Not long until it all kicks off! Honest! Just one little bit of fluff and then it's all go - promise! Enjoy! R&R - I know it's a pain, but it would be ever so nice of you...
Disclaimer... none of its mine...
Several days later, Daine, Numair and Kitten rode into the courtyard of Pirate's Swoop. Numair had virtually refused to let Daine out of his sight in case of a repeat of the buzzard incident. While she had told him it was just an accident she was out for so long, he still worried about the matter. Daine, too tired to argue, decided it must be something to do with his scrying efforts. Apparently he had been unable to find her. Daine put this down to a lack of skill in practical magic, and told him as much, but Numair was not reassured by this.
A lilting voice penetrated her thoughts, followed by the delighted yells of children. "Numair, Daine, you made it! I was just about to send out a search party! Mind you, my lass would have killed you if you hadn't come to check up on me, make sure I was up to no mischief. The mood she's in just now, there's little you could've done to stop her as well." George grimaced as he watched Numair pick up Aly, whilst being clung on to by Alan. Daine, returning Thom's fierce hug, nodded.
"We saw. Poor Darkmoon's nerves were rattled. He's not used to seeing his mistress so uptight. Any word of Alanna?"
"Jon said she reached the tribe a few days ago. They're quite worried about her, and Jon is too, but they're both as stubborn as each other those two, always have been, so they won't apologise any time soon. Anyway, Halef Sief, the headman, is going to keep her busy, and between that and the Shaman School, she'll have plenty to be doing with. Little time to even think about Keladry of Mindelan and her training, let alone that Wyldon's ban on her interference." George trailed off. "I hope anyway."
While George had been talking, the children had switched places, and Daine found herself being tugged into the house by the twins, followed by Numair and Thom, with George holding Kitten coming up behind. Once inside, the servants bustled around, relieving Daine and Numair of their outer garments, while Maude, the housekeeper removed their charges. Kitten followed with a chirp, anxious to play with someone who wasn't so preoccupied with someone else. She was glad Daine was happy, but she was never apart from Stork-man and Kitten wanted her to herself sometimes. The fire-top's children would play with her.
George led Daine and Numair up to his study, poured them some wine and congratulated them on their would-be engagement. They had not seen each other since spring, and had a lot to catch up on. But finally, inevitably, they began to talk of news from Scanra. After a short while, Daine excused herself and went to be somewhere she could stand outside.
George found her, a while later, standing alone on the observation platform, at the top of the keep. She had been watching Aly, Alan and Thom playing with Kitten on the beach below. A short while ago, a tall, dark haired figure had come to watch them, sitting on rocks a way away from the children and their maid.
Numair, shielding his eyes from the sun, had looked up at his beloved and waved, at the same time as she felt magical lips kiss her forehead, cheeks and lips. Daine was so caught up watching the activities below her, she jumped when George spoke. "He's a good man you have there. He won't do you a misjustice." He walked over the boards silently to join Daine. "He means well, for all that he gets caught up in some spell or other."
"I know." Daine turned to look at her companion. Something flickered in George's eyes as he spoke. She paused, hoping she guessed correctly at its cause. "You miss her, don't you? She's away so much, always busy, always risking life and limb at one thing or t'other. It must be so hard for you, to know that she's doing that, while you stay at home waiting for news."
"Of course I miss her – I wouldn't be human if I didn't. But I married her as King's Champion, and one of the most famous knights in the Eastern Lands. I expected nothing less. I do understand she has to go riding off to the desert, keep herself busy. It's the way she is. I couldn't tie her down, keep her here. Not even if I wanted to."
He sighed."You'd understand – it's like keeping an animal caged – the Lioness locked up. It's not how she was made to be. I understand that, for all that I miss her. I love her, and I couldn't keep her here knowing she would be unhappy. Besides, she's too good a swordswoman for me to even think of keeping her prisoner." George chuckled.
"She'll be home soon anyway. My lass is under no orders now – she'll come and go as she pleases, and, like she says, Bloody Hawk's not that far. We're always welcome, the children and me. I've got the scars to prove it," he said ruefully, showing Daine the long scar on his forearm which bound him with magic and blood to the desert, and another parallel to that, which joined him to Alanna. "And Midwinter's not that far off."
"But you, lass, Numair's not like Alanna. He's happiest in one place, and even if that place is his library, then you keep him there. Though," he said with a teasing glint in his eye, "it'll be his bed he longs to be in now that he's got you on his arm." Daine swiped at him, but, quick as a flash, George caught her arm, chuckling at her. "By the way," he added, pulling a small envelope out his pocket, "Alanna gave me something for you. She made it special."
"What is it?" Daine asked, taking the envelope from George's large hand.
"Not for me to know, she said. Women's things." Daine blushed as George grinned suggestively and pocketed the envelope. They stood a while longer in silence, watching their different loved ones below them, and when dinner was called, George led Daine back into the keep, back to Numair.
Over dinner, the talk was continuous. The small group moved from one topic to another, all the while keeping an eye on Kitten and the various titbits the twins were constantly trying to slip her. George, observing the twin's vain efforts, commented, "I see my children are lacking in the skills sleight-of-hand somewhat. And there was me thinking I'd taught them well."
George and Numair, whose hobby was sleight-of-hand, proceeded to give them all lessons in the matter. Out of all of them, Aly faired best, while Daine came a miserable last. Their lessons moved on to lock picking, in which all the children were advanced. Daine, however, was not so skilled, and ended up with Aly trying to teach her, cascading into giggles every few minutes. After many failed attempts, Daine turned to her. "Not everybody's so privileged to grow up as the daughter of the King of Thieves, you know."
