus, nothing living except our band and you will be able to enter from outside. And if you change to make yourself bigger, it will grow with you. Nice handiwork, don't you think?" Furious, Daine could only glare at him. Both men laughed now. "One last thing," the cloaked man added. "If any of your friends try to attack us or help you, we are well armed and will stop at nothing to slay them all." Daine shook her head. She would never endanger the People that way. "Sleep now, little one," he said. "You'll need it for tommorow."
Exhausted, Daine fell to her hands and knees, then onto her stomach. Oh, Zek, what are we going to do?
I don't know, the tiny monkey answered. I don't think we can do anything. Even the two-leggers haven't come looking for you, and it sounds like the People won't be able to help. His tone was worried.
Thank you for coming with me, Daine mind-spoke.
I'll always stay with you, the monkey answered. Good night.
Good night Zek.
But if Zek fell asleep almost immediately, it took Daine much longer. As she lay, pondering what to, she threw a pebble into the inky blackness, expecting it to bounce of the 'wall'. Surprised, she saw that it fell through. Apparently only she and Zek couldn't leave the area.
Now Daine thought of Numair, and her heart ached. How she missed him! If only he could help her. But she didn't even know if he still loved her. Probably not, she thought suddenly, Since if he thinks I left because I didn't love him anymore, what reason would there be for the remnants of his love for me to stay? A tear leaked down Daine's cheek, and she brushed it away impatiently. Numair, she thought, where ever you are, I love you and I always will. Then she fell into a deep sleep.
Onua was worried about Numair. The only times the mage had come out of his rooms was to talk to Jon about that village up north, and to visit Cloud, which he had done 3 times already. He had all his food sent to him, but ate little. When she had watched him in the horse meadow, he had seemed sad, stroking Cloud's nose (who, for once, cooperated) and gazing off into space, his expression growing even sadder and more desperate. And Onua knew what bothered him. Daine. Ever since he had heard the news, Numair had grown listless. It worried Onua to see her friends so depressed. But what could she do? She knew that nothing less than Daine's coming back would be able to console him. She puzzled over the meaning of this depression. Was he just worried (which was most likely)? Or did he know something that they didn't? Or-Onua hesitated to think it and by no means took it as a fact-did he really love Daine? The Horsemistress didn't reveal her suspicions to anyone-she had seen what gossip could do to relationships -even relationships like the student/teacher one that Daine and Numair had.
What can I do? Onua thought.
Numair had spent every waking minute of the last two days thinking about Daine. It was clear to him that she didn't love him anymore, but where was she? He pined, not eating and barely sleeping. His eyes would often fill up with tears, and he would blink them back, wondering why he couldn't just accept that Daine was gone. Desperation and grief colored his days, nightmares clouded his dreams. He longed to hear Daine whisper that she loved him, to hold her, kiss her. Sometimes he just sat in front of his window and day-dreamed, recalling memories of Daine-the first time she had looked into his hawk-eyes, the trust with which she had told him and Onua her story, her eagerness to learn, and later, her eagerness to be with him. He sighed. It was getting plainer and plainer that he wouldn't get over this.
A/N: What do you think so far? Coming up: Chapter 4: The badger and the hawk.
Please R/R!!
Another 2 days later.
CHAPTER 3
Daine stirred and slowly opened her eyes to a dark, starry sky. Her whole body was sore, as if she had been dragged along the ground or had been running hard. Her limbs felt heavy and her head was woozy. As she came to her senses, she felt a patch of warmth pressed close to her neck, which smelled very familiar...
Zek?
Shhh the marmoset cautioned. Don't let them hear you! There are predators here.
