I'm BACK!!! I type Soooooo slowly so don't expect anything too fast. I do have a bunch of chappies written though and I have some sort of an idea where this is headed…
Live with me if the grammar or spelling is horrible! English is NOT my first language and I started writing it properly like 3-4 years ago!
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Disclaimer: see prologue
Chapter 1: Discoveries
On the morning of Midsummer's eve, Daine woke up at dawn as usual. Beside her she felt a warmth that she had grown accustomed to over the past two years. She turned to see her lover, Numair, still sound asleep. Without making a sound, she slid out of bed and pulled on a plain white shirt and tan breeches. She then, just as quietly, walked out of the room she and Numair shared and made her way to the stables.
As she walked to visit her faithful pony, she thought about her and Numair's relationship. Over the past years, they had come to know each other much better, became better friends and used that friendship as the foundation onto which they built a strong and sturdy relationship. They were as close as two people could get. Both knew the all of the other's faults and qualities though they didn't really mind or obsess about the flaws that much.
Daine smiled at that thought. She knew that Numair would never be that neat (the pilled scrolls and books in their rooms proved that much) and he would always be the most curious person she knew. Once, he had obsessed about one particular spell for a full week, a week during which Daine could hardly get him to eat and sleep, let alone relax and go one with their life together. Sometimes, she thought, he can be a fair busy and obsessed mage but he was her busy and obsessed mage, just as she would always be his magelet.
Just then she made a discovery that both frightened and excited her. She stopped walking and, after a moment more, she ran all the rest of the way to Cloud's stall.
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"Cloud!" Daine yelled aloud to get the pony's attention. Cloud stuck her head out of the stall in a movement that suggested that she was not in the best mood for this talk.
'What!' she answered in the most annoyed tone Daine had ever heard her use.
'I really need to tell this to someone and you were the first one I thought of and…' said a flustered girl, in one breath.
'Need to tell me… ?' the pony said questioningly.
'I just found out that I love Numair,' replied Dine.
'You've been telling me that for the past TWO YEARS!' cried a now even more annoyed pony.
'No! I mean I love him enough to take the next step!'
'Which would be what? Have a foal or bed him?' asked a now very confused and annoyed pony. That was a mix of emotions Daine didn't encounter very of the, to her great relief.
'No!' cried a now very red and extremely embarrassed Daine.
She blushed even at that thought. Though Numair had agreed to let her share his quarters, not that he had ever had any doubts about that, he had never bedded her. She knew that he wanted their relationship to be considered honorable, not that it had ever been that way because of the age difference and their former relationship as student and teacher. He also wanted to spare her from the petty court gossip. He didn't want the entire court to think that he was using her or treating her like another court lady. Daine was much too precious to him for that kind of treatment.
'I was going to say that I… um… love him differently now…'
'You mean that you ONLY want to bed him?' asked a very persistent and sly pony.
"NO!" screamed Daine aloud and with magic.
At her cry, Stefan, the elderly stable hand fell from the lofts only to land on a bail of hey and be inspected by his many adored horses.
'Sorry,' Daine squeaked. Stephan nodded and scurried back up to the lofts.
'Cloud!' said Daine in a exasperated tone, 'I wanted to say…'
'That you love the stork-man and you want to bed him.'
'NO! That I love him enough to spend the rest of my life with him. I want to marry Numair,' Daine said, becoming a little shy at her big revelation.
'And you want to have foals too and be happy…'
'Yes, that's exactly it!'
'Then you really do want to bed him!' exclaimed Cloud. She was very proud that all along she had been right.
'Yes… No… I don't know… All I'm sure of right now is that I want to be his forever!'
'Is that all you came to tell me? That you love the stork-man and that you want to bed him?' asked Cloud. She was annoyed, proud and all together obnoxious.
Daine knew that Cloud would never understand the bond that she and Numair shared, but she did know that her pony was only asking these rather embarrassing questions to look out for her. They had been through so much together that Cloud was starting to act like her Ma and not as her horse. That thought made her smile.
