I don't think that I changed Varice's character all that much, but I did change the circumstances quite a bit. She's not meeting Daine as some tag-along intruding on Varice's time with Numair. Here, Varice can see quite a bit of herself in an uncertain teenager that doesn't quite fit. She is Ozorne's hostess, and she likes making people happy with cakes and parties. In the books, it didn't help at all that we saw her from Daine's perspective, and Daine saw the pretty blonde that immediately drags Numair off into an alcove to check up.

The Emperor's Mage
Chapter Six: Honor

Daine smiled when Alanna took her teacher's arm to lead him out of the aviary. Lindhall had gotten better about fussing, but this was far too much for the man. He hadn't wanted Daine within five feet of Arram Draper, and definitely didn't want her to be alone with Draper with only the aviary's birds to protect her. A few people from the Tortallan delegation had been invited to see the famous collection of birds that afternoon, but only Daine would be allowed to stay. When the door shut behind her friends, she turned to face the mage that apparently would be getting whatever she needed. She couldn't imagine him running errands for anybody- or maybe she could. At dinner the night before, he'd certainly done all manner of little things for Varice.

"His imperial majesty has asked that I remain within the room as you work, but bid me to directly observe only if you would allow it." Lindhall had thought his former student would be too vain to play servant to a visiting commoner, but Arram didn't sound any sort of irritated.

"It's not terribly exciting to watch, I'd think," Daine said. The man looked fair approachable now, with his finery and jewels of the day before left behind in favor of plain black linen, but that didn't count for beans. It was more important that the birds recognized him, and even the shyest of them had fond thoughts about the man-with-black-feathers. He came often, they said, and he would bring treats and remember what nestlings liked best. He would even talk to them as if they could understand two-legger mouth-sounds. "You may if you like. I like working on my own, but I usually gather a few hangers-on anyway."

"Any mage would be curious."

"Most mages at home tend to be more traditional," she said diplomatically. Really, they tended to mutter that she was an abomination or unnatural or all manner of unpleasant things, but they did all of that grumbling very quietly after realizing that she was under Alanna's protection. "The lords and ladies have been more obliging, and the mages are becoming accustomed to my method of spellwork." The more courtly speech still felt strange, but this was no place for her more familiar patterns of words. She had a few people to talk to, when she really just wanted to be a commoner for a while, but it seemed that most of the world thought the worse of her for speaking plainly.

"I studied wild magic for my mastery. If it would not interfere, I would be honored to see your technique."

"I don't mind, Master Draper." Daine resisted the urge to smile at him. For Ozorne's most powerful mage, he was very polite. Most mages didn't even like admitting there was such a thing as wild magic, and Tortall's libraries only had four books that mentioned her magic at all.. "The first portion is outright boring. I'm going to check in with the birds, which could take some time of me sitting around not moving." The braver finches were already perched nearby chattering to each other, but so far their conversations hadn't reached out to her.

His posture remained stiff, but his eyes were intent. He hadn't held onto her gaze since the first time, and she knew just what that sort of magic felt like now. Arram was looking at her, but not freezing her, and this time she could focus on all the little things that made up an expression. Expressions were always the hardest thing for her to read, when two-leggers had so many strange ways of making every muscle twitch mean eighteen different things, but she almost felt like they had reached their own truce between Carthak and Tortall in the little bout of staring. He wouldn't interfere while she worked, and she wasn't the type to send anybody to fetch-and-carry for her. When he broke the silence, she had almost forgotten about the birds.

"Arram, please. There's little formality in the aviary." Just as if the birds had understood him, a very large and very wet dropping landed precisely on his shoulder. He continued speaking as if nothing had happened, but there was a wry pull to his words that proved he had a sense of humor somewhere. "For good reason."

Daine couldn't help laughing at the dry delivery of the line. "I'd imagine that you're used to it, spending enough time here that the birds all know you, but I can recommend a few things later to get the shirt back to rights. Once you've cleaned dragon dung out of your favorite shoes, all other messes are easy to fix."

"Dragon dung?" he prompted, one brow raised.

Grinning, Daine sent a silent apology to the birds. It might be a few minutes before she started.