I'd like to apologize for my story not being updated. I just bought a new computer, I moved again, life has been crazy. I fully intend to finish this story and its not near done. I am glad so many have liked it so far. Stick with me :) By the way just to make it clear... I don't own this. I completely respect JK Rowling and Tamara Pierce.
"Numair, you know as well as I do that he has no wild magic." Daine said softly to avoid waking Harry in the next room.
"How was he talking to a snake then Daine?" Numair asked.
"I'm not sure but it wasn't in common, he was speaking to that snake in a language for snakes." Daine told him. "Its possible he has always been able to do so. Surprisingly this is the first time he was really near one. Though snakes like to keep to themselves, I have never had one near him before."
"This is fascinating!" Numair quietly exclaimed. "Oh don't look at me that way Daine, you know I would never treat him like an experiment."
Sighing she replied, "I know, I can't help being protective of him though Numair, as far as I am concerned he is mine."
"He sees himself as yours as well." Lilly spoke to both of them as she came to speak to both of them. "You have raised him well. That child is going to be one of the great ones."
"That's what worries me most." Daine whispered to no one in particular in a voice unmistakably filled with fear.
"He will be fine magelet. We will keep him safe. Harry is strong." Numair said as he wrapped his arms around her.
Daine turned her head into his chest as tears quietly fell down her face.
The next morning Harry was awake filled with the energy that usually accompanies a boy his age. "Morning mum," Harry said with a smile as she handed him an apple. "So are we doing anything today? Did you and Numair talk about why I could talk to that snake? Do you think I could talk to others or just that one?"
Smiling at her adopted child Daine told him "I can only answer one question at a time! Slow down, I swear Numair is a terrible influence on you. Curious as a cat you are." She ruffled his already hopelessly messy hair.
"There is absolutely nothing wrong with him being like a cat." Lilly said as she hopped up to Harry's shoulder.
Harry pet her and smiled. "See its fine mum, can you at the very least answer one of my questions though?"
"Today we are heading to the palace to see Jon, he needs us to do something, we may need to leave you at the palace for a couple weeks." Daine said as she turned begin packing what bags she knew she would need when they left Pirate swoop.
"He's growing up faster than I would like" Daine thought to herself. "He will never be as tall as Numair but he's done well from the time we found him. Thank the gods for Alanna."
Harry was now only a head shorter than her, recently having turned ten. He was advancing at a fast pace working with Numair since he had returned from the Realms of the Gods. He called her mum but never referred to Numair as da. She had asked him why not long ago only to be shocked when he responded "You aren't married, I love Numair but your my mum. If you were married he would be my dad, but you're not." Honestly she wasn't sure what to think about that. She didn't think it mattered if her and Numair were married or not, though Numair asked her to marry him rather persistently nowadays. She had been thinking about what it would be like more and more...
Just then the door opened and with it a terrible rotten eggs smell filled Daine's nostrils.
"Blasted gift!" Numair exclaimed. "I wish I could do small magics but they never turn out the way I want them to."
Overcome by the smell Daine ignored Numair and moved quickly to the wash basin in the room. Soon the little she had eaten that morning was in the large bowl before her.
"Daine?!" Numair said rushing towards her.
Harry worried had also moved forward.
"No!" Daine said holding out her hand to make him stop. "Its the smell Numair."
Numair turned to the window and as his power filled the room a strong wind started to flow through the room dispersing the worst of the smell. The papers that were also in the room being thrown everywhere.
Soon Daine was able to breath easily again, the nausea she had felt fading away. "Its fine now." She told him.
Numair released the spell and walked closer kneeling down to Daine. He pressed his hand to her face, worry in his dark eyes.
"I'm fine Numair, Really." Daine began to stand and went to Harry to reassure him as well. "Whatever that was though, it was worse than stormwing stench." The thought almost made her gag again. "You forget that my senses are stronger than most."
"If you're sure than I will go get my bags packed, I'd hoped we could leave before the midday heat set in." Numair said reluctantly.
