Disclaimer: This fic is based on the fine work of Tamora Pierce. I aspire to but will probably never quite live up to her creative genius.

A/N: I put in a little bit of dream fluffiness and some more George humor that was so funny while I was writing it that I laughed out loud, making my entire family stare at me like I was a little touched. Don't hate me for the chapter end, kay?

Chapter 3 - Fever Dreams

It was a beautiful, sunny, Summer day and Numair and Daine sat by the pond where they had once seen an undine. Numair was reading from a thick book in his lap, while Daine studied her bird book, making notes in her study journal with a large eagle quill. Numair stole repeated glances at the girl, as sun caressed her, leaving her hair to gleam like spun gold in its light. The glare made her blink repeatedly and he watched her luxuriant lashes flutter. Each time she nearly caught him staring, he'd return his attention to the book which he realized he had completely lost his place in.

Beside the pond, Kitten was playing with stones, singing spells at them to test their geology. Suddenly, as if tired of being ignored by her "Ma", Kitten dived at Daine, forcing the book from her hands and spilling ink over the tome. Numair was glad he had spelled it to repel dirt and water.

Daine cursed under her breath and shook a finger at the little dragon who returned to the pond edge to feign innocence. Numair chuckled. "I think she wants some attention, Magelet."

She smiled at him and he dropped his gaze back to his book so the sudden fluttering in his stomach wouldn't show on his face. "Is that how you do it?" she asked.

"Do what?" he inquired, confused.

"If I want attention I should just knock the book out of your hands?"

"It was merely an observation, not an endorsement." He turned his attention back to his book, turned the page so she'd think he was actually reading and tilted his head to look at the top of the new page. Suddenly, the book was being pulled from his hands. He looked up at her solemnly and was taken aback by the heat visible in her eyes. She pushed him over backwards on the grass and pinned him by laying squarely on top of him.

"Maybe I want your attention," she said, mouth so close to his own that he could feel her breath brush his lips.

"I admit you have it. Except I thought I was supposed to be your teacher. Do you know what people would say if they saw us like this?"

"Odds Bobs, Numair, if you spend your life worrying about what others say, you'll miss all the good stuff."

"Like what?" he asked invitingly.

"Like this," she answered and pressed her soft, pink lips to his. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tighter against him, letting the electricity between them sweep away his misgivings. The kiss deepened as they caressed and undressed one another.

"I'm on fire, Numair," she said, panting into his ear.

He would have said something clever, like he was too, except that he realized something was wrong. Her hands were uncomfortably hot, and when he opened his eyes, she was engulfed in flames.

He cried out as he woke up. He was in the tent and Daine was lying squarely on top of him. Her face was on his chest, the top of her curls brushing his chin. He could feel her hands gripping his shoulders, the tips of her fingers actually underneath him. Her legs extended down his own. For all that it was an extremely provocative position, it wasn't actually all that comfortable. His neck felt stiff and her hip bones felt rather sharp from where they pressed in just above his own. Nevertheless, the dream left him severely aroused and he tried to breathe meditatively. He could not imagine how this had quite happened without him waking sooner and he thought that it was the last position he would want Alanna to find him in. So naturally, she picked that moment to poke her head in the tent and worse still, George was there too.

Numair turned beet red. He couldn't even hide his face. He was pretty much pinned there. George began to snigger and Alanna covered her mouth with her hand. "I swear I didn't do this," Numair started in a soft voice.

"No, it's p'rtty clear who's on top in that relationship," George choked. Alanna elbowed him in the ribs hard enough to make him squawk. It looked like she was struggling not to laugh at Numair's predicament.

He sighed heavily, figuring that if they were going to make fun of him, he just as well make fun of himself. Keeping his voice low he said, "When I woke up like this a moment ago, I thought how much I wouldn't like you to find me this way. I guess it was like a psychic summons."

"Quit yer complainin'," George teased, "most girls protest about having their faces buried in chest hair."

"George!" Alanna feigned shock.

"It's okay, tease away," Numair said resignedly. "Next he will point out what we all know -- Daine likes furry things."

This was too much for Alanna, who lost her resolve and gave in to the fit of giggles she'd been fighting.

George's eyebrows shot up. Numair could almost hear the myriad of jokes his mind must be sorting through. He thought he'd save him the trouble. "Yes, furry things. Or hadn't you noticed the odd lump to my left?"

Alanna stopped laughing and looked puzzled, walking into the tent a little further. Numair lifted the blanket as much as he could from his pinned position to reveal the half a dozen rabbits that had crawled under the blanket at some point. George laughed so hard, Numair was sure it would wake Daine, but she never so much as stirred. The rabbits looked at them all nervously as if they might flee any second. Numair was surprised that they didn't.

