Thanks for all the reviews! Lol, and I realize this isn't typical Tammy style. I wasn't really trying, just letting my muse have some fun. Also, sorry for taking so long. My husband did a full reinstall of the computer, but somehow didn't think Microsoft Word was worth his effort… I about killed him.

Enjoy, this concludes the story.

Chapter 2:

Jonathan sat in his study lost in the hurricane of his thoughts. The unforgiving thud at his temples was ripping his head apart. Numair's death put a big whole in his war strategy. There were several powerful mages Numair was tutoring, but they lacked real experience. However, in the wake of his death those mages would have to pick up Numair's weight. Unfortunately a whole in politics wasn't the only sphere of life feeling Numair's absence.

The personal hole his death left was exceptionally tricky to begin navigating. While Numair had been a close personal friend to Jonathan, he had also been an indispensable companion to many of Tortall's advisors.

Alanna and Onua were the ones who discovered the starving mage on the streets. They picked him up and introduced him to his new home. He quickly became an asset to the country. Then Daine came into the picture. Their relationship may have developed slowly, but its power was unmatched.

"How am I going to tell her?" Jonathan groaned as his temples throbbed harder.

"Tell who what?" Daine's pleasant voice spilled into his thoughts. He looked up to see her standing in front of his desk. She had changed into fresh clothing and her general appearance seemed refreshed.

"How long has it since…" Jonathan was cut off.

"It's supper time." Daine retorted as she folded her arms. "You need to get out more." She accused. However, Jonathan's composure didn't improve like the young woman had hoped.

"I talked with Alanna." He said, unable to meet her eyes.

"He's not coming home is her?" Daine's voice and demeanor fell watching him shake his head in response.

"Sometimes things go unexpectedly." Jonathan began. "But we can't let those things destroy us or expose us." His words held allusions Daine knew she wasn't getting, but tried to follow none the less. "Sometimes the only thing we can do is be thankful for what we have and move on."

"For Mithro's sake what is it?" Daine said a bit perturbed at Jonathan's words. Her hands had found her hips and her stubborn frown stared the king down.

"Numair is never coming home." His words were strong, but did not conceal the grief that etched itself into each syllable. In an instant Daine's complexion transformed to disbelief.

"What do you mean? He abandoned us?" Obviously the more permanent reason refused to enter her mind. Jonathan shook his head gently, allowing his blue eyes to find hers. The tears welling up took him off guard.

"Life abandoned him." A lump rose in his throat as he watched Daine's reality crumble around her. "Today, not long after we spoke, he died." At those words Jonathan found himself unable to hold her gaze and allowed his eyes to drift toward his desktop. For a long moment the only sound was the small thud of tears hitting the stone floor beneath her. Neither was party willing to break the strangely comfortable silence.

"He'll never know." Daine said wiping tears from her eyes as her unsteady body found a gaudily embroidered chair to sit on. Her hand had unwillingly found her stomach.

"He'll find out. I'm sure of it." Jonathan tried to reassure her. "Your parents could visit him and let him know…" He trailed off feeling bitter. Daine shook her head.

"They visit Grandpa because that was part of the deal when Ma became a Goddess." Daine's expression was contorted between grief and denial. "When they visit next I'll find out if there's any way…" Tears threatened to overtake her as reality began to set in.

"We are all here for you. Onua will be coming home to help you through this." Daine nodded knowing she needed someone's shoulder to lean on.

"My baby is going to be a bastard." Daine's statement was bitter and complete. Her eyes stared rudely at the stone floor while her mouth twisted into a taught frown. "Just like me."

"You know none of us will see the child that way." Jonathan's tone was sincere. "As long as you're with us the child will never be limited. Not in the way you were growing up." However, sobs began to take over the young woman's body. Her face fell into her open palms.

"But the whispers will still be there." Daine's words were nearly incomprehensible through her grieving.

"You had it a hundred times worse than your baby ever will. In the end they never broke you." His words tried to sooth her as the reality of single motherhood ate away at her.

"How will I live without him?" Daine's soft words barely made it to Jonathan's ears. "I never imagined raising a family without him. I don't know how to begin."

"We'll give you whatever support you need. Please don't ever feel like you're alone." Jonathan said carefully. He was a bit relieved to she wasn't going to turn into a suicidal star crossed lover. Instead her instincts worried more about her child. He supposed it was the most constructive way for her to grieve.

"You're right, I'll never be alone." Daine said with a soft smile. Her hand rubbed a gentle circle over the baby nestled inside her womb.

