Jess: Thank you! I hope its okay. Mage's Whisper: I've been obsessive; however the chapter after this may take a couple of days as I've been busy at work and had to do other stuff. Thank you! Feyrey: It was a long chapter! Be prepared for more typos! Thank you! Bitterosemary: I think I've based a little of Thayet and Jon's relationship on my parents in laws! Thank you! Lady Merlin: No what? Neals chick: Thank you. Celuna Cirrus: Thank you I hope this next story works. Goldeneyedwildmage: Thank you – it will be finished, expect the second chapter on Saturday and the last on Sunday. Drop Your Oboe: Thank you, it was! Aravilui: Thank you, that was very encouraging! I hope you enjoy the final three chapters. Dolphin Dreamer: That was the longest review ever. Thank you for all your hints – you are a fantastic reviewer! Poodle14: It was my favourite too! Thank you. Daine's Daughter: Thank you! Nayala: Thank you – I can't believe how similar your name is to the one I gave Numair's mum! Silverlake: I agree. I think she would be alright. I can't wait to read TP's book about Numair's early years through. Sonnet Lacewing: I agree about Arland. I liked him! Thank you, as always. Music Nerd: Why can't you post your own?

Disclaimer: It's all TP's

A/N: And so the headache of timelines begins…

This last part of the sequence is set during Mabon after the birth of Sarralyn, Daine and Numair's first child. In TC, it gives her naming ceremony as being held at Midsummer 462 and says that she is six weeks old, meaning she was born at Beltane and conceived around Lammas 461. According to the back of LK, the Immortals War is set in 452. Lady Knight takes place during 460, and Daine and Numair definitely weren't married then. TC starts in 462 and Daine and Numair were then married. So (as my brain implodes and my cuppa tea is going cold) I'm going to go out on a limb here people, and say that they got married at Midsummer 461, with Daine being 25 and Numair 39. If anyone is still awake this means that… and my head has exploded. There a reasonable timeline online that I will happily send out details for, however it only goes up to Squire. SO WILL SOMEONE PLEASE DO ANOTHER ONE! Thank you. This is set between the two Trickster books.

The reason I'm not doing a Mabon that immediately follows on from Lammas is because I did the Mabon when they were first together in A Stepping State and I didn't want to rehash old ground.

Mabon I

Chapter 1 – Gatherings

Daine sat back in the chair, her baby nestled in her arms. The small infant had finally decided to fall asleep, probably at the most inappropriate time, seeing as she and Numair were expecting guests to arrive at any point, and she would therefore be woken, again. Sarralyn Salmalin appeared to have inherited the stubborn gene from both of her parents, as well as the powerful lungs of her father, which had woken her already once today, causing her to show off the volume at which she could scream. Daine chuckled at the incident and at Numair's horrified reaction when his daughter had begun to exercise her lungs and waking her poor mother who was doing her best to sleep when Sarralyn slept. Numair had been making a potion to assist the spies that worked for George. It was rather like a truth potion, only it numbed the mind of the person being interrogated, making them think that they weren't actually giving anything away. It also by-passed any mind control that may have been working and thus was a powerful tool for the country's intelligence.

However, in the process of producing the potion, Numair had turned rather swiftly around and knocked over a large flame, and so setting himself on fire and yelling at the top of his voice. He had quickly put the flames out to the sound of his twelve week old daughter yelling at the top of her voice. He then ran straight into the room where she was with Daine, both mother and child now very much awake. Picking her up in his arms he began to soothe her, and quickly the yells were turned into gurgles and he felt his heart melt all over again. Daine had watched him cradle her, the look of unconditional love etched deeply across his face, and because of that look she was glad that he had woken them. Placing Sarralyn back in her crib he had gone to join Daine in the bed they shared and took her in his arms, the look of love still there, on both of their faces.

