(A/N) Wow, I finally finished chemistry, so I just sit with nothing
to do. And then I realized that in writing nine fics, I have never once
thanked all those people who review. So, thank you to everybody!! I felt so
bad about not thanking you guys that I couldn't sleep...
Daine trudged through the snow, shivering from the cold. She pulled the black cloak around her frail form even tighter. The stress she was going through had boosted her metabolism to go so fast, that no matter how much she ate, she still always seemed to loose weight every day. Spots nudged his head against the weary girl, trying to encourage her to continue on with her journey.
She exhaled and watched at her formed a vapor visible from the few candles that were set up in the windows of the inhabitants of the inner city. Daine noted that it was colder than usual at two in the morning. She was used to her late night trips to fetch her husband, but it didn't make her any happier about having to do the tedious task.
Daine reached the familiar porch of her husband's choice tavern. She stomped her boots on the ground to get rid of the grime that resided in the streets and tied Spot's reins around the rail of the tavern, not even thinking to ask him not to wander off.
Daine entered the tavern and looked for the bartender, Airk. He found her first and jovially called her to him. Airk was a man whom the ladies loved. He has ear length straw blonde hair, cerulean blue eyes, and a white smile. He was only in his early thirties and was about six feet high with a medium build. He was one of the biggest mysteries to Daine. He seemed to be everything at once. He was nice to Daine, yet he was rough, not caring. Daine never knew what to expect from this man, but that night she didn't care. Daine hoisted herself up onto a barstool and faced the kind man. He turned around and brought a tray of food and placed it in front of Daine. It was filled with a hearty stew, a thick piece of roast beef and potato dumplings all lathered with gravy, and a half loaf of rye bread and a slab of butter. All were foods guaranteed to put some weight on her.
"Eat," he said gruffly, eyeing her thin body with close scrutiny.
"I didn't know you cared," Daine replied as she began to place butter on a piece of the bread.
"I know, I shouldn't care. If you died, he would never leave and drink me into riches," Airk said with a smirk.
Daine turned her head to see her drunken husband in the corner. He signaled to Airk to bring him another beer. "Don't give it to him," Daine said quietly.
Airk nodded and pretended that he didn't see Numair at all. "How much do I owe you?" Daine asked.
Airk shook his head and said, "Daine..."
"How much do I owe you?" Daine repeated more loudly and forcefully this time.
"Twenty eight gold crowns," Airk said quietly.
Daine reached under her cloak and pulled out a leather drawstring bag. She tossed in onto the bar counter and said, "I didn't think that it would be that much. I only brought twenty five with me. You'll get the rest tomorrow."
Airk pocketed the money and watched Daine as she finished the food. Airk took the tray and said, "The meal was on the house."
"Airk," Daine protested.
"No, you are not paying for it. I don't need to be paid for rescuing someone from their death," Airk replied.
"I'm not going to die anytime soon. The gods intend on torturing me for much longer," Daine said morbidly
"You ready to go?" Airk asked as he came around from behind the bar.
Daine nodded as she slid off the barstool. She and Airk walked over to Numair. "Numair, it's time to go," she said, talking as if she were conversing with a child.
"Airk, who is this woman?" Numair asked.
"This is your wife, Numair," Airk replied.
"How long have we been married?" Numair asked Daine.
"For two years. Come on, we have to get you home," Daine said.
"Home?" Numair asked.
"Home," Daine confirmed as Airk picked Numair up as if he was only a baby. They walked out to the porch of the tavern and Airk put Numair on Spots.
"Good night Daine," Airk said.
"Good night Airk. Could I ask you a favor?"
"Anything for you, darling," Airk teased pinching her cheek.
Daine smiled as she requested, "Would you send Numair home tomorrow instead of letting him drink?"
Airk shook his head. "I can't force him to not come here, but I'll strongly advise him." "Thanks, Airk," Daine said as she untied Spot's reins from the railing.
"Be careful Daine. Drunken men react how ever they want," Airk warned.
