What if Alanna didn't ever love Jon? What if George told Alanna how he felt sooner? This story is for them.
I do not own Tamora Pierce's characters or the words from her books. Hope you enjoy.
As Alanna followed George up the stairs to his rooms with Faithful perched on her shoulder like usual she could help but feel that something was different about this time. For instead of Alanna having to have someone fetch George he was waiting for her outside of the Dancing Dove.
"George is something the matter?" Alanna asked puzzled.
"Why do ye ask, lad?" George replied replying to her question with another question, not turning to look at her.
"I don't know. It's just. ..." Alanna took a deep breath, then plowed on, "you never wait for any of us in front of the Dancing Dove. It's just strange is all" Alanna finished unable to articulate what she was thinking.
George finally looked back at her studying her face a moment before turning around to open his door.
Holding the door open for Alanna he waited until she was inside before shutting the door, locking it, then turned to face her.
"Lass, why do ye come here so often?" He asked after pausing a moment.
"I come to see you" Alanna replied not knowing where he was going with
this question. "You are after all one of my friends and I trust you".
"And I trust you lass" he took a deep breath then plowed on. "How old are ye lass?"
"You should know. I just turned 15".
"We marry as young as 15 here in the city" George said.
Alanna just looked at him, in shock.
"Do you ever wonder about love Alanna?"
"I haven't thought about it before. I know I'm supposed to be a boy an flirt with the ladies, but its so cursed awkward" Alanna said in a huff.
George let out a laugh. "You do brighten my day lass. One of these days I want to sneak into the castle and see your attempt at flirting with the girls".
Alanna looked horrified at the thought. "It's bad enough Jon being there and look at me knowingly whenever Gary or Raoul trap me with a girl. If you came I would be even more embarrassed".
"Why would you be even more embarrassed if I were to be there?" George asked quietly.
Alanna looked away blushing. "Did I ever tell you that after Faithful found me so did the Mother Goddess".
"No lass you didn't. But don't think that I can't see that you're side stepping my question".
Alanna huffed in annoyance. "Sometimes I wish you weren't so cursed smart George".
George reached out and tugged on her hand bringing her closer to him.
"Do you ever think about love Alanna?"
"No" Alanna said stubbornly.
"Well I have" George replied wrapping his arms around Alanna's back.
"George I've told you time and again that I am never getting married".
"I never said anything about marriage lass you came up with that all on your own".
Alanna shut her mouth, knowing that he was in one of his moods. Trying to step back, out of George's grip she only managed to have him pull her even tighter.
"George let me go" Alanna demanded.
"Not yet" he said tipping her head up with one hand. Leaning forward he softly kissed her, then let her go.
Keeping her eyes closed Alanna felt George move away from her. She stood standing there for a long moment not saying anything and keeping her eyes closed.
Softly George asked "Will you be afraid to face me after this?"
Alanna slowly opened her eyes looking up a George a weird look on her face.
"No" she said just as softly. "Maybe I do want to explore this some more. And as the Mother Goddess said love is one of my three fears. I need to face this one head on just like I face all my other fears".
George chuckled. "I'm willing to help you face it head on lass".
"I might be willing to let you try George Cooper. After all you didn't run from me when I told you I was a girl. I was half expecting you to hate me after you found out. I don't know what I'm going to do when I have to let everyone know I'm a girl or even how they will react. Will they let me keep my shield? Will they banish me from Tortall? Will I be killed?" Alanna stopped and scowled at George when he let out a huge belly laugh.
When George finally stopped laughing he replied mirth still evidence in his voice. "Lass if any of them decided to banish you, kill you or take away your shield they will have a fight on their hands. Not only will your friends fight for you they will probably explain how even though you are a girl you earned your shield just as they did. Jon knows that you are a girl and he still chose you as his squire. Not because you were a girl but out off all the squires you were the best".
"Thanks George" Alanna said relieved.
George just grinned, kissing her quickly before she could protest. "Although I am glad that you are a girl. Because if you weren't I probably wouldn't want to teach you about love with kisses".
Alanna scowled at him. "Stop doing that George, I said I might want to learn. Not that i wanted to be bombarded".
"You're forgerting lass, I know that you took down Ralon of Malvin. If I do something you didn't like you would make it known, as of yet you haven't done anything to persuade me that you didn't want this".
If I get positive reviews I might consider continuing this. Review please ;)