It was a cool day for the time of year. The leaves had already turned to their autumn hues and had begun to fall to the ground, squirrels and other animals were scurrying around, hunting for food that they could store away for winter and the waning sun had seemingly lost a good amount of its power, ready for the nights to begin to lengthen. Tomorrow was the autumn equinox, when the day and night were of equal length, but unlike Ostara, after tomorrow the nights would become longer than the days until Midwinter, when the sun god would be reborn and the days would start to grow once more.

Daine turned her head to the large window which looked out over the path to the Tower. They were expecting a party from the palace to arrive, as well as Alanna and George from Pirate's Swoop. Mabon was a quiet festival, and this year the monarchs had decided to spend it away from the palace, and have a gentle celebration with friends.

Daine sighed restfully and looked at the bundle in her arms. She still felt overwhelmed sometimes by Sarralyn; that she was responsible for her and that she was her daughter. She smoothed a finger down her baby's cheek, feeling its softness and warmth, revelling in the touch. The room was warmed by a large fire, set in a surround that was as old as the Tower itself. The room, although large, was cosy, with its dark wooden panelled walls and comfortably well padded chairs, the cushions of which were of a red material, embroidered with a golden thread. Various ornaments decorated the room, many pieces collected by Numair from Carthak and Tyra, which gave it a homeliness that Daine adored. She had considered this place her family home now for nearly ten years, since she had moved in with her mage. And now they had an addition to its occupants.

She heard the sound of hooves trot up the path, and a call from her husband followed by a familiar laugh. Looking to the window, she saw Alanna and George dismounting their horses, and handing them to a young boy whom Numair had employed to help out when they were living at the Tower. She stood up, careful not to disturb her baby and wandered to the door, wanting to greet their guests. Alanna spotted her and quickly strode over to her, her eyes focused on the little girl.

"She's grown," Alanna smiled, taking the bundle from Daine and holding her close. "I can't decide who she looks most like, you or Numair," she eyed the tall mage who was exchanging banter with George. Daine laughed, her eyes held on her daughter. "Hopefully she will have the best of both of us," she said, glancing up to her husband who was now helping George to carry in his and Alanna's belongings.

"How long can you stay for?" She asked Alanna, as the Lioness handed Sarralyn to George so he could coo over her.

"A few days," Alanna smiled. "Jon's pretty much ordered me to have a rest before torturing any more Scanrans."

George nodded. "An' I'd be happier if it was a permanent rest," he said quietly. Alanna pulled a face.

They settled in the sitting room, the warmth of which was a pleasant contrast to the cold outside. Daine sprawled out on her chair, Numair now resting with his daughter on his knee. There was a peaceful atmosphere in the room; the adults were old friends with no need for any grandeur or pretence and Daine felt relaxed in their presence. Their discussion was a quiet one; Alanna passing on the latest news of how their daughter, Alianne, was fairing in the Copper Isles. Daine noticed how her expression changed as she spoke of her only daughter, and her plight in foreign lands. She also noticed how Alanna had aged in recent months, the worry about her girl had caused a few lines and wrinkles to appear, and Daine wondered if Sarralyn would one day do the same by her. However, Alanna showed no sign of mellowing, bluntly ignoring George's remarks that she should leave the fighting to the younger knights and act in a more peaceful capacity. Daine understood George's point; since they had known each other, Alanna was always getting into scrapes of one kind or another, and for a good portion of their married life had been away, defending the realm. He wanted to see more of her now, and enjoy time together where he needn't be worried about her being called off to one war or another. Daine wondered how long it would be before Alanna finally gave in. She could see that the Lioness was not fighting back as she once had when the proposition had been mentioned previously; maybe she was going to consider it eventually.

George still looked much the same, with the twinkle in his eyes that missed nothing and his hair in much the same style as it had been when Daine had first met him, some thirteen years ago. She couldn't believe that it was more than that since she had come to Tortall, sometimes it seemed like only yesterday since she met Onua Chamtong and healed a falcon that had been Numair, then gone on to discover that she had wild magic.

She looked toward her husband, who looked very sleepy as he sat beside the fire, Sarralyn thankfully still asleep on his knee. She imagined that the entourage from the palace would arrive a little later, and then madness would descend for awhile, once Thayet, Jon, Onua, Sarge, Buri and Raoul walked through the doors.