"I will," Daine said as she led Spots and Numair away.
Daine walked on through the muck of the streets, tired and feeling like she was trapped. She always had someone pounding on her down in the middle of the night, telling her to collect her drunken husband. It was something she could not escape and she hated it. She was humiliated by her husband time and time again, yet she didn't do anything about it. She thought she loved Numair. The one thing she had feared was coming true. She didn't want to be with Numair anymore.
But it wasn't as simple as that. He didn't have anyone one to look after. Daine was his only hope. No one else wanted to deal with him and his dipsomania. No one else understood why he had become this way. Daine was his last hope. "I've become a nanny," Daine whispered aloud.
It doesn't have to be this way, Daine thought. It could be different. I could be on my own and happy, being able to sleep the whole night through and not have to worry about Numair all the time. The tiny hope of a better future made Daine decide that she wouldn't take this anymore.
But what would happen to Numair?, she thought. He would be drunk and have no one to look after him. He could end up getting into big trouble and get killed. I couldn't be responsible for the death of the only man I have every truly loved. But what do I do? Daine wondered.
A grunt drew Daine's attention to the husband she had been ignoring. There lay Numair, on his back, in the snow. Daine cursed for not paying attention to him. He's so drunk he can't even stay on Spots, Daine thought. She walked over to Numair to see if he was not dead.
But he was alright and was beginning to stumble to his feet. "Numair, are you okay?" Daine asked.
Daine expected an upset Numair, but she got way more than that; Numair was livid. "Bitch, why'd you let me fall off that damn creature? You're supposed to be my wife. Fucking horrible job you're doing at that. Can't even take care of you husband," Numair said forcefully.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I should've been paying attention-"
"Damn right, you should have. Gods, can't you do anything right?"
Daine was getting frustrated with Numair's temper. "Yes, I can do things right. I just messed up once. It is alright not to be perfect every once in a while," she said, close to tears of anger.
Numair grabbed Daine's arm and forcefully pulled her towards him. "Numair!" she protested and tried to escape from his grip, but she couldn't. "Be a good wife and love me," Numair whispered, his breath smelling strongly of alcohol.
"You're drunk," Daine said as she pushed away again in vain.
"That doesn't matter, sweetling," Numair replied.
"Yes it does," Daine said struggling to get away from her captor.
"Why do you keep on trying to get away from me?" Numair asked, a maniacal grin spreading across his face.
"Because I don't want to love a horrible monster like you," Daine said furiously.
Numair pulled her closer. "It's all about you. It's always been about you."
Daine shook her head in disbelief. "You don't even remember anything!"
"I remember that you are my wife and you have the duty of giving me anything I want," Numair said as he tried to take her cloak off. Memories ran through Daine's head at lightening speed and gave her strength and courage.
Daine pushed away Numair's hand. "You can't have me," she whispered spitefully.
"I can have anything I want," Numair said as he managed to get her cloak off. Daine realized where that she had to do something or she would freeze to death. She looked around for something to throw at Numair, but she could not find anything. Daine desperately looked at her feet and an idea flashed into her head. Daine stomped on Numair's foot as hard she could. "You little bitch!" Numair exclaimed. Daine just glared at Numair as she bent down to pick up her cloak. When she brought up her head, Numair's hand came crashing across her face with such force that Daine was knocked to her feet. Daine was so shocked that she just laid there. Numair came at her again and Daine's mind kicked into gear. She thrust her foot at Numair's chest and scrambled to her feet. She looked over her shoulder once to see Numair lying in the snow as she ran through the streets.
Daine sat up in her bed, bed body covered in a layer of sweat. Her breath was coming in raggedy and fast, as if she had just run a few miles. Daine blinked back tears, trying to remember the horrible dream that she just had.
But it wasn't a dream, a voice inside Daine's head to her. It really happened. Tears started to fall, steady at first, then coming faster and fast. Everyone had thought that they had a perfect marriage, but Daine knew that it was far from that.
