Chapter Text
Breaking camp in the morning could have been better, but it could have been worse too. Daine was amused to see Numair watching Harailt and Lindhall with a pained expression from over Spots saddle as the two mages tried to re-saddle their mounts.
Barely containing a grin—she could remember when he was little better at life on the road—she sidled up next to him, resting a hand on the horn of Spot's saddles.
As if reading her mind, he spoke without turning away from the scene in front of them. "Was I ever this—"
"Yes," she laughed.
He cringed. "Gods help us."
"It could be worse. If we're on the road within the hour we'll still make decent time today."
"Tell that to Alanna."
Daine scoffed, "I won't be trying to tell her anything until noon, at least."
"Ah, that's called survival instinct, magelet." He turned to smile down at her and tweaked her nose. Then, with a furtive glance in both directions, he dropped his voice to a near-whisper. "I'm sorry about yesterday."
"For working me into a froth or for—after?" She stumbled over her words a little and knew she was blushing.
He smiled at her euphemism but seemed to consider the question with some seriousness. "Both. The first—while enjoyable—was unfair, and the second—" he flushed "—I didn't mean to invade your privacy."
"I wasn't exactly in a private place," she waved him off and then cast a sidelong glance at him, smiling impishly. "I've been wanting to ask, though—what had you so distracted that you came back after me?"
He turned a brilliant shade of scarlet and pushed himself to stand upright, thumping Spot's saddle twice with the palm of his hand. "Looks like Lindhall needs some help. I'd better lend a hand."
It was past noon—a short, roadside lunch punctuating the day just two hours prior—when Alanna pulled her mount next to Cloud with anything resembling a working knowledge of the common language.
"We'll miss the wedding at this rate," she grumbled and Daine rolled her eyes. She would never say it to her face, but Alanna could be a little prone to melodramatics. She'd said it to George's face before, though, much to his delight.
"We won't make our original schedule, that's for sure, but—" she twisted in the saddle to look at the group behind them and shrugged "—my bet is that we'll only lose a day. They'll get better as we go."
"Will they?" The Lioness seemed more than skeptical.
"If we remind them that the quicker they move the sooner they're off the road," she laughed. "That should work with Lindhall. And Birgit has been helping Harailt along—and she's proved more than competent." It was no small thing to keep the bitterness from her voice.
"She has been a surprise." Alanna shifted in her saddle and stretched one arm out, her road leathers creaking softly with the motion. She'd injured that shoulder a couple of years back and Daine knew that it had never set right.
Daine glanced back to where Harailt was pointing at something along the horizon as Birgit leaned over in her saddle to peer in the same direction. Numair rode next to them, but she recognized the look on his face—he was somewhere miles away.
"Still," Alanna huffed, "I want to be home. It's been too long."
Softening, Daine reached over to clasp her friend's forearm with a fleeting squeeze. "I know—I'm sure this is vexing. I don't think it's what any of us expected."
The older woman snorted. "That's for sure. Two academics who likely haven't been outside since Carthak, a foreign mage who is probably a spy, and—" Alanna cast Daine a pointed look from the corner of her eye "—whatever on earth is going on between you and Numair."
Daine bristled and Cloud tossed her head, saying something rather uncouth about Daine's seat in the saddle. Shooting something just as rude back—but adjusting her posture—she shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Eyes nearly rolling out of her head, Alanna turned in her saddle to fix her with an incredulous stare. "I don't need eyebright to see a lie that bad. To start—and trust me, the list of irritating behaviors I could outline is extensive—he's been staring at you even more than usual."
"He doesn't stare at me," she scoffed and then paused for a beat. "More than usual?" She tried to sound casual. She didn't.
"Please—if you're nearby he has a line of sight on you. It's always been like that, but this—I'm surprised he hasn't walked into a tree with all the time he's spending mooning at you."
"Mooning?" She sputtered, feeling a blush rise from her collar. Yes, with what had been going on between them it shouldn't be a surprise—but to hear it from someone else left her feeling very bashful. That he should be so openly smitten with her...
"Yes," Alanna hesitated, biting her lip. "I don't want to betray any confidences, but perhaps you and I should have a conversation when we're in private—actually in private."
"There's no need to worry about confidences," Daine sighed. She wasn't ready to talk about this with anyone else. She trusted the Lioness, but Onua already knew and it felt too fragile to be public yet. Nothing had been settled, and if things didn't work out she didn't want to have to share that news with any more people than was needful. "It's—"
"Ah," the woman held up a hand, stopping her. "I see how it is. Until you're ready, then. Just tell me—he's being good to you?"
"He's—" Daine wavered, trying to find the right words "—being a gentleman."
"So he's being stupid?" Alanna grinned at Daine's laugh and nodded. "That sounds like him."
Daine was right about their pace. The next two days were easier, and the one after that took barely any extra time to break camp and be on their way. It was that day that a sandpiper with a crushed talon fluttered into Daine's waiting embrace and she set to healing him from the saddle. Even though it wasn't a simple break, bird bones were some of the easiest to mend and it was a short working before the bird was taking flight again.
