Disclaimer: It's Tamora Pierce's

Once again I apologize to all anonymous reviewers. I loved your input and feel so bad that I had to disable it. I hope it will not be a permanent thing.

Crazed Fuzzle – Yes, I will be all over it. And probably she will have a completely different concept of his past than I do. But I figure that since it isn't written yet, I can get away with it. Thank you for noticing that there is something different in every chapter too. Sometimes they are hard to see and there have been a few complaints. This type of writing is so hard because when Daine and Numair are together it is hard to tuck in new stuff. If I leave those parts out it doesn't flow. You and a few other loyal readers have been kind enough to understand and it is so very much appreciated.

Bitterosemary – This time I used Scandinavian to help me make the language seem realistic. Isn't the net great? I can look up anything. I loved making the dragon code too. I have some neat stuff in store for the fight with Hadensra and I plan to fill in some more space left open in the book as you will see below.

Nativewildmage: Numair would have made a good dragon, he even insults like they do. I'm glad you liked that.

Purple Eyed Cat: It was fun for him to use their magic against them. I went and checked when he tried to fight Kit's mother unsuccessfully and thought either he has learned a lot in three years, he was too drained at that time to help, or he uses something he doesn't always have access to. Consequently, he used their own magic.

Sarramaks: The farewell is later because I'm filling in more. I kept thinking that they haven't eaten since the previous day or slept except while being carried over the sea of sand and that it was too much. So I filled in more time below.

Chapter 27 – Allies

Soaring through the air atop a dragon was not like anything Numair had ever experienced. He could feel wind pushing against him and see the spiral of more magic. The fact that everything through dragon magic seemed to exist in spirals was not missed on him. Even the flight pattern they were taking through the clouds was like a spiral. He wondered if gift could morph in such a manner and perhaps the whirlwind pattern could make it more powerful. It was something he would very much like to experiment with. He also wanted his own version of a recharging spell. But it was one thing to interrupt a working spell and redirect it; it was quite another to create the thing in the first place. It was the sort of spell he might spend half a lifetime pursuing and still not perfect.

They pushed through the clouds and emerged into chill, clear air where what looked the entire Stonetree Nation awaited them. Numair waived to Queen Barzha, grateful to see that she took her oaths seriously. If that unknown female stormwing were recognized by Barzha or Hebakh, she was as good as dead. He could ask for no more.

--You have interesting friends,-- remarked Wingstar.

"If you don't mind, we will go with you to the mortal realms," Barzha's voice was faint and he had to strain to hear. "We have business to settle." And a dragon escort can't be a bad thing, Numair thought to himself.

--I will not wait if you fall behind,-- Diamondflame warned them. Numair wondered idly what dragons thought of stormwings and vice versa. He had severely disliked the separatists, but otherwise thought that dragons were amazing. He could spend years just learning from them easily.

Numair was only beginning to process the things he had seen in the Dragonlands. He had never really thought about Kit's future before, as he had been so uncertain as to whether he would have much of a role in it. Now, he was starting to feel that Daine might consider marriage and Kit was very much a part of her life. With regards to Daine, there was one fact he was certain of, he couldn't go back now. He would never again be able to be her friend without longing for more. If ever she changed her mind, he would pine himself into nothingness. And with regard to Kit, it was good and right that he should have parental feelings for her. Daine would not want a man who did not accept Kit. This was in his favor.

As he watched the rise and fall of Diamondflame's wings it occurred to Numair that he would never see Kitten fly. Scamp obviously couldn't fly but was 200 years old. As much as he loved Kitten and as much as Daine loved her, they could do nothing to assure there would be someone to care for her after they were gone. Tkaa might be willing, but it seemed more likely that Kit would return to the Dragonlands. She shouldn't have just one experience with her family. He knew Daine would agree with this.

Quietly Numair offered, "You know, Diamondflame, that you are welcome to visit Skysong any time. We would be pleased to have you and I'm certain she would be thrilled to spend time with you. Once the war is over I'm certain that Skysong will have plenty of questions for you about life in the Dragonlands and it would be ideal for her to get the opportunity to build a relationship with her dragon family."

--I am learning a great deal about mortals that I never considered before,-- the giant blue dragon said softly. –She is a daughter in your heart, isn't she?—

"Yes. I have even been known to do stupid things to try to protect her from pain." He chuckled as he remembered the lecture from Jon and Kit's amazing strength in front of the Wyverns."

