ThePrincessPage

Part three

… … …

Most of the remaining citizens of Corus had come to the southern border of Tortall to welcome the Wildmage back to the country. The welcome party included the new page, Rianna, and her friends. Daine could pick her out of the crowd with ease. The 'princess' was very beautiful, even in the scarlet hose, white shirt and gold tunic issued to all the pages. Instead of hiding her figure, the lose shirt and tunic almost enhanced it.

Among others was Baron George Cooper of Pirate's Swoop, his children and the four heirs to the Tortallan throne. Select members of the Queen's Riders and the King's Own had come to escort the Crown and their party back to the capital where they had a welcome banquet awaiting the returning royalty and the woman they had left to retrieve. Where as most had stayed back, also the whole team of teachers for the pages was there with the remaining knights that stayed to protect the castle.

Daine was amazed by the large crowd that had assembled to welcome her home. It was nearly the same size as the team that came to rescue her. She never knew that she was this important to the land. This land she had just come to looking for a place to work, she had become very valuable in the time she had spent in the land she felt like any other girl that had come to the castle.

Stepping down from the ramp she was swarmed by loads of people, she knew less then half of them; there was always a few she didn't know, no matter how long she had spent in the palace in service to the Crown. She was told by many that she was missed or that it was great to have her back. After she had talked to what seemed to her like the whole country twice, the new page walked up.

"Welcome back, Veralidaine," Rianna said extending a delicate but strong hand, "my name is Rianna of Snowsdale, I'm a new page."

Extending her own hand to shake the girls, Daine smiled and said, "I have heard a great deal about you, Rianna." Surprised a little at the girl's strong grip. "And it's just Daine. It's much easier to say."

"I'm told you can help me with my horse." The Princess said very formally.

"Yes," Daine said casually, a little confused about the girl's problem. "But I was told you had wild magic, too."

"Well, I do but I can only speak with wild cats, dogs, and sometimes horses." She replied. "I have found that almost every animal here is some way slightly domesticated."

"I'm sorry," Daine said giving a small laugh. "That's probably my fault. I think I have somehow gotten the animals more use to humans, which must have domesticated them."

"You see, I was raised in the time when my fief was constantly under attack by raiders. So I spent a lot of my time out in the woods hiding from or looking for the oncoming raiders. But you must know something about this; after all you were born and reared there, too."

"Yes, I was only there for the first attack. They killed my mother and grandfather while I was visiting my mother's friend. I ran away after that. It was after I left that I came to a sale party and sold horses. Then, as you must already know, Onua found me, bought the horses I was selling and hired me on as a temporary assistant. It was her who brought me to this place."

"You are very famous in the castle." She said smiling back at the other wildmage. "The ladies in Snowsdale also talk of you. Not a lot of people from Snowsdale become as famous as you."

Daine laughed, this was not the same place she had left behind. "Oh, really?"

"Of course, in fact, if it wasn't for their stories of you I would have never come here." She said her eyes filling with a sudden flood of sorrow. "I got into many fights with some of the local boys because they thought you were a fraud. I knew you weren't. I've looked up to you for a long time. When I was younger I wanted to run away and join you in fighting immortals. You were, and probably still are, my hero."

"Wow, really?" It was a shock to be someone's hero.

"Oh, yes, but my father told me I could try to be a knight when I got old enough. Now I'm a little past but I'm here." Daine saw that the page seemed to be about fourteen or fifteen years old. The girl continued, "When I finally got here, after much persuasion to my father I really wanted to be a knight, I was devastated to hear you were captured by stormwings, and on your wedding day no less!"

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I didn't plan that. And I'm happy to be home. It's also a pleasure to meet you, Rianna"

"Thank you, and by the way you can call me Ria, my friends here do."

"Your welcome, I'll try to remember that, Ria." The wild mages smiled at one another.

"Hey, Daine!" called Kel, working her way through the crowd to hug the woman who had help her when she had been the caretaker to a baby griffin. "It's good to see you again. I see you have met our 'princess page'. She is really amazing with a bow, she might be even better than you. And don't you be a modest girl, you are!" the lady knight said, giving a small playful hit to the blushing page. "You should see her. Maybe it's a Snowsdale trait to be amazing with a bow."

"Maybe, it's because we've got raiders invading the place all the time." The original Wildmage said with a smile. "We've learned how to use it well. Just like you Yamani ladies do with your glaive."

"Okay, you proved your point. I surrender!" Kel said throwing her hands up.

The three laughed and walked back to the camp set up by the people of the welcome party. The first and third company of the Own, with two parties of the Riders rode off to the castle to help insure it wouldn't be taken by invaders. Everyone else helped the returning "heroes" set up tents and get settled in. Numair found Daine once again and they found the tent that would be theirs.

