Title: Of Healing and Love—Chapter 8
Author: I Dream of Peace
Category: drama, missing scene, pre-romance (pairing Numair/Daine)
Rating: PG-13 for lots of ouch-ies
Spoilers: All the Immortals books, though of course you wouldn't be reading this without those, would you?
Archive: Feel free to take it, but please let me know if you do.
Feedback: Only reason I'm finishing this bad boy
Series: stand-alone
Author's Notes: Well, I was seriously contemplating deletion again, on the grounds that this might never get finished. It's been almost 2 years without an update. Alas, I am still too prideful to do what must be done. Finishing is the only option. Again, the quote that started it all can be found on p. 92-3 of Emperor Mage.
Chapter 8—Of Progress
"Sir," Neal queried softly, reentering the room several minutes later. Alanna followed him in silently, Onua close on their heels. There was a peculiar tension in the group that made speaking awkward. Numair barely acknowledged their presence.
Neal approached the bed and sat lightly on the edge of it, taking Daine's hands. A detached corner of Numair's mind was able to observe the scene dispassionately. He saw Neal drop into a light trance and was able to sense the student work as he touched Daine's mind tentatively. Numair could tell when Neal had made a proper connection and approved of the boy's skill as he stabilized and widened the link.
"When Neal is ready," the Lioness murmured from just behind Numair, startling him as he had failed to notice her approach, "you will form the same sort of link with him. Don't try to feel for the bond with Daine. Leave that to me. Once both links are ready, I'll help form a connection between the two."
She frowned slightly. "I still don't like this, Numair. Your minds will be extraordinarily open to one another."
"Alanna," he tried to keep the pleading note from his voice, "I don't know what else to do."
She sighed. "Neither do I," Alanna admitted. She laid a hand on Numair's shoulder affectionately. He tried to smile a little, to show that he appreciated the gesture, appreciated Alanna's friendship.
Just then, Numair felt a light brush against his mind, a request for entry. Setting a hand on Daine's arm, Numair closed his eyes and joined Neal in his trance state.
Neal? He attempted to contact the boy. Immediately, he sensed the other's presence. Although it made him a little uncomfortable, Numair opened his mind to the student healer, and he felt Neal form a connection right away.
As Neal gently nudged the connection open more widely and began anchoring it firmly between their minds, Numair was able to sense some of the boy's thoughts. Neal was very anxious but full of determination to help Daine. Numair was amused to see that the boy was more than a little in awe of Numair's pupil and quite intimidated by Numair himself.
Numair tried to direct reassuring thoughts towards Neal and was rewarded by a pulse of gratitude through the bond that Neal had forged. Numair tested it and found it to be highly suitable. Sensing Numair's approval, Neal flashed embarrassed pleasure along the bond.
Now came the crucial moment. Would Alanna be able to link Daine-and-Neal to Neal-and-Numair while leaving Neal the ability to control the process? Numair felt Alanna enter into the mental link, a bright, warm presence. The fire that burned in the Lioness never ceased to amaze Numair. Catching his thoughts, she sent him a gentle mental touch.
Numair could sense Alanna working through Neal and felt a little guilty on behalf of the boy. Of them all, Neal was opening his mind to the most intrusions. Gradually, though, Numair began to get a faint, disordered sense of yet another mind. He knew he was feeling Daine's thoughts, and though he longed to reach out to her, Numair heeded the Lioness's warning and did not.
Numair felt something shift subtly, and he knew that the Lioness had achieved the necessary intermediate link. Tapping down his elation—it was going to work!—Numair observed as Alanna walked Neal through controlling the link. Numair mentally tossed a line of his power to Alanna when she asked for it and felt a peculiar little tug as his magic began, ever so slowly, to drain into the link.
Numair sensed the Lioness pulling back, not withdrawing entirely, but watching as Neal controlled the process on his own. Though hesitant at first, the boy quickly became more confident and seemed to be doing well.
Apparently satisfied, Numair felt Alanna prepare to withdraw. Goddess bless, Alanna's mental voice was tinged with worry, and then she was gone.
Numair settled into the link more firmly, trying to ignore the odd twinge as Neal used Numair's power to heal Daine. Though Numair was supplying the raw material, Neal still had to use his own power to control and direct the magic. Numair felt bad asking so much of the boy, but he was also willing to do anything to help his student.
As Numair idly watched Neal at work, his thoughts turned towards his student. When Daine first came into his life, so uncertain and vulnerable, Numair was overwhelmed by the need to protect her. As they learned to live with one another, her strength and determination had impressed him. Their relationship became more equal, and Numair realized that she had as much to teach him as he did her.
Now, Numair was unspeakably grateful for her presence in his life. Daine kept him from taking life too seriously, and she was a joy with which to spend time. Numair didn't think he could bear to lose her. He was desperate for this to work.
As Neal labored at healing, Numair considered every aspect of Daine and all the time they had spent together. His magic slowly draining away, Numair became gradually more fatigued, and his thoughts grew hazy, until it all seemed a blur. Finally, he just concentrated on an image of Daine's face and his desire for her to get well.
Lost in his reflections, Numair had little sense of how much time passed. When he felt Neal move to break off the flow of power, Numair was startled to note that his reserves were almost completely drained.
Too drained to form the question, Numair sought confirmation from Neal.
It's done, sir, Neal responded wearily. Numair could sense that the boy was also exhausted. Numair desperately wanted to reach out and touch Daine's mind, but he couldn't seem to reach across the gap between their minds. Neal politely but firmly stopped Numair's mental touch and withdrew from Numair's mind. They were finished, and Numair could only hope it had been enough. Alone in his trance state, Numair slowly began to return his awareness to the room.
