Sneezy Mage - (11 Parts)

[ooo]

Title: Sneezy Mage

Author: Me (Lizi)

Fandom: Tamora Pierce (Daine/Numair, Tortall Universe)

Disclaimer: I don't own these people, I just make them sneeze!

Authors Notes:

For people who don't know this fandom, there isn't much you really need to know to get this story (the plot of which is mainly a sneezing-vehicle, as usual!). Numair is an extremely powerful mage, and his student, Daine, has a different type of magic which allows her to communicate with animals and later in the series, shapeshift into and heal animals. Tortall, their country, is often at war with various immortals or neighbouring countries, and Numair and Daine are often sent to magically weaken or attack threats to Tortall's citizens. Despite being older than her (though their ages are different in the book, I always imagined Daine as around 18 and Numair as around 25, so that's how old they are here!) and her teacher, Numair has a fairly obvious attraction to Daine, and she (at this stage) cares about him deeply but doesn't particularly know what that means.

Please let me know what you think, good or bad, and whether I should continue!

***

It was their third uneventful day at the camp they'd set up, with absolutely no sign of the Immortals they'd been sent to deal with. Numair Salmalin sighed as he served their dinner out and carried a cup of herbal tea over to his travelling companion, student and closest friend, Daine. He bent down to hand her the cup and her dinner, his tall, thin figure making an elegant shadow in the late afternoon sunlight.

'Thanks, Numair,' smiled Daine. She bunched back her thick hair with a tie before turning to her meal with a hunger she hadn't realised she felt.

Numair smiled at his younger companion and brushed back his own dark hair from his face. He tested the air around them briefly with his magical Gift, and, sensing no danger, turned to his own meal. However, he had barely picked up his plate before Daine dropped hers, suddenly and loudly.

Ever-attuned to her reactions and the effects of Daine's less-precise but powerful Wild Magic, Numair was on his feet in seconds. 'What is it?'

'Immortals,' she breathed. 'Not like anything I've heard before, though. Let me try and talk to them...'

She closed her eyes and concentrated, and Numair watched her closely for the slightest signs of what was happening. It frustrated him so that he could not be a part of her conversations with animals, that he never knew what was going on, or what risk there was to her...

He watched as she winced and imagined the powerful voices of the immortals throbbing through her head. Daine had explained to him the pain that power could cause and he could imagine it very clearly.

He noticed movement on the horizon and watched a flock of flying something-or-others soar towards them at terrifying speed. Every muscle in his body tensed as Daine's eyes flew open. 'It's no good,' she muttered. 'They won't listen, all they've got in their mind is killing, it's how the Gods made them and I can't get through.'

Numair spun to face their enemy, readying his Gift for action. Daine strung her bow and pulled out an arrow, though Numair could hear her muttering under her breath, 'I hate this, oh, I hate this, it's not fair, they don't know any different...'

As the immortals came within hearing distance, he could hear Daine shouting to them, with her voice as well as her mind, 'We only want peace, we don't want to kill you, please listen, please,' but the strange, twisted black birds flew on, one of them folding its wings in to dive an attack at Numair.

He lashed out with his Gift and the strange bird burst into flames in the sky. It did not serve as a deterrent for any of its kind, however, who all flew down at great speed towards Daine and Numair, their silvery claws glinting in the light.

Numair threw his Gift outwards again and held the birds in the air, his muscles shaking slightly with the effort of holding the spell. From the forest around them, dozens of animals were flooding out to surround Daine, who turned around in horror. 'No, you mustn't - go back, go back!' she urged them, and her magic was strong enough that most obeyed. Some didn't, however, and they formed a protective circle around her, to Daine's utter dismay.

Above, one of the birds had broken free of Numair's spell and dived towards Daine, clawing and slashing at the animals around her to get to the girl in the centre. 'No!' she cried, throwing herself over them, and the bird slashed at her arm just as Numair's power, tripled in intensity by his fear for Daine, wrenched the bird back to its group where they were held captive by the black, sparkling fire of his Gift.

Free, Daine laid her hands on the animals around her, pouring her magic into them to heal their cuts and injuries. When she was free, she swayed slightly on her feet, but stayed standing.

Meanwhile, Numair was muttering spells under his breath and the ball of black fire grew smaller and smaller. Each time a bird managed to break free, he was forced to divert his attention, and though the escaped bird would quickly burn in the sparkling fire of his Gift, his net of magic allowed more to escape and eventually, as several dived towards him at once, he spoke a word that shimmered with power and every bird burst into flames and vanished.

He swayed, his face grey and the sweat of exertion pouring down his chest. He turned to Daine, slowly. 'I wanted to talk to them. I wanted to keep them captive, but they were too strong...too strong-willed...' he said quietly, strength fading rapidly.

Daine nodded her understanding, and he turned back, his face turning paler as he swayed where he stood.

