Hey! Hopefully you guys liked last chapter, this is the new one! I'm not sure how much longer this story is going to last, but I'll try to update something regularly. I'd like to thank my reviewers, and hopefully some of you other people will leave me one? Oh well, I'm just happy someone's reading it!
Numair left Daine after she fell asleep to go and find something to eat. He'd sat beside her for a couple of hours and had gotten hungry. He made his way down to the kitchens, hoping he could get something out of one of the maids before the cook saw him and threw him out.
He made his way to the door, saw the cook bustling around in plain sight, and sighed. He wasn't in the mood to charm his way into some food for himself and Daine. But then his stomach growled loudly, informing him that walking away was not an option. He motioned to a maid that happened to be walking by, hoping he might be lucky and that she wouldn't lose all brain power in the knowledge she was talking to a black robe.
Daine sat straight up in her infirmary bed, and sighed in relief at the realization that she was in the healer's wing and not being hunted again after all. However, she couldn't get her breathing to slow down, and her heart was beating hard against her ribs. She found herself wanting nothing more than one of Numair's hugs to calm her nerves, but quickly banished the thought as being babyish. She would just take a deep breath… there. That was much better.
She looked around the room, and found it empty. Gone twice in one day? She thought. He must be just around the corner getting something to eat, or getting a book. He'll be back in a moment.
She settled back down into her blankets to wait, hoping he managed to find some food before the cook saw him and threw him out of the kitchens.
Numair was having a hard time with this particular maid. All he wanted was some rolls, butter, some meat, and maybe some drinks. The kitchen girl, however, had decided that he wanted something other than food.
"Why don't you just come back into the kitchen, Master Numair? I'm sure we could find you something." she said with a suggestive smile.
He shook his head. At this point, he'd rather have one of the brainless ones. "I just want some lunch, truly. And you probably know I'm not allowed into the kitchens."
"That will just make it more fun."
Numair gave up. With a wave of his hand, three rolls, three pieces of cheese, Some meat, and a pitcher of juice all came floating over into his outstretched hand.
"I should be leaving," he said. He turned around, and started to walk off, until he heard the maid say:
"When you get tired of that Wildmage of yours, come to me. I'll make it worth your while."
If Daine hadn't been waiting for him in the infirmary, he would have blasted her where she stood. He had always regretted how his reputation affected how people perceived his relationship with his student. Now, when she was recovering from a wound and there was no way she was in any shape to do that sort of thing anyway, and there was no one around, he found it very hard to control his temper. It was a miracle that he managed to turn and walk back to the healer's wing.
Daine was getting worried. She had been waiting for almost twenty minutes, and she knew fair well that it didn't take that long to get some food. She knew she was being silly, but her dream and being in an unfamiliar place had made her apprehensive.
The door swung open, making her jump, and Numair backed into the room, carrying a plate-full of lunch. He sat the tray down on to the bed-side table, and turned to look at her. Seeing the hidden pleading and residual fear in Daine's eyes, he sat down on the bed and wrapped his arms around her.
"Bad dreams, Magelet?" He murmured into her hair.
All she could do was nod. She rested against his chest, trying not to cry, and waited as his embrace worked its wonders on her strained nerves.
He pulled away after a while, and wordlessly offered her the tray of food. She helped herself, and they finished their meal in a comfortable silence.
When they were done, a healer walked into the room to check Daine over. He came to the side of the bed and pulled down the sheets, running his hand gently up her thigh and over the wound. Diane was surprised to notice black fire start to crackle around her teacher, but it disappeared after a split second and she was left wondering if she'd imagined the whole thing.
"Her leg is healed enough that she can move out of the Wing, but she can't stay in her own room for a bit as it's too far away and she shouldn't be walking on it so soon," the healer pronounced.
"She can stay in the rooms next to mine," Numair said. He would have liked it if she could have stayed with him so he could keep an eye on her, but the kitchen maid's statement was still ringing in his ears.
The Healer conceded that it was a good idea, and said Numair could carry her up to the spare set of rooms as soon as she was ready.
"I'm ready now!" was Daine's reply, causing Numair to grin.
"Alright, magelet, Let me go and get the rooms ready for you, and then I'll take you up there."
He was gone for almost an hour, in which Alanna came to visit and was told about the plans. She approved, and kept Daine company until Numair came to get her.
When he came, he put one of his arms under Daine's back and the other beneath her bent knees. With a glance in her direction to make sure she was ready, he lifted her gently off of the bed.
Daine couldn't ever remember being so high off the ground. She wrapped her arms around Numair's neck as Alanna laughed at the look on her face.
"I never realized how tall you were!" said Daine as an explanation. The mage chuckled, his laugh rumbling in his chest, and walked out the door.