Disclaimer: Ahhh, if only I were Tamora Pierce. But I'm not. You know the drill.

A/N:

Chapter 8 – Aftermath

Numair held on to Daine longer than he should have. He knew this was true. But he was unable to let go. He watched Elyra and Meesha cry over their friend with the kind of wracking sobs that only a bond of love can bring and found himself unable to move. He couldn't know why Daine didn't try to leave, but he supposed it was because she was barely decent. She looked exhausted. He knew she had held back the animals that would have come to her rescue. He also knew that golden eagles, while strong, don't usually carry the type of burden that Daine had tried to carry. He would not have saved Meesha if Daine hadn't stopped her fall. This was a fact that filled him with guilt. He never saw Meesha go over. His fixation with Daine's safety was what drew his attention. Still, Elyra thanked him and not the person she should be thanking. And nobody saw Shay go down. That was the worst. This poor woman was a servant and all but invisible to the rest of them. He did not want to be part of the number that could look right past her, but he was.

He walked Daine to the infirmary. She insisted she was fine, but he just wanted to be sure. "Magelet, tonight I…"

"You saved me. Don't…" she smiled up at him. He felt his stomach flip again and hated himself for it.

"You saved us all. Without your warning our casualties would have been huge."

"They are still more than we would have liked. I want to know who we lost. I want to know what happens to our peace talks now and I know you're going to find all of that out while I'm stuck here." She looked irritated and lovely all at the same time.

He smiled. "I will fill you in, or send someone else if Jon needs me there. You need to rest. I have a feeling this isn't the last of the immortals we're going to see."

"There were so many, Numair. I half expected to see Ozorne leading them. Do you think it's possible…"

"The same thought crossed my mind, Magelet. I want to know that he is dead and I think we need to find Rikash and make sure."

"Do you – Will Elyra – She's not…" Daine looked flustered.

"Magelet, she is grieving. She was so thankful for Meesha's life. I don't think she realizes that Meesha would have died without your help. I would have told her but then we found out about Shay. But you saved that girl. You saved most of us tonight and in my heart you are a hero -- again. Did I cover everything you wanted to know?" He smoothed her hair.

She smiled shyly. Then she seemed to consider something. "She called me your friend – not student."

"That's what I called you when I got the dove feather. You are my friend – my best friend. And sometimes – sometimes I think you teach me more than I teach you."

She searched his face. He wondered what she was looking for. "I better get back. There are a lot of hurrok bodies to dispose of and I have the urge to burn a few. Rest up and make sure your shoulder is completely better. I'll see you again before the night is over. I promise."

------

Alanna stood outside Jon's study. Inside Sir Myren, Lord Rohen, and Duke Gareth were conferring regarding the negotiations. Jon had decided to keep this meeting small so the Islanders would not be intimidated. As much as she knew he could take care of himself, Alanna was worried. She couldn't trust these Islanders. In her experience her gut instincts were usually right and that knowledge made her feel even more apprehensive.

A soft voice behind her said, "They're still meeting then?"

She turned to see Numair in his white silk shirt and black silk breeches. Blood stains on his right shoulder and left wrist made the evening's events all that more horribly real. "This has been one hell of a night, hasn't it?"

"You can say that again. I moved the hurrok carcasses together with a little Gift and torched them. I think the clean up crew was grateful, but the exercise was cathartic for me. I think maybe there's a little barbarian in me. When I'm angry I like to blow things up."

Alanna chuckled. "Thanks, I needed a laugh." Alanna noticed that Numair seemed a little pale. "There's probably time to change, you know. It rips you up to see her blood."

"I know I have my mind blocked against outside penetration, so will you stop being so perceptive, please?"

She chuckled again. "You wouldn't want me to be someone other than who I am, would you?"

"Well it's damned unnerving." He pursed his lips. "Anyway, as much as I would like to go change, I don't want to miss anything. I promised Daine I would fill her in. And you and I both know something is amiss here. I almost think I could ask Elyra and get a straight answer tonight. It kills me that none of us saw that woman die. Although she was a servant to most of them, she was family to Elyra."

"Did you find out anything helpful this evening while you two talked?"

