Thank you to Lela-of-Bast and nativewildmage for your reviews, they made me type quicker! I hope you like this chapter!
Mrs Dom Masbolle: Thank you for reviewing From Embers to a Flame. I probably won't do any more early Daine stories though. That kinda just hit me as I was driving home!
Silverlake: Onua is an interesting character. There was lots about her in WM but hardly anything in the rest of the quartet. I'm going to write a follow-up to ROtG after Interlude so I'll probably include her a in there as she'd be interesting to explore. Or even in a oneshot... (Goes into dream land...) Sonnet Lacewing has written a really good story with loads of Onua called Enemies also.
Sonnet Lacewing: Thank you for your reviews! I'm glad you're liking it. I like the little family as well - I wonder what Kitten made of Daine and Numair's relationship as it progressed? Re From Embers to a Flame, I think I saw Weiryn as Sarra saw him, he wouldn't have been as much of an obvious predator with Sarra if he was trying to seduce her, and she obviously was attracted to him. I also think that he was in love with her and had been for a while, hence he was quite shy. He's an interesting character - maybe I'll do more with him.
Tammy P RoCKs: Hope you like this chapter with the ball...
Esmerelda 01: I decided to hold off for a couple of days with this chapter. I always like to have one in documents ready to go out (weird, I know!)
Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine. They are all TP's. Unfortunately I have been in Daine's state so I can claim experience of that!
A/N I remembered just how nice it is to have a drunken rant! Most therapeutic, until the next day when you can't remember half of what you said!
Chapter 9 – Freezing
Thayet had taken an interest in dress making of all things to occupy her over the winter period. Daine now felt as if she was being painfully turned into porcupine, the queen had jabbed so many pins into her.
"Right, I've finished!" Thayet declared. "See what you think!"
Daine looked in the mirror. The dress had slim straps and a bodice style top with a skirt that was fitted over her hips and then flared out subtly. It deep was in a deep forest green shade that suited her skin tone and the satin material hung beautifully.
"It's amazing, Thayet, it really is," Daine said quietly. "I might just do Numair justice in this."
Thayet watched her young face frown with a worried expression. "You won't if you wear that look on your face! Numair wouldn't care if you wore rags, and you know it!"
"You talk as if we were lovers!" Daine argued back.
"Well, aren't you?" Thayet asked, knowing full well the answer.
"We haven't even kissed!" Daine blushed.
Thayet rolled her eyes. "Well, there won't be a better dressed, more beautiful woman at his party tonight!" She pulled up Daine's hair into a fancy twist. "Come to me after you've bathed and I'll sort your hair," she told her gently. Daine smiled at Thayet through the mirror. People are only saying these things about me an' Numair to take their minds off what's going to be happening, she thought. When the immortals start to come through we'll have no more time for this frippery.
Numair walked to Daine's room that evening in a calm, uplifted mood. He was now looking forward to the night; contrary to all the arguments he had against it. He was also glad that he had persuaded Daine to let him escort her. He tapped gently on the door and waited to hear her voice release the door spell and let him in. No answer came. "Daine?" he shouted at the door. "Daine?" Numair began to panic slightly. Had she realised what he felt about her and been upset by it? He wondered what to do if she had. His wonderings were interrupted by the sound of quick footsteps.
"Numair!" he heard her shout. "I'm sorry. Thayet was doing my hair and it took ages. I just need to get changed." She unlocked the door and let him in. "Sit on the bed, I'll get readybehind the screen."
Numair did as he was bidden, thinking that maybe he shouldn't be present while she was changing. He deliberately tried to keep his eyes away from the decorated screen but couldn't help but think about what was going on behind it.
"I'm ready!" Daine emerged wearing a long, green dress a few minutes later. He gazed at her, knowing he was staring but unable to take his eyes away.
"How do I look?" she asked him. He could have sworn she was teasing him.
Numair looked into her eyes, framed by those long lashes. He walked the three paces towards her, took her hand and kissed it. "I told you I was taking the most beautiful women in Tortall to my birthday celebrations," he replied simply, offering his arm and leading Daine out of the room.
In four weeks time Daine would remember that night as being the last time all the people she called her family were together, without having any other worries. She spent most of the night dancing, mainly with Numair, seeing as he was so reluctant to let anyone else dance with her, although neither she, nor Harailt, were overly gladdened when Numair took a turn with Lady Jayette.
The night began to end when Gareth the Elder finally refused to let any more wine and ale be brought up from the cellar. Jonathan was declaring undying love for his wife, muttering sentences which were far more suited to the bedroom than for public hearing; Alanna had passed out in a corner, much to the amusement of George who was threatening to leave her there till morning, and Harailt, having captivated Lady Jayette for a second night in succession was seemingly devouring her in full view of everyone who cared to look.
Daine, who in the past had drank very little, had managed a fair few glasses of wine in honour of her friend's birthday and was sat down wondering how she was going to get back to her room. Numair, watching her while he was listening to Jon describing Thayet's finer assets, was rather amused at her state. Daine didn't usually get drunk; in fact, he had never seen her like this before. He left Jonathan to his ramblings and went to sit beside her.
She smiled at him, sipping more of the wine from her goblet. "What was Jon saying?" she slurred.
"How much he appreciated Thayet's … erm… qualities!"
Daine chuckled. "I hope for his sake he's drank enough to not remember much of tonight!"
