Daine shifted in her saddle. Stop fidgeting, you haven't sat still since we left the stables. It's like you are a foal again. Cloud's mind voice broke through Daine's cluttered thoughts. Daine apologized to Cloud and attempted to settle into the saddle, trying her best to ignore the dark gaze of the man riding six feet to her left.

"He just won't stop staring." Daine told the mare in mind speech. "I thought he was finally getting over that over-protectiveness, but now he's worse than ever." The girl shifted her seat again.

I mean it. I will dump you here, I don't care if I have to train another rider...you will sit still. The mare stopped and pawed the ground in front of her.

Numair pulled his own gelding to a halt and reached out towards Daine. "Sweetling, is everything okay?" His face was contorted with worry and Daine felt her frustration with the overprotective mage rise.

"I'm fine!" she snapped, nudging Cloud into a trot.

You shouldn't be so short with him...the Storkman is only trying to take care of his herd. The mare snorted.

"He's getting ridiculous...he actually picked me up and placed me in the saddle this morning!" Daine could tell that even in mind speech she was yelling. Her mind traveled back to earlier in the day when she had been saddling their mounts. She had just cinched Cloud's girth when she felt a pair of hands lift her gently into the saddle. She had glanced down surprised, only to see Numair expertly avoiding her gaze. His thumbs had absentmindedly grazed her hip bones a few times, before he dropped his hold on her waist. He had walked around Cloud, gently placing her boots in the stirrups. He paused, still holding her right boot, took a deep breath as if to say something, only to squeeze her calf and walk over to Spots without a word. Daine had been too caught off guard to say anything...but then had spent the first few hours of their ride brooding over it.

At first she had thought it was sweet. She had relished Numair's touch since they first met, and he was so careful about where and when he allowed it. It was only ever the barest of touch, never when others could see...only ever embracing her where the gossips couldn't twist it. Then she remembered his conversation with the king from the night before...


"Jon, all I am saying is that she could stay here...I'll send a speech spell if I have any questions about how to deal with them!" Numair's voice had reached that dangerous clip that Daine knew meant his magic was about to become visible.

"Numair calm down, you are being ridiculous!" The king reached out towards the mage, but then seemed to think better of it. "She will be perfectly safe Numair, they are only unicorns."

"What about the fever Jon?" a black haze seemed to be radiating off of Numair now.

"What about it Numair?" Jon seemed exacerbated now. "The fever is self-limiting, and rarely leaves lasting effects."

"She has wild magic Jon; we don't know how it might affect her!" Numair snapped. Sparks lit the room.

"Numair...stop it!" Daine stepping out from where she had been hidden in the shadow of the doorframe. The black fire shifted back into Numair like water being sucked down a drain.

"Daine..." Numair's voice came out in a cracked pleading whisper.

"No Numair...I am going, and that's final." She turned and left the room without another glance.


Daine sighed slowing Cloud back down to a walk, and glancing at the mage who was now a good several hundred yards behind her, trying to coax his gelding to catch up with the girl. This morning her first inclination had been that Numair was being sweet, apologetic even, but then she had realized he was just being his ridiculous over protective self. "He doesn't even think I can mount a horse on my own." She turned and faced forward again, biting down hard on her lip.

I think he just needed to touch you. It was Spot's voice that broke through her mind this time. Don't get me wrong, he's worried about you, same as always. But there is something else there that I don't recognize. I've felt it on other riders, but never on him. I think it scares him, whatever it is. When he touches you, that fear goes away. He's like a colt, unsure and unsteady on his feet. But when he touches you...he finds his footing again. You calm him. The gelding had caught up with them now, and reached over and nipped at Daine's boot. He knows you can mount up on your own Daine, but this morning...The gelding trailed off, sounding confused, and flicked his ears back towards the mage. I don't think he could...not without touching you.

Daine pulled Cloud to a halt, and Numair glanced at her worriedly, but didn't say anything. "Numair, can we dismount for a minute?" She didn't wait for him to answer as she slid off the mare's back, her boots making the dust puff up around them. The mage cautiously lowered his tall frame to the ground, leading his mount to stand beside hers. Daine let Cloud's reigns drop and wrapped her arms around her teacher's middle, burying her face in the V of his tunic, and inhaling the unique scent of spices and parchment that could only be Numair. She could feel his heart beating against her cheek, the rhythm far too fast and hard for their few hours of leisurely paced riding. Hesitantly his arms wrapped around her, and he pulled her even closer to him, his lips brushing her curls. She held him there...let him hold her...until his heart beat slowed against her ear. Yet, peculiarly, she only felt her own quicken.