Aurelia let her dark eyes scan the room slowly, looking around her for any sort of evidence that this was all a joke. She had been certain that no-one would choose her. Her mother had told her enough times that no-one would want her - not just because she was supposedly vain and stupid, but also because their family, their house, was tainted now. Her Uncle had abused his position as High Lord and she was going to pay for it. Apparently.

"Do you like it?"

Aurelia turned to look at the young woman with the short dark hair who held the baby on her hip. Her robes were black, unlike anyone else's, but she seemed nice enough and was around Aurelia's age. Aurelia smiled at her, and spotted Rothen and Dannyl staring at her as she did so. She remembered her father telling her that she would be able to stun any man with that smile. She had never actually tried it before.

"Yes, thank you" she said. Her voice was quiet, trilling at a high pitch. Her voice was almost as pretty as her face.

"I'm Sonea" said the woman gently, "This is my son, Lorkin"

"He's lovely" mumbled Aurelia, but she meant it as she beamed at the small, dark haired boy, "He's related to me somehow, isn't he?"

"He's your cousin, I think" said Sonea slowly. Aurelia nodded.

"I'm sorry" she said quietly. Sonea smiled at her, her eyes filled with gratitude.

"Me too"

They stood, smiling at each other, for a few more minutes until Dannyl stepped forward, holding out his hand.

"I'm Dannyl" he told her, "I'm an Ambassador, so you might not see me very often"

Aurelia shook his hand, then flashed him her stunning smile, "What a shame" she said prettily. Dannyl laughed.

"Rothen was my mentor once too. Just like he will be to you"

Aurelia turned her smile on Rothen, but he was shaking his head slowly.

"I won't be your mentor. Sonea will"

"What?!" Sonea cried, shocked, "I'm not allowed, remember?"

"No-one will know. I will be Aurelia's mentor only for show. You can teach her. We'll keep it a secret. You two have such a connection already...it would be a shame to invade on it"

"Is that what you want, Aurelia?" Sonea asked the young novice. Aurelia considered for a moment.

"Yes" she decided, "Please"

"So it converts mind images...to paper?" Aurelia asked, hesitant. She didn't want to sound stupid by admitting that she didn't really understand how the machine was supposed to work. But Rothen had told her that it was such a clever and interesting project that she simply had to look, so she had gone with Dannyl nevertheless.

"It would do, I hope, if I ever finish it" Dannyl replied, surveying his abandoned work with a sort of nostalgia. He felt almost embarrassed to be showing Aurelia around his neglected, messy rooms, but she didn't seem to mind. He saw her following his gaze around the room thoughtfully.

"Your rooms aren't very tidy. They need a woman's touch. Does your wife not clean?" it sounded like she was taunting him, which he was rather surprised at. So far she had just seemed a shy, sweet, pretty little thing, incapable of wit or sarcasm. And here he was, proved completely wrong.

"I don't have a wife" he said awkwardly. He knew that soon Aurelia would discover his affair with Tayend. She was too close to them – it would be impossible for her not to find out, whether she was told or just simply overheard.

"Oh" Aurelia made a little popping noise with her full red lips. She really was beautiful, he thought absently. If he had normal preferences, he would probably have fallen for her. She had beautiful, glossy, honey curls and innocent eyes. Her skin was smooth and pale, her cheeks rosy, her rosebud lips the most startlingly natural shade of scarlet, her figure curving in all the right places.

"You could tidy up for me, if you wanted" Dannyl offered, with a small smile, "You could spend your evenings tidying and then when I visit again, my rooms will actually be usable"

Aurelia laughed, like the pealing of bells, "I don't think so. My mother always said that men would say anything to keep me in their rooms. I'm not allowed to trust them" she stopped laughing abruptly and blushed, "I mean, it's just – not that I think you would – I mean – I didn't –"

Dannyl laughed easily, "Don't worry, Aurelia. I won't take offence"

Aurelia gave a deep sigh of relief, "Oh, good"

They stood in a surprisingly comfortable silence for a couple of moments, both smiling slightly, but for different reasons.

"When do you leave?" Aurelia asked curiously. Dannyl looked at her, still musing to himself.

"In a month or so. Now that I'm here, there is apparently so much to do, and the Higher Magicians just won't let me leave"

Aurelia smiled again, "Good" she paused before asking nervously, "And what would make you stay?"

Dannyl, surprised at the question, answered with the first thought that came to his head.

"True love"

They stared at each other, Dannyl shocked and confused by the words that had just come from his mouth.

"But – But Sonea told me you have a love, in Elyne. That's why I assumed you were married" Aurelia responded, with a bemused frown. Dannyl shook his head.

"I don't know why I said that" he mumbled, falling silent. Aurelia stared at him still, stunned by the flutter of hope and delight she had felt when he said those two words.

He would stay for true love. That was what he had said.

She could help him find it. That precious, rare thing. True love.

With her.

Aurelia stood, giving Dannyl her prettiest smile, the stunning one; "I'd better go. See you tomorrow"

She smirked as his eyes followed her and made sure to add an extra sway to her hips as she left.

A/N: I know it's kind of short, but I hope it's okay. I know it's been a while, but I had a serious case of writer's block with this, which I've never actually had before! Lol xxx