His knees buckled then, and though Daine was too short and too slight to catch him, she moved with an instinct borne of experience and guided him gently to the ground.

She passed him her water bottle and he gulped at it greedily until it was nearly empty, though his grey pallor did not fade.

Finally, he glanced up at her, waiting for her tell him they were safe enough for him to rest. With a quick glance around to reassure them both, Daine nodded at him gently and his eyes fluttered shut almost instantly.

Satisfied that Numair was sleeping and that they were both safe, Daine moved to her own blanket a few metres over and lapsed into sleep herself.

---

Numair awoke with a powerful and pounding headache. His awareness of that was almost immediately followed by the realisation of a sudden and intense tickle in his right nostril that had probably woken him in the first place.

He raised his hand quickly to his nose, wincing at the effort it cost his energy-drained body, and scrubbed hard at his nose, but it did little to alleviate the tickle. He glanced over at Daine, sleeping peacefully, and bit his lip. She, too, had expended her strength dangerously in their unplanned battle, and he didn't want to - couldn't let himself - wake her.

He scrubbed at his nose again with little effect, feeling his breath hitching lightly as the tickle built into a sneeze. He tried to fight it, closing his mouth and trying not to breathe, but with little success. 'Heh...huh...' Feeling the inevitable sneeze reaching a climax, he quickly and brutally crushed his nostrils together with his fingers. 'Hehnnxxt,' he stifled, wincing at the pain it caused in his chest.

If anything, however, the stifle had only teased the tickle, and his nose was filled with the burning, intense need to sneeze. He tried to judge his options, looking around himself with watering eyes. He did not have the energy needed to sit up, let alone move himself away from Daine. Feeling the sneezy sensation overtake him again, he crushed his nostrils shut with two fingers once more. 'Huh...hunnggt! NnnXXT!'

These two sneezes only intensified the tickle to a point Numair hadn't believed possible and, finally and explosively, he lost his battle. 'HA-ESCCHHHUUU!' he exploded, a deep and resounding sneeze that mercifully relieved the tickle somewhat, though he could still feel a slight burning at the back of his sinuses and a new ache in his throat.

Beside him, Daine stirred and Numair groaned internally. 'Numair?' she muttered sleepily, and he smiled over at her, looking embarrassed.

'Morning, magelet,' he said softly. 'I'm sorry I woke you.'

She shook her head to clear it of sleep. 'Don't worry,' she said. 'I'm feeling pretty well-rested, actually. Are you alright, though?'

He turned away from her concern. 'I'm fine, truly. Absolutely drained as usual,' he offered with a half-smile, 'but otherwise perfectly alright.'

She continued to look at him suspiciously, but when he raised his eyebrows she merely asked if he wanted food.

'Mithros, yes,' said Numair gratefully. She grinned and moved away toward their packs, searching for the soup packets they had taken as part of their rations.

As she left, Numair massaged his aching head and closed his eyes tiredly. In truth, he felt a little strange, but surely it was just part of the normal after-effects of exhausting himself the way he had. He was sure it would turn out to be nothing.

***

[cheech]

i think its heaps good

you should definitely keep going.

theres so much detail in yours, unlike mine lol.

i need more practise.

xx

[Aprilcot]

Yes, please continue this, I like the beggining alot, and can see this growing into a very intersesting story...

keep up the good work!

[Quite Contrary]

Yes you MUST continue!!! I love these books, and Numair is just... please?

[ooo]

Thanks for the comments everyone! I'm glad there are others who enjoy the series (and Numair... )

***

Unfortunately, only a few days had passed before Numair realised he had to admit he wasn't well (even if he would only admit it quietly, in his own head). His head ached without cease, and this throat burned when he swallowed. Worst of all, his nose itched helplessly, and every time Daine went away from their camp to speak to the animals or forage for food, he let forth several explosive sneezes which did little to abate the constant tickle.

This afternoon, a particularly bad tickle had set his eyes watering as he fought not to sneeze in front of his friend, and as Daine glanced over her eyes narrowed in concern.

'Numair, are you sure you're alright?'

'Y-yes,' he said, fighting to keep his breath from hitching.

She came over to him, bringing the soup she'd been cooking over a campfire. 'The fatigue's lasted longer than it usually does,' she commented, eyeing the red-rimmed, watery eyes and twitchy nose he couldn't hide. 'Usually we'd be moving home by now but you can barely stand alone.'

He shrugged, not looking her in the eye. 'I exhausted myself fairly thoroughly. They were strong, this time.'

'They're always strong,' she said, nodding. 'But usually you're stronger.'

His nose chose this moment to submit, letting forth a violent sneeze: 'Hahhh-SHOOO!'

He sniffed as lightly as he could, not daring to look up at Daine. 'Numair...' she ventured.

