A/N: Sorry this took so long. I would have had it up a while ago, but my dad ran off with my laptop. I'm about to step off of my safe security of sticking to the books, and stand on the branch of my own creativity (branch brakes) Eek! Well, as that little metaphor said, this chapter is a bit more unique, so I hope you like it. Its also back to Numair's pov. My friend/editor wants me to tell you that this fic is rated PG for typos.
Disclaimer: If I were Tamora Pierce, Numair would be mine! All mine! But sadly I am a lowly fanfic writer, and all the stuff including him, are hers. (sighs)
Chapter 3 Revelations
Numair was having the strangest dream. In his dream he was in a large library looking at books that contained answers to anything he had ever wanted to know. Each time he tried to pull a book from the shelf, something sharp rapped his head. In his dream he reached up to swat it. He awoke to find that he had indeed hit his own head, and something feathery along with it.
A small finch was resting on his pillow pecking at him. Numair sat up and rubbed at his eyes. "Alright I'm up!" He told the pesky bird. The bird flew out his open window, which Numair noticed was letting a lot of sun in. I must have slept late. He thought. He selected some simple clothes for that day. He planned on going into town, and there was no better way to stick out than to wear black robes. He ran his fingers through his hair then bound it at the nape of his neck.
He spotted Daine and Alanna sitting together in the dinning hall and went to join them. Daine moved over to open a space on her left.
"I see you finally went got out of bed." She told him. He didn't miss the mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
"Ah, thanks to a little bird." He replied. He caught her eye and she looked away. They both knew that she had sent that bird to wake him. He grinned and ruffled her hair a little. She pretended to make a fuss over tucking the fallen locks behind her ears. She missed one on the side closest to him. Without thinking he reached down and brushed it behind her ear. For a moment his fingers caressed her cheek and he felt a desire to do more than just touch her face. Stop it! He disciplined himself. He turned to the food before him for a distraction. At the site of rich pastries his stomach lurched. It still hadn't adjusted from the trip home. He chose a plain muffin instead and turned to Alanna. "How did the meeting with Jon go?"
"Great for him. I simply have to spend even more time away from home and family than I already have. But, 'You'll see them soon enough Alanna... I really need you to do this.'"
Numair thought it better to distance himself from Alanna and her frustrations. He turned to Daine, and bade his emotions to control themselves. "Where is Kitten this morning?" He rarely saw Daine without the young Dragon.
"She's out with Takaa. I know she missed him, and she missed her lessons." She smiled at him when she said that last part.
Numair had been giving a lot of thought to Daine's lessons with him. I know I've taught her all that I can. She's been figuring things out on her own for a while now. She taught herself to shapeshift for Mithros sake. She can come to me with questions, but there isn't a need for formal lessons. Except that I don't want them to stop. I want an excuse to spend time with her.
The more he thought on it the more he realized that maybe some space from her was what he needed. "Magelet" he began. "I need to speak to you later, about your own lessons." He saw Daine's nod.
"So..." This was Alanna. "...going somewhere special today?" she was referring to his clothes.
"I have to make a trip into town to pick something up."
"Good luck fighting the crowds. Things have been very busy lately." She had finished eating and then stood up. "I'd better get to repacking my things." With that she left. Numair had finished his muffin, and decided to start on his errand.
"I'd better be leaving too." He addressed Daine.
"And I will need to check up with Onua and Cloud."
Numair walked through the busy streets of Corus. He made his way to a small jewelry shop on the corner. The shop was no less busy inside than the town streets. He made his way to the front counter and waited for someone to help him. He saw a woman standing in front of a counter of rings. He caught her glance and she smiled flirtingly at him. He got the feeling that she was not here to shop for jewelry. There was a time in his life when he would have gone over to her to flirt back, but that was part of someone in his past. At that moment a short man with wiry brown hair approached him.
"Ah, Master Salmalin, are you here to pick up your order?"
"As a matter of fact I am."
"I'll go get that for you. I've kept it locked up until you came by." He came back with a small black box. "Here you are."
Numair opened the box to examine a small locket. It was made from algar which was a gold-like metal capable of conducting magic very easily. It was the metallic equivalent to black opal stones. It was very rare and expensive. He examined the trinket with his magic, checking its authenticity. When he was satisfied he handed the man six gold choins. "I also require a small gold chain as well." The man nodded and in a few moments produced one. Numair placed the items in his pocket and then left. He was happy to see that the woman who had been eyeing him had left as well.
Numair made his way up to the castle. He stopped when he spotted Daine in a field of horses. She was clearly having a silent conversation with one blue roan mare. Daine's eyes came up and rested on him. She waved and then walked over.
"Hello Magelet" he smiled down at her. "Is she new?" He inquired about the mare.
"Yes, and the others are giving her a hard time." For a moment they stood in silence. "Well, I'm fair tired, a few horses caught some sort of infection while I was away, and Onua needed me to treat it. I've been at it all day."
"Get some rest then, Magelet. I'll see you at supper."
