A/N: I know this is a really quick update, but I really want to write this chapter, so there you go...thank you, Azlira, for that wonderful review. Please review, everyone, I would be so grateful

"You've got to calm down, Dannyl" Sonea pleaded, "Aurelia is very distressed- "

"Damn Aurelia! You think I'm not distressed? Why is no-one thinking about me here?"

"Not everything's about you" retorted Sonea, realising that she and Dannyl were about to have their first fall out. Dannyl glared at her.

"I know that, I'm just saying – "

"Stop it, you two. It really is like watching two of my children fight. Can't you leave each other alone?" Rothen pleaded, healing away a headache that was fast developing.

The door suddenly came open with a crash. Expecting Aurelia, all three magicians turned round, Dannyl blazing with fury, Sonea looking anxious and Rothen ready to leap up and prevent them from brawling like alley cats.

Instead, Tayend stood there.

His eyes looked red, like he had been crying, and he was trembling as he stood in the doorway. Dannyl paled once more and his eyes widened considerably.

"Tayend!" he exclaimed, "What are you doing here?" he ushered him in, shutting the door behind them. Sonea and Rothen exchanged wary glances, anticipating what had to come next.

"Exactly when were you planning on telling me that you're going to be a father?" Tayend's voice was cold, ringing out far too loudly in the tension-filled room. Dannyl gulped loudly. Sonea and Rothen both backed off towards the door, looking apologetically at Dannyl as they slipped away and left the two lovers to their quarrel.

"I, um...I only just found out myself! How do you know?"

"The little slut told me herself. Aurelia, isn't it? The shy and sweet little girl that you didn't have much of an opinion on. What an idiot I was to believe that" Tayend's eyes had filled with fresh tears, "How long has this been going on?"

For Dannyl, seeing Tayend in such pain was like a stab in his heart. He moved closer, holding out his hand, but Tayend jerked away from him. Dannyl sighed heavily.

"We only slept together twice" well, on two occasions...they'd slept together more than once on those two occasions, but that probably wasn't the best thing to mention at that moment, "And both times it was a complete mistake"

"And who seduced who? I suppose you're going to tell me that it was all her?"

"It was! Well...it was the first time. The second time was more...my fault" Dannyl had reddened slightly, and panic was beginning to overtake him, "Look, Tayend, it meant nothing. She's pretty, that's all it was – "

"Yes, and she's a girl" Tayend was fully crying again now, "It would have been just a bit less bad if it had been another man. I think I could have forgiven you for that. But this...she's a girl, she's thirteen years younger than you, she's a novice...and now she's pregnant. What do you expect me to say?"

"I - I don't know. But I love you, Tayend, you know that. Remember that day at Armje, when I told you – "

"Don't!" Tayend cried, "Don't even say it. I don't want to hear it" he moved away, back to the door, "I'm going home. Don't even think about following me. I can't forgive you for this"

"But you love me!" Dannyl exclaimed, "And I..I love you"

"Yeah. But you've got a funny way of showing it"

As soon as Tayend had gone, Dannyl crumpled to the floor, struggling to fight back tears. In less than 24 hours he'd cheated on the love of his life, found out that he was going to be a father and been dumped by the said love of his life. Could the day get any worse?

Oh yes, it could. Aurelia had just materialised in the doorway. She too, looked like she had been crying. It hadn't been a fun night for anyone.

"Just leave, Aurelia" Dannyl snapped, hurriedly wiping his eyes, "I don't even want to look at you right now"

"That's not what you were saying last night" said Aurelia, somewhat stupidly, she suddenly realised. Dannyl stood up, and she saw how upset he was. Tayend must have told him that it was over. She felt suddenly terrible, a chill creeping over her body as she realised that she had completely ruined his relationship. She had made the man that she loved the unhappiest man on the planet. Oh God. How could she ever correct that?

"I'm so sorry" she whispered, "It's just...I can't help it that I'm pregnant, Dannyl, I really think we ought to discuss it – I mean, we've all decided not to tell the Higher Magicians just yet, but - "

"I don't want to discuss anything with you. I told you I didn't love you – and yes, considering that it was wrong of me to just use you last night – and you just couldn't take it. You've ruined everything. You've driven Tayend away from me out of pure spite"

"No!" Aurelia cried, "No, I – I didn't mean to make him hurt you, I just...I don't know what came over me. I was angry and now I'm scared and upset all at the same time, and it just sort of came out – "

"Don't lie to me! You did it out of pure hatred. You did it because you're jealous of what I had with Tayend, because nobody's ever loved you like he loves me"

It was as though he had slapped her around the face. Aurelia staggered, tears tumbling down her cheeks.

"How dare you!" she shrieked, "How could you even say that to me? I'm carrying your baby!"

"It doesn't mean I have to love you, Aurelia! I hate you at this moment in time, there's no nice way to say it. And of course, when you eventually have the baby, I will look after it and be a part of its life. But I won't have anything to do with you. Now get out. I need to be alone to think about how I'm going to get Tayend back. Just get out and leave me alone"

The second Aurelia had backed slowly out of the door; he slammed it in her face. The other magicians were starting to wake – she could hear them moving around in their rooms, chatting, laughing, eating breakfast together. She should go back to Rothen and Sonea now, they would be worried about her – but she found that she could not move. She sagged against the wall, falling down to the floor like a puppet whose strings have been cut. Hugging her knees to her chest, she laid her head atop them and wept uncontrollably.

Meanwhile, a young, dark-haired visitor was striding down the corridor, eager to see his Father. Dorrien had been sent a letter from his father that sounded as though he was having a pretty stressful time with his newest novice, and he wanted to comfort him and help him out as best he could.

As he walked, Dorrien heard the sounds of someone crying. He looked around, confused, trying to place the sound.

And then he saw the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

Long golden hair, gleaming like the sun. She had just lifted her head from her arms and was wiping her eyes – big, appealing brown eyes that were a much prettier shade than the drab novice robes she wore. He couldn't really see much more of her, but her feet, sticking out from beneath her robes, were tiny and dainty. They looked as though they might fit into the palm of his hand.

"Excuse me?" he began tentatively, crouching in front of her, "Excuse me, are you alright?"

"Do I look it?" she snapped, then reddened, realising that he was a Magician, fully qualified, "Oh, I'm ever so sorry, my Lord. I've just, um...had rather a shock"

Dorrien looked gently at her, "Would you like to talk about it?"

"If you don't mind me asking, who are you?" she looked at him with quiet insolence, which he admittedly found quite attractive, with those warm eyes.

"I'm Dorrien" he said, "I'm Lord Rothen's son"

"Oh!" she exclaimed, "I'm Lord Rothen's novice!" she blushed, "I'm sorry I was so rude. It's lovely to meet you"

"Don't worry about it" Dorrien looked at her closely. She didn't look as though she wanted to move, and she certainly didn't look as though she was particularly keen on him.

"Do you want to come with me?" he asked at last, "I'm just going to see him. It's a Freeday, isn't it?"

Aurelia nodded, "Yes. Um, I'll come with you now. I really need to speak with Rothen and Sonea anyway"

Dorrien didn't take his eyes off of her all the way to Rothen's rooms.