LADY ALANNA
By Tallia Stone (Pen name)
Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce's ingenious characters (other than Anna and Kallary), my ordinary plot. Blah, blah, blah.
Alanna of Trebond was fuming. Despite her wishes to become a Knight of the Realm, she was going to the convent, to become a proper young lady. For once her father won the argument. Her father spent most of his time in scrolls and maps. This gave Alanna the idea to switch places with her twin brother, Thom. Her father actually cared, for once, and quickly told her that no such thing was going to happen.
She said goodbye to her sullen brother, who was going off to become a very sorry-excuse-for-a-knight, and Coram Smythesson, a former foot soldier in the army and her teacher in weaponry and the hand-to-hand-combat. Like I'll need it, serving tea and crumpets, Alanna thought. Poor Coram. He had to be the manservant to Thom while he was training. If only Thom had had Alanna's skill, Alanna's ambition, Alanna's desires... Poor Coram. He would be embarrassed incredibly by Thom's poor ability of the fighting arts.
Alanna and the local healer, Maude, continued down the road to the convent. When they arrived, they found a forlorn and desolate mountain of rocks and small shrubs. The convent itself resembled Alanna's miserable mood. They walked through the high-ceilinged doorway to meet a short, plump priest, who simply said, "Greetings. Come."
They followed the quiet priest past several hallways of boring slate-colored doors, until they finally got to a door of gold, entitled "Convent Mistress" in bronze letters. The priest said something under his breath and a blue light glimmered around the door and then disappeared. "Very simple lock spell," Maude whispered. Alanna nodded.
The priest opened the door for them to enter and then quickly shuffled out. A tall, prim lady was standing from her desk to greet them, and announced herself as the Head Priestess of the Convent for Young Women. "Well, now, Lady Alanna. Please enjoy your years here," she said while taking in her travel outfit of dirt-stained breeches and long-ago-was-white shirt. Well, what was I supposed to do, change into a gown in the middle of a forest? Lady Alanna thought to herself. The priestess was extremely thin. When does she eat? She thought naively. Alanna herself would become that thin, due to the corset she will have to wear. She had gray hair done up in an exquisite bun that stayed up perfectly.
"Lady Anna will-," the priestess began, and was interrupted by Alanna's comment of, "It's Alanna, dolt!" Gasps erupted from the head priestess and Maude. "Alanna!" The unnerving purple gaze fell upon the priestess. "Yes, lady? You got my name correct this time." The nerve of that child, Maude thought approvingly. If this was how the six years here would be, then Alanna wanted no part of it.
Alanna was beginning to get used to life in the miserable convent. She woke up at dawn every morning. She wore breeches and a shirt, then went to breakfast. There she would get sent back to her room to dress in a gown, with the rest of the ladies laughing. The corsets she had to wear suffocated her, however glamorous the gowns were. This caused her to be late for her first class, which happened to be on etiquette, of all things. In this class, she learned how to curtsy twenty different ways, each for a different kind of noble; she learned how to write different kinds of letters, and how to accept flowers from different stations. All in all, it was very boring. The classes were much longer than she would expect. Each class was two hours long, supposedly because of the importance of each. Oh, right. The men learn how to save a country; the women learn how to serve tea. Oh, so fair.
The next class was embroidery. This was Alanna's least favorite, and she purposely stitched green flowers, pink leaves, and white writing. Sewing Priestess was the most horrible, miserable lady Alanna had ever met, and she did not want to please her.
After a lunch served by the ladies (they skipped over Alanna, because she always managed to spill soup on the Head Priestess), they would go to writing. Alanna enjoyed this the most, because she would have to learn this at the Palace as well. Her father was a scholar, and she knew how to write. Writing Priestess was pleased. She was also kind, and enjoyed talking with Alanna about her troubles.
Next came dance class. Alanna managed. She thought of it as fencing and combat, and this was the only way she remembered these skills. When Dancing Priestess corrected her when she parried instead of twirled, Alanna was deeply embarrassed.
Then all the girls changed into their evening gowns and had dinner served by maids. After this, they went to bed.
