(A/N) Well, I think that a lot of people liked the last chapter so I
decided to update sooner than I expect or had time to... Oh, this takes place
right after where I had left off.
"Daine, look at you," Numair said. Daine smiled; she had changed so much from the time that she had left Numair. Spending so much time in the sun had lightened her hair color a little and her eyes had turned to a clearer blue; being pregnant had given her body healthy curves and she had even grown an inch or two.
"You changed. You still look wonderful, but you look so much better," Numair rambled. Daine looked at his under scrutiny. He was still the same Numair, but he looked thinner and tired. She nodded and said, "Thank you."
Teresa was quite put out by the lack of attention being given to her; she wanted to impress her new found friend, so she decided to show off the fact that she spoke more than one language. "Ti amo," the little girl declared to Numair.
Numair looked down at Teresa. He then quickly looked up to Daine and she nodded in confirmation. Numair smiled at the toddler and Daine felt a pain in her heart. Numair used to give her that smile; it was her own special smile that he showed to only her.
"Realmente?" Numair asked Teresa.
"Si," Teresa said with a smile, basking in all the attention.
Numair opened his arms wide and Teresa ran to give him a hug. He picked her up and tickled her, while the little girl giggled helplessly. Numair then rested her against his hip. "Che cosa è il vostro nome?" he asked.
"Teresa," she replied.
"Parlate Tyran?" Numair asked as well.
"Si," Teresa said, very proud of the fact she could carry on a conversation in Tyran with someone else other than her mother.
"Chi è il vostro padre?"
"Un principe. Sono una principessa," Teresa said with a big grin on her face. Numair looked over to Daine and she blushed.
"What else was I supposed to tell her?" she asked Numair.
"The truth. She deserves it," he replied. "She wouldn't understand the truth. No one does," she said with a glare at her former husband. Numair shook his head in disbelief but continued to talk to his daughter.
"Quanto vecchi siete?"
"Vecchio cinque anni," Teresa replied with a huge grin, proud of having completed five years of her life.
"Cinque anni?" Numair said and whistled, causing Teresa to grin even more. His playfulness made even Daine smile.
"Chi sono voi?" Teresa asked, curious about the man that she had professed her love to.
"Un amic delle vostre madri."
Teresa turned to stare at her mother and gave her a glare for having hid this delightful man from her for her entire life. Daine stared back at Teresa and shook her head. "Tais toi!" she said playfully.
Numair paused for a minute and look at Teresa under close scrutiny. Then he continued with the conversation.
"Now, it really isn't fair that you two should speak in Gallan because I'm not adept at speaking the language," Numair complained.
"I'll teach you!" Teresa volunteered enthusiastically.
"I would be delighted," Numair answered.
Daine shook her head. "I never thought I would see the day that a five year old would be teaching Numair Salmalin, the realm's greatest mage!" she drawled teasingly.
Numair glared at Daine while Teresa said, "Siete un uomo piacevole."
Numair's foul disposition quickly turned to a look of delight. "Grazie," he replied.
"Li desidero essere il mio padre," the little girl stated.
Daine's face went pale and she quickly took Teresa back from Numair. "Don't say things like that," she gently scolded the confused girl, as she smoothed her hair. "Oh, darling look you really hot. Are you okay?" Daine asked, her mother instincts kicking in.
Teresa then started to whimper a little because she was not used to the heat. "It's hotter here. I want to go back home. Home isn't as hot."
"Sweetie, Tortall is our home now. We can't go back," Daine said trying to explain to the five year old the concept of country wide revolution and why they couldn't go back to Galla.
Numair brightened and said, "You can live with me Teresa. You and mommy. How would you like that?" he asked her.
Teresa nodded and bent her finger to signal for Numair to come closer. He got down on his knees and pulled the girl close so that she could whisper in his ear. "As long as you don't make me eat my vegetables."
Numair roared with laughter and said, "I think I'll let your mother fight that battle."
Daine eyed Numair suspiciously and he shook his head as to tell her that she would rather not know.
"Why don't you both come in?"
"Thank you," Daine replied. She bent down to get their saddlebag, but Numair quickly picked it up before her. "I've got that," was all he said.
Daine mumbled her thank and stepped inside the entrance hall. It seemed so nostalgic yet so alien to her. It was still the same old house, but Numair had changed it so much. She remembered there used to be a bookcase on the opposite wall, but in its place was an elaborate gold leaf mirror.
"Daine, Teresa has the gift," Numair said quietly.
Daine brought Teresa to her side and took her hand in hers. "I know," she replied.
"Did you do anything? Is she educated at all?" Numair asked urgently.
"She speaks Common, Gallan, Tyran; she reads and writes in all three languages. She can do simple arithmetic. She loves my book on animals. She takes it everywhere with her. I was going to send her to live with you when she was about eight so that you could teach her yourself," Daine explained.
Numair nodded. "Who taught her all those lanuguages?"
