Chapter 2

Taming Of The Shrew

Village Square
Morning

“Do you know where I can find Daine Sarrasri?” Numair inquired politely to a man who was walking across the village square.

Alex Hidgen stopped and examined the stranger. He sniffed. Tall, dark and handsome, no doubt the local girls will be swarming over him. “Who asks?” Alex challenged.

Numair raised his eyebrow at the younger man’s rudeness. “Why don’t you guess?” he answered, trying to be adverse.

Alex narrowed his eyes and straightened himself to his full height and demanded, “What is your business with her?”

Numair felt amused at this cocky man. Did he think he was intimidating him? Numair then looked down at the man from his lofty six foot five. “Whatever it is, it is none of yours. I see you are reluctant to part with your pearls of wisdom, so I shall just have to go ask directions from somebody else.”

Numair moved to walk away, but Alex quickly stepped in front of him. “Yes?” Numair said with mock politeness. “Forgot something? Maybe your manners? Hmm?”

Alex resisted the urge to blush. Darn this stranger! He felt strangely small and belittled standing next to that latter. Still, Daine was too precious a commodity to lose and it is best to clear the competition. Though Alex seriously doubt that Numair was after Daine for anything else but for her magic.

Alex cleared his throat and gave a weak smile. “I am sorry, I realise that we started on the wrong foot. I had a bad sleep last night, with the Stormwings and all.”

Numair nodded, not quite trusting the man.

“My name is Alex Hidgen,” he offered his hand and Numair shook it briefly. “At this time of the year, many strangers come here and I am afraid not all are here with good intentions. We look out for each another. Daine is quite without family and as her future husband, I have to take that responsibility. If you are here to ask her about healing your animals, well, I can help you make an appointment with her. Of course, there is a small fee naturally…”

“No, I am not visiting her for that reasons,” Numair responded curtly.

Alex frowned. “Now, now, if you are thinking of buying her out or asking her to go to your village, I am afraid that it would not be possible. After all, I think she can scarcely bear to leave here, being her home town and her husband here and all.”

Numair noticed the subtle change from “future husband” to “husband”. He was quite certain that Daine was still single from what he perceived from Mama Em’s gentle probing. He came to the conclusion pretty quickly that this was the “Hidgen” boy that was supposedly after Daine. “No, I am not here for that either. Why do you think that the only reason I have to see her is because of those reasons?”

Alex blinked. “Why, why, surely you are not…” he swallowed, shocked. “Oh come on, she is an ugly, disfigured woman, not for some, some…”

Numair, though he had not met Daine before, felt angry on her behalf and interrupted in his coldest, haughtiest voice, “Only a plebeian fool would think that.”

“Of course, of course,” Alex quickly said.

Numair can scarcely believe that Daine, or any woman for that matter, would want to get married to this Hidgen boy. Still, it would not bode well if Daine really was attached to Alex and Numair offended him. It might cause Alex to speak against Numair and he cannot risk messing up his mission…

“I am a mage and I would like to further my research on her particular type of magic. I believe that I could help her control and increase her wild magic.” Numair said.

Alex smiled, realising that this would increase Daine’s productivity and perhaps, spread her fame further, raking in more money for him. “Well then, why didn’t you say so? You will find her housed in Lisa’s Hut. Just follow that lane and you will see the house soon enough.”

Numair nodded and made his way to the cottage.

********
At the pastures near Lisa’s hut

<None of the animals were hurt. The Stormwings did not attack the hut, just made a beeline to the village square.> Cloud remarked. Cloud was lying on the grass near the Grey Forest and Daine leaned against Cloud, looking after the herd. She wasn’t really needed to look after the herd. She knew the herd well and they wouldn’t stray. The wolves that haunted the forest were her friends and they would not attack the herd. She just wanted to be alone to her thoughts and ponder on the previous night’s events.

<What a relief.> Daine replied. <I kept wanting to run back to see if things were alright.>

<Don’t be silly. We have been taking care of ourselves even before your arrival.> Cloud responded, nipping Daine’s sleeve.

Daine wrinkled her nose, <Still. It was something bad. Not quite right.> She shuddered, she didn’t think she would ever forget last night. Not only because of the Stormwings though…

<Someone is coming!> Cloud said, jerking her head up.

Daine scrambled to her feet. It was Numair! She immelediately turn her face to the floor. She grimaced, she didn’t like having Numair see her in such a form. Ugly, misshapen… She knew that it was inevitable that he would see her, she thought she was alright with it, but it cut her for him to look at her with disgust.