--Her mother left Skysong in the custody of Weiryn's daughter. We knew you cared for her too from those times when we looked in on her, but I never realized that your connection was so close. I thought your connection was limited to your love for the girl.—

"To lose either would break my heart. I think I might have a fondness for dragons. We have a yearning for knowledge in common."

--You might have made a good dragon.—

Numair laughed. "I was also told recently that I would make a good stormwing. That assessment is one I'd like to dispute. However, I might like to be a dragon – though only if Daine were one. Nevertheless, I believe Father Universe said that a wise soul strives to be the best of what they are and does not waste time on what they are not."

--Very good. Few dragons understand the meaning of that. I am impressed.—

"I consider that the highest praise," Numair said. They began a spiraling descent, and Numair felt as if fingers were once again grabbing for him, though this time damp and clammy. It was an interesting realization, as he had thought the impression of hands grabbing them before was actually Sarra or Weiryn's hands. Now he realized it was the feeling of the barrier itself.

Gray fog settled upon them thickly. It was impossible to see for a moment or two and then they broke through a cloud bank and saw the patterns of civilization from their lofty position. They were back in Tortall, but this wasn't Port Legann – it was Corus.

As they moved in closer, Numair saw the signs of clean up from a battle that had ended at least two days prior. Soldiers seemed to be everywhere on patrols and helping the farmers and merchants. But there were no signs of fighting.

"Why come here?" Numair shouted so both Diamondflame and Wingstar would hear. "Skysong is at Port Legann!"

--Why are we here?—asked Wingstar. –You guided us Diamondflame, and I too thought you would take us to our grandchild. I don't even see an army in this place.—

--The god of the duckmoles is here,-- said Diamondflame. –I want to know why.—

--Broad Foot? In this city?—Wingstar said, staring.

--On the other side of the world from his mortal children, involving himself in mortal affairs.—Diamondflame responded. Numair and Daine exchanged a look across the distance, wondering if now was the time to tell the dragons everything else they knew.

"How do you know all this?" Numair asked loudly.

--I am a dragon. My power tells me a great many things that you are blind and deaf to.--

Numair sent a speaking spell to the soldiers below him, asking for a response from any mages among them. He did not want the large number of stormwings to alarm them and he didn't want any unnecessary misunderstandings. Just then he saw a flash of silver in the corner of his eye and Broad Foot Materialized, hanging in the air strangely. He looked bad. His eyes were sunken and he was very thin.

"What's happened to you? You look terrible!" Daine cried when she saw him.

The duckmole made his strange laughing sound. –I overestimated my ability to contain Malady. It will not break free of me, but … it fights.—Even his mind voice sounded weak.

--This is incredible!—boomed Diamondflame. –What possible interest have you in the affairs of humans?—

The duckmole snorted. –Have you dragons shut yourselves off so completely from the affairs in the mortal and divine realms? Can you not feel the battle that is raging? Read the Chaos currents around you!— Numair wondered if "reading the currents" was the way that Diamondflame's power told him things that Numair was blind and deaf to.

--Humans and their wars,-- snapped Wingstar.

--If she overturns the mortal and divine realms, how long do you think it will be until she turns on the Dragonlands?—Broad Foot demanded. –You have made them separate from the Divine Realms, but you share a common border with them, and Uusoae is nothing but appetite. Even when fed to gorging, she hungers still.—

Numair saw the signs of a speaking spell. He had finally been answered by none other than Duke Gareth the Elder, the king's uncle. "Numair Salmalin! We thought we might never hear from you again. I heard strange tales. I will come to meet you. Master Raelt is looking forward to your report." The spell ended.

"Would you dragons mind setting down for a moment?" Numair asked. "I would like to learn what the situation is here."

--And I would like to talk to you, duckmole,-- Diamondflame said as he glided down toward an expanse of the palace wall. Despite the precautions, Numair could see that the soldiers were training bows on them and catapults were being turned to dump rocks of liquid fire on the dragons if necessary. He opened a speaking spell to Master Raelt and began to speak rapidly, explaining the situation and that these dragons were friends and potential allies.

When the dragons finally settled, Numair saw two figures on horseback approaching. One was Duke Gareth and the other was Buri, the commander of the Queen's Riders.

"They're friends," Numair heard Daine assure the dragons. "It's alright."

--They may well be friends, but do they know that we are?—Wingstar asked nervously. She sunk to the ground and Numair saw Daine slide off her back. He climbed off of Diamondflame and joined her while Broad Foot and Diamondflame conversed mind to mind.

Duke Gareth tugged an earlobe the way he usually did when he was uncertain what to say. "I had thought that I was past being shocked by your companions. Clearly I was mistaken," the elderly man said.