SIX YEARS LATER
Alanna was no longer short and stocky. She was of medium height with the same wavy red hair. However, after six years of endless grooming, it could now be contained. Alanna---excuse me, Lady Alanna-wore it long, over her shoulder. Her pale skin and violet eyes were striking. Her favorite gowns were lavender or sapphire blue. Green was also very pretty on her, although she thought she looked like a grasshopper in it. Face paint was littered all over her bathroom mirror; lip paint and rouge were left open on the desk. She was still late to her first class, this time because she was putting on makeup.
Her sewing was exquisite. Her dancing and curtsying were superb. She was a typical Court lady, and very popular.
One day she was talking to Writing Priestess. "Lady, how come I cannot go to Court? I am a perfect Court lady."
Now, Writing Priestess had seen Alanna go from a thoughtful, adventurous young girl with a temper to a buffle-brained Court mistress. It happens to the best of them, the Priestess thought unhappily.
"Alanna, dear, what happened to you? You were so free, so... familiar. I was the same way. I ran away from here. I was caught by Head Priestess, of all people, and as punishment, told me to teach. I chose the only normal subject there was. Can you believe I wanted to be a knight?" Alanna's old fire stirred, deep within her chest. Coram, the Palace... Thom, her father...
Priestess (who happened to be named Anna) saw this in Alanna's face. "Can you help me?" Alanna asked.
CHAPTER 2
Alanna's regular fencing lessons with Priestess Anna continued. Eventually, Alanna's skill grew far past her teacher's. She was still very much a Court lady (though she had never been to Court), but this addition to her day brought back her liveliness, if not her temper.
One day, Head Priestess asked for Alanna to come to her chambers.
"Yes, Head Priestess?" Alanna curtsied.
The priestess coughed. "Anna-sorry, Alanna-you are permitted to go to the Court of the Palace, in the capital city of Corus, for four weeks. Your mission, as of every other lady in time, is to find a proper husband, who will be interviewed by myself after his family has chosen you." Alanna's old-self-that-has-recently-been-uncovered screamed His family chooses me? As Head Priestess continued. "If you do not have a fiancé by the time the four months are over, I will only allow you another two months to find one. You may go only under the Priestess of your choice's permission. Who would you like to choose?"
Finally, Alanna was asked an easy question. "Priestess A-Writing Priestess, please. If she wishes to come with me, I would be glad to go." Head Priestess seemed to find that polite enough.
Four days later, she and Anna were riding their horses (borrowed from the convent) to Corus. Alanna patted her favorite palomino mare, Majesty, with whom she was riding. Anna was riding a bay named Sage, who was a very fussy gelding.
They were crossing the Olorun River, just outside Corus, when they hit. All at once, there were six thieves surrounding them. Unknown to neither Anna nor the thieves, Alanna carried Coram's old heavy sword that she practiced with, around her waist.
It was out in a flash, and she parried and cut with such speed that Anna (not to mention the thieves) was shocked. Alanna swirled and twisted, and came in and out. It did not take long for the six thieves to be knocked to the grass, dead. "Alanna! I've never taught you that. Where and when did you learn to fight?" Anna asked, amazed.
"I have a brother. He was a pathetic excuse for a knight, always was, and probably still is. His manservant is Coram Smythesson, and old Coram taught us swordplay. I was more interested than Thom and neither really liked each other. But I learned a lot. Always hoped it would come in handy, that I would go to the Palace and become a knight. Hmm."
A look of regret came across Alanna's pretty, made up face. "I know, Alanna. I was just like you. But come, now. Life has changed. But you are a fair hand with a sword, and should practice."
After this, they mounted up and continued.
Corus astounded Alanna. Never had she seen so many colors, so many objects and people all together. Everyone from the poor, hungry peddlers to the handsome knights and maidens were all here. Alanna's own stare made people look up. She pretended not to notice, but she liked it, sometimes.
When they passed the brilliant temples, the huge houses, and row after row of store, they got to the magnificent palace gates. They were gigantic, but the Palace was even bigger. Alanna had never seen anything like it! The two large doors were draped in the royal gold and crimson. There were silver and bronze carvings on the doors, and two very large doorknobs made of solid gold. Such richness she had never seen before, and it amazed her!
