A/N: Thank you guys so much for all of the reviews! I was overwhelmed by the amount I got for last chapter! Anyway, I guess its on to chapter 20..... This chapter is sad, mean it doesn't take the brightest crayon in the box to see that....lol.... I hope you enjoy, and don't you dare forget to review! ^_^

Disclaimer: I don't own any of Tamora Pierce's awesome characters...nor do I own any of Vince Gill's song lyrics.....

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Sunlight poured into the room, rippling like flowing water over the blankets and sheets that secured Veralidaine Sarrasri and her lover. Though the light blazed unbearably in the young woman's eyes, she clamped them tightly shut, refusing to greet the morning light. She sighed inwardly, begging her body to drift back off into sleep. Pleas, Gainel, she thought, take me back to my dreams. When nothing came to relieve her of the horrible task ahead of her, Daine groaned loudly, voicing her pain.

She felt someone stir next to her, followed by a soft mumbling. Daine knew that rich, sweet voice well. As if by instinct, she nestled closer to her lover, pressing her bare back closer to his chest. Daine could feel his chest slowly rising and falling, his breath a beautiful rhythmic pattern. She listened intently, concentrating on the quiet sounds while he slept on. Gently, so as not to wake him she shifted her body in his arms until she faced him. Daine could feel the warm breath of her lover against her neck now, bringing her slight reassurance. For one brief moment, Daine forgot the real reason for her pain upon waking up. She forgot her dread of the morning light, and of the events to come. Now, all she wanted to do was concentrate only on her lover, memorizing his every feature. She wanted to implant him in her memory forever, to remember in days to come when he would be with her no longer.

Daine trailed her hand tenderly down his muscled chest, enchanted by the feel of his soft skin. She felt a small chill fly down her spine, sending her body shivers as she felt the intense feeling of closeness to her lover just now. In her mind, she could sense every place that their bodies touched, making her feel a wonderful sensation.

Suddenly, she felt his body tense within her grasp. Looking up, she could see his eyes beginning to flutter open. Upon seeing the light of the new day, he reacted in much the same way she had. He groaned loudly, trying to block it out. When Numair saw that she was awake already, he looked up suddenly alert. Numair's face bore no emotion nor sign of life. To Daine, he looked n as if someone had taken away his most prized possession. In a sense, she was exactly right. "Say something," Daine whispered, hoping that he would, begging him to speak his mind. She could not stand them being silent, not now. The quiet seemed to haunt her, a constant reminder of what she must soon learn to live with.

Numair opened his mouth as if to speak, his dark eyes baring down on her with an unbearable force. Daine drew in a sharp breath ti better sustain the tension she felt. It was as if the world was crumbling down around her, tearing apart that which she treasured most. "I-.......," Numair whispered in reply, voice ragged. He let his sentence hang, feeling completely unsure as to how to complete it.

Though Daine fought back the sudden swirl of emotions with all of her might, the tears still came. They began spilling down her cheeks like running water. She felt a tiny fleck of comfort well up in her heart when she felt his calloused hand brush her cheek, cupping it lovingly. Using a gentle finger, Numair wiped away her tears with his stray finger. Bringing her hand up to her face, she gripped his arm with her own, pulling it closer to her face. She then lightly brushed her lips against his skin, but then withdrew them hastily, unable to take it. Now, her tears fell harder and faster. "This is killing me inside," Daine whimpered in between tears, letting herself slide in closer to her lover's waiting arms.

"I know," he voiced in reply simply, soothingly. "This whole thing is killing me too. I don't know if I can get through it." He smoothed her hair back tenderly, letting his fingers rub gently against the skin of her face.

"Don't you dare let go," Daine warned, her eyes gleaming with unshed tears. She drew him to her, holding him tightly "Because I won't." Daine whispered these last words into his ear. She could feel his body tense at this statement, but she brushed that thought aside.

"Nor will I," Numair voiced in response, clinging to Daine as if his very life depended on it. His face was so close to hers, that she could feel his lashes brush against her skin as he blinked.

Numair couldn't believe that this day had come. When he had first heard the news, it had seemed like the time to say good-bye would come upon them quickly. Perhaps it had, but Numair could not tell. He had been too caught up in the moment, during those times. Now, it seemed as if all of the events of the past two weeks were in the distant past. He just couldn't believe it was finally time to let go.

He had offered to run away with her. He had thought of that single idea every day since he had learned that she would soon leave him. Constantly, he would fumble it over in his mind, further perfecting it. It had been that idea, that tiny flicker of hope, that had pulled him through this last two weeks. They had been the worst days of his life by far, even worse than his first days in Tortall as a starving street magician.

