Disclaimer: It belongs to Tamora Pierce… blah, blah, blah

A/N: Okay, so now that you all hate me really bad... There was a little thing in ROTG that I noticed. Numair, who had almost always referenced Mithros, Mynos, and Shakith in various arrangements, suddenly started referring to Goddess all the time. So I came up with why. It is below.

Chapter 21 – Reward

All of Corus seemed to be lost in grief. Any stranger would have seen red and swollen eyes at every turn. In the big picture, some good things had happened. A plot to steal the dominion jewel had been thwarted. The Emperor of the Yamani Islands was en route to personally sign a peace accord. Elyra Kelton had her son back and he was healthy and strong. The Copper Isles delegation was disintegrated and the Islanders did not know how their hostage had been returned. But all of this had cost them a friend. Numair Salmalin had sacrificed his life to save Michael Kelton.

Daine was inconsolable. She couldn't stop weeping. Her grief had alerted all of Corus to the loss. Before Alanna could tell anyone what had happened, the howling animals brought the King and Queen from their rooms and caused hundreds of people to gather in the courtyard.

Onua had found her in Numair's room. Daine was so distraught that she was incapable of explaining her presence there. Onua had walked her to the conferencing room, where George explained to all of them how Numair had lost his life. Alanna cried more than Daine had ever seen her cry before.

Daine had loved him so deeply. This was a secret between her and Cloud that no one else could know. She had seen signs in the week prior that meant she would have to let him go, and yet she was unprepared to lose him entirely. Elyra Kelton would probably have stolen his heart, had he lived. She was close to his age and so worthy of his love. Daine had imagined him marrying a princess, and as it turned out, she was one.

But death – why did it have to be so? She was prepared to love him from a distance, but not as a memory. It was the kind of death one would expect of a hero, but that did not make it any easier to absorb. She kept praying for it to be undone. She had grabbed the Badger claw and begged him to bring Numair back. But the badger didn't even visit her to tell her "no". He maintained a silent distance. Daine thought that she might soon join Numair, for sheer lack of will to go on.

Strangest yet, was the gift Numair had sent her as a last gesture. She put the black opal necklace on over her badger claw. This would have been a better gift for Alanna or Jon. Daine wasn't sure if it could even affect her magic. But she knew she would never, ever take it off. Alanna said there was a will too, but no one planned a time to review it. The wound was too fresh to think of it. Daine could hardly imagine going through his things and giving them to various people. She hoped that she wouldn't have to be part of it.

Alanna said that she still had the thinnest of hope, because Numair had said he would not die right away. But Daine knew he was gone. The simulacrum had disappeared and no one could explain that another way.

In the two days since Michael had been sent, Daine had not been left alone for even a moment. There was no time to grieve in solitude because somehow someone accompanied her everywhere. Onua invited Daine to sleep in her rooms. Thayet found stupid reasons to have Daine with her during most of her chores. Alanna and George spent every meal with her, urging her to eat, though she could not. Even Jon managed to call her to his study a lot. And when everyone else was busy, Perin seemed to pop up to walk her to places. She supposed they didn't want the animals to howl again, but it was still hard to try to wear a brave face when she just wanted to grieve. She was so overwhelmed by the good intentions of two-legger friends that she couldn't bear to have the animals behave the same way. She had started to shut out the animal friends that had always brought her comfort. Maybe that was why she never heard the dolphins on the coast.

------

Numair never expected to wake again in the mortal world, but he did. He was on a beach that looked vaguely familiar and someone was stroking his hair. In his groggy state it was a while before he realized that his head lay on that someone's lap and that it was a woman. He stared at the surf without saying anything for the longest time, trying to understand where he was and who was with him. He could see long locks of raven hair. But the only woman he knew with long black hair was the queen, and this was not Thayet.

When he had last been conscious there was so much pain. It was gone now as well as the feeling in his body below his neck. He doubted he could move, so he didn't try. But as things came better into focus, he could see that the hands that held him were long and nearly pure white. In the back of his memory, there was a vague recollection of a description like this, but he couldn't place it. So he wondered if this was the way the Realms of the Dead actually seemed to each person.

The woman spoke in a soft, husky voice that seemed both a part of nature and unreal. "Your mind is always analyzing, isn't it?"

She tilted her head so that he could see her face. She had slanting emerald eyes and the reddest lips he had ever seen. Her features were almost too perfect and it was a bit painful to look into her face, but he couldn't look away.

"I have never been more pleased to be wrong about something, Numair Salmalin."

He looked at her confused. He never answered, but it didn't seem to matter.

"What was I wrong about, you ask? Mithros gave extra Gift to some mortals. Most of them were selfish or stupid. Many thought only of power and how to get more. Some are dead, most should be. I told Mithros that all of you would be that way and that he should not give favor like that to men because greed for power always runs away from them. But you have been different. I am proud to be wrong. You gave your life to save a child and I find I do not want your journey to end here."

Numair did not know what to say and so he said nothing. He was aware now that this was the Goddess and that she looked exactly as Alanna had described her. But she usually appeared to women and children.

"There are many paths for you to choose from here, Numair Salmalin. You have chosen well so far. Arram Draper was a good man. He made mistakes but tried to be right. And then you left that life behind. That was a good choice. Now as Numair Salmalin you are a great man, worthy of the daughter of a god if you so choose. But there are hard times ahead and much pain. I could allow you to pass to the Black God if you prefer and you can avoid the pain. Or I can heal you and let you return to those you love."

Much of what she said was cryptic and he did not understand it. But he did understand the chance to go back to Tortall, to Daine. "Can I really go home?"

She smiled brilliantly. "Of course, my son. Now understand that it will be hard. I cannot force others to choose the path you would prefer. If there is to be love and family in your future it will be up to you to show your heart at the right moments. And it will be up to you to accept what cannot be changed. You must be patient and open at all times and you must accept the freedoms of others to make their own wrong and right choices. Do you understand?"

"Mostly, I think. Although I admit I am confused by some of it. Perhaps in time it will make more sense to me?"

"That was an honest answer, and again I am proud of who you have become." There was a long pause. "You will need more rest. On the third day you may return to Corus. Veralidaine's dolphin friends have brought you to the shore by Port Caynn. Remember, your loved ones will be confused, but they will also be glad. There is much suffering in Corus right now."

The surf roared and drew his attention. And when he turned back, he was lying on the sand and the Goddess was gone. The feeling was back in his body and the burning pain that had accompanied his wound was no more. He dragged himself farther from the surf. He was so sleepy. When he was sure the water wouldn't wash him out to sea, he lay on the ground beneath a tree and fell into a deep sleep.

-

-

-

Okay. Here is the resolution. Reviews please.