~ ~ Two ~ ~
Alanna looked past Daine to Numair. "You too Numair, since you're Daine's teacher, it concerns you."
Numair appeared not to hear her. Alanna sighed and stepped past Daine. She tapped Numair on the shoulder. He started around to look at her.
"Jonathan wants to see you and Daine."
"Oh, yes, right, my thanks Alanna. We'll be there shortly. Erm, we were actually discussing something rather important – "
"*Now*." Said Alanna. She turned back towards the door and rolled her eyes at Daine, smiling. "You can't keep the King waiting Numair, even if he is your friend. I'll escort you both to him." She stepped into the passageway and turned back expectantly.
Numair sighed, "Well magelet, I guess this will have to wait until later, but I expect us to continue this conversation immediately after this meeting!"
"Yes Numair," Daine said, and then turned to eagerly follow Alanna. She wondered why the King would want to see her. Even though she was the resident wildmage, he hadn't spoken to her in a while. He'd been too busy with affairs of the crown.
~~~~
Jonathan looked up when Alanna, Daine, and Numair entered.
"Ah! My friends, how good to see you all." He stepped out from behind his imposing oak desk, his eyes crinkling from his wide, honest smile.
"My king," Alanna said, bowing slightly, before going to squeeze his hand. "I brought them as fast as I could Jonathan. Numair was a delay though, as usual." She cast a look back at the mage, who appeared fascinated with something on the sleeve of his tunic.
Daine stepped forward eagerly, wondering what the King would have to say to her about Carthak. She missed Kaddar, Ozorne's nephew, who had become Emperor of Carthak three years ago. Daine wondered if the King might have some news about his well being.
"Daine! Just the lady I wanted to see." The King reached out and took both of Daine's hands in his own. "How are you?" Daine was a little breathless from the King's proximity, or was it his blue eyes? It didn't matter, as far as she knew; every woman he met became flustered for at least a second or two.
"Your majesty, I've been well." She smiled up at him. He released her hands and patted her shoulder before turning and walking back to his desk.
"That's good to hear." Facing her again, he perched himself on the edge of the desk and said, "But I expect you've been a bit bored after all the excitement."
Daine was puzzled. "What? Well, yes, I guess I was..." Daine felt Numair's hand grasp her shoulder.
"What's all this about Jonathan?" He said, his voice sounding stern above her head.
"Oh, just a minor matter, but one I think she'll be happy to hear of."
"Enlighten us then, we've important studies to do." Numair said, giving Daine's shoulder a final squeeze before backing off again.
Jonathan shifted his attention back to Daine. "You've been requested by the Carthaki Emperor to return and help sort out a rather large animal problem he has."
Daine felt her whole body lighten as she said, "What sort of problem?" She would finally be useful again! She was tired of just practicing her power to strengthen it; she wanted to do something with her wild magic again.
"It's seems that there are several carnivorous animals who've been attacking people in the dead of night, but there's one who is a huge problem. It's already killed four and wounded six. Emperor Kaddar's mages all concur that it is a very large, very rare, species of lion. Kaddar wants you to come and take care of it. He apologized for calling on *the* wild mage for such a trivial matter, but I detected a little loneliness in his letter. I suspect he wants some trustworthy company again. Gods' knows he needs it, what with the political upheaval over there."
"A giant *lion*?" Asked Numair, sounding incredulous. "That's all he wants Daine for?"
"Numair!" Daine scolded, "Sounds to me as if he needs a friend as well." Daine turned to the King. "Tell him I'll come, *without* Numair." She'd added the last part to see how her teacher would react. He bolted upright from the chair he'd been lounging in as if he'd been stung.
"*What*? Without *me*!? I am your teacher! I should be with you every step of the way until you have full control over your magic!"
Daine faced him, conscious of Alanna and Jonathan watching her every move. "Numair, I'm almost nineteen. I think I'm old enough to have a few months of independence! What do you think is going to happen to me with Kaddar around? Nothing! Besides, all my friends will protect me."
Numair glanced towards the heavens before looking at her and then held his hands out palms up, as though pleading with her. "Daine, please, what about this problem you're having? What if that gets worse? What if, eventually, you won't be able to change, *at all*? What if that happens in Carthak and I'm not there? What would you do about this 'lion' then?"
