[AN: This is a bit of a bonus portion from the last chapter. Alanna is just too much fun.]
Alanna crossed her arms in front of her chest and grinned as cheekily as she could. The intended effect occurred instantaneously: the tall man in front of her practically drooped.
"Just say it," she advised him. "It'll make your life easier."
Numair grimaced. "I have no doubt that it would, but can't you just help me? What are you getting her?"
"A book. On healing." Alanna raised a finger. "But you can't get her a book because you're always giving her books. I think technically she owns a quarter of your library by now."
"Well, not of my whole library. She's barely even started on my collection in the tower… But that's not the point. Not even a special book? Like… with a fancy cover or something?" Numair cringed even as he spoke. "Never mind, you're right. I can't get her a book. That would be ridiculous."
Alanna flung herself onto a stuffed chair and glanced at his desk. "Why don't you get her that?"
Numair followed her gaze to the small jewelry box and swore in several languages at once. "I don't know what that is," he said automatically.
"I can't believe you escaped Ozorne's court, with your inability to lie." Alanna reached out and grabbed the box, just beating Numair's hand. "Hmm," she said, admiring the box, "I know this jeweler. Very good quality. Jon gets jewelry for Thayet here sometimes." She opened the box to reveal a delicate silver charm in the shape of a book with a small blue stone embedded in the middle. When Alanna turned it over, she saw that it had a letter "D" engraved on the back. Numair, who was hovering behind her protesting feebly throughout all of this, groaned when he saw the letter.
"I forgot about that," he said. "I don't suppose I could convince you that it's for a good friend of mine named… Deonne, who you've never met?"
Alanna was still fingering the charm thoughtfully. "There's no chain." At Numair's sigh, Alanna turned around to see the mage striving desperately to hide a blush.
"Well," he said, "back when I thought that this might be an appropriate gift, I, ah, spent some time making sure that the charm, when attached, would stay with the badger claw she wears around her neck."
Alanna raised her eyebrows. "You couldn't have just given her a chain? That's complicated magic. And more importantly, for you, that's delicate magic."
Even Numair's ears were red. He snatched the box back and held out his hand for the charm. "I managed."
Alanna handed the charm back. "Why, might I ask, do you say that you no longer think that this is an appropriate gift? It's very thoughtful, and I have no doubt that Daine would be very pleased with it."
"You know why I can't give her a necklace charm! I'm her teacher, and she's my young and female student. It wouldn't be… proper."
"You gave her earrings a few years ago, and nobody thought it was improper."
"She was thirteen then! Even some of the conservatives weren't whispering about yet. She's grown up now, Alanna. She's a young lady, and things are different."
"But they weren't when you bought this. And spent hours and hours devising a charm to work with a god's magic. What's changed since then?"
He sighed. "I realized."
She cocked an eyebrow in the hope that he would elaborate a bit, but he had hit the heart of the matter and shook his head at her.
"I'm not going to say it," he said, sinking into the chair next to her.
She stuck her tongue out at him. "I hope you know that you're denying an old woman a wonderful piece of amusement."
Numair shook his head. "It's not funny, Alanna. And you know I can't say it. The instant I say it, it becomes real, and that can never happen." He took a deep breath. "It's best not to think about it."
"You know," Alanna said casually, "I noticed that Daine's quiver is falling apart. I bet she'd appreciate a new one."
Hope dawned in his face. "Alanna, you're a lifesaver. I knew you would help me."
She shrugged. "I just don't want Daine to be stuck in the field with subpar equipment. A girl needs her gear."
"Yes," he sighed. "I'll get her a lovely quiver. How appropriate." He made a face. "And something for Cloud, too. You never know, she might stop hating me. Alanna, in all seriousness, thank you so much."
Alanna got up to go, patting him on the shoulder on her way. "You never know, Numair. Perhaps someday you'll be in a situation where it's appropriate to give her that charm. I wouldn't throw it away just yet."
