Hello! Apologies for the delay, I lost the will to write for a while.

Disclaimer: (cheers) I finally remembered to write one. So, anyway, I don't own Tortall, Daine, or Numair (no matter how much I want to). I do own the plot, Alex, Black, Star, and the many other horses that Jon has gave to his dearest friends. Oh, and I own Benton and everybody in it!

Chapter 11

Hell Hath No Fury

Look into my eyes,

And you can see,

The anger that is,

A part of me.

Slowly Alex opened his eyes, groaning as the full force of his newly found headache overtook him, drowning out his senses. Looking up, he saw the stag that had come into the clearing to meet Daine. He must have rammed me when I wasn't paying attention, he thought, glaring up at the deer.

He tried to stand up, but the buck stepped forward, antlers lowered. Remembering what those horns had done to him earlier, he sat back down against the tree, choosing instead to look for Daine.

"Where's Daine?" he asked the deer after looking around the clearing for her unsuccessfully. The stag ignored his query, simply watching Alex carefully in case he tried to rise again.

He sat there, unmoving, for a long time, waiting for the buck to leave and for his headache to subside. Neither happened. His headache was as painful as ever, feeling like a hundred horses were running across his skull. The stag was just as watchful as ever, making Alex wonder why the deer was so devoted to Daine. If he had been that deer, he would have left a long time ago.

The sound of rustling leaves reached his ears, coming from the forest to his left. Scanning the trees for a sign of Daine, he was surprised when instead a steel gray pony appeared. What was Cloud doing here?

It didn't matter, he decided, smiling. He had just found his way out of the forest.

"Hey, Cloud," he called softly to the mare, who had come to stand in the clearing. "Come here girl."

He was surprised when her ears went back, her teeth bared in a gesture of contempt. Maybe trying to talk the mare wasn't the best move.

Trying to stand up again, he quickly sat back down when Cloud lashed out, teeth bared.

"Okay, okay, I get it," he snapped at the mere animals holding him captive. "You want me to stay here." They're just animals, he thought furiously. Simpleminded four-legged minions that do what they're told. My intelligence fat surpasses theirs. So why can't I escape?

Hearing the sound of hooves beating out a fast crescendo on the forest floor, he groaned, covering his face with his hands. A horse, most likely Daine's black stallion, was quickly heading towards the clearing.

The black horse appeared as Alex looked up, Daine on his back and that mage sitting behind her, arms wrapped around her waist.

As the mage met his eyes, Ales gulped. If looks could kill, Alex would be six feet under by now.

-----

As Numair saw Alex sitting on the forest floor, he felt an anger rushing through him like none he had ever experienced. An anger that made him want to use a Word of Power upon the young man who had tried to force himself on his Daine. He dismounted, Daine following him as he walked over to Alex, who was pressing himself even further against the tree in a futile attempt to escape Numair's growing magical aura.

"If I ever see you again," he began, kneeling down so they could be at eye level. "I can't promise that the next thing I do won't be to turn you into a weed. Are we clear?"

Alex nodded quickly, eyes widened in terror.

"Now. Leave," he commanded, standing up and putting his arm around Daine. Alex fled towards town so quickly that he disappeared in seconds.

"Ready to go?" Numair asked nonchalantly.

Daine laughed. "You wouldn't really turn him into a weed would you?"

"I don't know. I haven't decided yet," he replied as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Well, let's go," she said, smiling. Black, will you let Numair ride you?

The stallion snorted, stomping his hoof. I'll make an exception this time. As long as he understands I'm in charge.

"I'll ride Cloud. Black says he'll let you ride him as long as you understand he's in charge."

"A horse in charge?" Numair asked incredulously. Seeing Daine's glare, he quickly continued. "Sure, fine. Just so we get moving."

"Good," Daine replied as she mounted Cloud.

Following Daine's example, Numair mounted Black, after convincing the horse to go stand by a large rock.

Okay, Dante. Lead the way, Daine told the deer patiently waiting for them at the edge of the clearing.

Finally, the buck snorted as he jumped into the trees. Daine sent Cloud after the buck, Black following. Dante led them deeper into the woods, away from the village, along a small path. The tree branches were so low Cloud had to duck her head slightly while Daine rode with her head against the side of the mare's warm neck.

