A couple of days after the incident Daine was in the stables talking mind-to-mind with Cloud

A couple of days after the incident Daine was in the stables talking mind-to-mind with Cloud.

Why else would Numair do this? Daine said.

Forget that stupid reason you have, Cloud replied. You think too much. Just miss him.

What else am I suppose to think?

Nothing, nothing at all.

"So what are you doing, girl?" a male voice asked.

Daine spun around and came nose to nose with the young man that had caused that incident. Daine took a step back.

"What… what are you doing here?" Daine stammered.

"I was looking for you. I thought you could help me with something," he grinned.

Daine composed herself. "I remember you now. You tried to take my horse. I don't help thieves."

"Ah, you'll be able to help me then? I am not a thief," he said.

Daine gave him skeptical look.

Seeing it the man sighed and said, "I'm not really a thief but I've got to get food and transport somehow you know, having no money or anything."

"Why should I help you? I don't even know who you are."

He didn't reply for a bit and he looked as though he was thinking carefully about what to say. "All right then I'll introduce myself then. My name is…" he paused. "…Deiniol Soame." He caught her hand and as he bowed he kissed her hand.

Daine tried to pull her hand out of his strong grip but without any success. He looked up at her, a playful glimmer in his eyes. "What is your name?"

She did not reply but tried again at pulling her hand out of his. He would not let her go. "Your name first." Daine looked up meeting his eyes and quickly looked away.

"Veralidaine Sarrassi, now let go of my hand," she replied eyes on the ground.

But he didn't immediately. Instead he gripped her chin, making her look into his dark eyes. "It is a pleasure, Veralidaine."

Daine's breath caught in her throat and her heart beat too fast. Finally he let her go. Daine could breathe properly again.

"Now will you help me?"

"How can I possibly help you in anyway?" Daine was amazed by the calmness in her voice. She could not understand why she was acting so strange – stranger than she was already.

"I need to speak with the King and Queen, and you seem to know them."

"I do and you've met them anyway. Not a good impression you gave them, Deiniol."

"What are you talking about? I never… "

"The other day you ruined that room? And those people in there that had you trapped? The woman with red hair - that's the Lioness…" Deiniol looked blankly at her. "You don't know the Lioness? But I thought everyone knew who she was. She's the lady knight of Tortall, the King's Champion. And the man and woman with black hair? That's the King and Queen." Deiniol looked at her in disbelief. "I'm not lying. Why do you want to speak to the King and Queen?" Daine was suspicious now. She didn't know why she trusted this stranger, telling him all she did. She owed him nothing.

"It's private," he said looking away.

"Well, Deiniol I'm afraid I can't help you then," Daine replied coming out of the stall and walked out of the stables.

"Wait!" Deiniol ran in front of her, stopping her. "Please, you must help me."

"I can't…"

"Daine?" Onua stood behind the two. "Who's this?"

"Onua… what…I mean…" Daine stumbled over her words but stopped. She was acting as though she had done something wrong and she wasn't.

Onua looked at Deiniol and finally it clicked. "You were that thief! What are you doing here? Are you asking for trouble?"

"Wait a second there! I did not stead anything," Deiniol was indignant.

"But it was the fact that you were going to steal something! It was lucky Alanna was there and lucky for you that she didn't catch you!"

All this time Daine was silent. Finally she spoke up, "Why do you want to see the King and Queen?"

They turned to look at her as though they had just remembered she was there, they were so into the argument.

"I just need to."

"Well, you get your wish," Onua replied and took him by the arm leading him to the building.