Title: Of Healing and Love--Chapter 4
Author: I Dream of Peace
Category: drama, missing scene, pre-romance (pairing Numair/Daine)
Rating: PG-13 for some medical stuff
Spoilers: all the Immortals books, but really, you wouldn't be reading this if you haven't read those
Archive: anyone can have it, just please tell me so I can come and visit
Feedback: I know you are all capable of pushing the review button…
Series: stand-alone
Summary: When Daine is gravely injured, Numair comes to see how much she means to him
Disclaimer: You all know the drill. All this wonderful stuff belongs to Tamora Pierce. I'm obviously not making money off this, because if I were I would have a better computer! It's all just for fun.
Author's Notes: I'm getting sick of referencing chapter 1…

"Numair? Numair, wake up!" a far-away voice called. Numair struggled to force his sleep-fogged mind to comprehend the words. For one disorienting moment, Numair couldn't understand why he was so tired, and then he remembered the king's use of his Gift to force him into sleep. Numair slowly opened his eyes. Standing above him was hi—and Daine's—good friend Onua.

"How's Daine?" were the first words out of his mouth.

"She's resting," the K'miri replied vaguely. Numair raised an eyebrow and sat up, tugging his boots on and running a hand through his sleep-tousled hair.

"What's the time?" he queried.

"An hour past midday. You've been out since some time last evening." Numair stared at his friend blankly.

"Jon told me he'd wake me when I could see Daine!" he cried, aghast. King Jonathon chose just that moment to enter.

"I did no such thing," he responded calmly. "I said I'd wake you if something happened, and nothing has. Daine has been sleeping mostly, and the healer expects it to remain that way for at least the next day. Someone has been with her each of the three times she woke up, and the healer even managed to coax some water into her once. The head healer here, his name is Cas, said he burned out the infection as best he could, and as long as she doesn't get sick within," Jon consulted a time piece hanging on the wall, "the next six hours or so it's likely she won't at all."

"Is this Cas fellow her main healer?" Numair asked warily.

"Yes, and there's also a student, Nealan's his name. He's only fourteen but a brilliant lad; don't worry. Daine's in good hands," Onua told Numair. The tall mage stood and headed for the door, following the king as he led Numair to Daine's room. Stopping just before the open door, Jonathon waved Numair into the room.

Silently entering the small chamber, Numair saw Daine sleeping fitfully on a large, white medical cot, more color in her face than the previous day but still pale, breathing not so shallow and quick but certainly not normal either. Noticing a small chair against the wall, Numair pulled it up to Daine's bedside and sat beside her, taking her small hand in his. He could feel her delicate bones and rapid pulse.

Numair sat for some time, just holding Daine's hand and praying to whichever gods would listen for her safety. After a while though, Numair noticed Daine stirring. Slowly, she opened her pretty blue-gray eyes and blinked tiredly up at him.

"Numair?" she whispered.

"Hush sweetling, I'm here," Numair soothed, stroking Daine's thick curls with one hand. She smiled a little at his endearment.

"I was worried about you," she told him, closing her eyes for a moment. Opening them again, she said, "Don't pay me any mind. I reckon' it's the healing that made me all sentimental."

"Will you have some water?" Numair half asked, half pleaded. Daine nodded slightly. "I don't think I can sit up properly to drink it though," she pointed out. Numair carefully poured a cup of water from the pitcher he found near Daine's bedside and slid an arm behind her back to help her sit, one hand steadying the glass for her. Once she finished, Numair gently laid her back against her pillows.

"I think I'm going to sleep again now," Daine murmured drowsily.

"Rest as long as you like, magelet," Numair responded tenderly. "I'll be here." Again Daine smiled and drifted off to sleep.

It greatly pained Numair to see his student so sick; he made himself relive each word of their brief conversation, considering it his punishment. Numair still blamed himself for not detecting the bandits earlier. If something happened to Daine, he didn't know what he'd do.

Numair absently brushed a hand over Daine's forehead and drew back in horror. She was burning up with a fever. Even in the short time he had been in the room, the flush of heat had returned to Daine's cheeks, and her pulse had gone thready. Jumping to his feet, Numair called for a healer.