But Zek's warning had been too late. "Well, well, well," a gruff man's voice said. "Looks like Sleeping Beauty is awake." A form came into her line of vision-by the slight light of the stars, she could see that he was dressed like a Carthaki. A second man joined him, this one hooded, his long robe covering him entirely. This new man spoke now, his voice a surprisingly soft, musical baritone. "It had to happen sometime. Tell me, little one, how do you feel?" She didn't answer. Little one. Daine thought furiously. If only they knew what she could do.. The man laughed. "Defiant, are we? Well, we'll soon cure you of that. Oh, and don't go trying anything stupid. We have you covered. Oh yes, we know of your power," he said when he saw her doubtful expression. "That's the whole reason you're here. They wouldn't want to lose a gem like you, would they?" He laughed again. "See, you won't be able to move out of a certain area unless we're all traveling together. Try it." Daine struggled to her feet, and stood, swaying slightly. She walked two tottering steps forward and promptly bumped into something. Tentatively putting out her hand, she felt a smooth sliver of liquid-like wall. Her hand slid off it almost as soon as it made contact. The same thing happened everywhere she went, including above her head. Amused, the gruff man talked for the first time since he had called her 'Sleeping Beauty'. "We've got powerful mages here that made this 'area' immune to magical detection and most spells. Plus, nothing living except our band and you will be able to enter from outside. And if you change to make yourself bigger, it will grow with you. Nice handiwork, don't you think?" Furious, Daine could only glare at him. Both men laughed now. "One last thing," the cloaked man added. "If any of your friends try to attack us or help you, we are well armed and will stop at nothing to slay them all." Daine shook her head. She would never endanger the People that way. "Sleep now, little one," he said. "You'll need it for tommorow."
Exhausted, Daine fell to her hands and knees, then onto her stomach. Oh, Zek, what are we going to do?
I don't know, the tiny monkey answered. I don't think we can do anything. Even the two-leggers haven't come looking for you, and it sounds like the People won't be able to help. His tone was worried.
Thank you for coming with me, Daine mind-spoke.
I'll always stay with you, the monkey answered. Good night.
Good night Zek.
But if Zek fell asleep almost immediately, it took Daine much longer. As she lay, pondering what to, she threw a pebble into the inky blackness, expecting it to bounce of the 'wall'. Surprised, she saw that it fell through. Apparently only she and Zek couldn't leave the area.
Now Daine thought of Numair, and her heart ached. How she missed him! If only he could help her. But she didn't even know if he still loved her. Probably not, she thought suddenly, Since if he thinks I left because I didn't love him anymore, what reason would there be for the remnants of his love for me to stay? A tear leaked down Daine's cheek, and she brushed it away impatiently. Numair, she thought, where ever you are, I love you and I always will. Then she fell into a deep sleep.
Onua was worried about Numair. The only times the mage had come out of his rooms was to talk to Jon about that village up north, and to visit Cloud, which he had done 3 times already. He had all his food sent to him, but ate little. When she had watched him in the horse meadow, he had seemed sad, stroking Cloud's nose (who, for once, cooperated) and gazing off into space, his expression growing even sadder and more desperate. And Onua knew what bothered him. Daine. Ever since he had heard the news, Numair had grown listless. It worried Onua to see her friends so depressed. But what could she do? She knew that nothing less than Daine's coming back would be able to console him. She puzzled over the meaning of this depression. Was he just worried (which was most likely)? Or did he know something that they didn't? Or-Onua hesitated to think it and by no means took it as a fact-did he really love Daine? The Horsemistress didn't reveal her suspicions to anyone-she had seen what gossip could do to relationships -even relationships like the student/teacher one that Daine and Numair had.
What can I do? Onua thought.
Numair had spent every waking minute of the last two days thinking about Daine. It was clear to him that she didn't love him anymore, but where was she? He pined, not eating and barely sleeping. His eyes would often fill up with tears, and he would blink them back, wondering why he couldn't just accept that Daine was gone. Desperation and grief colored his days, nightmares clouded his dreams. He longed to hear Daine whisper that she loved him, to hold her, kiss her. Sometimes he just sat in front of his window and day-dreamed, recalling memories of Daine-the first time she had looked into his hawk-eyes, the trust with which she had told him and Onua her story, her eagerness to learn, and later, her eagerness to be with him. He sighed. It was getting plainer and plainer that he wouldn't get over this.
A/N: What do you think so far? Coming up: Chapter 4: The badger and the hawk.
Please R/R!!