Cheers,
Hannah
ps: stuff in stars is direct quotes from In The Hand Of the Goddess. And while I'm at it I do not own, don't sue me.
Twisted Fate
Chapter One
Seizing that brief moment when Roger switched swords, Alanna lunged in, slashing the Dukes right arm. Roger yelled in fury as Lightening nipped through muscle. Making an impossibly quick recovery, the Duke lunged back and struck. Alanna stumbled, and the tip of Duke Roger's sword sliced down her chest from collarbone to waist. The special corset she often wore in place of bandaging gave way, its laces cut through. It slid and buckled under her shirt, edges of lace-strings and (to Alanna's embarrassment) the curves of her breasts showing through.
Roger dropped his blade and stood back, his eyes wide with shock.
"Halt!" the King roared, coming to his feet. The crowded room was buzzing as he stared at Alanna.
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE"
"You'd better do something about that thing," Thom advised, stepping forward. "I'll explain"
All eyes were fixed on the Master in silver-edged black as Alanna ducked behind a hanging curtain, suddenly glad her lie was over with. She slid the ruined corset from under her slashed shirt as Thom said,
"You'll have to excuse my sister, Majesties." Shaking her head over her brother's nerve, she overlapped the ends of the shirt and tucked them firmly in her breeches.
"You see, she wanted to be a knight," Thom was explaining. "I wanted to be a sorcerer. We traded places. I think I may gave had the better part of the bargain; I didn't have to lie to people I liked and respected all these years. Here, I brought our birth papers. Her name is Alanna. We're twins."
"This is an outrage!" The King blustered, rising to his feet. He was normally known as the 'Peace-Keeper' but Alanna saw only extreme anger in his normally kind eyes. "This is why you challenged my nephew?" He demanded of Alanna, pointing a steady finger at her. "Because you thought he would see through your disguise?You made those, you are the one killing my wife."
Alanna and Thom both started speaking at once but the King barreled,
"Guards! Seize her!" Alanna was grabbed roughly by two of the King's personal guards. She tried to struggle away from them, but knew it was futile.
She whirled her head around searching with her eyes, and then she saw him: Roger grinning in malicious delight.
She screamed, "No! It's not like that! He's the enemy, not me. Jon! Help me!"
Jon ran forward and said,
"No! Father, don't you see? Alanna didn't hurt Mother, she's not evil, she-"
He was cut off by the Queen saying in a shocked voice,
"You KNEW? You knew she was-was a GIRL? And you didn't turn her in? Jon, I'm ashamed. You-"
The King cut her off,
"You!" He pointed at Alanna, his face so red he looked like he would explode from anger,
"You were plotting treason against our Kingdom." Jon yelled to his father,
"NO! Alanna's not the one"
In his anger the King ordered for guards to restrain Jon and all of Alanna's friends including Sir Myles who were trying to help. He bellowed,
"Take her to the dungeons for plotting against the realm of Tortall and may she rot there!" Alanna screamed in her fury and shouted to Roger,
"YOU'LL GET WHAT YOU DESERVE! I KNOW THE TRUTH, AND SO DO THE GODS! YOU'LL PAY!"
Roger only laughed harder as he watched Alanna dragged off to the dudgeons, all her friends either restrained and yelling or looking particularly dumbfounded.
His plans were going better than he expected.
Jon walked slowly down into the dungeon after arguing with his father for nearly two hours, and being threatened to be thrown in jail himself. He whispered in the dark,
"Alanna"
He heard a curse and blinked in the dim lighting. He squinted and Alanna swam into view at the front of the cell.
"Jon..." She breathed, her purple eyes shining wetly, though Jon knew better than to mention that. "What are they going to do to me"
Jon hesitated, trying to find the best way to say what he knew he had to say,
"Alanna... The King, my father," He grimaced as he said the words,
"My father. He was really shocked, you have to understand. Everyone was and-" He swallowed and in a defeated tone, "He's ordered for you to be killed." Alanna heard his words, but was unable to process them.
"He's ordering the d-death penalty?" Alanna stuttered, trying to understand, not wanting to understand. "You can't be serious. He's going to kill me? Goddess, save me!" She sunk to the ground shaking like a leaf in a storm. One thing echoing through her mind: She was going to die.
"Alanna!" Jon's urgent voice pushed its way into her head. "I cannot stay, they'll be angry if they find me here. They'll accuse you of witchcraft or something"
There was a deep slam of a heavy door and the of clank footsteps. Jon whispered quickly,
"Goddess bless you, Alanna of Trebond. I'll do what I can." And he was gone.
A light burned bright in Alanna's eyes and through squinted eyes she saw Duke Roger of Conte sneering down at her. He sniffed and said in a taunting tone,
"A girl? You must be strong to have gotten past my probing, or bewitched with some evil spirit."
Alanna balled her hands into tight fists and fought to keep herself from throwing herself as the bars.
"So why, Alanna of Trebond," He spat her name out like it left a vile taste on his noble blooded tongue, "why become a knight? So you could bed all the men in this palace? Including my nephew?" Alanna snarled and threw herself at the bars, trying to get at the duke. Roger laughed softly and menacingly at her futile attempt.