Aly, much like her father, was quick off the mark. "But he's not anymore, are you Da?" As George nodded his head, Aly continued. "And besides, your Da's a God, and your Ma's a goddess now too. And," she continued in an accusatory tone, "you can turn into an animal." Daine, firmly set in her place by a seven year old, was silent, her lips pursed as Numair and Kitten chuckled. Aly continued wishfully with a trace of awe in her voice, "I can't do that, or Da'ld make me a spy for sure."
George's response came quickly. It was obviously well practiced. "How many times Aly? No daughter of mine will spy for anyone – shape-shifter or no."
"But I know all the codes, Da, an' I can be as quiet as you when I want. An' when I grow up –"
"When you grow up Alianne," George interrupted, his voice barely containing his angry, "the closest you will ever be to spy-work is decoding reports, and if it weren't for your Grandda, I might not even have you there. The matter is closed Aly."
"Yes, Father." The young girl was surprisingly subdued for the rest of the meal, speaking only when spoken to, or asking for dishes to be passed. After dinner, she excused herself, declining to join the others for entertainment and talk. Daine, missing Aly's usually entertaining presence, quietly excused herself after a while, and went in search of the young girl.
She finally spotted a small red-headed figure standing on the battlements around the courtyard, looking towards the village of Pirate's Swoop. Silently, Daine walked up to stand beside her. Glancing at the girl from the corner of her eye, she saw moonlight reflected in the tracks of tears, running down her face.
The pair stood in silence for a while more, Daine with he arm around Aly's shoulders, the girl's body occasionally hiccupping with heaving sobs. Finally, Aly spoke, "'Sno wonder Da won't let me be a spy. 'Scos I cry when I get upset."
"That's not true Aly, and you know it. Your Da won't let you spy for him because spying's a dangerous job." She hushed Aly when she tried to interrupt. "He doesn't want you to get hurt. He knows you can defend yourself, but one day you might meet someone stronger and faster than you, get hurt, killed even. Would you want that for your only daughter? And I get upset. There's nothing wrong with crying Aly, it's good for you. Let's you get everything out of your system. Everybody cries – even your Ma cries sometimes, Aly." The girl looked at Daine in surprise.
"She never did. She's too brave to do a silly thing like crying," Aly insisted.
"Nonsense. She just doesn't let you see – she doesn't want to upset you, that's all." Daine kneeled down in front of the girl. "You could be a knight like your Ma if you wanted."
"She wouldn't let me, like Uncle Jonathon didn't let Kally."
"Never. The only female knight in Tortall, and she wouldn't let her own daughter be one too. That's just rubbish and you know it. Your mother would never stop any girl from trying for her shield."
"Don't want to be a knight anyway. Ma told me it was hard work, I don't want that. I don't want to be a lady though, either. I want to be a spy," the girl maintained, sorrowfully. "They'll never let me though."
"Listen, Aly, can you blame them? Your mother and father, they've seen lots of people they love hurt, in spying or in war. They don't want that to happen to you. Your Da, he wouldn't let any of his children be spies, it's not just you. As it is, at least one of his children will be knights, and he has to worry about your Ma every day she's away too, so he just wants to know one of you will be safe. It's only because he cares, Aly, honest."
"She's right you know, Aly," came a voice from behind, causing both girls to jump. George continued, "It's only because I love you. When you have your own children, you'll know how I feel. Until then, though, you'll have to take my word for it." He scooped Aly up into his arms, and, nodding his thanks to Daine, wondered along the battlements, talking quietly to his daughter. Daine stood, watching them go.
"That was a good thing you did, Daine," Numair's voice surprised her. He slid his arms around her waist, and pulled her back to him. "You'll be a good mother yourself one day."
"Oh will I?" she turned to face him, grinning.
"Yes, my sweet, you will. We'll have as many children as you want, and you'll be the best mother to them you can be. I know it." Leaning down, so his lips touched her ear, he whispered, "First though, we have to make the children," and began to gently kiss her lips, holding her up.
Later, in the room George had provided for them, Daine discovered Alanna's envelope, tucked away into one of the pockets in her breeches. Holding it, she looked at it, wondering what it could be that Alanna had made specially for her. Opening the envelope, she found a small charm with a gold, shimmering rune on it, and a small note, which read "Daine, you'll need this if you're to share a bed with your man! Don't go without it, unless you want to be with child already, and don't do anything you don't want to. Just make sure you're comfortable – Alanna"
Numair leaned over her shoulder, his voice making the young woman jump. "What's that you've got there sweet?" Taking the charm and note from Daine's hand, he blushed. "Oh," he paused. "Well, she's right you know. You'd best wear it. Unless you do want children now?" he enquired.
Daine blushed. "Not yet, I'm too young to be thinking of that. Besides, I haven't even had you to myself yet. I don't want children till I'm bored of you. Anyway, I never said I'd marry you," she teased.
"Oh well, then. We'll have to do something about that then, won't we." He scooped her off the chair, and dumped her on the bed. "What can I do to persuade you? I've spoken to Maude about finding a maid, and besides, when we go to the Palace, we won't need one. So, young Daine, I think I've fulfilled all your requirements. Unless there's more?"
Daine's chance to reply was cut of by Numair's mouth landing in hers, where it stayed till they fell asleep.