"I did."
"You speak Tyran?" Numair asked astonished.
"Si," Daine said with a smile.
"You changed," Numair commented.
"We both changed. We've changed so much since we've met. That's why it wouldn't work Numair; the missions changed us."
Numair stopped and turned to face Daine. "I never, ever meant to hurt you Daine. That was not my intention. I only wanted to make you happy. But I couldn't do that," he apologized as Daine felt tears sting at her eyes.
"You changed the house," Daine said in a quiet voice. What am I thinking, she thought to herself. Did you think that he would keep it the same? Did you think that he wouldn't change at all? You were expecting the same Numair, but he's changed; just like you've changed. Things won't be the same. He's gotten on with his life. Daine sighed and nodded in agreement.
"Yes," Numair replied in his gentle voice. "But the sitting room is on the right still."
"Since when did you get a 'sitting room'? I always thought that you referred to every room as an extension of your library," Daine commented.
Numair chuckled as Daine entered the sitting room. It was filled with plush flowery carpets, plump red sofas, and mahogany wood furniture. There were painting of romantic lovers in flower fields, by rivers, and taking picnics in grass fields. Daine snorted as she looked at the interior design.
"You should kill whoever decorated this room," she said under her breath.
"No, I shouldn't Daine," Numair said quietly.
Daine turned to Numair to see what would provoke such a reply from him.
Numair took a deep breath and said, "My wife decorated this room."
Daine felt as though a two ton brick had been thrown at her stomach. "What?" she sputtered.
"Darling, what's going on here?" a sickly sweet voice from behind Daine said. Daine felt her heart drop from her body to the ground; slowly she turned around, not wanting to face what she knew was there.
"What is she doing here?" the woman asked, outraged that Daine and Teresa might even think to find sanctuary in her house.
"Hello Varice. I see the years have treated you well," Daine forced herself to say.
(A/N) Wow, you must hate me right now. But all will be well, I promise you that. And I always keep my promises. But here are the translations. Once again, I got them from an internet translator, so don't blame it if they're screwed up. Che cosa è il vostro nome? = What is your name? Parlate Tyran? = Do you speak Tyran? Chi è il vostro padre? = Who is your father? Un principe = a prince Sono una principessa = I'm a princess Quanto vechi siete? = How old are you? Vecchio cinque anni = Five years old Siete un uomo piacevole = You're a nice man Grazie = Thank you Li desidero essere il mio padre = I want you to be my dad
And here are the French translations and I guarantee that they are correct because I speak French! Tais toi = Be quiet (or shut up)
"Daine, look at you," Numair said. Daine smiled; she had changed so much from the time that she had left Numair. Spending so much time in the sun had lightened her hair color a little and her eyes had turned to a clearer blue; being pregnant had given her body healthy curves and she had even grown an inch or two.
"You changed. You still look wonderful, but you look so much better," Numair rambled. Daine looked at his under scrutiny. He was still the same Numair, but he looked thinner and tired. She nodded and said, "Thank you."
Teresa was quite put out by the lack of attention being given to her; she wanted to impress her new found friend, so she decided to show off the fact that she spoke more than one language. "Ti amo," the little girl declared to Numair.
Numair looked down at Teresa. He then quickly looked up to Daine and she nodded in confirmation. Numair smiled at the toddler and Daine felt a pain in her heart. Numair used to give her that smile; it was her own special smile that he showed to only her.
"Realmente?" Numair asked Teresa.
"Si," Teresa said with a smile, basking in all the attention.
Numair opened his arms wide and Teresa ran to give him a hug. He picked her up and tickled her, while the little girl giggled helplessly. Numair then rested her against his hip. "Che cosa è il vostro nome?" he asked.
"Teresa," she replied.
"Parlate Tyran?" Numair asked as well.
"Si," Teresa said, very proud of the fact she could carry on a conversation in Tyran with someone else other than her mother.
"Chi è il vostro padre?"
"Un principe. Sono una principessa," Teresa said with a big grin on her face. Numair looked over to Daine and she blushed.
"What else was I supposed to tell her?" she asked Numair.
"The truth. She deserves it," he replied. "She wouldn't understand the truth. No one does," she said with a glare at her former husband. Numair shook his head in disbelief but continued to talk to his daughter.
"Quanto vecchi siete?"
"Vecchio cinque anni," Teresa replied with a huge grin, proud of having completed five years of her life.
"Cinque anni?" Numair said and whistled, causing Teresa to grin even more. His playfulness made even Daine smile.
"Chi sono voi?" Teresa asked, curious about the man that she had professed her love to.
"Un amic delle vostre madri."
Teresa turned to stare at her mother and gave her a glare for having hid this delightful man from her for her entire life. Daine stared back at Teresa and shook her head. "Tais toi!" she said playfully.
Numair paused for a minute and look at Teresa under close scrutiny. Then he continued with the conversation.
