Authors note: Heres my story for the first comp for the writing comp on "The DN Writer's Faction". Set in the a few years after ROTG with a montage of flashbacks. Head over to DN writer's Faction (.net/forum/The_DN_Writers_Faction/58994/) and drop in a vote if you enjoy it :) Or just check out the other fics that have been posted.

Here are the details that must be included.

1. No word limit

2. Daine develops her first crush (we're discounting that whole swooning over Jon thing)

3. Numair tries to give her 'the talk'

4. Daine receives her first kiss but not from her crush

5. Daine must say 'It's not really worth it' at some point.

Hope you all enjoy it!

~Remember the good times~

He had been reading his tome slowly, flicking lazily through the pages when she burst into the room and slammed the door shut behind her. She leant against the solid wood with a sigh of relief as he spoke.

"I distinctly remember this happening before Magelet." The woman started at his warm voice, looking around the room in surprise as she realised where she was. Huffing her annoyance, the Wildmage looked up and met the gaze of her lover as he raised an eyebrow.

"I thought this was my room." Her chin turned stubborn as she pushed off the door and walked towards him. "And yes, this has happened before," Numair grinned in remembrance as the Wildmage scowled. "Its something I would be happier forgetting." Bending down as she walked past him, she captured his lips with her own kissing him deeply and burying her fingers in his locks.

"This is your room Magelet." He breathed out against her mouth before his breath caught as her teeth pulled his lower lip into her mouth and he opened his eyes to catch her sparkling gaze. They pulled away breathless and before she could slip away he reached for her waist and yanked her laughing over the back of the couch and into his lap.

"That kiss didn't work did it?" she remarked. "You are still going to remind me of the last time I burst in aren't you?" His grin was smug as he turned her to lay along side him on the couch. "You were thirteen, the year I met you."

The Wildmage couldn't help but smile "Ah, the younger days." His own laugh rumbled through her "Magelet it was only six years ago."

With a groan she sat up, running a hand down his chest, his long fingers catching hers as they reached his belt.

"What can I do to make you forget?" The mage ignored her, frowning slightly as he sat up beside her.

"It's not something I'm likely to forget Magelet. The first boy you crus-" Brown eyes crinkled with mirth as she huffed again and cut him off

"Couldn't you try?"

~~~Flashback~~~

The mage had just settled into his favourite chair, fingers flicking through the soft pages as the door burst open and his young student whirled into the room, sinking against the heavy door with a sigh.

"Magelet?" his voice was mild with amusement as he noted the blush colouring her cheeks. Lowering his book, the Wildmage jumped in response to his voice and flicked her eyes around the room in confusion. When her gaze fell on him, he raised an eyebrow in question. With a huff, Daine pushed off the door and turned away from her teacher.

"Sorry N'mair. I'm still getting used to my new room; I thought this was my door."

"Magelet." His tone was warning and he could imagine her chin going stubborn even though she wasn't facing him. Her blush remained as she turned back to face him, but her eyes glittered dangerously. "Is there something going on that I should know about?"

"No. Numair – What makes you think – no." his smile widened at her rambling and she couldn't stop herself from smiling back. Shaking her head at her tumbled thoughts her rosy cheeks darkened and she muffled through her curls.

"Excuse me? I didn't catch that Daine." The Mage stood and returned his book to the shelf, giving his student the chance to work up her courage.

"I said I was hiding from someone." Her voice was soft, shy, and she had a lip tight between her teeth as the mage turned back to her.

"And who, might I ask, is this someone you are hiding from?" another huff.

"Why must you ask so many questions?" blue-grey eyes caught his and he covered his smile with a large hand, it was as plain as the day that she was trying to steer clear of his questions – which was in fact just making him more curious.

"Why are you avoiding mine Magelet?" she grimaced at him before jumping out of the way as the door was shoved open.

"Daine? What in the name of the Gods were you doing?" Onua stepped into the room, a grin lighting her features as the young girl blushed even more if it were possible.

"You saw?" the girl's voice was almost distraught.

"Youngen I think nearly everyone in the room saw – your blush made sure of that." Covering her face she groaned as the older woman laughed heartily. Numair stood quietly, clueless as to what they were referring about.

"Could someone please explain to me what in the name of Shakith is going on?" no one answered and it was his turn to huff in exasperation. There was a knock at the door, and all three mages turned as Onua pulled it open to reveal a young man. A boy in Numair's eyes, that froze when his green eyes fell on Numair.

"Ma-Master Numair." The boy stuttered, eyes quickly flicking to Daine, who… Was that a smile on her lips? The Black-Robed mage shook his head as the boys name came to his mind.

"Conor." He said sharply, pushing off the wall and taking a step towards the young kennels boy. "May we help you?" It was as he spoke that he saw the piercing gaze he received from both his student and the Horse Mistress. However, Daine's eyes travelled back to the boy in an instant and the mage noted the soft, shy smile she gave him.

"Ah," he exclaimed with realisation. "I see." Onua chuckled as Numair stuck his hands in his pocket. There was silence in the room, the four of them flicking gazes between each other….