"Numair, I – "Daine began, but he cut her off.
"What if *all* of your powers fail? *What then*?"
"What's this about her powers failing?" Alanna asked, stepping forward. Her face had been growing more and more worried as she'd listened to their conversation. "*Nothing is failing*!" Daine said, exasperated beyond belief. I can do everything except change into *one measly marmoset*. I *hardly* think that's going to affect me there."
Jonathan stepped forward. "Listen Daine, I didn't know about this. It would be easy to say no to Kaddar, I know he wouldn't take it personally. He can deal with the lion by himself."
Daine backed away from the three of them; all of them had taken the side against her. It wasn't fair!
"Look, all of you! Can you just give me a *chance* to prove myself? That's all I'm asking for! Just one chance! For the Gods' sake, it's no more than a little boat ride away! Probably tons less than that for Numair. It's not like I'm going to be unreachable and totally vulnerable. *I'm almost nineteen*! I *need* to see the world! Alanna, you must understand how this works! You were a teenager once, so were you Jonathan!"
The two named looked at each other, their shoulders slumping a little, but Numair refused to back down. "Absolutely not. Daine, this is *crazy*! There's absolutely no way I am letting you go, *especially* without me! We have work to do and this new problem to discuss –"
"Numair, I think we should let her go." Jonathan said quietly. Numair whipped around, the edges of his magic beginning to show as the black aura mixed with silver flecks oozed from him. "*What*?"
Alanna stepped in between them. "Both of you, calm down." Her presence seemed to bring Numair to his senses, and he backed up a little. "I understand what Daine wants. She's right. It's the only way to know how she'll survive in the real world. Life doesn't coddle, Numair, and neither should you." Alanna's violet eyes flashed at the mage as he drew himself up to his full height.
"Well I – " He began, but stopped when Alanna said, "One more word out of you, and there'll be trouble. This is Daine's decision, not yours."
Numair immediately turned to look at Daine, pleading in his eyes, but she stiffened her back and said, "And I choose to go. Kaddar needs my help, and I miss him," she said, thinking of his mysterious eyes and his easy smile. "Besides, Alanna's right. I need to experience real life, *without* a protector." She reached out and touched Numair's hand softly. "I'm sorry, but I know I can do this without any trouble."
He seemed to wilt before taking her hand in both of his. "Magelet, I... blast. How can you do this?" His voice was starting to rise again. Daine pulled her hand away and brushed aside a brown curl that had fallen loose from its mooring.
"Numair, it's settled." Said Jonathan, he had moved back to his desk. Looking down, he pressed his seal into the wax on a newly written letter. Picking up the parchment, he strode back over to the group. Holding the letter out to Numair, he said, "This is the letter saying she can visit Carthak. It's got the royal seal on it, you know what that means." Numair did. It meant the contents of the letter could never be read by anyone other than it was intended for, and if anyone tried to destroy it, an exact duplicate would be automatically conjured and sent on to continue the journey to the original letter's destination.
Numair looked at Daine once more, his dark eyes expressionless. "Fine," he said, and swept out the door. The minute he was gone, Daine collapsed gratefully in a chair.
"Phew, I thought he'd never go. Your majesty, when do I leave?"
Jonathan was silent for a moment, but then he said, "Daine, I want you to be extra careful on this trip. I didn't know you were having problems with your magic."
"It's nothing serious!" Daine said, sitting up in her chair. She couldn't believe that they were going to start in on her now, *again*.
"Daine, all we're asking is that you watch your back." Alanna said, "And stop behaving like a spoiled child. You're going, now be respectful. I think you should apologize to Numair."
Daine bit her lip and calmed herself. Why did they always have to be right?
~~~~
"Numair," Daine called as she stepped back into his rooms. There was no sound, but Daine knew he was in here somewhere, probably throwing himself into one of his experiments.
"Numair, I know you are here." She sighed, and continued. "Listen Numair, I know what I said was disrespectful, and I wanted to apologize for my behavior."
There was still no answer.
"Numair, please answer me!" Daine felt tears start in her eyes at her friend's silence. Finally, she whispered, "I'll miss you," before leaving, shutting the door softly behind her.
Little did she know, Numair was already on his way to Carthak.