After checking out the tent for a short time, they went back outside to talk with the others. They would be happy to return to the castle again. They talked of the return and as it got closer to the sunset most of the couples that were parted during the time went turned in early. One of the few couples that stayed out later was Raoul and Buri. They had both gone with the rescue party so they didn't have the urge to be with one another again.

The company woke and left early. Everyone was eager to return to their homes and families. It took them most of the day to get to the castle and wonderful feast that was awaiting them there.

They had everything that might appeal to anyone and enough of it to feed the whole city of Corus twice over. Everyone that had come to greet the returning "heroes" and the "heroes" themselves were present.

Daine had invited Rianna to sit with her and her husband. Rianna was so overjoyed at the thought of sitting next to the woman she had looked up to for so long she almost dropped the saddle she was carrying.

"I'd love to sit with you!" Rianna said quickly trying to get a better hold on the slipping saddle. "I couldn't think of a better place to sit." Then she turned her head to the ground crimson with embarrassment. "I'm sorry. It's just you've been my hero for so long I'm just a little overwhelmed with actually meeting you. And you're so nice, everyone here is so nice. I've talked with the queen and she kept telling me to relax. It felt so weird."

"Well, you at least knew it was the queen you were talking to. When I met Thayet, I thought she was just another commander or something. Then when she told me she was, well, Thayet. I felt really odd. When I started to act formal and she got mad at me. Tortall is a different kind of land." As Daine thought back to the time and smiled

"Really?" the Princess of Pages replied shocked. "I mean I know Tortall, and more specifically Corus, is a weird land. But you really thought Thayet was a commander?"

"Yes, but it's not like she was all dressed up, she was wearing breeches and a shirt." Daine said to make it seem like she wasn't really that senseless.

"Oh, I see. I guess I could have mistaken her for someone else if that was the case." The girl said seeing the point.

"Well," Daine said. "We should probable start heading in or they'll think I was stolen again."

Rianna smiled as they walked back to the palace.

At dinner the wild mages discussed tactics on both of their leading qualities: archery and conversing with animals. Daine offered to help Rianna with her training.

"I may not be as good as Numair was but I'll try my best to teach you all I can." she said.

"Well, right now any help would be great." Rianna replied. "Right now I don't really know what I'm doing."

Daine laughed and turned to her husband. "Well, what do you think? Do you think I have what it takes to be a teacher?"

"From what I know of you, I think you could rule the world if you really wanted to, my dear. Everything is possible to you because you listen to your heart and you can do anything you want to." He said reassuringly and gave her a kiss.

"Wow. It must be nice to have someone to love you back." Rianna said dreamily.

"Well, Ria, you'll have to talk to Alanna and George on that topic." Daine said turning back to the page. "They have helped both of us with our problems."

"I think I shall." The girl said as she returned to eating one of the wonderful dishes present.

Later that evening, after everyone had eaten all they could of the feast, King Jonathan stood up to talk to the crowd. Everyone silenced to hear what the king had to say.

"Well I know everyone is happy to be back here and with their families, I know I am, but I just have to say a few things before I let you go get your well earned sleep.

"First of all I would like to welcome our original Wildmage, Veralidaine Salmalín back to the palace." he paused to let Daine stand and everyone clap to extend their own welcomes. "Yes, yes, we are all very happy to have you back.

"Second, I would like to welcome all our new pages including, what we hope to be future third lady knight, Rianna of Snowsdale. And to all that want to see this page in action, the Tournament of Pages begins tomorrow. I hope to see you all there.

"Now that I am finished I excuse you to go back to your families and friends to tell them you heroic tales as I know you all have made up your own! Have a great night and I will see you tomorrow at the tournament.

"That's all for now, now rest well."

Everyone rose and bowed to the exiting king and queen, waiting till they were gone to leave themselves. Daine stayed behind to wait for the crowd around the door shrink before making her way there. Numair stayed behind with her and waited patiently for the crowd around his wife to diminish so he could take her to home. It would be the first night they spent as husband and wife in their country. It was a very special occasion.

Slowly, very slowly, the crowd died down and Numair and Daine made their escape home. It took them record time to get to bed.

… … …

It was a few hours after sunrise and everyone was assemble to watch the promising new female page defeat all of her opponents. The young Rianna had lined up a long line of pages and even some squires that wanted to test the skills of yet another girl page. Well not really the third, it was more like the second because no one really knew Alanna was a girl when she was a page, and few knew when she was a squire.

That morning, Rianna was in her room. The first event was archery. Rianna was the only one who was challenged in this event so she had worked out her arms the night before so they wouldn't get too tired from shooting. She was putting on the archer's wrist when someone knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" she asked walking over to the door to unlock it.

"Ria, its Daine. I came to give you advice," was the response from the other side.

