Chapter Text
“What was wrong with that one?”
Daine turned with a ready smile on her face as Numair slid into place at her side, his face the picture of casual interest. “Hm?” She cocked her head in confusion.
Around them, the Riders’ party was in full swing before they prepared to head out to their summer training camp the next day. Everyone was in high spirits while drinks were being handed out readily, though it wasn’t as rowdy as the usual Midwinter celebrations. The new recruits had just enough sense to know Sarge would be waking them early the next morning and would bellow all the louder at anyone foolish enough to overindulge. Daine had agreed to help monitor which naturally meant Numair had offered his assistance too.
“The young man who you just turned down.” He tipped his drink to indicate her previous swain who was weaving through the crowd towards his friends. “What was wrong with him?”
“Oh, nothing I s'pose.” She shrugged evasively, taking a sip of her warm cider while her eyes skimmed over the crowd, checking to make sure Kit wasn’t getting into any mischief – or starting it.
“Nothing?”
Daine glanced up at her tall friend to see his incredulous expression. “He was a nice enough sort. I just lost interest in him,” she admitted. She didn’t particularly enjoy trying to justify her dalliances with him of all people.
“Careful, magelet. You'll break hearts with talk like that,” Numair teased before taking a sip from his own mug.
“Like you haven't done the same,” Daine scoffed in irritation.
He glared down at her, clearly offended. “I will have you know that I am not in the habit of breaking hearts when my –” he cut off, waving his free hand around lamely while he struggled over the next word.
“Affairs,” she finished for him with an exaggerated eye roll.
He shot her a dirty look but accepted it with a sigh. “– come to an end.”
“What about lady Aelina?” Daine countered, scowling at the memory of the elegant, buxom brunette who had stolen a significant portion of her friend’s attention last winter.
Numair paused midway to taking another drink, frowning in thought. “She moved on after growing tired of me.”
“You stood her up twice,” Daine pointed out. She hadn’t meant to walk in on that particular accusation before the lady had stormed out of Numair’s rooms, but not before she’d shot a disgusted look in her direction. The feeling was mutual as far as Daine was concerned.
“I cannot be held accountable for when Immortals decide to raid our villages and we are sent out to deal with them,” Numair replied, exasperated.
“Was that why she left you?” Daine gaped.
“Among other reasons,” he mumbled but refused to clarify as he turned his attention back to the party.
“All right, so what happened with...” she trailed off trying to remember the last time she'd seen him with anyone and scowled when she failed to recall his most recent lover.
“With…?” Numair prompted when she didn't continue. “I am offended that you think me so callous.”
Daine waved him off. “That's not what I meant.”
It was a shock to realise he hadn't taken a lover since the war broke out. No, before that actually when she really thought about it. Lady Aelina had been his lover the Midwinter before her sixteenth birthday not last Midwinter, then lady Varice in Carthak before that, but who had he been with since?
“Why aren't you with anyone?” Daine blurted out before she’d really thought about how accusatory it sounded.
Numair gave her a rather stunned look before flashing her a roguish grin. “Are you trying to start a life as a matchmaker, magelet?”
She grimaced at the mere suggestion. “I wouldn't dare take all the fun from Thayet.”
He chuckled. “A wise decision.”
Daine waited him out but when he said nothing more she pressed on, “You've not been with anyone for at least a year.” Longer, if lady Aelina really was his last.
Numair swallowed and fidgeted, before avoiding her eye altogether. “I didn't realise you kept track of such things.”
“I don't.” Not really, but she was always aware when he was with someone. They were close enough that it was impossible not to notice. “No one catching your eye?” she teased.
“You’re very inquisitive tonight,” he stated, giving her a wry smile.
“Sorry.” She blushed, looking away. Daine didn’t miss that he’d deliberately avoided answering her question. They never usually discussed such things and she wasn’t entirely sure why she was nosing into his private life when Numair always preferred things to remain – well, private.
