Myrtle Riddle: Thank you! Your review prompted me to update. Esmerelda 01: I found that line funny too! Thank you, it's nice to hear from you again! Fidella: Thank you, that was an enormous compliment. I would love to see some of your sketches – you could always email me them when you have a scanner. Bitterosemary: Thank you. I enjoyed writing this chapter very much. The line you mentioned just kind of fell out rather than being thought about too much. Sometimes it kind of works out better that way. Goldeneyedwildmage: Thank you, I'm glad you liked the fluff. I think that's most people's favourite part. I'll be annoying people with that fact too! Aravilui: Thank you. I kinda thought that their relationship would build over time and I wanted to portray that. Poodle 14: Thank you – it was good to hear from you. Dolphin Dreamer: Sarra would necessarily have to be there to help Daine with the birth, I'm sure she would just aid it with magic and advice. Thank you for the huge review as normal. Daine's Daughter: Thank you! Lime 63: I would have thought no, but I didn't imagine that Sarra and Weiryn were dreaming, just that Daine and Numair were brought to them through their dream. Celuna Cirrus: Thank you! JadeViper08: Thank you! Kind of back to normal. Silverlake: Thank you! I enjoyed referring back to RotG! Sonnet Lacewing: Thank you – I hope the last chapter continues to improve! Feyrey: Thank you. I don't think unusualities does exist, I think I made it up! Hope you like your new job!
Disclaimer: It's all TP's characters, except for the new ones that the elf invented...
Midsummer Part III
Chapter 3 – Handfasting and a Ring
Daine woke with the sound of birds singing in the tree under which she was lying and happily found herself curled up in Numair's arms. Last night's dream was vivid in her mind and she had half expected herself to still be lying at the banks of Temptation Lake, waiting to watch some glorious display from a flock of birds of pay homage to one of the first trees. She stirred; stretching her limbs, and awoke Numair in the process.
"Where are we?" He muttered, opening his eyes to let in the slightest amount of light. "Are we still in the divine realms?"
For a moment Daine was shocked, thinking that what she had experienced had just been a remarkably lucid dream, with Numair in it, but not actually there. "Did you dream about being at Ma's house too?" She asked in astonishment.
Numair opened his eyes fully and glanced round at his surroundings without actually sitting up. Moving Daine a little closer to him he looked at her tenderly. His hair was mussed with sleep as it was not yet long enough to stay tied back at night, and his dark brown eyes were still filled with the remains of tiredness.
"I think in some way we were there, and it was them talking to us," Numair explained. "Rather like how the badger used to communicate with you through dreams I think Gainel allowed us to speak with your parents – he's done it before, I seem to remember you saying?"
Daine nodded. "That's how I've spoken to Ma recently, through dreams, but I've never actually been back there in them, just seen her and heard her voice."
"I expect that he was able to take us back to our memories of the place and it be more vivid because of the night. Midsummer eve is meant to be filled with magic, and the doors between realms, like at Samhain, are opened," Numair explained.
Daine looked down at her clothes, they looked as they had been done up in a rush, which she remembered they would have been. Numair saw what she was looking at and laughed. "I have never done that in my sleep before!" He grinned, Daine returning his merriment.
She sat up and looked about her. In the distance she could see the hill where the fire had been the night before, soft trails of smoke still hanging round.
"We should be heading back to the Tower," she said to Numair. "I know it's early, but Alanna and George will be making there way back soon I imagine, and it would be rude if we were not back before them."
Numair nodded, standing up then offering her a hand. "We also have this handfasting to get ready for," he added, and then watched his lover walk over to the lake. "What are you doing?" He called after her.
"I'm looking in the water to see who my true love is!" She laughed back. Numair ran up behind her and looked into the lake where she was, causing his reflection to appear alongside hers. She laughed at looked at him reprehensibly. "I think that's classed as cheating!" She yelled, amusement touching her voice.
"I had to make sure," Numair's grin was a little lop sided. "Besides, that's what will happen for most girls today; they'll look in the water and see their lover from the night before looking back at them, as he'll be standing right behind them, as I'm doing. Unless he doesn't want them to think he's their true love."
Daine looked at him and grabbed his shirt, bringing him closer to her. "I also think most girls will see what they want to see," she told him, standing on tiptoes to kiss him.