'Allergies,' he muttered, swiping a finger under his running nose.

'You've never had allergies before,' Daine said suspiciously.

'Cats,' he mumbled, hoping. He saw Daine accessing her wild magic and sighed when she frowned. 'There are no cats anywhere near here.'

Numair cursed the aching head that prevented him from thinking of a better excuse. 'It must be some new allergy, then.'

She eyed him strangely, but let his excuse pass for the moment, to his relief.

Later that evening, as they both settled in to sleep, Numair realised he was suddenly very cold in the mild evening air. He concealed a light shiver and wrapped himself tighter in his sleeping bag, eventually drifting off into an uneasy sleep.

He was woken several hours later, quite rudely, by his own itchy nose. 'Hehhh...' he breathed, twisting quickly to see whether Daine was there and, consequently, whether he could let loose with his unbearably sneezy nose. He bit his lip when he realised she was and hurriedly stuffed his finger underneath his nose, but far too late - 'HuhSHOO! EckSHOO!'

He winced and tried to quell his shivering and wipe his dripping nose as Daine, next to him, sat up and looked him up and down. At the look on her face, he was sure he was in trouble.

***

[Hex]

OH MY GOD I LOVE YOU! I had nearly forgotten about this fandom... I had wanted to find a sick Numair fic for MONTHS, but I gave up on it years ago.

You, m'dear, have made my day. Wonderful characterization, by the way.

Oh... may I add a thought? His Gift? What if he lost control of it when he sneezed? You know, when he was sicker?

[ooo]

Glad to have made you happy, and thanks so much for the lovely comment! I searched for a Numair fic for ages too and when I couldn't find one I thought I'd just write it myself!

With your suggestion, I like the way you think ! Not to spoil the plot, I have certainly incorporated it into the story (not immediately because I'd already planned the next few parts but it will come in down the track...when he's really sick...heheheh)

***

'Numair, you're sick,' Daine said, staring at his flushed face and shivering body.

'I'm fine,' he muttered, wincing at the early hints of congestion in his voice and hoping she hadn't noticed.

'You're not. You're going to sneeze again, I can tell.'

He was, but he certainly wasn't going to admit it. 'I'b dot,' he replied, hoping the heavy congestion now flooding his itching sinuses wasn't as obvious to Daine as it was to him.

'You are!' she grinned, watching him struggle. He fought the sneeze over and over, calming his breath and subtly pressing a finger under his nose, over his nose, scrubbing at his nose. Eventually he resorted to biting down on his tongue and ignoring it.

'S-see?' he said, breath shuddering slightly as he continued to fight his sneezy and itching nose, eyes watering with effort (though he hoped she hadn't noticed this).

Daine nodded slowly. 'Okay. So you're not desperately fighting the sneeze you know will tell me I'm right?'

He shook his head. 'N- huhh...no...'

'And it wouldn't do anything if I were to, say, touch your nose? Run my finger down it lightly? Accidentally brush it with my hair?' She felt a bit ashamed, teasing her teacher-mage like this, but it was fairly obvious he wasn't well, and if he was going to be proud and not admit it...

Just the thought of it almost sent poor, sneezy Numair over the edge, but with an extreme effort of self-control, he managed not to sneeze.

'N-no...'

She nodded as though she had accepted his words, and turned away slightly before she pounced towards him, shapeshifting mid-leap into a monkey which brushed its tail, ever-so-briefly, against his twitching, itchy nose.

His nose exploded. 'HarrrSHUUU! EsshhhUUUU! ExxxnnnSHUUU! Huhh...ahhh...ahhhSHUUU! SHUUU! EshOO-eshOO-ESHHOO!'

He breathed in experimentally, but the rapid-fire triple seemed to have cleared his nose for the time being. He glared up at Daine, now human-formed once again, through watering eyes. 'Thad,' he said thickly, 'was bean.'

She looked down at him with concern and a hint of shame. 'Maybe a little. But I was right, wasn't I?'

Defeated, he looked down at the ground and shrugged. 'Yes. No. I dodn't know.' He pulled out a clean handkerchief he always carried and blew his nose into it, thickly. 'I don't know what this is.'

Daine suddenly looked more concerned. 'You mean this is different to a usual illness?'

Numair nodded. 'I've never had anything before I couldn't cure with my Gift. But this is...different. It's almost as though it's suppressing my Gift. Usually I'm full up a few days after an exertion, but I can't seem to access - excuse me,' he muttered hurriedly, pulling his handkerchief up to his face, 'AsshhhOOO! Sorry. I can't seem to access any of my power.'

'But that means...we can't get out of here, or contact King Jonathan to send help...' murmured Daine in horror.

He nodded miserably. 'I'm sorry, magelet.'

