So here is your second helping of this story for today, and hence, after
about half way, the fluff shall commence forthwith! Let the Games begin!
Blind Souls
Numair and Alanna walked around the camp in comfortable silence, seeing no need to speak as everything of value had already been said. Numair reflected on what he had discovered the previous night when he had found Alanna and the soldiers under her command. As soon as he had arrived and transformed back into his human form from that of a black hawk, Alanna had led him to where the magic trap was being kept and she then carefully removed her shielding spell from around it.
The box had been an object of great curiosity for Numair, who upon seeing it had smiled slightly for the first time since his argument with Daine four days back. Intrigued, he had unlocked the tough-sensitive spell that guarded it with a useful albeit almost forgotten spell that he had encountered when he was going through some ancient scrolls he had found.
The trap itself, triggered by touch, consisted of a wick fuse threaded through with magic leading to a single serpent tooth, which again was shrouded in chaos magic, presumably to transform it into the giant, three- headed snake that had briefly haunted the battlefield at the end of the war. Alongside this were several dampening spells which Numair had quickly counteracted.
Now that the danger had passed and his discovery analysed with all due speed, Numair's thoughts turned again to the face that haunted his dreams, that was there with every breath, ever present in front of his eyes, both waking and sleeping. If he could just have the time to explain everything to Daine, make her understand how much he loved her . . . Yet, if all implications were correct, he did not want to waste the precious time she had left by trying to turn a mind whose decision was already set in stone.
'My own world is collapsing in order to preserve another world that cannot be saved.' The irony of the situation rendered him speechless inside his own head. No, if this topic was to be discussed, Daine must initiate the conversation herself. That decided, stone became his defences around his heart and mind and ice flowed through his veins, cooling his desire, never killing his love.
Distracted, he did not notice the locket slide and fall from his wrist until he heard a hard clink as it hit the gravel underfoot. He reached down to pick it up but Alanna had already lunged forward and seized it, hoarding the jewellery with undisguised interest. Carefully she examined the golden oval which temporarily blinded her, reflecting the bright rays of the sun into her amethyst eyes; it glowed in her hand like a beacon of hope.
Numair stood motionless beside Alanna, making no attempt to relieve her of his beloved possession, resigned to the fact that she would be able to make a fairly accurate guess about his feelings for his student as soon as she saw what was inside the metal halves. No longer caring, he watched her inspect the small treasure until she found the small latch with which to open it. She raised a wickedly grinning face to meet his sober one, and teased him without malice in ignorance of his affections.
"Whose pretty face has a place in here, Master Salmalin? Could it be the beautiful Lady René of Wildsorne whom you were after last year, or maybe the lovely Lady Manda of Ilse-Cox, who was a rival for your affections?" She flicked the small catch so that the locket fell open in her palm. Without looking down, she prolonged the suspense by speaking again, very slowly, enjoying the look of helplessness that showed all too clearly on his features.
"Well, I suppose it's my duty to look and ensure that you're not getting yourself into trouble with any jealous husbands."
Numair held his breath as the Lioness' gaze drifted down to the delicate painted portrait that resided in one half of the locket. The mischief faded quickly from her countenance as she found herself looking at the sweet, young face of Daine, next to which one of her smoky brown curls was tucked behind a golden clip. A thousand emotions fled from her features as soon as they had arrived; shock and wonder were evident, but understanding and sympathy were dominant, for she could tell by Numair's expression that something was amiss.
"And so Numair Salmalin, black-robe mage and notorious rake of the Tortallan court falls in love with the one person whom for several reasons he can't have," muttered Numair viciously, staring into the distance with bitter, troubled eyes.
"Does she know?" enquired a voice softly from behind him. Alanna's tall friend gave no answer. Placing a hand on his arm almost cautiously, she repeated her question, her tone demanding an answer. A black grimace passed over the mage's dark face as he turned to the side, trying not to relive the pain of the past few days.
"Yes, she knows. Or at least, she did."
"Did? She rejected you?" Sympathy crept into Alanna's voice.
The mage sighed heavily. "Yes and no. I know that she did love me, but at the time she wasn't sure what her feelings meant. I took this the wrong way and did something terrible, something which she hasn't forgiven me for , nor would I expect her to. But please, I really don't want to talk about it, Alanna."