"Come in, I'm open for anything right now!" the page replied opening the door and admitting the woman in.

"Well, because I know this is going to be all back to back for you I'm here to help you keep your arm from getting too worn out." Daine said as she entered the room. "It is very important that you don't try to get them in deep but try more for accuracy. If I hear correctly that is the point of this event."

"Yes, and I know I can do that because everyone says I have your deadly aim." The princess of pages said, complementing the older woman on her skills.

"Yes, my aim may be good and if you have the same eye for archery I'll need someone like you for when I'm battling the immortals." Daine replied to the page, who was miming putting arrows in her bow and aiming at the door.

"Wow! You would really want someone like me to help you in your crusades!" the girl said enthusiastically. "That would be so much fun; I'd love to do something like that. When I get my shield of course. I have to focus on my studies now and when I'm a squire I would have to ask my knight-master before I do something like that. That is if I get a knight-master of course."

"Well I wouldn't be too worried about that." Daine reassured her. "The knights are already fighting over you, I've heard. Alanna and Kel are both fighting the hardest saying it would be best to have a female knight train a female squire. Raoul keeps telling the men how hard it is to train a girl to be a knight. I mean don't get me wrong, he loved training Kel but he still prefers boys to girls with squires."

"Really? The knights are fighting over me?" Rianna said astonished. "But I'm a girl. Why would any one want a girl for their squire?"

"Raoul did. And you're the best page in the palace, of coarse they are going to fight over you!"

Rianna blushed and returned to shooting invisible arrows at the door.

"I got to go." Daine said standing up. "Don't ware out that arm."

"They are going to start the tournament soon maybe I should start heading down there." Rianna said and walked to the door with her hero. "Be sure to cheer for me when I shoot. I think I'll need all the help I can get."

"I'll cheer for you but it's not like you need my help or my cheering for that matter. Everyone in the stands will be rooting for you. You are going to be just as famous as Alanna, Kel, and I are."

The page blushed as they parted. They had reached the stands and Rianna had to go sign in and Daine went to go stand by her husband in the stands and cheer of the new page.

King Jonathan stood up to give the welcoming speech. He stood in a small box elevated from the ground so everyone could see him and he could have the best view of the Tournament.

"Welcome everyone to the first annual Tournament of Pages. Today's event is archery. First up is our female page, Rianna of Snowsdale and Alan of Pirate's Swoop. Contestants, please step up to the line and string your bows."

As the king spoke the pages stepped up to the line someone had painted in the grass and strung their bows as the king instructed. Alanna's son was using an expensive bow, and Rianna used her old beaten up one.

"Now, before we start, I will say the rules. One, you will be given points for speed and accuracy. Two, you will shoot five arrows, no more, no less. Now would you please string the first arrow and take your aim." Jon said as the pages fallowed the instructions given to them. "Now on the count of three, release the arrow. After you have shot the first arrow, string aim and shot four more times as fast as you can. However, don't shot too fast that you forget to take aim. I don't want to dock you points on that. Ready," the pages nodded and focused back on their target. "One… Two…Three!"

The pages shot the arrows and reloaded as fast as they could. Rianna was faster, as she had said earlier; she had Daine's deadly aim with the speed to match. Her five arrows were all neatly clustered at the center of her target before Alan had three. She did in fact have the same skill as Daine did.

Alan shot his last arrow and glanced at his opponent to see her bow down and was shaking out her arms. He knew he had beaten him for speed. To be a good sport as both his parents had taught him he extended his hand to shake the girls.

"Good shooting, Ria." He said shaking hands with his friend, fellow page, and opponent. "You have a deadly eye for archery. It is my honor to have done as well as I did against someone as great as you." He said giving a joking bow.

"Oh, shut up, Alan," the princess of pages replied pulling her hand away from her secret loves grasp. "You're as good an archer as me. Or you could be if you had more practice. That's the only reason I'm any good, I've had a lot of practice and that's all."

Alanna's son shook his head as the judges tallied up points for the pages. Both the targets had the arrows deeply imbedded in them and the arrows had to be cut out. Daine smiled thinking of the time Kaddar had shown her around the land and his friends had challenged her with this same thing and were amazed with exactly the same results as Rianna had now.

Jon stood again to announce the score and who would be competing next. "the winner; Rianna of Snowsdale has a perfect score of 50 points and Thom of Pirate's Swoop with a close 45. Well done to both of you." Jon stopped to give everyone clapped as Rianna bowed Thom left the field.

The King relied the rules on the contestants again, which again was Rianna and the youngest prince.

Prince Jasson was faster than Thom was but was still not as fast as Rianna. He was on this fourth arrow as the girl finished. He wasn't surprised at her skills but he was at his own.

