Arram

"All right! Enough. We're almost there."

The two rode up to the two humans and the two animals waiting for them. Numair dismounted and was immediately pounced on by his mother in a great hug, which he returned. Laurel was head and shoulders shorter than her son was. Numair then held his hand out to shake with his father and the two pulled each other into an enormous hug.

Daine sort of hung back a little bit, smiling as she watched the reunion. The dog and cat came up and greeted her as she dismounted. The dog licked her palm and the cat rubbed her shins.

Numair held out his hand for Daine and she stepped forward to take it and stood by him. "Mother, Father, I'd like you to meet Veralidaine Sarrasri, my fiancée. Daine, these are my parents, Andrew and Laurel Draper."

Daine smiled and held out her hand. "Pleased to meet you sir, ma'am."

Andrew exchanged a glance with his wife before shaking her hand. They were both thinking the same thing: Daine was young! "Nice to meet you, also, Veralidaine." It didn't escape Daine's notice that his smile, and Laurel's, were a little wan, like they were unsure of what to say. She also noticed Laurel's surprised look at the pouch that hung across her chest, like she thought there was a baby in it. Kitten poked her head up and trilled a greeting. Laurel stepped back slightly, shocked

"It's just Daine, sir. Veralidaine is too long for everyday use." She smiled and took Kitten out of her pouch and set her down. "This is Skysong, but everyone calls her Kitten."

Numair noticed his parents discomfort, as did Daine. Daine glanced up at her lover. "Numair, why don't I go stable the horses. You can talk to your parents while I do that."

"But you don't know where it is." Andrew spoke up.

Daine smiled. "Patch and Grover will show me." Daine looked at the cat and dog that stepped up and started going around the back. Before anyone could protest anymore Daine and the animals (including Kitten) were around the house going to the barn.

Laurel cleared her throat. "Arram."

Numair smiled awkwardly at his mother. "Yes?"

Laurel bit her lip. How could she say this tactfully? "She's… young. I was expecting someone closer to your age."

Andrew wasn't so tactful. "Arram, she's young enough to be your daughter rather than your fiancée! I thought we taught you better than to be toying with girl's emotions."

"I didn't toy with her emotions." Numair retorted, barely holding his temper in check. He saw the skeptical look on his father's face and sighed. "Look, we both know that this isn't just a passing thing. There were many, many times over the years that either of us could have gone off with someone else, figuring the other to be too old or young. But we haven't."

"Arram, it's just a shock that's all." Laurel was obviously the family's peacemaker and keeper. "I trust your judgment is true, and I'm sure you'll both be fine. Now, let's go inside and you can tell us what you've been up to besides wooing a young lady." Her face said that they were to drop the subject for now and do what she said.

Andrew looked at his son as though telling him that they would talk about it later. Numair barely suppressed a grimace. He'd gotten that look many times as a child and knew it only meant that he was in trouble.

Daine took the packs from Mangle's back and set them by the stable door so she could take them in. Then, after digging the combs out of a saddlebag, she began to comb the sweat and tangles out of all of the horses' coats.

"I think they disapprove." She murmured to Cloud. "Of me and Numair, I mean."

So? Why should they have any say in you and the stork-man getting married? The pony countered. I think you worry too much. You'd better be careful your fur doesn't start getting white like the stork-man's.

Daine sneered at her mount and finished combing her. "Leave it to you to reassure my doubts."

Cloud snorted. I'm not here to reassure you every time you get the worries. If I were I'd never be able to sleep.

The woman made an indignant noise and finished the chore. Then she picked up some of the packs and made her way to the house.

Once there she knocked on the back door. When it opened she saw Andrew there. Behind him, sitting at a table, were Numair and Laurel. Numair stood up and went to the door to help Daine with the packs. "I'm sorry, Daine. I'd completely forgotten about the packs when you went to take care of the ponies." He took a few packs and blushed dully in embarrassment.

Daine smiled. "It's ok. I managed. It's just opening the door that's trouble." She set the rest of the packs inside the door and stepped into the room. Andrew closed the door behind her.

Laurel stood up. "Why don't you sit down, Daine. We were just having some lemonade." The older woman went over to the counter and poured Daine some drink while she took a seat next to Numair.

Numair slipped his hand into hers and gave it a quick squeeze as Laurel brought Daine her drink. "Thank you." Daine lifted her free hand and picked up the glass and took a sip. "This is very good."

"I make it myself." After few moments Laurel looked at Numair. "Arram, why don't we take your things to your rooms? We can give Daine a few moments to settle down." Numair nodded in agreement. He kissed Daine's cheek and went to help his mother with their things.