Numair hadn't counted on her turning him down. He had been so sure that she would be willing to follow him to the ends of the earth. Maybe he had been wrong, but then again maybe he was just wrong now. He shouldn't think any less of her just because she wouldn't go into hiding with him If this was so, then why did he feel so bitter on the inside about it? To be truthful, he was angry at himself over it all, not Daine. He couldn't be angry with her now, or ever again. He didn't want to even set foot down that path.

"I'm so sorry, Numair," Daine voiced between tears, sobbing uncontrollably. This jerked him back to his horrible reality once more. Directing his full attention to her, Numair looked deep into her eyes, waiting for her to continue.

When she did not further explain herself, Numair prompted her by asking, "For what, sweet? You haven't done anything."

"Yes, I have," Daine sobbed, no longer trying in vain to get herself under control, "I want to marry you so badly, Numair, but its my own gods cursed fault that I'm being taken away."

"Daine, see reason," Numair soothed, gently caressing her bare arms with his hands. "None of this is your fault! If there's someone to blame, its that thieving ruler of Galla." As he said these words, his eyes blazed momentarily with anger. In that exact moment, Daine looked away in shame, so she did not see the hate that he felt for Jarlath.

"Numair, I didn't run off with you last night when you offered," Daine was clinging tightly to him.

"And you know what, Daine?" Numair asked, voice revealing that he was on the verge of tears. "You were right. If we ran off together, it would put Tortall in danger, and innocent people would have to suffer. It was stupid of me to even suggest it."

"But we'll never marry. We'll be a country apart!" Daine lifted her head from his chest and gazed deeply into his dark eyes. When he looked back at her, he could tell just how sincere she was, and it hurt. It hurt him so bad to know that she would be gone today, as soon as they got up to dress.

"Daine, its all right with me if we have to wait forever," Numair voiced in a hushed tone. There was the shadow of a smile playing at his lips, warming her heart effectively.

***If we have to wait forever that's all right

If you say let's run away we'll leave tonight

I'll do anything you ever ask me to

Girl the reason my heart's beating is for you

And you alone***

Feeling so stricken by his words, Daine leaned forward and brushed his lips roughly with her own. He seemed to be slightly taken aback by her sudden change of ideas, but he was willing to go along with it all the same. Daine could feel a chill run up her spine as he slid his cold hand up her back to rest in her hair. She was pleased when he began to apply pressure, pushing her face closer to his, if possible.

Breaking the kiss for a moment, Daine took in a ragged breath. Despite the wonderful feeling she got from the kiss they had shared, she could not shake the thoughts and inner images of what else would be happening today. Last night, it had been possible to ignore everything. Today was a different story entirely, however. It made Daine want to scream, though she held back.

"Numair, are you sure you don't just want to move on, find someone else?" Daine asked shakily, afraid of what his answer might be. In her heart, she already knew that he would immediately refuse the mere idea of moving on, but she could not help but fear other wise. If she wasn't in Corus, how was she to ever know what he did? The thought alone, of what might go on while she was in Galla made her blood boil.

"Yes, I'm sure," His eyes were sincere, his words simple, yet assuring. Daine looked at him in scrutiny. Should she believe him? Did she even have a choice? Yes, she did have a choice, and she did believe him. That still didn't change the facts of what could happen. He may be sincere now, but would he be in a year, or even in a few months?

"How can you be sure, how can you say that so easily?" Daine voiced her worries openly. What was there to hide from him at this point? Numair shot her a quizzical look, eyebrows moving close together. "Its not even a sure thing that I'll ever see you again." At this last comment, a tear fell down her face.

Numair frowned at this, wanting it all to go away. "Daine, don't say that," Numair said softly, cupping her face with his hand. "I promise you that today won't be the last time I ever see you. I'll do whatever it takes. I don't want this to end here. Remember what I promised you last night?"

Daine nodded, still crying. He felt a tear roll down his face as well. "I meant that. I'll die before I break that promise to you, Daine," Numair's voice was soft and comforting, yet begging for assurance at the same time. In this moment, it was very difficult to determine who exactly was the comforter and who the comforted.

"I just want this to be over," Daine voiced, barely more than a whisper. As if by instinct, and in search of further comfort, she buried her face in his chest. She felt a warm sense rush over her, covering her like a blanket as she felt the feeling of her face against his bare chest.

"Me too," Numair replied, idly running his fingers through her mass of smoky brown curls.

"I guess there is some sort of price for every choice we make," Daine said, after a few minutes of sitting in silence. Numair shifted his body at her comment, clearing his throat. It seemed as if he were analyzing her words in his mind, trying to dig out the meaning behind them.