"Wow. Nice shooting. I never knew I was that fast." He said as he shot his opponents hand. "You are very good at this. You and Daine must be the best archers in all of Tortall, Scanra, and Carthak combined!"

"You really think I'm as good as Daine?" she said shocked at this complement.

"Yes, of course." He replied. "How could you think your not? I think you might be able to beat her. I've never gone up against her so as far as I know your better!"

Right there was the shock that made Rianna drop her bow. I'm no where near as good as Daine! She thought to herself. Or maybe I am. I must try against her some time. I don't think I could beat her but if Jasson thinks I can maybe I should try. She made a mental note to challenge Daine after the tournament was over.

"Once again Rianna of Snowsdale wins with another perfect score of 50 and Prince Jasson with a score of 47, closer. Great job to both of you."

The event wore on all day. Rianna had almost always a perfect score and always beat her fellow pages, having a conversation of praise after each one. A hand full of them had said she should try against Daine to see who was better. Before she had beaten all the pages that challenged her, and the few squires that had tried their luck against her, she thought that she could never in a million years beat her, the Wildmage. After, as she ate supper with her friends she slowly began to think perhaps she could beat this famed woman.

After the meal Daine approached her. "Hello, oh great Princess of Pages, may I have a word with you?" she said.

"Oh, yes of course." Rianna said getting up to put her tray away. "What about?"

"Just return your tray to the kitchen maids and then let's go for a walk." Daine said not wanting to tell the table of pages what she wanted to share with the girl.

Rianna did as she was told, and fallowed the woman out to the courtyard. Daine made sure that no one was in ear shot before talking to the page.

"Sorry," Daine whispered after checking the bushes and trees. "I don't want to attract a crowd when I ask you this"

"What do you want to ask me that's so secretive?" Rianna said looking genuinely confused.

"Well," the Wildmage started. "I know you've probable hear this a million times already by your opponents, and I want to see if it's true."

"What's true?"

"I've heard many pages and maybe even some squires that you're a better archer than me. Now before you say something, I think it may be true."

"You really think I could be a better archer than me?" Rianna said astonished.

"Well, yes. So what do you say we have a little contest? I will back down without regret if you tell me your arm is too sore." Daine said. "So what do you say? Are you up to another shoot-off?"

"I would love to!" the princess of pages replied. "And don't worry about my arm. I would shoot days on end and even into the night without stop back home. My arm is just fine."

"Well then let's go get arrows and our bows and we'll see." Daine said challenging the page.

"Bring it on. Although I seriously doubt I'll be able to beat you. You're so amazing!" she replied.

… … …

The walked the weapons shed that supplied everyone with extra supplies for battle. They each too a bow off the shelf, they agreed it was better to use these instead of running back to their rooms and attracting attention. Then they each took one of the many quivers filled with arrows.

"Okay. We're going to use the same rules as I did in the actual compaction," Rianna said as they got back to the archery yard. "Five arrows as fast as possible."

"Fine. I have no problem with that," Daine said in a cool voice. She was tingling with anticipation but she wouldn't show it.

They strung their bows and loaded the first arrow and aimed. They were ready to go when a voice, male and worried the women guessed, was heard calling in the distance.

"Diane?" the man called. "Where are you!"

The voice continued to call till Daine could make out the silhouette of a tall man peeking up over the hill be hind them.

"Oh, great." Daine mumbled to the girl, realizing who it was. "This is what I get for having a neurotic husband." She raised her voice to call to Numair. "Down here, Numair!"

The shadow turned and ran down the hill. He reached the bottom and his wife and swept her up into a hug. Pulling away to look at Daine who had dropped back down to the ground.

"Why in Mithros' name did you leave and not tell anyone?" he said. "You had me worried sick!"

"Numair, I'm tired of being treated as though I'm a young child!" she said. "I haven't been able to be on my own since I got here! I wanted to something without like twenty bodyguards! And I wanted to see if Ria really is better than me at archery."

"Well, you could have told me." Numair said.

"I thought if I told even one person I would have attracted a crowd." She said honestly. "And I'm sick and tired of crowds. Hell, I've been in a crowd every waking moment since I was taken from the stormwing nest."

Numair thought about it seeing the truth behind her words. He cupped her check in one of his hands. "I guess I was too worried about you and didn't think about how you felt about this. I'm sorry, my darling, I truly am."

He bent down and gave her a thorough kiss. When he pulled away the look in his eye was of a true apology. He straitened up and cleared his throat. "Well you can't very well have test of skills without a judge. Count of three, then?"

"Just count!" Daine said as she brought the bow back up and the string to her ear.

"One…two…three!" Numair said as he stood back and watched the two compete.

