I apologize for this late update. I've been very busy with schoolwork lately. Hope you like this chapter.

Chapter 9

Daine's ears buzzed as she walked resolutely down the corridor Ozorne had once taken her. People bumped into her as she hurried past, but the girl hardly noticed. Her eyes were determined, and her mind was obstinate upon achieving one goal. Objects passed her vision in a blur, and her senses were oddly faint, as if someone had switched it off. The only sensation in her that was fully awake is the indescribable and overpowering emotions rushing through her body.

Turning sharply around a corner, she stopped before a door, heavily ornamented and half ajar. Giving it a hard push, the wildmage entered the room with a bang that shook the earth. She walked to centre of the chamber, eyes scanning around.

'Ozorne! Come out. I want to see you!' Her voice rang loud and clear – and oddly calm, despite the turmoil of emotions churning in her stomach. 'I know you are here! Come out and face me!'

A large shadow fell towards her left and the girl spun around, muscles tense, in time to see the Emperor emerge from the shadow.

As he stepped into the light, Daine saw the cold eyes on his dark face glinting with – with what? Triumphs?

'Veralidaine,' he said pleasantly, 'and to what do I owe this pleasure of seeing you?' He looked about her, examining her with a skilful eye. His lips twitched into a smile that made Daine shiver involuntarily.

'How about some refreshments? Would you care for perhaps a – '

'Where is Numair?' Daine burst out angrily, breaking her resolution of keeping calm.

Ozorne smiled. 'Ah, your devoted teacher. I thought this might have something to do with him.' He moved lazily forward, advancing towards her slowly, but steadily. 'And there I was, hoping you might have come solely for my company. I guess the only situation where you would voluntarily seek for me would be on Arram's behalf.'

Daine ignored him. What he said was not important. 'What have you done with Numair?' she asked, gritting her teeth to release some anger.

'Veralidaine, we seem to stand upon some misunderstanding here,' Ozorne said, his courteous manner making Daine's blood boil, 'I think you will find that the matter does not lie on what I have done to him, but what he has done – or rather attempted to do on me.'

Daine growled inwardly. 'Talk straight,' she snapped feeling her arms prickle with tension. 'I'm in no mood for riddles.'

Ozorne chuckled deviously. 'Then let me enlighten you. Your teacher Numair tried to break into my private chamber this afternoon, undoubtedly with the intention of murder. My guards found him – in this very room in fact – one hand blazing with that itchy black fire of his.'

Daine felt herself go cold. Whatever she had expected, it was not this.

'Luckily I was at the menagerie during that time. Had I being present when your teacher intruded – I daresay you would be in for a dire heartbreak right now.'

He looked directly into Daine's eyes, a meaningful smile played on his mouth.

Daine gritted her teeth. She would not let him get the better of her! Numair could best you in a magic duel any day! She thought fiercely.

Ozorne seemed to have sensed her thoughts for he smiled superiorly.

'Numair may be the most powerful mage in Tortall, but he certainly is not the most powerful in the world. I can be very dangerous when angered, Veralidaine – I make a powerful friend, but a deadly enemy. It is wise to stay on my good side.'

Threat was obvious in his words. Daine looked away, her mind working desperately for a solution. She had planned to demand, even to fight for Numair against injustice, but it seemed that she had underestimated Ozorne. Setting a trap and arresting Numair against treason was the perfect excuse he needed– and the best thing was that Daine could do nothing against it.

'What will happen to Numair?' she asked. She tried to keep the stabbing fear out of her voice, but her words came out as a tremble.

'You must understand, Veralidaine, that treason is the highest form of crime. To try and assassinate the Ruler must be met with the only fitting punishment – that is, the penalty of death.'

Daine caught her breath and felt her heart twist painfully. Extreme fear for her teacher's life now clawed its way up her chest, suffocating her.