Daine knew she was not going to be able to sleep, so she slowly climbed out of bed. A midnight walk in the garden would surely calm and soothe her nerves. She walked out of her room and slowly headed down the stairs. Even after five minutes of walking around Numair's house, her tears hadn't subsided.
Daine went to open the front door when she realized that Numair spelled the door at night and if she opened she would have to deal with the curses he placed on it. Daine decided against a walk in the garden, and instead went into the living room. She sat down on the big couch and sighed.
"Not able to sleep?" an amused voice said on her right. Daine yelped in surprise and turned to face Numair. He was sitting in a chair across and to her right, lounging lazily without a shirt on.
Daine shook her head, her tear strained face glimmering in the moonlight that streamed through the window. Numair squinted to make sure he was seeing right and moved over to the couch where Daine was sitting. Seeing her up close confirmed Numair's suspicions.
"Care to explain?" Numair asked. Daine looked unwilling to tell, so Numair knew he needed to give Daine something in exchange.
"If you tell me why you're upset, I'll tell you why I came down here," Numair offered.
He needs to know, that nagging voice in Daine's head said again. Daine nodded her head and said, "You go first."
"Varice snores like a pig," Numair said, a grin spreading across his face. "Really?" Daine asked in disbelief. "Yes. You'd figure she's have a nice, sweet kind of snores, but no, it's so loud it could shatter windows," Numair said seriously. Daine smiled a little bit, in spite of her sadness. "Now for you to uphold your end of the bargain," Numair said.
"I had a nightmare," Daine whispered.
"Now, you don't seem like the type to have nightmares. Aren't you a little old for that?" Numair asked.
"It was a nightmare, but it was reality too. It stole my innocence and youth."
Numair looked concerned. "Who did this to you Daine? Who hurt you? I swear to Mithros that I will kill them."
"You don't want to know who did it," Daine said.
"Yes, I do Daine. Tell me."
"You did," Daine whispered, turning away from Numair.
"I... I... I what?" Numair stuttered.
"You're the one who hurt me."
Numair took Daine's hands in his. "Daine, honey, look at me." Daine turned to face Numair.
"This is about when you left, right?" Numair asked.
Daine nodded. "Daine, look me in the eyes." Daine looked Numair in the eyes. "Tell me what happened."
Fresh tears came to Daine's eyes and Numair wrapped his arms around Daine. She buried her face in his bare chest. He pulled her into his lap and rocked them both back and forth.
Daine pulled her voice away from Numair's chest and started her story. "You loved to drink at Airk's tavern. That night, you had drunk an awful lot. Airk managed to help me put you on Spots. And I was walking you back to the house when you fell off. You... you started cursing at me and..." Daine said crying harder and harder, trying to forget the memories that she had put so far from her mind all these years.
"What did I do?" Numair asked, sincerely wanting to know what had happened.
"You hit me."
Numair drew in a sharp breath. "I did?"
Daine nodded. Numair wrapped his arms around Daine even tighter. "I know that this won't change anything, I am sorry."
Daine nodded in acceptance of his apology.
"And I know there is nothing I can do about the past, but there is something I can do about the future. And I promise sure that I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. You and Teresa can stay here as long as you want. I don't care what Varice says."
Daine looked at Numair in surprise. "Would you terribly mind if I ask a huge favor of you?" Numair asked.
Daine shook her head. "Would you and Teresa stay here indefinitely? I want to actually be a father to Teresa, even if she doesn't know it." "I don't think I'd be able to tear Teresa away from you in the first place," Daine said with a small smile. Numair smiled back. Daine leaned against his shoulder, right at the side of his neck. Within minutes she was asleep. He felt Daine shiver. No wonder, he thought. She was only wearing a thin, cotton nightshirt. Numair reached over to the other seat and grabbed a blanket. Numair wrapped the blanket around the both of them and lay down on the couch with Daine. He wrapped an arm around her and fell asleep as well.
(A/N) Well, that is my latest chapter. That will have to do you for about two weeks because I'm going on vacation. So unless I write another chapter before Monday, which I highly doubt, this will have to sustain you for two weeks. Please don't me.... Now review!!