Hostlers took Majesty and Sage. Alanna was protective of her pretty mare, but relented when Anna told her that they were going to take care of her.
They were swept up into a world of festivities and fabrics, and coins, and nobles. Everyone was of a higher status, until you got to the king and queen. Then there was Jonathan.
"My lady, can I see you now? You have been behind the screen for an hour now. You can't look horrible, you never do." The maid assigned to Alanna named Kallary, asked.
Alanna emerged from the screen in a brilliant crimson dress made of silk, cut lower than her personal preference, with gold embroidery trim that Alanna had actually sewn herself. It had a full skirt, with muslin petticoats, and rubies set in gold along the waistline. It had off-the-shoulder long sleeves.
"My lady, my lady! You are beautiful. May I do your hair?"
Alanna's makeup was already done; she had supplied a generous amount of rouge and lip paint for this year's Midwinter Festival, her first one at Court.
"I want to leave it down, please, Kallary. I don't know what to do with this cursed red color."
Kallary, who had brown locks herself, looked enviously at Alanna's naiveté. Eventually, Alanna left with a net of rubies in her red hair that was left down to rest perfectly on her soldiers. The only difference between Alanna and the rest of the girls was that Alanna carried Coram's sword under her skirt.
Alanna searched by herself to find the room in which the Festival celebration was being held. She passed the gardens, the practice courts, and many classrooms for the pages and squires that she looked at with envy. She found it at last, in a very attractive room called the Jewel Room. Everyone at Court was there, talking, dancing, and preparing to sit down for dinner. Alanna entered and found her seat. She read the little card that indicated who she was seated next to. His name card on the table said, Sir Raoul of Goldenlake on it. The name did not sound familiar; however, she had been living in the convent high in the mountains for most of her life, and gossip did not travel there.
It obviously did not, for if it did, she would have been prepared for the giant that sat down next to her. "Hullo." He said grimly. Did she upset him already?
"Yes, hello. Pleased to meet you, ah, Sir Raoul. I am Lady Alanna of Trebond."
This Raoul man-giant lightened a little. "Do you know Sir Thom?"
"Of course I do. Did you ignore the somewhat striking resemblance to my bumbling brother?" Oh no, my temper again, Alanna thought, angry with herself.
"I'm sorry. I had no intention to-are you upset with Thom? I can tell you honestly he is as sour as a pickled beet."
Alanna nodded. Yes, he knew Thom. "No, no, I'm not angry. Thom is annoying, but he's my brother. I may be the only one who likes him, from what I hear."
Raoul nodded. "Not the most popular lad of the bunch, I'm afraid to say. He almost didn't make it to his fourth year as a page, because he was doing so badly in swordplay. Not a strong man, still. I never minded him, others did."
If Raoul didn't seem like a mellow, peaceful man, Alanna would have slapped him. One of the closest things to her heart was her brother, and she didn't take insults lightly.
The conversation continued, as course after course flew by. They discussed Raoul's years in knight training; Alanna was vastly interested. She explained that she would have liked to become a knight and that she could still beat Thom in a fencing tournament (and she could, too; they had one that morning).
Then, the dinner ended, and the party went into another room for dancing. Alanna confessed she knew no one but Raoul. He said that he'd introduce her to more active partygoers, and that this was his least favorite thing to do.
A group of knights were talking. The circle went quiet as Raoul came up, then they started chatting actively again. No one noticed Alanna come up, despite her flaming red hair and purple eyes. She tapped their shoulders, but it didn't work.
"Excuse me! Don't you knights learn manners? I'll let you know that I was stuck learning them for six horrid years and I will be listened to!" Alanna practically shouted. Needless to say, the knights heard her, this short little woman with red hair and a scowl on her face.