"You won't get away with this." Alanna promised him, standing to her full height and staring him squarely in the eye.
"I swear by Mithros. If you try to harm any of the royal family, I will kill you."
Roger's normally handsome face twisted into an ugly mask and he shouted a word Alanna had never heard before.
She felt the spell hit her like a cannon shot. Then she started to burn, starting from the inside, her limbs felt like they were being cut off slowly, one by one. She couldn't help but scream from pain, and fell writhing to the ground, praying for the pain to end.
"GODDESS HELP ME!" She roared. Then as quickly as the pain began it stopped, a bright shot off white magic white surrounded her banishing Roger's torture. Fighting for breath she looked up and saw that the Duke had vanished.
"Thank you, Goddess." She mouthed, unable to get the words from her mouth. Slowly her strength returned to her, but with it came a sinking feeling of disappear. Alanna curled into a miserable heap, sobbing for all she was worth.
She had passed all the tests, fought as hard, if not harder, than the other boys. She had been good enough to be the Prince's squire. And now it was all for nothing. They would kill her and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Alanna felt herself giving into her fate. She bit her lip angrily, she would NOT give up! She stood slowly slapping her arms and walking small circles in her prison, trying to keep warm.
"Lass," She heard a quiet whisper. Alanna gasped, but knew instantly who it was. The voice struck a match and Alanna saw the warm eyes of George Cooper looking back at her.
"George!" She said shakily, trying to compose herself. "They're going to kill me, George." She came close to the bars. In a whispered conversation she told George all that had happened.
He nodded and said,
"I won't let that happen. Not while there is still breath in me lungs. Jon said that the trial would be three days hence. But it seems as though they've already stated ye'r fate." He ran a hand through his hair and looking Alanna in the eye. He left out a deep breath and said almost reluctantly,
"I can get ye out of this. But...but there's somethin' ye have to do in return, there's no help for it. My people would rise against me if ye don't"
Alanna waited a second then impatiently said,
"What is it? Tell me George, I am not afraid." George sighed and said softly without meeting her violet eyes with his hazel ones,
"Ye have 't swear by the Trickster God 't serve, in the court of the Rogue. There is no other choice, I am sorry lass." Alanna bit her lip, instantly conflicted. Serving the Rogue would go against all she had learned here. All the training of right over wrong and defending her country and its people. She asked George,
"Can you give me time, to think about it?" George nodded slowly but said in an almost fearful voice,
"They will kill ye, Alanna. It's this or death, I can't help ye as much as I wish I could. And for that I am sorry." He paused, "I will come 't ye again at dawn of the third day, the day of ye'r trial." He hesitated then said, "I know that ye're in love with the prince, lass but...I will always love ye." He reached through the bars and tenderly lifted her chin so that her eyes matched his. He leaned forward slowly, giving her time to pull back if she wished, and kissed her softly. Alanna responded with equal passion, trembling from fear and something else.
George whispered, barely taking his lips away from hers,
"Goddess willing ye will live. Think it over, Alanna."
Then as quietly as he came, he was gone.
Alanna sat and shivered those three days and debated her conscious.
Surely her own death for a cause she believed in was worth it. But no one else believed enough to search for proof. Roger would kill the Queen and Jon and the King and take over the throne.
If she joined the Rogue she would have a chance, perhaps she could save them yet. Perhaps.
Alanna struggled in the dark with these thoughts tumbling through her tired mind. She saw no one except for the guard who came once a day to bring her some food, and he would not speak to her. She was nearly insane from pent up energy and anxiety by dawn of the third day. She had still not fully made up her mind on what to do. She could try and argue her way out of the death penalty but she knew that even if she did manage to get a pardon she would be disowned from her family and end up having to work as a maid servant or perhaps worse, she would never be allowed to be a knight.
Alanna shivered and struggled going back and forth. Before she would have thought the choice would have been easy. To join the Rogue would ensure that she would be cared for. She knew George would make sure she was not hurt in any way. With them she would be allowed to be a woman, her true self. Alanna remembered her lessons with George's mother. She would take care of Alanna.
So when George came for her she was waiting. She stood stiffly when he came into the dark dungeon, quiet as could be.
"Lass, have ye come 't a decision?" Alanna nodded, then remembering it was too dark for him to see her said,
"I have. I will join you in the court of the Rogue"
George reached through the bars and whispered,
"You have to swear to it Alanna, will you swear"
"I will, George. It's my only choice." Alanna said stoutly. George nodded looking deep into her eyes. He took both her hands in his.
"Will ye swear, Alanna of Trebond, swear 't the Trickster God that ye will serve the Rogue loyally and faithfully 't the best of ye'r abilities? Until death or the Trickster God releases ye from His services"
Alanna took a deep breath and said,
"I swear. By Our Mother, The Goddess. I swear I will serve the Rogue until the Trickster God sees fit to release me. I swear"
George nodded solemnly and meeting her eyes squarely said,
"So mote it be"
It was done.
Author's Note: Okay, so there's the first chapter. I will try to get the second chapter out within the next couple of days. Please review me, it makes me happy!
Cheers,
Hannah