There was a sigh. 'I am sorry Veralidaine.' Ozorne came forward and rested a hand on her shoulder. 'Law is law. Numair knew the rules perfectly well before he decided to act this way.' His grip tightened. 'I did caution you that Numair is not to be trusted.'

Daine shrugged his hand away, eyes flashing. 'I'll decide who to trust and who not to!' Her throat burned painfully and to her horror, she felt tears threatening to emerge from her eyes.

Stop it! She thought furiously, you can't cry! Not in front of him!

But she couldn't help it. She was suddenly engulfed with the feeling of cold isolation and helplessness at the thought that she might loose Numair, her teacher, friend and…

She shook her head; the motion setting drops of tear to flow down her cheek.

'It really pains me,' Ozorne spoke softly, 'to see you hurt like this. I did caution you from getting too dependent on Arram. He was never a man of responsibility. It is such a sad fact that you should take the full consequence and suffer from his selfish actions.'

Daine bit her lip hard, and was rewarded by the warm coppery taste of blood. Her shoulders shook and she found the room spinning. Don't loose your temper! She told herself, you've got to keep a cool head to reason with him!

'Is there – is there nothing you could do?' the wildmage asked stiffly. She hated asking the Emperor for anything! 'Surely, as the Emperor, you must be able to bend the law?'

Ozorne smiled, knowing that she was now playing his game.

'Veralidaine, I'm afraid I am very much at loss here. You see, on the one hand, if I was to have Numair executed' – Daine shuddered at the word – 'that would mean the sure end to peace with Tortall, and believe me, peace is something I really can not afford to loose right now.' Ozorne gracefully circled the room, clearly enjoying his much planned speech. 'On the other hand, my people know of Numair's capture, and they all demand an execution. You will find, that as a ruler, I cannot always be too hasty to ignore the wishes of my subjects.' – the Emperor stopped walking and turned sharply – 'so you see, Veralidaine, I am faced with a very difficult matter. If I were to let Numair go, I would need some sort of diversion – an excuse or a…a replacement to take his place. Do you see what I am saying?'

Daine saw. She could see all too clearly the intentions played upon Ozorne's words. Still, she was willing to do anything to keep her teacher alive.

'I'll do it,' she stated solemnly, 'I'll take Numair's place and remain here as a symbol of trust between Carthak and Tortall. That way, you'll keep your peace with Tortall, and your people will still be happy because you've still got me as a prisoner.'

To her anger, Ozorne gave a sudden, amused chuckle. 'On the contrary, your staying here would achieve nothing. Besides, your Tortallen friends would never agree to it, and my keeping you here would defiantly mean the end of peace. No, there must be a subtler way of doing this, something to hold you here on a more permanent tie. You must be bound to me I think, through martial marriage.'

It took Daine several seconds to realise what he was saying.

'You want me to marry you?' she squeaked, hardly believing her ears. She had always regarded the issue of marriage as too far away a subject to be concerned with, and finding her self face to face with it was frightening.

She stared upon the man before her. Did she want to marry him? Did she want to spend the rest of her life with a man whose very presence made her skin crawl?

The answer was too obvious.

Something of reluctance must have shown on Daine's face for she found Ozorne's eyes narrowing.

'You know,' he began, his voice low and soft, 'most women would rejoice at my offer of hand.'

'Most women are not forced into marriage in exchange for a friend's life,' Daine answered flatly.

Ozorne's mouth curled up in an unpleasant smile. 'Marriage is the sole means of binding you to Carthak soil. That is the only way for me to legally keep you here, and that is the only way Numair walks free.'

Daine looked away, confliction raging within her. She wanted to save Numair, wanted to protect him so badly that it physically hurts. Yet if she agreed…if she married Ozorne, what would Numair say? When he is freed, he and the rest of the Tortallen delegates would leave for Tortall, and she would most likely to never see her friends again.

'I want to see Numair first,' Daine demanded firmly, bidding desperately for more time.

'Certainly,' Ozorne agreed with an airy laugh.