Alanna looked past Daine to Numair. "You too Numair, since you're Daine's teacher, it concerns you."
Numair appeared not to hear her. Alanna sighed and stepped past Daine. She tapped Numair on the shoulder. He started around to look at her.
"Jonathan wants to see you and Daine."
"Oh, yes, right, my thanks Alanna. We'll be there shortly. Erm, we were actually discussing something rather important – "
"*Now*." Said Alanna. She turned back towards the door and rolled her eyes at Daine, smiling. "You can't keep the King waiting Numair, even if he is your friend. I'll escort you both to him." She stepped into the passageway and turned back expectantly.
Numair sighed, "Well magelet, I guess this will have to wait until later, but I expect us to continue this conversation immediately after this meeting!"
"Yes Numair," Daine said, and then turned to eagerly follow Alanna. She wondered why the King would want to see her. Even though she was the resident wildmage, he hadn't spoken to her in a while. He'd been too busy with affairs of the crown.
~~~~
Jonathan looked up when Alanna, Daine, and Numair entered.
"Ah! My friends, how good to see you all." He stepped out from behind his imposing oak desk, his eyes crinkling from his wide, honest smile.
"My king," Alanna said, bowing slightly, before going to squeeze his hand. "I brought them as fast as I could Jonathan. Numair was a delay though, as usual." She cast a look back at the mage, who appeared fascinated with something on the sleeve of his tunic.
Daine stepped forward eagerly, wondering what the King would have to say to her about Carthak. She missed Kaddar, Ozorne's nephew, who had become Emperor of Carthak three years ago. Daine wondered if the King might have some news about his well being.
"Daine! Just the lady I wanted to see." The King reached out and took both of Daine's hands in his own. "How are you?" Daine was a little breathless from the King's proximity, or was it his blue eyes? It didn't matter, as far as she knew; every woman he met became flustered for at least a second or two.
"Your majesty, I've been well." She smiled up at him. He released her hands and patted her shoulder before turning and walking back to his desk.
"That's good to hear." Facing her again, he perched himself on the edge of the desk and said, "But I expect you've been a bit bored after all the excitement."
Daine was puzzled. "What? Well, yes, I guess I was..." Daine felt Numair's hand grasp her shoulder.
"What's all this about Jonathan?" He said, his voice sounding stern above her head.
"Oh, just a minor matter, but one I think she'll be happy to hear of."
"Enlighten us then, we've important studies to do." Numair said, giving Daine's shoulder a final squeeze before backing off again.
Jonathan shifted his attention back to Daine. "You've been requested by the Carthaki Emperor to return and help sort out a rather large animal problem he has."
Daine felt her whole body lighten as she said, "What sort of problem?" She would finally be useful again! She was tired of just practicing her power to strengthen it; she wanted to do something with her wild magic again.
"It's seems that there are several carnivorous animals who've been attacking people in the dead of night, but there's one who is a huge problem. It's already killed four and wounded six. Emperor Kaddar's mages all concur that it is a very large, very rare, species of lion. Kaddar wants you to come and take care of it. He apologized for calling on *the* wild mage for such a trivial matter, but I detected a little loneliness in his letter. I suspect he wants some trustworthy company again. Gods' knows he needs it, what with the political upheaval over there."
"A giant *lion*?" Asked Numair, sounding incredulous. "That's all he wants Daine for?"
"Numair!" Daine scolded, "Sounds to me as if he needs a friend as well." Daine turned to the King. "Tell him I'll come, *without* Numair." She'd added the last part to see how her teacher would react. He bolted upright from the chair he'd been lounging in as if he'd been stung.
"*What*? Without *me*!? I am your teacher! I should be with you every step of the way until you have full control over your magic!"
Daine faced him, conscious of Alanna and Jonathan watching her every move. "Numair, I'm almost nineteen. I think I'm old enough to have a few months of independence! What do you think is going to happen to me with Kaddar around? Nothing! Besides, all my friends will protect me."
Numair glanced towards the heavens before looking at her and then held his hands out palms up, as though pleading with her. "Daine, please, what about this problem you're having? What if that gets worse? What if, eventually, you won't be able to change, *at all*? What if that happens in Carthak and I'm not there? What would you do about this 'lion' then?"