Daine briefly contemplated running away when a shadow appeared in her view. “Hello. Are you Daine?” His voice. It was deep and comforting.

“Who asks?” She snapped.

“Numair Salmalin.” Numair replied, unperturbed.

“Is your animal injured?” She questioned, pretending that his shadow was an intriguing object that warranted deep scrutiny.

“No,” He replied. “But…”

“Then go away!” Daine demanded sullenly. She could sense him looking at her carefully.

“Why won’t you look at me?” He suddenly asked. Daine blinked, thrown off balance.

“Why do you want to look at me?” Daine said belligerently, turning away from Numair. “If you are just here to gawk at me, you are wasting your time. Go away.”

She started to walk away from him. She didn’t know why, but she just did. Her legs moved before her mind even registered it. He followed her and called, “Don’t walk away.”

“Stop following me,” Daine snapped. He easily caught up with her and grabbed her arm and spun her to face him. With his other hand he cupped her chin firmly, but gently to turn her face towards him.

Daine flinched and looked everywhere but him. How can I bear to see the disgust, horror or dislike in his face? Daine thought. Finally, she looked defiantly at him and he looked calmly back, dropping his hands. She felt a bit relieved that he did not show any distaste, his face a blank. “Well then, as you can see for yourself, there is nothing much to see.” She laughed bitterly. “Go back and tell your friends that you won the bet in seeing the horrid hag in the face and survived.” Daine was surprised at her own words and looked away.

His eyes were enigmatic and he took a step towards her and she took a step back. Daine shook her head, and Numair said, “No, I am not here for that, but something else…”

Daine didn’t wait to hear the rest of his speech, and she just started running into the Grey Forest. Numair cursed and chased her. “Wait!” He yelled, knowing that she would not listen. He was much faster than her, but she had the advantage of knowing the forest better than he did.

They ran into a clearing with a short cliff ahead. Numair jumped and tackled Daine to the ground. He was half sprawled on her and she glared fiercely at him. She noted with resentment that though she was panting, he was just breathing deeply and wasn’t out of breath.

“Listen,” he said. “I am just asking you to listen to what I have to say. I do not have any malicious intent towards you or anything.”

“Finely said when you are crushing me!” Daine snapped.

Numair sighed, “I will get off you if you promise you would not run away.”

Daine wrinkled her nose and pushed at him rather ineffectually. “Alright, alright!” He levered himself up and Daine discreetly noticed the rippling of his muscles under his shirt. He offered her a hand, which she ignored and she clambered to her feet.

“Listen,” Numair began, standing near the age of the cliff.

“Can you swim?” Daine asked.

Numair looked surprised and wary at the same time. “Yes, why?”

“Well then,” Daine said, walking up to him. “I think you need to go jump into the lake!” She pushed him over the short cliff into the deep part of the pond.

She watched him tread water and look at her angrily. “Well,” she said breezily, ignoring Numair’s glare, knowing that he would not be able to catch up with her. “I said I wouldn’t run away, but that doesn’t mean I cannot walk away.”

And so she did.

********

‘Alright, perhaps I mishandled the situation,’ Numair thought, swimming laps across the pond. ‘Or perhaps that girl is near daft! All I wanted to do was talk…’

Several metres away, Daine perched in a tree, hidden by the thick foliage, peering at Numair queerly.

<Odd Bobs! He’s near daft!> Daine remarked silently to Cloud who munched on leaves contently nearby, hidden by a tree. <I pushed him in, I walked away and when I come back, he’s swimming!>

Cloud snorted. <Huh. All he wanted to do was talk, you know.>

<Hush> Daine admonished, only to be answered by another snort. She sighed, <Perhaps I did mishandle the situation...>

Unaware of their scrutiny, Numair vented his frustration in the water. ‘I must not fail in my mission. Even if she is stubborn, I must get through to her. I can foresee this is going to be a quite a challenge. Perhaps if I approach her in a public place, she would feel less threatened.’

Daine looked at Numair cutting through the clear water. < He is stubborn. I grant you that. However, I must get through the point that he has no business with me. That is true, after all, what does a black mage has to do with me?>

<Harrumph.> Cloud commented. <Are you so sure? After all, the Badger did lead you to him.>

Daine harrumphed. <Did it ever occur to you that Badger could be warning me as well? Oh well, I can at least treat this as quite a challenge. >

********

Village Jehuin

Afternoon

Daine pushed back her hair back into the cloak, trudging her way sulkily up the path to the village. She needed to get some fresh meat for her new patient, an injured eagle. She used to hunt with the best of them, but a few years ago, she stopped this practice.