He broke the kiss unwillingly, knowing where it was going to lead them and also knowing that they didn't really have time. They had guests to entertain and he imagined that already Kitten would be unhappy at their delayed arrival back. Daine looked at him with understanding but disappointment in her eyes. It wasn't often enough that they got the chance to just be lovers, and spend the day in each other's company, without the worries of the kingdom on their shoulders or interruptions from pages or other such people.
They collected the blanket they had slept on and made their way back through the meadow to the fields. Daine noticed 'faerie rings'; mushrooms that had grown in circles that were associated with where faeries would come to and dance around when no mortals were nearby. Numair laughed at her excitement over them, and dragged her away, knowing that they should be back at the Tower.
They reached their home a few minutes before Alanna and George arrived, giving them time to quickly wash and make themselves look decent, and not like the two bedraggled beings who had spent all night sleeping in a field, although, to be fair, most people would look like that today. The children, and surprisingly Kitten, were still fast asleep, their late night having worn them out. It would likely be another late night tonight for them, as the handfasting would not start until the hour after sunset, which was tradition, as it was considered to be a lucky and prosperous time for a couple to wed. There would then be celebrations that would go on until late into the night; although Daine imagined that the children would not stay up for all of them, considering as it would be likely to get a bit raucous by the end, when most people would have drank far too much ale and wine.
Alanna and George had spent an interesting night at the top of a hill that was surrounded by a stone circle, a fact that Numair found incredibly amusing when he was told of it.
"We weren't sent mad by the wee folk," George said rather dryly in response to Numair's hysterics.
"Only because you are mad enough already!" The mage answered back, dodging a blow from Alanna's hand as they sat at the huge old oak table that adorned the large ground floor room in the tower, eating breakfast that Raelyn, the girl Daine had employed to work for her and Numair, had made.
"What we did see, though," Alanna began, demolishing the plate of food in front of her, "Was the man whose daughter's wedding it is today having a whisper to a woman in some bushes."
Daine looked at Numair. "Are you sure it wasn't his wife?"
Alanna shook her head. "The woman looked more like his mother. In fact, it may well have been, there was a resemblance there. But I did hear the word 'ring' mentioned a few times."
Daine looked at Alanna with interest. The ring was still in her purse from the night before, and filling her with curiosity.
Numair looked at George with mock wariness. "And where were you two when you were spying on this?" He asked teasingly.
"Celebrating Midsummer as it should be celebrated," the ex king of the rogue said, pride in his voice. We found a nice discreet hideout where we could see, but not be seen easily."
"We won't have set any cradles rocking this year, though," Alanna muttered, touching the pregnancy charm around her neck. Daine routinely felt for hers, checking it was still attached. She knew that George would have liked to have had another child, but Alanna was not keen on the idea, having had too many guilty feelings about leaving Thom and the twins so many times to go off into battle. By the look on Alanna's face she could tell that George had brought up the subject again, and obviously Alanna had won the debate, although Daine wondered if it was a victory she was happy to win.
"What do you make of this ring?" Numair asked. "It seems a rather generous token to give to a spirit."
"Maybe it wasn't meant like that," Alanna said, pushing the now empty plate away from her. "That was a good breakfast," she looked at Daine. "Raelyn's doing very well for you, isn't she?"
Daine nodded. "She's fair wonderful," she smiled at the young girl as she came into the room to collect the used crockery. "How do you think it was meant then?"
Alanna shrugged. "It could have been a ring someone wanted to hide – a token that was given to them by a man they shouldn't have been seeing, maybe."
"That's a possibility," Numair interjected. "It would be a good place to hide a ring, and then one day recover it. There are no minerals that would harm such a gem in that water either. Alternately, it could have been thrown in anger, by a woman who no longer wanted to be wedded to her husband."
"There ye go, Alanna!" George smiled at his wife. "Ye could always do that!"
Alanna grinned at him and gripped his hand under the table, a light shining in her eyes, telling that she would never even think to be rid of her ring.
"Maybe I'll find this woman later on, if you'll point her out to me. If it is Rumen's mother then she'll most likely be at the handfasting," Daine said.
Numair nodded. "It would be interesting to see if the ring does have a story behind it," he said, toying with the salt pot. "I wonder if Raelyn had any more eggs left." He stood up and went into the kitchens to beg more food. George looked at him and shook his head.
"Why does he eat more than I do and yet still have every single female in Corus looking at him the way they do?" George demanded to know.
Daine laughed. She knew that she was the envy of quite a few women in court. It never worried her, just making her feel more flattered that Numair had chosen her.
"I think he burns off a bit more energy then you, laddybuck," Alanna patted George's slightly expanded stomach.