The fiery knight was quiet, stunned by this forlorn side of her friend that she had never seen before, even after all these years of knowing him. She regarded him critically, wondering what he had done that would push Daine away from him, but she still felt so sorry for the mage, his lifeless state overriding any feelings of anger she may have harboured due to the effects of whatever awful deed he had committed.
"I do wonder what it is you have done that was so terrible, but I won't force you to tell me. However, I do know Daine and I can assure you that she is not so fickle as to change her feelings the moment she senses any threat to her happiness. She is probably angry with you, but she is sharp enough to realise that you must have had your reasons for doing as you did. If she loved you before, I am certain that she loves you still."
"Oh, if that were the only thing that stood in our path."
Alanna shot a glance upwards, confused by how the bleakness of his tone seemed to increase ever more as he uttered those words. "Well, age is not an issue that should bother you, nor people's opinions since you are in love. What else is there to stop you being happy?"
"She is dying, Alanna."
*****
Numair walked with Alanna towards the Riders' barracks, glad to be back at the palace. He had taken to heart his conversation with Alanna and understanding the wisdom of her words, was impatient to find Daine. Suddenly a pale blue whirlwind shot out of a nearby corner and struck his chest hard, nearly knocking him to the ground as he surfaced quickly from the depths of his thoughts.
"Kitten?" he gasped, picking up the capering dragonet as he tried to regain his breath. Kitten trilled happily, gold washing over her blue scales in her excitement. She nuzzled his shoulder briefly and then bounded out of his arms again, dashing around a corner with such speed that she may well have been flying.
"She seemed happy to see you," Alanna commented from beside him, clearly amused at Kitten's reaction. "Seems to me that Daine can't be too upset with you since Kitten would have given you a greeting far different from that if she was."
Hope stirred in Numair's dark eyes. "Maybe you're right. I hope that you are." It was all he could do not to lengthen his long strides. 'Don't want to leave Alanna coughing dust in my wake' he smiled in his head, certain that the Lioness wouldn't have appreciated that thought had she heard it. Feeling slightly more at ease now as a result of Kitten's friendliness, Numair rounded the same corner, though with more grace than the little fireball. He followed the sound of her high-pitched chatter and finding its source, felt his heart stop.
Kitten was on Daine's lap, her forepaws resting on the girl's shoulders as she chattered to the Wildmage in a series of rapid whistles, trills and clicks. Numair chuckled softly as he saw the young dragon bat away a stray smoky brown curl that had been blown across the girl's face by the wind. Daine's face - he ached inside, longing to see it, to touch it, to kiss it. He could lose himself in her beautiful blue-grey eyes, travel along her extravagant eyelashes, trace her sculpted features for forever and a day and willingly surrender to those soft, curving lips.
Numair found himself trying to fight his need and desire for her which burned ever fiercer in him, sending forth tongues of flame that refused to be doused by anything but Daine's presence in his arms. Only then did he notice the company in which she sat; around her were her friends from the Riders, the stables and the mews. He could name a few, like the tall, fair boy Evin and the darker girl, Miri, but others were people with whom he had exchanged no more than a customary greeting before now. Suddenly nervous about accosting Daine with such a crowd around, he began to take a step backwards only to be stopped by a rough shove in his back.
"Go talk to Daine now," Alanna advised. "You'll only worry yourself more if you wait around any longer."
Numair cast a withering glance at the copper haired knight who stood behind him in the shadows, but he knew that despite her dictating tone she was right. "Always so cursed right," he muttered, hesitantly stepping into the courtyard and bringing his hand up to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun.
Kitten saw Numair coming and in an attempt to tell Daine this, she started pulling hard on the girl's light shirt and her whistles became even louder. Distracted from her conversation with Evin, Daine turned her attention back to the excitable dragonet.
"Kit, what are you . . ." she broke off, following the direction of the silver claw that Kitten was pointing. A sudden smile lightened her determined features as she saw a swarthy man approach from the other side of the yard. Midnight hair pulled back into a neat horsetail revealed a dark, handsome face dominated by a sensitive mouth and brooding, ebony eyes, which at the moment were filled with something akin to fear. A half fastened white shirt with full sleeves and black breeches showed a lithe, muscled body that moved with a cat-like grace.
"Numair," she breathed, feeling as though years had passed since the last time she had laid eyes on him. Repressing the shuddering memory of the pain and confusion that their last meeting had caused, she rose slowly to her feet, ignoring the ignorant chirrups of Kitten as the dragonet tumbled clumsily to the ground.
