Lela-of-Bast: I like playing with Jon too. He's so much fun.
Skysong the Dragonet: Sorry, you'll have to wait for more about the Red Mage.
Nativewildmage: Miri was difficult to write as she's not in it (Sonnet Lacewing will correct me if I'm wrong! I'm sure she's got the whole series memorized!) after WM. I was a fun chapter to do though.
Kawaiigemini: I have only read the Tortall books, from Alanna to Trickster's Queen. If your stuck for finding them try amazon. I got all my Alanna's from there (The US editions, as the English additions are out of of print)
Sonnet Lacewing: I loved having Jon stuck in breeches. That bit completely wrote itself, I had no plan for it, it just kind of happened.
Disclaimer: Anything you recognise belong to Tamora Pierce.
Chapter 14 – Beltane
The Beltane fires were to be lit as dusk fell, followed by the traditional celebrations and offerings to the Goddess and then the feast. Daine was relieved that so far they hadn't been called away to deal with any new threat. She was, however, apprehensive about the actual Beltane celebrations. It was tradition for couples to jump over the embers of the dying fires to bring them fertility and good fortune for the coming year. Alanna and George would both complete the rituals, as would Thayet and Jonathan. Neither she nor Numair would be expected to join in this, or to pick blossoms in the meadows before sundown to offer to the Goddess, but for some reason she felt worried. Daine was certain that for her Beltane would not be a chance for her to be found a husband, although other girls of her age and younger might look for a man tonight. Settling down in a seat next to her desk she allowed herself a daydream in which she and Numair were jumping over the embers and collecting flowers together, although he would certainly be informing her of the correct names and healing properties of each flower. She giggled out loud at this, waking herself from her daydream, and being hit by the realisation that it wasn't going to happen. Daine sighed wistfully; once more feeling dreaded anticipation in the pit of her belly.
Numair wandered outside into the palace grounds. People from Corus were invited to spend Beltane in the enormous fields and meadows that belonged to the palace. These places were becoming fuller than he was used to seeing them as preparations were made for the bonfires and stalls that would sell various charms and such.
He sat down next to an old tree that was draped in new leaves and tipped his head back onto its trunk. The expression on his face was not a happy one, it was not even the expression of a face that was deep in thought and if any of his friends saw him they would realise that Numair Salmalin was quite unhappy. Beltane was the festival that emphasized being in a couple the most; and this year he was not. In the distance he could see Alanna and George running out into the meadows to collect flowers. Jon and Thayet were probably doing the same. Everywhere he could hear and see couples together, celebrating Beltane and the birth of summer. For the first time since he had come to Corus he had no lover to enjoy the festival with. The solitude didn't bother him, it was the reason behind the solitude; he was too much in love with someone he couldn't tell to even be able to court anyone else. He looked up and saw that someone was running down towards him. His heart pounded and the expression on his face altered as the runner sat down next to him.
For a moment neither said anything, they just enjoyed each other's presence. Then Numair began to hear her speak in sweet, low tones.
"Beltane always makes me think of the night I was made," she said. "I always think more at this time of year about who my da is," she looked at him. He saw no sorrow in her face as he looked in her eyes, she had passed that now. She could talk easily to him about this topic and had done several times while they had been travelling.
"Whoever he is, Daine, he's missed out. You'd have made him proud," Numair smiled at her.
She smiled back, not replying to his statement. "Will you be jumping over the embers tonight?" She inquired.
Numair laughed and shook his head, not trusting himself to say anything.
She looked at him carefully. "Is there someone you wish you were with?" She asked softly.
He looked up at her. "Is there someone you wish you were with?" He answered back, holding her gaze. The look went on for longer than it should have. Daine felt the overwhelming urge to lean in and kiss him. Everything else had disappeared; the fires, couples, even the animals had gone, only her and Numair were there. It was if time had stood still. His eyes held every inch of her body, causing goosebumps to rise over her skin. The sound of the trumpet broke their look.
"That's the call for the jumping of the embers. Jon and Thayet will do it first in order to be ready for the feast. Everyone else's fires will burn much later," Numair said softly. "We should go or we'll be missed.
Daine stood up with him, quickly gathering a few of the purple flowers that were scattered around them. "I may not wish to be fertile in the coming year, but I hope Tortall's soils are!" She explained.
"The flowers you have are called heartsease or banwort," he began to inform her. "They are used to help people who have illnesses with the heart, or are sad within their heart."
Daine laughed lightly, wondering if they could cure her own malady. They wandered slowly over to the top of the hill where their friends were congregating, preparing for the ritual of jumping over the embers of the first Beltane fire. A gathering of people had clustered around them, consisting of some of the Riders who had been called back to the palace, the palace workers and many of the residents of Corus who had been invited. Some people were dressed in their finest summer clothes, others had come in costumes, flowers wreathed around them and paint on their faces. Daine stood shyly next to Numair as Jon and Thayet prepared to be the first to jump over the still hot embers. Other fires had been lit across the fields where other groups were participating in the same ritual. She could hear Alanna and George giggling as they jumped over the dying fire, and saw Alanna lighting a torch from the embers to light the hearth in their palace room, which would then be kept burning until next Beltane.