The warmth of the room and the calm atmosphere seemed to be making everyone dozy. Their reflections had paused once both Numair and George had dozed off. Daine was weary, but she felt unable to sleep, even though she knew she should make the most of Sarralyn's nap. Her mind began to wander through time, since she had come to the realm and the things that had happened there. She smiled as she recalled Numair turning Tristan Staghorn into a tree and his reaction when he had found her unconscious in Dunlath's castle. She recalled the time in Carthak and how her heart had broken when she had thought he was dead, and the feelings she had had when she had seen him stood in front of her, very much alive. Her blood still ran hot when memories of their first kiss hit her, and the first time they had made love. And then the day she had finally told him she would marry him.

They had been at the Tower, escaping from palace life for a week or two after a hectic spring. Numair had been at his desk, working his was through a pile of books that had been discovered in one of the abandoned rooms under the palace. Daine had entered, bringing a plate of meat and bread that Raelyn had prepared, but was too hesitant to go and give it to Numair while he was working, even after several years of working for them.

For a few minutes Daine had just stood, watching him as he worked, his hair tussled by his fingers running through it and his brow lined with concentration. A few years previously she had assured him that they would marry, and agreed to wear an official ring to symbolise her promise. However, so far she had never agreed to a date, and he hadn't pressed her for one, seemingly content with her heartfelt assurances. To her, they were married and had been since that day in the divine realms when he had first told her he loved her. She had known then that their futures were inexplicably entwined around each other's, completely interdependent and reliant on each other. And so it had proved.

As she stood there and watched him, her heart began to flood, barriers were broken and she finally understood Nayalyn's words from all those years ago. She made the decision quickly, within a second and went up to her lover, close by, waiting for him to recognise her presence.

It took a few minutes. Numair was engrossed. She wondered what his reaction would be and how long it would take him to register what she would say. She stifled an excited laugh at the thought and fought to stop herself from bursting.

"Hello, Magelet," he looked up at her and smiled, and her legs felt as if they were about to give way from under her. He pushed the book he was studying away and turned to her. She noticed his hands were stained with ink from his quill, and that he had obviously been flustering with his shirt that was now ink-stained also. These little things made her heart swell and she went to touch his hair with her own fingers, feeling her eyes well up with tears with the strength of the emotion. He noticed – he always did - and took her in his arms, pulling her onto his lap.

"What's the matter?" He asked her softly.

Daine shook her head. "I think it's just the dust in here, it needs a fair clean," she thought up quickly. It was dusty in Numair's study as neither Raelyn nor Daine had dreamt of cleaning in there. "I'm going to take a walk outside and see what Kitten's up to by the trees," Daine smiled, hoping she had hidden her nerves well. "Why don't you come with me? You know you'll end up with a headache of you stay inside all day."

Numair nuzzled her neck with his long nose and shunted her off his knee, standing up and dusting off his clothes. "I think some air will clear my head actually," he looked around the room, at the masses of bookcases and piles of old books, some that looked like they hadn't been read for centuries and probably hadn't. "It could do with a bit of a clean. I may ask Raelyn if she'll dust inside it once we have returned to the palace," he said, a little absent mindedly.

Daine smiled, and thought that she'd better slip an extra note into Raelyn's pay for the trouble. She led the way outside, Numair babbling on about what he had read. She knew it wasn't for her benefit; it was just his way of getting things fixed in his mind.

They wandered outside in the warm spring sun, the sky spotted with a few light, white clouds that held no promise of rain. The early flowering plants had now blossomed, daffodils and hyacinths waving their heads to the tune of the breeze, their colour a sign of the glorious blooms still to come. Daine could hear the chatter of birds as nests were built and the frantic preparations of some animals as they awaited the birth of their young. She knew that she was probably in for another broken night of sleep like the previous night, when she had been up in the stables, helping a mare give birth.

