Kelsey: Thank you!

Alex Rose: She did send out a message in chapter 9 about not drinking from the water, but by then it was too late for some. She couldn't have done it earlier as she didn't know which stretches of water were contaminated. It will overlap in the timeline with FT, but not to the point that Kel and Dom come into it, unless I feel like making it a mammoth story! Thank you for the compliments, and I hope its as cold in Scotland as where I am in Manchester!

Bitterosemary: You have so much style in your reviews! I muddle myself with George's accent. I may go back and look over that at the weekend, thank you for pointing it out! I got really into my stones research. I even bought a rose quartz candle holder at the weekend.

Silverlake: I will go back and sort those out, again, probably at weekend. Thank you for pointing them out.

AikiaRiven: More is here pokes back

Goldeneyedwildmage: Thank you. I would like to be published at some point in the nearish future, although I probably won't start by writing fantasy fiction. The idea I have is for an adult novel. I'll probably start it at Easter.

Dolphindreamer: You have to read on and find out if she uses her powers more! The application form is now done! I can continue writing happily!

Skysong the Dragonet: Hope you enjoyed camping. Where did you go? I don't think stories should always be happy smiley affairs, because life's like that. It's nice to have you back reviewing!

Sonnet Lacewing: Many, many thanks, you know what for!

Daine's Daughter: Big fluff!

Imakeladrygirl: I hope I get that teaching job too. Fluff's up!

Jessica: Have unblocked the IM thing, I think. Not very good with computers sometimes….. ttyl, hopefully!

Well, this is the chapter of pure fluff, hope it lives up to your expectations….

A/N: Anything you recognise belongs to Tamora Pierce.

Chapter 10 – Fires

By the time Numair had woken, his bed was already empty with a note from Daine telling him that she had gone to check on the horses in anticipation for Onua's return. She knew that the horse mistress wouldn't be happy if things weren't the way she liked them. He smiled at the note, although he had already begun to miss her presence.

He turned over, his eyes not wanting to face vast quantities of light yet, although his mind had already become active. His mind wandered back to what she had said the previous morning. He knew that she was right in what she said; they were reaching the point of no return. She was certainly not conventional; if he had performed a hundred and one different romantic gestures none would still compare to a kind act to an animal or offering to brush down Cloud. But he felt that he needed to at least make an attempt to court her.

Numair wondered about the possibility of setting up a meal for her that evening with just the two of them, maybe in his rooms. The king and the rest of their friends were not likely to arrive for at least another two days, so there wouldn't be any expectations that they would be engaging in any formal dinners. He sat up in bed, opening his eyes and noticing a few of Daine's belongings scattered about his room. He found he liked them being there, seeing them as reassurance that she would come back. He made up his mind that he was going to make sure that they had some time alone, uninterrupted, that evening and dressed in a hurry to go into the kitchens and persuade the cook to prepare him dinner that he could serve in his room. After all, since their return from the realm of the gods, the only chance they really had had to spend time together had been at night in bed, where Numair had practised more restraint than he had shown in his entire life. He had wanted to give her chance to make sure she was ready for sex, but she seemed certain that she was and the hints she had given him the day before had made it clear to him that she had chosen. Given that their relationship was already deep and they knew each other almost better than they knew themselves, it did seem that it wouldn't be wrong to move to that level of physical intimacy.

He ran down to the kitchens, his head still reeling with thoughts of Daine. The cook happily agreed to make him something different once she had gotten it out of him why he wanted it, and confirmed that there was a romance going on between Master Salmalin and Miss Sarrasri. She hadn't meant to be a gossip with her questions. Numair knew that she genuinely liked Daine and was pleased that Daine had found herself a "suitable young man to take care of her." Her words caused Numair to grin at the idea of his trying to take care of Daine.

Daine received a message from Numair asking her to attend dinner in his rooms at dusk. She smiled, realising that Numair was doing his up most to make some time for them to be alone. She decided to see if Kitten would stay with Harailt for the night, knowing that the dragonet was fond of the dean of the university and that he would be more than happy to entertain her for an evening with a list of experiments he wished to involve her in. The young dragon showed no reluctance to staying with Harailt, seemingly quite enthusiastic about the plan, especially when Daine promised to make it up to her with a treat or two the following day.

She took Kitten to Harailt a little before dusk fell, allowing herself time to change before going to his rooms. She had decided to wear the blue dress that she had had in Carthak, dressing with more care than she thought she had ever done, a feeling of anticipation lining her stomach. It was a good feeling, sending so much adrenaline around her bloodstream she felt as if she could fly faster and higher than any bird. Her eyes were alive with the thought of what was to come -- a sparkle that had never been there in such prominence before twinkled in them. She giggled to herself, wondering if this was how every girl felt before she met up with their lover. Looking in the mirror she visually examined herself, wondering how she appeared in Numair's eyes. For a slight moment, she regarded herself, wondering if she would look any different in the morning, the next time she stood here. How would everything change her? She recalled the strange dream she'd had, and how the woman had asked her what she would become. The smile that had adorned her face momentarily fell as remembered the dream and the baby girl that had been there and previous scenes of the dream where she had seen Numair's head being held by Ozorne. She looked out of the window in to the grounds of the palace and turned her thoughts to fact that Numair was alive and well and waiting for her.