"And don't forget, he's also incredibly vain," Daine said, raising her voice a little so she would be heard in the kitchen. A loud laugh erupted from that room, having heard exactly what was being said.
Numair strode out, a plateful of thick cut bacon in between two slices of Raelyn's bread in his hand.
"Did you get the poor girl to make you that?" Daine asked.
Numair shook his head and swallowed. "No, I did it myself. I am capable of some things, Veralidaine." Daine glared at the use of her full name.
Alanna laughed. "I think I can hear Alan calling me," she said standing up. Numair raised his eyebrows. "Really? I can't hear anything!"
"She's right," George said, also standing up. "When you have your own, your hearing will develop and be as good as a bat's too."
-----------------------------
The day was spent in a luxurious laze, outside once more in the meadow. The sun was even hotter than it had been the previous day, and the small party had deposited themselves under a cluster of trees, so the children could have some shade in which to play. The air was quiet and still, no slight breeze was available to cool them down and the lake looked ever more inviting as the late morning turned into afternoon and the sun pulsated with heat.
Alanna was making summer boxes with the twins, collecting signs of summer and sticking the flat things to wooden boxes that Raelyn had found in one of the old cupboards in the Tower while she was cleaning, and putting the larger things inside. Numair had already taken the twins with him to find plants that he would use for magic in the coming months, showing the children that they had to take the plant carefully from the ground and then not drop it; else its magic would go back into the earth. He taught them about a plant called hypericum, a plant that was especially associated with Midsummer, as it was meant to ward off the evil spirit that would roam during the time that the barriers between the realms were thin. The plant grew in the bright sunlight, not in the shade under trees, and Numair said that this plant could be used to cheer people up who weren't feeling too happy, to which Alianne suggested giving a bunch of it to Lord Wyldon, making her mother cringe and getting her daughter to promise never to mention that to the man in question, or anyone else at the palace.
The twins were quiet and content with their activity, as well as the promise that Raelyn was going to take them to her mother's farmhouse to make cakes and biscuits in the afternoon, for the handfasting celebration in the evening. When they did go the adults settled down in peace in the slight shade provided by the trees. Raelyn had dropped off a basket of food for a luncheon when she had taken the children, "A fair swap," had been George's response as he'd opened up the lid and seen the treats that she had provided.
It was one of those days that Daine wished she could have more of; when everything was still and calm, even the animals around were taking it easy, as the sun was much too hot to be rampaging around, or squabbling. She noticed a party of ants gathering up crumbs and other food remnants, storing them up for winter. She sighed, drawing Numair's attention away from the book he was reading.
"You nearly blew me away!" He said quietly, as both Alanna and George had fallen asleep in the sun.
"I was watching the ants getting ready for winter," she pulled a face. "That would be the last thing I wanted to do on a day like today."
Numair laughed softly. "Today is the peak of the sun's powers. After today, his strength will slowly begin to wane, and the wheel of the year will continue to turn. You know that animals are aware of the changing seasons and preparing for the Big Cold; well today being so hot for so long will probably be a warning to the ants that the days are going to begin to be shorter, so they need to prepare for the winter."
Daine nodded, smiling at Numair who was stretched out on top of a blanket, his shirt lay next to him. "I'm glad I'm not an ant," she sighed, lying down on her stomach.
"Ants are very intelligent," Numair said and Daine gave a groan that meant she knew that a lecture on ants was about to begin.
Numair took the hint and grinned, returning to his book.
-------------------------------------------
They climbed up the hill just before the sun began to set, ready to attend the handfasting of Rumen's daughter, a girl who was closer in age to Kalasin than Daine, named Brenyth. Her future husband was a blacksmith's son from a nearby village and the marriage had been arranged to tie the two families together in business, as Rumen was a farrier. Brenyth and her betrothed, Jalaber had been fortunate enough to meet each other on a few occasions, and according to village rumour, Brenyth was very happy at the match her father had made, as was Jalaber, as she came with a good dowry.
"What dowry will I get if I marry you?" Numair asked Daine as they trundled up the hill, Kitten in his arms and none too happy at leaving the Tower yet again.
"A dragonet," Daine replied good humouredly, she knew that Numair didn't expect anything.
