!!!Disclaimer!!!:- I do not own there character or where they live – all I own is their actions
!!!Spelling Apology!!! – I am no good at spelling or grammar – if you notice something please PM/Review me – I need all the help I can get (and spell-check hates me, btw)

Laws, Rules and Tradition – a Jon/Thayet Oneshot

"Jonathon of Conte!" Thayet yelled from her dressing room.

"Yes love?" Jon called, running to his angry wife.

"What is this law that prohibits me from my creative heart's desire?"

"Which one?"

"You meant here is more than one?" Thayet cried.

"Thayet love, this is Tortall – we aren't exactly the image of revolution."

"You and your stupid traditions! What should it matter if a lady shows her leg blow the knee? It's not like she's going to start a war, or become a prostitute!"

"Thayet!" Jon was surprised with her casualness about the problem.

"What?"

"We just can't change the tradition, or the traditionalists. These things take time."

"We can start by changing the law."

"We need a reason." He told her, trying to calm her temper – which almost matched Alanna's (not that he'd tell her that – or Alanna for that matter.)

"Isn't a disgruntled queen in a murderous rage enough?"

Jon smiled at the innocent look on her face. "I don't think I can put that on the official document."

"What if a knight suggested it?" She asked innocently.

Jon eyed her suspiciously. "Which knight?"

"Well, I was thinking a King's Champion…"

"Not Alanna! She's caused enough uproar already!"

"But," Thayet continued as if Jon hadn't interrupted. "Then I thought that perhaps a Lady Knight wouldn't be the best to suggest it. So then I thought Raoul."

"Raoul." Jon repeated flatly.

"You know, six foot five, pretty eyes, rides with a bunch of prankers known as the Third Company?"

"I know who Raoul is!" Jon snapped. "I don't know why you want him to suggest dress lengths to be reduced though."

"Well, he spends all his time away from court, but he once remarked to me that the dress lengths were inappropriate – everyday dresses that is, not ball dresses – I'm not attacking that tradition."

"Yet." Jon sounded grumpy.

Thayet nodded her head – wisely conceding his point…well, prediction.

"So, if Raoul raises the issue in Court – and gets backing, and the traditionalists don't make too much of a tantrum, then will you stop yelling at me?"

"Maybe," Thayet replied saucily.

Jon threw is hands up in despair. "There is no appeasing you, is there?"

Thayet smiled and kissed her husband on the cheek. "Sorry to tell you this sweet, but you married a woman, and we have been known to be a bit temperamental."

Jon smiled back. "I'm going to go find Gary. Please try not to change any laws or traditions while I'm gone."

"What about rules? Can I break rules?"

Jon smiled. "It depends which ones."

Thayet was about to retort when Jon raced out of the room.

"GARY!" He yelled. "What ideas have you been giving my wife?!"

Gary, who had been hiding in his office, slid further down his chair.

"GARY!" Jon thundered.

"In here." He squeaked.

Jon, upon finding Gary, smiled pleasantly at him. This scared Gary more than Jon rage.

"Yes?" Gary asked, trying to be brave.

"I want to contact Raoul and Buri, and tell them I want them here before next week – they have a Court Session to attend."

"Raoul and Buri sir?"

"That's right. If Raoul can't convince them with his charms, then Buri will have to convince them."

"Is that in the rules? I mean, I know knights can approached Court, but can Commanders in the Queens Riders?"

Jon shrugged. "They can now."

"It's against the Rules! And the laws!"

"Change them then." Jon told him sweetly, walking out again.

"How?" Gary called back.

"Talk to Alanna – she's done it before!"

Gary sat and pondered this. He doubted that disguising a Commander as a Male Knight for 8 years would change anything.

He sighed. "Courier?" He called.

A small, weedy boy of about fourteen came in. "Yes Milord?"

"I want messages to Sir Alanna, Sir Raoul and Commander Buri. Tell them that their presence is required at the Palace before next week, on pain of my job."

"Yes Milord. Uh, Milord, if I may say something?"

"Yes lad?"

"Why don't you just do it yourself? Talk to them Nobles at Court? You're a duke, so they can't talk back to ya like."

Gary smiled. "Thank you. You may go."

Now why didn't I think of that? Gary thought to himself. I could have saved myself so much trouble – and my sanity!