Erik led Daine on to the dance floor and swept her up in another of the light Gallan waltzes that was being played special for the evening. It wasn't long before Erik started up a conversation. Is there a time when he is not talking, she thought, when can a girl find a little lapse in the conversation? Daine thought she might as well listen, since she noted that his dancing skills were considerably in need of work.
"So I notice that your professor friend is talking with Master Ahern. I don't know about your fellow, but old Ahern is quite loquacious if you know what I mean. They'll be talking for the rest of the night unless there's a fire." said Erik. This confirmed Daine's fears; she sighed and decided to let him keep talking, she didn't feel like talking back.
"Those professor types are all the same, eh? I mean they're so stiff and boring; can you imagine trying to talk about something interesting while one of them is around?" said Erik. Daine could feel her face getting hot. She militantly steered Erik towards the wall while trying to appear as normal and natural as possible. Erik yelped in pain because Daine was steering him so harshly.
"OK, listen bucko," demanded Daine shaking a finger at him, "first of all, Numair is a scholar and a book learned gentleman - not my 'professor friend'. Second of all, intellectuals are only boring to those who are too ignorant to understand what they're talking about. And third of all," Daine was almost shouting now, "that stiff, boring, professor type is my fiancé!" Daine turned on her heel and stormed off right across the dance floor. She noted with satisfaction that Erik's beautiful face was twisted into a mask of disbelief, embarrassment, and shame.
Daine schlepped almost unconsciously through the maze of corridors to the rooms she shared with Numair and spread herself out on their bed. After about five minutes she flopped over onto her back and stared at the ceiling for about five minutes more. She heard the door to the main room open and shut gently, almost inaudibly. She decided it was a shame she wasn't more sensitive since tears would be a useful tool in making Numair feel bad for his ill treatment of her. Shame on you, she thought to herself, I've been spending way too much time with the ladies at court.
"Hullo, Daine…are you here?" It was Numair. Daine weighed her options and decided not to answer. "Daine, I know you're in here. You're being fair silly." said Numair as he made his way into his library and finally into their bedroom. "I found you. Now where's my prize?" Numair smiled mischievously at Daine. Daine was sickened at this disgusting display of insensitivity and rolled over, turning her back to him. "Daine, what's wrong? That boy Erik from the Gallan company just came over and apologized to me." said Numair. Daine jumped from the bed and screamed through her teeth.
"Oh he apologized to you. I see, he apologized to you. I suppose you're wondering why he apologized to you. In fact, I'm wondering why he apologized to you. Now why do you suppose he apologized to you when it should have been me he was apologizing to if he in fact decided to apologize to anyone at all!" said Daine in a frenzy.
"Um, Daine, I just want to know why he apologized in the first place."
"Ha! In the first place… the first place… he wants to know… ha ha ha! Oh like you don't know! Don't tell me you can't even fathom a guess!" Daine said fiercely and then collapsed on the bed in a fit of hysterics. Numair hesitated and then went to her side, enveloping her in a gentle hug. She craned her neck to look up at him and her weak laughter turned to hysterical sobs. Numair looked puzzled, but pulled her in closer as she buried her face in his shirt. All Numair could think to do was soothe Daine until she was calm enough to explain things a bit more clearly. Numair sat with Daine for upwards of a half hour before she pulled away from him and sat cross legged on the bed.
"Numair, you're right. I am being silly." said Daine finally. "I just needed a good cry, that's all."
"Oh, well then. Alright. Are you ready now to tell me why that Gallan lad apologized to me?" Daine sniffed at the fact that Erik had apologized to Numair and had not bothered to seek her out.
"Oh, well, it's nothing really. Just a misunderstanding is all. I don't really want to talk about it." said Daine scuffing her feet. She was ashamed that she couldn't confide in Numair whom after all, was her closest confidant. She resolved to talk to someone at least, she needed to get her feelings off her back.
"Is that all? Hrmm, all right then, are you ready for bed?" asked Numair. Daine remembered that she had heard the night watchman call out the twelfth hour and realized that it was quite late. She decided she'd seek someone in the morning; right now she needed sleep.
"Yes'm." said Daine. The moment her head hit the pillow was the moment she fell into deep, dreamless sleep.
* Author's Note: I LOVE Daine and Numair - just to let that be known. They are my favourite couple and I love, love, love them to bits! Anyway, don't lose faith with me just yet, story's have to develop a plot line you know.