As he approached, Numair saw in Daine's face the love that she felt for him and that she now herself recognised. He could have cried out with happiness - she didn't hate him, nor was she angry - she loved him! Only by exercising the greatest amount of restraint could he stop himself from running to her and taking her in his arms, though he longed to do this and say many other things besides like 'forgive me.' Instead he continued to walk towards Daine with purpose in his stride though his heart felt like it was flying. He was close, so close; he could see the darker flecks in her eyes, almost hear her soft breathing. It was torturing him, not being able to kiss her right there and then and claim her as his own.
"Numair, we need to talk."
He ventured a smile, relieved when hers became even warmer. "That we do, magelet."
Unaware of the curious eyes that were regarding them, the two of them fell in step, neither trusting themselves to speak until they were in an empty room in the barracks. The tension that stretched between them, almost tangible in its abundance would have been oppressive had it been for any other reason than that which they were about to divulge. Ignoring his earlier resolution not to start this conversation, Numair hurried to try and make amends, though he was fairly certain that his reprehensible actions had already been forgiven.
"Daine, I'm so sorry for what I did and said. I wasn't thinking - I swear that . . ." he was interrupted by a soft laugh of amusement from Daine. Confused, he raised his dark eyes to find that hers were dancing but he was still unsure of what was so funny.
"I don't need an explanation, Numair. I was hurt, yes, but I realised why you did what you did after you had left and I can understand it. I tried calling for you once I had figured it out, but you'd already gone." Her smile was sad as she finished speaking.
She had figured it out so soon after he had left her that fateful day? Then why . . . "Why did you say that you didn't believe I loved you when you were in the infirmary?" he voiced the one question that was bothering him, but was met only by a blank look of confusion. "I said that I loved you, but you turned away and said 'No, I don't believe you - get away from me.'"
Understanding spread across Daine's face and the beginnings of a grin caused the edges of her lips to twitch. "I wasn't talking to you, dolt. I was having a dream. Someone said that you didn't really love me but I didn't believe them. I love you, Numair. Don't ever doubt that."
Unable to vocalise the emotions that rushed through him at her words, throwing him into a somewhat dazed state of happiness, he moved forwards suddenly and pulled her into his arms, burying his face in her thick curls. Daine slipped one arm around his waist and rested her other hand on the side of his neck, causing him to raise his head again. There was barely time for their eyes to meet before their feelings took control of their actions and their lips met in an embrace that told both of them exactly what they were trying to say but without the need for words.
In acknowledgement of her love for Numair, feelings like she had never known rushed through Daine. She forgot everything that was nothing to do with her and Numair as he took her through a journey of discovery. Joy and blissful contentment in their reciprocated feelings of love merged and melded their two souls into one as each surrendered to the sweetness that sang in their bodies. Daine knew in that instant that she would risk anything in order to stay by this man forever, including her magic and her life. All that mattered was the present; that was now, they were in love, they were together, it was now.
Numair withdrew his lips reluctantly, still feeling the warmth and delight that a single kiss from Daine brought and he marvelled at the power of it. Though his fingers were entangled in her dark curls and his arms wrapped securely around her slender torso, there was a deep desire in him to be closer still. H needed to hold her tight enough, long enough so that she became an inseparable part of him, never to be taken away. Sighing as he drew away slightly, he tipped her face up, his fingers gentle beneath her chin.
"Daine, I don't want to stop this, but I must ask you if you know what it is that is happening with your blood, and -"
Daine silenced him softly, fingers held over his mouth. She smiled almost dismissively, but her blue-grey eyes darkened, suddenly grave.
"It doesn't matter at the moment, Numair. I'm alive and I'm not going away, I promise. We can talk about this later."
She was right. There would be time for talk later because she was going nowhere. She belonged to him now and not even the Gods could take her away. Drawing Daine closer to his body, Numair laughed, a rich, jubilant laugh that banished all fears and warmed her heart.
*****
Alanna passed by a door in the barracks, and hearing joyful laughter she stopped and looked inside the room. Guttering torches with their flickering shadows warmed the cold stone walls and in the middle of the room and in each others arms, stood Numair and Daine. They brushed tender lips over each others faces, their laughter still echoing about them. Alanna drew away silently, a knowing smile lighting her face as her thoughts reflected the truth. 'That is how it should be.'
***** Well, there you go people. Fluff and happiness, just as you demanded. This is not the end, just the beginning - you have been warned! I'm off to Wales now, to a place that has no internet ad so when I come back on Monday I expect to see lots of reviews!
