Presently, she vied to pin her unruly smoky brown curls into a knot at the back of her neck. Done, she sighed. One last check in the mirror told her she was presentable, and she was out the door of the room she shared with the mage Numair Salmalin in his tower near Pirate's Swoop, home of Sir Alanna the Lioness.
"Ready, magelet?" called Numair, her teacher, friend, and lover openly for nearly two years now. The girl raced down the spiral staircase, out the door, and ran smack-dab into a brick wall. The brick wall, also known as the Lioness, stepped back and offered a hand up.
"Yes, I'm ready. Thank you Alanna."
"No problem, Daine. You're just lucky I wasn't wearing my armor." Alanna said, and chuckled. The girl called Daine laughed and looked around at her company. There was Numair, Alanna, and George, Alanna's husband - baron of Pirate's Swoop. All four people's presence was requested by King Jonathan himself by way of two messengers from the Queen's Riders; the messengers were mounted on their horses and ready to ride. Daine whistled and a small, grey, mare raced towards her, already saddled.
"Hey Cloud!" Daine greeted her pony and buried her face in Cloud's long, soft mane. Numair mounted his patient gelding, Spots, and motioned for the rest of his company to do the same.
"Lets hurry here, Jon wanted us on the double. He wants us to be present at the moment the company from Galla arrives." said Numair, throwing a sympathetic look at Daine, who was visibly shaking. Numair trotted over to her and put a hand on her quivering shoulder.
"Numair, I can't face them." said Daine. A chirp emerged from one of the bags attatched to her saddle. A young dragon's head emerged from under the flap of the bag and chirped again, blue slit-pupiled eyes narrowed in concern. "I'm okay Kitten. It's just… well… I don't know what I'm afraid of exactly."
"Daine, you know fair well that I wouldn't let them touch a hair on your head. C'mon! Give us some more credit! You've got King Jon, Alanna," Numair said, tossing his head towards the lady knight; she bowed in her saddle, "she definitely wouldn't let them touch you. Not to mention me and the rest of the country, your animal friends, Cloud, your wolf pack…" Numair ticked Daine's defenders off on his fingers. Daine leaned over and playfully pushed the mage. Numair, seeing that he had cheered up his young friend and companion, smiled and rode to the front to talk with Alanna and George who were following the messengers, which left Daine bringing up the rear alone.
Listen to the stork-man, said Cloud. He is right, you are silly to be worried over nothing. You should relax, you are so tense I'm afraid you might break.
With that, she loosened her grip on Cloud's reins and saddle. Cloud was right of course, her wonderful horse sense speaking to her once again.
The ride was a long one. It was at least three day's ride on horseback from Pirate's Swoop to Corus, the capital city, and that was if you were rushing. Camping wasn't a problem however, every person in the company chipped in more than his or her share. When they finally arrived at the city gates of Corus, all riders were covered with dust from the road and exhausted – not the best way to greet visiting nobility. Daine sighed when she saw her beloved adopted home; she loved it there, it was good to be home.
"We all feel that way, magelet." said Numair, who was glad to be back in the service of the King. He and Daine had been on leave granted to them by the king for six months. Most people hoped there'd be a wedding taking place over that six months, but nothing happened. Daine just wasn't ready yet, and was eternally greatful for Numair's bottomless reserve of patience. Daine smiled and rode to the front, leading the way into the city.
"Onua!" yelled an excited Daine as she jumped off Cloud to greet her closest friend with a great bear hug. The K'mir lifted Daine off her feet, being just as excited to see her and the rest of the company. "I missed you so much!"
"Oh I missed you too!" said Onua. She let go of Daine and proceeded to greet Numair, Alanna, and George in the same fashion. She gave the messengers a sincere good-work salute. "Now get to the stable both of you and care for your mounts and tack. I want to see my face shining in each of your saddles." said Onua with a smile to the messengers. They smiled back and left for the stables, intending to do just that.
"Is the company here yet? Are we on time? Jon said we had five days…" said Numair worriedly. Alanna came and clapped him on the back so hard he nearly fell over.
"Haha! Watch it Numair, someone not as well meaning I might do that same thing one day. Don't fret you worrywart, I'm sure we're perfectly on time. Aren't we?" she asked Onua, or anyone who might know.
"You are." said a warm, baritone voice from behind the travelers. Alanna whirled around – it was Jon. She hugged her beloved king fiercely. Jon returned Alanna's hug with as much ferocity and proceeded to greet the rest of the party. "The Gallan officials will be arriving at noon tomorrow." Jon informed everyone. "We've been planning a banquet dinner to greet them and you all have no idea how glad I am that you're on time." With that, the grungy, exhausted party went to their rooms to clean up and unpack.