Chapter 3

The next day, Daine woke up at dawn purely out of habit. For once she could have stood to sleep in, but more than six years of habitually getting up with the sun and earlier had worked it's way into Daine's system. There was no sleeping past the sun now.

She sighed and threw the blankets back crabbily. She didn't have to worry about waking anyone else in the room. The Drapers had given her and Numair separate rooms and Kitten, who slept with Daine, could sleep through a tornado when she wanted to.

The young woman splashed her face with the washing water provided and patted her face dry. She would have liked a bath, but was content to just wash the sweat from her neck with a soapy towel.

Kitten yawned and sat up on the bed, appearing to be only a dragon shaped lump underneath Daine's discarded blankets. She quickly yanked herself free of the bedding and chirped irritably

Daine ignored the scolding of the dragon and cleaned her teeth. She was definitely going to have to wash her hair that day. She was starting to look as raggedy as she had when she'd first worked for Onua.

The wildmage ran a disgusted hand through her short hair. She didn't want to cut it, but it was too short to really tie it back and it got in her face all the time. With a sigh of disgust she took a thick leather band out of her packs and put it around her head to hold the unruly hair back.

She stepped away from the dressing table and dressed quickly in breeches and a shirt. After pulling on her boot she stepped out of the room and went down to the kitchen.

Arriving there she saw Laurel making breakfast. "Good morning."

Laurel looked up from the porridge she was stirring. "Good morning, Daine. Did you sleep well?"

Daine nodded. "Yes, thank you. Do you want some help with breakfast?"

"Sure." The older woman smiled. Daine noticed it was friendlier than the initial smile she'd received the previous day. "Would you squeeze these oranges into juice for me? Andrew's out getting the milk and feeding the animals. I think Arram went with him."

Daine nodded and started to juice the oranges. She looked around and considered what she knew of the Draper family thus far. They were rich, that was certain enough. You could tell by the décor of the house and the expensive look of things. Yet, they seemed to live simply enough. No servants; the two cared for their own animals and made their own meals. Daine liked it. It was nice, homelike.

"Daine, may I ask you something?" Laurel broke Daine out of her reverie with the question.

Daine nodded. "Sure."

"Why do you love my son?"

Daine was slightly taken aback by the question and it's bluntness. She thought for a moment. "I love him because he's who he is. He's the King's best mage and one of his most trusted friends. Being on that close of terms with someone so powerful, some people might try to take advantage of it, and get a high and mighty attitude. But he didn't." She stopped, thinking that it sounded an awful lot like she was marrying him for his position in court. "I love him for him, not for anything else."

Laurel nodded. "I see."

At that moment the men came in, their cheeks ruddy from the morning wind. Andrew held a bucket of milk, and he and Numair were laughing.

"Good morning, Mother." Numair kissed Laurel on the cheek. He also slipped him hand in the bowl that held the rising bread dough and pulled out the soft white ball. He tossed it from one great hand to the other while Andrew placed the milk on the table. "Daine! Catch!" Numair tossed the dough ball to her.

Daine quickly put down the orange half she'd been holding and the wand that she used to squeeze the juice out and barely caught the dough. She grinned and tossed the ball in the air playfully. Laurel was laughing heartily from the side of the kitchen.

Daine tossed the ball back at Numair. Just as he was about to catch it the dough was intercepted by Andrew. He dumped the ball unceremoniously back into its bowl. "That will do." His voice was stern, like he was chastising two young children, but his eyes danced with laughter.

Daine and Numair stood together and looked properly ashamed of themselves for all of ten seconds. Then they burst out laughing.

"Ok, ok, ok!" Laurel brought plates to the table. "Breakfast is getting cold. Numair pour the milk, and put some of the cream down for the cat. Andrew, help me bring the eggs to the table, and Daine bring the juice."

It was all done, and in a matter of five minutes they were all sitting down to a meal of eggs, buttered bread, porridge with jam, bacon, and juice and milk.

"So, Arram," Andrew started the conversation, "How did you and Daine meet?"

Numair and Daine glanced at each other for a second. "Daine was helping bring some ponies to Tortall from Galla. I had been on a spying mission for his majesty and had gotten myself stuck in a hawk shape. I was chased by immortals and Daine saved me from them. She also helped save my life by nursing my health. By that time I didn't know ground from air anymore."

Andrew and Laurel looked uncomfortable. Not only because their son had been in such danger and they didn't know about it, but because of the mention of his magic. Neither of them had magic, though it was in both of their family lines. Theory is that the Gift, or magic in general, that skips a generation is the strongest. That theory had certainly proven true for Numair, and his parents were always nervous around his magic.

