Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce did it. I borrowed and manipulated.
A/N:
Twilight Shades: It made me sad too. But I promise to resolve it.
Purple Eyed Cat: Yeah, she lost her cool in a big way. It's kind of all against her nature, which means there's more going on than meets the eye – green eyed monster anyone? They will make up nice, but not too nice. The conclusion is in the works, although I admit that there is a lot to be said yet. Please note this is only Chapter 11 and my other two were 22 & 23 chapters long. No, Cearl definitely won't be in Tortall in RotG.
Lady Araceli: Glad you like it that way. I don't see him being Cloud's favorite person. That seat is already filled. But they will be one big, happy family in the future, including horses.
Kit49: I'm so glad you really looked at the dialogue that closely. There was a lot said in there that was revealing. Daine lost it because she was hurt and festering and because she was jealous. Buri's comments got to her. She was limiting his boundaries but still managed to suggest that she might invite him back (we know she will). And as angry as he got, he still managed to tell her she was one of his closest friends. That was sneaky of me, huh? Watch the dialogue when they finally make up too. I promise it will be as interesting, if not more so.
Nativewildmage: As close as I try to stick to canon, I'm still not Tammy. So my word isn't gospel. Still, I thank you.
1reallyblue1: The bad guy will get his just desserts, I promise.
Chapter 11 – Reinforcements
Baron George Cooper of Pirates Swoop was packing like a maniac. Luckily, Myles and Eleni had been visiting and were willing to take the children to Corus. They had all planned to meet there for the Mid-Winter celebration. But now George wondered if it would be the happy reunion he hoped for. It was not that he didn't have faith that Jon and Numair would find a solution. He just knew his wife so well. No one could or would blame her the way she blamed herself.
George kissed each of the children goodbye, hugged his mother, and shook Myles hand in gratitude. Myles was worried too. "If you learn anything in your books…" George started to say to Myles unnecessarily.
"I'll let Jon know immediately. He will pass it on to Numair. Go take care of my daughter." Myles was trying to smile confidently, but it was clear that he was fearful.
George climbed on the back of his fastest horse and galloped to the north.
-----
It took Daine the falcon less than a quarter-hour to find the riders, due in part to knowledge of their mounts. The 7th Riders unit was home to two of her friends, Evin and Miri. Evin was the second in Command. Miri was a close enough friend to correspond regularly with Daine. When she saw them, she called with the voice of a falcon and swooped in to perch on the back ridge of Evin's saddle.
"Daine, is that you?" Changing smoothly into a marmoset, she nodded and leaped from his saddle to Miri's shoulder.
Evin removed his cloak and threw it over to Miri. Daine jumped down and wrapped the cloak around herself. Then she shapeshifted to her normal self.
"Daine, it's good to see you!" Miri said enthusiastically. The brunette's curls had grown out a bit longer to look slightly wild. It added to her overall mischievous appearance, set off by freckles and a slightly upturned nose. Her eyes twinkled happily."
"We ran into a bit more trouble," Evin said. You've probably noticed that I'm in command now." The tall blond winked at her in a friendly manner.
"Where's your regular commander?" Daine asked.
"He turned on us. Strangest thing, one day Daniel is fine, the next he's trying to kill everyone. He's bound and gagged in the back of the line."
"It's some kind of a spell. Numair and Lindhall are trying to figure it out right now. They've also managed to turn a couple of very important people."
"Who," Miri asked worriedly.
"Raoul of Goldenlake and Alanna." Every rider within earshot stopped, shocked. "It's best you know before you see Alanna," Daine finished. "She's with us."
"Have Master Numair and Master Lindhall joined you then?" Evin asked.
"Yes, and Master Harailt. We also have a black robe mage from Tusaine, Cearl de Romondo. Although, I should probably tell you he seems more trouble than he's worth. The only magic he seems good at so far is pulling eggs out of thin air and charming Onua."
"Ouch! What's got into you today," Miri asked.
"Nothing!" Daine answered a little too sharply.
Miri and Evin shared a significant look. "Cranky doesn't suit you," Miri said, eyes dancing. "The last time I saw you this grouchy, you were fighting with that handsome teacher of yours."
Daine felt her cheeks flush.
"Did you just call Numair Salmalin a handsome teacher?" Evin asked, raising his eyebrows at Miri.
"He is. I've always thought so," Miri countered, watching Evin closely. Evin wore a sour expression. "Careful, people will think you're jealous."
"Maybe I am," he answered, shifting to his best Player's expression. "If Daine is spending all her time in the company of someone 'cute' I think I'm terribly jealous." Miri socked his arm. He turned his attention back to Daine pretending not to have noticed. "So you are fighting with your teacher again? Anything we should know?"
"Quit teasing me," Daine giggled, although her mood had lightened considerably.
Miri hopped down off her horse since they had all stopped temporarily anyway. "I find that if you want to win a fight with a man, you just have to know where to grab." She shot a broad, sarcastic grin at Evin and grabbed her own inner thigh. Evin's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline.
"If you two flirt any harder, Buri will separate you just to save gossip," Daine said, cheeks even darker red.
"Point taken," Evin laughed.
"Listen, we're close enough that I should really guide you back. Buri is worrying. The situation with Alanna is severe enough that we set up camp. We need to get her back to Corus."
More businesslike, Evin said, "Have you had much trouble with immortals? We ran into some flesh-eating unicorns yesterday. There was only two, but we couldn't help but wonder where their herd was."
"We killed two this morning. They were accompanied by the oddest mixture of immortals. I fought my first giant today too."
Evin and Miri looked impressed. "Did you kill it?" Evin asked.
"No," she answered sulkily, "Numair showed up about the time I got knocked into a spidren web and torched it."
"Handsome and powerful," Miri gushed, "My kind of man!" She turned to look at Evin as she said it. Daine wondered if she was trying to bait him.
"I think he's taken," Daine said sourly. Miri raised her eyebrows. "Ask Buri." She shifted back into a monkey, handed Evin his cloak, and then changed to a hawk and took off. She circled while the riders mounted up and got underway again. Then she began to lead them back to camp.
While she was in the air she kept going over and over her fight with Numair. She wasn't sure why she had hit him. She had never been that angry before. She thought about all the women she had seen Numair with in the last year – Lady Cassandra, Lady Amelia, Varice Kingsford, Elyra Kelton – she supposed it was a group Alanna would fit into. Could Numair actually chase after Alanna when he boasted about her marriage to George so often?
She thought about what he had said to her in anger. Maybe she was acting childish. She wasn't really sure why and she hated that he might be right. Had Alanna really asked him to kill her? If he was in love with Alanna that would really hurt.
Then she thought about everything Cloud had said to her. Horses were much smarter. They didn't long for mates. They only needed the herd. And Cloud told her that two-leggers must listen with only one ear. What was that about? Had Numair said more than she realized?
------
Raoul had been moved to a locked infirmary where Jon and he could talk in the sunlight and where Tkaa could look him over. Some of his subjects might not like the change, but Jon was sure that this was the right thing to do.
Tkaa had told Raoul that he would turn him to stone if he went crazy, which was the only way that Raoul had agreed to the whole move. Jon wondered if Alanna's reaction was similar. He also wondered how he would deal with all of this if it were him. He didn't think he could survive it.
-
-
Please respond.