Always and Forever
By: Midnight Maiden
(Disclaimer: T.P. owns all characters.)
Daine had spent the entire day trying to figure out how a silly, magic less girl like Kel could possibly be the one person the entire country's plans were based on. Without an army to back her up, what could she possibly do, and in that situation wouldn't it be better to use Alanna, or another more experienced knight? It wasn't that she didn't like Kel -- she really did-- it just really didn't make any sense to her. What could one person do alone?
Even Daine herself had needed help with everything she'd done. She certainly hadn't taken out Ozorne's entire empire alone. She'd needed the help of the previously deceased and the living to accomplish that. Kel didn't even have any kind of gift and wasn't God-chosen. Daine was both and they were telling her to leave something this huge in the hands of someone so much less competent?
Maybe she was just jealous. She had left. She couldn't possibly come back and expect to be the center of the kingdom again, or not have been replaced. Not everyone was like Numair, not everyone could be. The kingdom had to move forward with or without her. As much as she now wished that she hadn't left there was nothing she could do about it.
Frustrated to a degree of complete exhaustion she finally gave it up. The only thing she could do now was take the matter up with the king and see what he wanted her to do for him. Even if Kel had the battles of the war taken care of, Daine and her friends were still very useful for spying. Not to mention sabotage. If she could she would see to it that no camp in the border ever saw peace. A state of panic would sweep their camps as they wondered why the animals around them were suddenly mad.
Deep in thought she didn't even notice Numair sneak up behind her. When he tapped her shoulder lightly, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Quickly, he tried to coax her; sorry that he had scared her, even though there was nothing he could've done about it. She tried to get him to stop apologizing and only achieved this after she had explained over and over that she was perfectly fine.
Kissing him lightly she explained to him that she needed to visit the King and discuss the war with him. Intentionally, she skipped away from Numair quickly. The faster she got there, the less time he would have to stop her. Getting to his war chambers took no time at all and because of the current situation that's where she figured he'd be. Lightly she knocked on the door until she heard him call her in.
He was sitting at the massive council table alone, surrounded by papers and maps. He seemed to have hit a wall. His proud face was dull and his figure gaunt. Guilt once again consumed her as she saw what she had run from. She should've been helping her country, not running around in the wilderness of Penscott. "Can I help you with something Daine?" He asked, looking up from hid work.
She nodded, standing on the far side of the table. "Yes actually." He motioned for her to sit and she did so gladly. "I would like to offer my services to the country, Your Majesty."
He looked at her harder, one eyebrow raised. "Well, I assumed they always were, I just thought I'd give you some time to settle in."
She shook her head. "I feel like there is no time, sir. I'm getting restless just sitting around and as much as I love Numair's company I need something else to do. I would like to take myself and a small army of creatures inside of Scanra." She hadn't really thought about what she'd wanted to do, it had just kind of popped into her head. And why not, it would be fun.
"I'm sorry Daine, but I can't let you do that. You need to stay here were it's safe. Send your friends and have them report back. Sending you into the center of the battle would be like sending me. There is just too much risk and too much to lose."
Her heart sank. She was going to be stuck in the capital forever. She couldn't even escape to a summer home or fief because she didn't have one. Didn't anyone see? She needed to get out. "I know sir, but I can live in my animal form for as long as I choose, I would just never switch back. They can't possibly kill every animal in the area; food is low there anyway. I swear if I run into any kind of trouble, I will be sure to inform an ally and receive help. I have done far more dangerous things before. Need I remind you of the immortals war?" Daine felt her desperateness getting the better of her, but she couldn't help it. This was ridiculous.
The king sighed. She hoped that was a sign that he had seen her reasoning. "Daine, I'll tell you what. Let me have a night to sleep on it and I will get back to you before noon tomorrow. Does that work for you?"
"That would be wonderful. Thank you so much," she said graciously and left the King to his own more serious problems. Soon, hopefully, she would be out of the country, and doing something with a purpose. She did wish she could take Numair, but she knew she couldn't if she wanted to leave. He was just too big and tall. There was no disguising him as an animal without draining all of his strength. She just hoped he wouldn't be too upset when she got the okay tomorrow.
Numair walked in as she was packing a pair of small saddlebags. "Going somewhere?" He asked casually. Daine was glad to see that the fear that his eyes had shown the first time he thought she was leaving him was not there. He seemed assured that she would not abandon him again.
"Yes, actually." She was considering how to phrase what he said in order to keep a fight from following. "I believe that I will be going to Scanra with a small army." It must have sounded ridiculous she realized, but she had to go and he must've at least guessed that she would try.
"And me?" He asked, forcing his voice to speak as if it didn't matter either way. She knew him better than that.
Daine walked over and grabbed his hands, swinging them playfully. "I'm sorry Numair, but I have to go alone." It would be strange; she'd never been on a journey without Numair by her side. She didn't want to think about what could've happened on several occasions if she had.
He pulled his hands from hers and placed them on her cheeks, cupping her face delicately. "I understand," he said quietly. A small gold locket appeared around his wrist and she toyed with it sub consciously. "I will always know where you are and I will always be there if you need someone."
She smiled. "I already knew that."
(Author's note: Well, there you have it, I have finally updated. I owe a huge thank you to CrAzYhOrSeGiRl88, who got me what I needed to continue this story. As you can see it is going in a new direction and the fluffiness is going to decrease momentarily. However, I feel that a story that is all fluff gets boring far too easily. Thanks for reading and please leave a review!!!!!!!!!!)