Normally, she didn’t wear a cloak to the village, after all, the village had 5 years to get used to her looks. However, when it was after and before big celebrations, she took the precaution to wear it. This is because there were plenty of strangers about and the local boys felt restless and the need to prove their dominance to others during these occasions. She hoped to slip in and slip out unnoticed, especially by Numair. However, when she saw the gang of local bullies lazing around the village square, she knew that this was not to be.

She took in a deep breath and quickly walked towards the market. She knew they were jeering at her, laughing at her and she hoped they would do so passively. She walked past, unmolested to the market. She breathed a sigh of relief and bumped into somebody.

“Sorry,” she muttered and a pair of strong hands grasped her shoulders.

“Is talking that bad?” a deep voice asked.

She recognised the voice even before she raised her head and scowled at Numair. “Why don’t you just go and whisper sweet nothings to another village girl?” She demanded.

“Daine,” Numair replied, surprised. “What I want to talk to you about is pertaining to your Wild Magic, nothing else. Let me assure you, I have completely no designs on you.”

“Yes,” Daine sighed, feeling a bit hurt and a bit crossed that she felt hurt. “Sorry, I was just being delusional.” She walked around Numair and he touched her upper arm.

“I’m sorry, you’re feeling hurt,” Numair said gently.

“Ha!” Daine sniffed, alarmed at his accurate perception. “Now YOU are the one that is deluded.”

She stalked off to the butcher’s stall and felt him following her. She gave her orders to the butcher. “My,” Numair remarked. “You are quite carnivorous.”

“No silly,” Daine scolded. “It’s for an injured hawk I found. His leg is broke, he can’t hunt.”

“Yes,” Bob the butcher rumbled in a bass voice. He was a big burly man with curly black hair and a bushy moustache. His apron was blood splattered and his sleeves were rolled up above his elbows, revealing muscular arms and calloused hands. “Daine here often buys for her injured charges,” Bob supplied, handing over Daine a wrapped up bundle of meat. “That would be ten coppers.”

Daine reached into her pouch for the money and to her embarrassment and surprise, she suddenly realised that she did not have enough money. Lisa had not given Daine her pay yet and Daine had spent her last pay on a new pair of boots. The worst thing was that Lisa was up at Duke Kelvin’s castle showing Ruyina some wool. “Odd’s bobs!” Daine muttered, thinking, ‘of all the times I have to mess up…’ She cleared her throat, breaking Bob’s and Numair’s conversation. She looked at Bob apologetically, “I am sorry, I, I, don’t have the money yet. Lisa hasn’t paid me yet and she is up at the castle…”

“That is alright,” Numair interrupted, reaching into his pouch.

“That is alright,” Daine said in a cold voice with a complete different meaning behind her words. “I will go borrow money from somebody else.”

“Like who?” Numair inquired mildly.

Daine snorted, “Mama Em, the other villagers, you know, people I know and are friends with.”

“They are all up at the castle discussing with Duke Kelvin on defences and emergency plans,” Numair commented and in a quiet voice, “You can repay me later when you get the money from Lisa. I can wait, but the injured hawk can’t.”

He paused and waited patiently.

“Oh fine,” Daine grumbled and wagged a finger at Numair. “Only because the eagle is at stake.”

“Agreed,” Numair responded with a straight face.

“Humph!” Daine sniffed, spun on her heel. She stalked off with the bundle, leaving Numair to pay the bill.

She stalked across the village square and was interrupted in her path by a stocky boy of eighteen. He was Ralon *ahh yes, I am so unoriginal*, the son of one of the merchants in the village.

“Where are you going, hag?” he mocked. He was mean, a bully and loved to wield power.

From experience, Daine knew it was best to be silent and ignore him. She stepped to the side, trying to avoid him. He raised his arm, blocking the way.

“Hey, hey,” Ralon said. “Not so fast, my friends here,” he gestured his head at them, a small group of teenagers, all from out of town. “Would like to have a glimpse of your pretty face.”

Daine seethed, she hated it when people treated her like a side-show. “I just want to go home,” she muttered, walking away from Ralon.

“Hey,” one of the teenagers said, stepping into her path.

A hand suddenly appeared and pushed the teenager back. “Hey you too,” Numair interrupted.

The teenager staggered back. Numair looked around and said coldly, “Why don’t you boys just go and run off?” he said.