They reached the top and Daine and Alanna were handed small posies of flowers containing a pink rose and lavender. Someone had gone to the trouble of carrying up a table to be an alter on which was draped with a yellow cloth. A bowl of fresh fruit and vegetables had been assembled, along with a red candle to represent the sun god and a green candle for the great mother goddess. Daine could faintly smell incense that had also been lit on the alter, emitting a sweet scent of rose and jasmine. The alter had been decorated with sunflowers, their huge heads deposited on the table. A vase of wild flowers had also been gathered and a wreath of red and yellow feathers – the yellow for prosperity and the red for fertility – tied with ivy, hung at the front of the alter.
The path up the hill had been lit by lanterns once the sun had gone down, and Daine craned her neck to see the bride as she was led by her father to the alter where a high priestess would perform the rites of the handfasting. Behind Brenyth followed her maids, each one dressed in an identical dress of pale blue linen. Her husband to be was already waiting for her, also attended by a group of his friends, who again were dressed identically to him, in dark blue breeches and pale blue shirts. This was to confuse any malevolent, jealous spirits who wanted to cause trouble for the bride and groom. With several women and several men dressed the same it was impossible to tell who the bride and groom actually were, accept for the fact that Brenyth's hand was held by her father, as he led her up the hill to give her away to her husband.
The high priestess performed the rituals that preceded a handfasting rite and began the ceremony, stating the fact that the couple had been betrothed a year and a day ago, and now wanted to be handfasted for as long as the love should last.
Daine watched the ceremony with wide eyes. She had been too small to remember the last handfasting rite she had been to back in Snowsdale, so this was a first for her.
Rumen gave the hand of his daughter to Jalaber, and then took one of the shoes from her foot and also gave it to the groom, the shoe being the transfer of authority, that Jalaber now had control over Rumen's daughter. At this point Daine whispered to Numair in an undertone that any handfasting ceremony that they took part in would not have that bit.
The man put out his right hand, and Brenyth placed her right hand on top of it. Jalaber then put his left hand on top and Brenyth did the same, forming what Daine recognised to be the symbol for infinity. The high priestess then produced a string of leather and began to wind it around the couples' wrists, binding them together and tying the knot.
They then, at the bidding of the high priestess, exchanged rings, Jalaber also getting one, which was quite unusual. "They used to give broken rings, and each person would have half, with the man's promise to return to his wife and make the broken ring whole again. That was too impractical through," Numair whispered back. Daine wondered where he managed to find this information and looked at him, bemused.
Brenyth had the ring placed on the third finger of her weaker hand, her left hand, and Jalaber did the same. The High Priestess then called on the gods to bless them with prosperity, fertility and good fortune and ended the ceremony there, knowing that the witnesses were eager to begin their celebration.
Daine found Numair's arm continuously around her as they walked down the hill to where the feasting would take place. Rumen was quite a wealthy man and adored his youngest daughter so he had arranged a meal and drinking for the guests to be held at his house. Daine wondered if watching the ceremony had strengthened Numair's resolve to get married and if he was now feeling a little sad as they currently had no plans to.
"It will happen one day," she whispered to him as they reached the bottom of the hill.
He forced a smile at her and she knew that she had read his thoughts correctly. "When, though, Magelet? I'm not sure if I like having my proposals continuously turned down."
"In a few years, Numair, before we start a family," she assured. "And why don't I ask you?"
His smile was a little less forced and his arm gripped her waist a little tighter as the made their way over to Rumen's house. A fire had been started outside, over which two women were cooking different meats. An abundance of fresh fruits and prepared vegetables had been laid out on tables that had been moved outside. The house was fairly big, but would certainly not accommodate all the guests comfortably, and it was also a warm, clear night, and Rumen had guessed right when he had thought that most people would prefer to be outside.
A tower of cakes stood on one table, which most of those present now began to circle round. The bride and groom would now kiss over the cakes. If they succeeded in doing so without the cakes crumbling then that would mean prosperity for them. Brenyth and Jalaber managed it easily and a deafening chorus of cheers went up around them, and then the celebrations began in earnest.
The evening progressed and Daine found herself stood next to Alanna, both of them holding plates full of chicken and fresh vegetables. Alanna pointed to an older woman in a long blue dress, her grey hair tied up at the back of her neck in a knot.
"That's the woman we saw Rumen talking to last night," Alanna said, discreetly waving her finger in the direction of her. "You should go and mention the ring. I'm sure they'll be a story to tell behind it."
Daine finished her food and handed the plate to Alanna, aiming for the woman who was now sat alone on a bench, watching the revelry take place before her. She eyed Daine in amusement as she sat down next to her, obviously taking in the slim figure, stubborn chin and welcoming eyes.