~~~End of Flashback~~~

"You know he never kissed me because of that." The Wildmage mumbled into her lover's shoulder, biting gently as he chuckled and rolled onto his side.

"I know." they lay facing each other now, Numair's hand sliding down her side, over her hip and to the back of her thigh.

"You know?" her gaze warmed up as he hooked her leg over his hip and slipped his hand under her shirt to stroke the skin of her back. He nodded.

"If I remember correctly your first kiss was at Midwinter." She pulled back from him, frowning.

"Yes." She dragged the word out into two syllables. "But I never told you that." His fingers traced the scars on her back, loving the way she fit against him.

"You didn't have to Magelet. I saw it." Stretching forward, Numair tried to kiss her but her fingers snaked up and caught his chin.

"You saw?" he grinned at her chagrin, but leant forward to kiss away the frown.

"Hence the reason I never let you know." another huff.

"I wanted to tell you." He raised an eyebrow.

"You did?"

"Of course I did." She smiled in remembrance this time, moving fingers to brush the earbobs in her lobes. "That was the year you gave me these for my midwinter gift."

~~~Flashback~~~

He had held back his gift, knowing that she hated to receive gifts around others. She could be painfully shy at times. Looking around the mage tried to locate his student, searching for her tumbling curls and the blue-grey eyes that were always full of life.

His eyes found her, on the edge of the terrace with Miri, clapping along with the music. He couldn't help the smile that formed as he stood, finishing his goblet.

"Done for the night Mage?" George asked in his lilting tone, nodding towards others that were leaving.

"Almost. Just need to give one more gift." Bidding a good night to the Baron and Lioness, the mage turned back to where Daine had been standing, but found only an empty space. Peering around others, he made his way out into the crisp cold air, and turned just in time to see the soft blue of his student's skirts brush around the corner of a hedge in the garden. If he had been paying attention, he would have seen more than just her footsteps in the snow.

"Daine?" he wasn't loud enough, she had not heard him. He continued on but stopped as a new voice filtered through the air, snow beginning to fall. The voice was male and it fell away as the mage slowed to a stop as he stepped around the garden hedge and found his young student wrapped in the arms of a young Rider, lips pressed against his as the snow fell around them. He stepped back around the corner, face flushed as he waited and then heard the young man chuckle.

They said goodnight before he heard the rider walk off. Calling her name once more, the mage stepped around the corner to find his student grinning like a fool, two fingers pressed against her lips. The smile that formed on his own lips was instinct, but fueled by her own happiness.

"Numair." Her eyes went wide but her smile remained.

"I just wanted to say goodnight Daine." He would not mention what he had seen. It was hers. "I also have your Midwinter gift." She looked as though she wanted to tell him about it, but it was hers to keep – and for some reason he could not decipher – the thought of her telling him made his heart sore. So instead he produced the soft leather pouch from his pocket and flipped the cover to reveal the glittering eardrops.

"Numair-" her voice was soft as her eyes met his. Leaning foward he whispered "Midwinter's luck Magelet." and kissed her forehead as the snow continued to fall.

~~~End of Flashback~~~

"I can't believe you didn't tell me." She stretched along side him, pressing against him, noting the way his breath caught and the way his palm on her back pulled her closer.

"You didn't tell me either – but it was yours to keep."

"Like I should have kept to myself that Perin tried to bed me the day before riding out to the Skinners." His face flushed as he remembered the day she was referring too. She had been in the stables when he had walked in to find his student being pressed against the stable wall by the young clerk. The young mans hands fumbling with her shirt.