"Why do you say that?" Daine recognized that this was one of the few times he did not have full knowledge about everything concerning her. Though she hated to admit it, many times he knew more about her than she herself did.

"Because I don't necessarily have to go through with what I'm about to do today," Daine said, voice pained. Numair could understand why. He had felt very similar when he had fled from Carthak all those years ago. "The cost for me personally is great, but if I didn't pay it, it would cost others a lot more."

Numair sighed, feeling an odd emotion at the great wisdom in her words. He felt a small smile tugging at the edge of his mouth. He squeezed her shoulder gently with his hand, giving in to the smile that wanted to show on his face. "You're very right, Magelet," he said simply, voice beaming for that split second. Just for that short amount of time, he had felt something other than sadness this morning. He had felt a sense of pride.

***There's a price you pay for every choice you make

We'll have our day no matter what it takes

I'll be there for you whatever we go through

Girl the reason life's worth living is for you

And you alone***

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Alanna groaned loudly as she awoke. It already felt like a rotten day, and she had only been awake for less than a minute. Just now, she was very comfortable in her many layers of down blankets and goose feather pillows. The gods knew, she hated the cold. She had been that way since she was a little girl. She had always envied Thom, who, in her eyes, had no fears for such things. She had soon learned that her twin brother did indeed have many fears, fears the she herself did not have.

Throwing off her many layers of blankets, Alanna gasped as the cold air of her bed chamber washed over her body. She wore only a thin shift, making much of her body vulnerable to the cool morning air. She began shivering immediately as she swung both of her legs over the side of her bed, and pulled herself to her feet. Gods, I wish I had worn socks, Alanna thought, as soon as her bare feet made contact with the hard wood floor of her bed chamber. She longed for the warm rugs on the floor of her and George's bed chamber at the Swoop.

Scrambling over to the privy door, Alanna fumbled for the soft piece of cloth that was her robe that she had left handing the door handle. She quickly slipped into it, feeling somewhat of a relief from the morning cold. It was then that a different kind of cold began to wash over her. One that was the knowledge of what today would bring. Her mind flashed back to the ball the night before, and in her mind's eye, she could see her friends, Daine and Numair, in each other's arms, swirling gracefully across the dance floor. She could see Daine snuggling closer into the arms of her 'teacher', and him welcoming her closeness and asking without words for more.

Against her will, Alanna felt her eyes begin to sting with tears, and finally one roll down the side of her face. Reaching up in frustration, she wiped it away effortlessly with her finger, only to find that more were soon falling. Alanna hated situations l this, when she could not control what was happening. She was meant to be a Champion, a knight, a warrior, someone who always had complete control of all situations. This ordeal with Daine, it was a new kind of situation for Alanna, for it was the first time in Alanna's life, that she could do nothing to fix the wrongs created by evil men.

When she thought of the ball from the previous night, Alanna not only thought of Daine and Numair's oddly close dancing, but also of the fact that Daine had spent the entire time with Numair, and hadn't even bothered saying a single word to herself or Onua. It was a rather hurtful thought, but if Alanna's suspicions were correct, she could understand why Daine had done things that way. Alanna herself knew what it was like to be in love with someone. She could not even begin to imagine being taken away from her George, without knowing that she would one day be allowed to return. Yes, if Daine was indeed in love with Numair, she did not even want to try imagining what sort of pain the couple were going through this very moment.

"I should go and see her," Alanna said to herself, biting her lip as she thought on it. She had many things she would like to say to the younger woman, before she was to leave. Alanna imagined that the Gallans will have arrived before the noon bell. "I'd best get a move on then."

With that decided, Alanna walked over to her dresser, and splashed water on her face from her pale blue porcelain water basin. She then reached for her hand towel which hung on a hook to her right, and dried her face. Satisfied with getting the sleep out of her eyes, Alanna made her way to the closet, and pulled out a pair of her normal tan breeches and a scarlet colored shirt. She slipped quickly out of her robe and night shift and then hastily threw on her day's clothing, hoping to be ready in a hurry so that she could catch Daine alone, before Numair had come to see her as she knew he would, no matter if they were more than friends or not.

Once dressed, Alanna hastily ran a brush through her unruly mass of red hair. She was easily satisfied with it only looking partially correct, and she placed her brush back down onto her dresser. During the time it took to dress herself, Alanna had decided not to stop by the Mess Hall for breakfast, for she did not think she would have time to eat and then also get to Daine before Numair did. If she missed this time while Daine was alone, then she would not get the chance to speak to her in private again for some time, maybe not ever. If she got to Daine's rooms, and found that Numair was already there, she would leave them to say their good-byes in private, understanding full well what was on their minds. It would be cruel to separate them this morning, no matter how much Alanna wanted to speak with Daine.

