Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed Interlude!

A/N: This tells the story of what I think happened after RotG. I am rating it fairly high as there are some adult themes and there will be references to violence, although nothing more than what we all see on the news. You don't need to have read Interlude to read this, it is stand alone, although there are references back to Interlude.

I'm trying to portray a changing Daine, she will now have begun to be more adult after her experiences, and the fact that she is in love and is loved back will have an effect on her too. The whole underlying theme will be one of change.

Hope you enjoy it and please review, that's how I can improve my work before the big book starts.

Disclamer: The characters and the state of Tortall all belong to Tamora Pierce. However the typos are all my own.

Chapter 1 – Food, Baths and Rest

Three humans, a horse, dog, dragon and basilisk were walking through a field that was coloured with the atrocities of war. Overhead, large bird-like creatures circled, waiting for the feast of corpses that lay on the ground, for them a banquet. Faint sounds could be heard in the distance, cries, cheers and the odd noise of something banging or exploding. Other than that there was silence. A rather eerie, unsettling silence when it was compared to the sounds of bloodshed and battle that had permeated the air just afew hours previously.

The small group walked without their usual vigour, the majority of them silent as they experienced the cruelty of tha aftermath of war. The tall, dark haired man with swarthy skin exchanged a few, brief words with the woman with straight dark hair. He appeared drained and exhausted, his skin having an undertone of pallor that seemed unnatural to him. A smaller woman with smoky brown curls and a lavender dress stayed close to the man. She carried a small dragon, holding her tightly to her chest. As they entered the gates she turned round, facing the devastation before her. She watched the man-birds, now at work on the bodies of the men and women who had defended and attacked their cause and ultimately paid the highest price.

Numair Salmalin, the tall, dark haired man, looked at the woman staring back at where they had come from, a smile immerging on his lips. "Daine," he called, a gentle tone in his voice. "We need to get in and rest." The sun was now beginning its nightly journey, the slight absence of light lending a soothing tonic to those who were battle weary and fraught with the events of the past few days, and in some cases months. A man with short dark hair and a black beard, relief etched upon his face although sadness filled his eyes, met them.

"Numair! Daine!" he called, his expression one of joy as he saw them. "You're both alive and well. I had worried… Daine, what happened with Ozorne? Numair, I can see by what you're holding that Inar Hadensra has gone to the Black God!" He enveloped them in a giant hug, demonstrating his relief with this gesture, as it was out of character for him to be this tactile.

"Ozorne is dead," Daine announced. "The Gods have taken back the Immortals who came through after the collapse of the barrier at Midwinter." She smiled wanly at the king, tiredness with both the physical and emotional battles of the day catching up with her. Numair threw his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him, his lips brushing the side of her face in a kiss. For a second, the king looked mildly shocked at the slight show of emotion, as did the other woman with them. They both chose to ignore it, assuming that further explanations would be given at another time.

A beautiful, dark haired woman ran towards them with far more agility than one would have guessed on gazing at her at first glance. She greeted and kissed each of the people before standing next to her husband, her hand entwining with his.

"Jon, let's get these people in and fed. Numair looks as if he's about to drop," she said, smiling. They proceeded to walk into the larger fort, seeing other people mill around, casualties brought in to be healed and cared for and recognizing with relief the faces of their friends. They were taken into a small room, just off the feasting hall, and sat down at a wooden table and presented with thick, hot soup and crusty bread. Daine ate as if she hadn't eaten for weeks, gobbling hungrily with an eye to Numair who she imagined would struggle to eat much at all. The basilisk had been given a supply of stones, which he was munching happily next to the dragon, who had demolished a bowl of soup and was looking fondly in the direction of the kitchen.

"Go and ask the cook then if she has any thing else for you, Kitten," Daine sighed, amused at her charge.

"I wish I had her appetite," the tall mage grumbled, his soup barely touched. Daine placed her hand on his shoulder comfortingly. The other woman present, Onua, raised her eyebrows, a small smile playing at her lips. Numair noticed it, causing him to grin broadly at the horse mistress. No words were spoken, the action and the smile had told Onua everything she needed to know. There would be a better time later to discover details.

Thayet escorted them to their rooms where they would stay whilst at Port Legann, which Numair expected to be for another week at least, as him and Daine would be needed in helping to start the area's revival. He found that a warm bath had been made for him, which he dived in eagerly. The water began to relax him, lapping over his chest comfortingly. He could faintly hear the sounds of Daine in the room next to him as she spoke to Kitten. He wished that she was in his rooms just so he could be near her and be soothed by her presence. At the height of his battle with Hadensra it was thoughts of Daine that had helped him to find the strength for yet another blast of magic. She returned his feelings; she loved him back, that alone had helped him to defeat the mage.

