Chapter 3 is here! I 'm sorry this chapter took a while, but I've been
really really busy. I'll try to update at least once a week Anyway, this
chapter is a little fluffy, but I'm not too great with the romance, which
is why this fic is in the Action/Adventure category ( Enjoy and review!
As Daine left the King's war chamber, she felt a hand touch her shoulder. It belonged to Alanna. There was some emotion in her eyes that Daine couldn't read.
"Can we talk?" the Lioness asked.
"Sure," Daine said
"Not here, follow me."
The lady knight led Daine outside to the gardens where she had just been hours before. By now night had fallen and a full moon cast long shadows upon the ground. Alanna sat down on a bench and motioned for Daine take a seat as well.
"It's about Aly," the Lioness said quietly, her voice almost a whisper. "I know you probably won't see her, but, if you do, will you please tell her something?"
"Of course." Daine replied, listening hard. Alanna had done so much for her over the years and Daine felt that she would do anything for her friend.
"Before Aly was captured, we left things badly. She had asked me if she could be a spy for her father, and well, you know how that conversation always goes. My temper got the better of me, but then she was gone before I could even talk to her again. I want Aly to know that I love her, because I'm not so sure she thinks I do. She and I are very different, we've never seen eye to eye really. When Aly was born, I had always hoped that she would follow in my footsteps to knighthood and when she started to follow George's path, I got worried. The life of a spy isn't easy. They're always on the run, never settling. I didn't want that life for Aly and I tried to steer her away from it, but I guess she and the gods had other plans." Daine had never seen Alanna look so worn, not even after battle.
"Just tell, Aly that I love her and that I'm proud of her, no matter what she decides to become. Good luck Daine, and watch you back." Alanna nodded in wordless thanks and left Daine alone in the gardens.
Deep in thought, Daine stood up and began to walk. She wondered what had become of her young niece. As long as she had known, Aly, which was since right after she was born, Daine had always found her as stubborn as the Lioness herself. In fact, ever since Aly had finally figured out what she wanted to do with her life, become a spy, the two ladies of Pirates Swoop's stubbornness had caused them to engage in numerous sparring matches of wit and words. Although they were often caught in argument, Daine knew that Aly and Alanna had a bond that no little quarrel could sever. The bond of a mother and daughter who were both determined to find their paths, no matter how hard. Alanna's talk of family reminded Daine of her own. She was thinking about how much she would miss her young family while she was gone. Daine wondered now, as she often did, about her young daughter's future. Who would Sarralyn become? What magics did she possess? How would she ever be able to teach Sarra right from wrong? Daine sighed, knowing that only time would answer these questions.
Numair's face loomed in her mind as her footsteps carried her away from the palace and to horse pastures of the Queen's Riders. Daine promised herself that she would be more careful than she had ever been before, on this mission to the Copper Isles. She would never leave Numair and Sarra to fend for themselves. She made a promise to the Goddess that she would return home, no matter what.
Diane hopped with ease that only comes with much practice, over the fence enclosing the horse pasture. The ponies' ears perked up as they heard their favorite visitor joining their quiet circle. The wild mage was sure to greet and scratch the ears of every pony. Suddenly, a familiar head butted Daine's back.
Where have you been all day? I have a tick on my ear that's been driving me mad.
The voice of Diane's faithful pony, Cloud, rang in her head.
Daine grinned, "Sorry Cloud, " she said, talking out loud to fill the night air, although she didn't need words to communicate with the People. "I've been fair busy with all the planning." She turned to face the mare and skillfully dislodged the pesky tick from her ear.
You're always trying to save the world. Cloud snorted, Humans.
"Be that as it may, I came here to say good bye. I must leave tonight." Daine had already explained to Cloud the details of her journey days earlier, and though grudgingly, Cloud had agreed that Daine needed to go to the Copper Isles, This, however didn't mean that she was going to be nice about it. That was simply against her nature.
Daine took a deep breath of the cool night air. Around her, one of the ponies decided that it was about time for a run and the entire heard joined him. The wild mage listened to the calming sound of their steady hooves pounding at the earth.
Come Daine! One pony named Fleethoof cried, Run with us!
Daine grinned and gave in to the urge to gallop with her friends. She snuck behind Cloud and carefully removed her clothing. Then she began to change. Not more that a minute later there stood a strawberry colored pony in the spot where the girl had just been.
Let's Go! The horse who was Daine cried, and she began to run, leaving her troubles behind for a brief retreat to carelessness.
Daine stopped to rest for a moment. The run had felt good. Hum, what's that, she thought. She lifted her big nose to the wind. Human? She looked over to the source of the smell, which turned out to be a tall, lanky man sitting on the fence to the pastures. Numair. Suddenly remembering her trip and husband, Diane trotted back over to where her clothes were and changed back to human form. When she was finished dressing, she walked over to Numair and took a seat next to him on the fence.
Numair turned and kissed her sweetly. "Have a nice time?" he asked with a mocking grin.
Daine blushed and explained, "I just wanted to say goodbye to the heard."
"And what about your lover?" he asked a twinkle in his eye.
She turned to face him. "I don't want to say good bye to you," She lay her head on his shoulder.
"Nor do I magelet," he stroked Daine's head, and they sat there in silence for a moment. "You needn't say goodbye because you'll be back soon." He paused, "Daine, promise me something?"
"Anything," Daine said softly, looking into his eyes.