♥♥ Danielle
Daine trudged through the snow, shivering from the cold. She pulled the black cloak around her frail form even tighter. The stress she was going through had boosted her metabolism to go so fast, that no matter how much she ate, she still always seemed to loose weight every day. Spots nudged his head against the weary girl, trying to encourage her to continue on with her journey.
She exhaled and watched at her formed a vapor visible from the few candles that were set up in the windows of the inhabitants of the inner city. Daine noted that it was colder than usual at two in the morning. She was used to her late night trips to fetch her husband, but it didn't make her any happier about having to do the tedious task.
Daine reached the familiar porch of her husband's choice tavern. She stomped her boots on the ground to get rid of the grime that resided in the streets and tied Spot's reins around the rail of the tavern, not even thinking to ask him not to wander off.
Daine entered the tavern and looked for the bartender, Airk. He found her first and jovially called her to him. Airk was a man whom the ladies loved. He has ear length straw blonde hair, cerulean blue eyes, and a white smile. He was only in his early thirties and was about six feet high with a medium build. He was one of the biggest mysteries to Daine. He seemed to be everything at once. He was nice to Daine, yet he was rough, not caring. Daine never knew what to expect from this man, but that night she didn't care. Daine hoisted herself up onto a barstool and faced the kind man. He turned around and brought a tray of food and placed it in front of Daine. It was filled with a hearty stew, a thick piece of roast beef and potato dumplings all lathered with gravy, and a half loaf of rye bread and a slab of butter. All were foods guaranteed to put some weight on her.
"Eat," he said gruffly, eyeing her thin body with close scrutiny.
"I didn't know you cared," Daine replied as she began to place butter on a piece of the bread.
"I know, I shouldn't care. If you died, he would never leave and drink me into riches," Airk said with a smirk.
Daine turned her head to see her drunken husband in the corner. He signaled to Airk to bring him another beer. "Don't give it to him," Daine said quietly.
Airk nodded and pretended that he didn't see Numair at all. "How much do I owe you?" Daine asked.
Airk shook his head and said, "Daine..."
"How much do I owe you?" Daine repeated more loudly and forcefully this time.
"Twenty eight gold crowns," Airk said quietly.
Daine reached under her cloak and pulled out a leather drawstring bag. She tossed in onto the bar counter and said, "I didn't think that it would be that much. I only brought twenty five with me. You'll get the rest tomorrow."
Airk pocketed the money and watched Daine as she finished the food. Airk took the tray and said, "The meal was on the house."
"Airk," Daine protested.
"No, you are not paying for it. I don't need to be paid for rescuing someone from their death," Airk replied.
"I'm not going to die anytime soon. The gods intend on torturing me for much longer," Daine said morbidly
"You ready to go?" Airk asked as he came around from behind the bar.
Daine nodded as she slid off the barstool. She and Airk walked over to Numair. "Numair, it's time to go," she said, talking as if she were conversing with a child.
"Airk, who is this woman?" Numair asked.
"This is your wife, Numair," Airk replied.
"How long have we been married?" Numair asked Daine.
"For two years. Come on, we have to get you home," Daine said.
"Home?" Numair asked.
"Home," Daine confirmed as Airk picked Numair up as if he was only a baby. They walked out to the porch of the tavern and Airk put Numair on Spots.
"Good night Daine," Airk said.
"Good night Airk. Could I ask you a favor?"
"Anything for you, darling," Airk teased pinching her cheek.
Daine smiled as she requested, "Would you send Numair home tomorrow instead of letting him drink?"
Airk shook his head. "I can't force him to not come here, but I'll strongly advise him." "Thanks, Airk," Daine said as she untied Spot's reins from the railing.
"Be careful Daine. Drunken men react how ever they want," Airk warned.
"I will," Daine said as she led Spots and Numair away.