"Sorry, Lady Alanna." Raoul said. "Guys, this is Lady Alanna of Trebond, sister of Thom, who can beat him in a fencing tournament." Raoul and some of the men chuckled. "Lady Alanna, this is Sir Gary-Gareth-son of Duke Gareth the Elder, Alexander of Tirragen, Thom, of course, and Prince Jonathan of Conte." Alanna curtsied very low to the Prince. It was not every day she met royalty! And, to Thom's great embarrassment, she came over and embraced him. "Thom, why did father send you here if your sister, who hasn't so much as touched a weapon for six years, can still beat you?" Everyone laughed, even Thom.
Jonathan was smitten with this girl, this lady, with such a presence. No other Court girl had actually talked to any of the knights, least of all him. Well, he had to be fair; she rarely looked at him with that unusual purple gaze. Why those Trebonds had those oddly colored eyes, he'd never know. But he was truly smitten.
"My lady, would you like to dance?" Prince Jonathan asked a startled Alanna. Manners dictated her answer, not to mention she would like to ask him why. "Yes, Your Highness." He smiled, with those blue eyes only on her. "Call me Jonathan." Alanna nodded. They twirled and spun, and the dance was too fast for conversation. With in an instance of that thought, the dance changed to a slower one.
"Why did you ask me to dance?" Alanna asked. "Trebond isn't a very important fief. As far as I know, the king is displeased with my father. I am not rich; I do not own land. I have nothing to offer except tea, because I was imprisoned in the convent for six awful years of my life and I know eight ways to accept flowers, but absolutely nothing useful!"
Jonathan was clearly caught. No woman asked about such things, no woman said such things. But Alanna did. "Well, I, that is, um... I think you're pretty?" Alanna, what are you doing? She asked herself. She always got in these messes.
"I'm sorry, Your-Jonathan." The dance ended, and Alanna left, thinking.
"That girl, there. Who was she?" Roald, King of Tortall, asked his son.
"Hmm? Oh, Alanna. Alanna of Trebond, Thom's sister. Apparently she's a better hand with a sword than he is." Jonathan chuckled.
The King did not. "Did you like her?"
"Well enough, why?"
"You're of an age, Jonathan-marriage is around the corner."
"I met her tonight! I will talk to Delia about Alanna of Trebond."
AN: DELIA?!?!? Uh, oh...
By Tallia Stone (Pen name)
Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce's ingenious characters (other than Anna and Kallary), my ordinary plot. Blah, blah, blah.
Alanna of Trebond was fuming. Despite her wishes to become a Knight of the Realm, she was going to the convent, to become a proper young lady. For once her father won the argument. Her father spent most of his time in scrolls and maps. This gave Alanna the idea to switch places with her twin brother, Thom. Her father actually cared, for once, and quickly told her that no such thing was going to happen.
She said goodbye to her sullen brother, who was going off to become a very sorry-excuse-for-a-knight, and Coram Smythesson, a former foot soldier in the army and her teacher in weaponry and the hand-to-hand-combat. Like I'll need it, serving tea and crumpets, Alanna thought. Poor Coram. He had to be the manservant to Thom while he was training. If only Thom had had Alanna's skill, Alanna's ambition, Alanna's desires... Poor Coram. He would be embarrassed incredibly by Thom's poor ability of the fighting arts.
Alanna and the local healer, Maude, continued down the road to the convent. When they arrived, they found a forlorn and desolate mountain of rocks and small shrubs. The convent itself resembled Alanna's miserable mood. They walked through the high-ceilinged doorway to meet a short, plump priest, who simply said, "Greetings. Come."
They followed the quiet priest past several hallways of boring slate-colored doors, until they finally got to a door of gold, entitled "Convent Mistress" in bronze letters. The priest said something under his breath and a blue light glimmered around the door and then disappeared. "Very simple lock spell," Maude whispered. Alanna nodded.
The priest opened the door for them to enter and then quickly shuffled out. A tall, prim lady was standing from her desk to greet them, and announced herself as the Head Priestess of the Convent for Young Women. "Well, now, Lady Alanna. Please enjoy your years here," she said while taking in her travel outfit of dirt-stained breeches and long-ago-was-white shirt. Well, what was I supposed to do, change into a gown in the middle of a forest? Lady Alanna thought to herself. The priestess was extremely thin. When does she eat? She thought naively. Alanna herself would become that thin, due to the corset she will have to wear. She had gray hair done up in an exquisite bun that stayed up perfectly.
