A/N: beware, it gets a bit corny but I couldn't bear to leave it out!

Disclaimer: It's all Tamora's.

Chapter 7 – Planning

For the next few weeks, Numair and Daine concentrated on preparing themselves for whatever trouble lay ahead. Numair worked on numerous spells and learnt as much as he could about the various immortals. Daine spent a lot of her days with him, taking in as much information as she could about the enemies they were probably going to face in the months to come. She frequently took bird shape and flew around the area to see if any predators were gathering. The atmosphere in the palace was that of a calm before a storm; jokes were still being told, banquets were still held, but in the air there was a sense of purpose.

Numair fought his emotions during this period. He could no longer deny his feeling for Daine to himself, but he did his best to not lat anyone further their suspicions. In public he was less tactile, although he couldn't bring himself to become involved with any of the current ladies of the court. Daine noticed Numair's reticence towards her; frequently he would draw his hand away as if scorched by flames. Daine didn't dwell too much on this. She understood that her feeling for Numair had changed, but she refused to let it concern her, not for one second considering that he might return what she felt.

Onua watched her two friend with much amusement. Clearly, they were both aware of their own feelings but completely unaware of each other's. Onua refrained from undertaking any matchmaking activities, although it would have certainly introduced some much needed entertainment into the palace.

Numair's thirtieth birthday approached a few weeks before the spring equinox and Thayet decided that it would be suitable to hold a banquet in celebration of it, much to Numair's dismay.

"Don't be silly, Numair," Thayet responded to his groans when the idea was mentioned. "We all need a bit of a celebration to perk us up and it might be the last big chance for that before trouble starts!"

Numair glared at the queen. He had no desire to be the centre of attention for the whole of one evening.

"Oh, come on, Numair! It is your thirtieth! It might be you last birthday…" Thayet said, evilly.

"Thanks, Thayet, that's very optimistic," Numair grumbled.

"Well if you don't cheer up about your birthday, I will see to it personally that you don't reach your thirty-first!" She brandished a nearby fork.

Numair shrugged. There was no use arguing with Thayet when she was this set on something. "Fine," he gave in. Then thoughtfully, he added, "Do you think I could ask Daine to go with me?"

Thayet looked at him, bemusement in her eyes. "It wouldn't do any harm. Lady Jayette will be there so Daine will probably be a good deterrent. Although people will gossip."

"They do already," Numair smiled woefully. "Maybe one day they'll have something to gossip about!"

Thayet smiled back, knowingly. Numair had mentioned to her that he was beginning to see Daine in a different light a week or so ago when she had caught him gazing at her across the breakfast hall. She had pretending she hadn't suspected anything and acted all surprised when he confessed, which seemed to cheer him up, as he had thought that everyone in the palace knew.

She saw what looked like pain in Numair's eyes when he talked about Daine.

"I imagine Daine would love to go with you, Numair," she reassured him. Numair's smile grew wider. "When should I tell her, Thayet?" he asked, "I can't keep on like this. One day some man's going to come along and marry her and I'll just be a bumbling fool at the wedding, wishing I'd had the courage to say something when I had the chance! But I'm so much older."

Thayet touched Numair's arm. "One day at a time. She's not going to be marrying anyone. She's constantly with you. And as for your ages, that won't matter in the end."

Numair was sure he'd head those words somewhere before.

"So are we having this party?" Numair nodded, Thayet had just won the battle.

He told Daine about it that evening when they were in one of the courtyards, him stargazing and her conversing with nearby animals.

"So will you let me escort you to the banquet then?" he asked her, feeling rather like a teenage boy asking a girl to dance for the first time.

"Of course," she replied, watching a tree sprite in a close by cherry-blossom. "Why do you want me to go with you though?"

"Two reasons," he had thought this through previously, knowing she would ask this question. "Lady Jayette is being quite persistent and you will act as a very good deterrent." The lady was none too fond of animals and therefore gave Daine a wide berth.

"Okay, " Daine said, not taking her eyes away from the tree-sprite. "That's one reason, what's the other."

Numair was silent for a minute or two, thinking about what he was going to say. "You are one of the most beautiful women in the court so why wouldn't I want you on my arm?"

Daine blushed, pleased that the darkness concealed the reddening of her cheeks. Numair carried on looking through his telescope, wondering if he had said too much.

Daine turned to look at him, realising she liked what she saw. Numair returned her gaze and she felt that there was something rather magical happening. Quickly, he looked away and stood up, brushing down his robes. "We'd better get back. I need my beauty sleep for tomorrow night," he told her rather brusquely. Daine stood up, feeling slightly perturbed. One minute he was telling her how beautiful she was and the next he was obviously trying to get away as far as possible from her!

Back in the small room, she changed into Numair's old shirt and climbed into bed. Numair had seen her back to her room but had said very little. Kitten climbed into bed with her, making low, comforting noises that told Daine she was concerned.

"I'd really like to know what's going on inside his head!" she told the young dragon. Kitten nodded in response. She knew from Daine's mutterings by now that 'his' generally meant Numair. "He's one of three ways with me; friend, teacher – and an off-hand one at that sometimes – or he's almost wooing me." Daine snuggled into her pillow, her eyes half closed with sleep. Kitten chirruped comfortingly as Daine drifted off into the realms of Gainel.

She dreamt of Hurroks, bridges and spindrens and Ozorne; she dreamt that Numair had never met her again in Carthak. Her eyes opened, breaking the dream and next to her she saw the Badger.

You were having a nightmare, he told her. But it was only that. What was it about? You were terrified.

"I dreamed that Numair was dead in Carthak," he told him, wiping a stray tear away from her eye.

He is well and sleeping soundly. The Badger god informed her. He will always be here to look after you, Daine.

Daine nodded to him, wishing for peaceful sleep.

I have come while I can, my kit. There is trouble afoot in my own lands and I am needed there. But there is also trouble here. Do not be afraid to use what you know, or to speak how you feel, he said rather knowingly.

"My da?" Daine managed to mutter, "Who is he?"

You'll find out soon enough, the badger responded. I will ask Gainel to send you pleasant dreams. And with that, he was gone.

Please review. This was a chapter just for a little bit of near-fluff between DN.