After Alanna was fully satisfied with her appearance, she exited her bed chamber, and then her rooms entirely. She immediately entered the main hallway of the palace; one which lead to every other hall of the palace. Alanna knew from experience that Daine's rooms were rather close to her own. She had spent many a night talking with Daine into the late hours of the night in Daine's rooms. Often times, it would make Alanna feel less home sick for the Swoop, and she was thankful for that extra comfort.

Sighing, Alanna made her way through the hall, and to Daine's rooms. She soon found herself standing on Daine's door step. Alanna hated to admit it, but she felt slightly nervous to visit Daine on a morning such as this. The young woman as likely to not be in the best of moods, her emotions likely in a tangled mess. Alanna could completely understand that, and she hoped that she could help. The problem was, she could think of nothing to say to Daine that would even begin to comfort her in the smallest way. Alanna knew that if it were she herself in Daine's position, nothing anyone could ever say to her would make her feel reassured. She would feel lost and betrayed, among other things. Also, Alanna knew she would be pining over her lover, and how she would soon be taken from his grasp.

Finally finding in her heart the proper things to relate to her young friend, Alanna reached out a hand and knocked lightly at the door. She waited a few moments, but heard no sound of movement from within. She heard no rustle of blankets, no scrambling of feet, not anything. Starting to feel a slight amount of worry, Alanna knocked again, this time louder and more insistent. Again she was met by silence. Her heart began racing wildly, and her mind jumping to conclusions. Alanna had enough of sense to know by now that Daine was not in her rooms. This brought Alanna to the question of where her young friend had gotten off to at this early hour in the morning. Alanna did take it into account that this was no normal morning for Daine, and she should thus not expect normal behavior from her. This last thought did not, however, comfort Alanna in the slightest way. In fact, it only made her more worried.

Alanna turned away from the door quickly, and leaned her burly frame against the nearest wall. Where should she look first? What was going on? It was as these last questions whirred through her head that it all clicked for Alanna. Daine was not only gone, but she had likely run off. Why didn't Alanna think of it before? It made perfect sense, and in many ways it fit Daine's personality and past behavior. After all, the young woman had spent almost a year stuck in wolf form and running wildly through the woods of Galla. How could Alanna, or anyone else, expect her to return to that dreaded place, without her first pulling some stunt like this? Yes, Daine must have run off. Alanna was sure that she would have done the same, had it been her.

"Oh Goddess, where should I look first?" Alanna asked, more to herself than to the Goddess. Alanna knew that she had to find Daine. She was certain that the young woman could easily take care of herself, as she had done it before at a much younger age, but that was not what Alanna was worried about. She was worried about what would happen to Tortall if Daine was not found. If the Gallans came today to get a Wild Mage, and they went home empty handed, it was a sure thing that Galla and Scanra would declare war on Tortall. That could not happen, for if it did, a serious loss and possible destruction would fall on the country Alanna loved. At this last thought, Alanna began to wonder how Daine could just run off as she had. That did not matter in the present, though. All that did matter, was that she find Daine and talk sense into her, no matter how much she didn't want to.

Alanna's mind immediately traveled to that of Numair. If anyone could find Daine, he could. He knew her the best out of everyone in Tortall, and was, of course, their best hope. Not only that, but Alanna had reason to believe that Numair had created a focus of Daine some months ago, after their arrival back home from Carthak. If Numair did not know off hand where to find Daine, then he could use his magic to find her. She just hoped he would cooperate, and forget any sort of feelings he might have had for Daine. Now was not the time to be thinking of such things, she knew.

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Daine found herself fitting so comfortable in the crook of Numair's arms. The feeling of his lips lightly grazing her skin was so wonderful and uplifting, that at times, Daine could not help but gasp. She found her mind drifting off to far places, taking her from the havoc this day was causing. Daine could feel a tingling pleasure as she felt her lover begin to trace a line down the bare skin of her back, gently caressing her as he did. She moaned in pleasure, wanting him never to stop.

Feeling unable to resist, Daine rolled her body over, so that she was looking up at him. His eyes looked back at her, pain written clearly in them. Daine knew that despite the wonderful feeling each of them got from the other's touch, it was causing them more pain than anything else. She forced a small smile, for his sake, just before moving her face closer to his, and letting her lips ease gently over his own. Numair seemed to freeze for a moment, unsure of himself. He soon gave in to her inviting demeanor, and wrapped an arm protectively around her waste. He could feel her lips curl into a smile at his gesture. "Mmmmmm," she moaned, adding more to their kiss by the second.