Other couples followed suit. Daine watched, still standing close to Numair. Any traces of sunlight had now been erased from the sky, leaving a pattern of stars that she was sure Numair would have her studying before the night was through. Both Numair and Daine turned around simultaneously at taps on their shoulders.
"Thayet!" Numair exclaimed.
"Are you two not going to participate?" Thayet asked with a gleam in her eye. She was glared at from both. "Oh, come on! Onua and Sarge have jumped together - probably asking for lots of decent horses – and there's nothing going on there! You should jump and ask for the Goddess's blessing on Tortall and a fruitful year. It doesn't have to be for you!"
Numair looked at Daine, dreaming up ways to get a suitable revenge on Thayet. Daine smiled at him and held out her hand. "Thayet will have us out here until Midsummer unless we join in," she said softly. Numair took her hand, both of them sending one last look to Thayet, who by this time was fighting a fit of laughter. She managed to smile sweetly at them and watched them approach the dying flames.
Daine looked at Numair and found him looking at her. "We'll find away to kill Thayet later!" She whispered, gathering up her own skirts with only slightly more grace than Alanna had managed to muster. As they jumped, Daine found herself asking the Goddess not only for Tortall's bounty for the next year, but that at the next Beltane she would be jumping the embers with the same man.
There were fewer in the banqueting hall than Daine had seen before, merely twenty people who had had the luck to be in Corus over Beltane. Numair noticed Daine glancing round the room, recognising familiar faces.
"Make the most of it, Magelet," he told her. "There is every chance that we will be called away again tomorrow, or even tonight, so I wouldn't drink too much wine, just in case."
"After the last time I had wine…" Daine shuddered at the memory of the headache she'd had the day after Numair's birthday. Numair smiled wistfully, recalling that day and the words that they had exchanged between them at the end of the evening. Don't get your hopes up, he told himself. She was drunk. She didn't mean what she said. But he still couldn't help wondering.
Very few of people were touching the wine. Most were of the same mind as Numair; anything could happen that evening, so it would be best to have a clear head in case it did. The meal was very much to Daine's taste; chicken and fresh vegetables, nothing particularly fancy, but probably all the more appreciated since most people had been living off camp food for the past two months.
Dancing followed the food. Generally, Beltane was the most boisterous of all the festivals as it celebrated the year that had gone and the year that was to come, usually with much flirting, cavorting and courting, but this year it was relatively quiet. Even outside where the residents of Corus were still surrounding the fires, the current situation had put a dampener on things. Daine still found herself dancing. George grabbed her first, twirling her round and round.
"So I see you an' your storkman jumped over the embers together!" Daine heard him whisper in her ear. "That'll give the gossips an interesting time!"
"Thayet practically ordered us to!" Daine hissed back, feeling herself go red.
"An' I saw plenty of protestin' goin' on from both of ye!"
Daine glared at him, not quite knowing how to reply. She heard George laugh quietly and the dance came to an end. He returned her to where she had been sitting with Numair, who was looking a little miserable, sat alone.
"Here ye are, Storkman. I'm bringin' back your Magelet," George said to the lanky mage.
"Curse Cloud for calling me that!" he muttered, directing a rather unkind look at George. George merely grinned and went over to Alanna who was calling him.
"Do you want to dance, Numair?" Daine asked, wondering what was wrong with her friend.
Numair looked up at her, his expression slightly happier. "If you want to, Daine," he took hold of her hand and stood up.
They moved across the dance floor to the music, Daine knowing the dance as well as Numair. Again, she felt the same sensation she had had by the tree, that no one else existed. Each time she looked into his deep, brown eyes she felt like she was being pulled further in. Numair held her tighter than George had; his clasp was firmer and his eyes never left her. For a moment, she wondered whether Miri was right and Numair did have feelings for her. He brought her closer as the music changed to a slower beat. Daine sensed something was still troubling Numair, but she didn't know quite what. Her head rested into his shoulder and she heard his heart beating rhythmically. She breathed, taking in the scent of his spices. His chin rested gently on her head and she found she felt incredibly safe. Safe, apart from the fact that her heart was beating so fervently in her chest she thought it might pop out.
"Daine! Daine!" She heard Onua's voice calling her. Numair released his hold and Daine turned towards Onua. "What is it?" She asked her friend with a worried tone.
"It's Kitten, she's…gone!"
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Please review!
This chapter and the research I did about Beltane has really made me want to do a oneshot for each of the main festivals once Daine and Numair are together. Hmmm.