"Lady Anna will-," the priestess began, and was interrupted by Alanna's comment of, "It's Alanna, dolt!" Gasps erupted from the head priestess and Maude. "Alanna!" The unnerving purple gaze fell upon the priestess. "Yes, lady? You got my name correct this time." The nerve of that child, Maude thought approvingly. If this was how the six years here would be, then Alanna wanted no part of it.
Alanna was beginning to get used to life in the miserable convent. She woke up at dawn every morning. She wore breeches and a shirt, then went to breakfast. There she would get sent back to her room to dress in a gown, with the rest of the ladies laughing. The corsets she had to wear suffocated her, however glamorous the gowns were. This caused her to be late for her first class, which happened to be on etiquette, of all things. In this class, she learned how to curtsy twenty different ways, each for a different kind of noble; she learned how to write different kinds of letters, and how to accept flowers from different stations. All in all, it was very boring. The classes were much longer than she would expect. Each class was two hours long, supposedly because of the importance of each. Oh, right. The men learn how to save a country; the women learn how to serve tea. Oh, so fair.
The next class was embroidery. This was Alanna's least favorite, and she purposely stitched green flowers, pink leaves, and white writing. Sewing Priestess was the most horrible, miserable lady Alanna had ever met, and she did not want to please her.
After a lunch served by the ladies (they skipped over Alanna, because she always managed to spill soup on the Head Priestess), they would go to writing. Alanna enjoyed this the most, because she would have to learn this at the Palace as well. Her father was a scholar, and she knew how to write. Writing Priestess was pleased. She was also kind, and enjoyed talking with Alanna about her troubles.
Next came dance class. Alanna managed. She thought of it as fencing and combat, and this was the only way she remembered these skills. When Dancing Priestess corrected her when she parried instead of twirled, Alanna was deeply embarrassed.
Then all the girls changed into their evening gowns and had dinner served by maids. After this, they went to bed.
SIX YEARS LATER
Alanna was no longer short and stocky. She was of medium height with the same wavy red hair. However, after six years of endless grooming, it could now be contained. Alanna---excuse me, Lady Alanna-wore it long, over her shoulder. Her pale skin and violet eyes were striking. Her favorite gowns were lavender or sapphire blue. Green was also very pretty on her, although she thought she looked like a grasshopper in it. Face paint was littered all over her bathroom mirror; lip paint and rouge were left open on the desk. She was still late to her first class, this time because she was putting on makeup.
Her sewing was exquisite. Her dancing and curtsying were superb. She was a typical Court lady, and very popular.
One day she was talking to Writing Priestess. "Lady, how come I cannot go to Court? I am a perfect Court lady."
Now, Writing Priestess had seen Alanna go from a thoughtful, adventurous young girl with a temper to a buffle-brained Court mistress. It happens to the best of them, the Priestess thought unhappily.
"Alanna, dear, what happened to you? You were so free, so... familiar. I was the same way. I ran away from here. I was caught by Head Priestess, of all people, and as punishment, told me to teach. I chose the only normal subject there was. Can you believe I wanted to be a knight?" Alanna's old fire stirred, deep within her chest. Coram, the Palace... Thom, her father...
Priestess (who happened to be named Anna) saw this in Alanna's face. "Can you help me?" Alanna asked.
CHAPTER 2
Alanna's regular fencing lessons with Priestess Anna continued. Eventually, Alanna's skill grew far past her teacher's. She was still very much a Court lady (though she had never been to Court), but this addition to her day brought back her liveliness, if not her temper.
One day, Head Priestess asked for Alanna to come to her chambers.
"Yes, Head Priestess?" Alanna curtsied.
The priestess coughed. "Anna-sorry, Alanna-you are permitted to go to the Court of the Palace, in the capital city of Corus, for four weeks. Your mission, as of every other lady in time, is to find a proper husband, who will be interviewed by myself after his family has chosen you." Alanna's old-self-that-has-recently-been-uncovered screamed His family chooses me? As Head Priestess continued. "If you do not have a fiancé by the time the four months are over, I will only allow you another two months to find one. You may go only under the Priestess of your choice's permission. Who would you like to choose?"
