*DISCLAIMER* (I've realised that I haven't put one of these for the last few chapters but….) Characters belong to Tamora Pierce not me.
~ Sorry everyone for taking so long to get this chapter up (and I don't think it's a very good chapter either) but I've been bogged down with schoolwork and now that it's term holidays I did have the time problem was I was a little stuck. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! More reviews please!!
Deiniol grabbed her arm and twisted it and in a flash he had Onua's arm behind her back. He began mumbling something and then there was a blinding flash and when Onua and Daine's eyes cleared he was gone.
"Horse Lords I could throttle that dolt!" Onua scowled.
Daine ran over and tried helping her from the ground but Onua glared at her and said, "Daine who is he? Do you know him? Why were you talking to him?"
The younger girl sighed. "Onua, he was the one who came to me. I was in the stables with Cloud and he came and—"
"How can you do this to Numair, Daine? What are you just going to leave Numair for this obnoxious boy?"
The wildmage's blue-grey eyes flashed in anger. "Onua, even if I fall for anyone, I have every right to, not that I have for your information! Numair left me with not a single word. I guess I must be made to wait till her comes back? And when will that be do you think? A week? A month? A year? We don't know where he's gone and when he'll be back," Daine said, her words filled with anger. Then it struck her, what she had said and her anger evaporated. Daine lowered her eyes and said in a quieter tone, "I never realised that till now. I never wanted to know that. But it's true. I can't wait around all the time till he comes back. I can't."
"Daine—"
Sighing Daine looked back up at her concerned friend's face and gave her a smile. "I'm all right. I think I needed to just face the truth myself—"
"He will be back," Onua interrupted. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I'm just as worried for Numair as you are. I know you love Numair. I wasn't thinking…"
Giving her friend a smile she pushed her sorrow out of her. "It's all right, Onua."
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"Just to check how things are going in the village of Lake Viage, my dear," King Jonathon of Contè had told her.
Daine was more than happy to do this errand for the King. She was driving herself crazy with nothing to fill her days. She had spent a few days helping out Onua and Sarge with the horses and the Queen's Riders but she all she desperately wanted to do was to get away from the looks of pity she was given by all. And she had spent those tiring days keeping up a mask of being all right and repeatedly telling everyone who asked that she was absolutely fine.
The King was to set off to see how the kingdom fared and with him gone, the Queen set off to the summer camp with the trainees at Pirate's Swoop. She and Onua set off three days after everyone else had gone (she hadn't been able to convince to go alone). The five day ride with Onua, Dust (Onua's mare), Cloud and Kit to keep her company Daine could almost forget all her sorrow and aching in her heart for Numair. It was like old times when Daine had first met Onua.
At the palace everywhere she went she was reminded of Numair, memories would rush over and although they where happy ones they pained her because they made her miss Numair all the more. Never in the six years they'd been traveling together had she been away from him this long. It was as though a part of her was missing. But on this journey it was almost as though Numair did not exist at all, that she had never met him at all.
Arriving near the village of Lake Viage Daine left Onua almost immediately as she set up camp and cared for the horses. Daine went to the Lake and stripping off her boots she stepped into the water. With her magic she reached out to the middle of the Lake where the strange immortals called merpeople dwelled. They were beautiful creatures with fins where they legs were supposed to be and the top half were human. They had blue tinted skin, unlike the sea merpeople and rainbow colored fins.
After communing with them Daine set off into the forest that was on the other side of the Lake opposite the village. Walking for a bit enjoying the warm sun that shone on her face Daine greeted the People that dwelled in the forest. Finally she reached the famous Lake Viage hot springs.
Returning a while later drying her hair with a towel she told Onua what had happened.
"Everything's fine. The village people aren't bothering them and they in turn, as promised, have not bothered the humans," she said as she sat on the opposite side of the fire to Onua.
Passing her a bowl of hot soup that had been cooking over the fire the horse mistress said, "That's good to. It's nice out here. We'll stay for a day or two and then head off after the Riders at Pirate's Swoop?"
The next day they set off towards the village looking around for supplies. They left Cloud and Dust at the smithy to work on their shoes. It was a beautiful day and the village people were kind to them when they asked for directions which made the stay very different to the tension that Corus seemed to be covered by like a fog.
Kit chortled happily seeing so many new things. She had grown bored of staying at Corus with nothing to do. Daine was continually moping and mostly didn't pay much attention to Kit. Her friend had promised to pay more attention to her during the course of this journey.
Stopping at a food store Onua went in to get some food. Daine went over to the shop opposite and seeing ribbons she picked out a few and paid the storekeeper. Coming out Kit growled quietly staring up at the sky. Daine followed her gaze. Sniffing the air she smelt the stink and then she felt immortals coming. With the silver she felt and the stink she knew it was Stormwings. Running over to Onua, Daine told her what she had discovered.
"It's been quite a while since we've encountered them," Daine said grimly and the dragon whistled in agreement.