Quickly, she glanced in the mirror one last time, expecting to briefly check that she looked as well as she could. Instead of seeing her own reflection, the old woman from her dream was there, staring at her. Some of the grey was gone from her hair and her skin appeared less lined, but it was clearly the same woman. Daine was too surprised to say anything, staring intently instead. The woman said nothing, simply smiling knowingly and nodding at the woman with smoky brown curls in front of her and seeming to walking away, leaving Daine gaping at her own reflection.

Shaking her head and muttering something about going slightly crazy, she left the room, heading to Numair's. Her body had recommenced its meeting with anticipation and adrenaline, their air around her buzzing with electricity in the warm, summer night. As she passed the large windows in the corridors she noticed the evening sky painted with all the oranges and reds of an artist's palate, the sun settling down in the horizon. The palace around her was silent, too many people had not returned from their battles, and it had left the place with an unrushed atmosphere. She briefly stopped, taking in the sensations that she felt, knowing that she would never have this moment or this night again.

By the time she arrived at Numair's room he was beginning to wonder if she had changed her mind altogether or if she had completely forgotten and gone off to the stables. He opened his door to let her in, taking in the sight that stood before him. She could have worn a flour sack and he would've still thought her beautiful, so words were completely beyond him now. She wore the dress she had worn in Carthak when he had complimented her, entranced. And now she was here, with him -- not with Kaddar or anyone else, but him. The fact filled his body with a feeling that caused goose bumps on his skin and a fire to light in his eyes that Daine noticed, making her laugh softly as she realized that the same fire burnt in her own. He kissed her before even speaking to her, words were somehow not necessary; everything had already been communicated between them. Her lips met his with the force that had surprised him at first, but now it became his life-source as he finally accepted that his feelings were returned by choice. It felt right, not at all similar to any of the women who had been here in his rooms previously; there was a connection between them that made it feel like the two final pieces of a jigsaw puzzle being fitted into place. Any concerned he had melted away like an icicle on the first day of spring as he and Daine moved into his room, their lips still engaged. When they finally parted he found all he could do was smile at her, still unable to move his eyes away from her.

She noticed the room she stood in. Countless times she had stood in that place, having needed to be in Numair's rooms for one reason or another, but she had never seen it like this, even when he had been courting one lady or another. His desk had been cleared and pulled out, set for dinner. Candles were lit and placed around the room, casting moving shadows on every wall, there orange glow reminiscent of the dying sun. She could see that fresh flowers had been picked and placed in pretty containers on the large window sill.

"You've gone to some trouble, Numair," she said looking up into the fire in his eyes.

He smiled, somewhat shyly. "I wanted to," he admitted, a slightly nervous tone to his voice, deepening its tone a little.

She put her hands around his waist and drew herself closer; standing on tiptoes to kiss him gently on his now fully healed lip. "You'll make me spoilt, and then you'll be sorry," she murmured, kissing him in between words.

"How will you make me sorry?" he whispered back, sending ripples of delight down her spine.

She touched his lips with a finger, following the line of the smooth, delicate skin. "You'd have to wait and see," he caught her finger in his mouth, wondering if there had been any point in planning the food.

Moving her hand away and holding it in his own, he sighed faintly. "We should eat and talk, and make this evening last as long as possible," he said, wanting to prolong this feeling of excited anticipation for as long as he could.

He moved a chair out for her and began to serve the food that the cook had prepared. It was suitably to Daine's taste -- all her favourite things that he could think of. The food had been kept warm by a spell that he had created for such purposes, one of the more useful household things that he could do. He sat down with her, meeting her look. A brief moment of uncomfortable silence shrouded them, neither sure which was to turn the conversation. Smiles crept at the sides of their mouths and they both laughed simultaneously. When their laughter had stopped the atmosphere had been broken.

"Are you nervous?" Daine asked Numair.

Numair laughed softly, looking down at his plate before answering. "Yes," he said simply.

"Why? You've known me long enough to not be, and I don't think this is new to you," she began to eat the roasted chicken.

"This is new to me," he contradicted her. "I've never felt like this before," he confessed, wanting to tell her but not able to meet her eyes.

"Really?" She queried. "You've not done all this before?"

"No, never," he shook his head, a slight blush colouring his cheeks.

"How am I different?" she asked him, finding his shyness rather attractive.

"You… you're… you… you just are, Daine. You make me feel…" he searched for the word, "whole."

She looked at him with something like wonder in her eyes. As he looked in them he saw his own reflection mirrored back at him. "When did you know you were in love with me?" he still felt a little apprehensive about saying those words, they were still too new in his own mind, and too precious.

She looked coyly at him, her long curls framing her face and helping to highlight the large blue-grey eyes. "I think it was when we were in Carthak, and I realised I fair disliked it when you took lovers. When did you?"

