The fanfare upon their departure was decidedly less grand. A handful of cats —it was always cats—had ignored her request to say goodbye from afar and languished among the handful of humans who had come to see them off. Kaddar—to his advisors dismay, she was sure—and the bankiju waved at her from the docks. Slaves who were now free people waved goodbye to their loved ones who had decided to start a new life in the north. Varice stood near the back of the group, curls pinned simply but stylishly, but did not wave.
"I'm surprised she came," Numair settled next to her, mirroring her pose as he leaned against the rail. Wind whipped around him, strands of hair flying free from his horsetail. He already looked a little green.
She turned to him, surprised. He hadn't so much as mentioned the woman's name to her in a way that acknowledged her significance to him. Perhaps he had just been waiting for a good time. Perhaps she was overthinking.
"Did you ask her to come with you?" She wasn't sure she should ask, but didn't know if she'd get another chance.
He laughed, "No, Magelet, we—" he turned to her and she saw him realize her meaning. "You mean back then." Any laughter was gone. "No. Not then either."
"Why not?"
He opened his mouth and closed it again. When she thought he may not answer he clasped his hands and took a deep breath, "I could give you a lot of answers, but at the end of the day I suppose I knew she wouldn't come. Not asking in the first place seemed," he sighed, "kinder to both of us."
"But you loved each other?" She wondered if she would know what line not to cross before it was behind her.
"Yes," he said. "Very much."
"Then why would she have stayed anyway?"
"It's a lot to ask, Daine." He shook his head and turned back to shore. Only the Bankiju and one particularly fat cat remained; the rest were retreating up the steps. She couldn't see Varice.
"Love's a lot to give up."
"But to leave her friends, her position, her country. Her entire life." He sighed again. "Even if you loved someone, Daine, would you turn your back on Tortall? If someone asked you to walk away from the life you've built?"
She turned away, feeling the spray of the sea as they gained speed. "I understand what you're saying. I love my home but," she swallowed, pushing herself back from the rail. She turned and placed a hand on his shoulder as she moved away, "I'd go with you if you needed me."