"I see." Laurel stated demurely. There was an awkward silence for a few moments.

Andrew stood up. "I need to go into town today for some things. Arram, would you like to come with? It would give you a chance to see some of your friends."

Numair nodded. "I'd like that." He stood, kissed Daine's cheek, and followed his father out of the house.

Laurel started to gather the breakfast dishes and Daine followed her example. Silently, they cleaned the dishes.

When they were finished, Laurel dried her hands. "I'm going out to my garden. You're welcome to come, if you like."

"Umm, actually, is there somewhere I can take a bath?" Daine asked, hanging up a dishtowel to dry.

Numair's mother nodded. "Behind the stable there's a tub. You'll have to heat the water and carry it out there though." The woman cautioned Daine as though she thought the other woman was a soft noble that had never lifted a finger in her life.

Daine smiled. "Great. Is there a pot or something I can heat the water in?"

Laurel pointed Daine to what she needed, then went out thinking. Daine was certainly not what she expected.

It took Daine almost an hour to heat up enough water for a bath and carry it out to the tub, but that made the bath all the more worthwhile. She was careful to scrub all over herself, getting every bit of grime from the road off her skin and out of her hair. Then she just sat in the bath and relaxed until to water got cool.

Chapter 4

Numair and Andrew arrived in town after nearly an hour of riding. They dismounted and led their horses in the town. If Numair noticed several of the men in the market nudging each other and nodding his way, he gave no sign of it.

"So, why did you need to come to town, Dad?" Numair asked casually.

"I haven't picked up your mother's midwinter gift yet." Andrew smirked. "I suppose you have all your midwinter shopping done?"

Numair shook his head. "Not even. I figured I'd wait to get down here to do it." Andrew made an interested noise and Numair noticed a man and a woman with a baby coming towards him. "Hey, is that Daniel and Eve?"

Andrew nodded as the three came upon them.

"Arram?" The woman asked incredulously. "Is it you?"

Numair gave them an exaggerated bow. "The same."

"Draper!" The man laughed and gave his friend a slap on the back. "When did you get back?"

"Just yesterday. I came down for midwinter."

"Any chance we can get you to stay?" Daniel asked.

Numair shook his head. "Nope, I have a good job up in Corus and all the books I could want. Besides, it's too hot down here in the summer." He grinned and changed the subject. "Who's the little one."

Eve smiled. "This is our daughter, Elia. Would you like to hold her?" Numair nodded and Eve carefully handed the babe to him. The child was so small she almost seemed to disappear in Numair's large hands. Eve brushed back a wisp of her dark hair. "Do you ever plan to settle, Arram? You seem to have a way with children."

Numair held the baby to his chest. The girl-child sighed and listened to his heartbeat. "Since you mention it, I am engaged."

Daniel smiled. "I never would have believed it. You, stopping your studies long enough to court some fine lady? Incredible! Did you bring her down?"

Numair nodded. "Yes, she's at the house with my mother."

"Why? Are you hiding her from us? Afraid she'd find one down here she'd prefer?" Daniel joked.

"Not at all."

"I hate to break this up, as entertaining as it is, but Arram and I have things to do." Andrew broke in. "If you'd like to meet his fiancée why don't you come to dinner tomorrow night?"

Daniel nodded as Numair handed Elia back to Eve. "We'd like that. See you then." The man shook Andrew and Numair's hands and the family left them.

"Come on, Arram. We've got things to do." Andrew led the way through the crowd.

As they rode back to the house, Andrew asked, "Arram, I don't mean to question you about Daine every minute, but how do you know that this isn't just a passing thing?"

Numair suppressed a sigh. He knew his father meant well, but had he always been this nosy? "A little over three years ago Daine was kidnapped to Carthak and enslaved. She was there for two years. If peace meetings hadn't been arranged for every seven years maybe she'd still be there. But during that two years we both know that if what we had wasn't real I could have gone for another woman, thinking she was dead. I had to spend the next year after we rescued her reassuring her that I still loved her and that I would never leave her, which is all true. After that kind of test, how can we not be sure of what we have?"

Andrew nodded thoughtfully. "I see. I had no idea you two had been through so much. And you're right, how can you not believe in your love after all that?"

Numair smiled, knowing that now he and Daine had his father's approval to marry.

They reached the house and took their horses back to the stable. Then they went inside to find Daine and Laurel talking over iced tea. "Hello, Ladies." Numair greeted, dropping into a seat next to Daine and stealing a drink of her tea.

"Hello. Did you boys have fun?" Laurel asked while Daine playfully hit Numair for stealing her drink.

