Numair Salmalin, noted scholar, most powerful mage in all of Tortall, was having what could only be described as a fit.
"Daine, you're not going!" The exceptionally tall, somewhat lanky man paced away from the window to the fireplace, to the opposite wall, and back to the window again. Large hands raked through long black hair, tearing the leather tie and leaving the always-pristine hair looking disheveled. His face was nearly heart shaped, with high cheekbones, a thin nose, and firm lips. The eyes that blazed a deep ebony and was the only part that showed his hawk-self.
"You're not going," he repeated, but whether it was for her benefit now or his, neither could tell.
The girl sighed and leaned back in her chair, the picture of someone waiting for an ill-behaving child to stop throwing a tantrum that had happened many times before. The picture wasn't far from the mark, in her mind. "Numair, we've argued about this before," she said calmly. The tone only proved to fuel his temper.
"Yes, and what happens when I give in?" He whirled to look at his beautiful, young, talented lover, his partner in life. At nineteen, Veralidaine Sarrasri was unmistakably exquisite. Her skin wasn't white, nor was it black by any means, but seemed to imitate the rich smoothness of caramel under the sun's tanning rays. Her nose was rounded and set over full, entirely too generous lips that he knew for a fact were softer than any cloud or feather bed. Her cheekbones were round, not sharp like most from her country, and masked the stubborn chin most of the time. It was her eyes that held people, though. Those eyes were truly windows to her soul, a kind stormy-sea blue-grey that let people see how giving she was of herself and how strong she was. The combination was irresistible, and Numair had scared off more than one charming young man who thought he'd take advantage of her soft looks.
But none of that was important now, he inwardly growled to himself. What was important here and now was that the chit thought that she would go off and fight another battle! "Daine, you have to see this from my perspective. You've nearly died a dozen times now!"
"That's not true. It's only been a handful of times," she joked softly. The attempt at humor earned her a scowl. "Okay, alright already. Yes, I nearly died from trying to hear dolphins, I nearly died trying to destroy that bubble thing at Dunlath, or when I was taken with Unicorn Fever. I know you saved me from the Spidrens and there's other times thrown in the as well. I know this, Numair. But I have to do this." Her sea eyes caught his ebony ones and held them, almost hypnotic in their ethereal color. "It would be like me telling you not to go because I worry too much. And I do, don't say I don't. I worry every time you go out. What if someone were to create a simu… sima… sime— "
"Simulacra." There was a hint of laughter in his voice this time.
Daine smiled up at him. "That thing," she said. "What if someone were to create one of those and you didn't know? They could distract you long enough to come up behind you. And don't say they couldn't," she added with a worried glare. "I've come up behind you enough times to know that when you're fixed on your magic, you're deaf to the world."
Numair sighed and wrapped his arms around her waist, picking her up to hide his face in the crook of her shoulder. Daine knew that something was really, really bothering him; he only did that when he wanted to escape from the world and hide away. He'd only done it a handful of times, but they were enough to tell her something was very, very wrong.
The last time had been when she'd nearly been killed by the Spidrens, after falling down that deep ravine. She hadn't thought that she would survive it, but after crashing into several trees and plunging into deep water, she'd lived; only to be captured by Spidrens who'd been about to either take her to Ozorne or eat her. Before she'd known it, one of the giant beasts exploded, and in its wake was Numair. After saving her, kissing her, and admitting that he loved her, he'd curled her into his body, wrapping his entire frame around hers so that she couldn't even move her head. She hadn't known how much he'd felt for her until he'd buried his face against the crook of her neck and just rocked there on the cavern floor. They'd stayed like that until he'd fallen asleep, and even then his long body hadn't moved an inch. She'd had to sooth him in his sleep until his muscles were relaxed enough to let her nestle comfortably against him.
"Numair, what's going on? What has you so upset? Talk to me." She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, trying to reassure him that she was alright.
