Chapter 6 – Relief
Numair could not stand it anymore. He sat with his face buried in his hands. His hair hung loose around his shoulders. He had been sitting in the chair in what seemed like an eternity, and only now he noticed how the white blouse sat glued to his body. Having to sit still while Alanna was with Daine was a test he knew he could not handle. A lot of thoughts filled his brain, and the most terrible images. He got up and started walking around in his study.
The air around him trembled with power.
How many times he managed to go around, he did not count, but when the door to his bedroom opened ... he stood as frozen to the spot.
He looked at the woman who stood in the doorway, her pale face was framed by short red hair. Her white shirt was stained with blood and Alanna seemed to be just as sweating as him. Numair shuddered ... if Daine was ... if she had been awake when it happened ... and if she was pregnant ... he could not stop the thoughts. He had only seen the badger claw in the silver chain he had given her a few years ago, lie flush against her skin between her breasts.
"How is she?" He whispered.
He looked at Alanna, who closed the door behind her, while she wiped her wet hands in her pants.
"Is she okay?" He asked, this time more clearly. His whole body shook now. Had he just been there when she came back from the forest. This feeling of guilt in him was sendt thousands of fire ant crawling over his skin and burned every cell to coal.
He looked at Alanna og saw her nod.
"Good" Numair had almost no voice left, no energy. His world around him went slowly black. He relaxed. She was fine. The last thing he registered was the floor that welcomed him.
He took a few steps back and stared coldly down at the crouching woman in front of him. Disgust spread in him, and with no word he turned and walked toward the door.
A slight breeze struck against him when he swung the door open. He stepped out into the corridor and closed the door behind him, to escape from the sound of the crying woman. He did not care much for pathetic women. The last years had left deep scars on his soul, and only one wish. Revenge. The man from Carthak straightened his clothes before he walked on into the night. The scar on his face hurt, and made him grumpy. He had never had the ability to heal, and right now he wanted it more than ever. He let his hand search up, and rubbed sweat droplets away from the cheek.
Cursed women ... in his mind's eye he saw the young woman with the pale skin, pink lips, the gray-blue eyes and long curly brown hair ... Veralidaine Sarrasri. The name burned in his mind. She had arrived as the last one, when the delegation reached the gates and she had stood next to the tall man in the black robe.
From horseback he had felt hatred rise up in him, but had forced it away, in case the black robe man chose to look at him. He knew perfectly well that Numair Salmalin could see the Gift in anyone who possessed it.
He had been concealed behinde his horse, when the delegation had been presented and had studied the welcome committee. A movement had caught his attention ... the tall man in the black robe, had bent down and placed a kiss on the cheek of the young woman beside him. Rage rolled up in him, and he had to flee from the spot. He had sought shelter in the barn, and had been there until he decided to check up on how things went with Felicia, his little decoy.
There was no one to see in the corridor, which suited him very well. He had to get back to his hiding place in the barn before he was discovered.
He began to walk down the corridor and with every step his body disappeared into an invisibility spell.
A pair of cold hands lay against his forehead, was replaced by a glass to his mouth. Numair coughed when he got the cold fluid in the wrong neck.
"Relax" said a soft female voice.
Numair opened his eyes and found himself lying on the hard stone floor. Someone had placed a pillow under his head.
"Who am I?" Asked the woman again.
He looked at her and recognized Alanna immediately.
"You're the most horrible woman in the country" Numair coughed again and struggled to sit up. He looked as Alanna was bending over him, she approached slowly his face. With that he lay down again. He closed his eyes. "How long was I gone?"
"Only in a few minutes. You have a tendency to over-dramatize. Have you eaten anything today Numair? "Asked Alanna as she moved to the tabel of his study.
"No, I was on my way to the kitchen when I heard the animals. I've been reading since negotiations "Numair opened his eyes.
"Hmmm ... you should take better care of yourself Arram" Alanna seemed absent.
"Alanna, how many times must I remind you that I do not use that name anymore!" He stood up. His back was hurting by lying on a hard floor.
"Yes, yes ... Arram ... or master Salmalin" Alanna took up the book he had read in and turned it.
"Alanna ... you ... how bad is she hurt?" Only now he remembered why it had been a terrible afternoon.
Alanna turned and came and sat down in front of him. She still had the sword at her side, noted Numair. He moved a piece and sat down and was now leaning up against the couch.
"Well?" He asked, his patience was put to the test.
"She's okay, I stopped the bleeding ... but Numair, you should perhaps start thinking about taking the talk with her," said Alanna as she sat and turned the sword in her hands.
"The talk...what talk? Alanna, I have just one hour ago found Daine lying in a pool of blood, and you want that I will have a word with her! She was attacked ... she ... there was blood between her .. "Numair could not make himself say it.
Alanna leaned forward and put her hand on his knee. The movement caused him to move his eyes from the floor to Alanna's violet blue eyes.
"Numair ..."
Her voice got him to relax.
"Daine's okay ... she got her bleeding today. Quite late compared to the other girls ... but she is now a woman. "Alanna explained calmly.
"Oh" was the only Numair could think of to say. He had to admit that the shock of all the blood had frightened him, but that Daine, his former student had not reached womanhood until now, had never once crossed his mind. So everything was normal.
"It's all you can say? I thought that you two, that Daine and you were together ... but I can understand that you didn't expected this ... tell me Numair, does she knows that you love her? "
Numair felt like a total idiot. He hated himself right now, both for believing the worst, and for being so ignorant about his former student. He had been too busy to protect Daine after they came home from the realm of the gods, to notis that she had developed into a mature woman. He met Alanna's questioning look.
"We ... uh ... I ... we're together, but we have not ... she is still ..." Numair sighed. This was awkward. Having to sit in front of Alanna and talk about his almost non-existent relationship with Daine.