"At first it seemed like she told me nothing of substance, although now I think she told me a lot, whether she intended to or not. She was married to a man named Michael. He died in some kind of an immortal attack two years ago. Elyra was born in the Yamani Islands. I do not know if she is some kind of royalty, but it seems the marriage was arranged. That, of course, means that she isn't exactly part of the same group. Shay has been with her since she was a child. Meesha is her daughter. You see, these seem like little nothings but they add up to something strange. Why, if they weren't sure what they'd find here, would she bring that girl? Shay was a lady in waiting, not a nanny. But here, she was brought as the nanny. Why?"

Alanna was puzzled. She was starting to see more questions than answers. "Why is she the only female delegate?"

"With what I know of the Copper Isles, the question should be 'why is she here at all?'. They are rather backward in the way that Carthak is. Usually their women cover their faces. I'll tell you something else. Elyra is a mage. She could be very powerful. But her training is very limited. When I look at her magic, it is still fairly unfocussed. They have trained her enough to keep accidents from happening. I also think she knows a few small spells. One in particular -- well that's nothing -- but for the most part, she's still very raw talent. She's here for a purpose and I can't imagine what that is."

"Can't you?" Alanna laughed when Numair shrugged. "She is beautiful, Numair. She is beautiful and unmasked and you can't figure out that she must be here to seduce someone?"

"She's attractive, yes but beautiful?"

Alanna was absolutely stunned. "You are the only man who didn't practically drool over her when you met her. Are you getting jaded?" She shook her head to demonstrate her disbelief. "Even so, surely you must realize when a woman rivals Thayet."

Numair looked startled. "I hadn't noticed at all. I really haven't been myself lately, have I?" He smiled and shrugged.

Alanna smiled to herself. Dare I ask him? She folded her arms in front of her. "Numair, tell me one person here, other than Thayet, who you know is more beautiful than Elyra Kelton."

"Daine."

Alanna laughed. So it is love. She remembered those days when love was new and all she could see was George. It was amazing how all the little flaws she had noticed before had become attractive to her. When they were first married he was the most handsome man in all the world. Reality returns eventually, but love tempers vision. She idly wondered how long it would take Numair to figure this out for himself.

"Why are you laughing? Haven't you noticed that she draws a trail of admirers everywhere she goes? Some of them are imbeciles like Layne Smithson, but…" He trailed off.

Alanna swallowed hard. "You don't know, do you?"

"What?"

"One of the riders we lost tonight was Layne Smithson."

"Oh -- Gods, I…" he covered his mouth with his hand.

The door to the study opened and Jon, Gareth and the two Islanders walked out.

"Please consider it. We want to allow you whatever time you need to grieve your fallen comrade," Jon said. The two men bowed politely and walked down the corridor and out of sight. As soon as they were gone, Jon hissed, "I'm sure it will take all of 30 seconds."

Jon ushered them into his office and Thayet appeared from somewhere. Once the door was closed, he said, "I have never felt so angry with any ambassadors in all my life. They lost one of their people. Yes, she was a servant but they only seem to care when it serves them politically."

Duke Gareth nodded sympathetically. "We wanted to put off the talks to bury our dead. We thought they would feel the same. They wanted to convene tomorrow morning, anyway."

Alanna curled her fists. She was disgusted by people who took death so lightly.

"Every Tortallan negotiator could be mysteriously unavailable. I know there are families to visit. It puts us on a lower diplomatic rung, but I think it's worth it. We cannot show that kind of disrespect to our fallen," Numair said. Jon and Thayet beamed at him.

"Sire, I agree. We could send a messenger to let them know the situation in the morning and encourage them to visit one of the temples to honor their deceased," Gareth added.

"There is a temple for Hacoruth on the edge of the village – the God of the Islands. We could provide them a Herald to lead the way."

"Or I could volunteer," Alanna suggested icily.

"No," Numair said. "For our own reasons, we need to commit one of our fallen to the temple of the Black God."

"Did I miss something?" Jon asked.

"An unfortunate situation, Jon," Numair answered. "Layne Smithson, one of the fallen riders, had escorted Daine to the banquet. He apparently was afraid of magic and things were said." He looked at the floor and shook his head before looking up again. "It is wrong to send him to the Black God without saying prayers of resolve for our animosity toward him. He did die protecting his King." The king nodded.

