Chapter 11: Asleep

Numair frantically flipped the pages of an ancient book. Dust flew everywhere, but he didn't care. All that mattered was that he find the spell and retrieve his love before she was to far along. Before the realms of the gods felt to much like home.

"There! I found it!" He read in his mind what the excerpt said.

Sorcerer's Sleep: A condition that will allow thee to seem deceased; however, the body of subject will still remain living. Soul will leave body to visit the divine realms. Shall there be no sorcerer to wake thy corpse, thy soul shall forever endure unrest.

Numair couldn't tell anyone about his plans, but to get Daine back, he had to be able to wake again. He needed to tie his soul to something; something indestructible and very dear to him.

"Of course!" He smacked his forehead. "Daine's locket!" Tonight, Numair would perform the necessary spell and find his Daine. It wasn't her time to go yet. She didn't deserve to be wrenched away from the home she loved.

Taking his little-used wizard's rod, Numair began to chant in Old Thak. First, he had to put a rope of his soul into the locket. It was a bit difficult, but he finally managed. Next, he lay down on his bed and focused on where he wanted to go.

"Shari, centi," his voice became a low hum as he felt his eyes close. Barely finishing the spell, he didn't hear Alanna burst into his room.

"Numair, no!" She beat on his still chest. "Numair, you stupid, stupid mage!" Just as she was about to run and find the counterspell, she spied a note on his bedside table.

Alanna,

I know you will try and bring me back, but please don't. I've gone to get Daine as you probably know. Just don't wake me up. This isn't real Sorcerer's Sleep, only a form of it. I can bring myself back without any harm done. I will be back in a few days.

Numair

I know what I am doing

Alanna crumpled the note in frustration and trudged from his room.

Daine laughed, the first since a while ago, yet it was a hollow laugh. Her voice was still a little raspy but it was good to be with her ma and da.

"Mother, what have you been doing since I saw you last? Your garden is ridiculously overgrown!" Sarra smiled.

"Watching over you, what do you think?"

Daine bowed her head. She was sitting in the dirt beside a row of late vegetables, pulling dandelions and Queen Anne's Lace from between carrot sprouts.

"Honey, I know you think that if I was keeping watch, you wouldn't be here. It's not that simple." Sarra sighed. "Sometimes we have to let nature run its course. It was the hardest thing for me to do, to let you go like that. But Mithros and the Black God wouldn't argue with us. I'm sorry, Daine."

"It's alright. I'm happy to finally be able to be with you, ma." Daine hugged Sarra and Sarra held her close for several long minutes. "So, what do you say we have midday and then back to more weeds?" Daine had suddenly pulled away from her mother's grasp. Sarra nodded, and the mother and daughter walked back to the house, arm in arm.

They ate midday (consisting of bread, cheese, and herbal tea) and then returned to pulling weeds. Weiryn, who had been out hunting, returned shortly after midday to roast the boar he had caught. Daine had just put her hand up to her sweating brow when she saw movement; there was something out there. It might have only been the heat getting to her, but then the something came to the gate.

It was a vision of Numair. Speechless and barely believing her eyes, Daine stood up. Phantom Numair pushed open the gate and stood there just staring at Daine; Diane just stood there and stared at him. Slowly, cautiously, Daine took a step towards this figure. She extended a hand, half afraid that he might disappear and half afraid that he might stay. Long, gentle fingers interlocked with her own slender, callused ones.

"Numair – ?" Her words stuck in her throat.

"Magelet," Numair breathed, and caught Daine up in a tight embrace. Next thing they knew, Daine's arms were around Numair's neck and his lips were on hers. Many long moments they welcomed each other.

"You're thin," Daine observed, wrapping her arms around her teacher's middle.

"I could say the same about you," he replied. "Magelet, I've missed you so."

"That's an understatement compared to what I've felt." Suddenly tears were rolling down Daine's cheeks. She buried her face into Numair's chest, inhaling his scent. Numair simply rubbed her back and held her closer.

Numair was beginning to nod off when Daine spoke. "Numair, why? Why did you do this to yourself? It was not your time! You still had a life to live. It wasn't' your time!"

"Later, Daine, please. This feels too good." Daine opened her mouth again, but Numair just smothered all sound with his own mouth. When he finished, he picked Daine up and carried her into the house. Dinner and her parents were waiting.

"So Numair, you're here to stay?" Weiryn asked. In the middle of chewing a piece of meat, Numair shook his head. He swallowed.

"Only to visit, actually. And I was wondering if I might steal your daughter once more? She and I have some unfinished business in the mortal realms. We're engaged."

"We know! We are so happy for the pair of you. But I'm not sure if you'll be able to negotiate with the dragons again. They're a bit testy these days." This was Sarra speaking.

"Ma, you know I can't leave," Daine argued in a whisper.

"Daine…" The other three chorused.

"Don't." Her words were flat. Quickly she excused herself and left the table. Sarra jerked her head towards her daughter, beckoning Numair to follow.

"Daine, I'm sorry. It wasn't the proper moment to ask. I should've asked you first, but I guess I figured that you would want to come back." He sighed. "To be with me," he added in a whisper. Timidly he touched her back. Daine rolled over on her bed to see him.

"I'm happy here." It sounded as if she struggled to say it.

"Are you?" Numair questioned, somewhat harshly. Daine looked at him and tears filled her eyes.

"Yes," she lied flatly. Numair sat beside her and brushed a tear from her cheek. "Numair, I can't leave again. You should have seen how happy Ma was to see me again. Da was ecstatic to have a hunting partner. And – " Numair cut her off.

"Daine, I can't lose you again! You don't understand what it's like, having to live day after day, night after night, feeling as though a part of you was ripped out! Eating food, but not tasting it. Enduring the thought that I might never see you! Crying yourself to sleep until the tears run out only to find you can't sleep, because half of me isn't there! To be haunted every moment by the knowledge that I could do nothing to save you, to keep you from leaving me. To never love again, never laugh again, never touch your velvet skin nor run my fingers through your hair, never wake up to the essence of my one love. Do you grasp what I am saying, Daine? If you won't come back with me, I might as well die, because that is what it would be like in the Mortal Realms. I would be dying a thousand deaths every morning not spent with you. I can't live without you, Daine. What more can I say? How can I convince you? You don't understand what it's like." Now he was crying, too.

His eyes were pleading when she spoke, softly. "I do. I do understand, because that is how I feel. I survive knowing that you might feel the same way too, that you might love me as much as I love you. But I can't go back, Numair. I can't." Numair had knelt on the floor during his confession, and now he laid his head against her knees. She stroked his hair.

"Please, please," he was muttering. Daine lifted his head and looked into his eyes. Sadness could not begin to describe what she saw in them.

"Numair, I love you more than could seem possible. But please, go back and live you life. You can join me when you're ready."

"I'm ready."

"No, you're not. Numair, if you love me you will return to Corus. I couldn't bear the fact that you died because of me." With that, she kissed him deeply. He returned the favor one hundred and ten percent, and the two spent the last night they knew they would have side by side, just enjoying the feel of one another's presence.

Neither slept. Daine knew her mother would be devastated for her to leave, but she couldn't help but wonder… she belonged in the Mortal Realms, alongside Numair. She wasn't ready for the duties of the Divine Realms yet. Her mind argued with itself all night. Leave, don't leave, leave, don't leave…