“That’s all right,” he murmured softly. “And you’re right, I haven’t been with anyone for a while.”
“Any reason? You don’t have to tell me if you’d druther not.” It wasn’t fair for her to pry when she hated it when he did it.
Numair sighed heavily and rubbed at his left wrist, an odd habit he’d picked up. It wasn’t an old injury bothering him; she knew that much. “Well, we have been kept quite busy.”
“Busy teaching pages?” Daine shot him an incredulous look.
He cleared his throat once, twice, before looking out over the party. “We seem to have wandered away from my original question: what was wrong with that young man?” He pointed to her previous swain who was currently chatting to a pretty dark-haired girl with doe eyes.
Daine scowled up at her friend. “Are you playing at matchmaker now, Master Mage?”
He chuckled and shook his head, holding up one hand solemnly while he held the other, the one with his drink, over his heart. “I wouldn’t dream of it. I am strictly forbidden from interfering with your love life, remember?”
She was still annoyed with him over the embarrassing incident with Kaddar. He hadn’t exactly improved since then either, instead of chasing the young men away or intimidating them he tried being friendly which was so much worse! “Then why the sudden interest?”
A blush slowly crept up from his collar while he continued to avoid her gaze. “Let’s just say – a friend would like to know who takes your eye.”
Thayet! Daine ground her teeth in irritation. “And this ‘friend’ sent you to find out?”
“In a manner of speaking,” he mumbled, looking increasingly uncomfortable.
“I don’t exactly keep a list.” She shot him an amused smirk knowing of his fondness for such things.
Numair chuckled, finally meeting her eyes, if a little sheepish. “The bare bones then. What would make you say yes to a dance for instance?” He pointed towards a small group who were making a disastrous attempt at the quadrille.
Daine shrugged while she took some time to think it over. “A handsome face, I guess.”
“And what constitutes as handsome in your eyes?”
Daine narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, hoping Thayet wasn’t about to start sending hopeful young suitors her way. “A nice smile and kind eyes.”
Numair nodded, smiling softly. “Do you prefer blondes, red-heads, brunettes…?”
“I’ve not really thought about it afore,” she answered honestly. His preference for blondes was hardly a secret. “I guess if I had to pick, I quite like dark hair.” With a bit of a curl, but she wasn’t about to hand out details to Thayet.
He made a grunt of approval which he then tried to hide by taking a drink from his mug. “What about build? Do you prefer the short and stocky type or tall and wiry?”
Daine giggled, looking him up and down. “You mean your sort of build?”
Numair’s cheeks flamed at her obvious study of him, finding something extremely interesting on his cuff to focus on. While it was normally fun to tease him, she was going to give Thayet such an earful for embarrassing them both like this.
“I do like a man to be taller than me – maybe not so tall that I develop neck strain.” She couldn’t help but tease him again. Seeing his wince she smiled wistfully, allowing herself an indulgent moment to really picture what she found attractive. “I like some muscle, but not too much, mind. Broad in the shoulders yet still graceful. Strong hands, but not all smooth like a noble’s. I prefer someone who at least understands the value of a hard day’s work. Soft lips though, and he better be a good kisser without taking advantage. I'm none too fond of being groped while –”
“Yes, thank you!” Numair coughed, absolutely crimson under his tan. “I’m sure that’s enough for our friend to go on for now.”
Daine took another sip of her drink to hide the wicked grin on her face. He was far too easy to fluster.
They both turned their attention back to the party where the group of young dancers were now bumping into each other and getting their partners so mixed up that two of the boys ended up dancing with each other instead of their partner. It looked like a lot of fun though. They were certainly in hysterics as they fell all over each other.
Straightening beside her, Numair seemed to come to a decision about something as he downed the rest of his drink in one go, much to her surprise. Setting the mug down firmly, he held out his hand to her, his soulful brown eyes deadly serious. “Shall we show them how that’s meant to look?”