Author's note: Forgive me if there sometimes are missing letters in some words in the story. I am in a situation where the story is first written in Danish, to get it done faster. It is then translated, and as it is some years since I have written in English, I hope you still will enjoy the story – sweetmari :-)

Chapter 8 - Morning

Numair woke up as the young woman beside him stirred. He noticed how she turned and searched toward him. He let his arm settle around her and pulled her to him. Night kisses and touches were still in him, and made his heart pounding. Numair buried his nose in his beloved's hair and breathed. Her scent was a mixture of hay, jasmine and ... he breathed again ... cinnamon? He recognized his own scent in her hair. He smiled, their nocturnal activity had not only brought them closer to each other's bodies ... they had finished sweaty, breathless and relieved. This night they had exceeded the limits that had been impossible to exceed under normal circumstances. He had shown her how the touch of lips could bring pleasure to their bodies without requiring that they should take the full step. Numair had learned that although Daine had been a bit nervous at first, confidence had taken over and they had found each other's sensitive spots on the body. He had guided her hands, to teach her how he found most pleasure and she had also taught him how he could bring her over the edge.

Numair felt how his heart melted at the sight of her. The blanket, which had slipped from her body, showed the small plump breasts that rose and fell with every breath. She lay restless ... she was awake. He raised himself up on his elbows and met her lips with small kisses.

"Wake up ... my heart" He whispered between each kiss.

Daine opened her eyes and smiled. "Hello ..." Her voice was a whisper. "Sleept well?"

Numair laughed. It was typically her to worry about him, which really ought to be reversed. "Yes ... you?" He smiled.

Daine blushed. "I ... nice ... should we get up?" She seemed calm, prompting Numair to relax more.

"I think we need it ... we must also obtained some clothes for you. I had to carry you over here while you were naked ... "

Numair rose. "I'll get some clothes for you...wait here" He quickly took a pair of pants and a loose blouse, rose and disappeared out the door.

Daine sat up in bed. She was soon forced to find her forster child, Kitten, she had forgotten all about the dragon baby the last few days. Her hands found the edge of the blanket and pulled it around her as she stood up. She looked around the room. The few times she had been with Numair in his chamber, it had always been in his study. She started walking towards the door ... but suddenly she lost her balance. Daine managed to breake the fall with her hands before she hit the floor ... she had never had the habit to fall, why was she starting now?

She got up and grabbed the bed to help herself up.

Daine just managed to look up as the door to Numair's study opened up and revealed a concern, but smiling face.
"Sorry ... I lost my balance" she explained, while she felt strong hands grabbed her elbows and pulled her the last bit up.

"I think you've hit your head more than assumed ... should I call Alanna?" Offered Numair as he guided her into his study.

"No ... I think it was just because I stood up too fast ... I'm okay now" Daine had not the slightest desire to stand face to face with the red-haired woman right now, blessing or not.

"You were fast ..." she noted.

"Ahhh ... yes .. I .. I have had something lying ready for you, if you ... uh ... a day came through the window and needed something to take on" Numair seemed embarrassed. He took a piece of cloth from the chair and gave it to her.

Daine took it. So he had been prepared ... and why had she never thought that she could fly into his study through the window. Sometimes she was not too clever ... the thought stopped abruptly. A dress! What in the world did he expect? Daine cast a sharp glance at her beloved, he seems to shrink a bit. "Frankly Numair ... how well do you know me, really? You know I hate to have a dress on! "

"Sorry" He seemed genuinely sad ...

She held her dress away from her ... "Where did you get it?" She asked.

Numair took a step back "Thayet came with it a few months ago with some pretty strong accusations ... she probably wanted to ensure that you had something to put on, if you came here in the shape of an animal..." He raised his hands in an innocent gesture. "I told her that you would object strongly, but you know how she is ..."

Daine sighed. When it came to the Queen, she was the only one who might seek out Numair with a few words or many when it came to their teacher-student relationship. She took the dress to her again. It was made of pure cotton, and was colored a faint light green. She glanced at Numair, who had retired and was leaning over his desk. She smiled. Here in this room was the essence of him ... the smell of old dusty books, mixed with scents of wood oils, ink and cinnamon. The last scent was from him. The black hair hung loose in the ribbon. He seemed so calm, so peaceful ... she relaxed.
Daine turned and walked into the room, she had come from. When she threw the dress on the bed, she discovered to her delight that the Queen had also added a chest band, slipperes and socks. She took the dress again and let it fall so the skirt unfolded ... at the bottom of the hem was embroidered small dark green leaves with black birds. Small crows ...