Andrew nodded and poured himself some tea. "Yes. We saw Daniel and Eve.

"Oh, good. How's Elia?" Laurel asked, interested.

"She's fine. A good healthy baby. They're coming over for dinner tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow?" Laurel asked, surprised. "Well, thanks for the warning."

Andrew nodded. "You're welcome." He smirked and dropped into a chair while Laurel started to worry about what to make for dinner the following evening.

Chapter 5

Daine helped Laurel cook for Daniel and Eve the next evening, and the night was enjoyable. Daine caught Daniel winking at Numair in approval while she was holding Elia once.

Midwinter came quicker than they expected. In Tyra midwinter festival consisted of one evening of an outdoor celebration on the first night and the rest of the week's celebrations were, for the most part, in each person's homes with specific family traditions. On the last night of the festival gifts were exchanged.

The first day of the festival the four went to town early and stayed the day at Eve and Daniel's. (Kitten opted to stay at the house, knowing that she would probably scare a lot of people at the party.) The main street was a flurry of decorations and activity. Children ran from booth to booth, watching puppet shows, comedy plays, and even some craftsmen work. One man was whittling toys and whichever child was nearest him when he finished one he gave that toy to him. The man even made a little doll especially for Elia.

Once Numair caught Daine underneath a spiky green plant that was hanging over a doorway in Daniel's house and kissed her.

"What was that for?" She asked, smiling.

"You see, magelet, in Tyra we have many traditions for midwinter. One of them is hanging this little plant up and if you get caught under it you get kissed." Numair smirked. "Why? Don't you like being kissed?" He toyed with a lock of her hair.

Daine laughed. "Of course I like it. If I had known that a little plant could bring such treatment, I'd have hung it up at home a long time ago."

"There's no need for that." Numair whispered in her ear, making her shiver in excitement.

Eve and Laurel came up behind them and grabbed both of Daine's arms and pulled her away from Numair. "That's enough you two. It's time to get ready for the celebration this evening!" Eve said as she led Daine up the stairs of the townhouse. Daine glanced back at Numair and shrugged. She let herself be led away pretending she was being led to her death, making her fiancé laugh.

It was just after sunset when the women finally came down. Eve came down first with Elia on her hip. The two wore dresses of matching green fabric. Elia had a headband around her little head and Eve had allowed her dark hair to hang to her waist, pulled back at her face and held in an intricate design. Her dress had long sleeves that ended in a point on her hands and a fitted bodice that started to flare at the waist and swished around her ankles.

Laurel came next in a red dress. It too had long sleeves, but they were flared rather than fitted. Her skirt went to her ankles and hung around her gracefully. Her hair was braided and coiled around her head like a crown.

Daine came down last, only because her friends had insisted. She wore a dress of midnight blue with a lighter blue sheer overlay. Her sleeves went to her elbows and sheer blue fabric went from there to her wrists. The princess seams of the dress accented her curves. Holding her curled hair back was a midnight blue ribbon, but two curled locks hung at her temples.

The men whistled their appreciation for the way that they all looked, making them all laugh. They all walked outside and joined the throng of people walking to the outskirts of town where the bonfires were.

There was dancing and music and food. When the fires burned down couples started to jump over them. Daine and Numair watched Elia while Eve and Daniel jumped over the embers. When the two came back, they took Elia and told Daine and Numair to take their turn jumping over the embers. The couple resisted for a few moments then gave in and took their turn.

Afterwards they all shared a toast of wine, and Numair spun Daine back onto the dance floor. Daine laughed as she saw the old man that had whittled the toys dancing with Elia. She clapped when Numair and another friend juggled for several children.

The night went by in a happy blur, and it seemed like they were headed back to the house all too soon.

Daine woke up curled up next to Numair. Her head was aching from the night of drinking nothing but wine and she snuggled closer to her lover trying to get back into that blissful state of unawareness.

After five minutes she sighed. It wasn't working. She was awake for the day. But that didn't mean she had to get out of bed right away.

She rolled over so her back was to Numair and just lay there. A few moments later she felt two large hands massaging her shoulders through her nightshirt. She smiled. "Morning."

"Ohh, don't whisper so loud." Numair said, his voice a whisper also.

Daine rolled over to face him. "Only if you promise to do the same thing."

Before Numair could answer there was a knock at the door. Daine sighed and rolled out of the bed. She grabbed a robe and tied it on before opening the door. It was Laurel.

Numair's mother held a green bottle and two spoons. "Morning. I thought you might be needing this this morning." She held up the bottle. "Goddess knows everyone else in the house has." Daine stepped aside, yawning, and let the woman in.