"At Midwinter, when the barrier collapsed. I had known that I felt more for you than what I thought I should, but didn't name the feeling till then. After that I spent most of the time wondering how to deal with being in love with you," he said with a smile, the shared confessions adding to their intimacy.

"Did you tell anyone?" she asked, curious to find out why no one had been particularly surprised by their relationship so far.

Numair nodded. "Not tell, precisely. Alanna and Thayet worked it out, so I would suspect that other people knew because of them, or just guessed. I may have been a bit obvious about it also," he smiled, causing Daine's heart to flutter.

"Onua guessed and I told Miri about it, but even she had worked it out," she told him. "Do you find it fair strange that this doesn't feel strange?" She asked him. "I mean, it just feels that it's right, that we should be doing this."

"I think that's what I've had trouble becoming adjusted to it; there hasn't been anything that's made me stop and reconsider since we first…" he smiled as he recalled the memory.

"Kissed," Daine finished for him. Her own cheeks tinged with colour as she shared the recollection.

They finished their meal, Numair producing a wonderfully fluffy dessert that they decided to save a part of for Kitten, who would have raptures over it. The sun had completely disappeared from the sky, the light from the moon giving the area a hauntingly mesmerising glow that shone through the window of Numair's rooms.

"We should take a walk," Daine said, gazing through the window at the scene below her. "It's lovely out there tonight, and it's so quiet. In a few days it will probably never be like this again."

Numair stood up, moving the dinner plates and such away. "Why don't we then?" She stood with him, straightening her skirts. "Let's walk toward the forest, toward the stream," she suggested, taking his hand.

They walked through the nearby fields in relative silence, captivated by the night. Above them were the thousands of stars permeating the cloudless night. Daine smelled the scent of lavender, carried on the soft, cooling breeze. In the distance she heardthehoot of an owl, beginning its nocturnal hunt, its wings beatinssoftly as it flewoevr them. The sense of anticipation had not been dulled by Numair's presence; it still hung there, gently reminding her of what the near future held. As they approached the stream, Numair stopped walking, lightly pulling her into his arms and kissing her with a level of intensity that she hadn't felt before. She returned it, the sounds of the trickling of the stream and the gentle rustling of the leaves becoming unknown noises in Daine's head; she became too lost in the action to hear or feel anything else. Their hands began to wander, already practised at finding sensitive spots on each other's bodies. Daine felt her pulse quicken and her temperature rise, as Numair began to set her body and her mind of a fire burning with the fuel of desire and love.She groaned when his mouth left hers, butstillretaining his hold on her, keeping her as close to him as clothes would allow.

"Shall we go back?" he asked huskily, desire seeping into his voice.

Daine nodded, her own yearning showing in her eyes.

They seemed to be back at Numair's rooms almost instantaneously. She felt the thumping of her heart in her chest as varying emotions grappled with it. Partly nervous, partly eager and hopelessly consumed with this man, she entered into his chamber. He kissed her again, tenderness turning rougher with desire. She felt his fingers begin to caress her, trailing lines across her body as if he was writing a book on her skin. Her own hands began to wander, remembering familiar territory from the previous nights in his bed. She felt him quiver and shudder as she traced the contours of his body, her mind alive with the banquet her senses were feeding on as she reveled in his touch and his responses to the journey her own hands were taking.

"Are you sure?" she heard him whisper as he began to undo the small buttons that laced up her dress.

"I'm sure," she responded, her own fingers busying themselves in his shirt. He trailed kisses down her neck, her dress sliding down to the floor, allowing the warm air to brush her skin, contrasting with the trail Numair was creating as his lips roamed across her body.

Daine's nerves had evaporated. This is right, she thought to herself when her mind had achieved enough clarity to think properly. When I wake up tomorrow morning I will have no regrets. There will be no awkward moments, no need to look away or hang my head. This is right. The thought disappeared as her senses became overwhelmed by the man who was to become her lover.

When the sun broke through the window into the bedchamber of Numair Salmalin, Daine found herself lying with her head on his chest, his arms wrapped around her, the bedcovers falling on to the floor on one side. She moved her head to look at him, still asleep with a look of contentment etched upon his face. She moved against him, hoping to rouse him from his slumber. His eyelids twitched and flickered, and he looked straight at her, his mouth breaking in to a sleepy smile. He moved so he could kiss her, his hands moving to hold her against him.

"How do you feel?" he whispered.

Daine smiled at him, her eyes beginning to feel heavy with desire at she looked at him, his hair mussed and spread over the pillow they had shared. "I can't explain how I feel," she said, words beyond her.

"Are you okay, then, nothing hurts?" he asked, concerned.

"Some things feel slightly new, and I'm aware of them, but nothing's painful," she replied truthfully. "How do you feel?"

Numair let out a soft, short laugh. "Like this is where I'm meant to be," his hands began to move across her, eager to resume what they had been practicing in the night.

Daine laughed as he playfully tickled her, and then exacted her revenge.

"Do we need to get up for anything?" she muttered, as her body began to respond to him.

"No, Magelet, not for awhile."

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