Ok. so this is my next story. I plan to keep this one going between my other storys; something different for me since I like to start a story and finish it before I start a new one. So expect updates between updates of my current story (coming soon). I promise I won't let this story (now refered to as my side story) go unfinished! I have some funny things coming up in this one!

"Numair." He heard the whine from the other room.

"Yes," he answered back.

Daine came into his workroom and sat on the arm of his chair.

"I have nothing to do."

"Can't you go to the stables?"

Daine sighed. Numair obviously hadden been outside these four walls today.

"It's raining. Hard."

He leaned back in his chair and saw the storm out the window.

"Oh."

"Numair.." she started again, but he put a finger to her lips.

"Go read. Or take the laundry down. Or...help me." he gave her a pleading smile.

"I tried to read..there's nothing. It's your week to do the laundry and I can't help you because...because..." she sighed. "I'll go read."

Numair smiled and went back to working.

Daine looked through the books on the shelves again. She had read that one, that one,...that one... but then she saw a blank leather book. She took it off the shelf and opened it. Inside was a letter sent to his mother.

Dear Mother,

Daine knew he always made copys of letters he sent and kept them; this must be where. When she had asked him why he had said that 'letters can turn into lies'. She thought this had something to do with having to leave Carthak, maybe Ozorne had lied about a letter Numair had sent him and that was why he had to leave. She would never ask, though; she knew to much about painful pasts.

Dear Mother,

Please don't worry about me. You raised me well and I can take care of myself. I won't be able to write for a while, but I promise to once things are safe enough. Please have faith in me and don't believe any of their lies. I love you and always will.

Arram

Daine went into the bed room and sat on the bed. This would be interesting, she knew!

Dearest Varice,

Please try to forget about me. I love you, but you deserve better.

Arram

Dear Mother and Father,

I hope you haven't been worrying these past few years where your only child has wondered off to. I have taken up residence at the Court of Tortall, and I couldn't be happier. I have made friends quickly and I am getting to do work for the king. It is wonderful here, so mild and green. And it snows in the winter! Maybe in a few years you can visit. I spoke with Lindhall with a speech spell, to make sure I could send this letter. He says things have cooled off about me at home and that I am no longer a wanted man (outside the country, that is). I am free to send you letters, but I have changed my name. (You knew I would soon, please don't be angry.) I will be sending my letters as Numair Salmalin from now on. You have the right to call me by my birth name, but please understand that here I am Numair. Please don't send me money; a king's 'pet mage' receives a very high pay. I have my own rooms and a new Court wardrobe, and the ladys here are facinated with a man from Carthak...

I promise to write soon,

Numair Salmalin

(or Arram)

Daine skipped over the rest of the letters to his mother until she found an interesting one.

Dearest Jayla,

I really am sorry about the other night at the dinner. I did not know your parents would be sitting so close to are table. I did not mean to offend them with my...actions.

That is why I am glad to have been sent on this little trip by the king; hopfully things will calm down by the time I get back. I can't wait to see your beautiful face agian and hold you in my arms.

Your's always, Numair

Daine turned the page.

Jayla,

Maybe it's in best intentions to be seeing other people right now.This trip has grown a mind of it's own and I don't plan on coming home for a few months. We shouldn't fool ourselfs with this false relatonship. I hope we can remain friends.

Numair

She sighed. The letters had made her very curious. What had he done at the dinner? And what about this trip? She set down the notebook full of letters and went back into the library. She looked the shelves over until she found the unmarked set of books that was Numair's journals. Sitting back down on the bed, she looked through the dates until she found the one that was written when the letters were.

August 12

Tonight I went to the State dinner with Jayla. She is a lovely girl, though I think her parents disapprove. Maybe because of my power. Or my constant affairs with the ladys of Court. No, it must be my power. But tonight I think I offended more than ever. We were sitting at the third table tonight (and would have been at the second if I wern't for that small forest fire I caused earlier this week). Usually her parents sit farther away, but tonight they took my place at the second table. So of course they saw my hand on Jayla's leg. And of course they saw me kiss her neck and hand all through dinner. Does this seem very offending? Well not to me, but to them it was extrimally unethnical and rude to, as they put it, their family and mostly their king. Oh please. Have they not watched Jon and Thayet at dinner lately? Gods! I will never be so stupid a parent when I have children. And now Jayla says we can't sit together at dinner. Her parents are throwing a fit about me, saying that I need some supervision. I'm twenty-four years old! How completly fair is that.

I'll have to meet these parnets, she thought.

August 13,

The madness continues. Today I was called to see the king. I thought it would be about this experiment I've been working on, but it was something completly different. He told me my recent acts ( meaning last night, and the fire, and the acid burning through the floor and ruining the 100 year old rug down stairs last week, and stealing that piece of cake from the kichens that just happened to be a very expensive wedding cake (how was I to know?) and last Tuesday when I got caught with Jayla in the library (since when do the hold war councils in the library?) and something else I can't remember) were 'not appreciated by the Court or by himself'. And then, to put stopper on the wine bottle, I have been band from any kind of Court funtion for a month. So that is why I think it would be a good time to travel. I don't know where I'll go. Alanna has invited me several times to visit her and her husband in Pirate's Swoop. I have only met George a few times and would like to get to know him somemore. And to think! A ocean with clear blue-green water and waves on the white, sandy shore. I think I will go there. I'll need a horse, though.

August 14,

Today I went and saw my friend Onua in the stables. I asked if she had a horse I could borrow for my trip. See only had one; a very tall black-and-white gelding. He was shy at first; Onua says he was raced when he was very young (though he's only five) and was whipped and ran constantly. He's still a little head shy, but he's beautiful. He was very gentle when I rode him, which is a good thing for me because I've only rode a few times. Onua offered me a very low price for him, so I bought him. He needs a name, though. Maybe Ebony. But what about the white spots? Or Daynight. No, that's too long. How about Spots? I like Spots. Spots and I leave in the morning for Pirate's Swooop.

A loud rumble of thunder jerked Daine from her book. I would rain all day, probably. And she knew if she didn't bother Numair he wouldn't bother her. She smiled and turned the page.