Numair was out of bed and had a dressing gown wrapped around himself. Laurel filled one of the spoons with vile looking green syrup and handed it to her son. She did the same with the second spoon and handed it to Daine. They took the hangover medicine at the same time. Daine grimaced and swallowed, knowing that her mother had fed her worse concoctions in her time. Numair swallowed and coughed and sputtered.

"Goddess! That's nasty!" He coughed again. "Now I know why Dad never drinks."

Laurel laughed. "That's right. Now you two get dressed and come down for lunch." With that she left.

Daine made a face and smacked her mouth trying to get the aftertaste out of her mouth. "Eck." Numair laughed as she went left and went to her own room to dress.

Kitten chirped a greeting to the two as they came down. The dragon was sitting on a stool at the table and had a piece of meat and a bit of cheese in her claws.

Daine smiled at her charge. "Morning." She greeted Numair's parents and Kitten as she sat.

"Afternoon, you mean." Andrew said, chuckling. Daine grinned as she made herself a sandwich. "So, what are you two planning to do today?"

Numair shrugged. "I don't know." Daine shook her head. "Any suggestions?"

"Keegan and Lois are heading up a hay ride for later. Daniel and Eve will be there. They said they'd stop by on their way out to the woods to see if any of us were going." Laurel answered.

Daine and Numair looked at each other. "Sounds good to me. Will you two be going?" Daine wanted to know.

Andrew laughed and shook his head. "No, ma'am. We'll be content to let you two go and come back and help you get the hay out of your hair while you complain about the sharp hay stalks and the little flakes getting into your nose and eyes."

Chapter 6

The carriage came to pick up Daine and Numair two hours before sunset. They climbed into the hay with all the other couples, and waved good-bye to Laurel and Andrew. Kitten decided to stay with Daine that night.

The hayride brought a sort of childishness out of everyone. Numair, believe it or not, was the instigator of at least one hay fight between the males and the females. Daine head up the revenge though, and dumped a large pile of hay on Numair's head and down his back.

It was late when they got back. Kitten was asleep and Daine carried her inside. The house was oddly quiet. They were sure that Andrew and Laurel would be up waiting to hear about it.

The house was dark, and Numair lit a lamp so that Daine wouldn't trip carrying Kitten upstairs. He led the way in.

Daine took Kitten upstairs and then came back down. Numair was standing in the doorway to the living area, a smirk upon his face. Daine slipped around him and what she saw made her smile. Laurel and Andrew had obviously gotten tired of waiting. They were both curled together on the couch and asleep.

"Let's go to bed." Daine whispered, not wanting to wake them up. Numair nodded and they went to bed, taking time to clean each other's hair of hay first.

The rest of the days of midwinter were strictly a family affair, which was fine by everyone. The first night Laurel made drinks that tasted like chocolate and rum, and they all sat by the fire and Andrew and Laurel told stories about Numair when he was a child, embarrassing Numair and making Daine laugh.

The second night Andrew brought out his fiddle and Laurel her flute and they played music that Daine and Numail danced to. Part way through the night Numair took the fiddle from his father and let his parents dance while Daine sat by and clapped with the rhythm. Afterwards, the Draper's played soft tunes, relaxing them all and lulling them almost to sleep.

The fourth night Andrew and Numair went out and cut down a tree and brought it in to decorate, another Tyran tradition. After it was decorated with homemade trinkets the little presents that they had bought for each other were wrapped and placed under it.

The fifth, and final, night Laurel made the rum drinks again, and they all sat around the living room as they had the first night. There they exchanged gifts. Numair was given a new shirt and vest from his parents and Daine gave him a pair of boots saying that she noticed how poor his were looking. He laughed at this and nodded his agreement.

Numair gave his parents little trinkets to put around the house. Just little sculptures from Tortall's market he thought they would like. And Laurel gave Andrew a locket with her portrait in it and Andrew gave her a pair of garnet earrings.

Daine received a small sapphire pendant from Numair. And Kitten was happy to receive a little puzzle box that was so precise she still hadn't figured it out by the time they went to bed.

After the gifts were exchanged they all just sat back and talked, thinking what a nice week it had been. Underlying all the happiness was the unspoken fact that within the next week Daine and Numair would be leaving for Tortall.

Epilogue

"They're back!" Shouted Onua as she ran out of the stables to the palace gates where Daine and Numair were coming in.

Once the two got there the King and his wife, Onua, and several others had come to meet them.

"Welcome back, Master Salmalin, Daine." The King greeted. "It's good to have you home."

Numair smiled as they all headed to the castle. "It's good to be home."