The lock to the cell door opened under Ozorne's command with a soft click.

'Don't be too long,' he warned before allowing her through, 'patience is not one of my best points.'

The room was square and windowless, lit dimly by an unearthly glow. The only piece of furnishing provided was a dusty, worn rug in the middle of the floor.

Numair sat amidst that rug, head rested on one knee. He looked up just as Daine entered. His eyes grew wide.

'Daine!' he exclaimed, jumping on to his feet.

Daine felt her eyes prickle. Two large strides carried her towards Numair where she buried her face into his chest. Strong arms wrapped themselves around the girl's shaking shoulders. Daine felt Numair's hand press comforting against her head.

'Daine, what happened?' he murmured with concern, 'where did you go? Did Ozorne try to lead you away again?'

Buried within the folds of his robe, Daine shook her head. 'It was a trap. I was nowhere near Ozorne, or his room. I only just came back when Alanna said – that you were arrested… Before that I was on my own.'

Numair pressed Daine against him more closely. 'I saw him take you away,' he whispered, smoothing her tangled hair, 'I don't know how he did it, but I saw him lead you away by force. He must have planned all this. He must have known I would follow, and laid that trap for me.'

There was a silence, lapsed by the silent yet unmistakable knowledge that both of them knew very well what fate awaited Numair. Daine backed away to look at his face. 'You shouldn't've followed!' she said severely, 'you know I would never follow him!' She tried to scowl and sound angry but the look in his deep fathomless eyes made her falter.

How could she let him die? He meant everything to her. He had helped her when her magic failed, just as he had always been there for her when she most needed him. His very existence seemed to be the breath that sustained Daine's life. His attentions, his unyielding gaze and his gentle touches always injected her with the sensation of glowing warmth.

Numair smiled tiredly. 'Don't look at me like that. It makes me nervous.'

Daine laughed in spite of herself. She had forgotten his pleasing manner. Groping, she found the mage's hand and clasped tightly. Numair responded by pulling her closer once again.

'You are not worried are you?' he asked teasingly, despite the tension, 'I would have thought that you of all people should know me better than to worry for my safety. You know I have no inclination to get killed just yet – least of all by Ozorne.' – Daine felt his chest shake as he gave a small laugh – 'no, I'll put up a good strong fight on the day, mark my word.'

You won't have to put up any fight if I can help it! Daine thought determinedly. Firm resolution started to form within her. Being this close to Numair, she felt more and more the pressing urgency to defend and protect him. Marriage with Ozorne was a small price to pay for the freedom of Numair. This must be what Mithros had warned me about, she realised with a jolt. The choices I had to make…this must be it!

Right on queue, Mithros's voice suddenly rang loud and clear in her mind.You must refuse his proposals, whatever the price'

Well, that 'price' happened to be the life of her dearest friend right now. 'Tough luck,' Daine muttered, 'you're not getting your way.'

Lifting her head, she gazed solemnly into Numair's eyes. She studied him, trying to memorise him for one last time.

'What's wrong?' he asked, noticing her seriousness.

Daine did not reply. Instead, she took a deep breath, hesitated – then thought it was only fitting, and leaned upwards to kiss his cheek.

'I won't let him kill you,' she whispered, eyes fixed and resolute.

Something in her voice made Numair look at her sharply, his eyes filled with misgiving. 'Daine – ' he began, suspicion stretched across his voice.

'I won't let him kill you,' Daine said again and pulled away from his grasp. She no longer wanted to look at him for fear of breaking her resolution, yet she made herself face him. This may be the last time you'll ever see him, she thought sadly.

'Love you,' she whispered and turned.

Now Numair was alarmed. He tried to grab the wildmage's hand but she was too quick.

'Daine! You can just about forget whatever plan you may have right now. Do you hear me? I forbid you to do anything stupid. Daine!'

But Daine was already gone, the door clicking magically behind her.