Blind Souls
Numair and Alanna walked around the camp in comfortable silence, seeing no need to speak as everything of value had already been said. Numair reflected on what he had discovered the previous night when he had found Alanna and the soldiers under her command. As soon as he had arrived and transformed back into his human form from that of a black hawk, Alanna had led him to where the magic trap was being kept and she then carefully removed her shielding spell from around it.
The box had been an object of great curiosity for Numair, who upon seeing it had smiled slightly for the first time since his argument with Daine four days back. Intrigued, he had unlocked the tough-sensitive spell that guarded it with a useful albeit almost forgotten spell that he had encountered when he was going through some ancient scrolls he had found.
The trap itself, triggered by touch, consisted of a wick fuse threaded through with magic leading to a single serpent tooth, which again was shrouded in chaos magic, presumably to transform it into the giant, three- headed snake that had briefly haunted the battlefield at the end of the war. Alongside this were several dampening spells which Numair had quickly counteracted.
Now that the danger had passed and his discovery analysed with all due speed, Numair's thoughts turned again to the face that haunted his dreams, that was there with every breath, ever present in front of his eyes, both waking and sleeping. If he could just have the time to explain everything to Daine, make her understand how much he loved her . . . Yet, if all implications were correct, he did not want to waste the precious time she had left by trying to turn a mind whose decision was already set in stone.
'My own world is collapsing in order to preserve another world that cannot be saved.' The irony of the situation rendered him speechless inside his own head. No, if this topic was to be discussed, Daine must initiate the conversation herself. That decided, stone became his defences around his heart and mind and ice flowed through his veins, cooling his desire, never killing his love.
Distracted, he did not notice the locket slide and fall from his wrist until he heard a hard clink as it hit the gravel underfoot. He reached down to pick it up but Alanna had already lunged forward and seized it, hoarding the jewellery with undisguised interest. Carefully she examined the golden oval which temporarily blinded her, reflecting the bright rays of the sun into her amethyst eyes; it glowed in her hand like a beacon of hope.
Numair stood motionless beside Alanna, making no attempt to relieve her of his beloved possession, resigned to the fact that she would be able to make a fairly accurate guess about his feelings for his student as soon as she saw what was inside the metal halves. No longer caring, he watched her inspect the small treasure until she found the small latch with which to open it. She raised a wickedly grinning face to meet his sober one, and teased him without malice in ignorance of his affections.
"Whose pretty face has a place in here, Master Salmalin? Could it be the beautiful Lady René of Wildsorne whom you were after last year, or maybe the lovely Lady Manda of Ilse-Cox, who was a rival for your affections?" She flicked the small catch so that the locket fell open in her palm. Without looking down, she prolonged the suspense by speaking again, very slowly, enjoying the look of helplessness that showed all too clearly on his features.
"Well, I suppose it's my duty to look and ensure that you're not getting yourself into trouble with any jealous husbands."
Numair held his breath as the Lioness' gaze drifted down to the delicate painted portrait that resided in one half of the locket. The mischief faded quickly from her countenance as she found herself looking at the sweet, young face of Daine, next to which one of her smoky brown curls was tucked behind a golden clip. A thousand emotions fled from her features as soon as they had arrived; shock and wonder were evident, but understanding and sympathy were dominant, for she could tell by Numair's expression that something was amiss.
"And so Numair Salmalin, black-robe mage and notorious rake of the Tortallan court falls in love with the one person whom for several reasons he can't have," muttered Numair viciously, staring into the distance with bitter, troubled eyes.
"Does she know?" enquired a voice softly from behind him. Alanna's tall friend gave no answer. Placing a hand on his arm almost cautiously, she repeated her question, her tone demanding an answer. A black grimace passed over the mage's dark face as he turned to the side, trying not to relive the pain of the past few days.
"Yes, she knows. Or at least, she did."
"Did? She rejected you?" Sympathy crept into Alanna's voice.
The mage sighed heavily. "Yes and no. I know that she did love me, but at the time she wasn't sure what her feelings meant. I took this the wrong way and did something terrible, something which she hasn't forgiven me for , nor would I expect her to. But please, I really don't want to talk about it, Alanna."
The fiery knight was quiet, stunned by this forlorn side of her friend that she had never seen before, even after all these years of knowing him. She regarded him critically, wondering what he had done that would push Daine away from him, but she still felt so sorry for the mage, his lifeless state overriding any feelings of anger she may have harboured due to the effects of whatever awful deed he had committed.
