Meeting the Boy
Alanna had to admit the full extent of what her daughter did was extremely impressive, considering she originally was just a naïve young girl with a lot of talent, but no direction.
She couldn't even imagine what Aly was going to be like now. The only thing she knew was that she was going to be very different from last time.
''George, what do you think she'll be like now?'' Alanna asked, as they docked into the harbor.
''I don't know, lass,'' George answered, ''I do know that when I went to get her back, she was very different. Entirely consumed with her cause.''
Alanna found it hard to believe for Aly to be driven with anything but she only nodded.
Of course, she couldn't greet Aly right away. She had to be greeted formally first. Tortall had come to get reports and news on the Copper Isles' new queen( officially she came because of Tortall).She saw Aly, but from a distance.
After formal introductions, Alanna and her husband, George, got the chance to see their daughter.
''Hello, Da, Mother,'' Aly said, with a big smile on her face.
''Aly!'' George said, going up to embrace her.
Alanna was more reluctant to go up to her daughter. Their relationship was rocky, and the last time she saw her daughter they were on bad terms.
So she watched the father/daughter reunion silently.
When her reunion with her father was over, Aly slowly walked away from her father.
For a moment, the mother and daughter looked at each other, unsure of what to do.
There was so much they both wanted to say but neither knew how to express it.
Finally, Aly went up and embraced her mother tightly.
''I'm sorry,'' she said.
''I am, too,'' Alanna said.
Alanna felt a smile creep up on her face, as she saw her daughter's smile increase.
''I was worried frantic when I found out you were gone,'' Alanna confessed.
''I saw,'' Aly said, her face growing serious, and when she saw her mother become confused explained, ''Kyprioth sent me ''letters from home'', where I saw what was going on at home, since he wouldn't let me have any contact with home.''
Both George and Alanna showed signs of anger but the moment of seeing their daughter pushed away any real reaction.
A raka man then entered the room, and Alanna noticed that Aly's face lit up when she saw him (and the man's face did the same). So this was her daughter's fiancée.
''Aly, you didn't tell me they came yet,'' he said, ''did you tell them the big news?''
The smile on Aly's face returned, as she shook her head.
''I thought you said you and Nawat were just friends,'' George said, raising an eyebrow.
''We were,'' Aly said, ''at the time. Then we kind of…became more.''
''But he's a crow.''
''A crow?'' Alanna asked, raising an eyebrow, too, ''my daughter's about to get married to a crow.''
''I was a crow,'' Nawat explained, ''and then I transformed into a man for Aly.''
For a moment, Alanna stared unblinkingly at Nawat.
Then she turned to her daughter.
''A crow?'' she asked again.
''Former crow, yes,'' Aly admitted, ''but he's more than a man now.'' Aly then turned to Nawat and smiled at him lovingly.
Alanna now focused her unblinking stare at her daughter.
''A crow,'' she muttered.
''Should I tell her now?'' Alanna heard Aly whisper to Nawat, and he nodded.
''Mother, Da,'' Aly said, '' I'm expecting triplets.''
Both parents' mouths dropped in shock.
''It was hard enough juggling twins when I was double your age,'' she said, ''triplets.''
''And half-crow triplets,'' George added, grinning mischievously, ''my grandchildren will be half crow.''
Aly made a face.
''And if the Goddess enacts proper revenge they all will be just like you.''
''That's not a bad thing,'' Nawat said, looking at Aly with an expression reserved for a man in love.
''It's extremely difficult if you're her mother,'' Alanna said, ''dealing with one Aly was hard enough, you're going to have to deal with three.''
''Best of luck to you with that,'' George said, mirth in his voice.
Both Aly and Nawat made a face.
''I think the council is going to meet soon,'' Alanna said, '' we better get going.''
''But before we do, I have to tell you one thing, Nawat,'' George said, his voice serious, ''treat my little girl right or else Alanna and I'll come here and…''
''I'd never treat her any other way,'' Nawat said, his voice just as serious, ''Never. I'm in love with your daughter.''
Alanna and George surveyed Nawat to see if he meant it, even though in an instant they knew he did.
''Alright,'' George said, ''but still, keep it in mind.''
Alanna and George bid the couple goodbye( until dinnertime, where they would inevitably meet again).
''Aly's a woman now,'' Alanna said, ''I remember when she and Alan ran around Pirate's Swoop together, only toddlers.''
''Seems like yesterday, doesn't it?''
''It does,'' Alanna said, ''and in a blink of an eye, she's fell for a man, going to get married, and is expecting triplets. And she's actually found something to do with her life, which I thought she'd never do. Time really does fly.''
George smiled sadly and nodded.
''I knew this time would come, when they would all be gone, but I didn't expect it to be so soon,'' she said.
''I know,'' George murmured.
For a moment, they were quiet until George spoke.
''Alanna?''
''Yes, George.''
''You know that even though the kids will leave you, I never will, right?''
Alanna smiled. ''Yes, I know that. And you know that the same applies for you, George, right?''
He nodded, and kissed her.
''I love you, Alanna,'' he said.
''Love you, too, George,'' she said.
A/N So this is the plotbunny I adopted at the plot auction. Thank you Renagirl9 for giving it to me. I hoped you liked this and please review!