Something to eat and then back to your nest, she called after him.
"You did that so fastly," Birgit said, and Daine jumped when she turned to find the woman keeping pace with her.
"Birds are simple, usually." Daine blinked, a memory coming to her unbidden: this very path, years back, and a brush rabbit in need of healing. One of her very first. It had taken nearly half a day and left her sweat-soaked and weary. Now, it had taken minutes. Ten, maybe twenty. She tilted her head, smiling a little. "And I've had a lot of practice."
Ahead of her, Numair turned back and flashed her a grin. She could see the pride in the expression and her chest tightened with a happy, glowing sensation.
"It's very impressing—" Birgit made a face. "Impression."
"Impressive," Daine offered with a smile and Birgit ducked her head in response.
"Thank you. It is very impressive."
"Your common is getting quite good," Daine replied. She was being honest—she'd noted how quickly Birgit had been improving.
The Lady laughed and shook her head. Her brilliant blonde hair flashed in the sunlight. "It is not. But it is better." She motioned ahead of them, where the men were riding three across. "Harailt has been helping me."
"He's a wonderful teacher."
"Yes." Birgit nodded, and then turned back to Daine. "I was hoping I can ask you questions—about the magic. Vill magic, yes?"
Daine wasn't familiar with the word but could assume well enough. "Wild magic, and yes—of course."
It was getting very difficult to dislike the woman—even if there was something about her that seemed off to Daine—which was irksome in itself. She asked intelligent questions and seemed genuinely interested. And nothing seemed untoward. She'd picked up on Alanna's concerns over the woman—which meant that George had concerns—but nothing seemed probing in the ways that the spymaster had taught her to be on guard for.
The rest of the journey passed without event—barring a rather impressive spat between Lindhall and Kit when the dragonet tore a hole in his tent—and they reached the Swoop before sunset to a characteristically dramatic welcome from George.
"Hello, gorgeous!" He called as he strode across the courtyard, waving at the group.
"You'd better mean me," Alanna yelled back, dismounting. Above them, Daine saw the Lioness' signet being raised high above the Swoop.
"I was talkin' to Numair, actually." He grinned, pulling his wife into a kiss that summoned a series of whistles and hollers from the guard posts.
Numair dismounted next to Daine, rolling his eyes, but she nudged him in the ribs and grinned at him. "I agree with that sentiment, you know."
He rolled his eyes again—much more dramatically this time—but failed to hide a smile, and moved away to hover around Harailt who was trying to dismount. The older mage had a couple of small tumbles during their trip, so the caution was warranted.
George had extracted himself from his wife and was greeting the party—hugs for Daine and Numair, handshakes for Harailt and Lindhall, and a bow for Lady Birgit.
"Welcome, welcome—please, come in and get comfortable. Daine—the room next to yours is vacant right now. Would you mind showing Lady Birgit there and helpin' her settle?"
"Of course," she nodded and turned to find Birgit waiting patiently, her bags slung over her shoulders in a clear dismissal of the servants waiting to carry them for her. A glance back at George told her he'd clocked it as well, and the look he gave her was enough for her to know she'd be getting questions later on.
"I'm right next door," Daine said from the doorway of the guestroom, pointing to the left, while Birgit set her bags on the floor near the door. It was of a decent size, but very comfortable in design, and had doors opening to a balcony overlooking the bay. "A maid will be up in a little while to collect laundry. And if you'd like a personal maid, I'm sure that could be arranged."
Birgit had opened the doors to the balcony and seemed rather enraptured by the view. Turning back, she smiled and shook her head. "I do not need a maid, thank you." She turned back to the ocean. "You live here often?"
Daine thought it over. "We're—I'm usually here for a portion of the year. My room is permanent. Numair has one just down the hall. I split the rest of my time between Corus and Numair's tower—when I'm not on the road."
Unlike her room in the barracks, they'd never managed to find a decent room on the ground levels for her but Alanna had insisted she take a corner room that had two balconies. It allowed her to let in plenty of fresh air, and Numair had spelled a hidden opening in her door that allowed the palace cats and dogs to come and go as they pleased. It was her second favorite lodging, coming in just under her quarters at Numair's tower. She couldn't help but feel she'd rather outgrown her closet room in Corus, but didn't know how to broach it—or with whom.
"It's lovely," Birgit sighed.
"Where's home for you?" She leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms.
From across the room, there was just a beat of hesitation before the Lady responded without turning. "Hamrkeng."
She was lying.
Pushing herself to stand, Daine stepped back into the hall. "I'll let you get some rest."
She didn't like that she found the woman so likable—not when she felt like she couldn't trust her. Experience told her that was one of the worst combinations to navigate. And worse, she couldn't be sure what had her more threatened: the idea that Birgit was in Tortall as a spy, or the idea of Birgit and Numair becoming involved.
She did know that she wished she hadn't let on just how close Numair's rooms were.