Daine stifled a gasp and kicked Numair. Was he trying to start a fight? She looked up to see Ralon strut up to Numair and tried to shove Numair. Numair barely flinched and looked down at Ralon with an upraised eyebrow.

“You don’t want to start, or you will be simply over your heads in this situation,” Numair informed him coldly.

‘Well, yeah?” Ralon challenged, trying to bolster his ‘tough’ image.

“Numair, don’t,” Daine whispered, tugging his sleeve.

“What’s it your business, hag?” Ralon sneered.

“That’s it,” Numair responded and he shoved Ralon, making him stumble.

They scuffled a bit and it ended up with Ralon on the floor holding his hand to his broken nose. Ralon sneered at Numair, “Let’s see if we can even up the score a bit.”

Daine’s eyes widened as she saw the group of teenagers begin to crowd around Numair. “Need some help, Salmalin?” someone offered.

Daine glanced back to see Evin saunter towards them with Miri on his heels. “You think you can take us on?” Ralon smirked. “ten against two?” 

Evin cast a droll look over to Numair and remarked, “They don’t learn, do they?”

“Why you…” Ralon growled and a launched himself at Numair. A fight soon started.

“Stay here,” Miri cautioned with a pat on Daine’s shoulder and pounced into the fray.

Daine growled to herself, thinking, ‘this is absolutely silly! The whole fight could have been prevented!’ She called out to her four-legged friends.

***********

Evin deftly dodged a red-haired stranger’s punch. “Stop horsing around, with all the prancing,” Evin taunted. “Even my sweet horse Sugar can do better than that!”

“Ha,” the stranger sniffed, and drew out a dagger. “If your pretty horse is here, I would crave out my initials on it.” The stranger was suddenly picked up by his shirt and roughly shaken.

Evin gaped at the culprit in surprise and smiled, “Why Sugar, I didn’t know you cared.”

Sugar neighed and tossed the stranger unto the ground unceremoniously. Evin looked around. The Riders’ horses have broken free from their stables and were happily throwing their weight around.

Literally.

“Well Sugar, it looks like we better stop them horses before they seriously maim anyone,” Evin commented. Sugar snorted in agreement.

*********

Daine waded through the groaning bodies. She went up to Numair who had just knocked out an impetuous youth. She tapped on his shoulder. He spun around on the balls of his feet and only his quick reflexes stopped him from throwing Daine.

“Are you crazy?” they both said simultaneously.

“I’m crazy?” Daine screeched and pushed Numair in the shoulder, not considering the fact that if they came to blows she was definitely at the losing end. “How about you? You started a fight with ten people! What if Evin and Miri didn’t come along? You could have gotten badly hurt!”

“Well, they did, but…” Numair continued, raising his hand to forestall any protest from Daine. “…even if they didn’t, it would not matter. I could have handled them.”

Daine growled at his arrogance and she drew back her arm and swung her fist at Numair. Numair grunted in both shock and pain when her punch hit home. She spun on her heel and walked a few feet before turning back and yelling, “Next time you choose to pick a fight, remind me never to interfere! Your ma fair dropped you on the head when you are young.” Then she stalked off.

“Got a temper, that youngling,” Evin remarked, coming up to Numair a few moments later.

Numair harrumphed, “I don’t know why she is worked up over.”

“Well,” Evin responded dryly, “It is fair easy to forget that you are a soft, wimpy pacifist scholar unless one sees you in action.”

Numair raised his eyebrow, “I didn’t get my black robe for nothing, you know.”

“Uh huh, and why didn’t you just turn all these boys into pansies?” Evin said and waved to Miri who was walking over.

“A waste of magic. Besides, the pansies would come after me for insulting their kind,” Numair answered.

“Hardy ha ha,” Evin responded.

“Boys, boys, boys,” Miri commented when she came up to them, shaking her head at them. She looked at Numair, squinted at him and laughed. “Really, Salmalin, you must be getting soft. To get a black eye from this minor skirmish.”

Numair growled, “Daine punched me.”

Evin howled in laughter while Miri nodded in approval, “Good for her. You better get that eye looked at.” Numair stalked off while Evin put his arm around Miri for support as he laughed helplessly.

Miri felt a thrill down her spine, but she shrugged it off, both literally and metaphorically. Evin took his arm off Miri’s shoulders and rubbed his face. “Salmalin got punched by that mere slip of a girl.”

“Now would *you* like to be punched by another mere slip of a girl?” Miri threatened.

Evin immelediately sobered and put up his hands to placate Miri. “Now, now, don’t you like the feeling when two dashing young heroes come running up to your rescue?”