Daine walked on through the muck of the streets, tired and feeling like she was trapped. She always had someone pounding on her down in the middle of the night, telling her to collect her drunken husband. It was something she could not escape and she hated it. She was humiliated by her husband time and time again, yet she didn't do anything about it. She thought she loved Numair. The one thing she had feared was coming true. She didn't want to be with Numair anymore.
But it wasn't as simple as that. He didn't have anyone one to look after. Daine was his only hope. No one else wanted to deal with him and his dipsomania. No one else understood why he had become this way. Daine was his last hope. "I've become a nanny," Daine whispered aloud.
It doesn't have to be this way, Daine thought. It could be different. I could be on my own and happy, being able to sleep the whole night through and not have to worry about Numair all the time. The tiny hope of a better future made Daine decide that she wouldn't take this anymore.
But what would happen to Numair?, she thought. He would be drunk and have no one to look after him. He could end up getting into big trouble and get killed. I couldn't be responsible for the death of the only man I have every truly loved. But what do I do? Daine wondered.
A grunt drew Daine's attention to the husband she had been ignoring. There lay Numair, on his back, in the snow. Daine cursed for not paying attention to him. He's so drunk he can't even stay on Spots, Daine thought. She walked over to Numair to see if he was not dead.
But he was alright and was beginning to stumble to his feet. "Numair, are you okay?" Daine asked.
Daine expected an upset Numair, but she got way more than that; Numair was livid. "Bitch, why'd you let me fall off that damn creature? You're supposed to be my wife. Fucking horrible job you're doing at that. Can't even take care of you husband," Numair said forcefully.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I should've been paying attention-"
"Damn right, you should have. Gods, can't you do anything right?"
Daine was getting frustrated with Numair's temper. "Yes, I can do things right. I just messed up once. It is alright not to be perfect every once in a while," she said, close to tears of anger.
Numair grabbed Daine's arm and forcefully pulled her towards him. "Numair!" she protested and tried to escape from his grip, but she couldn't. "Be a good wife and love me," Numair whispered, his breath smelling strongly of alcohol.
"You're drunk," Daine said as she pushed away again in vain.
"That doesn't matter, sweetling," Numair replied.
"Yes it does," Daine said struggling to get away from her captor.
"Why do you keep on trying to get away from me?" Numair asked, a maniacal grin spreading across his face.
"Because I don't want to love a horrible monster like you," Daine said furiously.
Numair pulled her closer. "It's all about you. It's always been about you."
Daine shook her head in disbelief. "You don't even remember anything!"
"I remember that you are my wife and you have the duty of giving me anything I want," Numair said as he tried to take her cloak off. Memories ran through Daine's head at lightening speed and gave her strength and courage.
Daine pushed away Numair's hand. "You can't have me," she whispered spitefully.
"I can have anything I want," Numair said as he managed to get her cloak off. Daine realized where that she had to do something or she would freeze to death. She looked around for something to throw at Numair, but she could not find anything. Daine desperately looked at her feet and an idea flashed into her head. Daine stomped on Numair's foot as hard she could. "You little bitch!" Numair exclaimed. Daine just glared at Numair as she bent down to pick up her cloak. When she brought up her head, Numair's hand came crashing across her face with such force that Daine was knocked to her feet. Daine was so shocked that she just laid there. Numair came at her again and Daine's mind kicked into gear. She thrust her foot at Numair's chest and scrambled to her feet. She looked over her shoulder once to see Numair lying in the snow as she ran through the streets.
Daine sat up in her bed, bed body covered in a layer of sweat. Her breath was coming in raggedy and fast, as if she had just run a few miles. Daine blinked back tears, trying to remember the horrible dream that she just had.
But it wasn't a dream, a voice inside Daine's head to her. It really happened. Tears started to fall, steady at first, then coming faster and fast. Everyone had thought that they had a perfect marriage, but Daine knew that it was far from that.
Daine knew she was not going to be able to sleep, so she slowly climbed out of bed. A midnight walk in the garden would surely calm and soothe her nerves. She walked out of her room and slowly headed down the stairs. Even after five minutes of walking around Numair's house, her tears hadn't subsided.
