A/N: If only Onua doesn't interrupt them….
Chapter 8 – Turning
Numair's thirtieth birthday arrived the week after the Badger's visit. Daine had told him of her nighttime visitor, but the mage had purposely left out the fact that the Badger has visited him also.
Numair sat up in bed and looked around his room in the palace. He had done very well for a boy who hadn't been noble born. He had done very well for a man who had made an enemy out of Ozorne. He considered his status; he was one of the king of Tortall's right hand men; he was an extremely powerful black robe mage; he had the wealth that these things had brought him; he had many good friends. He paused in his thinking and wondered what was making him feel so empty and looked at the other side of his bed. He had never particularly noticed its emptiness before, but now it was putting its hand out and slapping him in the face. Hard. He flicked open the locket that he wore continuously around his wrist and looked at he portrait Volney Rain had painted of Daine. She had provided his purpose for the last three years. Alanna, Thayet, Onua, Jon and his other friends had all had their own reasons to be. His family were far away. His own name had changed. He had had many lovers since his arrival at court but no one had ever led him to feeling like there was a void, let alone come close to filling it. He considered Daine and her arrival into his life when Onua has brought her with the horses from Galla and Daine had saved his life when he was trapped as a falcon. Then she had become his student and learnt to trust him. He remembered waking up with her next to him after the siege at Pirates' Swoop, the day they went to find Kitten. He hadn't had feeling like this for her then, but he had had a bond with her. He was beginning to see that his feelings weren't such a shock; their relationship had developed naturally. It hadn't been love at first sight like Jon and Thayet, more of a growth like Alanna had had with George. Numair sighed. This pondering was all very well, but he didn't really know for sure how Daine felt.
After getting dressed the mage made his way downstairs to the hall where breakfast was being served, accepting congratulations and happy birthdays from people who passed him on the way. The hall was relatively quiet; Harailt was one of the few enjoying a late breakfast with his hangover and Numair sat beside him.
"Happy birthday," Harailt groaned into his orange juice.
"Thanks. I've got a cure for what you're feeling in my study," Numair offered.
Harailt groaned again, pushing away the plate of in front of him. "I'm trying to condition myself into not drinking by going through the pain the day after," he informed Numair. "I do too many stupid things when I'm drunk."
Numair grinned at his fellow mage in sympathy. "I've been there a few times myself."
"Not recently, though," Harailt smiled. "You've been extremely quiet on the bad head scene."
Numair smiled into his juice, thinking of the reasons why he had been quiet. If he had too much to drink there would be no telling what words might come out of his mouth. "So who was she, then?" Numair enquired.
"The one that's been after you. She spent most of the night trying to persuade me to give her a spell to make you fall for her and then she transferred her attentions to me. After the third bottle of wine."
Numair laughed. "Thank you. You've done me a favour."
Harailt shrugged. "It was a pleasure. Your loss is my gain. I quite like her actually."
Numair's keen eyes watched Harailt's face as he talked about his new lover. He obviously did quite like her. He just hoped that she was as keen on him.
"Are you accompanying her tonight?" He asked.
"As long as she doesn't change her mind. She seemed quite keen this morning though. Are you going with Daine?" A quizzical look appeared on Harailt's face.
Numair sighed. At least Harailt hadn't figures out Numair's feelings yet. "I don't see anything wrong with taking my student."
"The gossips will have an interesting day tomorrow."
"It will be nothing that they haven't said before. People who matter know the truth, that's the main thing, " Numair said wearily.
" If I hear anything untoward I've got a nice spell that seals the mouth until a key word is spoken. It's for the use of spies who are caught but I think it would work on gossips too," Harailt downed the rest of his orange juice and stood up. "I'm going to go and die quietly in my rooms. I'll see you tonight, hopefully with the lovely Lady Jayette." And with that, he was gone.
Numair found Daine mucking out the stables and having a heated discussion with Cloud about the horse's reluctance to be thoroughly groomed.
"Well, its just too bad," he heard Daine say firmly. "It needs to be done. And if you bite me I'll sell you to Sarge!"
Numair watched her work. He didn't notice the bits of straw attached to her hair, or her torn breeches and creased shirt. His eyes were filled with his Magelet, he only noticed her perfections.
She turned round suddenly to see him watching her; Cloud must have told her that he was there. She came over to him, throwing her arms around him impetuously.
"Happy birthday!" she called and kissed his cheek. Did she linger for a millisecond too long, he wondered?
"I've presents for you, but you won't get them until tonight!" she teased. He smiled weakly at her. "What's the matter?" Her voice was concerned.
Numair shrugged. "Turning thirty," he answered, sitting down on a fresh bale of hay. She placed herself next to him, her thigh brushing his.