“I wouldn’t know, because I am not exactly a drop dead gorgeous damsel,” Miri retorted a bit too bitterly that Evin noticed. “Anyway, I will go check if  Daine is all right.”

Evin looked at Miri consideringly as she walked off.

Lisa’s hut

“I can’t believe that I punched him,” Daine reiterated, brushing Cloud’s already shiny coat.

<You are being silly about this.> Cloud replied. <When a foal needs disciplining, we nip and bite to teach him not to be disobedient.>

“Well, Numair is not exactly a foal and the punch didn’t constitute as a nip,” Daine explained, wondering at her sudden turmoil of emotions.

“It certainly didn’t,” Miri said, coming up silently behind them. Miri had found them in front of Lisa’s hut. After Daine stormed back, she quickly attended to the injured hawk before giving Cloud a vigorous grooming.

“Hello,” Daine started in surprise and then, shooting a dark look at Cloud. <Why didn’t you tell me that she was coming up?>

Cloud snorted. <I am not a silly dog, yapping every time a stranger comes up. She means you no harm.>

Miri noticed the quick, silent exchange between the pair and tucked the information away in her brain for future reference. “Hello, I am Miri. By the way, Numair received a black eye,” Miri said.

Daine blushed, not knowing how Miri’s response would be like. “Well, he deserved it,” Daine replied. “Him, starting a fight like that, like some common hooligan.” Daine felt herself getting worked up all over again. “Just because he is some, oh so glorious black robe mage doesn’t mean someone stupid can’t kill him.”

Miri hid a smile. “He’s all right, if you are asking,” Miri responded. “Perfectly fine except for a black eye.”

Daine quickly collected herself and remembered that Miri was a stranger. “I didn’t mean to hurt him. I just, I just got, well, carried away-”

“That’s alright,” Miri interrupted, raising her hand. “We always get easily worked up over the safety of the people we care for.”

Daine dropped her brush. “I don’t care for Numair. I don’t. Truly.”

<And who are you trying to convince?> Cloud commented.

Miri couldn’t help her smile this time at Daine’s response. “Well, I just came here to check if you were all right.”

“Yes, yes, I am fine,” Daine answered, feeling a bit disconcerted by Cloud’s remark. “Thank you for asking.”

Cloud snorted. Miri smiled and gave Cloud a piece of apple from her pockets, which the latter regally accepted.

“So, I hear you have wild magic,” Miri remarked.

Daine bent down and picked up the brush. “Yes, you heard right,” Daine responded.

“What can you do with it?” Miri inquired, leaning against the hut.

“I can speak with animals,” Daine replied. “I can heal them, kind of. I can sense them.”

“Sense them?” Miri questioned. “Like you can smell them?”

“No, no,” Daine answered, laughing. “It is rather in my mind,” she tapped her head. “I sense them in colours druther. I once sensed a rabid bear, it felt brown, but with red and black lights. Very sick.”

“A rabid bear!” Miri exclaimed. “How many of those do you see nowadays!”

“Not many,” Daine returned weakly. “But one is enough. It killed the Blacksmith’s son. Immortals feel kind of silver.”

“Immortals?” Miri perked up. “You can sense immortals?”

“Yes,” Daine answered simply.

“That must be a useful thing,” Miri remarked. “Was that how you sent the horses and dogs to our aid last night?”

Daine tensed and answered carefully, “Yes, I, I was here and I sensed trouble coming. I thought you needed help.”

Miri inclined her head, “Indeed we did. Most of the villagers were caught empty-handed. Thanks to you, the casualties were not as much as expected.”

“It is the least I could do,” Daine responded and in a quiet, sad voice, “I couldn’t let another disaster happen again.”

Miri sensed pain in her words and knew that Daine did not mean for her to hear them. “How is having Wild Magic like?” Miri asked.

“Well,” Daine said, blinking and thought for a while. “It really changed my life. Some bad, some good.” She pushed away the dark memories that threatened to creep up on her. “My perspective on things. Animals see things differently from two-leggers.”

“You’re lucky,” Miri remarked. “You would always have friends no matter where you are in the world.”

Daine looked at Miri, shaken out of her dark mood. “Why yes, I guess when you put it that way, I guess I am lucky.”

**********

Village Inn

“The rumours are true,” Numair mused. Miri had returned to the village and found Evin and Numair holed up in Mama Em’s Inn. Numair sat on the bed beside Evin and Miri leaned against the wall near them.

“She would be a valuable asset,” Evin remarked.