"You should be up dancing," the woman said, making room for her on the bench.
"Maybe later," Daine replied. "I'm Daine Sarrasri," Daine said in a soft, polite voice then held out her hand. She had recently become proud of her surname and had ceased to become embarrassed when she knew people were realising that had been born out of wedlock.
"And I'm Bradia Smythe," she took Daine's hand, her eyes shining brightly. "Why would you be talking to me when you should be driving your man wild by catching the eye of all those men. A bit of jealousy never did anyone any harm, you know, child."
Daine laughed, agreeing silently with her statement. She took the ring from her purse and gave it to Bradia. "I wanted you to see this."
The woman took the ring and turned it over in her fingers. "This is nothing to do with me," she passed the ring back and stood up sharply, using a wooden cane to help her walk away.
Daine caught up to her, not willing to let this lie. Her old Snowsdale accent appeared as she spoke, agitation seeping through, "It must be, else you wouldn't have moved away like that!"
Bradia stopped and looked at the young woman. Nobody had noticed them, there was too much excitement going on as the bride prepared to throw the bouquet of flowers. The one who caught it would be the next wed. Daine knew that it wouldn't be her even if she was there.
"Come in to the house with me," the older woman said, waiting for Daine near the gate. "I can see I'll get no peace from you over this, given that stubborn chin of yours. Mind, this is to stay with you, although I know you'll tell that handsome chap of yours."
Daine entered into the building. The hearth fire burned low – it was considered bad luck to let it go out – but the cottage was cooler than outdoors. The room they came into was the kitchen and Daine found that she felt very much at home, with the rabbit pelts and herbs hanging everywhere. She realised that at least one person who lived there was a hedge witch, and she suspected that it was probably the old lady.
Bradia sat next to her, and took the ring, gazing into its stone. "I haven't seen this in many a year," she said, a smile creeping onto her face. "I threw it into that lake of yours when I was probably the age you are now. How old are you, lassy?"
"Seventeen," Daine replied, looking the woman in the eye.
"And how old's your man?" She asked softly.
"He's thirty-one," Daine smiled. "It's not so big a difference."
Bradia shook her head, "There have been much bigger age gaps and they have been successful. Yours will be too." Daine looked at her a little suspiciously, wondering if she was a seer.
"I was nearly seventeen when I threw that ring in the lake, and my beau was twenty one. He lived in the Tower, like you do now," she looked curiously at Daine for a second before continuing. "This happened many years ago, almost sixty years ago now. Why do you want to know this story? I can see you're intrigued."
"I just felt… curious about the ring. I found it when I was swimming and it seemed like too good a gem to just throw into water like that," Daine responded, taking the offered gem from the woman and studying it once more.
"This story isn't well known. That's quite a hard thing to do, to keep something secret in a village like this, so tell your lover and your friend with the all seeing eyes and the woman with the fiery hair, but the rest will know no more than what they do now," Bradia said softly, looking a little distant.
"We won't say anything," Daine promised.
"The boy in the Tower was called Corvan, he was the son of a lord. We fell in love when I was fourteen, and when I was sixteen he gave me the ring you have there," she nodded toward Daine's hands. "The ring could have fed my family for a year. Of course, no one knew that we were in love. I was the poor daughter of a blacksmith, and not a very good one at that, and he was a rich noble. He would sneak out of the Tower at night and we would make love under the willow tree by the lake. I can see by the look on your face that you've been there too," the woman laughed as if she was revelling in happy memories. "I discovered I was pregnant and Corvan promised to marry me, giving me the ring the night after I found out. He announced it to his parents. As you can imagine they were not best pleased and told him to choose between me or his inheritance.
"I threw the ring in the lake the night he made his choice, and cursed him with every spell I knew that his future wife would never bear him children. They had a man work for them, Rumen Smythe. He heard my curses from where he was tending the horses and came to me. He was a good man; that I knew immediately, and when he offered to marry me I accepted without a second thought. He took on me and Corvan's child, and once a few months had passed I loved him as if Corvan had never existed.
"My father trained him as a blacksmith, and said he should have been one with a surname like him. Old Rumen was a natural at it, and our income grew until one day he managed to buy me a ring just like the one I had thrown in the lake," she lay her hand out, the fingers, although now old and a little gnarled, still retained an elegant appearance. A ring, similar to the one Daine held, sat on the third finger of her right hand.