"I do wonder what it is you have done that was so terrible, but I won't force you to tell me. However, I do know Daine and I can assure you that she is not so fickle as to change her feelings the moment she senses any threat to her happiness. She is probably angry with you, but she is sharp enough to realise that you must have had your reasons for doing as you did. If she loved you before, I am certain that she loves you still."
"Oh, if that were the only thing that stood in our path."
Alanna shot a glance upwards, confused by how the bleakness of his tone seemed to increase ever more as he uttered those words. "Well, age is not an issue that should bother you, nor people's opinions since you are in love. What else is there to stop you being happy?"
"She is dying, Alanna."
*****
Numair walked with Alanna towards the Riders' barracks, glad to be back at the palace. He had taken to heart his conversation with Alanna and understanding the wisdom of her words, was impatient to find Daine. Suddenly a pale blue whirlwind shot out of a nearby corner and struck his chest hard, nearly knocking him to the ground as he surfaced quickly from the depths of his thoughts.
"Kitten?" he gasped, picking up the capering dragonet as he tried to regain his breath. Kitten trilled happily, gold washing over her blue scales in her excitement. She nuzzled his shoulder briefly and then bounded out of his arms again, dashing around a corner with such speed that she may well have been flying.
"She seemed happy to see you," Alanna commented from beside him, clearly amused at Kitten's reaction. "Seems to me that Daine can't be too upset with you since Kitten would have given you a greeting far different from that if she was."
Hope stirred in Numair's dark eyes. "Maybe you're right. I hope that you are." It was all he could do not to lengthen his long strides. 'Don't want to leave Alanna coughing dust in my wake' he smiled in his head, certain that the Lioness wouldn't have appreciated that thought had she heard it. Feeling slightly more at ease now as a result of Kitten's friendliness, Numair rounded the same corner, though with more grace than the little fireball. He followed the sound of her high-pitched chatter and finding its source, felt his heart stop.
Kitten was on Daine's lap, her forepaws resting on the girl's shoulders as she chattered to the Wildmage in a series of rapid whistles, trills and clicks. Numair chuckled softly as he saw the young dragon bat away a stray smoky brown curl that had been blown across the girl's face by the wind. Daine's face - he ached inside, longing to see it, to touch it, to kiss it. He could lose himself in her beautiful blue-grey eyes, travel along her extravagant eyelashes, trace her sculpted features for forever and a day and willingly surrender to those soft, curving lips.
Numair found himself trying to fight his need and desire for her which burned ever fiercer in him, sending forth tongues of flame that refused to be doused by anything but Daine's presence in his arms. Only then did he notice the company in which she sat; around her were her friends from the Riders, the stables and the mews. He could name a few, like the tall, fair boy Evin and the darker girl, Miri, but others were people with whom he had exchanged no more than a customary greeting before now. Suddenly nervous about accosting Daine with such a crowd around, he began to take a step backwards only to be stopped by a rough shove in his back.
"Go talk to Daine now," Alanna advised. "You'll only worry yourself more if you wait around any longer."
Numair cast a withering glance at the copper haired knight who stood behind him in the shadows, but he knew that despite her dictating tone she was right. "Always so cursed right," he muttered, hesitantly stepping into the courtyard and bringing his hand up to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun.
Kitten saw Numair coming and in an attempt to tell Daine this, she started pulling hard on the girl's light shirt and her whistles became even louder. Distracted from her conversation with Evin, Daine turned her attention back to the excitable dragonet.
"Kit, what are you . . ." she broke off, following the direction of the silver claw that Kitten was pointing. A sudden smile lightened her determined features as she saw a swarthy man approach from the other side of the yard. Midnight hair pulled back into a neat horsetail revealed a dark, handsome face dominated by a sensitive mouth and brooding, ebony eyes, which at the moment were filled with something akin to fear. A half fastened white shirt with full sleeves and black breeches showed a lithe, muscled body that moved with a cat-like grace.
"Numair," she breathed, feeling as though years had passed since the last time she had laid eyes on him. Repressing the shuddering memory of the pain and confusion that their last meeting had caused, she rose slowly to her feet, ignoring the ignorant chirrups of Kitten as the dragonet tumbled clumsily to the ground.