Numair tried not to laugh. "You should have seen where we got them." He shook hands with Buri and then with the Duke. "Where's the queen? For that matter, where's the enemy?"

"Gone, except for our prisoners," Buri answered as she dismounted. He watched the K'miri woman give Daine a warm hug. "They scrambled out of here half a day before a relieving force from the Yamani Islands came in – just pulled up stakes and vanished."

"We still maintain our forces on alert, however," Duke Gareth assured. "Just in case the enemy attempts something crafty. The army is camped throughout the Royal Forest, and between here and Port Caynn."

Buri explained that Thayet had taken a force and boarded the Yamani Ships bound for Port Legann. Daine voiced concerns that the fleet she'd seen headed from the Copper Isles might catch them. So, with assurances from the Duke and Buri that they were well situated, Numair and Daine agreed that they would try to catch up to Thayet and help out.

The conference between Broad Foot and the dragons appeared to be over so Daine asked, "Will you take us to the queen? They're at sea, on the way to Port Legann."

--The badger and Gold-streak are with them,-- added Broad Foot.

--We will do more than convey you to her,-- Wingstar said. ­–Broad Foot has told us enough that my mate and I have decided to help you, and our grandchild, fight.—

Duke Gareth shot Numair a triumphant look. Numair smiled and thought about how much help the dragons would likely be. Between their impressive magic and their ability to fly, the dragons might assure a victory. If there were more than the two of them, it might be over in a few days. He thought it couldn't hurt to ask. "Do you think your fellow dragons might be concerned enough about the danger from Uusoae to fight on our side as well?"

Wryly, Diamondflame answered, --If you are prepared to wait a few decades for them to reach the decision. That is one reason why few of us will argue with a personal choice. Long-lived as we are, we still would die of old age before our peers would agree on anything.—

"Please, forget I asked," Numair said.

Daine moved closer to him as if making room for someone. Instantly he knew why as Barzha chose that moment to glide down and join them, leaving the alert soldiers to once again grab weapons nervously. Numair held a hand up and signaled "friends" to the group, grateful that he had taken the time to learn the King's Own hand signals. "Why do you gab here like pigeons?" the Stormwing Queen demanded. "Ozorne is not here. Our people are not here." Numair felt Daine's hand slide into his own. Her arm was behind her back where she stood in front and slightly to one side of him. He doubted if either Buri or the Duke could actually see the show of affection, but it was still a bold move in front of friends who did not know their relationship had changed. They tangled their fingers together silently.

--I needed to speak to the duckmole,-- Diamondflame said.

"You have spoken, have you not? Then let's find our battle. We didn't come to admire scenery." Numair looked to Daine, taking a moment to admire the scenery she offered. He couldn't see much of her face from this position, but he knew it by heart anyway. He could hardly believe that this beautiful girl still seemed to want him. They were on the ground, back in their own realm, and she was holding his hand. He had no idea if she realized just how much he needed that touch, but he preferred to think that she did. And though it may not be some people's idea of intimacy, to him the clinging contact was a sign of real love. They had to let go to say their goodbyes to the Duke and Buri, but it had been enough for him to know her feelings wouldn't change in front of their friends, though he planned to let her take the lead in how much they revealed to those around them.

Astride separate dragons once more, Numair could not pull his gaze from Daine. He didn't watch the dragons lift off from the ground this time or stare back to look at Corus. He vaguely heard Wingstar say something about not wanting to tire herself by flying all the way and he vaguely heard Diamondflame agree to use a spell on both them and the Stonetree Nation. When Daine did eventually feel his gaze and turn her eyes to him, he saw her visibly inhale deeply and bring a fluttering hand up to the base of her throat as if to say, Me? He supposed what he was feeling must be reflected in his face, but for the moment he didn't care who saw it there. He mouthed, "I love you," to her and she smiled so warmly that he had the foolish urge to find a way to fly to her, though he would have tumbled to his death if he had acted on it. She mouthed it in return, "I love you too." And he felt the biggest, stupidest grin spread across his face. He might look ridiculous, he didn't know, but she loved him too and that was all that mattered.

Diamondflame had decided it was best to cloak the group as the Copper Isle's fleet was out on the water somewhere and the Yamani Fleet might shoot first and ask questions later. Numair agreed that it was a wise decision.

Soon enough they saw the Yamani Fleet on the horizon. He knew Harailt was among them and he immediately sent a speaking spell to him to warn of what he was about to see. When the spell was returned in his general direction, he let Diamonflame know. The dragons dropped the cloaking spell and descended toward the ships.

