Disclaimer: sadly non of these charcters are mine they belong to the all powerful tamora pierce

A/N set between EM and RotG don't have the books with me...sorry if I mess up

Chapter 1

Tortallan's top mage lay shirtless in bed doing what he normally did in excess. What he seemed to be paid to do. Think. But what he was thinking about wasn't the normal riff raff; it was about a brown haired blue-eyed wild mage. His wildmage, his student of three years.

A knocked sounded upon the door causing Numair to groan, "Numair?" a young voice called, "Numair if you're asleep you won't be for long!" Numair smiled at the irritated voice his student Veralidaine Sarrasri.

Numair rolled lazily out of bed landing onto the floor, "Ow MITHROS!" he cried as he landed. Rolling over he saw that he fallen onto a large book, groaning he tossed the book from underneath his back and scrambled to the door.

"Numair are you awake yet!" Daine called with a ferocious tone with a hint of playfulness. The six foot five mage creaked the large oak door open.

"I'm now." He replied with a devilish grin.

"You should have been awake one HOUR ago Jon and the gang are waiting!" Numair cursed under his breath in thinking he lost track of time.

"I'll be a second." He called absently and offered Daine inside.

"Numair you know what you could do with," she called to him with full lips as he sulked into his dressing room.

"What?" he retorted

"Bookshelves, they could really do you well." She snickered as he waltzed out of his dressing room in a white shirt and black breeches and a smile plastered onto his face.

"Magelet as you see I do have some," he stated casually pointing to a disorganized shelf, "I just never, seem to use them." Daine shook her head in mock disgust. "Now common, we don't want to have them wait any longer."

"They wouldn't have to wait if you hadn't slept in." she chimed.

"Quite you!" he ordered with merry grin as they continued he added, "Any clue why Jonathan is calling us in the godsly hours of the morning?" he asked

"Well first of all I'd like to say it is past noon and he told you about the meeting last night." She replied elbowing him in the arm. He frowned thinking.

"Is it really noon?" he inquired. Daine laughed musically

"Yes Numair it has been noon for the past 30 minutes." They finally came to Jonathan's office. "Jonathan? I found him and lured him away from his books." She stated opening the door to show Jonathan, Thayet, Alanna, George, Gareth the younger and older, Onua and Raoul all seated around a large square conference table.

"Huzzah, Numair glad you could finally join us." Jonathan said sarcastically, Numair replied shooting dagger glares at him.

"For your information I was working on an experiment for you milord." He replied raising an eyebrow, "You no the one I'm talking about don't you? Or should I say it again?" he finished devilishly. Jonathan stiffened.

"No need Master Salmalin." He paused looking at his colleagues. "Now may we please continue I know that you all have very busy lives to lead."

"I don't think he recognized that very much before." Onua muttered as Numair took his seat beside her and gave a slight chuckle. Jonathan's meetings always took many long and tedious hours out of their days. Jonathan either not hearing the comment or choosing to ignore it went on.

"Thayet and I recently received a request from the King and Queen of Tusaine. They asked that we put together a peace delegation in light of the one we shared with Carthak." He paused momentarily glancing at Daine and Numair. They caught his sly stare and lowered their heads cheeks blushing a slight but noticeable crimson. "I have asked you all here because I think you would represent Tortal well-uh- despite other occurrences." This was the opportunity for everyone in the room to stare at the two mages causing them to blush. "Now I know we've had some trouble with Tusaine in the past but I hope that we will not bring that occurrence up. Alanna I'm specifically talking to you. Try not to bring up what happened when you were a squire. It could anger them"

"Oh my lord I would even think of it" she replied with a mischievous grin. "When will we leave?"

"I'm just getting to that." Thayet said taking over, "You have a week to get things together, dresses and clothing to be made and so on. After that we set of by horse. We're there for peace and not to tear the palace apart. Am I clear on that Daine?" Daine sunk lower and lower into her chair face completely red.

"I understand" she replied meekly.

"Now I'll let you go back to your jobs if you have any questions at all please come to Jonathan or me. Dismissed!" she commanded as everyone filed out of the room,

"Oh Numair. I'd like to speak with you now please." Jonathan ordered

"Aw just, like the little page late for his lesson." Gary sniggered

"Don't worry Numair, Gary knows exactly what your going through he did it all the time as a page!" Raoul jabbed in laughing as he and the rest of the group left and room.

"Please close the door Numair." He asked Numair sullenly called upon his black and white sparkled gift that gingerly closed the door, "Thank you. If you're wondering I'm not going to lecture you on being late…again. But this is on the matter of Daine." Numair stiffened as the topic was presented. Was Daine going to get in trouble because of her actions in Carthak? "Numair I don't trust these people. They've given us trouble in the past against my father" Jonathan's face briefly showed what looked like grief he continued, "They threatened us when I was still a green knight and still prince. I want you to look after Daine. She's still young and I'm not saying that she isn't bright, I know she is but she is still naive. What could seem like gentlemanly courtship could be a plot to take her over to their side. You saw what happened in Carthak. And I don't want it to happen again. She's too valuable and precious to us as a friend and a mage. I want you to protect her. It won't seem so bad if you do it versus someone like Gary doing it because I know that you two are close." Numair grimaced as he mentioned the closeness they shared. Jonathan stood up and Numair followed in suit. Does he really think that Daine could come to harm. And what does he mean by "gentlemanly courtship" he thought with a frown.

"I want you to protect yourself as well. We can't afford to loose you" he said smiling s he patted Numair on the back. "Remember Numair, I want you to protect her, at all costs." he said opening the door and showing Numair out.

A/N I know it's horrible right. I think like a screenplay writer more than an author not enough desriptions to much talking ARG! And I bet everyone's wondering about this mystery experiment for his majesty MUAHAHAHAHA! I won't tell you till later. Flames please I want to improve!