As he approached, Numair saw in Daine's face the love that she felt for him and that she now herself recognised. He could have cried out with happiness - she didn't hate him, nor was she angry - she loved him! Only by exercising the greatest amount of restraint could he stop himself from running to her and taking her in his arms, though he longed to do this and say many other things besides like 'forgive me.' Instead he continued to walk towards Daine with purpose in his stride though his heart felt like it was flying. He was close, so close; he could see the darker flecks in her eyes, almost hear her soft breathing. It was torturing him, not being able to kiss her right there and then and claim her as his own.
"Numair, we need to talk."
He ventured a smile, relieved when hers became even warmer. "That we do, magelet."
Unaware of the curious eyes that were regarding them, the two of them fell in step, neither trusting themselves to speak until they were in an empty room in the barracks. The tension that stretched between them, almost tangible in its abundance would have been oppressive had it been for any other reason than that which they were about to divulge. Ignoring his earlier resolution not to start this conversation, Numair hurried to try and make amends, though he was fairly certain that his reprehensible actions had already been forgiven.
"Daine, I'm so sorry for what I did and said. I wasn't thinking - I swear that . . ." he was interrupted by a soft laugh of amusement from Daine. Confused, he raised his dark eyes to find that hers were dancing but he was still unsure of what was so funny.
"I don't need an explanation, Numair. I was hurt, yes, but I realised why you did what you did after you had left and I can understand it. I tried calling for you once I had figured it out, but you'd already gone." Her smile was sad as she finished speaking.
She had figured it out so soon after he had left her that fateful day? Then why . . . "Why did you say that you didn't believe I loved you when you were in the infirmary?" he voiced the one question that was bothering him, but was met only by a blank look of confusion. "I said that I loved you, but you turned away and said 'No, I don't believe you - get away from me.'"
Understanding spread across Daine's face and the beginnings of a grin caused the edges of her lips to twitch. "I wasn't talking to you, dolt. I was having a dream. Someone said that you didn't really love me but I didn't believe them. I love you, Numair. Don't ever doubt that."
Unable to vocalise the emotions that rushed through him at her words, throwing him into a somewhat dazed state of happiness, he moved forwards suddenly and pulled her into his arms, burying his face in her thick curls. Daine slipped one arm around his waist and rested her other hand on the side of his neck, causing him to raise his head again. There was barely time for their eyes to meet before their feelings took control of their actions and their lips met in an embrace that told both of them exactly what they were trying to say but without the need for words.
In acknowledgement of her love for Numair, feelings like she had never known rushed through Daine. She forgot everything that was nothing to do with her and Numair as he took her through a journey of discovery. Joy and blissful contentment in their reciprocated feelings of love merged and melded their two souls into one as each surrendered to the sweetness that sang in their bodies. Daine knew in that instant that she would risk anything in order to stay by this man forever, including her magic and her life. All that mattered was the present; that was now, they were in love, they were together, it was now.
Numair withdrew his lips reluctantly, still feeling the warmth and delight that a single kiss from Daine brought and he marvelled at the power of it. Though his fingers were entangled in her dark curls and his arms wrapped securely around her slender torso, there was a deep desire in him to be closer still. H needed to hold her tight enough, long enough so that she became an inseparable part of him, never to be taken away. Sighing as he drew away slightly, he tipped her face up, his fingers gentle beneath her chin.
"Daine, I don't want to stop this, but I must ask you if you know what it is that is happening with your blood, and -"
Daine silenced him softly, fingers held over his mouth. She smiled almost dismissively, but her blue-grey eyes darkened, suddenly grave.
"It doesn't matter at the moment, Numair. I'm alive and I'm not going away, I promise. We can talk about this later."
She was right. There would be time for talk later because she was going nowhere. She belonged to him now and not even the Gods could take her away. Drawing Daine closer to his body, Numair laughed, a rich, jubilant laugh that banished all fears and warmed her heart.
*****
Alanna passed by a door in the barracks, and hearing joyful laughter she stopped and looked inside the room. Guttering torches with their flickering shadows warmed the cold stone walls and in the middle of the room and in each others arms, stood Numair and Daine. They brushed tender lips over each others faces, their laughter still echoing about them. Alanna drew away silently, a knowing smile lighting her face as her thoughts reflected the truth. 'That is how it should be.'
***** Well, there you go people. Fluff and happiness, just as you demanded. This is not the end, just the beginning - you have been warned! I'm off to Wales now, to a place that has no internet ad so when I come back on Monday I expect to see lots of reviews!