"How long has this been going on Numair?" The lioness asked.
"Since the realm of the gods. You know that Daine fell down the cliff.. " He had not the slightest desire to tell more.
"That long Numair, it's almost a year ago! What if Daine finds another man, you know that she has lots of young men looking to get some time alone with her. If you do not pull yourself together, you are letting her get away from you".
Numair blinked surprised. The Lioness gave him her approval. "I wanted to, but it has been difficult having to go all the way. She is so young and I'm so old. I'm over 30! "Numair had long had it hard, and now he could finally confess his concerns to the one who bothered to listen, and he even had Alanna's blessing of the relationship with his former student.
"Is that the only thing holding you back?" Alanna sat in front of him and seemed to be genuinely interested.
"Yes and no. She is so innocent, I will not spoil her Alanna! And what would the others think? What about Onua, Jon, George, LindHall ... all of them is also Daine's friends. We have not shown it publicly ... I have not even given her permission to come here. "Numair felt lost. He found it difficult to find his way around in his mind, it was a big chaos when it came to Daine.
"As I see it Numair, we knew all along somewhere what is between you two. You've been her teacher, you are her family, Numair. Neither the king, Onua or no other can change that ... not even I would try "Alanna laughed" Moreover, if anyone had a different opinion about the two of you, you would make sure they will regret it dearly ... you have certainly proven that".
Everything was almost too much for Numair. Here was the famous female knight cross-legged in front of him and told that all his and Daine's closest almost knew. "What have I proven?"
"That Daine is yours" Replied Alanna cards.
Numair was now initially confused. When, how, where ... "What?"
"When we were in Cathark, and you warned Kaddar not to get involved with Daine! I overheard every word you said. And if you had not knocked out after Orzone, he had nevertheless gone after Daine. Everyone could see and hear that night that Daine is your weakness ... she is your only weakness. "
Numair felt the rare tears come to the surface. He buried his head in his large hands. This talk, it was too much for him and Alanna seemed to sense his inner turmoil, she stood up and stretched.
"Numair ... it's getting late. Before I go down to the kitchen and make sure to bring some dinner up to you, have you thought about a pregnancy charm to Daine? "
Numair looked up at the not so tall woman in front of him. He had a few months ago made and received a piece of jewelry that matched the earrings he gave Daine many years ago.
"Yes, I've had something for her. I have had it for a long time, but I would not give it to her without any special occasion. And it seems that the occasion has come, it is a great thing for a woman to start her bleeding ". He winced ... that Daine had reached the stage where she could go and get pregnant, did not please him. He stood up to his full length, his muscles protested after the first lying then sit on a hard floor. Numair went to his desk and opened a drawer. He took the little box and gave it to Alanna. "I have this for her," he felt a smile broke out on his face.
Alanna took the box and opened it. She smiled broadly and warmly. Numair could understand why George had fallen for this woman. Despite the large muscles Alanna possessed, she could sometimes show the rare feminine and attractive qualities she had. "Wow Numair ... you've really outdone yourself this time. It looks like her earrings, but just more beautiful ".
Numair felt pride spreading in the body. He had the idea when he had come into his study and found that Daine's and his foster child, had torn the whole room apart. During the cleanup along with Daine, something shiny had caught his attention. He had under a book found what looked like a silver claw, from the only baby dragon in the country. He had quickly taken it into his pocket before Daine had seen it and had then sought Tkaa in order to verify whether his plan could be done. He had then visited a well-known merchant and had told the man about his desire. Twenty gold pieces had the price been, but for Numair it was all worth it. He had received the stone after a visit to the merchant six months ago. The merchant was one of the few who went to Tyra a few times a year to reap these delicate stones.
Numair would like to give his beloved a part of his past. With the blue stone securely wrapped, he had visited the blacksmith Trym. Numair had helped to fix the precious metal with the stone in cooperation with the Royal blacksmith.
Now Alanna stood with the finished work in her hand.
"What is this metal, Numair?" She asked as she turned jewelry in her hand.
"Hehe ... it's actually one of Kitten's claws ... I found it when she split this room apart" Numair could feel how his good humor returning.
"Do you think I can put magic into the stone, without being disturbed by the immortal element in the claw?" Alanna hesitated, but a few seconds after flamed bricks up with such a clear blue-violet flame, that it cut in Numair and Alanna's eyes. "Hmm ... it looks like it, but I noticing some small disturbances, but she will be protected against pregnancy when she has it on."
Alanna delivered jewelry back with a sigh. "I need to go back ... I promised to return to the delegation in the dinnerhall, and I never found the man with the scar. I would like to exchange a few words with him ... "
Numair smiled, if the unknown warrior had caught Lioness attention, may the gods have mercy on him. She was not an easy fighter to dance with. Poor him ... "Alanna?"
Alanna stopped, she had almost reached the door. "Yes?" She did not say more, for a pair of muscular arms closed around her in a big hug. Numair could feel that she laughed.
"Thanks you for listening ... I needed that" Numair released Alanna. He knew from experience that she did not like long emotional hug.
Alanna looked up at him. She smiled. "Your welcome, Numair ... remember that you do not have to go through this alone. You have a whole family here by your side ... and by Daine's side. We only wish that you are happy. "She stood on the toes and patted him on the cheek. "Well ... now I'll disappear ..." Alanna opened the door. "Hey ... while I remember it, could you take a look at our scarred warrior ... I do not trust him"
Numair nodded. "Of course ... my king's lioness" he said as he made a deep elegant bow to her. He felt more like himself again.
Alanna chuckled "Here we have the old Numair ... always flirtatious with each woman. If I were you, I would hasten to forget an old woman like me, and go in and see your loved Numair ... sleep well "Alanna sent him a mischievous look and disappeared out the door.