“Yes,” Numair responded. “That is part of the reason why King Jonathon sent me here.”

Evin looked sharply at Numair, “I thought you were supposedly on a break.”

“I am,” Numair answered. “I have a keen interest in Wild Magic and am one of the few mages who believes in its existence.”

“What exactly is your mission?” Miri asked.

“I am to find Daine, train her, and sharpen her to be a weapon for Tortall,” Numair replied. “With the reappearance of immortals, we badly need people like her.”

‘That sounds so cold’, Miri thought.

“Does Daine know?” Evin inquired.

Numair sighed. “As you can see, she is a tough nut to crack. I am presently trying to befriend her, but it is more difficult than I thought. It is like she puts up a wall around herself.”

“To prevent herself from being hurt,” Miri commented softly, the men turned to look at her and she looked at her feet. “With her disfiguration, she has to face a lot of that, rejection from people. She probably thinks you are just playing with her-” Miri looked up and into Numair’s face. “-But you are not, you are using her, you know.”

Numair felt a pang, but replied, “It is in the best of her welfare. She gets to control her growing powers. I do not think that she has accepted a teacher before. It is in the best of Tortall’s interests.”

“Are you going to tell her?” Evin questioned. “After all, most would be happy to help their country. Or at least, the adventure of it all or the monetary reward.”

Numair shook his head. “I do not think that she will be swayed by money or otherwise. She seems to be a person of great integrity from what I gather. She doesn’t accept charity greatly. She is from Galla originally and we do not know where her true alliance lies. Once I take her under my wing, I will train her as well as open her eyes to the drastic events unfolding around us. Daine seems to be compassionate and I think once she discovers the impending and inevitable catastrophe that will hit Tortall and its people, she would be more than willingly to help.”

“Why don’t you just tell her everything and ask for her help?” Miri asked. “If she finds out, she won’t take to it kindly that you are using her. There is a lot of people on that list, especially that sorry excuse for a human, Alex.”

Numair ignored the slap of guilt he felt and retorted defensively, “I am not Alex.”

“I thunk not sur,” Evin mimicked Alex’s slur.

“Maybe not,” Miri commented. “But not in motives.”

Numair got up from the bed and started pacing, “We just don’t have the time to convince her, then train her. She seems to be the stubborn sort. Ozorne is on the move. From reports, he is amassing an army for an attack on Tortall. Tortall needs all the help and time she can get. If I were to tell Daine now that I was befriending her solely because Jon had ordered me so, she would get very offended and hurt. We can’t afford bad blood between both of us, not if I am to become an effective teacher to her. I do not have much time to soothe her ruffled feathers and make her do her lessons. She would learn much more quickly and easily, if she was willing and if she wanted to take up lessons on her own free will.”

“With a little manipulation, you mean,” Miri remarked.

Evin looked at Miri sharply, “You have a problem with that?”

“No,” Miri responded, holding up her hands. “I am just covering all bases. I was thinking what would happen if she found out later. The plan might backfire.”

“Even then,” Evin said, “I do not think that she can bear to stop helping Tortall. Who wouldn’t want to help defend his home? We all knew the risks, yet we continue, because we know that if we don’t, no one will.”

“Even so,” Miri muttered. “The price to pay will be dear. No, not in coin or tangible items, but in emotional terms.”

Numair hoped that the words wouldn’t come true.

Night

By the pond in the Grey Forest…

<Cloud, have you seen my hairbrush?> Daine asked, frowning as she rummaged through a pack. She had taken off her chain, going through her nightly preparations.

<No.> Cloud responded, grazing in her favourite spot near the pond. She paused and looked up at Daine who was perched in a tree. <But I think you may have dropped it that day when you ran into Stork man.>

Daine smacked her palm against her forehead, “ARGH! That was the only brush I had.”

<Hmm... Well then, you can ask him when you see him again.> Cloud commented.

<Again?> Daine remarked in surprise, and looked around quickly. <Where? Where?>

Cloud snorted and stamped her hoof. <He’s not here, silly. But you’re waiting for him, aren’t you?>

<Waiting for him?> Daine tried to sound casual. <Of course not! If I were so willing to look for him, I would be down on the ground, not in a tree!>

<All the better to pounce on him…> Cloud murmured.