She shook off his apology quickly. 'Don't be silly, it's not me I'm worried for, it's you! We should get you to a healer, or something - I could send a messenger bird, but it'd take a least three days...'

He smiled at her concern. 'I wouldn't worry unduly. It's a frightening sensation for me, when I'm so used to having the Gift at my beck and call, but now that I think about it, I've heard of this happening. It's a kind of magic-exhaustion sickness. I suppose I just never thought it would happen somewhere it would matter.'

'So...you won't be able to reach your Gift until you're better? What if I send for one of the King's mages?'

He shook his head. 'It'll take days for the message to even be received, let alone for someone to get out here. The mages are needed elsewhere in the war. And in the end, it's only a normal, human illness in all other respects.'

She nodded, knowing he was right. 'Alright, then. Well, if it's like any other human illness, we'd best keep you warm for starters.' She pulled his sleeping blanket over to him and began to wrap it around him tightly. He was too weak to protest physically, but he did have the energy to speak up. 'Daine, you don't have to -'

She sighed. 'Numair, don't talk nonsense. Of course I'll look after you.' He looked into her eyes for a second and then submitted gratefully to her ministrations. She smiled at the lack of real fight he'd put up as she tucked his blanket in carefully.

He let out a small, almost inaudible sigh and she examined his face carefully. 'There's something you're not telling me. What is it? What's wrong?'

He half-smiled at the way she could always read his mind. 'Nothing, really. It's just I remembered something else I've read about the magic sickness.'

'What is it?' she prompted.

He let out a long breath. 'That the severity of the symptoms appears to increase in proportion to the mage's Gift's power.'

Daine stared at him in horror. 'But you're the most powerful mage in Tortall, and by far...'

His eyes fluttered shut, lines of exhaustion already etched into his face. 'Yes,' he said softly. 'Exactly.'

***

[Aprilcot]

AAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I knew this would turn out to be an excellent story!

Thank you, eagerly awaiting the time he becomes terribly sicker ! haha...

[Hex]

Daine nodded slowly. 'Okay. So you're not desperately fighting the sneeze you know will tell me I'm right?'

He shook his head. 'N- huhh...no...'

'And it wouldn't do anything if I were to, say, touch your nose? Run my finger down it lightly? Accidentally brush it with my hair?' She felt a bit ashamed, teasing her teacher-mage like this, but it was fairly obvious he wasn't well, and if he was going to be proud and not admit it...

Ooh, you push my buttons. Great chapter, as always, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next part.

[ooo]

Hello people! Thanks for all the lovely comments as usual. I'm not so sure about this part, wasn't really sure of it when i was writing it, but I'm gonna post it anyway just because!

Posting may be a little less frequent for the next few days, I've got a lot on and people staying over at my house and various stuffs.

Anyway, enjoy!!

***

Daine spent most of the afternoon fully unpacking their travel bags and making use of what equipment she could to make a more permanent campsite and effective sick bay for her miserable friend. Fortunately, he didn't seem to be feeling too sick yet, though she wasn't sure how much he was keeping from her.

Pulling a long skirt from her bag (she lived in trews, but usually had to pack at least one skirt on diplomatic missions, in case), she looked at it thoughtfully. 'We'll run out of handkerchiefs, soon enough,' she commented, regarding his own - usually perfectly clean - somewhat dilapidated cloth. 'I don't think I'd miss this too much, do you?'

Numair chuckled, knowing his friend's dislike for the heat and impracticality of her skirts. 'No, I don't suppose we...huhhh...hahCHOO! excuse me, I don't suppose hah...ehhhCHOO! we'd...EHCHOO!...we'd...huhhh...'

Daine giggled. 'Maybe we should just give up on that sentence, hmmm?'

Numair shot her a glare and gave up on his uncompleted sentence. 'HUHCHOO!' he released, finally expelling the irritating tickle.

She smiled at the look of frustration on his face. 'I'm just going to fetch water, alright?'

He nodded and she set off, asking directions from the friendly animals around her, enjoying the pleasure of being temporarily immersed in their worlds. She returned to find Numair with a curious expression on his face.

'Numair?' she asked.

'Bagelet,' he said, looking happy at her return. She had to giggle slightly at his skewed pronunciation. 'Huhhh...' he gasped, and then sighed. 'Ugh - I albost had to sdneeze,' he explained, at the look on her face.

She smiled and picked up the water again, intent on filling her drinking bottle and maybe boiling some water for an early dinner. Numair didn't talk much, but she noticed him rubbing continually at his nose from the corner of her eye, and as he inhaled sharply for about the hundredth time in the past half-hour, she glanced over.

His face had fallen into a desperate pre-sneeze expression, breath hitching...and then his face relaxed, eyes frustrated, and he let out a long breath.

'Everything okay?' she probed again.

Numair rolled his eyes. 'I deed, so badly, to sdneeze,' the mage groaned, scrubbing at his itchy nose. 'But...id's...stuck...'