A knock at the door sounded. Out of the bath by this time, Numair opened it to find one of the Legann healers. He checked him over thoroughly and Numair felt the healer's gift repair some of the gashes that he had sustained. He was given a posset and instructed to drink it and return to the infirmary for another in the morning.

"How is Miss Sarrasri?" he asked the healer.

"In excellent health. It appears she was healed before she got here. She is a little exhausted, but it is nothing that sleep won't fix," the healer left him. Tentatively, he got into bed, feeling stiff and sore. In the morning he would imagine that he would need more strength to deal with the various emotions created by the end of the war. In some ways he was scared. The end of the fighting now meant that nearly all of his time could be given to his relationship with Daine, he just hoped that she would still feel the same wayabout him.

A second knock tapped at his door. He got out of bed and opened it to see Daine stood there, dressed in his old shirt that she used to sleep in and carrying a tired dragon in her arms.

"What is it?" he asked, worried. "Are you alright? Is Kitten okay…"

Daine smiled at him causing his insides to melt.

"Are you going to let us in, Numair, or shall I just let anyone passing see what I wear for bed?" she answered. He let her in; she sat down on the large bed, placing Kitten next to her.

"We're both fine," she told him, ceasing his worrying. He sat down next to her and found that she immediately moved closer to him, resting her head on his chest. "Numair," she began, looking up into his face. "Let me stay here with you tonight." He felt both pleased and a little shocked at her request. He wanted nothing more, but he didn't know if it was right. Her father, the god Weiryn, would certainly not approve and Numair had no doubt that he would be keeping an eye on his daughter.

Daine interpreted the expression on Numair's face. "When I wake up in the morning and you're not there my first feeling will be to worry. I'm used to you being there in the mornings, Numair. I need you to be there when I wake up tomorrow. I'll sleep on the floor if it makes you more comfortable."

He looked at the face that he thought the most beautiful on earth and considered her words. "I want to court you properly before you sleep in my bed, Daine."

"We needn't canoodle. It will just be like we were outside," she replied smiling at his propriety.

Numair considered. It would appease his own worries if she were there with him in the morning, however he would probably spend half the night imagining cold showers and Weiryn's wrath in an attempt to control his desire. Half annoyed at himself for giving in he nodded, sliding in between the sheets once more. Daine paused for a moment, waiting for encouragement from the mage. He threw back the sheets and she got in, Kitten following, snuggling up at the side of Daine.

Lying down, trying to maintain a little distance, he made himself comfortable, appreciating the soft sheets, a luxury he had not had in weeks. Daine curled up to him, he could feel her breath on his chest and her legs beginning to entwine with his. He moved his arms around her, looking into her half open eyes. She pushed herself up so that her face looked directly into his and kissed him. He returned the kiss, deepening it, her arms wrapping around his body, fingers caressing his back, underneath his shirt. He gently pulled away as the kiss softened, he could feel her trembling in his arms. The pale moonlight peering in through the window uncovered her slight blush. He made sure she was as close to him as possible, his eyes heavy with tiredness and relief and then he gave way to Gainel's dreams.

Daine woke first, the sunlight pouring through the window. Kitten was still sleeping heavily, making soft noises that told Daine she was dreaming. Next to her lay Numair. She smiled, her eyelids feeling weighed with desire as she took in the view of the mage, his hair ruffled and mussed by sleep. She moved closer to him, gently snuggling her head under his chin, trying not to wake him. She could feel her heart swell as if it was taking over her body. If I never have to move from here I wouldn't be unhappy, she thought, feeling his heartbeat steadily. His hand moved into her hair and she felt his lips kiss her head gently.

"Are you awake?" he said quietly.

"Just," she whispered back, not wanting to disturb Kitten. He moved back a little so she could see him. She was surprised at the lack of awkwardness between them, waking up with him just felt like something that was natural and meant to be.

"How did you sleep?" He asked her.

"Well. How did you wake?" She responded, wanting to know whether he felt the same as her.

Numair kissed her gently. "My waking was perfect."

Daine sighed happily. Maybe every day could be like this from now on.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Of course, we know it won't be as my sadistic streak had appeared. Well, what do you think? First chapter, setting the scene. Please review!