She stopped him beside the lake they had often swam in at summer, where she had found the ring one year that had belonged to a woman who had thrown it away, not wanting anything to remind her of the broken promise that had effected her life. That ring had eventually been thrown into the sea near Pirate's Swoop, and the broken promise had been forever forgotten. The lake rippled in the soft wind, the reeds moving and creating their own gentle song. Mating frogs were visible, as were two drakes, angrily warring over a female who seemed blankly oblivious to the fight she was the cause of.

Daine could see Kitten playing happily with some of the local children, Tkaa watching over her. She was not a tiny dragon anymore, although Daine knew that she would never see her fully grown, and that Kitten would experience far more of life in Tortall than she or Numair ever would.

She heard Numair sigh, then continue about the properties of some gem or other whose name Daine couldn't pronounce. She smiled and placed a finger over his lips, attempting to silence him. He caught the finger and held onto it, still talking.

Daine smiled at him, knowing that once he realised the meaning of the words she was about to speak his silence would fall easily. "Numair," she said, managing to get him to pause. "I'm ready to get married if you still want to."

His silence lasted longer than Daine was expecting, the look of shock on his face dramatic. She worried, wondering if she had left it too long and tried his patience too much.

"Numair, will you marry me?" She asked, anxiety in her voice. He looked at her, his brown eyes wide open. She saw a smile begin to curl on his lips and the frozen look melted.

"Magelet," he began, searching for words that could sum up his feelings. "You know that's what I've wanted, of course I will. Are you ready to? If you are, we could arrange it for fairly soon."

She tried not to laugh. Clearly he felt as if he was treading on eggshells, trying desperately hard to not say anything that would make her change her mind. His arms were close by him, his face nervous. "Numair," Daine said, smiling, her hands reaching out to touch him. "I'm not going to tell you we'll do it in a few years, I want to marry you soon." He reached for her and she moved to him, their limbs becoming entangled and their lips meeting in sweet kisses. She became overwhelmed by removed double words the explosion that had happened in her chest and was now reverberating throughout her body. Tears of joy swam down her cheeks, and she found that they mingled with her future husband's.

"Finally," he whispered. "I was ready to wait forever, but I'm so glad I don't have to." He kissed her again and she found herself oblivious to the sights and sounds around her, engulfed by this new feeling, which if she'd known of, she would have had this day much sooner.

They had kept it to themselves for a few days, even after returning to the palace. Numair, she knew, had been dying to shout it from the rooftops, but the allure of having a secret that just they shared was too much and they managed to not announce it for several days.

Then they had felt they had to tell, wanting the marriage to take place at Midsummer, and knowing that they would need a few weeks to make preparations that Thayet would approve of. The queen had been ecstatic when she had found out, and Daine suspected that that wasn't just because of the prospect of having an excuse for an extra elaborate Midsummer. The whole of the palace seemed a little shocked, having become so used to them being a couple who were not married to now announcing their forthcoming handfasting ceremony.

Daine smiled in her chair, recollecting the commotion they had cause at court. They had been too engrossed in each other to notice, both deliriously happy with the prospect and making plans for the future. They had talked about having children in some depth, rather than just the slight remarks that had been made before, and Daine knew that she was sure of her future, and certain that neither would ever feel trapped or smothered by this marriage.

Numair still slept, their daughter snoozing contentedly on her da's lap. Alanna had also drifted off into Gainel's realm. Daine noticed George open his eyes and look at her, somehow automatically aware of her thoughts.

"Ye reminiscing, lass?" He questioned softly, smiling sleepily.

Daine laughed lightly. "About when I finally decided it was safe to marry," she said in the same quiet voice.

George nodded. "Ye kept Numair hanging on there for a mighty long time, not tha' he was ever going anywhere."

Daine smiled. "I fair wondered if I was mean by not marrying him sooner."