Rianna and Daine were both releasing the first arrow, and the second third fourth and fifth at the same time. No one ahead and no one behind. They seemed to be evenly matched. Numair just stood back and watched with awe. He had never seen someone so evenly matched against Daine. Daine was the best arche4r in Tortall and no one came even close enough to get two arrows shot in the time it took her to shot six! And now this new girl, Rianna, could shot just as fast. They were finished quickly and putt down their bows at the same time. Archery wasn't the only spot they were acting as one looking in a mirror; they both turned at the same time to face Numair and said, "Well?'

It took the man a few moments to get his shock under control. "Well, your timing is tied. I'll just have to check for you're accuracy." He said at last and walked down the field to the targets. He wasn't as shocked as he had been to see that both targets had five arrows neatly clustered in the middle of their targets. He shook his head as he cut the arrows lose and walked back o the chatting women. "Tie. You two are evenly matched. Congratulations, Page Rianna. Daine, I never thought I'd see a day some one would be able to beat you in archery."

"But, I wasn't beat," she pointed out. "A tie is not being beat."

"Your right but it's not a win either." He grinned. "So, maybe I should've said that I never thought I would see the day when someone would be able to match your skills in archery. Does that sound better, my dear?"

"I guess," Daine replied grinning up at him. "Now, we'd best get back to the castle. I'm awfully tired." She winked at Numair.

Taking the hint Numair immediately escorted the two archers back up to the castle. Daine bide the younger girl goodnight before retiring to her room.

… … …

"Well, Ria, what's today's challenge?" Daine asked the page as they walked to the dinning hall for breakfast the next morning.

"I think its un-armed combat." Rianna replied. "But, I'd have to check with someone."

"Do you know how many challengers you have today?" Daine asked; she had taken an interest in this page.

"I'm not sure how many had to back down, but I do know today will not be just me competing. Which is a relief." The girl sighed. "If I had to do something like yesterday all week I think I'd start falling apart!"

"Was it really too much. 'Cause you could have turned me down if it was, I wouldn't hold it against you."

"No, no. I love working with my bow, I can do that for days. But if every other competion was like that, well let's just say archery is my easiest class!"

Daine laughed and wished the page good luck before they went their separate ways to eat.

… … …

The two of them became close in the time they spent together. Although Daine went no where without a bodyguard they had fun together. Daine missed her privet time with Cloud in the woods but she dealt with it. Rianna taught her ways to ditch the bodyguards, but it made Numair furious. Daine still did because she liked to be reminded of how much she was loved. Rianna found it annoying and repetitive, and soon regretted ever teaching the woman.

Daine found it amusing to sit in a tree and watch Numair freak out. She'd laugh so hard sometimes she would fall out of the tree and get a very peculiar reaction. It would be a little like this:

"Are you alright, Daine?" Numair would say.

A still laughing Daine would gasp for breath while she struggled to say, "I'm alright, I'm okay."

Next was what Daine found slightly more amusing; Numair's worried face would turn red with anger as he tried to keep from yelling, "What on earth possessed you to run away and worry me sick? I thought you were taken again! Don't you ever do that again!"

Then he'd sweep the recovering woman into a hug and kiss her toughly.

It came to be almost daily until Numair watched her himself. Daine didn't even want to try out the spells he had almost certainly put around her to keep her from running off.

… … …

Eventually Daine got fed up with having to be in public every waking hour and complained to her husband one night before bed.

"I've had just about enough of having to be in sight of at least fifty people all the time!" she yelled. "I was taken off guard once, and I got my punishment for it. I've learned my lesson and I won't let it happen again. Now can I get back to a normal life again?"

"You don't know how I felt knowing you could be killed at any moment and I couldn't do a thing to help?" Numair returned her frustration. "I love you, Daine and I thought I would never live without you. I didn't want to risk it so I formed a search party. You can't blame me for wanting to keep the live of my life safe, can you?"

"Well, yes actually I can!" she yelled again, she wasn't giving up without a fight. "You've been suffocating me since the day I returned home. Why can't we just be like a normal couple?"

"Well, for one thing, you are not normal. You are the most powerful wildmage in the land! Everyone is watching out for you." He said trying to show his wife his point. "And, of course you are going to be watched for a while. You saved Tortall on more than one occasion, not to mention the royal family personally."

"Don't you think I've realized how important I am? By the size of our 'search party' and the welcoming party, how could I have missed that?"

"Look at it his way then," Numair hit upon an idea. "What if I was taken instead of you? What if you were left here to worry if I would live or die? How would you feel then?"

"I know how you felt, and I love you, too, with all my wild heart." She said as she walked over to her husband to cuddle up to him. "I don't want to see you hurt or killed but I-we- have to learn how to deal with it. Or else we will have to learn how to relax and not fight with everyone else."

The mage bent down to kiss her forehead, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer. "I guess your right." He sighed as he went to kiss her head again and was met with her lips.

