Written by Lazuli
She knew that he suffered from the same fear. That she would want a younger man.
Why would she?
There were plently of men around, boys, really, but none who made her heart race as Numair's did. One who knew all her secrets, who helped her through her problems with her wild magic....she wanted to be with him, always, but didn't want to trap him. Perhaps if they sat down and talked about it...
like they had proposed to do in the cave after discovering their feelings for eachother. She left her room in search of Numair.
******
Numair was thinking along the same lines as Daine, although he wasn't aware of it. He thought about her all the time, now. How scared he was when she thought the spidren killed her. How he showed her he loved her...he wondered if she ever wished that to have never occured. If she wished her life would have gone on the same way with them...friends....student and teacher. He treasured
that moment, though. When he finally gave into his true feelings for her. She admitted just as much that she loved him. But what if it was just temporary? What if she saw that one day she wanted a younger man to be by her side, instead of an old man like him? To be with someone who didn't have his reputation...he sighed and looked out the window.
His mind drifted back to that day in the cave, where she had the wrong idea about what he wanted. He frowned at that memory. Poor Daine. For her to think that all men wanted was sex. He saw the way Perin had eyed her, and he reassured her that he *didn't* want that. That was how she figured out she loved him. She confronted him soon after that, and proposed that they talk about the whole situation once they got back home, and the war was over. They had both been so caught up before now to talk. He didn't have anything planned this time. He went out to find Daine.
******
Daine met up with Numair in the hallway, and she didn't waste anytime dragging him back to her room to talk. She had to get this out. She wanted to be with him, and it was eating her apart not to talk to him and tell him this. 'There's no time like the present.' She thought, and resumed her walk back to her bedroom, with a non-resisting Numair in tow.
Numair smiled faintly to himself. So his little Maglet had the same idea as he had? He didn't wonder. They were thinking along the same lines alot lately.
He let her drag him down to her room, and he hoped for a long talk about everything that had happened, and would happen in the future. He also hoped that she would have an answer for his marriage proposal.
Daine didn't waste anytime in starting the talk, although she was clearly nervous. "Numair...I...I...wanted to say that I...love you. I mean, I've always known it for a long time...ever since that day I *really * realized it, but I wanted to have that talk...I mean...what we're going to do...you proposed to me...."
Numair brought Daine in his arms, hoping to calm her down as he
spoke over her head, chin resting in in hair. "Magelet...I was serious in that proposal. I do want to spend the rest of my life with you. I am just afraid that you will want a younger man one day. It isn't fair to you to steal your youth away like that."
Daine twisted in his arms, looking into his eyes. "I wouldn't be having my youth taken away by *you*, Numair! Think of all that I've been through. That's enough to steal anybody's youth, their innocence. Being with you makes me feel protected...." She trailed off again, as she saw Numair was going to speak again.
He held her face gently between his hands, and gently stroked her cheek. "Magelet...sweet...I know that you've been through more than any girl your age has been through. I mean by keeping you with a man that you fell in love with, who has suddenly gotten old before your eyes. If that happens, magelet, and you want to find a new man...then...you can. I love you to much to keep you trapped and suffering."
Daine clearly saw the pain in his eyes. She knew that he didn't want to give her up, but he loved her enough to give her that choice. She smiled at him.
"The same option goes for you, Numair. I don't want you trapped, either. But...I want to try this out....I want to be with you for as long as possibe, hopefully forever. I want to marry you, Numair."
Numair smiled broadly and gently kissed Daine on the mouth, then deepened the kiss. Daine responded in full measure, and was soon breathless.
"Numair...I am happy with this, and I know Ma and Da is...but, what of the others? What do you think they will say? I don't want anything bad said about you."
Numair held Daine tighter aganist him, trying to melt away her doubts along with his and said, "Whatever happens, Daine, then it happens. I am willing to take the full impact of what this might incur. I just want to be with you."
Daine melted under his love, and his kisses that quickly followed his speech. She knew that whatever was to happen to them in the future, then they would face it head on, together...