Finally, Alanna was asked an easy question. "Priestess A-Writing Priestess, please. If she wishes to come with me, I would be glad to go." Head Priestess seemed to find that polite enough.
Four days later, she and Anna were riding their horses (borrowed from the convent) to Corus. Alanna patted her favorite palomino mare, Majesty, with whom she was riding. Anna was riding a bay named Sage, who was a very fussy gelding.
They were crossing the Olorun River, just outside Corus, when they hit. All at once, there were six thieves surrounding them. Unknown to neither Anna nor the thieves, Alanna carried Coram's old heavy sword that she practiced with, around her waist.
It was out in a flash, and she parried and cut with such speed that Anna (not to mention the thieves) was shocked. Alanna swirled and twisted, and came in and out. It did not take long for the six thieves to be knocked to the grass, dead. "Alanna! I've never taught you that. Where and when did you learn to fight?" Anna asked, amazed.
"I have a brother. He was a pathetic excuse for a knight, always was, and probably still is. His manservant is Coram Smythesson, and old Coram taught us swordplay. I was more interested than Thom and neither really liked each other. But I learned a lot. Always hoped it would come in handy, that I would go to the Palace and become a knight. Hmm."
A look of regret came across Alanna's pretty, made up face. "I know, Alanna. I was just like you. But come, now. Life has changed. But you are a fair hand with a sword, and should practice."
After this, they mounted up and continued.
Corus astounded Alanna. Never had she seen so many colors, so many objects and people all together. Everyone from the poor, hungry peddlers to the handsome knights and maidens were all here. Alanna's own stare made people look up. She pretended not to notice, but she liked it, sometimes.
When they passed the brilliant temples, the huge houses, and row after row of store, they got to the magnificent palace gates. They were gigantic, but the Palace was even bigger. Alanna had never seen anything like it! The two large doors were draped in the royal gold and crimson. There were silver and bronze carvings on the doors, and two very large doorknobs made of solid gold. Such richness she had never seen before, and it amazed her!
Hostlers took Majesty and Sage. Alanna was protective of her pretty mare, but relented when Anna told her that they were going to take care of her.
They were swept up into a world of festivities and fabrics, and coins, and nobles. Everyone was of a higher status, until you got to the king and queen. Then there was Jonathan.
"My lady, can I see you now? You have been behind the screen for an hour now. You can't look horrible, you never do." The maid assigned to Alanna named Kallary, asked.
Alanna emerged from the screen in a brilliant crimson dress made of silk, cut lower than her personal preference, with gold embroidery trim that Alanna had actually sewn herself. It had a full skirt, with muslin petticoats, and rubies set in gold along the waistline. It had off-the-shoulder long sleeves.
"My lady, my lady! You are beautiful. May I do your hair?"
Alanna's makeup was already done; she had supplied a generous amount of rouge and lip paint for this year's Midwinter Festival, her first one at Court.
"I want to leave it down, please, Kallary. I don't know what to do with this cursed red color."
Kallary, who had brown locks herself, looked enviously at Alanna's naiveté. Eventually, Alanna left with a net of rubies in her red hair that was left down to rest perfectly on her soldiers. The only difference between Alanna and the rest of the girls was that Alanna carried Coram's sword under her skirt.
Alanna searched by herself to find the room in which the Festival celebration was being held. She passed the gardens, the practice courts, and many classrooms for the pages and squires that she looked at with envy. She found it at last, in a very attractive room called the Jewel Room. Everyone at Court was there, talking, dancing, and preparing to sit down for dinner. Alanna entered and found her seat. She read the little card that indicated who she was seated next to. His name card on the table said, Sir Raoul of Goldenlake on it. The name did not sound familiar; however, she had been living in the convent high in the mountains for most of her life, and gossip did not travel there.
It obviously did not, for if it did, she would have been prepared for the giant that sat down next to her. "Hullo." He said grimly. Did she upset him already?