… … …

Over the next few days, Daine started to feel a little sick. She thought it was just her body still readjusting to her life again. She would get dizzy and would wake up late and go to sleep early. She just plain didn't feel good.

Even with this sickness, or what ever it was, Daine continued to see the tournament. When she felt particularly dizzy she would sit instead of stand. After the third day she was too dizzy to stand she decided to tell Numair. She was unsure of how he would take the news. He had become very overprotected lately, and she didn't want to worry him over nothing. But it had been four days and she wasn't feeling any better.

That night as she was getting ready for bed, early again, she told him.

"Numair?" she asked nervously.

"Yes, my dear. What's on your mind?" he said as he walked over to sit on the bed next to her, cupping her cheek in his hand.

"Well, I don't want to worry you," she started, playing with her nightgown nervously so she wouldn't have to look him in the eye. "I haven't been feeling well lately and I've been really tired."

"What? How long have you felt like this?" he asked, putting his hand under her chin and forcing her to look at him.

"A few days. But I thought it was a little cold or something. So I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry, but it's been a while and I haven't been feeling any better so I thought you might like to know." She said, hastily explaining the situation in hopes he wouldn't interrupt her.

"Well," he said concerned but not too much. "I think perhaps you should see a healer then. You said you've felt like this for a few days now, right so why not?"

She felt better that he hadn't freaked out about it. "I will, I promise. Tomorrow morning."

"I'll make an appointment now. You get some rest and I'll be back in a minute." Numair said as he tucked his wife into bed and left the room.

Morning came and Daine continued to sleep. Numair had awakened, dressed, and gone to the kitchen to get some food. As he returned he saw Daine was up and reading a book. He smiled.

"I see you're up now." He said as he brought the tray over to her. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"As well as could be expected." She yawned. "I'm starting to feel better but not much."

"Well, why don't you eat something? Then get dressed, remember I scheduled you for an appointment with a healer." He said and smiled again, glad to hear she was feeling better.

"I'm starving!" she said as he placed the tray down. She immediately began eating the food that was available. "I haven't felt this hungry in a while."

"Well, eat up my darling. But don't eat so quickly, you don't want it to come back up."

"I think it might any way. My stomach doesn't like to have food in the morning anymore." She said as she continued to gobble down the food

"You won't have to deal with that much longer. The healer will find someway to fix it."

"I sure hope so!"

The man smiled, he had no idea what was to come next.

… … …

"What?" Daine said shocked. The healer had found out what was wrong, the only thing was it was not a bad thing at all.

"All the signs are there, morning sickness, dizziness, appetite increase." The healer said. "Being the daughter of a midwife I'm surprised you didn't notice."

"I'm really pregnant. Are you absolutely sure?" Daine replied still in disbelief.

"Of coarse I'm sure." Laughing the healer replied. "Now, let's see, here's some tea to help with the morning sicknesses and dizziness. Have a cup every morning when you wake up and one before you go to sleep. And when your hungry, eat, the baby will need the food. You will to if you have to take care of it for nine months."

"Oh, of coarse. I'll be as careful as possible, I'll be the best mother ever!" she said now excited, she took the box of tea leaves and walked over to the door. Reaching the door she paused. What about Numair? Would he be just as happy as she was?

Knowing the reason for the pause the healer smiled. "Don't worry over what Numair will think. He'll be happy, too. He loves you so much and this baby will be loved just as much. Now go tell him the news."

"What was I thinking; of course he'll be happy." Daine replied and turned the door handle. "Thanks again."

Daine opened the door and went into the waiting room where Numair was pacing. He saw her and walked over to the woman.

"So, what did she say?" he said searching her eyes for the answer.

"Well…um…" she said losing her confidence for a second then reminding herself of what the healer had said. "We're going to have a baby."

He's worried face creased into a smile. "Really? We are? Are you sure?"

"Yes," she smiled. "I'm sure. Can you believe it? We're going to have a baby!"

Numair swept Daine into a hug and kissed her toughly before placing her back on the ground so they could walk back to the castle. They wanted to tell everyone their good news!

… … …

By the next day everyone knew about Numair and Daine's news. Daine got all the advice she could ever want on how to be a mom, and Numair got the same lectures on how to be a dad. Castle life was a lot more interesting with this news floating around. People would walk up to the future parents asking them to name the baby after them. No one knew what kind of power the baby would have. Would it be a powerful mage like its father? Would it be able to talk to the animals like its mother? Would it have more godly powers like the grandparents? Or would it have a mix of the three?