<I heard that!> Daine said. <And I did not pounce on him.> She sniffed. <I just, sort of fell on him.>

<Er huh…> Cloud gave a derisive wicker. <Well then, how is Juliet?>

The watcher’s dog had a mate, Juliet, who was with his pups. Daine had earlier gone to check on her. <Just fine. She should be due in a day or two.> Daine responded and resignedly settled on a comb. She tackled her hair furiously with the comb. Suddenly, she felt this trickling in her mind. She turned and looked at the edge of the pond.

It was a water undine!

<Cloud, look!> Daine gasped, keeping very still.

“Mythros…” Someone breathed. The undine gave the stranger a startled look and leapt into the water. “Wait! I mean no harm.”

<Idiot.> Cloud muttered.

<But my idiot.> Daine grinned.

<Your idiot?> Cloud remarked in surprise. Daine had no response to that, she was just as surprised at her announcement.

Numair sighed and walked out into the clearing. He had hoped to catch a glimpse of the nymph he had seen that day, but he had caught sight of an undine! It was quite a red-letter day for him.

“Yikes!” Daine yelped when she felt a cold, damp nose shove her in the small of her back, causing her to lose her balance. ‘Not again!’ She thought as she took an ungraceful tumble out of the tree.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself looking at amused dark ones. “Hello,” Numair grinned. “Taking flying lessons again?” He was prepared this time and had caught her in his arms.

“Hmm…” Daine sniffed and glared at the empty tree branch she had previously occupied. The nose suspiciously felt like a Badger’s. She tried to ignore noticing his strong muscles in his chest and arms. “Could you please put me down?” She requested politely.

Numair lowered her gently on the ground. She pretended to dust off herself while he loomed next to her.

“I thought I would never see you again,” Numair murmured.

“Me too,” she thought and realised that she had said it out-loud too when he said, “Great minds think alike.”

She looked up at him and smiled, causing Numair to catch his breath. “You have a beautiful smile,” he murmured.

Daine blushed and looked down, “Well then.”

“Well then,” Numair responded. “Did you ever wonder how stars came about?”

“Stars?” Daine blurted, surprised at the change in topic.

“Yes, stars,” Numair prompted.

A long while later, Daine shivered and thought, ‘It is surprising, really. That we could just talk and talk and talk. Somehow he just managed to go into neutral topics and find out so much of myself.’

“I am sorry,” Numair interrupted her thoughts, putting his arm around her shoulders. “You’re cold. I didn’t realise you didn’t have a cloak.”

The weight of his arm was unfamiliar, Daine haven’t been hugged, was it counted as a hug? by a guy before. “Well, uh,” Daine tried to still her shivers. She didn’t want their time together to end so soon.

His arm left her and Daine discovered that he had given her his cloak. “I can’t take it,” Daine protested, putting her hands up to her shoulders where he had placed his cloak.

Numair stood in front of her and placed his hands on hers. “It’s alright. I have more like these back at the inn.”

“But, you…” Daine demurred.

“I will be fine. You are a mere slip of humanity. My mother didn’t have a wimp of his son,” he announced exaggeratedly, thumping himself on the chest.

“Your ma must have fair dropped you on the head when you were a child!” Daine remarked, giggling at his antics.

“Funny,” Numair remarked. “Someone told me the same thing today, but in a less pretty tone that yours.”

NEW!!

Numair chuckled and fingering his bruised eye, he said, “Someone was angry with me today and gave me a fair bruise.”

“Oh,” Daine remarked, feeling rather dumb. Of course he did not guess! She looked completely different from her other self. “I’m sorry.”

“Want to kiss and make it feel better?” Numair offered.

“WHAT?!” Daine screeched and took a step back. She blushed and cleared her throat, “I mean, what?”

Numair laughed. “I was just joking. You should have seen your expression.”

“Humph,” Daine sniffed and shoved him in the shoulder.

Numair fell backwards and he grabbed Daine’s wrists. “Hey!” Daine yelped as she fell into the pond with him.

“This would be the second time someone pushed me in the pond today,” Numair remarked, as Daine splashed water at him. He shook back his wet hair and looked at Daine who fumed. He leaned over and flicked his finger under her chin. “You look cute when you’re angry.”

Daine blinked in surprise. It was the first time anyone said so and she blushed.

“And you look even cuter when you blush,” he added, grinning.

“Stop it,” Daine said, and cupping some water in her hands, she threw water in his face.

“I guess I deserved it,” Numair said and flopped on his back.

“You bet you do,” Daine snorted. The water was only waist high and she walked closer to him. He floated on his back. “So,” she said, trying her best to sound off hand. “Who was angry with you?”

“Daine,” Numair answered and sounded thoughtful. He sighed.

“Why?” Daine asked.