"Numair, I – "Daine began, but he cut her off.
"What if *all* of your powers fail? *What then*?"
"What's this about her powers failing?" Alanna asked, stepping forward. Her face had been growing more and more worried as she'd listened to their conversation. "*Nothing is failing*!" Daine said, exasperated beyond belief. I can do everything except change into *one measly marmoset*. I *hardly* think that's going to affect me there."
Jonathan stepped forward. "Listen Daine, I didn't know about this. It would be easy to say no to Kaddar, I know he wouldn't take it personally. He can deal with the lion by himself."
Daine backed away from the three of them; all of them had taken the side against her. It wasn't fair!
"Look, all of you! Can you just give me a *chance* to prove myself? That's all I'm asking for! Just one chance! For the Gods' sake, it's no more than a little boat ride away! Probably tons less than that for Numair. It's not like I'm going to be unreachable and totally vulnerable. *I'm almost nineteen*! I *need* to see the world! Alanna, you must understand how this works! You were a teenager once, so were you Jonathan!"
The two named looked at each other, their shoulders slumping a little, but Numair refused to back down. "Absolutely not. Daine, this is *crazy*! There's absolutely no way I am letting you go, *especially* without me! We have work to do and this new problem to discuss –"
"Numair, I think we should let her go." Jonathan said quietly. Numair whipped around, the edges of his magic beginning to show as the black aura mixed with silver flecks oozed from him. "*What*?"
Alanna stepped in between them. "Both of you, calm down." Her presence seemed to bring Numair to his senses, and he backed up a little. "I understand what Daine wants. She's right. It's the only way to know how she'll survive in the real world. Life doesn't coddle, Numair, and neither should you." Alanna's violet eyes flashed at the mage as he drew himself up to his full height.
"Well I – " He began, but stopped when Alanna said, "One more word out of you, and there'll be trouble. This is Daine's decision, not yours."
Numair immediately turned to look at Daine, pleading in his eyes, but she stiffened her back and said, "And I choose to go. Kaddar needs my help, and I miss him," she said, thinking of his mysterious eyes and his easy smile. "Besides, Alanna's right. I need to experience real life, *without* a protector." She reached out and touched Numair's hand softly. "I'm sorry, but I know I can do this without any trouble."
He seemed to wilt before taking her hand in both of his. "Magelet, I... blast. How can you do this?" His voice was starting to rise again. Daine pulled her hand away and brushed aside a brown curl that had fallen loose from its mooring.
"Numair, it's settled." Said Jonathan, he had moved back to his desk. Looking down, he pressed his seal into the wax on a newly written letter. Picking up the parchment, he strode back over to the group. Holding the letter out to Numair, he said, "This is the letter saying she can visit Carthak. It's got the royal seal on it, you know what that means." Numair did. It meant the contents of the letter could never be read by anyone other than it was intended for, and if anyone tried to destroy it, an exact duplicate would be automatically conjured and sent on to continue the journey to the original letter's destination.
Numair looked at Daine once more, his dark eyes expressionless. "Fine," he said, and swept out the door. The minute he was gone, Daine collapsed gratefully in a chair.
"Phew, I thought he'd never go. Your majesty, when do I leave?"
Jonathan was silent for a moment, but then he said, "Daine, I want you to be extra careful on this trip. I didn't know you were having problems with your magic."
"It's nothing serious!" Daine said, sitting up in her chair. She couldn't believe that they were going to start in on her now, *again*.
"Daine, all we're asking is that you watch your back." Alanna said, "And stop behaving like a spoiled child. You're going, now be respectful. I think you should apologize to Numair."
Daine bit her lip and calmed herself. Why did they always have to be right?
~~~~
"Numair," Daine called as she stepped back into his rooms. There was no sound, but Daine knew he was in here somewhere, probably throwing himself into one of his experiments.
"Numair, I know you are here." She sighed, and continued. "Listen Numair, I know what I said was disrespectful, and I wanted to apologize for my behavior."
There was still no answer.
"Numair, please answer me!" Daine felt tears start in her eyes at her friend's silence. Finally, she whispered, "I'll miss you," before leaving, shutting the door softly behind her.
Little did she know, Numair was already on his way to Carthak.