"I didn't wear the new ring on my left hand," she explained, acknowledging what the girl had noticed. "The wedding ring is put on the left hand as it is the weaker hand, and therefore easier for the man to dominate. I chose to put it on my right hand. That finger," she touched the third fingers on both hands, "Is meant to have a nerve that runs directly to the heart. When a man puts a ring on that finger it holds the heart and belongs to him. Rumen had rings on both my heart fingers, and as well as holding dominance of my weaker side, I gave him my stronger side too," when she turned to look at the young woman, Daine saw tears slowly falling down her cheeks. "Corvan never did marry, and never had any heirs to take over the estate. He died young. I told young Rumen when he was old enough to understand just how good a man the father he had been named after had been so he could understand what it was to make a promise. Put that ring back where you found, lassy, or even better, take it and throw it in the sea. It holds a broken promise, and those things are no good to anyone."
Daine nodded, returning the ring back to her purse. "Are you a seer?" She asked softly, hoping her question would not offend the woman.
Bradia nodded. "You want to know what I see for you?" Daine smiled shyly. "I will not tell you, but I will give you some advice," she paused, studying the young woman before her. "The man you have will never offer you any broken promises, so mind you accept what he offers."
"You mean I should marry him?" Daine asked for clarification.
Bradia shook her head. "You'll never give him any promises you can't keep, so marry him when you're ready lass. But maybe you should give him some hope, something he can see. And tell that feisty friend of yours she should consider her husband more!" Daine laughed, knowing what Bradia was referring to. She stood up to leave, pushing the chair under the table.
"I'll take the ring to the sea on the way back to Corus," she promised.
Bradia nodded. "Make sure you throw it in far enough. It's a pretty thing, but pretty things are only good when they're like this one," she looked at the ring Rumen had given her. "And they mean what they say."
Daine left the house silently, leaving the woman to her thoughts. She found Numair waiting for her, Alanna and George seemed to have disappeared, and many of the other guests were now retiring, although a handful seemed determined to carry on until the morning.
She looked at the mage as he stood there, his mouth and eyes smiling at her and his arms open slightly, in case she wanted to be held. For a moment she paused, thinking of the ring on her person and the hurt it had brought and then she looked closely at Numair, and realised even more clearly than ever before that he was always going to follow through on his promises. With tears trickling down her cheeks she found herself swept up by him and drawn close to his chest, feeling his heart pound. He didn't have to say anything, she already understood it all.
From a small window, Bradia looked out and saw the couple embrace. Smiling, she sat back down, still close enough so that she could see but needing to give her old legs a rest. The ring had been found after sixty years of lying at the bottom of a lake, and old memories had been dredged up with it. But so had the good ones of a man who she had always been able to lean on and trust, just like the one outside now, with his arms wrapped round a girl with the same independence and curiosity as she had once had, and would always have.
Daine retold the story to Numair, Alanna and George once the children had been settled down for the night. Kitten had fallen asleep on Numair's knee, refusing defiantly to get in her basket and being as clingy as she could with the tall mage. Daine sat at his feet, his long fingers caressing her hair as he listened to the old woman's story.
"It came good in the end, though," Alanna said, once the tale was told. "The father of the Rumen we know was obviously an amazing man to take her on like that when she was pregnant, although Corvan should have been hung for doing what he did."
George nodded. "It seems he didn't have a very nice life afterwards, it wasn't very long anyway. She seems a wise woman though, and very interesting. I'd like to talk to her sometime."
"You'll just be wanting something from her to spell me with, George Cooper," Alanna said, her head resting on her husband's lap. "Make me forget to put that pregnancy charm on!" George grinned, but didn't reply.
In bed that night after they had made love Daine curled herself up to Numair and made him look into her eyes, their colour visible by the soft candle light that glimmered from next to the bed.
"I promise to marry you," she whispered, remembering the woman's words. "I'm not ready for a ceremony like that yet, but I will be one day. Is there not something I can wear until then, that will show you that?"
Numair kissed her tenderly. "Is this an excuse to get me to buy you a ring?" He asked, teasingly.
Daine shook her head. "Why don't we have half of a ring each?" She suggested. "And tie each half to us somehow, like on a bracelet or as an earring," she eyed the vacant hole in his ear where he sometimes wore a jewel.
"That would make me very happy, Magelet," he replied, holding her in his arms as they both fell into a peaceful sleep.
And now, good people, we begin to draw to a close with six more chapters left. Next up is Lammas, with another appearance from Maura, and a visitor for Daine and Numair. To see it, you need to REVIEW!