She headed back to the castle, and after a moment Numair decided to follow. He had things to do as well. He entered the castle library and saw a man sitting beside the large back window with an easel in front of him. The man was Volney Rain. He had the Gift which gave him talent in art, King Jonathan had employed him for some portraits. Numair once helped Volney with a spell to enhance his paints, and now he needed Volney to return the favor.
"Vonley may I have a word?" Numair approached the man.
"Certainly Numair. Is there something I can do for you?"
"I need a portrait, small enough to fit into this." At that he displayed the locket.
"And who does this portrait need to be of?" Volney asked. There was a suggestive sparkle to his eye.
"Of Daine" He tried to keep his own gaze neutral. "I'm conducting a sort of magical experiment" Volney nodded, but he still looked a little suspicious.
"I'll have that for you as soon as I can."
"Thank you, Volney. I appreciate it."
Numair headed down to the dinner hall. He wasn't feeling hungry, but he wanted to see Daine, and Alanna before she left. He took his usual seat beside Daine. She looked more rested than the last time he had seen her. He began to eat, but his mind wandered to the locket and what he planned on doing tonight. Mentally he went through spells and carved a plan into his mind.
"Are you alright?" a concerned voice asked him.
"Hmm? Yes I'm alright Magelet." He smiled at her. "Just thinking."
"You do that too often you know. Its enough to give anyone a headache."
He laughed and chose not to comment. I suppose you can't argue with that. She knows me so well. He thought.
He saw Alanna watching him from the corner of her eye, but he did not think anything of it.
He left the dinning hall, and was making the familiar path the his tower, He was thinking about a book of his that he needed to re-read, when someone in the shadows of a suit of armor grabbed his robe sleave.
"Alanna! Graveyard Hag you scared me!."
"Can I have a word, Numair?" the red-head asked casually.
"Ok" he replied curiously
She lead him to her room and shut the door. Once it was shut she whispered something and purple fire leapt to the corners of the room to seal it against eaves droppers.
"Is that necessary?" Numair asked. His curiosity really peaked.
"I don't think you want what will be said in this room overheard." She said with a secretive look in her eye.
"What's this about?"
"I need to talk to you about you and Daine."
"What about me and Daine?" The suspicion could not be hidden in his voice.
"When are you planning on telling her that you love her?" Her voice was casual, but her words hit like a ton of bricks.
Numair's thought's whirled. Mithros, Mynos, and Shakith! Love? Is that how I feel about Daine? I love her? Mithros I do! But she can't know that. Never.
"I.." he started out shakily "I am not going to tell her."
"And why not?"
"Because." He began indignantly "That knowledge would ruin her life."
"How would knowing someone is in love with her ruin her life."
"I'm her teacher for Mithros sake! And I'm fourteen years her elder. It would be unfair to her."
"I think that would be a mistake. She has a right to know."
"What if she dosen't feel that way for me?" Or worse what if she does. His mind told
him.
"You won't know until you tell her." She said with mischief in her eyes.
"I can't tell her! And you can't either!" Panick was evident in his voice.
"Alright, Numair, I won't tell. But I really think you should."
"You and I both know that she deserves a better man than me."
"I think you underestimate yourself, Numair. You care about her, and someone like that is rare."
Numair's mind was realing. "How did you find out?"
"Please Numair. You think that your enemies can tell things about you that your friends can't."
"That depends on whether or not your enemy was once your close friend."
Alanna sighed. "I'm not going to engage in a battle of wits with you. No doubt you'd win." She smiled at him. "I've been in love a couple of times Numair. Its something rare, and you shouldn't let it pass you by."
Words of wisdom from Alanna? Numair thought. He simply nodded at her. "Have a safe journey Alanna."
"thanks, and think about what we talked about ok?"
"Alright" How can I not?
He returned to his tower. Suddenly books were the furthest thing from his mind.
A/N Ok, if you decide to flame me after this, make it a friendly flame :D so, if you like it then great!! I won't know unless you review!! So do that! Ok? Don't make me hurt you!! Jk.
Ok you guys (beams at reviewers) I need your help!! I need Daine/Perin situations for the next chapter. You can e-mail them to me or put them in your review. Mostly I just need times for them to end up together.
Thanks to:
Dragon and the Wild Mage: I hate Perin too. Don't worry, he gets what's coming to him.
Tarian-Kai: No, Perin was a palace clerk, who was also kind of Daine's stalker. If you don't like fluff I don't recommend you read the sequel to this then. But this fic will continue to be fluff free... sort of....
LJ4Neal: the chapters will rotate to Daine and Numair's pov, but I'm trying to do as many Numy ones as I can.
Narm's Briton 44: You think its original?? I'm so glad! Thanks for the review
MistyFox 14: thanks for the review. Glad you like it, and I hope you keep reading
Insomniac-Reader: thanks for the positive review. You are right, from Numair's pov things are getting slightly fluffier. I predict that you will like the sequel to this.