Melane woke to a soft knock on her door sometime a few nights later. She wasn't expecting anyone, and she was startled. She opened the door to find a young servant standing in front of her.
"Excuse me, my lady, I'm sorry if I awakened you, but are you the duchess of Dejune, Lady Melane?"
Melane nodded. "Yes, I am. Do you have a message for me?"
The boy nodded, and passed her a violet envelope. "Wait a moment, please," Melane commanded. She came back with a small coin. "For your service," she announced, and shut the door quietly. She opened the letter, and was surprised yet again at it's contents. It was from Ozrone. He wished her to pack her things so they could leave at once, for he didn't wish her to be detained in leaving for Dejune when all the guests wanted to leave at the same time. He also said it was unnecessary for her to reply.
It seemed unusual, but Melane called a servant who began packing at once. Within the hour, she had all of her fancy gowns and clothes packed away. The emperor had said in his letter that he would pick her up at four, and it was almost time. So she slipped on her slippers and waited in a chair.
A few minutes later, the doorknob twisted and the Emperor himself walked in, with a servant on his heels. He immediately directed the servant to the bags, and he walked straight up to Melane and offered his arm. "Come, it's time," he ordered.
Melane shrugged as they set off, feeling chilly in a skimpy blue evening gown. "Cold, my dear?" the Emperor asked. "Here, let me." And then he pulled one of the guards aside and instructed him to get an overcoat for Melane and bring it to the gates.
When they reached the enterance, Ozrone gently reached up and placed her in the coach attached to a team of gray stallions. It was luxerious, and as they said their good-byes, Melane heard him murmer, "Only the best for my duchess." She smiled and bowed her head, so she didn't see the exchange of a note between the Emperor and the driver. She did not know that it instructed him not to let her go anywhere else but Dejune, and to make sure that she stayed there.
Numair, tired of brooding, made a sudden decision (most likely an irrational one) and began packing a few things in a small bag. He was almost finished, when a stern voice called him from the door.
"Numair! What are you doing now?" the Lioness gave him a fierce glare.
He sighed. "Alanna, if you must know, I can't take it anymore. I'm going to find Daine and bring her back. I'm not leaving her in Ozrone's clutches anymore..."
Alanna didn't look surprised. "Are you expecting to go by yourself? You'll never make it. And Jon is sending a border patrol that way (*don't ask*) pretty soon on routine military visits, etc. etc. It would be the perfect guise for the two of us-"
"TWO of us? Excuse me, Alanna, but you are NOT coming with me!"
She gave him a hard look. "What's stopping me?"
Numair started to say something. He stopped and started to say something else. Finally he just shrugged and looked away. "Well, nothing really, but...well, I just don't think you should come!"
Alanna frowned. "Men!" she rolled her eyes, and she stormed out of the room. A few seconds later her scowling head popped in again. "We leave in three days at dawn!"
A few weeks later, Alanna, Numair, and a score of soldiers were sneaking through the dark streets near the palace of the Carthakis when they heard an insistant whisper.
"Lioness! Numair Salmalin!" the voice said.
Alanna gasped, and they stood there, trembling in fear at being recognized. Frenzied thoughts raced through Numair's head. They'd catch him, kill him, keep him from his Daine forever! But a single figure stepped out from behind a tree, and they saw it was Prince Kaddar, heir to the throne and an old friend of Daine's.
"Prince Kaddar. How lovely to see you. What are you doing here?" Alanna said cordially.
"I want to help you," he answered. "I believe I know where your Daine is."
Numair asked, and growled threateningly, "You'd better not be lying boy, or you'll wish you'd never gotten mixed up in this! How do we know you're not a spy for Ozrone?"
Kaddar laughed bitterly. "Me, spy for my uncle? No, he tried to kill me just a few weeks ago, and I know there will be another attempt. Yet I cannot leave, and I can get help from no one. It is in my best interests to see his downfall; Daine is important to his plan and her escape will weaken him. Also, we became...almost friends while she was here, and I'd like to help her.
Alanna nodded slowly and turned to Numair. "I believe him."
"As do I," Numair agreed. "It sounds too much like Ozrone to be a lie."
"So," Alanna began, "Where is she?"