Daine almost laughed. 'Do you need a hand?' she asked.

He shrugged. 'Don't know that there's much you could do that I haven't already tried.'

The solution came to her in a flash of inspiration and she grinned, shapeshifting quickly into a cat. Numair's eyes widened and she stalked over to and wafted her tail gently, almost mischievously, under his twitching nose.

'D-Daine,' he stuttered in surprise, as the cat hair flew up his nose at his surprised inhale, escalating the tickle to an unbearable point.

'HARRRSSHHHOOO!' he sneezed violently, doubling over.

His head pounded, but he hadn't sneezed all of the irritation out yet, and with streaming eyes and nose he began to hitch in desperate breaths again. 'HEHCHOO! HACHOO! HaCHOO-CHOO-CHOO! Ehhh...'

He could still fill the cat hair floating in his nose. It felt like a giant feather, twisting and tickling endlessly over all parts of his sensitive nostrils. His nose twitched helplessly, just on the end of a sneeze, unbearable. He reached up a hand and tickled the edge of his nostrils with a finger, which had nearly worked to coax out a sneeze so many times before...

Sure enough, the tickling set his nose aquiver, twitching madly, and he launched into a fresh series of violent sneezes. 'HARRSCCHUUU! ECHHOO! ECHHOO-CHOO-CHOO! HACHOO! HACHOO!' He breathed in deeply, hurriedly, trying to stifle some sneezes to get enough air into his lungs. 'HEHnngggt!-nxxxt!-nnnngt! Huhh...AHHHHH...NNNGGGT!-NNNGGT!' It was no good, the stifling only made the tickle worse and made his chest ache with effort.

'HACHHOO!' He had never really been this allergic to anything, not even cats, which brought on a mild allergic tickle at most. But this cold had made his nose so incredibly sensitive and this was torture. He couldn't get the irritation out. 'HAAHH CHOOO!' He gasped in air desperately. 'Huhhhh....AHHH....HAAAAHHH CHOOOOO!'

Numair lay, doubled over on his blankets, exhausted, panting for air. His nose was so incredibly full, even after that last, very messy sneeze. He wiped his hands on his handkerchief and used it to clean up his eyes and nose, finally managing a very satisfying blow that cleared his nose of both congestion and irritants, for the time being.

'Oops,' muttered Daine, staring at him in shock. She had hardly expected that reaction! 'Sorry...'

He half-smiled up at her, still reveling in the relief of having sneezed out that unbearable tickle. 'No, you did well, magelet,' Numair smiled tiredly. 'I couldn't bear that incessant tickling, it was driving me mad. I only ask that you give me a little warning, next time. And maybe not as a cat!'

Daine grinned. 'Yes, master.'

***

[Aprilcot]

That was amazing!

I can hardly think of what to write...

Why were you not sure about this? It's brilliant!!!

I want to see more torture haha

THANK YOU!!!!

[Quite Contrary]

I'm loving this story! Daine cracks me up....thanks for writing this! More?

[Selene]

I totally forgot about this fandom and the books but I loved to read them! Thanks for bringing back a lot of good memories and to write such an enjoyable story! I like his fits..

[ooo]

Sorry for the break between parts, guys - I'm glad you're all enjoying it though! Thanks for the comments

***

Night fell over the forest and as the darkness closed over his pounding headache, Numair gratefully let sleep claim him. It seemed only seconds later when he woke, however, to the light orange glow of the beginnings of sunrise.

He ran a quick scan over his body as he rose into consciousness: head still aching, body still aching...throat still sore, like he'd swallowed knives...and his energy practically non-existant.

The weakness Numair felt was terrifying. He was used to it, in some ways: after he'd exhausted himself in battle it always took a day or two to recover, a day or two in which he could barely move, always at the mercy of his friends around him. But this had lasted so much longer, and felt so much worse. Everything ached, and he was cold right to the bone.

Suddenly he felt the constant tickle in his nose increasing again, and fumbling in his pocket he realised his only handkerchief was not there, and was therefore well out of his reach.

'D-daine,' he breathed, eyes fluttering shut. 'Going...to...sdneeze...'

She looked over and tried to pass him the handkerchief from where it had been drying on a nearby tree, but his eyes were already shut and he couldn't see to take it from her. Quickly, she clamped it over his nose herself, and with no time for him to reach up and take it from her, it was into her hand he sneezed as he let his nose go:

'HahhSHUU! HehSHUU! Huhhh....ECHOO!' His eyes remained shut, exhaustion flowing from his every pore. She looked at him in sympathy, and wiped the powerful mage's nose gently with the cloth before wrapping it over his nostrils once again.

