Author: JustSkipIt
Rating: PG
Feedback: Please leave feedback on the Waiting for Dani thread on the Kitten Board.
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own Willow and Tara and the Buffyverse. I'm not saying this universe is totally original but I didn't steal it from any author or creator that I know of. No copyright infringement is meant by this fic and I will not make any money from it.
Distribution: Kitten Board, Through the Looking Glass, Mystic Muse. Everyone else, send me a note.

And so our lessons continued. I met with my tutor six days in every seven-day, with one day off "for good behavior" as we all joked. Donnie's schedule mirrored mine. I studied Latin, French, Composition, Mathematics, Music, Art, and increasingly Politics. Donnie's subjects were similar to mine but with less emphasis on music and more on oration. It was entirely possible that the absence of oration was intentional in my subjects as I had somehow developed a stutter. I believe that my father and Melanie decided that it was a temporary situation which would resolve itself all on its own.

I believed, for good or aught, that my voice was hurt by the absence of Dani. Not that Dani had gone anywhere, but I continued to wake in the night and mourn her sleeping so far from me. At times I had nightmares that I had lost her and when I did, I always awoke crying. She must have trained herself to become a very light sleeper because my waking always brought her into the bed to hold and comfort me. I felt selfish but at the same time happy to have her close again.

I have to wonder, sitting here now, will the nightmares be anything like the real experience? How will I sleep tonight?

Where my lessons increased and intensified, Dani's did so even more quickly. She yearned for knowledge like no one I have ever encountered. She accompanied me to every lesson she could to soak up that learning in addition to increased meetings with D'elam and now D'rs also. Nearly every day one of the two of them came to her and held a lesson with her somewhere in the house. I knew no details on this because it wasn't the type of thing I was expected to have access to. While it was perfectly acceptable and even encouraged for Dani to accompany me to my lessons whenever possible, it was not considered appropriate for me to accompany her. Initially I had thought that I would have to sneak to allow Dani to continue my education along with me but knowing what would be expected of Dani, Melanie and my father encouraged her education.

Amazingly, in spite of her other lessons and in spite of missing some of mine, Dani exceeded both myself and Donnie at learning the material we had to cover. She could memorize a speech, spelling, or translation the first time she heard it and her ability to comprehend mathematics was truly spectacular. I would be sitting at a desk, doodling with my pencil while the tutor laid out a sum regarding the amount of seed required to plant a field, the expected yield depending on weather, and cost per gram of seed. Dani, would be doing other chores as he spoke and when he finally asked the cost for planting the estate's fields as well as the expected yield, she would have the answer. She wouldn't be so impertinent as to give that answer quicker than I or Donnie but I could always tell that she had already figured it before I could even set my pencil to the slate. Somehow in spite of our enforced distance, or perhaps because of it, we seemed to have even greater communication powers. I could often feel what Dani was feeling or thinking simply by looking at her and while she would not admit it, it was obvious that she had the same ability.

If she missed a lesson, she would absolutely insist that I report every thing that the tutor had said. She, of course, couldn't force me to do anything but she would pout and ask specific questions until I might just as well repeat everything I had heard that day. If she could corral Donnie, she made him give a report just as well, even if she had already heard the report from me and in case I had missed anything.

I will say this: having to repeat a lesson for someone turned out to be the best way for me to learn as well as helping my stutter. The tutor and his successor and his eventual successor gave father nothing but glowing reports of both my and Donnie's progress. I wonder what he would have said if he had been asked to give a report on Dani. I chuckle just thinking about it.

Anne and Faith began their studies a few years after Dani and me. I remember some discussion among the adults that perhaps Dani should be sent to the younger girls' lessons, as if Dani could not keep up with me. I remain convinced that even studying full-time with Donnie would not have been enough of a challenge for my brilliant girl.

The only failing Dani had was singing. Her voice was terrible. Awful. We all joked that when Dani started singing it was time to put the dogs out so that didn't have to contend with their howling along with hers. She took the teasing in stride and continued whistling as she accomplished her duties.