Fully clothed, she turned and looked around the room. This contained indeed, as she had guessed a large double bed. There was also a closet, and next to the closet there was a large mirror. Daine frowned ... she remembered faintly that Numair had told that men were just as vain as women. In the mirror stared a young woman with loose curly brown hair back at her. The dress was sitting close to the skin, and revealed the curved shapes a young woman possessed. The deep cut highlighted her breasts to such an extent that Daine was almost embarrassed, but otherwise she liked her own mirror images. The green dress suited her. She let her hands glide through the hair and pulled it back into a thick braid ... when her fingers reached the end of the hair she stopped. Daine needed something to tie the hair with. She looked around. On the table beside the bed was one of Numair's ribbons. With fingers busy, she returned to the study and found that her new lover had not moved out of place.

She stood in the doorway for a few minutes in the hope that Numair would look up from his book. She waited eagerly, but had to finally realize that this man in front of her lived up to his reputation. She saw how Numair let a finger follow each line in the book and when she noticed that the room began to exude of his energy, she decided that it was time to interrupt his affairs.
Daine walked resolutely across the floor, and stood close beside Numair. Again she began to wait, hoping that her presence was enough to catch his attention. But no ... Numair continued undeterred his reading. Daine sighed deeply ... with a very deliberate movement she pushed herself first with the hips in front of him, and then the whole body. This movement forced Numair to let go of the book and she heard how he breathed into an incipient protest.

"Daine ... what ..."

She managed to stop his further statement by placing a finger gently against his lips. Then she met his brown eyes.

In them she saw depth, focus and determination. Another sign that Numair had forgotten all about her because of the book.

"Daine ... I" began Numair again.

She sensed that he wanted to continue, but something caused him to let his gaze from her face and down towards the neckline of the dress where the chain with the bagder and dragon claw hang. He opened his mouth again.

"Shhhh ... not now Numair" Her eyes flashed and she knew that it was enough evidence for him. A second later, their lips connected in deep passionate kiss. Numair pushed her in and up on the table. The books under her were swept away before he lifted her up. Daine closed her eyes and accepted the kiss that was given to her by willing lips. She felt his hands wandered down her sides, over her hips and down her thighs. Rough and strong fingers slid up her leg, and for every inch the dress was pushed up. When it could not go any further, she was suddenly pulled close to the edge and Numair pulled his face back, laughing. Daine met his eyes again. The passion in them, caused her to gasp for breath. In front of her was not just an ordinary man in love, passion, desire and something indefinable shone from him.

"Perhaps we should get down and have some breakfast ..." he asked as he pulled her against him. He had managed to move, so he stood between her legs. His voice had reached the same deep tone that she had heard once before.

Daine nodded absent, her consciousness was directed against the hard part of his body, which was now pressed tightly against her abdomen.

Numair withdrew. He grinned "Daine ... this is not working. We must have some breakfast, I'm hungry and you may also be ... In addition, we have things we should get done today. Onua told me, that it is today Stefan comes with the horses ... and I have to show the delgationen around ". He took her hands and pulled her off the table.

Daine sighed. He was right. Work called and so did breakfast. Only now she noticed how hungry she was. "You'r right, as always ..." she teased as she straightened her dress folds.

Numair still held her hand as they headed for the door. And it was fortunate, because when Daine was halfway toward it she bagan to fall again, her knees were not willing to carry her. She had to hold on tight onto Numair not to fall once more. "Oops ..." she exclaimed, while Numair supported her and looked at her with a deeply skeptical look on his face. "I'm fine" she assured him.

She looked as Numair nodded and both of them went out of the room. Behind them the door closed silently and a fire speckled with silver spread from the keyhole across the door. Daine felt how her neck hair stod up. Whatever it was, Numair wanted it to be secured in his chambers, it had to be someting of immense valuable, she observed. Daine straightened and took the arm Numair offered her, together they followed the smell of freshly baked bread.

Felicia sat at one of the long tables in the hall. This hall was larger than the previous they had been in the last few days. There was no one other then her, it was too early yet, but she had woken when the first rays of the sun had cast their light against the wall that held the window.
She poked the food. She had no appetiti at all, not after the evening's unpleasantness. She would give anything to get rid of him, but his power over her was severe and the threats against her, was fearsome and how should she go about maintaining Numair's attention to such an extent that he had enough time to carry out his plan ... all these thoughts. Felicia could not stand it. She let food be food, and stood up. Heading towards the door she saw Alanna walking towards her. The res-haired woman was deeply absorbed in her own thoughts, and Felicia barely mangede to avoid an impending collision. She had to flee, just for a few hours, from this place ... from her impossible task. She started running.