'Blow,' she instructed. His cheeks pinked with deep embarrassment, but he had no energy to protest and so he did, blowing through his nose as she closed first his left nostril, then his right. Finally, when his nose was clear, he turned away as she threw the used handkerchief into the pile of washing. 'Thanks,' he whispered, all he could manage through his embarrassment.

She smiled and poured the heated water into a makeshift washing bucket, dropping the cloths in to soak. Suddenly, she noticed Numair's frown.

'Numair?' she questioned, concerned.

His frown deepened. 'Daine, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that you have to -' he broke off, clearing his throat. 'I just wish I could help more. If I could just access my Gift, any of it -' he exploded, sitting up in a burst of frustration.

She saw his face scrunch as pain shot through his body, and scolded him gently, helping him back to his blankets. She ran a hand through his hair, massaging gently to soothe his pounding head.

She could feel the heat radiating from his forehead and her own creased in worry. 'You're burning up,' she murmured, and he groaned softly, in part at the terrible weakness he felt, and in part in pleasure at the miracle her hands were working on his aching head.

Feeling calmer, he sighed slightly. 'I am sorry, magelet.'

'Shhh...' she told him quietly. 'Don't be sorry. Just rest. Rest and heal.'

***

[obsessed]

EEK!!!!

[Aprilcot]

Totally what obsessedwithedward said...

I love this! Totally amazing!!! Thank you!

[ooo]

Thanks, guys! Short part today, it just ended nicely here though

***

Daine spent the next few hours watching her friends with growing concern as he tossed and turned in his half-sleep, his temperature building when she felt his forehead periodically. A family of nearby squirrels had taken interest in their plight, and the young one, whom Daine had nicknamed Paws, had come to keep her company as she watched over her exhausted companion.

She stroked Paws' soft fur absent-mindedly, watching as a violent shudder ran through Numair's body and he tried to pull his sleeping cloth tighter around himself. She moved quickly beside him and wrapped it tighter, before adding her own body warmth to the bundle by pulling her arms around his strong shoulders.

Numair turned to face her, eyes glazed and burning with fever. She stroked his hair away from his face with gentle care.

Suddenly he was scrambling for his pocket, one hand on his twitching nose. Daine realised what he was doing and pulled a clean handkerchief for him, holding it to his nose and letting him grab hold. 'ArrSHOO! HuhhSHOO!' he sneezed, with a strength that seemed to zap all of his remaining energy.

He sank back, exhausted, only to feel Daine's cool hands massaging his pounding head. He smiled blindly at her, too tired to open his eyes.

'Thadgs, bagelet,' he murmured.

Daine smiled down at him. 'Always,' she said simply.

She watched him settle into sleep and, feeling suddenly tired, decided to join him. Unfortunately, she'd given Numair all the sleeping blankets to keep him warm in his fever, leaving none for herself...

Gently, she lifted the corner of one of the blankets and eased herself in underneath, keeping well to 'her' side of the sleeping blanket but nevertheless wincing at the heat radiating from his body. Letting her head drop to the ground, her eyes fluttered shut and she was asleep in seconds.

***

[Aprilcot]

AAWWWWWW!!!!

No problem for the compliments!

Great as always!

Please continue!!!!

[ooo]

Wow, sorry for the massive delay . Writer's block is evil.

Anyway, I'm back now, for anyone still reading...!

***

Daine woke up to find they'd changed positions in their sleep, Numair's arms now wrapped around her own body. She felt comfortable here, warm and safe. On her neck, she could feel the calm rhythms of Numair's breathing, in and out, his chest moving with it.

After a few minutes of lying peacefully, however, the rhythm of his breathing began to change, becoming shallower and then very deep as he gasped inhales, his chest expanding to take in more air, until finally - 'Hehhh SHUUU!' he sneezed, his body shuddering against her own with the force of it, the wet spray reaching her neck and chest as he sneezed over her shoulder. 'Hahhh SHUU!' His body shuddered once again, his muscles tensing. His eyes blinked open and he wrenched his arms out from under her, bringing his hands up to cup his nose as 'HahSHUU! HaSHUU! HA-SHUU-SHUU-SHUUU!'

He looked over at her, his sensitive face pink with embarrassment. 'Bagelet, I'b sorry,' he murmured, hands still cupped around his face. 'I was sleeping, I didedt bean to sdneeze on you.'

'Of course you didn't,' she assured him. 'It's fine.' She passed him a clean cloth, and he turned away to wipe his face and blow his nose, still looking ashamed.

When he turned back to her, she could see he was exhausted even after their sleep, but still slightly reluctant to admit it.

'I'm going to fetch water again,' she said tactfully. 'You should get some rest.'

She left him for an hour or two, letting her senses loose in the forest and picking up conversation from its inhabitants all the while. It brought a nice sense of peace, Daine thought, the world of the People. Beautifully uncomplicated...most of the time.