********

60 years later

Daine lay in a bed coughing up blood. Her gray curls were matted in sweat, her skin hung off her bones and her once sparkling eyes had a milky veneer. She knew she was finally on her death bed as she gave a fleeting glance around her room. It was modestly decorated with pictures and heirlooms. Shakily she tried to sit up to look out her window.

"Ma, please don't stress yourself." Her son's voice pleaded from her side. She looked into his face and smiled. Although he was fifty nine, with a wife and three grown children, he always made sure his mother was never left alone.

"Rikash, shouldn't you be helping your wife or finding out what boys your daughters are canoodling with? I'd pity those boys; your girls will drive them crazy." A smile spread across his beautiful face as he held her hand. It was times like these that his father came out in his features. From his long nose to his swarthy skin, height and thick black hair he resembled Numair. He even had his father's gift, becoming a second generation black mage. However, his eyes were a deep bluish gray like his mother's.

"And leave my mother all alone?" He asked like it was a stupid question. Daine smiled, somehow it had become an unspoken rule for them. Rikash understood at an early age that his presence kept his mother's sanity in place.

"You've been a good son, keeping me together all these years. But soon someone else will be keeping me company." Daine said, perhaps a little too lightly considering the subject was her own mortality. A sad smile spread across her son's face. He loved her dearly, but she knew he would be fine without her. He had a beautiful family to keep him occupied.

"Tell Da if he doesn't take care of you I'll turn him into a tree when I get there." Rikash smiled knowing his mother's death wasn't such a sad thing. He knew she would be with his father, someone her heart never stopped crying over.

"I've got so much to tell him." Daine's pale lips lifted up and brightened her withering complexion. The truth was her parents were unable to contact him and the Black God did not see her request as anything but ordinary and annoying. Even the dream king was useless since the dead do not dream.

"I just hope I've taught Sara enough." Daine thought dryly. Her youngest granddaughter was much like her. The moment she was born Daine could see the immense wild magic she possessed. Rikash's smile broadened.

"You've taught her everything she needs. She'll be fine." Rikash assured her. Suddenly Daine fell into a horrible coughing fit. "Ma?" Rikash asked alarmed. Daine's entire body shook as the coughing ravaged her motor controls. Blood sputtered through her mouth in alarming quantities.

"You…" Daine struggled to get her words out. "are… my… good… son." She finally managed between coughs, her voice getting weaker with each word. The world was going black and she welcomed it. She could never argue that her life was anything less than fulfilling. However, it was finally time to be reunited with her lost lover. The one who unknowingly gave her the beautiful life she was leaving behind.

*********

In the Black God's Realm

Numair sat in his mother's house looking out over the pond and flowers of her estate. It was an exact replica of the house his family owned when he grew up, before they lost everything in a drought. When he died he came here, since he had no other attachments. Time seemed non existent here. A natural extension of existence without death or even aging. In fact one was whatever age they wanted to look like here. However, there were ways of keeping track of time in the world of the living. The Realms of the Black God were vast to say the least. There were cities where priests knew the year and basic happenings of the realm of the living.

However, without a spouse or children to look over Numair found no use for such knowledge. His parent's had been saddened to hear their only child left no legacy behind. Still, they were delighted to hear how much he had done for his country.

"Our son left his name in the history books. Perhaps that is more powerful than leaving a bloodline behind." His mother had said with a shaky smile. They welcomed him and never asked him to leave. Knowing he would be alone without them.

However, they worried over him. Numair had told them about Daine and how she should have been his. They also knew he thought of her constantly. Even now as he sat trying to let the peaceful scenery relax him her face was on his mind.

"Numair?" His mother's serene tone took him off guard, causing him to jump a little in his seat. He turned around to look into her hazel eyes finding they were burning with a joy he couldn't figure out.

"Hmm?" He muttered regaining his composure.

"There is a young woman at the door. She wants to see you." His mother's voice failed to hide her excitement. Confused, Numair decided he should see who it was.

"I'll be right there." He sighed as he began to make his way to their front door. However, nothing prepared him for the sight that greeted him behind the huge ebony doors. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't imagining things.

"Hi?" Her timid voice questioned as a smile broke out across her nervous face. Her curly hair bounced merrily around her shoulders while her blue-gray eyes danced with excitement. She wore a simple clean white linen shirt with brown breeches that clung seductively to her thighs.

"Daine?" His voice squeaked out, almost afraid she would vanish. Without warning tears began to leak from her eyes. She closed the small distance between them and flung her arms around his neck.

