Title: If the Darkness Were Different
Author: shattered
Rating: PG or so.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, which should be obvious, because if I did, would I posting at FANfiction.net. I thought not.
Summery: A shifting in the Bazhir balance forces Alanna to go to the Covenant, but not simply to become a lady, but to become something *more*.
AN: This is really important. This is so totally AU, you won't really understand much if you don't read this.
The gods did NOT let Alanna go to Court, they made her go to the Covenant, when Maude Saw in the fire at Trebond. Also Thom was never quite so helpless with weapons, he just didn't like fighting or training or hunting. In the course of his years at the palace he's become more open and realized that he had to be a better knight, a good knight for the sake of his family, and for the sake of appearances. Plus when his sister came he knew she'd tease him mercilessly if he sucked. So he trained hard, and he's good, Raoul's his knight master.
Delia and Alanna are best friends, Alanna presence made Delia more human and less arrogant, she's beautiful and she knows it but so's her best friend. Alanna height is totally guessed.
Roger is NOT evil. There is something darker out there, and Roger knows it, the throne holds no appeal for him. Just go with it.
Thom and Alanna are 16, there's been no war with Tusaine, yet, I may put it in. And there was no sweating sickness, until now.
Francis is still dead and Ralon doesn't exist.
Jon, George, Gary, Raoul, Thom, and Alex, yes Alex, are all fiends. Deal with it.
Prologue
Lady Alanna of Trebond was most unusual for a lady, but a lady she was, declared so not a month ago, on her sixteenth birthday. Her looks as unusual as the rest, the fifteen year old stood at barely five feet three inches, had long, bright, curly, copper hair, that fell past her knees when down, and luminous purple eyes. More unusual than looks were perhaps her hobbies, or callings, they seemed both sometimes. Alanna was fighter, and after some divine intervention the priestesses allowed and aided in her study of the fighting arts. The lady of Trebond was also a healer and a sorceress, the best in area, trained by al those gifted in healing within a days ride of the City of the Gods.
But what Delia wondered was why her best friend was packing, much less packing at a rate that no dignified lady should be forced to pack at. So she asked. "Alanna, what's going on? Why are you packing?"
"I will be needed soon at Court." For a moment Delia had thought she had heard wrong.
"Court?"
"Yes, a sickness has started in Corus, and get there soon or many more will die. It is not natural. Come, Faithful." The cold, detached quality to Alanna's voice bothered Delia, it was her best friend at her most formal, most professional, least human.
"Alanna… be safe." The brown haired beauty looked at her fire headed friend, "I don't know what I'll do without you here. So, come back soon?" The honest plea broke Alanna mask, and she smiled up at her friend.
"You'll talk to Cyntheria read some your favorite poetry, and go on as you always do when I'm away. And you know I'm away almost as much as I'm here anymore. Take care, Delia." And with that the petite girl shouldered her bags and left for the sables. Saddling her mare, Moonlight, and galloped off to the road that would her to Corus.
( It's a four day ride from the City of the Gods to Corus or at least it seems as if it would be.)
Four Days Later, in the Castle at Corus
"Damnit, Thom, Roger, there must be something one you can do!"
"We're not healers, Myles. All we can do is try and support Duke Baird."
"But he's too weak to do anything even with your help."
"I know, Timon, but what more do you want us to do? What more do you think we can do?"
"What about that fire thing Maude did the day you left Trebond?"
"If Duke Roger or I did that, Coram the magic we would release, assuming of course that we can release any in our current state, would be destructive, harmful magic."
"Then it's a good thing, someone can do that is here, isn't, brother?"
"Alanna!?"
"Oh, look, two speak in chorus. Bravo! Bravo!"
"And to think, sometimes I miss ye, lass."
"I'm touched." And the short red headed lady smirked at them. Then the smirk slide in to a smile. "I missed both of you, too. And Maude was no fun, always looking at me she was a mother hen, and I a duck she hatched by mistake." Her head tilted, and an almost pout formed on her lips. "oh, well, time to work. Looking at you all, I'd say most of you need a good sleep. You, sir, appear fine, but both my brother, their graces, Coram, and…"
"Timon." Was given by the man she obviously meant.
"-- Timon, all need their sleep, desperately. Tortall cannot afford to lose such people."
"Oh? And you think we can afford to lose the Prince?" Roger asked, harshly.
"I neither said that nor meant it in what I did say. I can save the Prince. I need to save the Prince. You, however, need to sleep. If don't leave this room to sleep, I will be forced to expend energy better spent on the Prince to make you sleep, on the floor… in here. Do you fully understand that?"
"Your graces, Timon, it really is better to just do what she says, Alanna's not know for her patience, as I'm sure Coram can attest to." Thom hesitantly cut in.
"Lady Trebond, I do not think I would make it to my rooms, yet I do not wish to sleep on the floor, could you…?" And Duke Baird, chief of Tortall's healers stretched out his hand. Alanna took it, knowing what he wanted, she found the purple ball of fire lodged in her chest and nudged till it was large enough, then pulled a thin amethyst strand out and lead it down her arm into Duke Baird.
"That should be enough to get you to your room and allow time to clean up perhaps snack on something if you have anything at hand."
"Gods bless. The Prince has a chance." Shocked and more than a bit awed the Duke headed out of the room, the others trailing after. Thom stopped in the doorway and turned around to look at his twin.
"Well met, sister, thank the gods you're here."
"Thank the Goddess, Thom. Go to sleep I'll see you more soon." And he left. Alanna and Myles were left with the dying Prince.
Tbc (if you want it to)
AN: Hope you liked that.