She returned to their makeshift camp and, at the sight of her mage friend, nearly dropped the water she'd just been to collect. He was frighteningly pale, lying still and unmoving, sweat soaking lightly through his shirt.

She put the bucket of water down roughly, causing some of it to spill, and raced to her friends side, where she put a delicate hand to his face.

His forehead burned with terrifying heat. 'Numair?' she called, and though he stirred slightly at her touch, he didn't seem to be able to respond.

Her heart ached for her friend, and, seeking comfort, she pulled his hand into hers, holding tightly. She felt a faint squeeze in return and smiled over her brimming tears, which she quickly blinked away.

'Water,' muttered Daine to herself, trying to get her mind on track. She snatched a spare shirt lying nearby and dipped it in the water, wringing it out and carefully sponging the mage's face and neck, dribbling water into his dry mouth.

'Daine...' he muttered, seeming only half-conscious, but she smiled down at him.

'I'm here,' she said gently. As she watched his weak smile in return, something caught her eye.

Looking down, she thought she could see a flicker of almost transparent black fire around his right hand. Maybe she was imagining it, but...no, it was growing darker, very slowly, but it was there!

Daine smiled. This could only be a good thing, a sign that Numair was getting better...

[or is it...? ]

***

[littlesneezer18]

Oh! I remember reading this when you started, but could never post!!! AHH! Then... i ... uh...well, you know... it starts with fo-.... and ends in t.... so ya. but anyways! this is amazing!!! you are one of my favorite writers ooo/Lizi!!! Can't wait for more!!

[littlesneezer18]

Oh! I remember reading this when you started, but could never post!!! AHH! Then... i ... uh...well, you know... it starts with fo-.... and ends in t.... so ya. but anyways! this is amazing!!! you are one of my favorite writers ooo/Lizi!!! Can't wait for more!!

[ooo]

Awww! Thank you for your lovely words! And never mind about forgetting, I'm just glad you commented at all and that you're enjoying the story!

Hex, I don't know whether you're still reading, but either way: credit for the idea at the end of this chapter goes to you.

***

Numair remained in varying states of unconsciousness throughout that day and the following night. Daine had to stir him awake every so often to try to get him to eat and drink, and even then he would only stumble through her instructions before his energy drained again.

When Daine found they were running low on food and water, she realised she was unwiling to leave her friend in this condition. Instead, she called out with her wild magic, asking the forest animals to do what they can. She didn't like to ask them to do anything she could do herself, but she was really beginning to worry for her friend - though the way his Gift seemed to be building up slowly was encouraging, at least.

'Daine,' Numair muttered suddenly, turning sharply in his blankets. She leapt to his side only to find his eyes firmly shut, caught in a dream. 'Daine, no! Gods, no, I'll do anything, please...'

She shivered at the defeat in his voice and tried to reassure him. 'Numair, I'm here...it's okay, you're dreaming.'

'Please...please...DAINE!' he screamed, and then his eyes flew open as the scream irritated his throat and he burst into a fit of coughing. Quickly, she snatched up the water bottle and helped him to sip at it between coughing fits, and eventually he calmed into regular breathing.

He sank back onto his pillow in exhaustion and she brushed his sweaty hair back from his face. He looked up at her with haunted eyes. 'Magelet,' he whispered, and it sounded almost like a prayer. 'I dreamed...'

She waited, but he merely finished, '...terrible things. Gods, Daine, promise you won't leave me,' he whispered, and she picked up his hand and held it tight in hers.

'Never,' she promised him. Neither of them realised just how soon Numair would come to regret her promise.

***

Daine sat with her friend for what felt like hours as his fever deepened, comforting him as he tossed and turn and woke periodically, sometimes screaming or gasping for air. Sweat drenched his clothes and she kept a bucket of water nearby, dampening her makeshift cloth and wiping his face and neck.

It felt like days before she thought his fever might be breaking, the feel of his forehead against hers becoming slightly cooler, closer to a normal temperature. An hour or so after she'd decided that it definitely had dropped, his eyes fluttered open and he looked at her, seeming fully conscious and aware for the first time in days.

'Numair?' she whispered, hoping with every part of herself that his ordeal was ending. She wasn't sure her own tired body could cope with more stress, never mind what he must be feeling!

His lips twitched tiredly into a weak smile. 'Magelet,' he croaked, throat dry and dusty. 'You look terrible.'

Daine laughed, so relieved to see her friend out of his feverish daze, his eyes glinting with their usual humour and light. 'Not one of our better weeks, hmm?'

He managed a small laugh that was really more of a cough. 'Not exactly.'

She closed her eyes and rubbed them, feeling her exhaustion take over. She really hadn't slept in...more than two days now.

A crease appeared between her mage-friend's eyebrows. 'Is everything alright?' he asked, concerned.

She brushed him off. 'I'm fine. Just tired - haven't slept in a while.'