"I've had these dreams, Daine. Like when you were attacked by that Unicorn, but different. I keep seeing you when you were trapped in that net the Spidrens had in the ravine. I can't… I can't explain why, but I feel like something terrible is about to happen. Nothing bad can happen to you, Daine." Those words were torn from him, she felt it, felt the tears fighting to surface. He's really scared, she wondered.
"Numair, look at me." She didn't give him a choice, leaning back far enough to take his face between her hands and lift it up to hers. "I'll stay close to you, if that will make you feel better. I'll stick right by your side. I promise." She kissed him then, softly telling him how much she loved him.
As if torn from the steely grasp he'd kept himself in, his kiss was wild, his arms tightening around her and his legs taking them to the bed in swift strides. She moaned, feeling is weight pressing down on her and his lips devouring hers with a lack of control that was shocking. His hands raced over her, ripping clothes in an effort to be skin to skin. Daine was just as bad, the wildness in him calling to the wild magic in her, and she shredded his clothes from him, while in some rational part in her mind made sure not to harm him.
They rolled on the bed, out of control, stripping clothing off like cotton candy and feasting on the flesh that was revealed. Numair ripped the layers of her breast band off and sank his teeth and lips to her womanly curves, licking, sucking and biting until she was writhing underneath him. In a burst of strength she rolled them both and tore his loincloth away and wrapped her hand around his shaft, making him shout and arch off the bed. When her fingers brushed over the tip and underneath the head at the same time he growled savagely and pinned her beneath him, her arms stretched over her head. Her body bowed up and her ankles locked at the base of his spine. His lips bruised hers as his length thrust into her body and they both cried out.
Their love was furious, awesome, the sound of flesh meeting flesh and harsh breathing sprinkled with rough endearments were the only noises to be heard. Her body wound tighter and she felt like she'd shatter at any second when he thrust hard, fast and sheathed himself to the hilt inside of her. Daine screamed and her body flew into million of pieces, the muscles of her walls clamping around Numair. Thrusting harder, he followed seconds later and his agonized groan came at the tail of her cry.
Numair and Daine panted against one another, her hands still clutching his wide shoulders, his lips still pressed against her delicate collar bone. When he could gather the strength he lifted his head and looked into her smug, cat-contented eyes. "Does that explain it?" he asked roughly, groaning as he rolled them both so she lay sprawled across him.
Daine nuzzled the underside of his jaw, nipping a little. Finally she sighed and rested her head on his chest, curling her hand over his heart. "I know how you feel, Numair. It's the same as every time you're called off to fight and I'm forced to stay. I promise that I will stick to you like a second skin, but I have to do this. I wouldn't be me if I didn't fight with my friends-my family." She looked up into his sparkling black eyes and smiled gently. "I'll be here for you, Numair. I promise."
Numair cursed again. Why had he buckled? After-glows, he cursed. He was too old for that kind of—Daine caught his sleeve and raised an eyebrow. He must've been muttering again. He sighed and looked up from her mesmerizing eyes, wishing he could just hold his ground. How was it that she wormed her way through his defenses and twisted him around her little finger? And why in the name of Shakith did he find that endearing? Daine cleared her throat and Numair felt a redness creep up from under his collar and stain his cheeks. He hadn't mumbled so much since he was a student.
He was about to say something to her when her head whipped around. "Stormwings!" she cried. "And not friendly ones!"
"Is there such a thing?" Raoul yelled back, and the Riders laughed. Leave it to Raoul to make anything seem like child's play, Numair thought with a chuckle. Daine readied her bow and Numair's hands began to pulse with magic just as a Stormwing could be seen. The front row-consisting of Raoul, Alanna, Buri and Evin- tensed, while the back row- Onua, Sarge, and the other Riders- shifted into a better defending stance. Numair and Daine, who were sandwiched in between, moved closer together.
"Why, hello there," it called, but the normally friendly greeting was fouled by the terror the Stormwing spread with glee and the evilness in its eyes. "I hear that there are some tasty mortals here to dine upon. Come, my pretties, and we shall dine with you."