Numair smiled rather shyly at her. He had had slightly more than enough to drink also and was worried; alcohol usually made his tongue quite lose,he didn't want to saysomething he'd regret later.
"I think I might head back to my rooms, Daine. I'm sure Jon and George will be down here until to very small hours of the morning and I've the urge to have some peace. Do you want me to take you?" he slurred slightly.
Daine screwed her face up at him. "What did you just ask me?"
Numair realised his slip. "I mean do you want me to take you back to your room?"
Her eyes lit with a mischievous gleam. "I preferred what you said the first time, Numair. I would very much like you to take me!" she giggled drunkenly.
Numair's dark skin went red. Daine laughed. "I'm sure, Numair, that you've asked lots of court ladies that question and never gone back on it before."
"I didn't mean it to come out like that… It's you… It's different…"
"Is it?" She challenged him, trying to steady herself as she stood up to gain some advantage of height over him, if possible. "Why is it different Numair? Don't you think of me in that way?"
Yes it was different; he wanted to tell her, I want you for a lover like no one else before. I dream of having that closeness with you every night. Each morning I wish I woke up with you in my bed and I want to touch you for real and not just in my head. But most of all, I want to be able to love you; and that, my Magelet, is what makes you different and why I won't take you back to my rooms tonight. Numair reached for a glass, wishing he had the courage to say the words he had just thought, and poured himself a top up of wine from the bottle left over next to them.
He looked at her and took a mouthful of his drink. She waited for him to respond, expecting him to tell her that he saw her as being a young girl. To him she looked anything but. She wasn't a young girl any more.
"I do, Daine. I do think of you in that way. That's why maybe you should get George or someone else to see you back to your rooms, and not me," he said, slowly and calmly.
Daine stared at him, hands on her hips. Numair stood up and kissed her on the cheek for just long enough for her to realise the truth of what he'd said. Then he left her and went back to George, Jon and Thayet, muttering something brief to George.
Daine watched him without smiling. She put down her glass and decided that the best option was to go to bed. Hopefully things would be clearer in the morning.
Numair tried not to watch her leave, most people still at the celebration were retiring now themselves, wishing him 'happy birthday' one last time. He fought the urge to go after her, realising for the first time that there was more to their relationship than he had been giving credit, and, for the first time, really drawing hope that Daine might actually return his feelings.
George had followed Daine. Numair had asked him to, but he would have gone anyway, given that she was drunk and that they had had words of one kind or another. He tapped on her door lightly. She answered, a look of disappointment crossing her face when she saw it was him. She wants Numair, he thought. Someone needs to bang their heads together!
"I've come ta see how y'are," he said quietly. She slumped down on her bed, looking up at him with large eyes. He recognised the signs. Alanna wasn't one for crying much at all, but Onua – now there was a woman who could cry a river, sea and ocean in one sitting, especially after a couple of bottles of wine.
"Do you think he hates me now?" she whimpered, the tears as predicted rolling down her cheeks.
George sat down next to her and put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Ye are bein' silly if that's what yer thinking. He could never hate ye in a million years. What did you say ta each other?"
Daine winced. "I asked him if I was different from the other women he'd taken back to his rooms and if he thought of me that way…" she began to sob.
Poor lass, George thought. She's going ta have a nasty headache in the morning.
"What did he say back?" He can't have gone an' told her, else she wouldn't be upset.
"He said he did think of me that way and that's why he wouldn't walk me back 'cause he was bothered of what would happen an' and I don't understand why he would be so bothered an' I don't know how he thinks of me…"
George held her while she cried it out, still making unintelligible murmurs about the mage. Curse Numair! He thought. Why he can't just put them both out of their misery!
"Look, Daine," he said firmly when her sobs had subsided. "I know ye think a lot an' more besides about Numair, an' you needn't deny it. An' its obvious to everyone that knows ye he's more than fond of ye too; but ye shouldn't be getting this worked up. Ye know he's protective of ye, he were just protectin' ye from himself."
"But I wish he hadn't…"
"Trust me, Daine, lass, ye would in the mornin', when its all awkward an' ye don't know what to say ta each other. It's not the right way to start a relationship. Sex should be somethin' that develops between ye, not starts it," George said gently.
Daine sighed. "But you an' Alanna…"
George smiled. He had thought she would make that comparison.
"I kissed Alanna first when she were fifteen. She knew of my feelin's before anythin' happen for a might longer than I wanted her to. I also wasn't her first," he said.
Her tears ceased, her eyes now swollen and tired. "I've been silly, haven't I?"
"No, Daine, ye really haven't. I think ye needed this ta happen. You'll understand your own and Numair's feeling more now, when time's ready for ye."
"You think he's as confused as I am?"
I know he is, George thought. "Probably more so, Daine. But it will all be fine in the end."
"If we don't all get killed beforehand," she muttered glumly.
"Ye sound too much like Alanna. Now drink some water an' sleep. I must go an' see if my wife has awaked from her slumber," he gave her the rogue's smile and left her to sleep.
Daine drifted off into the dreamless sleep given by wine, comforted and soothed by George's words.
In his rooms, Numair tossed and turned, bothered by the vacant space in his bed and the aching in his heart.
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Please review! I like getting reviews, it makes me want to write more! I thought George might sound a bit like Hagrid as I seemed to have Hagrid's voice in my head as I wrote it. It might just be because I imagine George to have a (English) West Country accent – like Hagrid's. Please let me know what you thought!