Daine went to open the front door when she realized that Numair spelled the door at night and if she opened she would have to deal with the curses he placed on it. Daine decided against a walk in the garden, and instead went into the living room. She sat down on the big couch and sighed.
"Not able to sleep?" an amused voice said on her right. Daine yelped in surprise and turned to face Numair. He was sitting in a chair across and to her right, lounging lazily without a shirt on.
Daine shook her head, her tear strained face glimmering in the moonlight that streamed through the window. Numair squinted to make sure he was seeing right and moved over to the couch where Daine was sitting. Seeing her up close confirmed Numair's suspicions.
"Care to explain?" Numair asked. Daine looked unwilling to tell, so Numair knew he needed to give Daine something in exchange.
"If you tell me why you're upset, I'll tell you why I came down here," Numair offered.
He needs to know, that nagging voice in Daine's head said again. Daine nodded her head and said, "You go first."
"Varice snores like a pig," Numair said, a grin spreading across his face. "Really?" Daine asked in disbelief. "Yes. You'd figure she's have a nice, sweet kind of snores, but no, it's so loud it could shatter windows," Numair said seriously. Daine smiled a little bit, in spite of her sadness. "Now for you to uphold your end of the bargain," Numair said.
"I had a nightmare," Daine whispered.
"Now, you don't seem like the type to have nightmares. Aren't you a little old for that?" Numair asked.
"It was a nightmare, but it was reality too. It stole my innocence and youth."
Numair looked concerned. "Who did this to you Daine? Who hurt you? I swear to Mithros that I will kill them."
"You don't want to know who did it," Daine said.
"Yes, I do Daine. Tell me."
"You did," Daine whispered, turning away from Numair.
"I... I... I what?" Numair stuttered.
"You're the one who hurt me."
Numair took Daine's hands in his. "Daine, honey, look at me." Daine turned to face Numair.
"This is about when you left, right?" Numair asked.
Daine nodded. "Daine, look me in the eyes." Daine looked Numair in the eyes. "Tell me what happened."
Fresh tears came to Daine's eyes and Numair wrapped his arms around Daine. She buried her face in his bare chest. He pulled her into his lap and rocked them both back and forth.
Daine pulled her voice away from Numair's chest and started her story. "You loved to drink at Airk's tavern. That night, you had drunk an awful lot. Airk managed to help me put you on Spots. And I was walking you back to the house when you fell off. You... you started cursing at me and..." Daine said crying harder and harder, trying to forget the memories that she had put so far from her mind all these years.
"What did I do?" Numair asked, sincerely wanting to know what had happened.
"You hit me."
Numair drew in a sharp breath. "I did?"
Daine nodded. Numair wrapped his arms around Daine even tighter. "I know that this won't change anything, I am sorry."
Daine nodded in acceptance of his apology.
"And I know there is nothing I can do about the past, but there is something I can do about the future. And I promise sure that I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. You and Teresa can stay here as long as you want. I don't care what Varice says."
Daine looked at Numair in surprise. "Would you terribly mind if I ask a huge favor of you?" Numair asked.
Daine shook her head. "Would you and Teresa stay here indefinitely? I want to actually be a father to Teresa, even if she doesn't know it." "I don't think I'd be able to tear Teresa away from you in the first place," Daine said with a small smile. Numair smiled back. Daine leaned against his shoulder, right at the side of his neck. Within minutes she was asleep. He felt Daine shiver. No wonder, he thought. She was only wearing a thin, cotton nightshirt. Numair reached over to the other seat and grabbed a blanket. Numair wrapped the blanket around the both of them and lay down on the couch with Daine. He wrapped an arm around her and fell asleep as well.
(A/N) Well, that is my latest chapter. That will have to do you for about two weeks because I'm going on vacation. So unless I write another chapter before Monday, which I highly doubt, this will have to sustain you for two weeks. Please don't me.... Now review!!
♥♥ Danielle