"Yes, hello. Pleased to meet you, ah, Sir Raoul. I am Lady Alanna of Trebond."
This Raoul man-giant lightened a little. "Do you know Sir Thom?"
"Of course I do. Did you ignore the somewhat striking resemblance to my bumbling brother?" Oh no, my temper again, Alanna thought, angry with herself.
"I'm sorry. I had no intention to-are you upset with Thom? I can tell you honestly he is as sour as a pickled beet."
Alanna nodded. Yes, he knew Thom. "No, no, I'm not angry. Thom is annoying, but he's my brother. I may be the only one who likes him, from what I hear."
Raoul nodded. "Not the most popular lad of the bunch, I'm afraid to say. He almost didn't make it to his fourth year as a page, because he was doing so badly in swordplay. Not a strong man, still. I never minded him, others did."
If Raoul didn't seem like a mellow, peaceful man, Alanna would have slapped him. One of the closest things to her heart was her brother, and she didn't take insults lightly.
The conversation continued, as course after course flew by. They discussed Raoul's years in knight training; Alanna was vastly interested. She explained that she would have liked to become a knight and that she could still beat Thom in a fencing tournament (and she could, too; they had one that morning).
Then, the dinner ended, and the party went into another room for dancing. Alanna confessed she knew no one but Raoul. He said that he'd introduce her to more active partygoers, and that this was his least favorite thing to do.
A group of knights were talking. The circle went quiet as Raoul came up, then they started chatting actively again. No one noticed Alanna come up, despite her flaming red hair and purple eyes. She tapped their shoulders, but it didn't work.
"Excuse me! Don't you knights learn manners? I'll let you know that I was stuck learning them for six horrid years and I will be listened to!" Alanna practically shouted. Needless to say, the knights heard her, this short little woman with red hair and a scowl on her face.
"Sorry, Lady Alanna." Raoul said. "Guys, this is Lady Alanna of Trebond, sister of Thom, who can beat him in a fencing tournament." Raoul and some of the men chuckled. "Lady Alanna, this is Sir Gary-Gareth-son of Duke Gareth the Elder, Alexander of Tirragen, Thom, of course, and Prince Jonathan of Conte." Alanna curtsied very low to the Prince. It was not every day she met royalty! And, to Thom's great embarrassment, she came over and embraced him. "Thom, why did father send you here if your sister, who hasn't so much as touched a weapon for six years, can still beat you?" Everyone laughed, even Thom.
Jonathan was smitten with this girl, this lady, with such a presence. No other Court girl had actually talked to any of the knights, least of all him. Well, he had to be fair; she rarely looked at him with that unusual purple gaze. Why those Trebonds had those oddly colored eyes, he'd never know. But he was truly smitten.
"My lady, would you like to dance?" Prince Jonathan asked a startled Alanna. Manners dictated her answer, not to mention she would like to ask him why. "Yes, Your Highness." He smiled, with those blue eyes only on her. "Call me Jonathan." Alanna nodded. They twirled and spun, and the dance was too fast for conversation. With in an instance of that thought, the dance changed to a slower one.
"Why did you ask me to dance?" Alanna asked. "Trebond isn't a very important fief. As far as I know, the king is displeased with my father. I am not rich; I do not own land. I have nothing to offer except tea, because I was imprisoned in the convent for six awful years of my life and I know eight ways to accept flowers, but absolutely nothing useful!"
Jonathan was clearly caught. No woman asked about such things, no woman said such things. But Alanna did. "Well, I, that is, um... I think you're pretty?" Alanna, what are you doing? She asked herself. She always got in these messes.
"I'm sorry, Your-Jonathan." The dance ended, and Alanna left, thinking.
"That girl, there. Who was she?" Roald, King of Tortall, asked his son.
"Hmm? Oh, Alanna. Alanna of Trebond, Thom's sister. Apparently she's a better hand with a sword than he is." Jonathan chuckled.
The King did not. "Did you like her?"
"Well enough, why?"
"You're of an age, Jonathan-marriage is around the corner."
"I met her tonight! I will talk to Delia about Alanna of Trebond."
AN: DELIA?!?!? Uh, oh...