Alanna looked at her feet. Leave it to Numair to point out the symbolic rites that she often forgot. "But it was Onua and myself who, ummm, argued with him."

"I think you've forgotten my 'smoldering' comment. Believe me, it wasn't half of what I thought about doing. Most of the time I'm glad no humans can know my thoughts. I have it on great authority that nothing keeps the Gods out if they want in."

Alanna looked to Jon. "Some of the delegates were not visible while we were fighting. Where did they go?"

Jon answered, "That's something that I couldn't get an answer for, but it is nagging at the back of my mind. I didn't miss the fact that they have two powerful mages, neither of which lifted a hand to help. The knights never asked for swords. Yes, they are guests. But clearly they were in danger too."

Duke Gareth nodded agreement. "Unless I were too old and feeble to lift a sword, I wouldn't stand back as they did. I would want the chance to fight for my life."

Everyone seemed to agree and there was much murmuring to that effect.

Jon stood and paced. "There is something else," he said. "They asked me why I did not use the dominion jewel to fight these things. They know a lot of the lore. Clearly, most of the world knows we have it. Still, I can't help but think that they were watching for it.

Numair shifted in his seat. "Do you think this was orchestrated to learn the location of the dominion jewel?"

"I don't know. I dare not accuse."

Alanna narrowed her eyes. She thought briefly of everything she had gone through to get the jewel. She unconsciously fingered the top of the long scar that served as a reminder. She looked up at Numair and saw a rage bubbling like she had only seen when Ozorne kidnapped Daine. She realized he was staring at the sleeve with Daine's dried blood. She reached out a hand cautiously to pat his arm and got zapped for her trouble. Jon, who had not seen this before, jumped in alarm. And Thayet had turned pale and backed into the corner.

"Numair, get control of your Gift," Alanna said softly. "This is not the place to burst glass."

He looked apologetic. "I need to walk."

"Why don't you walk to the infirmiry," Alanna said pointedly. "I believe Jon needs a little more information from me." She wasn't sure how she was going to explain that little piece of Carthak without giving away Numair's secret, but she was going to have to try. She yawned heavily as Numair left.

At the sound of the closed door, Jon asked, "What in Mithros name was that?"

Duke Gareth spoke first, "We told you about Carthak. But that detail was – I still don't really understand it. When the emperor met us the morning of the kidnapping, he surrounded us with hematite to keep the mages trapped. But Numair was livid, like we had never seen before. Suddenly he burst one of the hematite stones."

"That can't happen," Jon interjected.

"Apparently it can," Alanna shot back. "It seems to be triggered by rage. And that morning he burst nearly every mirror we walked by. He also zapped me and Hairailt."

"What's causing it now?" Jon asked.

Alanna cursed under her breath. "Are you all blind? He's wearing the blood of someone he cares about." She inhaled deeply and realized this was not the way to protect a secret. So she added, "Not to mention Numair doesn't have any family other than us. I mean he does -- but they want nothing to do with him. He still writes his mother and sends her money. But she never writes back or says thank you. She doesn't want him to visit. She isn't really part of his life is she? So we are all he has. He just watched us attacked. We suspect the Islanders but can't do anything about it and he's angry. Frankly, so am I."

Jon and Thayet looked at each other uncomfortably.

"Sometimes, I forget how powerful he is," Jon said at last. "Maybe I should go and talk to him."

"Let him be. He will calm down after he visits the infirmary."

"Why?"

"Daine?" Thayet asked, looking mildly curious. Alanna nodded. Then Thayet answered Jon's unspoken question, "For whatever reason, she can call him an ass and still make him smile. If there is any one of us who will calm him, it's her."

"I'm beat. I'm going to bed." As Alanna got up to leave, she laughed to herself. It never ceased to amaze her how people saw only what they wanted to see. It would be good for Numair and Daine if the rest of the Kingdom could slowly get over the age difference, though. Alanna was sure it would be necessary eventually. It would be much easier if everybody realized for themselves that Numair and Daine were meant to be together.