Numair was having troubles. He started to worry more about the stormwings. Surely if the were going to take Daine again they would have done so already. Or were they planning something? He started to become overprotective again. He would escort Daine every where and he wouldn't let her lift heavy things. It was like if she lifted anything heavier than a large book, she would fall and hurt the baby. He would rarely let her go riding in fear that she would fall off. If Daine went do t the training yards to visit the pages, Numair would be right behind her. Daine decided to confront him about his behavior once again.

"Numair, I've already told you that I hate being fallowed around and constantly watched." She said. "Now I can't even ride Cloud, where are you going to draw the line? I can talk to Cloud and I've told her about the second passenger so she knows not be too rough. She wouldn't do anything to hurt me or the baby."

"I know but I worry about you, my dear." He said as he picked up the grooming box for her. "But, I don't want anything to happen to our baby."

"You're doing it right now!" she said trying to take the box from his hands.

"Doing what?" he said pulling the box out of her reach.

"You won't let me pick up anything heavier than your books. You make it seem as though my arms would fall off if I tried!"

"Is it so wrong that I care about you?"

"I don't mind that but you act as if I'm made of glass!"

"I do not!" he grabbed her arm. Daine was about to jump down from the platform in the stables. "Don't you dare jump down from there. You could get hurt."

"You're doing it right now!" She yanked her arm free and jumped the foot-and-a-half high platform. "I can take care of myself and the baby without a bodyguard."

"Well, I can't help that I want you to be safe. I can't change the fact that I love you."

"Well, you could ease up a little, you're strangling me!" she said as she walked up the stales to Cloud's stall. "Hey, girl."

"I'm sorry, Daine. I'm just so worried about you now." His apology sounded poor but his eyes said it was all true. "I don't know how I'd live without you again. " I think we need this baby. I am probable subconsciously giving you the love I have for both you and the baby. I won't be the same way when the baby comes, then he or she might take some of your attention. I hope you don't mind."

"Right now that's looking pretty good." She said with a smile. "Now, you go get Spots and we'll go riding."

Numair grinned and got his gelding. He was still a little uneasy about letting Daine ride but it made him feel better to know he'd be there with her. Cloud had been Daine's only family for a long time so Numair knew he could trust the mare. Daine knew he was still uncomfortable with her continuing with everyday life but she also knew he was only thinking of what was best for her and their baby.

"Do you think I'm really ready for this responsibility? I mean look at how I'm treating you. I haven't the slightest notion of how to care for a baby." Numair said, doubt filling his every word.

"I know you'll be ready when the day comes." Daine reassured him. "Alanna and Thayet told me that you can never be ready for something until the moment after it happens. And all you can do to fix it is to try to remember it for the next time if there is a next time."

With a sigh Numair agreed to the intelligence of the women who had already been through these things. He trusted George and Jonathan with the advice they had for him and he knew that Daine should do like wise with Alanna and Thayet. It was better to listen to the advice of people with experience than to try to do things on your own. They had both learned that from experience.

… … …

Days turned into weeks and weeks to months and still no sign of stormwing attacks. It started to worry the castle. Jonathan put more sentries on duty instead of less saying, "They want us to relax so they can attack when we get venerable. Therefore we will build up the defenses for when they finally do attack we will be strong not weak."

It was always better to agree with the king and not argue. Jonathan was never one to subdue to another's reasoning. He was set in his ways and rarely looked at other ways. He always thought because he was the king he was always right, but it was almost never true.

Month by month the castle did little to change. Almost everything that was there upon Daine's return was still there. The only change in the sentries was that there were more of them. The people only changed their attitudes were that they were a little more careful around Daine. The only change in the woman herself was the size of her stomach.

Daine got bigger around as her pregnancy grew to an end. The thought of soon being ridded of the extra weight seemed t cheer Daine up. She also got moodier the closer it came. If she accidentally dropped something and it broke, she would burst into tears and run to her room. Despite the constant reassurance from her husband that it was no big deal, she would still feel horrible.

At last the awaited month arrived. Every eye was on Daine. Every one made sure she was always safe. They rarely let her out of the castle on her own. The threat of another stormwing attack kept them alert to everything. A tiny hint of silver over in the distance and they locked Daine in a room surrounded with armed guards. They would sent some one out to see how many 'stormwings' were coming for the attack only to find that it was merely a silver bit in the city beyond the castle ground. The people of the castle took on Numair's over protective trait, but with good intentions. Daine succumbed to this new treatment in agreement to it. She knew that it was vital to keep her, and the baby (maybe it would become the most important mage in the palace), safe from the attacks. She knew it was all for the best and kept herself safe as well. She didn't even really want to be out of the castle, but ladies of the castle insisted she did. They would say, "You need the fresh air and so does the little baby. You have to be out side at lest once a day." In agreement to this she would but never with out the company of a few palace guards. No one argued with her judgment of that.