Looking back, Daine stifled a smile. Black had stretched his neck horizontal to the ground and though Numair was stretched low against the stallion's neck, he still barely passed under the trees.

Thanks, Black, she called back to the stallion.

No problem. Just ask that deer how when we're going to get there.

Dante? How much further is it? The horses are getting cramped.

Not much further, he answered. But the horses aren't going to be able to accompany us much longer. The trail narrows up ahead.

Sure enough, as Daine was relaying the information to the horses, Cloud stopped as the trail started going through a tunnel in the side of a cliff face. While Dante could get through, it was obvious that the horses couldn't.

We'll wait here, Cloud told Daine.

"Walking time," Daine called back cheerfully to Numair.

"Really? Good. That was really uncomfortable," he replied, sliding off Black. As soon as the mage's feet his the forest floor, the stallion walked over to a small spot beside the tunnel where he could stretch his neck due to the lack of tree branches. Finally.

Daine laughed as she followed Dante into the tunnel. Rounding a curve, they abruptly came to a chasm. The tunnel was really more like an entrance.

I thought that was a tunnel? Daine asked Dante as they picked their way down the small path.

No. A long time ago that used to be solid rock. One day a mage was walking through this chasm and came to a dead end. Tired of being surrounded by the towering cliffs, he blasted his way through. Or so they story goes. But, anyways, here we are, he said as he veered to the right and entered a large cave.

Muttering a spell under his breath, Numair cast the cave in light, allowing them so see the cave fully. The floor was smooth, bare of any stalagmites, even though the ceiling above was full of stalactites. At the far end were three openings.

"People have been here recently," Numair said as they headed for the first opening. "One of them the mage we're looking for."

The second cave was a lot small than the entrance cave, but still a respectable cave.

"I wonder what this room was for?" Daine asked as they looked around.

"Living quarters, probably," Numair mused.

"Our mage's?"

"I don't think so," Numair answered. "A different mage. Most likely one of his followers."

"He has people helping him?"

"Appears so."

After looking around some more, they headed back into the main entrance. Dante went over to the entrance, looking out at the chasm.

"I hope this isn't going to be a complete waste of time," Numair muttered as they headed for the main doorway. "We have to go to Tirragen and meet up with Alanna." Going inside, he stopped just past the entrance, blocking Daine from going in.

"Numair, move," Daine snapped. "What do you see?"

"Oh, sorry, Magelet," he responded absently, moving aside so that she could enter as well.

Instantly Daine saw what Numair had been looking at. This chamber was considerably bigger than the small one they had just left, but that wasn't the only difference. On the far way, in gigantic, scrolling script was one word.

Alzamaree.

"I think this was out mage's room," Daine said, as she walked closed to the signature, if that was what it was meant to be. It was written in black, something Daine was thankful for. At least it wasn't written in blood.

Reaching out, she had just barely made contact with the curling letters when the signature turned blood red. Instantly a crashing sound came from behind her.

Turning around, she saw the cause of the disturbance. The entrance to the chamber had caved in, leaving her and Numair in a stone tomb.

-----

In a large cavern just south of Tirragen, a young mage opened black eyes, stopping the magic that just seconds ago had been calling more villagers into the deep southern woods. An image flashed in the mage's head, the name Alzamaree turning from black to blood red. Hands clenched. Their cave in Benton had been discovered.

"Master?" a voice called from deeper in the cave. The mage turned as a young man with short black hair and brown eyes approached. "Is something wrong? I no longer feel the magic. Surely not every able-bodied person in Tirragen has been placed under your control yet?"

"No, Akito," the mage answered, barely managing to stay patient with the young mage. "Our previous quarters in Benton have been disturbed. Someone might be on to us, so we have to be more careful than ever. Tell Naraku."

"Yes, Master," Akito said, bowing before turning and running back the way he had come.

Sighing, the mage began the process of calling the villagers over again, hiding a smirk. Unless the intruder had been a powerful mage, they weren't getting out of that cavern.

AN 1: Well, to all of the Alex haters, there you go. He has fled in fear of Numair's all-powerful wrath! It's hard to believe that I hadn't brought him in until chapter 7 though. It's felt like he's been in Live and Love since the beginning.

AN 2: Again, I'm really sorry it took so long. I got caught up in other things, and when I finally had the time to write again, I just didn't want to. (shrugs)

Now, Review!

Later ppl,

The Dragon Kasia