Disclaimer: very simple - not mine!

A/N: Hey Everyone, this is yet another Alanna-goes-to-the-convent story, but I love them so much, how could I resist to write one of my own? Anyway, this story is based on the 2nd book, yet I don't know whether it will be A/G or A/J or A/?, It'll depend on my mood. Soooo if you like, please review, and if you don't like, please review! Feedback, negative or positive, is greatly appreciated! Remember, I'm writing this for you guys! Now enough blabbing and on to the story...

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It was the crack of dawn on what was promising to be a glorious, sunny day. Alanna was woken by the warmth of the sunlight creeping through her half-open curtains. Reluctant to get out of bed, she turned away from the curtains and tried to get back to sleep.

Just as she was about to nod off again, she heard somebody knocking violently on her bedroom door. Cursing under her breath, she hopped out of bed and opened her door to see what kind of insane person would get up at this ungodly hour of the morning.

"Alanna! You're awake! Guess what day it is!" said her friend Lydia excitedly, as she pushed past Alanna and sat on her bed. Frankly, Alanna didn't care what day it was. To her, today was just another ordinary boring day at the convent.

"I'm awake because you so kindly woke me Lydia! You do realise there are two more hours before breakfast?" Alanna grouched back, she was not a morning person and loathed anyone who kept her from her sleep.

"Oh Alanna, don't be such a grouch! I didn't mean to wake you, I was just so excited. Don't you remember? Today the priestess is going to announce which of us can leave the convent and go to the palace!" said Lydia, hopping up and down energetically, "Wouldn't it be fantastic if we could go to the palace together?"

Of Course, how did she forget? The girl's had been discussing this for weeks! It was every girl's dream to go to the palace and flirt with all the handsome knights, perhaps even finding a husband while she was there. Most of the girls secretly had their hearts set on the prince Jonathan though. Especially Delia and Ebony, they talked of him non-stop. Alanna was sick to death of hearing his name everywhere she went. You'd think everyone would have something better to talk about.

"You, Lydia, just want to dig your claws into the prince, like all the other girls." teased Alanna, "I do not Alanna and you know that perfectly well," retorted Lydia, "a change of scenery would do us both some good. Anyway, it will be fun, I don't why you always have to complain," she said, moving into a chair opposite Alanna.

Truthfully, Alanna was dying to go to the Palace, not for the same reasons as the other girls though. She wasn't interested in dressing nicely, seducing men, and dancing. She wanted to go because Thom lived there. She missed Thom terribly and would do anything to see him again. Besides, anywhere was better than the boring old convent!

"You know as well as I do Lydia that there is no chance whatsoever that I'm going to the Palace. The priestesses hate me," complained Alanna. Alanna was known as the trouble maker' of the convent. She refused to wear dresses, attend dancing classes, ride side-saddle, or do anything that was expected of her. The priestesses had been determined not to give up on her though and frequently punished her, hoping to somehow pull her into line. After they banned her visits into the local village though, Alanna had decided to give in, as her visits were the only thing that stopped her losing her mind with boredom. Although she attended all her classes now, she had never lost her mischievous side, and was still getting into trouble quite often.

The only other contact from the outside world she got was through her brother. The priestesses had stopped all her mail coming through years ago, as an extra punishment. Determined to find another means of communication though, Thom had searched Corus for anybody that was willing to pass on their messages secretly for a generous fee. That was how he had come across the rogue George, king of thieves. He had agreed to help them for free, and over the years he had become a very good friend of theirs. Infact, George was due back in town today, and she couldn't wait to see him again. It seemed like ages since his last visit.

"Alanna..." said Lydia suddenly, distracting Alanna from her thoughts, "It's breakfast time, if you hadn't realised. I'm starving!" she said, walking towards Alanna's door. "Me too," said Alanna, unaware of the groaning in her stomach until now, "You go, I'll quickly get changed and catch you up".

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Ten minutes later, they were down in the mess hall eating breakfast with the other girls from the convent. Alanna sat to the left of Lydia and watched as she piled her plate high with bread and fruits. Unfortunately priestess Malena caught Lydia doing so and scolded her, then sent her back to her room with no food at all.

After Lydia had rushed off in tears, the girls started snickering and teasing her behind her back. "What a pig! Always wanting more food... she's fat enough as it is!" grinned Delia, opposite the table from Alanna, "Mmm and the way she waddles, she already acts like a pig!" said Ebony cheekily, sending them all into fits of laughter, all except Alanna.

