Another update for you guys. To be perfectly honest, I get as impatient for the next chapter to be put up as you guys. Maybe that's the reason why so many chapters have been posted so soon. Besides, this (in my opinion) is probably the most exciting part of the story... or as exciting as I can make it. Sooo then, let's see what happens next.

Disclaimer: Harmonios is the only person that I can stake any claim over. Other than him, I own pretty much nobody.

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Chapter 9: Numair's Alive

Her eyes were playing tricks on her, they had to be. She had seen him go over the cliff herself. The man before her couldn't be real. She suddenly heard a high pitched shriek and found Kitten sitting at his feet. "It…can't be… Numair, is…is it really you?"

A smile spread across the man's face. "Yes, sweet. It's me."

Overfilled with joy, she ran down to him, tears in her eyes. "Numair!" When she reached him, her arms instantly went around his neck, fingers burying themselves in his hair.

He held her close to him, easing his lips over hers.

They hadn't noticed that there were other people in the room until the King shouted, "Who are you?"

Daine and Numair both snapped back into reality.

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They were in the main entrance hall but had no idea which way they were to go.

"They could be anywhere!" Shinko complained, "We might not make it in time!"

"Standing around here isn't going to find them either," Raoul argued. "Let's try to find the temple of Harmonios. He's considered a greater god here so they're bound to have a temple of him here."

"Right. Let's look down this corridor first." Roald pointed to a passage to the left of him.

They followed that one, hoping they weren't too late to help.

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"My name is Numair Salmalin. I'm here for Daine."

"So…you're the master mage of Tortall. Great mage or not, you have no rights to barge in like this and interrupt this wedding," The king replied.

"When it comes to the woman I'm engaged to, I have every right. I love her. I'd even marry her right here, right now, if she'd have me."

"I'd marry him right here, right now as well," Daine added.

The king growled in frustration. "Guards!"

Roald & Co. reached the temple just in time to watch soldiers entered the room and tried to pry the lovers apart.

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"See? Isn't that proof enough?" Sarrah asked the man.

"It is. I'll see to it that your daughter isn't forced into this, but I'm only doing this once. I can't go breaking up every marriage where someone's willing to be married to someone they don't know."

Weiryn nodded, "We know. You prefer to give mortals free reign over marriage and love."

With that, the man disappeared.

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"Please, gods, don't let this be their fate," Shinko prayed, though the others were probably thinking something along similar lines.

Her prayers were hopefully answered when a there was a bright flash. Standing in the middle of the room was a man in a white robe underneath a baby blue toga. He had blonde hair like spun gold and deep grey-green eyes. A beautiful dove was quietly perched upon his shoulder.

"Who are you?" The king demanded.

The newcomer turned to him and said in a soft voice, "I am Harmonios."

There were whispers among the people in the room.

"It can't be…the great god of our land?" The king stared at the god surprised.

Harmonios nodded. "I'm here on a certain matter concerning this arrangement.

"What is this concern?" Numair asked.

Harmonios flashed pearly whites in a wide grin. "Somebody's not marrying the right man. That is," he turned to the king, preist, and prince, "unless any of you have a problem with it?" Three heads shook vigorously. "Now, did my ears deceive me or did you two say you'd be willing to marry each other right here, right now, is that right?" Two heads nodded. "Well, then, Do you, Daine, take Numair to be your husband? Yes, of course. And do you, Numair, take Daine to be your wife, definetly. Okay then, I announce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride." Harmonios makes a few gestures for them to carry on before disappearing.

Numair looks down at Daine, "Now, we can't go and deny a god's orders, can we, magelet?"

She shook her head as he brought his mouth to hers.

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Harmonios reappeared in the realm of the gods before Sarrah and Weiryn. "Well now, that's taken care of."

"Thank you, Harmonios," Sarrah said.

He nodded. "I did all that I can. If anyone has a problem with it, they can just bring it to my attention and I'll take care of them. And I only did this because she's your daughter."

"We know," Weiryn replied.

"Good, now that that's settled, I've got business to attend to elsewhere."

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It took me forever to try and figure out how I was gonna get Harmonios into this chapter. But he's in. One more chapter and this story's done…I think

nicolerenea: That's good to hear. Thanks. I woulda had this update up much sooner had there not been so many interferences.

NealsChick: Well, we couldn't complete the story without our favourite black robed mage, now could we? (I think Daine would be very mad if we did)

Mikey's Kunoichi: Thanks. That has to have been the greatest compliment yet!

CodeRomance: Sorry to hear about computer troubles. And the cliff hangers are all Ghost in the Mirror's fault! I'm glad you like my originality. Well your wait is over, here's an update and the next one's following not too terribly far behind. We hafta see what's going on when Daine and Numair get back to Tortall.