"I don't think I have ever been so embarrassed." He muttered stiffly, remembering the way they had jumped apart, Daine trying to fix her shirt when she realised Perin had been successful in untucking it. There was a giggle on the Wildmage's part but she bit her lip in an attempt to stifle it as Numair frowned.

"You didn't have to try and talk to me about the happenings in a bedroom Numair."

"I was looking out for your welfare Sweet."

"I was sixteen Numair! For one I was a midwife's daughter-" Her hand slipped up his shirt to caress the hard muscles of his chest. "Secondly – Alanna and Onua had explained it to me in more detail when I was thirteen."

"Ah – well that would have been nice to know." She giggled loudly.

"You were so nervous and embarrassed."

"Must you remind me Daine? I had to experience it once already-" her lips were suddenly against his.

"Make me forget." She said challengingly. They were standing suddenly, well he was. She was wrapped around him as he carried her into their room and dumped her on the bed as her laughter filled the room.

~~~Flashback~~~

He had been trying to work on how to explain it to her without absolutely mortifying her and himself. "Daine – when a man and woman – I mean, there comes a time when the attraction between two people-" he stopped and huffed as he considered what he was trying to say, his face was hot. He would rather be facing fifty Stormwings and another black-robed mage than trying to explain this to his student – the woman that he held such feelings for.

Her eyes were wide as she tried to make sense of his words.

"You are a young woman – Perin is a young man."

"Very observant of you N'mair." There was wry amusement in her voice and he knew instantly that she understood everything.

"May I stop?" he knew his face was red, he could feel it burning. His eyes caught her dancing ones.

"If you must – but I'm a little disappointed." With a frown he waited to see what she had to say. "I was the daughter of a midwife Numair."

"Ah." He exclaimed with a rushed sigh. "Convenient for that to slip my mind." They grinned at each other – both embarrassed. Her smile was the first to falter though, eyes dropping to the floor.

"It's not really worth it." She muttered softly, more to herself than to her companion, hoisting her saddle onto Cloud's back and turning away from the mage. "Its not as if the whole palace hasn't already had me in one or the other mans be-" words were cut short as hands turned her around. Her eyes went wide as Numair's fingers gripped her shoulders tightly, a little too tightly. Brown eyes, almost black with barely contained rage bore into her blue-grey ones. So different than from just moments before.

"Don't you ever-" he shook her slightly to make himself clear, "-ever let those people define who you are Veralidaine." His voice was barely above a whisper, but being so close she heard every word, saw every emotion run across his face as he held her. Anger. Fury. Sadness. Disappointment. Regret. Something else – something she couldn't name. He sighed and dropped his head for a second as her mind struggled to decipher how they had gotten here. Large hands released her shoulders and his knuckles came up to brush the back of her cheek. "Promise me Magelet." Tugging a curl, the Mage looked almost wretched as his mouth formed the next words. "One day Daine – One day you'll meet the man who you want to share yourself with. And he'll love you for everything you are – and everything you aren't." he stopped and released her curl. "Lets keep going Magelet." Turning away from her, the mage gathered up their saddle bags and took them out into the morning sun, leaving behind his heart-sore Wildmage.

~~~End of Flashback~~~

"You knew that you loved me then, didn't you?" she asked softly, burying her fingers in his hair as he pressed his lips to her belly. Looking up at her he smiled, inhaling her sweet scent deeply and pulled her down the bed.

"Yes." She brushed back a curl from his face as he leant over her, tracing a finger down his cheek and across his lips.

She said "I'm sorry." softly before leaning up to kiss him.

"What for Magelet?"

"It must have been hard – hearing me talk about my-" his lips cut her short.

"Don't even think on it Magelet." With a smile he pulled away from her mouth and kissed her neck, shoulder and then breasts, loving the way she arched up into him.

"Let's just remember the good times." Her eyes opened and her grin was all sass and mischief as she said breathlessly.

"You mean the time Alanna and Thayet found-" his growl cut her short and he rolled over her, pressing her into the mattress as her eyes fluttered shut.

"On second thoughts Magelet – Lets just make new memories." Her laughter filled the room once more

Well? What did you think? If you like it review :) I know I havent done a D&N fic for a while... and those fans out there waiting for new chapters. I promise they are on the way.

Hidden Fairy