"Is this really happening? Are you really here?" She asked between sobs of joy. His arms found their way around her and stroked her back.

"Yes magelet, I'm here." He buried his nose in the top of her head, taking in her spicy sweet sent. Suddenly he pulled away, his hands moved to the side of her face and forced her to look at him.

"How much time has passed?" He asked wondering how long she had lived.

"Sixty years." She said stepping away from his hands and looking over her body. "A few moments ago I was wrinkly old woman!" She exclaimed with a smile. A sigh of relief passed over him knowing she never hurt herself over him. "You look younger too." She said with a smile. Numair blushed, he had chosen his mid twenties for his body.

"Sixty years?" Numair said with wonder. Then a pang hit his heart. Surly she must have moved on, married and had a family. He had no idea of what his place really was with her anymore. But then why was she here and not with her family?

"I've got so much to tell you!" The jovial atmosphere she was creating was more than contagious. "I've been waiting so long!" Again tears of joy suddenly slipped out of the corners of her eyes. With a cautious sigh Numair stepped back a little.

"Please tell me you didn't spend your entire life waiting for me?" His sad tone momentarily caught her off guard. However, her smile never faltered. One of her hands came up to cup his cheek.

"You think I spent my whole life alone and miserable. Believing somehow that moving on would break your memory." She asked with a slightly cocky smile. In turn he smiled as well, perhaps he didn't have to haunt Alanna after all.

"I was afraid you'd never marry or have a family." He said quietly, the idea of another man in her bed still boiled his blood.

"I never married, but I did have a son." She said while watching his reaction. She almost laughed as his expression suddenly turned angry.

"Who hurt you?" Numair asked with a little more force than he intended. This new outcome was one he never considered. That some man would hurt his magelet, leaving her alone and pregnant. However, she only rolled her eyes and laughed.

"He hurt me, but I forgave him a long time ago. It wasn't his fault." Now she knew she was only toying with him. But she found it too fun to stop. She watched his brows knot in confusion trying to figure out what had happened. He felt her arms once again snake around his neck. Her face came within inches of his, looking deeply into his eyes.

"I never married, because my son's father died." She said unable to conceal the sadness the simple fact caused her. It took Numair a few moments to put things together in his head. Suddenly his brows relaxed, leaving a shocked expression. Daine stood up on her tip toes, giving him a soft kiss.

"Please don't haunt Alanna, she really tried." Daine said with a soft smile. "But, like my Ma, I considered myself taken."

"I…" Numair couldn't conceive of the words. This shook everything he believed since he died off its foundation.

"You have a son." Daine said carefully watching his expression as joy, sadness and wonderment all collided in sweet cacophony. "I'm so sorry… I was stubborn and didn't want to tell anyone till it was too late. But I paid for it, all these years knowing what you didn't." Numair's body began to tremble a little and she guided him to a small porch bench just beside the doorway. After a few moments Numair composed himself.

"Tell me more." He pleaded and was rewarded with the brightest smile he'd ever seen.

"It was hard at first. In the beginning I felt so alone." Her voice was slightly sad as she remembered those years. "But he, Rikash, was always so full of happiness and love. I couldn't stay locked inside myself, not with him around." The boy's name made the corners of Numair's mouth turn upward.

"Rikash isn't too far from here. You'll have to tell him you named a kid after him." The joy that was now exuding from Numair was undeniable.

"I will." She smiled. "Our boy grew up well. He even became a black robe." Daine watched as pride sparkled in her lover's eyes. "Before I died he threatened to turn you into a tree if you don't take care of me." That earned a small chuckle.

"I wish I could have seen him grow up." Numair said as a knife pierced his chest. "If I had just visited one of the priests… I just felt like it would be disrespectful." Daine looked at him with confusion. "There are priests here. They know what's going on with the living. I could have found out about you and our son..."

"It's all right." Daine soothed him with a hand on his back. "We'll have to go visit one. You can check up on our granddaughters with me." She said with a coy smile. Numair looked up at her overwhelmed.

"I've missed a lot." He said warily as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"But we've got eternity to make up for everything that was taken from us." Daine said with a smile.

"For now, I just want you to be my Magelet." He said with a twinkle in his eyes. He wanted to know everything about his family, but for the moment he needed her more.

"I'd like that." She said simply as his mouth crashed over hers.

******************

Finished! I hope you liked it. It was a happy ending, did you doubt me?

Anyway, please review :)