My father was an ardent believer in time outside for everyone. He required that everyone, from the lowest kitchen drudge to himself, spend some time out of doors having some exercise time every day. We children, often joined by countless visiting cousins from the neighboring estates, would complete our lessons and run screeching from the manor. If led by Faith, the afternoon would result in dares and eventual exhaustion. By Donnie, we all set out for a ride and usually returned with wild game for the kitchens. Anne was likely to organize the group into a game or dance of some sort. Myself, I found joy in riding.

No one questioned Dani and me riding together. It was well known that she would be mark-bound to me and seemed reasonable that we would ride together when we could. I loved nothing in the world better than the feeling of her small body against mine as we rode. I could feel our heartbeats and more often than not, they were perfectly synchronized.

I didn't think anything of it then-my need to possess her. I just knew that I needed to be close to her. As close as possible as much as possible. Her feelings about it? That wasn't something we were prepared or inclined to discuss. I can honestly admit, and I'm not proud of this, that I never considered what she wanted. I just thought it was what was so. That we should be together, that we would be together.

At times I even felt jealous of her. It was ridiculous. She was to be bound to me. There was nothing Faith could do about that but a part of me just felt so... One thing that they shared was a love for climbing trees. Anytime we couldn't find the pair of them, you could be sure they were up a tree somewhere. Of course Dani never stayed hidden long if she sensed I was looking for her but if Donnie or Anne needed her, they might as well lie down and cry as look for those scoundrels. Some times I worked to mask my need for her and helped the other two search. And at those times, it was truly amazing how long it would take to find them. More often than not, we would give up and walk back into the manor to find them eating an apple in the kitchen with innocent looks on their faces. Then Donnie would chase Faith through the house screaming that he would find her one day until D'elam or D'rs kicked us all out again.

One day the two of them were off climbing trees and Donnie was, as usual searching for them with a very surly manner. I had extra lessons that day and was studying under a tree when I heard a scream. I stood and ran as quickly as I could, my heart pounding until I found them near one of the largest of the oak trees. Dani sat on the ground, clutching her ankle with tears streaming down her face. Faith and Donnie quickly picked her up and carried inside as I ran ahead calling for the healer. The healer came and thanks to The Creator, Dani's ankle was just sprained, not broken. She was in bed for two days with D'rs tending to her through her argument that she needed to get up and help me. D'rs wanted Dani to stay with her but I insisted that she be in my rooms, finally being so bold as to demand it as my right as future Lady of the estate.

Near the end of the second day, there was a light knock on my door and I rushed to open it. Dani was asleep, finally after having stood up too soon and been in quite a large amount of pain. I opened the door to see a sheepish looking Faith standing there with her heavy coat wrapped around her. Given that I blamed Faith for hurting Dani, I was not inclined to allow her in but Dani called from the bed, "Who is it? Should I get up?"

I didn't want her to get up and called that it was just Faith. I leaned forward and whispered to Faith that if she hurt Dani again she would pay. She just smiled as she breezed around me.

"Hey, Red."

"Hi, Faith. Do you need anything?" Even bedridden, Dani wanted to take care of whatever Faith needed.

Faith shook her head with a smirk on her face and then opened her jacket revealing a small black puppy. Dani screamed in joy as Faith set it on the bed where it very promptly relieved itself. Dani didn't care, hugging the puppy and then Faith. Of course a moment later she saw the stain and hobbled about the room to clean it up. Faith quickly grabbed the bowl and rag from her and pushed her back onto the bed. "For Creator's sake, Dani. Sit and hug your puppy and let me do this."

"Mine? Really?" I don't know when I'd ever seen Dani so excited. I mean we were happy together so much of the time but this was... I felt jealous, left out. How did Faith know that Dani wanted a puppy? Where did she get it? Did Dani love her better? She held the puppy up. "Miss Tara. Look. Faith gave me a puppy. I can keep her right? Can I keep her? Please?" She slid from the bed and hopped over to me, still holding the puppy and kneeled at my feet. Faith shot me a look as I stood there stupefied. It occurred to me that she had never done this in front of anyone before and I thought that D'elam was supposed to disabuse her of the idea that it was necessary. I felt simultaneously embarrassed and proud that my girl was demonstrating how devoted she was to me in front of someone else.