The faces on the bridges were almost comical. Mouths hung open and trained fighters dropped weapons to their sides as they stared. Numair tried to imagine being one of them and watching two huge dragons with human riders and 63 stormwings fly toward them out of what had previously been a clear blue sky. He supposed his mouth would hang open too.

--I'm going to set you down to talk to your people—Diamondflame warned. –The badger is coming up here to conference with us for a moment.—Spiraling magic gathered Numair and lifted him down to the bridge of the ship below. He was amazed by the gentleness of it. He looked back to see that Daine remained astride Wingstar. He waved to her and turned to be practically mobbed by questions and hugged tightly by the queen. Behind her stood a Yamani in admiral's uniform. Numair nodded to him politely over Thayet's shoulder.

"Have you ever hugged me before?" Numair asked when she let go.

"Have I ever thought you died before?" she asked in return.

"Yes," he said immediately. She laughed.

"Right. I forgot. And I didn't hug you then?"

"I'm not really sure – there were a lot of hugs that day."

Now she really laughed. "Numair, we thought the two of you were gone. And then, when we finally knew where you were, you sent the best help any fighters could ever ask for."

"Well, we've brought more. Diamondflame," he pointed to the blue dragon, "and Wingstar", he pointed to the gray and gold dragon, "are here to help. And the members of the Stonetree Nation are sworn allies too. They want to send Ozorne to his death personally. There is every chance you will cross a fleet from the Copper Isles at any moment, but the dragons will make sure you aren't seen."

She laughed triumphantly. "This gets better and better." The queen turned and saw the Yamani admiral, who had remained standing at attention behind her. "Oh, how rude of me. This is Admiral Hiyagashu and this fine ship is his vessel."

The two shook hands and then Numair turned serious. "Thayet, is there somewhere we can talk? You don't know the rest." Hiyagashu led Thayet, Harailt, and Numair into the stateroom. Solemnly Numair filled them in on Uusoae's role in the battle and the eight pawns.

They made the sign against evil several times while he spoke and again when he was finished. "What kind of a monster does it take to willingly risk the entire realm in a plot like this one?" Thayet asked finally.

"My instinct says Ozorne, but he will not be the pawn I have to fight," Numair answered.

"Hedensra," Harailt supplied automatically. "I'm glad you're here. I'm not ashamed to say I was afraid." Numair patted his shoulder sympathetically.

Admiral Hiyagashu spoke at last, "Can you take on the red mage alone?"

Thayet and Harailt merely laughed, but Numair did not join in. "I am your best chance but – even I'm afraid." Thayet's eyes opened wide and Harailt looked a little shocked. "We're still at sea and I can already feel his presence. Were it not for the cloaking of the dragons, he would know I'm here. He could have been a black robe but he wanted to dabble in magics that civilized sorcerers abhor. He has mastered spells that can unmake men and turn the blood to poison." Admiral Hiyagashu paled visibly and Harailt made the sign against evil.

"But you have some amazing spells in your repertoire too," Harailt said. "I've used elemental magic, but you bore three times what I did."

"I've used dragon magic now too, but I won't have either at my disposal this time. My biggest concern is not even myself, but the number of innocents he will draw into the fight if he can. I have a way around that possibly, but it will mean employing some abilities that I rarely use."

"Mind control?" Thayet asked, though it was more a statement.

"Yes," he answered as he tugged his long nose. "I have to make Hedensra think it is in his best interest to take this fight as far away from the rest of the battle as possible."

"That seems a good enough reason to me," Thayet said, wrapping an arm around Numair and squeezing. "When was the last time you had anything to eat?"

"Yesterday, I think," he answered. "To tell the truth I really need a chance to grab some sleep too. I'm sure Daine will agree. We both slept a little in the night, but we were being conveyed across the Sea of Sand by stormwings at the time."

"Goddess, the stories you must have!" Thayet exclaimed. They turned to a light knock on the stateroom door. Numair lifted his warding so that Daine could walk in. Thayet rushed her, hugging the girl and kissing both cheeks. Then she proceeded to introduce Daine to Hiyagashu.

"Wingstar said she was tired of listening to my stomach growl," Daine said. "We have orders to eat and rest a little. Diamondflame and Wingstar flew off to spy. They will be back at dusk." She sidled closer to Numair and stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear. "And I missed you."

He smiled at her and covered for her, "I think Thayet probably figured out the dragons could be bossy." Harailt, Hiyagashu, and Thayet laughed heartily, while Numair and Daine exchanged a secret smile. "Me too," he mouthed to only her.

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