George shook his head. "No, lass. There's no rushing some things, and he knew that. He got what he wanted eventually and perhaps even more," he looked over to Sarralyn, and Daine's face softened automatically as she looked at the little bundle.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of hooves approaching the Tower. She stood up rapidly, looking out of the window and seeing the rest of their expected guests arriving to celebrate the festival. George stood with her and they made their way to the old heavy doors, moving outside to greet the guests. The boy Daine employed to help was already there, taking the horses once the adults had dismounted, and obviously in some awe of the riders. It wasn't every day that he dealt with royalty. He had only just about gotten used to George and Alanna, let alone the actual king and queen.

Daine greeted Thayet, Onua and Buri, straining to embrace the latter over the large baby bump she carried.

"Not long now," she uttered to the woman, noticing her husband, Raoul looking at Buri protectively.

Buri shook her head. "Please don't tell me of any pain, though."

Onua shook her head, overhearing her quiet words. "It should be a breeze for you!" She joked, Buri responding by glaring evily.

Daine led the rest of the party into the house, both Alanna and Numair being woken by the disturbance outside.

"And what's this?" Jonathan said mockingly, as he noticed Alanna sat dozily in a chair. "You're meant to be my champion and you don't even wake when half a dozen people approach? That can't be right!"

Alanna glared at the king from across the room. "Your head mage has got so many protective spells around this place that I could hibernate without being worried."

Jonathan laughed loudly, waking the baby, who let out a single ear piercing yell to announce her presence. Numair picked up his young daughter and cradled her close to his chest, momentarily oblivious to the fact that nine pairs of eyes were watching him.

"You'll have to forget my husband and his loud voice," Thayet apologised. "He's a little out of practise with babies, although he usually forgot to keep his voice low when our five were young."

"See," Onua turned to Buri. "It can't be that bad if Thayet's gone through it five times!" Buri grimaced.

They settled down in the large sitting room, Sarralyn quieting down with the attention being lavished upon her. Raelyn brought in a selection of the home cooking she had perfected, causing Jonathan to wish that she worked in the palace kitchens rather than at the Tower.

"Is she going to be preparing the feast for tomorrow?" He asked as he ate a pasty in a rather undignified manner which he would never have gotten away with at the palace without being frowned upon by one of the elders.

Daine nodded. "She's had help from her mother and younger sister, but mainly it's been her doing."

"Does she have the Gift?" Jon asked, eyeing what was left of the snacks.

Numair shook his head. "She is simply talented. She enjoys cooking, and we make sure we pay her well." Jonathan nodded, his mouth too full to attempt to speak.

Daine looked around the room at the people gathered there. Mabon was a time to celebrate family and friends, the transition of the Great Mother Goddess into her third aspect of the Crone. It was a time to reflect back on the things that had passed, and give thanks for them, and prepare for the darker season that was to come, when everything would sleep and prepare itself for the rebirth in spring.

The gentle banter and chatter continued around her, Numair warning Raoul of the sleepless nights that would follow and Buri glaring at him unthankfully; Thayet clutching Sarralyn and obviously reminiscing over holding her own babies, two of whom were now married themselves. George and Jonathan were joining in the conversation with Numair, giving Raoul hints about becoming a father, many of which made Daine chuckle. No doubt she would have to disclose the story of the first time Numair changed a diaper.

She sat back and wondered where the festival would lead them, what memories would be told and which would stay private, etched on somebody's face instead. That night they would venture out into the fields, where a wicker man would be placed on the fire, a sign of the true death of summer, of the sacrifice of the spirit of vegetation, and of when Mabon was kidnapped and hidden in the mysterious place of Modron's womb until Midwinter.

Daine looked round, waiting for the stories to begin, then she heard a loud, heavy knock at the door. Numair stood up to open it, the knocking becoming more and more emphatic.

She heard an out of breath voice trying to speak, barely getting the words out. The everyone in the room looked up, the relaxed atmosphere dissolving as they heard Numair repeat the messenger's words.

"Raiders? At Pirate's Swoop?"

Let me know what you think. The next chappie will be up on Saturday and the final one on sunday. I apologise that there won't be one tomorrow but I've been very busy with work as I'm going to be off for two weeks as from Monday, and I've had to have everything prepared for my class. So please review...