Two weeks after the warrior party left, Daine travelled to Pirates Swoop with George. It was here that she found herself staring blankly into the distance, thinking of Numair. A sharp nip on the elbow from Kitten brought her back to reality. "That hurt, Kit!" She protested, rubbing the joint. The dragonet grumbled and Daine sighed. "I'm sorry." She pulled Kitten into her arms and hugged her tight. "I know I'm not much fun at the moment. But if I get too boring, tell me." She rubbed her stomach slowly. "In a few months you'll have someone new to play with." A knock made her look up as a red-blonde haired girl stuck her head in the doorframe.

"Lunch is ready" Aly trilled, then waited as Daine stood up and stretched, then the two women headed to the dining room. George grinned brightly as his daughter and friend entered the room.

"I thought you'd never arrive. I almost started without you, 'til Aly reminded me of my manners, and went to get you." Daine smiled and took her seat quietly. At the end of the meal, George reached a hand out to her. "You know, this isn't a prison. The guards know you. Come and go as you please, don't stay holed up in your room all the time." His face darkened slightly, and a look of sadness passed through his eyes. "It doesn't help, believe me."

Daine swallowed and wiped her newly tearing eyes, managing a wobbly smile as she looked at her friends. "Thank you. I think I'll take a walk."

And so this became the way Daine passed the following month. She would eat with the Coopers, then spend her day on the beach, or in the nearby woods, shapeshifting to join her animal friends. When the weather cooled, she took to helping care for the town animals, or the horses in the Swoop's stables. At night, she would return to her rooms too exhausted to do anything but sleep. Taking George's advice, she left herself no time to worry over Numair, but she still missed him greatly. And slowly it got colder, as October became November, and there was less work for her to do, so Aly showed her the library, usually used by Thom, and she spent her days there instead. No word came on Numair or Alanna, and George and Daine adopted the 'no News is good news' attitude on the subject. It was a night during this time, as Daine walked up from the library, that the realisation of how long she and Numair had been apart hit her.

"Oh!" Daine swayed slightly on the stairs and Kitten turned round, chirruping in alarm. Daine pressed a hand to her face with a groan. "I'm fine Kit, really. Just… " She let out a large sob and all but ran the rest of the way to her room, locking the door from the inside and collapsing against it. Kitten howled quietly in alarm and snuggled close to the wildmage. Daine wrapped an arm around the dragon and cried for the first time since her husband had left. "I miss him Kit, I really do!"

"He misses you too." Her head snapped up at the sound of a man's voice in the dark room. Shifting her eyes to those of a cat, she made out a tall shape leaning against the wall opposite to the door. His skin was greyer, and he was thinner than he'd been once, in need of a long bath and sleep, but it was definately him.

"Numair!" She leapt to her feet and practically threw herself at him. He welcomed her embrace, kissing her greedily, arms wrapped around her so tight it was like he'd never let her go. She didn't want him to. He pulled away only when she needed breath, stroking his lips along the curve of her ear, her jaw, the line of her neck. She sighed blissfully and pulled his mouth back to hers. She rid him of his shirt and robe, relishing in the feel of his bare chest after such a long time apart. He removed her shirt and breastband, and she gasped as he gave attention to parts of her body other than her neck and face. "ah… wait… Numair! You need to… err… wash, and… THAT IS EXTREMELY DISTRACTING!" He smirked at her. "Seriously though," She frowned "You should probably bathe, and eat, and…" He cut her off with a soft kiss on the lips.

"Not tonight. Tonight, all I want is you. I'll eat tomorrow. Please, love, I need you."

She wrapped her arms tightly around her husband's neck. "Then I'm yours." He kissed her passionately then, pulling her back to the bed.

The following morning, the couple was roused by a hammering on the door. Numair, exhaustion now showing clearly, made to get up, but Daine pushed him back onto the mattress. "Sleep. You're exhausted. I'll answer the door." She wrapped a sheet around herself and unlocked the door. George stood outside.

"Ah, Daine. Are you alright? Aly said she heard you crying last night…" He noticed her lack of clothing and blushed. "Gods, what happened to your clothes?"

She blushed then. "Numair. He arrived last night, I guess he flew in the window, if your guards don't know he's here. He's sleeping now." She frowned. "Is Alanna back yet?"

"Not yet. But she finally contacted Maude to say that she's alright."

"Good." He turned to leave. "George?"

"Yes?"

"Could you have some hot water brought up? For a bath? And food? Numair's a bit of a mess at the moment."

George smiled. "I'll have someone bring them up."

"Thanks." She shut the door again, and dressed. When the bath had been run, and food had arrived, she woke Numair. He looked up sleepily, and tried to go back to sleep, but she stopped him. "Love, you need to get up for a bit, to eat. And I had a bath run for you, too."

He rubbed his head with a groan. "I feel like a minotaur stepped on my head. And my legs. And then the rest of me."

Daine hid a smile. "The bath will help that. Now get up."

He stood up and stretched, still naked. Daine shook her head with a laugh. "No sense of modesty, you."

He grinned and kissed her forehead. "Not around you. Wash my hair for me? I'm not sure I have the energy."

She grinned at him. "Fine. Now get in the bath."

"Yes, mother."

Numair bathed and ate. Daine even managed to persuade him to dress in a loincloth and soft breeches before he went back to bed. "Think of the shock you'd give Aly if she wandered in here whilst you weren't dressed! You'd ruin her innocence completely. Or, what's left of it." She frowned slightly.

"Good thing you don't have to worry about yours anymore, hmm?"

She pouted playfully. "I was a good girl before I met you, y'know."

"I'm a bad influence." He lay back on the bed, and patted the space beside him. "Come join me? I won't sleep otherwise."

"You're merciless. Good thing I love you." She sat beside him, and he pulled her down and against his chest, burying his face in her hair. In moments, he was asleep. The wildmage smiled, and stroked his cheek. He looked such a child when he slept. She tried to pull free, but his arms just tightened. Giving up with a sigh, she slept also.

A/N- not sure about this chapter. It's ok, I guess. Reviews? And thank you to the kind person who gave this story it's first review! I don'tknow who you are, but ta very much! ^^