Daine heard a knock at the door. "Daine? Can I come in?" It was Alanna. Probably just here to bug me some more, Daine thought crossly. When there was no answer, Alanna slightly opened the door, to find a red-faced, tear-stained Daine. "Daine! What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it." She closed her eyes, hoping the Lioness would just leave.

"Daine, come on. Sulking only makes things worse. It's easier when you talk to someone about it." Alanna's eyes were filled with worry for her friend.

Daine's eyes opened, and she nodded slightly. Taking a deep breath, she told the whole story while looking at the floor. When she finished, she looked up into Alanna's eyes. "I don't understand. Why doesn't he believe me when I say that I love him?"

"I think...that he is scared. He doesn't want to lose you or be hurt by you in the future."

"But I would never hurt him!" A shadow crossed over Daine's now wide eyes. "Maybe..." she almost choked saying this, "he doesn't love me..."

"People change, Daine. He's just trying to prevent having to wake up one day and find that you don't love him." After a few moments' silence, Alanna stood up. "I think I'll go talk to him."

She looked worriedly at the bawling Daine, hoping that Numair and a good explanation for doing this to her. She walked out the door, silently closing it behind her.

Numair sat in that same position for the better part of two hours. He was startled out of a daze when he heard a knock at his door.

He grunted, willing the person to leave. A louder, more impatient, knock caused him to jump up and swing open the door. "What?" He gulped visibly as he stared into the face of a very angry Alanna. The intensity of her amethyst eyes caused him to take a step back.

"What did you do?", she growled. "How could you go and break Daine? She has done nothing but sulk and cry, hoping you would come back alive. She has been depressed for the last month because you wouldn't let her come with us. And NOW! You come back and break her heart all over again! How oculd you do such a thing?" Alanna was slowly backing him into a corner.

He stumbled and stuttered "I...she..."

"I'm not finished yet!", she hissed, interrupting him. "Daine has been sitting in her room, crying her heart out for the last two hours. You know why? HUH?"

"N...n...no"

He glare was piercing his skin when she went on. "She thinks that you don't love her." Numair paled. "She thinks that you don't want to be with her because you don't love her."

His eyes were wide and he felt tears coming. "But...why would she think such that? I don't understand..."

The Lioness turned and threw up her arms. "Men!", she whispered fiercely. Turning back to him, "Maybe because you came home, kissed her with thriving passion, and then told her that you shouldn't be together. That she was too young!"

"She's not too young! I'm just too old."

"Same thing!"

"No it's not," Numiar was beginning to get angry, "you don't understand. I love Daine more than anyone or anything. I would gladly give my life for hers. But, I don't feel it is right for a man my age to be with her. She's only 16 Alanna!"

"You think I don't know that? Does age really matter Numair? George is eight years older than me, that hasn't changed anything. Buri is seven years younger than Raoul. (A.N. er...I don't know if those two lines are true, but I'm jsut trying to make a point...) Does age really matter that much to you? If it does, than maybe you aren't worthy of Daine's love." She glared and him one last time and walked out, slamming the door, and leaving him alone with his thoughts. Oh no, he thought to himself. What have I done?