"We-we should get up soon," Numair fought with himself as he voiced these words. He did not mean them, not at heart. It was his rational side, the one he hated right now, that meant these words.

Daine knew he was right. What would the Gallans think if they arrived for her, and she was no where to be found? That in itself could start a war, if Jarlath was the way she remembered him. Though she had never actually met the king of Galla, Daine had heard countless stories in her childhood of how unjust and cruel he was. "No," Daine murmured, voice muffled as she buried her face in her lover's chest. Her face was set defiantly, as if she could really stop her own fate by a look.

Numair nodded, understanding fully what sort of inner struggle Daine was going through. She had a choice now, and she had to walk into this. She could not turn back, or take any other path, and she knew it; he knew that she knew it. Saying that she was being forced to go to Galla today was not entirely true. Daine had the choice to refuse, to run away and never come back. They could have been together then, but things can't always go the way people want them to. There would be dire consequences if Daine were to run off, and both she and Numair knew it. As much as Numair hated to admit it to himself, Daine was walking away from him today of her own free will. No one was making her.

Despite these new found thoughts that were racing wildly through Numair's mind, he did not blame his love. She could not defy her own nature, what she was born with. She could not do that any more than he could. His Daine was born to be a hero, to save people. If she ran away with him and did not go to Galla as was expected of her, she would be signing away the lives of countless innocent people. It was not in Daine's nature to put others at risk. It was however, her nature and destiny to sacrifice herself in the place of others. That was what she was doing today, and nobody, not even herself, could put a stop to it. Numair wished more than anything that he could though.

Suddenly, Daine's voice broke the enchanted silence between them. " Numair?" Her voice seemed to question his very being. Numair swallowed hard, pausing a brief moment before answering her call to him.

"Yes, sweet?" he answered, voice quivering slightly. He had not been able to speak properly all morning. It was a wonder to him how he managed to speak at all.

"Teach me one last thing before I leave today," Daine's request seemed simple enough, but her tone was far to serious and deep for him to believe its simplicity for a second. He began to let himself worry as to what she wanted. Whatever it was, he already wanted more than anything to give it to her.

"Anything," Numair whispered, voice hushed and raspy. He meant what he said; he would give her anything now. As if enchanted by a spell, Numair lifted a hand up to his chest and held it directly above his heart. It beat faster now than he could ever remember it beating before. He did not have to wonder what the cause of this was.

"Teach me how to say good-bye," At this last statement, a tear r slowly down Daine's face. Numair's eyes widened at the site of her just now. She had shed countless tears this past week and a half, but for some reason he was affected more now by her crying than ever before. It seemed so wrong now, so out of place. He hated to see her like this, and vowed to do anything to make it stop.

***Oh you and you alone are with me from now on

Even if I never see your face again

The love that you have shown is unlike anything I've known

We both know its just a matter of when***



"I wish I knew, Magelet," Numair said after a while of thinking. He had no answer for her question. If he did, then he would not be feeling so torn apart just now. He would be able to let her go, and not shed a single tear. If he knew the secret of saying good-bye, then he would teach her all there was to know about the subject, so that she could move on when she left today. Deep down, he wanted what was best for her, and right now the best thing for her would be to forget him, and find someone else in Galla. Since there was no way for her to stay in Tortall with him, he wanted her to find happiness in her new home. " I wish I could find all the right words to say good-bye to you today, but I can't. I don't know a thing about saying good-bye, at least not in a situation like this. It just isn't something I can teach you, Daine."

"Then how do you say the words that you don't have the heart to say?" Daine's voice was pleading with him to help her find all of the answers that he could not find. Though he hated to admit it, Numair Salmalin was stumped. Sighing, he began to run his hands through his unruly hair.

"Daine, I-" Numair was about to respond to her, admitting to her that he was baffled by this whole line of questioning. He was, however, interrupted by a soft rapping at the door to his main chambers.

***I wish that we could just turn back the hands of time

To find a way to have your world fit into mine

I'll keep dreaming that some day it all comes true

Girl the reason my heart's breaking is for you

And you alone***

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A/N: Ok, I know that I told you guys that this would be the chapter in which Daine leaves, but I guess I lied...I just saw the perfect opportunity to leave a cliffy, and I took it...come on, you've got to admit that it makes things more interesting...*sighs* fine, I WILL give you a few hints as to the content of the next chapter... First off, it'll be called 'Exposure and Departure' and I'm sure you can pretty much get what I'm hinting at....also, I'll probably be using the same song that I used in this chapter.....REVIEW, or mark my words you will get NO MORE chapters! ^_^