Title: Trickster's Queen
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR TRICKSTER'S CHOICE!!! IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO BACK OUT NOW!!! *thinks* Well, that, and violence, catty gossip, bedroom intrigues, and the usual sex, drugs, and alcohol. And now I repeat, for the last time, this fic will ruin Trickster's Choice for you, and the book really loses a lot if you know what happens at the end.
Pairing(s): Aly/Nawat (No. More. Bugs.)
Disclaimer: I feel bad about ripping off the title from Tammy, but then again, I'm not using this for profit, so it's ok. Basically, now that I'm finished with Trickster's Choice and have to wait a whole year for Trickster's Queen, I decided to write a version of my own...only slightly different. Yeah, so, uhm, everything you recognize belongs to Tammy. The storyline, however, is my own.
Summary: What if Aly hadn't made the choice she did at the end of Trickster's Choice? Would Kyprioth let her off that easily? More importantly, would Sarai, Dove, and the raka? SPOILER ALERT!!!
A/N: Yeah, yeah, I know, I should be getting chapter 4 of Sleeping with the Enemy out, but when an inspiration comes to me, I usually go for it. Enjoy! *grins* Besides, I kind of wanted her to go home with George at the end...pre-TC Aly seems quite interesting.
Chapter One - Home
She was awoken by a ray of sunlight on her face, and the sound of birds chirping merrily outside her window. The breeze coming in through her open window had the scent of spring on it.
Lady Alianne of Pirate's Swoop was more than happy to be home after her eventful sojourn in the Copper Isles. She had more than fulfilled her bargain with the trickster god Kyprioth in keeping the ladies Saraiyu and Dovasary Balitang alive through the summer. They, along with their stepmother Duchess Winnamine and the native raka, were preparing for an outright revolt against their cousins on the throne. She couldn't have prevented Duke Mequen's death under any circumstances; Prince Bronau's wound had been blatantly fatal upon its inflicting.
The sounds of laughter and applause drifted in through the window. Frowning, Aly pulled herself out of bed and stuck her head out. Her brother Thom had come home from the university in Corus for a brief respite, bringing a large group of his friends with him, taking full advantage of the fact that neither of their parents were in residence for several weeks at the least. From what she could see, her...friend Nawat was showing the young nobles his skill at plucking arrows straight from the air. When he caught one of Thom's arrows, she raised her eyebrows. Her brother was notorious for being one of the best archers at court, his skill rivaling that of even Daine.
She shut her window with an exasperated sigh. If Nawat wanted to act all show-offy before her brother and his friends, that was one thing, but when it came to her parents, it was a different story. Her father had stayed with them a few days before returning to court, but her mother had been up north fighting the Scanrans and had yet to be able to come greet her daughter.
One of the maids entered her room and swept a nervous curtsy. "Begging your pardon, my lady," she said quietly, "the young lord wishes that you join him when he and the other ladies and gentlemen go hunting." She made the Sign on her chest. "The bird-man has been invited as well."
Aly resisted the urge to roll her eyes. The servants were overly wary of Nawat, and Maude refused to be in the same room as him. "Tell my brother I will be down shortly," she replied coolly. "Also, send someone up to help me dress."
It had been more than easy to revert back to her role as substitute lady of the manor from playing the slave the previous summer. In her mother's absence, she had acted as her father's official hostess several times since her return, entertaining various lords, and, on one occasion, the royal family. Sarai and Dove had sent sporadic letters, stating that they were having a wonderful time being back at court, but that they missed her greatly and were quite anxious about the impending war in their country.
She pursed her lips as her maid laced her into her favorite blue riding gown. They would have said something if things were bad, she consoled herself. Chenaol or Ulasim would have instructed them on how to write it in code.
Nawat was waiting for her in the main hall, also dressed for riding. Her fashion-conscious older brother had obviously given him some advice, because he could have passed for the vainest of young lords. He gave her one of his heartwarming, earnest smiles. "You look lovely, Aly."
She shrugged. "That, or you're just not used to seeing me in nice clothes. Either way, I'll take it as a compliment." True, she was pretty again (not that she'd ever been ugly), having had Kyprioth fix her nose and grow her hair back before she left Tanair, but it meant something to her that he'd thought she was beautiful back as a goatherding slave in the Copper Isles.
A burst of noise and energy shot through the hall as the guests came in, joking and restless, obviously ready to get on their horses and gallop through the hills as if without a care in the world. They're scholars, she had decided earlier. They deserve all the breaks they can get.
Thom came over and swept her up in a bone-crushing hug. "Good. I thought I was going to have to drag you out of bed myself."
Aly pulled away from him, wincing at the pain in her still-tender ribs. "Force me to go hunting? Since when?"
"You've been so strange lately," he replied, his handsome face almost innocent in its expression. "Perhaps what you need is some distraction."
Her eyes narrowed; her brother had some nerve to be pulling a stunt like this right in front of Nawat. "I think not," she said tartly, twisting her riding crop angrily in her hands. "And besides, I'm going back to Corus with you next week so that I can finally be officially presented." And convince Da to give me something substantial to do, she added silently.
He shrugged and turned to one of his equally good-looking university friends, the heir to an old northern earldom, and began talking unconcernedly.
Nawat took her elbow and led her outside into the courtyard. "I fear that your other brother will hate me as well."
"Thom doesn't hate you at all. He likes you, really! It's just..." she hesitated, trying to think of how to explain it. "Thom and Alan have always been overprotective of me when it comes to males, almost more so than my father, and they're afraid that somehow I'll get hurt."
He frowned and shook his head as he was apt to do when confused by what she said. "Humans are strange, Aly. Why would I hurt you?"
She opened her mouth to reply when one of her brother's friends called to them from the stables. "I'll tell you later," she whispered hurriedly as they walked briskly across the courtyard. Nawat wasn't satisfied, but he kept his mouth shut as they got on their horses. Luckily, Aly didn't have to pretend to not know how to ride a horse at home, and even riding sidesaddle like the other ladies she was perfectly comfortable.
Hunting was a success. While chasing a stag, she and her brother engaged in a very Sarai-style gallop through the woods, leaving the rest of their party in the dust. After finally catching the animal, they returned, laughing and breathless, to their friends, who with awe and amusement in their voices accused them both of madness.
As they rode back to the castle, the peasants lined the roads to watch the well-dressed group pass. They called out greetings to the children of their lord and lady, and pleasantly waved to the other courtiers. As Aly turned back from greeting the last few, she caught a look of puzzlement on Nawat's face as he stared at the castle. She followed his gaze to one of the towers, where men were running a very familiar scarlet and gold flag up the flagpole.
"What are they doing?" he asked in wonderment.
She shook her head in disbelief. "Mother's home."
NOTE: Oooooooh, what will Alanna think of Nawat? More importantly, how will she take the news that her daughter spent the previous summer as a slave plotting against a half-mad dynasty in an unstable country? Hmmm...questions, questions. So many questions that need to be answered.