'Thinking about bedding your stork-man?' asked Cloud stubbornly. Daine couldn't take these comments any longer. Even with her good intentions, her questions and comments were really getting fair annoying.
Daine ran out of the stables, turned the corner and hid behind a bush. There she shifted into a golden eagle and took fight. She really needed to be alone with her thoughts right now so that she could at least get them straightened out. When the bell rang to announce supper, Daine returned to where she had left her cloths, feeling a lot more confident and much more relaxed after her flight.
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She started running towards her rooms, but turned back to the stables at the last minute. She knew that she had to apologize to Cloud, no matter how much the satisfied look the pony would give her would bother her.
She ran straight to Cloud's stall and blurted out aloud and with her magic, "I'm sorry for running away Cloud."
The pony's answer surprised her more then anything else. 'I'm sorry for teasing you about your stork-man. I just want you to be happy and if being with him does that, then I hope that you'll always be with him,' answered Cloud. Though she did look satisfied, her dominating expression was one of concern rather then pride.
Daine, after a moment of indecision, hugged her pony quickly and, after a short explanation about dinner, left towards the Rider's barracks.
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Daine arrived late and grabbed a plate full of food since she hadn't eaten all that day and was ravenous. She sat beside Onua, hoping Numair would not arrive just yet though anxious about seeing him for the first time after making her big discovery. She really wanted to talk to her first Tortallan friend first and ask her for some advice.
"Onua, umm… I need some advice… It's about Numair and..." At that very moment, Numair entered the building, filled his plate quickly and carelessly and went to join Daine.
"I'll speak to you in my rooms after dinner," Onua whispered to Daine just as Numair was sitting down on the other side of her. She then shot a glare at Numair. It hit Daine that Onua believed that she and Numair had had a fight or that Numair had done something to offend Daine. "It's something good. He didn't do anything wrong." Onua was clearly relieved by Daine's statement. She had been thinking that Numair had hurt her friend and she was very happy that he had done nothing to upset her.
Numair sat down and glared at Daine.
"Where were you all day? You missed breakfast and lunch. You had me worried and I was looking for you and…"Numair ranted, clearly relieved to see Daine but upset at the same time.
Daine interrupted him with a soft kiss. Numair relaxed instantly, but his eyes still seemed to demand an explanation.
"I have to talk to you later Numair," said Daine. Seeing the uncomfortable look on his face she quickly whispered "I love you" in his ear and ate her meal.
Once Onua was done her meal also, both women grabbed their trays and brought them to the kitchen. Daine followed Onua to her room and watched as the K'mir closed the door and turned to watch her.
"So, what is this big news? I hope that it's not bad… no, you already said that it wasn't…" Onua strayed off in thought.
"I love Numair," said Daine while shredding a stray piece of parchment. "I love him with all my heart"
At this the Wildmage looked her friend in the eye and stopped destroying the paper. "I… I discovered something today… something fair shocking… I…"
"Daine, just tell me. I'm your friend remember. You can tell me anything," Onua said encouragingly.
"All right! I… You remember I said that Numair proposed after the Immortals War?" Onua nodded. "Well, I'm going to accept. Tonight. I'm ready to spend my whole life with him and… I love him!" She yelled with her last ounce of courage.
Onua jumped up and hugged her. She was overjoyed and why shouldn't she be? Her two best friends, who were head over heals in love with each other, were going to get married.
"Congratulations Daine! I'm so happy," said the K'mir, still giving Daine a bear hug.
"What I wanted to ask advice on was how to tell him. I wanted to ask Cloud but…" Then Daine became a bright shade of crimson and looked down. Onua laughed at the girl's reaction and hugged her again.
"Just tell him is all the advice that I can give you1 He'll be so happy. He's been waiting for your answer for two years Daine!" answered Onua before pushing her into the corridor and said a quick "good luck" before sending her on her way.
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Sorry it took Soooooo long!
I'll try to get the other chappy up faster but I have a ringette tournament, 3 tests, 4 projects and I can't stop reading "The Wizard's First Rule". They should put a Highly Addictive label on that thing!
I'd just like to thank all of my reviewers too! Especially Numair's Angel – Thanks for the advice!