"I'm sure." Daine replied. "Harry could you go get your bags packed as well?" she asked
"Sure mum." Harry responded. He didn't like anything happening to her ever since he had accidentally cut her open on a sword. However Daine trusted him to pack his own bags, he had been going with them whenever safe, when they traveled.
With a knowing look Daine didn't understand, Lilly followed him out.
In the next few days as they traveled Daine continued to be sick. She hid it from Numair and Harry, but she had her suspicions. Thankfully, Alanna would be in the palace to either confirm or deny her thoughts. She would ask Alanna tonight when they were settled.
Meanwhile Harry was excited to see his best friend and Alanna's son Alan. He stayed at the palace now that he was a page.
"I have to come and pester you every once and a while Alan, or else you would forget me." Harry told Alan.
"Oh I highly doubt that. With all the trouble we manage to find, we will be legends before I'm knighted." Alan responded wryly.
"Trouble? I think you have the wrong person already, I don't cause trouble, I am perfectly well behaved." Harry replied cheekily.
"Sure, and Griffons lie." Alan muttered, causing a burst of laughter from Harry.
"So will you be able to stay long or are Daine and Numair leaving with you again?" Alan asked.
"Mum said that I will probably be here for a while. Jon is sending them on a mission." Harry said with a small trace of bitterness at being left behind. He could take care of himself, he wasn't a baby.
"You know they only want to keep you safe, I know you want to go, but I've heard stories of the troubles they find and though I know you are completely capable of taking care of yourself I understand. Besides it can't be to bad. I'm here." Alan finished smugly, laughing as Harry shoved him teasingly.
Daine sighed to herself after the meeting with Jon. He needed her and Numair to go and spy for him out by the border near her old home. She was just a bit nervous, but it didn't seem like the worst mission they had been on. Just going to gather information. Now however she needed to see Alanna and was standing outside the rooms Alanna used while staying at the Palace. Before she even knocked the door opened.
"Oh, good evening Daine. Did you need something I was just heading to the dining hall." Alanna smiled.
"Well I was wondering if you could check me with your gift?" Daine forced herself to say. She wasn't upset if her ideas were correct. It just wasn't the best time during this war.
With a worried look Alanna replied "Of course, whats wrong?" As she moved to the side to let Daine in and close the door behind her.
"I'm kinda hoping you could tell me." Daine said to avoid the coming moments.
Frowning Alanna realized she wasn't going to get much more from Daine. Sighing she motioned to a chair so Daine could sit.
Daine did and held her hand to Alanna knowing she wouldn't continue to ask her questions.
Alanna took Daines hand and used her gift to begin checking Daine over. Eyes wide when she discovered what she figured Daine already knew. "Congratulations Daine. You're pregnant."
"I thought so..." Daine said looking down.
"Do you not want to have a baby with Numair?" Alanna asked. "Where is your pregnancy charm?"
"I think it must have fallen off and I didn't notice..." Daine replied. "Numair is the only one I would want little ones with Alanna. However now he will be protective and Jon wont let me do anything useful. I don't wan to be stuck sitting around while my friends risk themselves. You know Numair will be needed."
"You sound like me when I first found out I was pregnant." Alanna said with a small sigh. "Sometimes though you have to do things you don't want to for your family."
"Can we keep it secret?" Daine asked quietly. "Just for now. When we return from our mission I will tell Numair then. I want to do something to help for now at least before I'm stuck."
"Now you sound even more like me." Alanna snorted. "Well I was fine and I did the same thing although it didn't work. George figured me out. It's impossible to keep anything from him."
Daine hugged her friend. "Thank you."
"Take care of yourself Daine. I won't forgive you otherwise." Alanna informed her.
The Dark One Rising, Thank you for your constructive reviews :) I actually keep the tortall timeline pulled up in a tab while I write, However the timeline is going to get fuzzy and I haven't read Kel's books in a long time, so I have forgotten a lot of what happens in them, luckily here soon it wont matter to much. Daine getting pregnant is going to play a big role in this story as well. Hopefully it turns out the way I am expecting now but as I write things have a habit of changing themselves. This story has had several plot changes and I am only 9000 words in.