"Promise that you'll come back to me. I can't, won't live without you."
"I promise," she whispered softly and kissed his lips passionately.
As Daine left the King's war chamber, she felt a hand touch her shoulder. It belonged to Alanna. There was some emotion in her eyes that Daine couldn't read.
"Can we talk?" the Lioness asked.
"Sure," Daine said
"Not here, follow me."
The lady knight led Daine outside to the gardens where she had just been hours before. By now night had fallen and a full moon cast long shadows upon the ground. Alanna sat down on a bench and motioned for Daine take a seat as well.
"It's about Aly," the Lioness said quietly, her voice almost a whisper. "I know you probably won't see her, but, if you do, will you please tell her something?"
"Of course." Daine replied, listening hard. Alanna had done so much for her over the years and Daine felt that she would do anything for her friend.
"Before Aly was captured, we left things badly. She had asked me if she could be a spy for her father, and well, you know how that conversation always goes. My temper got the better of me, but then she was gone before I could even talk to her again. I want Aly to know that I love her, because I'm not so sure she thinks I do. She and I are very different, we've never seen eye to eye really. When Aly was born, I had always hoped that she would follow in my footsteps to knighthood and when she started to follow George's path, I got worried. The life of a spy isn't easy. They're always on the run, never settling. I didn't want that life for Aly and I tried to steer her away from it, but I guess she and the gods had other plans." Daine had never seen Alanna look so worn, not even after battle.
"Just tell, Aly that I love her and that I'm proud of her, no matter what she decides to become. Good luck Daine, and watch you back." Alanna nodded in wordless thanks and left Daine alone in the gardens.
Deep in thought, Daine stood up and began to walk. She wondered what had become of her young niece. As long as she had known, Aly, which was since right after she was born, Daine had always found her as stubborn as the Lioness herself. In fact, ever since Aly had finally figured out what she wanted to do with her life, become a spy, the two ladies of Pirates Swoop's stubbornness had caused them to engage in numerous sparring matches of wit and words. Although they were often caught in argument, Daine knew that Aly and Alanna had a bond that no little quarrel could sever. The bond of a mother and daughter who were both determined to find their paths, no matter how hard. Alanna's talk of family reminded Daine of her own. She was thinking about how much she would miss her young family while she was gone. Daine wondered now, as she often did, about her young daughter's future. Who would Sarralyn become? What magics did she possess? How would she ever be able to teach Sarra right from wrong? Daine sighed, knowing that only time would answer these questions.
Numair's face loomed in her mind as her footsteps carried her away from the palace and to horse pastures of the Queen's Riders. Daine promised herself that she would be more careful than she had ever been before, on this mission to the Copper Isles. She would never leave Numair and Sarra to fend for themselves. She made a promise to the Goddess that she would return home, no matter what.
Diane hopped with ease that only comes with much practice, over the fence enclosing the horse pasture. The ponies' ears perked up as they heard their favorite visitor joining their quiet circle. The wild mage was sure to greet and scratch the ears of every pony. Suddenly, a familiar head butted Daine's back.
Where have you been all day? I have a tick on my ear that's been driving me mad.
The voice of Diane's faithful pony, Cloud, rang in her head.
Daine grinned, "Sorry Cloud, " she said, talking out loud to fill the night air, although she didn't need words to communicate with the People. "I've been fair busy with all the planning." She turned to face the mare and skillfully dislodged the pesky tick from her ear.
You're always trying to save the world. Cloud snorted, Humans.
"Be that as it may, I came here to say good bye. I must leave tonight." Daine had already explained to Cloud the details of her journey days earlier, and though grudgingly, Cloud had agreed that Daine needed to go to the Copper Isles, This, however didn't mean that she was going to be nice about it. That was simply against her nature.
Daine took a deep breath of the cool night air. Around her, one of the ponies decided that it was about time for a run and the entire heard joined him. The wild mage listened to the calming sound of their steady hooves pounding at the earth.
Come Daine! One pony named Fleethoof cried, Run with us!
Daine grinned and gave in to the urge to gallop with her friends. She snuck behind Cloud and carefully removed her clothing. Then she began to change. Not more that a minute later there stood a strawberry colored pony in the spot where the girl had just been.
Let's Go! The horse who was Daine cried, and she began to run, leaving her troubles behind for a brief retreat to carelessness.
Daine stopped to rest for a moment. The run had felt good. Hum, what's that, she thought. She lifted her big nose to the wind. Human? She looked over to the source of the smell, which turned out to be a tall, lanky man sitting on the fence to the pastures. Numair. Suddenly remembering her trip and husband, Diane trotted back over to where her clothes were and changed back to human form. When she was finished dressing, she walked over to Numair and took a seat next to him on the fence.
Numair turned and kissed her sweetly. "Have a nice time?" he asked with a mocking grin.
Daine blushed and explained, "I just wanted to say goodbye to the heard."
"And what about your lover?" he asked a twinkle in his eye.
She turned to face him. "I don't want to say good bye to you," She lay her head on his shoulder.
"Nor do I magelet," he stroked Daine's head, and they sat there in silence for a moment. "You needn't say goodbye because you'll be back soon." He paused, "Daine, promise me something?"
"Anything," Daine said softly, looking into his eyes.
"Promise that you'll come back to me. I can't, won't live without you."
"I promise," she whispered softly and kissed his lips passionately.