A Daine and Numair Fanfic 

by Julie

 

 

Numair Salmalin winced as his horse, Spots, walked over another bump.  He had never been a very skilled
rider, and the chilly November air wasn't doing him much good at all.  He sighed. There were certain things that
even being the most powerful mage in Tortall didn't help, and riding was one of them.
    "Something the matter?"
    Numair turned , and tried to smile at the speaker. "Oh, I'm all right, Daine," he answered as cheerfully as a
painful ride and a cold day would allow. "I'm just cursing the god that created horses."
    Daine chuckled. "We're almost at the palace. It won't be much longer," she reassured.  Then she sighed.
"Must you always hold the reins so tightly?"
    "Well, how else do I stay on the god-cursed animal's back?" Numair demanded crossly.  As much as he liked
Daine, there were certain things he just didn't understand about her.  How she managed to ride bareback--without
a saddle or reins--for hours, and still be able to walk straight, was one of those things. How she managed to
stand Tortallan cold, was another.
    "You really don't need the reins," she replied, ever cheerful, despite the cold and the long ride.  "Hold on with
your knees."  She looked him over, blue-gray eyes thoughtful. "You know, you should really learn to ride."
    Numair bristled. "I do not require a 15 year-old's advice, I assure you," he answered haughtily.  "I know how to
ride!"
    Daine just shrugged, used to his bad temper on cold days. "Typical male arrogance," she said, to no one in
particular.
    "What did you say?!" Numair demanded.
    She just grinned. "As a 15 year-old, I may not know much, but I do know how to ride. And just being able to
stay on a horse's back without falling off is not called riding."
    There wasn't very much Numair could say to that. He knew very well she rode much better than he did. Daine
knew it too.
    "I can teach you to ride, you know," she started, carefully.  "It's not even that hard. All you have to do is--"
    "Veralidaine Sarrasri, I KNOW HOW TO RIDE!" Numair snapped, and immediately regretted it, when Daine
looked away, hurt.  He definately had to control his temper. Just because he was grumpy, did not mean he could
take it out on his student.  He made a mental note to apologize later on.
    "Besides," she remarked softly, "there may come a time when your reins won't help you."
    "What do you mean?" he asked. He knew that tone, and he didn't like it.
    Suddenly, Spots shot out from underneath him, snatching the reins from Numair's hands.  With a startled yelp,
he fell back out of his saddle, and down onto the ground.
    All thoughts of apologies vanished when he glared up at the face looking down at him. "Like that, for instance,"
Daine said, trying in vain to not grin. "But don't worry about it," she told him. "I sprained my left arm in two places
when I first learned to ride." She reached a hand down to him, to help Numair get up. "Feel better?"
    With a sudden flash of inspiration, he gripped her hand, and yanked her down into the dust beside him. "Now I
feel better," he told her as she glared furiously back at him.  He got up. "Shall we go on?"
    Daine got up too, and dusted the dirt from her clothing. Looking around, she saw that her pony Cloud had
wandered off.  "Cloud!" she called.
    The gray pony looked up, and galloped toward Daine, as Numair tried to get himself back into the saddle.  He
watched in amazement, as the pony ran alongside Daine, and she leaped onto her pony's back, Cloud never
losing speed.  Her pony slowed, and Daine grinned back at Numair, still gaping in wonder.
    "Show-off," he grumbled.
    Daine laughed. "Race you to the palace?" she asked, eyes glinting mischieviously. She set off. "Spots!"
    "NO, NO, NO!" Numair yelled, as Spots lunged forward once more. This time, he didn't fall.
    "You'll get better at it," she called from ahead of him. "Practice makes perfect, Master Salmalin!"
    Numair regained his dignity, thinking of terrible things to do with her that evening, when it was his turn to
teach.  "I'm never going to get on a horse again," he promised under his breath, as he struggled to catch up.