"We know your clan, Stormwing. The Razor Skies do not wish peace," Daine yelled, between the first and second lines with Numair.
"Stormwing, if your battalion does not admit surrender, under orders of the King of Tortall you are sentenced to death. What say you?" It amazed Numair that Raoul could turn from jokester to serious knight as he did. And frighteningly well, he thought.
"King? I know no king. Your kind dies in the flash of an eye. Why should one such as I bow to a fly?" he giggled and the sound scraped against Numair's ears; he wondered what it must do to Daine's. Looking over out of the corner of his eye he could just catch a wince, but she didn't move a muscle. That's my girl.
"Then you have chosen death." The knight's voice was final.
Suddenly Stormwings appeared out of nowhere, encasing the Riders from the front and back. The battle raged as the Riders spread outward, giving each other more room to maneuver. Daine, as promised, stuck to Numair's side like oil on canvas, keeping the immortal predators off him while he worked spells to defend Riders who were injured in the sudden ambush.
A shout was heard and Numair and Daine spun to see a Stormwing had magically 'popped' himself right in front of Raoul with a blinding flash. The knight rolled instinctively, coming off his horse while the loyal beast reared at the ugly immortal in defiance. While the man was still momentarily blinded Numair saw the Stormwing laugh in a sickening high-pitched squeal and angle down to finish the knight off. Numair himself instinctively ran, running with his hands out to protect his friend. The evil creature's head jerked up and his laugh was triumphant as he burst to pieces.
The mage didn't have time to dissect that last look, but the feeling in the pit of his stomach told him he didn't need to. He whirled around to face Daine, who was aiming for a rather nasty Stormwing. Numair had a moment of horror, a split second of time, before the glowing green/white threads wrapped around her arms and legs. He didn't think; his magic burst out of him, wrapping around her tighter than the skeins of web to mold against her skin. The Spidren tugged; Numair felt the pull like something trying to rip his own arms and legs off. His shout echoed and Daine turned to see him totally focused on her. She turned and saw the noose-like threads and copper fire poured into her, the horses of the humans pushing magic her way. The threads wobbled as if being strung tighter and then plucked as a guitar's, then burst into millions of pieces.
The Stormwings, sensing their upper hand was lost, flew up, then disappeared in a blinding flash once more. Daine stumbled forward and Numair was instantly there to catch her, already running to grasp her so tight around the shoulders she squeaked.
"Now do you believe me?" he shouted, and the cheering Riders paused to stare. "You idiot, you were almost killed. Again!" His fright overcame his caution of keeping their relationship a secret, and when her head tilted up he kissed every inch of skin he could find, until he reached her lips and all of the fear and love and relief poured into his kiss, into her. Before the kiss could even really get started he tore away and his black eyes burned into her blue-grey ones. "You're marrying me. Say yes or yes, because either way, it's yes. That's it. I'll spend the rest of our lives convincing you it was the right thing, but I'm done waiting, done wasting time when you could die. It'll be a short engagement, and a long, happy marriage. Tell me sweet, what do you say?"
Numair watched in horror as tears filled her eyes; he'd pushed too far. His heart crumbled before she nodded her head and threw her arms around him. "Yes, you dolt! Yes, of course!" Triumph rushed through him and his lips crushed down on hers in a joyous laugh. She made a slight noise and then her lips were moving against his. A sound started in the background, building until the two drew back to figure out what was going on. Reality sank in, and they realized that the Riders that weren't gaping at them were cheering and clapping. Buri looked like she was grumbling as she handed over something that looked suspiciously like a couple of gold crowns to Alanna, who looked smug. After a couple of seconds Raoul stepped forward, clapping the two on their shoulders and then moving on.
"Okay, sweetlings, show's over! Move along now, or your rump will feel it when my boot connects with it!" Sarge was rounding up the Riders exactly like he had when they were trainees, herding them like lambs. Evin stopped by them and kissed Daine on the cheek before winking at Numair and trotting off.
And that's how the cat got out of the bag.