Before I could speak, Faith came over and grabbed me by my forearms. "Just a minute, Dani," she said. She knew that she couldn't release my servant from her position but she could try to give her some comfort. My sister half-dragged me across the room. Once there she whispered to me. "Miss Tara Maclay. If you say no to her, you will break her heart." She glanced at the redhead still kneeling and petting the puppy. "And if you hurt her Anne and I and Donnie won't speak to you for twelve moons." She squeezed my forearms hard. "You understand that?"

I pulled my arms away from her angrily and went over to Dani. I kneeled down in front of her and ran my fingertip along her jawline. "Of course you can keep her." I leaned closer and whispered. "I want to always give you what you want, my baby."

She leaned forward and hugged me thanking me before realizing that her faux pas. Then she pulled away and hobbled over to thank Faith for the puppy. Faith gave her a hug and then said that Dani should get back into bed and she needed to be going. As she left she called out to me to remember what we had talked about it.

It seemed that my Dani had found a champion.

Not that she needed it much. I was sincere in my wish to make my girl happy. I was forever telling her stories, bringing her treats from the kitchen, giving her flowers or writing songs for her. I felt there was nothing I wouldn't do for her.

Not long after Faith gave Dani the puppy-Zhorro she had named her-Melanie informed us that it was time to start our magical lessons. Donnie was excused because his role in passing on the heritage was pretty much impossible to study for. In fact, it seemed that my father suddenly started taking Donnie for long walks in the woods. I assumed they were discussing something only Donnie needed to know, which of course, turned out to be true.

Melanie had waited until the twins had eight summers, feeling that before that was too early and not wanting to instruct me separately. Even though I would be only active magic user, it was still important for Faith and Anne to understand how to teach magic to their daughters, just as Melanie had learned from her mother although only my mother could perform magic.

When I asked if Dani could come, Melanie took it under advisement. She called me to her rooms the day before our lessons were to start. She told me that she and my father had decided that Dani would be allowed to attend the lessons. They felt that with Dani's memory - so they were aware of her mind - she could help me if I needed assistance in remembering what I had been taught. Faith and Anne had recently acquired the girls who would eventually become their mark-bonded servants and the girls were in training with D'elam but they were not to be invited to the lessons. I saw that as another proof of how special my Dani was.

So, my tenth summer I began my magical training with my aunt. We met every other day but skipped the rest-day. Our lessons usually took place in the clearing behind the manor which made Faith and Dani deliriously happy. Faith had said many times that even the most boring subject was palatable when she could hear the birds singing. Melanie teased her that she didn't know if she was raising a gentlewoman or a gamekeeper and Faith teased back that she knew which she would choose. Anne, on the other hand, had no doubt which she wanted to be. She was simply the most gentle, future gentlewoman I have ever seen. She would rather sit and do handiwork than play or ride and certainly anything getting dirty.

The magical lessons were, in a word, exhausting. They surpassed any subject I had encountered in my five years of serious study. There was no studying for them. I was to learn, to absorb the material and then enact it. Melanie could not demonstrate the magic for me although once a week or more T'solde traveled over to help in my instruction. T'solde, of course, could perform magic and it gave me a great appreciation in the difference I could feel when they cast a spell. From Melanie, I felt a sort of frustrated energy emitting from her but from T'solde, it was as if someone had opened a flood-gate. Each time I experienced her casting, I felt that her power was rushing through me. I asked Faith once if she felt that and Faith just shook her head. Apparently it was something you required my magic for. When we started, I could not do such a simple spell as lifting a feather.

But I worked hard. Over and over T'solde and Melanie drilled into me that these studies were as important to me as my others put together. By the time I had thirteen summers, I could float feathers and much more. Twice that year, I lifted Hope and Dream and held them for 6 heartbeats. I brought rain to the valley below our house once and had started being able to light candles and fires with no verbal incantation. The others were learning right along with me and were expected to attempt each spell regardless of the certain knowledge that they would never produce a single bit of magic. I felt sorry for my sisters that luck of birth order ensured my superiority but that feeling never lasted long when I looked at Dani. The thought of Faith or the very droll Anne with Dani was just ... no.

One day a few years into my magical training Dani had to miss our lessons because she was studying with D'rs. One of my father's brother's wife's brother was being married and we would all be traveling to the wedding. I would be expected to perform only a small spell with T'solde's help. But all the servants were eagerly preparing for our journey to begin just two days hence.

