Daine knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Daine came in.

Seeing the look on her face, King Jonathan looked up from the reports. "What troubles you, Daine? You've got that look on your face."

Daine told him of her encounter with the Stormwing. The king frowned and summoned Alanna the Lioness. She was in Corus this week, getting her next assignment from the king. She came in, with the look on her face that Daine and Jonathan correctly interpreted.

"Are we interrupting something, Alanna?" asked the king with that sweet tone in his voice that Daine knew Alanna disliked.

"Yes, sire." The Champion's tone was annoyed, not angry, happily. Everyone in Tortall knew what would happen if someone messed with Alanna's temper.

Jonathan got down to business. He explained Daine's story to Alanna. The Champion frowned.

"I suppose we will also need Numair…" she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Alanna!" the king was surprised. "Surely you don't think that we need everyone from Tortall who is powerful to be at Mindelan! We're still tidying up the Scanran border!"

"Hmm…" Alanna considered. "Well, then I suppose, you don't really need me. Everyone knows how well Daine and Numair work together!" Daine blushed.

"Yeah you're right Alanna," said Jonathan teasingly. "You go ahead and take a rest!" He chuckled.

"You little…!" Alanna started.

"Dismissed, Champion!"

"Oh, Jonathan…" muttered Alanna as she walked out of the room. Right after she exited, in came Numair Salmalin, the most powerful mage in Tortall, who apparently knew where he was needed and when. Jonathan explained to Numair the situation. During it, Numair winked at Daine, and she grinned. Since their marriage, Numair had become more easy going, unlike before, when half the time he was conscious of Daine's actions.

"Well, what's your plan?" Numair's tone was more serious now.

"Oh, we haven't thought of one yet," intoned Daine, before Jonathan could say whatever he was going to say. He shot a questioning look at her, and she pretended not to notice. Then she instantly got angry at herself. What's wrong with me! Why do I keep seeking Numair's attention when we're married? I'm acting so female nowadays!

Seeing the look on her face, Numair stopped saying whatever it was that he had been saying, (for Daine was too lost in her thoughts to hear him) and said, "Daine, is something wrong?"

Jonathan caught her eye and held it. Her chin dropped down in shame. "Oh no, Numair!" Jonathan raised an eyebrow.

Numair shrugged. "Daine, do you think your animal spies know where the Stormwing lair is? No… Could you shape-shift into an ant or something…? No…I don't want to put you in danger… Could you then send an ant or another small creature to spy?"

Daine thought this peculiar. Numair never voiced his thoughts aloud, let alone had he ever been so anxious when planning something.

"Yes, Numair, that's good for now. Do you need any troops or companies of the Queen's Riders or King's Own?" said Jonathan.

"Hmm… well, I think I'll need a company of the Queen's Riders," said Numair.

"Yes," added Daine. "I think we should take one of the companies who has the best archers in it. I think Thayet's Dogs will be good?"

"Yes, they're good archers," said Jonathan decidedly. "Then it's settled?"

Numair and Daine knew a dismissal when they heard it. Before they were out of the room, Jonathan added, "Gods all bless." The new couple grinned.

Once out of the room, the mages both sighed. When people were in the presence of the king, they felt a pressure. Only now did Daine feel some kind of weight in her stomach. She voiced her concern to Numair.

"You must go to a healer at once," replied Numair. Daine sighed. I should have known this was coming. "We're on the verge of a battle, Daine! You can't feel the least bit of pressure or pain before a battle."

Daine knew it wasn't worth arguing over. He was right. Her legs carried her to the healers' section of the palace and she entered. There she was faced with a new concern, one that didn't seem very pleasant to her. She headed back to where the king's study was. Sure enough, Numair was waiting for her. She told him of the news.

"You're pregnant!" Numair's eyes bulged. "But Daine, that's wonderful!"

Daine felt a little relief about knowing that he thought so, but the fact remained clear: They had a battle to fight.

Seeing the look on her face, the mage said, "Didn't the healer give you a charm?"

Thinking that he meant the charm against pregnancy, Daine uneasily replied, "No, well, I didn't think I needed it…I never thought that I could be pregnant…"

"Oh no, Daine! I meant the charm against…" he trailed off.

Knowing what he meant now, Daine sighed with relief. "Yes." The healer had indeed given her a charm against any pain that might occur. "But, Numair, don't you see? We have a battle to fight, and I can't be like this!"

Numair's face turned troubled. "Yes, you're right. Maybe you should stay in Corus."

"No!" The thought frightened her. Thinking about them all, going to fight a great battle, without her…? It troubled her to think that. "Can't I at least tell the animals what to do?"

There was some more argument, but eventually Numair agreed. In all aspects, Daine was needed. And there was also no way that she could reach the Mindelan animals from Corus.