"When will you two grow up!" yelled Alanna at them furiously, it hurt her to see her friend taunted so. Quickly, she gathered up some bread and apples and snuck past the priestesses to Lydia's room. She found Lydia crying, lying face flat on her bed.

Lydia was not the prettiest of girls. She had strawberry blond, long hair that almost reached her waist. She had smiling eyes, hazelnut in colour, and a round, chubby face. She was quite tall, but rather overweight and was very sensitive about her appearance.

The priestesses never let her eat a normal sized meal. They insisted that she be put on a diet and eat as less as possible. The girls always teased her and called her names behind her back. They thought she was a great big joke.

Alanna was Lydia's only friend, and the pair had been best friends for years. They were considered the outcasts' at the convent; none of the other girls ever talked to them.

"I've brought you some bread, Lydia", said Alanna soothingly, "don't worry what those priestesses say, I never do," Alanna smiled. Lydia stopped weeping and hugged her friend, "thank you Alanna, you're a true friend," and took a piece of bread.

Soon afterwards, they were eating and giggling together again, the incident forgotten.

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Late afternoon, the priestess Jasmine called all the older girls into the hall. "As you may know girls, it is the prince's nineteenth birthday in three days," she said, sending a buzz of excitement through the hall, "for this special occasion, we thought it was time to send six more girls to the palace for the festivities. They will be...." started priestess Jasmine, as the girls began squealing with anticipation.

"Bet you Delia and Ebony are going," said Alanna, miserably. Those two were adored by every priestess at the convent.

"...Delia, Ebony, Edwina, Farhanna and Lydia. That will be all," she finished. Alanna had expected this, Lydia had tried really hard to impress the priestesses lately. She wanted to get away from the convent as much as Alanna did. She was happy for her friend, she was just disappointed that she couldn't go with her.

Just as she and Lydia were about to leave, priestess Jasmine cut them off, "Alanna, before you go back to your room, priestess Malena would like a word with you". Giving Lydia a puzzled look, she followed priestess Jasmine to Malena's office.

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Priestess Malena was the head priestess at the convent and was the strictest of them all. She also just so happened to be Alanna's least favourite teacher. "Ah Alanna, thanks for stopping by," she said smiling, as Alanna entered her office. "Please sit down," she said, motioning to the chair in front of her. Hesitating slightly, Alanna sat down and faced the priestess, wondering what trouble she'd caused now.

"I received a letter from your brother a few weeks ago. He seems to think I should let you go with the other girls to the palace. Do you agree?," asked priestess Malena, staring straight at Alanna. Knowing her choice of words was vital here, Alanna eventually replied, "yes, I believe I am ready to go priestess, I have been trying hard in my classes lately and I haven't caused any trouble". This was a downright-blatantly-obvious lie, and unfortunately the priestess saw right through it. "But have you really Alanna?," she asked, even though she already knew the answer. "You're a disgrace to the convent Alanna, you give us a bad name. How do I know you won't make us look like fools if I let you go?," she queried, dropping the smile off her face.

Knowing this could be her last chance to leave the convent for another year or so, she gave up the sweet-innocent act and started begging, "oh priestess Malena, please let me go! I want to go to the palace so much! I'll try my hardest, I swear, just let me go!". The priestess chuckled and replied, "alright Alanna, you may go. I'll be hearing of your progress though and if I hear you've caused any trouble at all, I'll personally drag you back here! Is that understood?," said the priestess firmly, as Alanna nodded, "like the other girls, you'll be staying there for a year. I hope you find an eligible suitor by then," she finished, though they both knew this was rather unlikely. "Thank you priestess, you won't regret it," Alanna said joyfully, as she stood up and left the office in a rush.

There was something odd about that girl, thought priestess Malena after Alanna had left. She was such a nuisance, she was hardly a good student, yet there was something quite charming about her. Life in the convent would certainly be very different without her.

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Hitching up her skirts, Alanna ran ecstatically down the corridors, shouting at the top of her lungs, "I'm leaving, I'm finally leaving! I'M GOING TO THE PALACE!". Priestesses shouted after her, cursing her for disrupting their classes. Girls rolled their eyes at her and told her off being immature. But Alanna didn't care, she was going to the Palace.

Alanna kept running, through the open front doors, into the huge gardens, until she finally stopped by the edge of the grounds. From there she could see the village and the forest down below the convent. Using her last breath of energy, she shouted to the world, "GOODBYE CITY OF GODS, I'M FINALLY LEAVING!"

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Next Chapter: She'll leave the convent!

Anyway, hope you like

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