"Why should turning thirty bother you? It's only a number." She said, matter-of-factly.
"I'm not a twenty-something anymore. I woke up this morning and wondered what I had to show for thirty years," Numair wondered why he could say absolutely anything to the young woman beside him.
"If you're fishing for compliments you've come to the wrong place," she told him directly.
Numair smiled at her. "I wasn't, actually. For once."
Daine put her hand on his arm and looked straight into the warm brown eyes, enjoying the drowning sensation it provoked.
"Numair," she began, softly. "You're one of seven - or is it six now? - black robe mages in the world; you're one of Jon's closest friends and highly regarded advisors; you've got wonderful close friends; wealth, an excellent home… Numair, why do you need me to tell you all this? So what, you're thirty! Most people don't achieve what you have in a lifetime." Her hands held his arms gently as she spoke, sending shivers of excitement through his body. His hand went to her hair and began to tousle her curls. He remembered when she had been ill with unicorn fever and had stayed in his room. Although he had worried sick about her, he had felt complete with her being there with him. When she wasn't there he felt as if half of him was missing. He wished he could tell her, but what would she say? He didn't want to damage their friendship. Now was definitely not the right time.
Daine looked into his eyes and fought the urge to curl up in his arms. He was obviously deep in thought. Her hand left his arm and touched his chest, her fingers grazing the skin that showed in the V of his shirt. For a few minutes there was no one else in the world bar them. Daine wondered if this is what it would be like if they did become more than friends, more than teacher and student. Numair pulled her into his arms, wrapping them around her, giving in momentarily to his feelings. He rested his chin on her head, his fingers still entwined in her curls.
"I just feel that something's missing sometimes," he whispered to her, nuzzling her hair. "And that's what makes me feel as if I'm not in control."
Daine looked up at him, her body curled against his. She had never felt as close to anyone as she felt to Numair now. "I know how you feel," she said, "For I have good friends and a home here, and I love serving the king and Tortall and I have the animals too… but sometimes I need this, Numair…" She nestled her head on his shoulder, her lips almost touching his neck. He could feel her warm breath stroking his skin. He didn't want this moment to leave them.
"I know," he whispered back to her, his own lips now gently touching her curls in a kiss.
He heard Cloud harrumph quietly in the background and wondered if the horse approved or not. He had no doubt that she had guessed his feelings although he doubted she had shared that knowledge with Daine. Daine moved slowly in his arms, moving closer to him. He had held her many times since he had met her, but previously he had been holding a girl. Her whole demeanour had now altered; he held his equal, a strong, intelligent woman.
The stable door creaked open, blowing in cold air. Daine and Numair looked towards the sound and saw Onua appear. Neither made ant effort to disengage from each other. Onua regarded them with raised eyebrows. "Shall I go and come back later?" Neither said anything, they knew full well how it looked but they didn't make any effort to move.
"Daine," Onua's tone was dry. "When you're ready Thayet had a dress she wants you to be fitted for."
"I'd fair forgotten!" Daine still made no effort to move.
"I've come all this way in thick snow to pass that message on!" Onua pointed out.
Daine pulled a face and got up. Numair watched he pull on her thick winter shawl as leave, muttering to Cloud as she closed the door.
Onua studied the lanky mage sat in front of her and shook her head. Numair blushed and looked at the floor. Onua picked up the rake and continued mucking out.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" He asked the horse mistress.
Onua turned to him, sighing. "What's there to say?" She replied softly. "I have no warnings to give as I don't see you breaking each others hearts." She smiled at him. "You look good together, Numair."
He noticed a tinge of sadness in her voice. "Why have you had no lover since you've been here, Onua?" he asked, concerned.
"After everything that happened with my marriage I won't give up my freedom lightly. It would take one hell of a man!"
"Don't you miss the companionship?" he enquired.
Onua laughed, "Sometimes, but I value my independence more."
"You could have both!"
Onua looked at him strangely. "This is rich coming from the man who has courted and discarded half the ladies in Tortall because he felt he was being 'smothered'!"
"Maybe it just takes the right person," he replied, unperturbed.
"Maybe it does. And I'll let you know when I've found him!"
Numair smiled at his friend. "Harailt spent the night with Lady Jayette," he informed her.
"Really?" Onua responded, pleased to change the subject. "Who told you?"
And with that they spent a pleasant hour exchanging court gossip, just as bad as the maids.
Please review! I know I've not has any cliffhangers – there are a couple coming up – which I apologise for. I really just wanted to explore the relationships between various characters a bit more and try and go into more depth. Thank you for reading, especially if you've read all eight chapters! More to come...