By: Midnight Maiden
(Disclaimer: T.P. owns all characters.)
Daine had spent the entire day trying to figure out how a silly, magic less girl like Kel could possibly be the one person the entire country's plans were based on. Without an army to back her up, what could she possibly do, and in that situation wouldn't it be better to use Alanna, or another more experienced knight? It wasn't that she didn't like Kel -- she really did-- it just really didn't make any sense to her. What could one person do alone?
Even Daine herself had needed help with everything she'd done. She certainly hadn't taken out Ozorne's entire empire alone. She'd needed the help of the previously deceased and the living to accomplish that. Kel didn't even have any kind of gift and wasn't God-chosen. Daine was both and they were telling her to leave something this huge in the hands of someone so much less competent?
Maybe she was just jealous. She had left. She couldn't possibly come back and expect to be the center of the kingdom again, or not have been replaced. Not everyone was like Numair, not everyone could be. The kingdom had to move forward with or without her. As much as she now wished that she hadn't left there was nothing she could do about it.
Frustrated to a degree of complete exhaustion she finally gave it up. The only thing she could do now was take the matter up with the king and see what he wanted her to do for him. Even if Kel had the battles of the war taken care of, Daine and her friends were still very useful for spying. Not to mention sabotage. If she could she would see to it that no camp in the border ever saw peace. A state of panic would sweep their camps as they wondered why the animals around them were suddenly mad.
Deep in thought she didn't even notice Numair sneak up behind her. When he tapped her shoulder lightly, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Quickly, he tried to coax her; sorry that he had scared her, even though there was nothing he could've done about it. She tried to get him to stop apologizing and only achieved this after she had explained over and over that she was perfectly fine.
Kissing him lightly she explained to him that she needed to visit the King and discuss the war with him. Intentionally, she skipped away from Numair quickly. The faster she got there, the less time he would have to stop her. Getting to his war chambers took no time at all and because of the current situation that's where she figured he'd be. Lightly she knocked on the door until she heard him call her in.
He was sitting at the massive council table alone, surrounded by papers and maps. He seemed to have hit a wall. His proud face was dull and his figure gaunt. Guilt once again consumed her as she saw what she had run from. She should've been helping her country, not running around in the wilderness of Penscott. "Can I help you with something Daine?" He asked, looking up from hid work.
She nodded, standing on the far side of the table. "Yes actually." He motioned for her to sit and she did so gladly. "I would like to offer my services to the country, Your Majesty."
He looked at her harder, one eyebrow raised. "Well, I assumed they always were, I just thought I'd give you some time to settle in."
She shook her head. "I feel like there is no time, sir. I'm getting restless just sitting around and as much as I love Numair's company I need something else to do. I would like to take myself and a small army of creatures inside of Scanra." She hadn't really thought about what she'd wanted to do, it had just kind of popped into her head. And why not, it would be fun.
"I'm sorry Daine, but I can't let you do that. You need to stay here were it's safe. Send your friends and have them report back. Sending you into the center of the battle would be like sending me. There is just too much risk and too much to lose."
Her heart sank. She was going to be stuck in the capital forever. She couldn't even escape to a summer home or fief because she didn't have one. Didn't anyone see? She needed to get out. "I know sir, but I can live in my animal form for as long as I choose, I would just never switch back. They can't possibly kill every animal in the area; food is low there anyway. I swear if I run into any kind of trouble, I will be sure to inform an ally and receive help. I have done far more dangerous things before. Need I remind you of the immortals war?" Daine felt her desperateness getting the better of her, but she couldn't help it. This was ridiculous.
The king sighed. She hoped that was a sign that he had seen her reasoning. "Daine, I'll tell you what. Let me have a night to sleep on it and I will get back to you before noon tomorrow. Does that work for you?"
"That would be wonderful. Thank you so much," she said graciously and left the King to his own more serious problems. Soon, hopefully, she would be out of the country, and doing something with a purpose. She did wish she could take Numair, but she knew she couldn't if she wanted to leave. He was just too big and tall. There was no disguising him as an animal without draining all of his strength. She just hoped he wouldn't be too upset when she got the okay tomorrow.
Numair walked in as she was packing a pair of small saddlebags. "Going somewhere?" He asked casually. Daine was glad to see that the fear that his eyes had shown the first time he thought she was leaving him was not there. He seemed assured that she would not abandon him again.
"Yes, actually." She was considering how to phrase what he said in order to keep a fight from following. "I believe that I will be going to Scanra with a small army." It must have sounded ridiculous she realized, but she had to go and he must've at least guessed that she would try.
"And me?" He asked, forcing his voice to speak as if it didn't matter either way. She knew him better than that.
Daine walked over and grabbed his hands, swinging them playfully. "I'm sorry Numair, but I have to go alone." It would be strange; she'd never been on a journey without Numair by her side. She didn't want to think about what could've happened on several occasions if she had.
He pulled his hands from hers and placed them on her cheeks, cupping her face delicately. "I understand," he said quietly. A small gold locket appeared around his wrist and she toyed with it sub consciously. "I will always know where you are and I will always be there if you need someone."
She smiled. "I already knew that."
(Author's note: Well, there you have it, I have finally updated. I owe a huge thank you to CrAzYhOrSeGiRl88, who got me what I needed to continue this story. As you can see it is going in a new direction and the fluffiness is going to decrease momentarily. However, I feel that a story that is all fluff gets boring far too easily. Thanks for reading and please leave a review!!!!!!!!!!)