I was exhausted at the end of the lesson and waved off Faith's encouragement to take a long ride with her. Rather, I decided to go back to my rooms for a rest. I knew that Dani would wake me just in time for dinner. I opened the door very quietly because I was so tired and let myself into my outer chamber where I slipped off my shoes. I stepped into the bedroom and stopped dead-still in the doorway.

We had been attending our magical lessons for a little over three years at this point. But ... What I was seeing couldn't possibly be true.

Yet it was.

Dani sat on her mat on the floor. In front of her, floating in the air were: the dog's ball, two barrettes, a hair brush, a pencil, a candle (which kept lighting and unlighting itself), and my pillow. She was humming softly to herself a melody which was obviously keeping the items afloat. I stood there with my mouth dropping more and more open. She was doing it over and over. Without putting anything down she stood up and began to turn in a circle. On her first turn, her eyes were down on the floor so she did an entire turn and a half before she saw me standing in the doorway.

Immediately everything fell to the floor including Dani who dropped to her knees.

"Dani?" She didn't answer so I repeated her name. After a few seconds, I crossed the floor and tapped her lightly on her shaking shoulder. Realizing that she wasn't going to just jump up and talk to me I dropped onto the floor, sitting cross-legged in front of her. "Dani." I touched her chin and she looked at me. "I'm not upset with you." She let out the breath she was holding. "H-h-how long have you ..." I waved my hands at all the things scattered around the floor.

"I didn't mean it," she protested.

"Dani. It's ok." I took her hands before she could jump up. "I just don't understand. I mean... You're doing magic."

"Please don't tell anyone," she pleaded.

"I'm not going to tell." I leaned forward and kissed her cheek. I'm not sure what possessed me to do it but I wanted to reassure her and it was the first thought that came into my head. She smiled at me and I had to concentrate to keep from feeling like I was going to fall over. "You know this shouldn't be possible right?"

She nodded.

"Do you know what this means?" When she didn't answer I summed up what we knew about magic. "Dani, your mother and father were both from magic families. They're probably noble." I felt completely excited at the discovery but Dani was very pragmatic.

"Miss Tara. My mother is a mark-bonded servant of this house. I am a servant of this house. We are not noble." Her tone brooked no disagreement from me.

I shook my head still trying to comprehend what I had seen. "How long have you been able to ..."

She blushed. Actually blushed. I had never seen it before and it was adorable enough that I thought I would lose my train of thought about the magic. "From your first lesson, Miss Tara."

"But... in the lesssons. You don't perform magic."

"I-I-I know. I um stop it? So you all won't see?" I continued looking at her and she continued. We had moved to sit on the edge of my bed by now and she had replaced the pillow and was absently straightening the bed covers. "I didn't know but then when you learned that feather floating? I did the incantation and it started to rise. So I reversed the incantation. You know, so it wouldn't?"

I had never tried to not do magic. "How-how did you know to reverse it?"

Dani pursed her lips. "I-I don't know. I just did."

I nodded. "Did you speak to D'Shel?"

Dani looked away and I had to touch her chin with my fingertips. "D'Shel said that I was being absurd and to forget all about it." She smiled at me. "But she was smiling when I told her."

For a short time we just sat there smiling at each other. I had known that Dani was special. One of a kind. My perfect compliment. I leaned forward whispering in her ear. "You are perfect. Do you know that?"

Dani looked at me for a moment. Then she cast her eyes down shyly and whispered back. "No, Miss Tara, you are perfect."

I felt as if someone had lit a thousand candles in my heart. I convinced her to nap with me in the bed and although she seemed tense at first, she quickly dropped to sleep in my arms. The room had grown darker when she woke me and told me that we needed to go to dinner.

Dani helped me dress and set my hair. Before we left the room, I took her hands in mine-so perfectly did they fit. "This will be our secret?"

"Yes, Miss Tara. If you please?"

And it was our secret. Something to keep between ourselves. Our magical education continued in the same fashion with the two of us taking instruction with Faith and Anne from Melanie and T'solde. My power and precision grew with each lesson as did Dani's-a fact only the two of us knew.