“Basically, she has taken a dislike to me. I want to teach her how to control her wild magic,” Numair responded.

“Why?” Daine probed.

“Because I care. At best, she may go stupid. At worst, mad. It is amazing how she managed to harness her magic so far. I can see her magic going all over the place.”

“What do you mean?” Daine questioned, panicking. “Can you read her mind?”

“No,” Numair said, his face becoming shadowed. “Everyone has his own secrets.” Daine wondered what secrets he had. “Anyway, I am one of the only living experts on Wild Magic.”

“How humble of you,” Daine smiled and he grinned back.

Numair traced his finger down her arm, causing her to shiver in response. “I can see other people’s magics when I want to.”

“Well then,” Daine responded. “I hope you have not tried to see mine. I hate it when people try to!” She felt fear in her heart, because if he saw her magic magically, he would recognise her.

“No,” Numair quickly said, getting up to his feet. He took her hands in his and assured her, “I haven’t.”

“Promise me you won’t,” Daine asked urgently, her eyes wide.

Numair raised his hand to stroke her cheek. “I won’t.” Wondering at himself how a simple look from her can move him so much.

“Well,” Daine said, trying to divert the topic. “I don’t think Daine would take kindly to having someone trying to teach her.”

“Why?” Numair inquired.

Daine turned away and hugged herself. “Because people try to use her, or they think she wants to use them.”

Numair walked in front of Daine. “I am trying to help her.”

Daine looked at Numair’s face. “Because you feel sorry for her? That she is a freak?”

“She’s not a freak,” Numair said sternly and in a gentler voice. “She’s unique. She is blessed to be blessed with such an extraordinary gift.”

“She doesn’t have the Gift, you know,” Daine responded. “Her ma wanted so badly for her to have the gift,” Daine turned away. “Her ma tested and tested her, but she didn’t have any trace of the Gift.”

“You sound like you know her well,” Numair commented quietly.

“I, I, I just heard things about her, that’s all. I just can’t bear it for people to try and take advantage of her,” Daine said vehemently.

“Not everyone out there is out to mean her harm,” Numair remarked. “And I am most assuredly not. I want to help her control her power and in doing that, she can help the people around her.”

“You, you don’t feel pity for her?” Daine asked quietly and lifted her big blue-grey eyes to his face. She could not bear it if Numair was doing this all because he felt sorry for her.

“I don’t. I feel empathy for what she has been thought, but most assuredly, I am doing this for other reasons,” Numair said.

“Oh,” Daine felt quite relieved. “As mind as it is for reasons not out of pity or to mean her bad.”

Numair felt guilt tugging at him, thinking, ‘She may find the other reasons may be worse than pity. When you get down to it, I am just using her, just as Miri says. No matter how noble the cause it, in the end, I am using her.’

“She’s not that bad a person, you know, if you explained to her things clearer,” Daine continued, unaware of his silent ponderings. “You shouldn’t judge a book by the cover.”

“I know,” Numair responded quietly. “I find her loyal, caring and a person with strict personal honour.”

Daine felt her heart sigh and smiled at him. “I am glad you think so.” She felt warmed by his compliments as he meant it sincerely. Why pay compliments to an ugly freak like her to a pretty stranger? After all, most people she met is most inclined towards the opposite end, insulting her.

Numair took her hands in his and asked, “Could you please bestow this poor mortal with your name, oh gentle nymph?”

“I, I…” Daine was completely caught off guard and felt like a deer caught in the stare of a hunter with a bow and arrow. “My name, my name is Juliet.”

“Juliet,” Numair repeated and tilted his head to one side.

”Well,” Daine, or should I say, Juliet replied. “I, er, I have to go now.” It made Daine nervous that he would try to pry more things out of her. Things that she couldn’t afford to say or let him know. She started to trudge out of the water.

Numair followed her, “Will I see you again?”

“It depends,” Daine answered, trying to be as elusive as possible.

“I would like to meet you again,” Numair said.

“Hmm…” Daine replied and pondered for a while. She reached shore and turned to him. She lifted her confused and troubled eyes to his and asked him, “Numair, what exactly is happening here? I mean, what do you want? I, I don’t have much experience in this. I don’t know what you are doing, hanging around here-”

Her words were suddenly muffled by his chest. He had taken her into his arms and he rested his head on top of hers. ‘Wow,’ she thought. ‘He is pretty warm for someone who wallowed in cold water at an insane hour of the night.’ It felt rather weird in all.

Weird.

But weirdly nice.

More! More!