"Now, it really isn't fair that you two should speak in Gallan because I'm not adept at speaking the language," Numair complained.
"I'll teach you!" Teresa volunteered enthusiastically.
"I would be delighted," Numair answered.
Daine shook her head. "I never thought I would see the day that a five year old would be teaching Numair Salmalin, the realm's greatest mage!" she drawled teasingly.
Numair glared at Daine while Teresa said, "Siete un uomo piacevole."
Numair's foul disposition quickly turned to a look of delight. "Grazie," he replied.
"Li desidero essere il mio padre," the little girl stated.
Daine's face went pale and she quickly took Teresa back from Numair. "Don't say things like that," she gently scolded the confused girl, as she smoothed her hair. "Oh, darling look you really hot. Are you okay?" Daine asked, her mother instincts kicking in.
Teresa then started to whimper a little because she was not used to the heat. "It's hotter here. I want to go back home. Home isn't as hot."
"Sweetie, Tortall is our home now. We can't go back," Daine said trying to explain to the five year old the concept of country wide revolution and why they couldn't go back to Galla.
Numair brightened and said, "You can live with me Teresa. You and mommy. How would you like that?" he asked her.
Teresa nodded and bent her finger to signal for Numair to come closer. He got down on his knees and pulled the girl close so that she could whisper in his ear. "As long as you don't make me eat my vegetables."
Numair roared with laughter and said, "I think I'll let your mother fight that battle."
Daine eyed Numair suspiciously and he shook his head as to tell her that she would rather not know.
"Why don't you both come in?"
"Thank you," Daine replied. She bent down to get their saddlebag, but Numair quickly picked it up before her. "I've got that," was all he said.
Daine mumbled her thank and stepped inside the entrance hall. It seemed so nostalgic yet so alien to her. It was still the same old house, but Numair had changed it so much. She remembered there used to be a bookcase on the opposite wall, but in its place was an elaborate gold leaf mirror.
"Daine, Teresa has the gift," Numair said quietly.
Daine brought Teresa to her side and took her hand in hers. "I know," she replied.
"Did you do anything? Is she educated at all?" Numair asked urgently.
"She speaks Common, Gallan, Tyran; she reads and writes in all three languages. She can do simple arithmetic. She loves my book on animals. She takes it everywhere with her. I was going to send her to live with you when she was about eight so that you could teach her yourself," Daine explained.
Numair nodded. "Who taught her all those lanuguages?"
"I did."
"You speak Tyran?" Numair asked astonished.
"Si," Daine said with a smile.
"You changed," Numair commented.
"We both changed. We've changed so much since we've met. That's why it wouldn't work Numair; the missions changed us."
Numair stopped and turned to face Daine. "I never, ever meant to hurt you Daine. That was not my intention. I only wanted to make you happy. But I couldn't do that," he apologized as Daine felt tears sting at her eyes.
"You changed the house," Daine said in a quiet voice. What am I thinking, she thought to herself. Did you think that he would keep it the same? Did you think that he wouldn't change at all? You were expecting the same Numair, but he's changed; just like you've changed. Things won't be the same. He's gotten on with his life. Daine sighed and nodded in agreement.
"Yes," Numair replied in his gentle voice. "But the sitting room is on the right still."
"Since when did you get a 'sitting room'? I always thought that you referred to every room as an extension of your library," Daine commented.
Numair chuckled as Daine entered the sitting room. It was filled with plush flowery carpets, plump red sofas, and mahogany wood furniture. There were painting of romantic lovers in flower fields, by rivers, and taking picnics in grass fields. Daine snorted as she looked at the interior design.
"You should kill whoever decorated this room," she said under her breath.
"No, I shouldn't Daine," Numair said quietly.
Daine turned to Numair to see what would provoke such a reply from him.
Numair took a deep breath and said, "My wife decorated this room."
Daine felt as though a two ton brick had been thrown at her stomach. "What?" she sputtered.
"Darling, what's going on here?" a sickly sweet voice from behind Daine said. Daine felt her heart drop from her body to the ground; slowly she turned around, not wanting to face what she knew was there.
"What is she doing here?" the woman asked, outraged that Daine and Teresa might even think to find sanctuary in her house.
"Hello Varice. I see the years have treated you well," Daine forced herself to say.
(A/N) Wow, you must hate me right now. But all will be well, I promise you that. And I always keep my promises. But here are the translations. Once again, I got them from an internet translator, so don't blame it if they're screwed up. Che cosa è il vostro nome? = What is your name? Parlate Tyran? = Do you speak Tyran? Chi è il vostro padre? = Who is your father? Un principe = a prince Sono una principessa = I'm a princess Quanto vechi siete? = How old are you? Vecchio cinque anni = Five years old Siete un uomo piacevole = You're a nice man Grazie = Thank you Li desidero essere il mio padre = I want you to be my dad
And here are the French translations and I guarantee that they are correct because I speak French! Tais toi = Be quiet (or shut up)