The day came and there was a new girl in the palace. Despite the knowledge of stormwings attacking the castle lessened up on the guards. No one noticed, or if they did they ignored it, because they were distracted by the new little girl.

The girl's name was Sarralyn. Sarralyn had golden blond hair, just like grandmother she was named for; it was hard to tell because she didn't have much to go by. Her mother's stormy blue-gray eyes. She was beautiful everyone agreed. She would grow up to be a gorgeous young woman, maybe not as beautiful as Thayet but beautiful none the less. Her grip was strong; she was going to be a great archer like her mother. She had the Gift; she would play with little lavender balls with sea foam green glittering. She had wild magic, too. No one would have known if it wasn't for Cloud. Cloud had told Daine after a visit that the 'filly' (Cloud uses horse terms, okay?) had talked with her. Sarralyn was going to be very important to the castle. If she had the powers of both her parents, Tortall couldn't afford to lose her.

The sentries took to their posts once again. But with the excitement of Sarralyn no one could keep their minds on their work. This fault was about to cost them.

… … …

Another day in Corus was beginning. A night sentry was about to be relieved of his duty by another sentry for the day when he spotted a silver hint rising over the horizon. He picked up his horn and blew three sharp blasts. This meant that the stormwings were coming. It was soon replied by others with another three blasts. Everyone in the castle heard the call and awoke immediately. They all knew what was coming. Wasting no time they dressed, grabbed weapons and readied themselves for combat. Within moments every resident of the castle was in the courtyards awaiting their commands. Everyone, that is, except those to young to fight and the family upon which this was the fault of, Numair, Daine, and Sarralyn. Some of the armed nobles were sent to guard them. They were locked in the tower that had once served as Daine's hide-out. The guards were posted outside surrounding the place to insure the family within was kept safe.

The battle raged on outside while Daine and Numair huddled in corner of their hide-out with their daughter. They could hear the clash of metal on metal, the cries of people as the stormwings swooped down with more attacks.

It seemed to the hiding family like they were locked in the room for the entire day. And finally one of the guards opened the door and led them out.

"How did you fare with them?" Numair asked emerging from the tower, gentle rocking the little Sarralyn till she fell asleep.

"We lost people but not too many." Buri said. Buri was sent to be a guard half way through the battle.

"Who did we lose?" Daine said. Sarralyn started to cry so Daine took her in her arms and began to hum a song to the little baby.

"We lost Evin, and Miri." The commander of the Queen's Riders said solemnly. "I'm sorry, Daine. I knew you were all friends."

Daine's voice refused to work. Her throat tightened with the wave of devastation swept over her. Evin was in charge of a troop of the Queen's Riders, and one of Daine's first friends when she first came to Corus. She could still remember the night they met; he had pulled a roll out of her ear. All though tears were falling down her face she smiled at the memory as a new wave of tears came. Then there was Miri. She was shy. Daine met Miri at the same time but a later memory stood out. It was the time Daine had bribed two horses to be nice to the girl when everyone was picking mounts on one of their first days. More tears fell. Some fell on the blankets that were covering Sarralyn.

Daine moved her arms, so she balanced her daughter in one and tried to dry her eyes with the sleeve of the other.

"Any others?" Numair said knowing that his wife would have done so if she wasn't crying over her friends.

"Yes, but the rest were commoners. I don't know there names and I didn't think you'd want to hear about people I didn't even know."

"Thank-you, Buri. I appreciate you telling us."

"Yeah, sure, anything. I just hope we can find some one to fill Evan's passion. He was a good leader." Buri replied and turned away to lead the valued family to their room.

When they reached the door, Buri bide them good-night. Daine forced a smile and Numair returned the good-night.

Daine put Sarralyn in her crib and collapsed on the bed. She succumbed to the tears she had not yet shed. She sat on the edge of the bed and just cried. The loss of her friends was too much to deal with at the moment. In honor of her friends she decided that if she ever had a son she would name him Evin after the friend that lost his life protecting her. She also decided that in honor of Miri she would give Sarralyn a middle name.

Numair had similar thoughts. He sat next to his beloved wife and hugged her. He gently kissed her hair and rested his cheek on the crown of Daine's head. "I know you'll miss them." he said soothingly. "I say we should name our next children in their honor."

Daine forced a smile, but it only brought more tears. She still couldn't talk so she merely nodded in agreement. Her throat burned from holding back tears.

Numair hugged Daine a little longer then stood up and walked to the fire. As he busied himself making tea he said, "I know you feel really terrible now but how about we take Sarralyn for her first ride tomorrow. Maybe seeing Cloud will cheer you up a little."

Daine again tried to force a smile, and again it only brought more tears. Tomorrow was a new day and no one ever knew what would happen then (well except maybe a seer).

To be continued…

(Yes, I have more but I thought you might like to find out what happens)