Whew, sorry that took so long

Whew, sorry that took so long! Busy month... but anyway, enjoy!!

-WC

Alanna knew that whenever there was a large gathering of animals in Tortall's capital, Daine was involved, whether indirectly or no. But today, oddly enough, they were all outside her window. Starlings, doves, even a family of squirrels had alighted on the windowsill of her room in the palace in the pouring rain, and every single one was screeching its own uniquely irritating cry. But it wasn't the animals which made Alanna grab a heavy cloak off the bed and race out into the freezing rain, though they led her way into the city. It was a distinct fear in her belly, a feeling of sorrow and regret which she couldn't place at all.

The sight which greeted her outside the Dancing Dove struck Alanna, in the single instant before she launched into action, as one she would remember for the rest of her life. Almost like a stained-glass window, the pouring rain was contrasted by rays of golden sunlight in the distance. A half-rainbow could be seen between the rooftops of the ally, and there in the mud on the ground a handsome and gracefully lanky man who she knew well cradled in his arms the body of a young woman. A flurry of feathers eddied around their heads, then disappeared in the gutters at their feet. Small feathery bodies littered the street.

And then Alanna was on the ground with them, and the tall man would not let go of the girl he still held. It was all Alanna could do not to stair at the frozen, beautiful face.

"Numair, you need to let go. I'm going to see what I can do, but you need to let go now," he seemed not to hear her, but shifted so that she could take each cold hand in one of her own. She squatted in the dirty street, and concentrated all of her power on the girl in front of her. The one, precious girl who they couldn't possible lose.

She let her magic flow into Daine, and assessed the injuries. What she felt made her gasp aloud. Not only the obvious wounds in her shoulder and thigh, but another arrow had grazed her back, a shallow cut lined her high cheekbone, and an old wound had opened up across her stomach. Without a thought, she summoned her entire Gift, and focused on pouring it into the still body. Slowly, one wound and then another began to knit together. When she got to the arrows, Alanna had to snip off the fletching and then pull them all of the way through the skin and muscle, and was grateful that she had done so when she saw the wicked barbs on each. She continued to pour her magic into Daine, but she could feel it sapping her strength already, and the body of her friend hadn't stirred yet.

Some time later, Alanna dimly felt warm hands lift her from the wet ground. "Daine?" she whispered. But whoever held her did not answer, or at least Alanna passed out before they could.

Numair slept fitfully in a corner of the hospital room where Daine had lain for four days. He had not left in all that time except to speak with a healer, or to relieve himself. He didn't want to miss it if she woke up. When, not if, he corrected himself. Because it wasn't possible that she wouldn't wake up. The Gods wouldn't be that cruel. She couldn't leave this world believing he felt anything for her other than absolute, pure, unending love. Because then life wouldn't be worth living.

Across the room, though her eyes remained closed, Daine was beginning to wake up. First she registered the dull and heavy sorrow that was always with her, and only after did she become aware of a physical pain throughout her entire body. What had happened to her? Then it all began to come back - the Dancing Dove, the birds, the arrows. And finally, Numair. She had dreamed about him, she had thought she sensed him near her. But that couldn't possibly be true. What a cruel, beautiful dream it had been.

Daine opened her eyes to raised voices. Conveniently, her head was turned such that she could see the two other people in the room.

"Gods, Numair, how can you even show your face around here?" He sat in a chair in the corner, and his appearance gave her a start. His face was pale, his eyes bloodshot, and he looked older than he ever had.

"Alanna, it's not what you think..." Tortall's Lioness stood over him, her face livid. "You asked her to marry you, you went away for a month, and then you said you never wanted to see her again! What am I supposed to think?" She took a breath to speak again, but stopped short when she caught the look on his face. He was staring over her shoulder with a mixture of disbelief, and a wildly hopeful, torturous sadness.

"Daine..." Alanna whipped around to stare at the cot where Daine lay, then broke into a wide, joyful grin.

"Thank the Gods, you're awake." But her delight was cut short when tears began to run down the girl's pale cheeks. "Daine, honey, what's wrong?" Now she shot a glance at Numair behind her, who hadn't moved an inch. His eyes were still fixed on his onetime student as if he couldn't quite believe that she was really there.

"Get him out of here," Daine broke down entirely, and her thin shoulders began to shake. Alanna was alarmed to see a bloody smudge bloom on her shoulder. "Please, Alanna. Just get him out."