Chapter 3: The games we play

Numair's POV:

"Answer these questions honestly now, I'll know if you lie after all." the goddess taunts me.

"Question One: How do you feel about your magelet?"

Thats simple to answer, "I love her."

"Question two: If you love her then why haven't you told her?"

"Because I'm to old for her, because I have a terrible reputation and because I'm afraid."

"Question 3: Why are you afraid?"

"I'm afraid to tell her, because I don't want to lose her."

"Question 4: Would you say that the goddess of love knows what she's doing?"

"Most certainly which is why I'm locked up here, to keep me from interfering when Daine finds the one who is worthy of her."

Suddenly the goddess smacks me across the face, it stings a miniscule amount but I'm more curious than anything and I gaze into her eyes.

"You fool! You over thinking over stuffed twit! I am the goddess of love and I have kidnapped you to knock some sense into you! Daine is your soul mate! I arranged it. And you keep messing it up. Now you will go to Tortall and you will romance Daine, kiss her breaking the spell, and marry her. You will not keep on pratering on like a pompous windbag about age and your reputation, and you will romance the girl properly. You have four days!" The goddess shouts all this at me, backing me up into a corner as I cower, she's very frightening.

Suddenly, I'm back in the City of the Gods with Alanna peering over me, violet eyes concerned. Both of us were kidnapped and drugged and both of us were released, although Alanna has no idea what our kidnapper had in mind.

We get on horses and make our way to Tortall, my mind already focusing on how to romance Daine. We make it there in three, meaning that I have only one day to win the heart of my magelet.

Daine's POV:

Today is Midsummer, which is why I'm out here at night gazing into the still waters of the pond. I need to find my true love, kiss him and break the spell or tomorrow will be my last day on Earth.

I know who I want to see, his face imprinted in my mind, but I'm sure that he could never return my feelings.

Numair Salmalin, my teacher, my friend and the man I wish would be my lover.

I stare once more at the water stilling the mind, and I pray to the goddess to show me the face of my true love.

The face if familiar to me, those dark eyes, that delicate mouth, but is it just wishful thinking or is he really my true love.

It's probably wishful thinking, to Numair I'm a friend nothing more.

A voice startles me out of my brooding, "I guess I have to play a game with you as well."

"A game?" I ask, I know that this woman is a goddess, I'm just unsure of which one.

"A question game, but if you lie to me, I will kill the black mage you love."

This doesn't sound to hard so I nod.

Question one: "How do you feel about your teacher?"

"He's my friend." A true enough statement although it leaves out the fact that I want him to kiss me senseless and take me to bed instead of big breasted blonds.

"Question two: Do you love him?"

"Yes I do." But he'd never feel the same way about me. I'm not his type at all.

"Question 3: Why are you so certain he's not your type?"

"It's a known fact that he likes big breasted blonds, and it's obvious that I'm neither big breasted, I look at my chest with some disappointment, nor am I blond."

"Question 4: So you think he's shallow?"

"No, he's brave, loyal, funny, smart, and kind. He's the least shallow person I know."

"Question 5: Would you say that the goddess of love knows what she's doing?"

"Of course I would"

"Good than trust me." The goddess said before vanishing.

Trust her? Trust her for what?

I hear the voices of the horses and I rejoice with the news that Alanna, Numair and some of the others are back. Now I can kill my teacher for suggesting a kissing booth!

I debate greeting them but something tells me that I should stay there so I just sit back down and gaze back at the moon.

Goddess of loves POV:

That mage is so stubborn. I hope that I scared him enough to do what I told him to do, if he screws this up, I will hurt him.

I rarely take personal interest in mortals anymore but the girl fascinated me, as I watched her grow up. I watched what happened to her when her mother and grandfather was murdered,as her magic reared it's ugly head and pushed her under. I watched as people she'd known all her life hunted her and then I watched as she fought her way back to sanity. It was then that I vowed that I would do what I could to ensure that she had her fairy tale ending.

That's why I'm dealing with that stubborn fool. I whisper an image into his mind, telling him where she is. He'd better romance her right.

Numair's POV:

The entire ride to the palace, I spent lost in my thoughts. How do I romance her? Beyond being deeply afraid of the goddess did I want to? I love Daine more than I love anything but does she feel the same for me.

Once our horses are stable, Alanna heads off to see the king and I head off to check on Daine. I don't question it when the image comes into my mind telling me where she is. I write it off as the goddess interfering with things once more.

Once there, I forget how to breathe as I stare at her. She's so breathtakingly beautiful right there, and I think she's fallen asleep.

Drawn to her, I walk towards her and I can't help myself. I lean in to kiss her, but before I kiss her mouth the words of the goddess spring to mind and I instead kiss her forehead softly. Her grayblue eyes spring open and they brighten when they see me. She hugs me tightly, and welcomes me back.

Then she hits me, and I'm surprised Daine usually isn't that violent towards me.

"That's for the kissing booth idea!"

An idea hits me, so I grovel and earn her forgiveness.

Then I put on my most innocent face and say, "Dear lady in order to make up for my abysmal idea, why don't I take you on a picnic tomorrow?"

Daine giggles and smiles and all is right with the world.