Together at Last
Daine stirred and woke softly. A gentle hand stroked her cheek. She shivered as she recognized it's owner. "Shhhhhh, go back to sleep, Daine. It's all right, go back to sleep," Numair told her quietly.
Daine shook her head and pushed herself up, despite a slight dizziness and Numair's grip on her shoulder. "I've had enough sleep!" she complained forcefully.
Numair laughed softly, but supported her frame with his strong arm. "Daine, you need to sleep, or you'll never get better," he reprimanded sensitively.
Daine frowned. "I must have slept for days!"
Numair sighed, and did not disagree. "But the whole time you were tossing and turning about Ozrone."
Daine's brow furrowed, and she sighed. "Oh. Him."
Numair shook his finger at her in mock severity. "If you don't go back to sleep right now, I'll..." he threatened.
Daine giggled. "You'll what?" she challenged.
"I'll climb in there with you and MAKE you fall asleep!!"
Daine raised her eyebrows and smiled coyly. "Why don't you try it?"
Numair grinned, and shook his head sadly. "You need your sleep," he told her.
Daine, too tired to argue, nodded her head and sagged back onto her bed. "All right," she murmered before sinking into a deep sleep.
Numair smiled, pulled up her covers, and kissed her forehead. He snuck out of the room as quietly as possible soon after.
"She's asleep," he said quietly as he entered the room containing Jonathon, Alanna, Thayet, and Onua. They were all silent, and doing various tasks absentmindedly. They jumped when he came in.
"Oh! Did she sound like she was back to normal?" Alanna asked with concern.
Numair nodded, and he smiled unreadably. "Better than ever!"
Alanna smiled back. "Oh, that's terrific. I should go give her some medicine. I'll be back in a few minutes."
Numair stepped forward to stop her, but Onua had already put a hand on Alanna's arm. "Just let her sleep. I'm sure that will do her more good than any potion or magic at the moment."
Alanna paused, but conceded. "All right, but just for now. So, Onua, how are the new trainees doing?"
Onua shook her head and grinned evily. "We'll whip in to shape before the end of summer!"
Thayet laughed, and took Onua's elbow. "Let's visit the stables, and you can show me the new stock you brought with you since I was gone!" Onua nodded, and the two walked out of the room, talking and laughing.
Jon shook his head in mock sadness. "My wife," he sighed. Then he pushed his chair back and got to his feet. "I must go over some papers with Gary. If you'll excuse me," and he strode quickly out the doorway, towards the opposite direction than the women had gone, leaving Numair and Alanna alone.
"I think I should give her some drugs now," Alanna decided. "Numair, do you want to come?"
Numair shook his head slowly, but with a sudden decisiveness he said, "No, I have-have something I must do. I shan't be gone long."
Alanna nodded, and set out towards the guest quarters where Daine was staying. Numair sighed gustily, and sat at the table with his head in his hands. His thoughts began drifting, and he began thinking about her passionate kisses and lovely face. He started to imagine a scenario, with both of them kissing in a sunlit field. He would pull her down into the soft grass, and her hands would slip down to his belt-he quickly reined in these thoughts before they could go any further. "Gods, Numair. She's only a fifteen year old girl!" he scolded himself angrily.
With determination, he jogged to the stables to grab Kitten from where she had been for the past several weeks. He remembered how he had discovered her near where Daine had been kept, but Daine was already gone. He carried her up the stairs of the palace, and remembered how light she felt for a dragon. He ran up the stone steps, skipping three or four at a time, but he stopped in front of Daine's room.
For a moment he was terribly scared that she would hate him, that her teasing challenge had been just that, that she didn't love him at all. But after a second he was over his fear, so he stepped into the room and layed Kitten on the bed. Alanna was long gone, and he thought it might do Daine good to have her small friend there. He then set off to his rooms to think. Or rather, to ponder how not to think about what he wanted to think most of all...
Numair paced his rooms nervously. He had wanted to visit Daine so much, but he was worried about how she would act when she saw him. But he knew he had to see her, and so he forced himself to head out of his rooms. At the last moment, he decided to head down to the royal gardens to pick a flower for her. He knew he was stalling, but he couldn't force himself to go right at that moment. And so he found himself comparing the daisies and roses and daffodils to his Daine, and he found the flowers coming up short. She was so much more beautiful than they would ever be...But then he saw the lily.
It was pure white, creamy and lovely, and it stood proud and tall, towering over all who dared grow close to it. It was perfect for Daine! Numair broke it off it's stem carefully, and strode the to stone steps that led to her room. He stared down at the lily, and began to climb the steps slowly, but steadily. When he reached the top, he didn't pause, but he walked straight into his beloved's quarters.
When he saw her, he stopped dead in his tracks. She was sitting in a majestic purple chair, with a straight back wearing a magnificent grayish blue robe that matched her eyes and covered her bare feet. Numair's mind betrayed him by noticing that she wasn't wearing much, if anything, beneath it. Her brown curls framed her face, but looked beautiful and wild at the same time. She was wearing a frown, but as he came in her face brightened with a smile and her eyes shined.
Numair took an uncertain step forward, and the lily dropped out of his hand and floated slowly down to the floor on a current of wind. But Numair was too enthralled to notice. Daine stood, and in one giant step Numair rushed forward and took her in his arms. Her arms encircled his, and their mouths met in a passionate kiss. When they came up for air, Daine pushed him gently away and pointed to a basket on the floor. "I was going to suggest a picnic," she said wryly.
Numair frowned with worry. "Are you sure you're up to it?"
Daine nodded, and smiled. "I'm strong enough now. But if you could carry the basket? I thought we'd go to the South pasture. They won't be using it this time of year."
Numair nodded, and grabbed the basket and her arm. A few minutes later, they were enjoying the summer sun and the wonderful food the palace chefs had packed. After they were done, they lazed in the shade, talking about triffles and delighting in small pleasures, like butterflies and waving trees.
But as the afternoon wore away, Numair stood and leaned on the sturdy wooden fence. Daine went to him, and started to massage his back. He turned, and she put her arms around his neck and began to kiss him. They stood there for a moment, but then Numair pulled her down, and bent to undo the cloth belt of her robe...