He sighed, seeing around her words in a second. 'Daine, I'm sorry - you must be exhausted. You should have slept - I would have been fine.'

She bit her lip. 'I was worried, is all,' she mumbled.

Numair smiled. 'Well, there is no need to worry now, magelet. Why don't you get some sleep?'

She nodded, almost falling asleep kneeling right there next to him. Suddenly she started as she remembered something.

'Oh, I nearly forgot to say - your Gift's coming back, look,' she said, holding up his hand to show him the sparkling black fire that flickered around it.

His eyes widened. 'This isn't supposed to happen,' he said, and to her surprise he sounded scared rather than happy. 'I've never heard anything...'

'But surely it's a good thing?' she asked, feeling a little worried now.

He bit his lip, then sighed. 'Yes....yes, I suppose you're right.' He still felt edgy, though, and as he sank back onto his pillows his body was just that little bit tenser.

Shrugging off her concern, Daine crawled over to her blankets and almost collapsed into them, gratefully sinking into sleep.

She woke in the early afternoon, feeling well-rested, to the sight of Numair struggling to stand up.

'What are you doing?!' she exclaimed, jumping up to help him back to his blankets as his face turned pale and he wobbled on his feet. He shivered as she wrapped the blankets around him again, and looked up at her sheepishly.

'I thought I could make us both soup,' he mumbled, a pink blush rising to his cheeks. Daine managed not to roll her eyes at her mage-teacher, though it was an effort.

'Do I need to remind you who's sick here?' she asked him.

He looked down, every inch the picture of a scolded boy. 'I just thought - you were so tired, looking after me, I thought I could help...'

She smiled. 'It was a nice thought. But you're no good to me if you never get better! You have to take it easy. Yes?'

He looked up at her gratefully, still slightly embarrassed. 'Okay.'

The afternoon passed fairly uneventfully, until an irritated sniff from Numair made Daine look around.

The mage made a face at her, wrinkling his nose. 'I thought the itching had subsided, but...huh....ohh, it's just as bad as ever, I'm going huhh...to..'

Daine looked at her friend in sympathy and turned back to her cooking, but a second later she was much more alert as a fireball burst up in front of her, in perfect timing with her friend's sneeze: 'HaSHOOO!'

Daine scrambled up from the defensive position she'd assumed upon seeing the fireball, and quickly yelped and dove sideways as a thick tree, weakened by the flames, fell with a heavy thump onto the ground where she'd been standing all of a second ago!

Heart beating fast, she looked around for any more danger, but for now it seemed safe. Shaking slightly, she turned to look at Numair, whose face was the picture of utter horror.

He looked down at his hands in shock, where his fingers tingled with the use of a Gift he'd just absolutely lost control of.

***

[ooo]

***

'Numair,' Daine squeaked, still shaking in her shock. 'What was that?' She had thrown her senses into her wild magic and had found no threats, immortal or mortal...

'My magic,' he rasped, eyes wide in terror. 'It's trying to hurt you.'

'Don't be silly,' she said instantly, staring at him. 'It was an accident. You wouldn't hurt me.'

'It's not me,' he snapped, and she sat back at the vehemence in his voice. 'I'm sorry, sweetling,' he said, at the hurt on her face, 'but you must understand, it's not me controlling this, I can't control it and that means I can't keep you safe. From...from myself.'

She stared at him, at the tear that had trickled down his face, and the utter despair and horror and terror on his face, and knew she couldn't leave. 'Numair, I promised,' she said.

His face twisted in frustration. 'You aren't safe, Daine! You have to leave! Oh...oh, Gods...'

'What?' she asked, concern deep in her voice.

His breathing was shuddery, shallow. 'Sdneeze...' he managed to whisper.

He pinched his nose together, rubbed it furiously, but nothing he could do would abate the tickle and this was Daine's life at stake and why couldn't he just...no, it was coming, and he could do nothing to stop it, and panicking the way he was just made it worse until he couldn't hold it...but he must...but he...huhhh...he sucked in desperately, and his eyes fluttered shut, unable to see Daine or where she was or whether she was anywhere remotely safe...stop it, stop it, he urged his brain, but he couldn't and it was going to come and there was nothing he could do...

'HAAAHHHHSHOOOO!' Numair exploded, and maybe a hundred metres away he saw a distant tree burst into magical flames and disintegrate.

He wiped his nose and sank back onto his blankets, trembling violently at the near disaster.

'Oh, Numair,' whispered Daine, and she bent to put her arms around him, warm and comforting, and he hated himself for needing that comfort from the girl whose life he was risking, right now.

***

[littlesneezer18]

Oh my. What an interesting turn in events! Can't wait for more.

[Hex]

I. Love. You.

THIS IS SO GREAT! And of course I'm still reading. You're amazing.