Alanna composed herself enough to talk. "It wasn't really a psychic summons, you cried out."

"Dream," he said simply.

"Ye' had a bad dream with a young woman on top of ye' like that?" George asked incredulously.

Numair felt his face flush again. "She was on fire in my dream," he muttered.

George snorted, "I'm sure," and Alanna shot him a venomous look.

"I should try to slide out from under her but I'm afraid to wake her. Of course all the laughing should have awakened her already."

George looked sufficiently berated.

Numair slid cautiously from beneath her, almost sideways, so no part of her would drop suddenly to the floor. She never woke, but shivered and murmured, "No." He froze wondering what to do.

Alanna bent and placed a hand on Daine's face. "Gods! No wonder you dreamed she was on fire. The fever is back with a vengeance."

Numair watched her send her magic into Daine again until the girl sighed from the lowered temperature. She curled around the rabbits and snuggled in.

The three left the tent and Numair went in search of his shirt, tunic, cloak and boots. He wanted a bath, but the growling in his stomach told him that food might be more important right now.

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Daine's dream world was severe. For a while, the dreams had been nice. Kisses and caresses from Numair. He told her he loved her at the top of Balor's Needle beneath the stars. He held her hand and walked with her beside the undine pond. He snuggled next to her on a cold and wintery night by the fire in his tower, kissing her in places that made her shudder agreeably. She snuggled close and listened to his heart pound for the longest time.

Then winter set into her dreams. She was cold and alone. She couldn't find her way out of the blizzard. When the chill subsided she was frightened that the storm had fooled her nerves into complacency and she searched and searched for a way home, becoming more and more lost.

Then she was surrounded by immortals and she couldn't find her bow. She would have cried out, but her throat was too dry and no sound escaped. She fell in a hole and got lost for what felt like hours. Her mind howled for Numair, but her voice didn't work.

Then he was there. He gave her water and held her tight, soothing her again. The dream softened and she snuggled into the circle of his arms. She started to confess her feelings, but he morphed into Perin and she was confused. She tried to ask Perin if he had seen where Numair went, but then she was alone again and so cold.

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Alanna watched Numair eat stew and camp bread so fast that he might have inhaled them. "You need more rest, Numair, you're still very drained."

"Yes, Mother," he taunted. He emptied a camp cup of water and refilled it. "I was thinking, my mouth is so dry and I never had a fever. Do you think Daine might be thirsty? I'm sure I can get her to drink some water if I offer it slowly enough."

Alanna smiled and nodded. "Go ahead. I'll be along in a moment.

George looked like he was bursting to tease Numair a bit more. Alanna gave him a warning glare. He looked at her innocently, batting his mischievous hazel eyes at her. She giggled lightly.

Numair carried the cup back toward the tent and Alanna clicked her tongue at her husband.

"What?" he said indignantly. "Ye' aren't exactly innocent, Lass."

"I'm not teasing the poor man mercilessly."

"Who left 'em in there to sleep in th' first place, hmmm? Was that yer' idea of the locked room?"

She blushed. "Well I never imagined… do you think she'll remember at all?"

"Prob'ly not. That'd be too much fun."

Alanna laughed and headed back to the tent. When she stuck her head in, Numair was sitting behind Daine. He had pulled her up against him in a semi sitting position and was carefully holding the water to her mouth. Daine hadn't opened her eyes, but seemed to be sipping eagerly. Alanna stayed where she was in silence, watching them. She was reminded of the look on Daine's face when she cared for Numair after he fought back Cearl de Romondo's tidal wave in December.

When the cup was empty, Daine sighed in his arms, but still seemed unconscious. He lowered her back down to the bed roll. "Numair," a small voice called. She barely sounded like herself. "I'm scared."

"She doesn't want to let you go," Alanna said pointedly.

He smoothed Daine's hair and soothed, "Don't worry, Magelet. Alanna is going to make you better."

Alanna couldn't help but smile. She wondered if he would hear enough from Daine's delirium to bring them together. If it worked out that way and Daine healed properly, then it would be a blessing in disguise instead of the frightening event it had seemed.

Daine stirred again as Numair started to get up. She mumbled, "..love you." Numair froze, a strange expression on his face. "No.." the girl said next. Numair seemed to be holding his breath until -- "Perin, where…" She turned over and shivered violently. Numair pulled the blankets up and tucked them around the sleeping girl. Then he moved to let Alanna at her charge. His face was completely unreadable.

She put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Go rest. We have to wait before I can do any more for her. Give her body a chance to fight. If only she had just a little more strength…."