Lady Alanna of Trebond yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. She was on her way to Corus after four years at the convent, and was growing tired of the chit-chat of her carriage mates. Scowling out the window, she attempted to tune them out and focus on her thoughts, which mostly concerned her twin brother Thom. Although she could have written an apology to him over the many years while she was at the convent, she had chosen not to, instead planning on apologizing to him in person, where it would most likely be better received. The only problem she could think of now was that Thom would probably still be fuming mad at her for not sending any letters or trying to make it better, and would avoid her at all costs. Sighing, she turned to the girl next to her, Anialyn, better known as Ania.
"Please tell me we're almost to Corus, because, honestly, I can't stand this any longer!" Ania giggled at her friend, and shook her head.
"We're no where near it yet. We still have two and a half bells to go," Ania replied.
Alanna groaned animatedly. "I don't believe you, there is no possible way there can be that much time left!" Ania laughed at her friend's obvious dislike of the company of court ladies.
"There's no fooling you is there 'lanna?" Alanna shook her head with a crooked grin spread across her face.
"Nope, I'm just too good!" Her friend smiled at her and coughed something that sounded a lot like too good my big toe.
"Hey! I resent that remark!" Alanna said, faking offense.
"As you would say, no you resemble that remark!"
Alanna waved off Ania's remark and looked back out the window, once again thinking of her twin.
About half a bell later Alanna's carriage arrived at the royal palace, and she was soon out of it, stretching her legs while talking to Ania. They were walking in the outskirts of the gardens when Alanna heard the clanging of metal coming from across the way. Walking over to where there was a better view of where the noise was coming from, she spotted a practice court full of young men around her age who were sparring with swords.
Grinning widely, Alanna ran down to the courts, followed by Ania, and hopped up on the fence, quickly finding a well matched spar between a tall man with black hair and a slightly smaller man with brown hair. At the end of the fight, Ania clapped politely while Alanna cheered. The two men, realizing they had an audience came over to the two girls each wearing a handsome smile.
"Hello ladies, may we be of assistance?" asked the tall black haired man, who by closer inspection, was rather handsome, sporting deep blue eyes that carried his emotion.
Alanna grinned. "Actually my friend and I only came down here to watch a few matches, me with the hopes of competing in one." The men looked puzzled.
"Don't mind her," Ania said, "she's a feisty one, never will shut up about fighting styles and strategies." Alanna scowled.
"Gee, what a great friend you are." Ania just stuck out her tongue at her friend, and turned back to the men to introduce herself.
"I am Lady Anialyn and this is my dear friend Lady Alanna," Ania said, smiling politely.
"I am Prince Jonathon, please call me Jon, and this is my cousin Gary," The man with the black hair introduced, causing Ania and Alanna to do down in a curtsey.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," said Alanna, "now, if you don't mind I need to find someone." Jonathon nodded.
"Of course. Would you like some help finding this person? I know where most people are after all," Gary said.
Alanna smiled, "Your help would be most welcomed. Now, the person who we are trying to find happens to be my twin brother, Thom of Trebond." Jon and Gary looked shocked.
"You're Thom's twin?" asked Jon, amazed.
"The one and only. Now, can we go find him, as I'd like to see him as soon as possible."
"Very well, Alanna, follow us," the Prince said, extending his arm for her to hold.
They found Thom just outside of the library, talking to a man, who Gary identified as Sir Myles of Olau, a professor. Ania nudged Alanna with her elbow, telling her that now was the time to apologize. Alanna took a deep breath and called out to her brother.
"Thom! Thom!" Her brother spun on his heel, and Alanna ran to him to hug him, but he pushed her off with a scowl, and turned back to the professor.
"Thom please! I need to talk to you!" Her twin ignored her. Seeing that he was ignoring her, she forced him to face her.
"What do you want, stranger? Another chance to cause me pain? Because I think you've already caused more than enough." Thom said coldly, his purple eyes flashing red.
It was the day after Alanna and Thom's meeting, and Alanna could hardly bear to pull herself out of bed. She had spent most of the night crying, until at last she had fallen asleep due to a sleeping aid that Ania fed to her. Groaning as she pulled the covers back, Alanna stepped onto the cold flagstone floor and swore under her breath. She hadn't realized how lucky she was to have had wooden floors in her room at the convent. Pulling on a pair of breeches, a white shirt, and crimson tunic, Alanna grabbed her sword and bow and started on her way down to the practice courts.
On arriving, Alanna received many odd looks from the men there, but as usual she paid them no mind, and took a look around. In one corner stood a large wooden pole, about the size of two evergreen trees combined. It had marks across it, and it was clear to Alanna that this pole was used for practicing combat on when you had no one to practice with.
After setting her weapons in the corner, she went to the pole, examined it, and began practicing hand to hand combat on it. Her punches and kicks were hard, taking out most of her anger at her twin on the pole. More than once her hits added dents to the battered pole, showing just how hard she was attacking.
By the time she had finished with the pole, a large group had formed around her, watching a gentle looking lady go full out, striking the pole harder than most of them could. As Alanna finished her last kick, she turned around to the sight of a dozen men cheering. Smiling, she took a bow and waved them off. A few lingered, including Jonathon, Gary, and another man who she didn't recognize.
"So I see you weren't joking yesterday when you said you were looking for someone to duel with," Jon said with a twinkle in his eye. "Oh, by the way, this is another one of my friends, Raoul, the friendly giant," he said with a wink. Alanna laughed, while Raoul pouted playfully.
"Well, you're right about the giant part," Alanna said, looking up, "as for the friendly part…." Jon and Gary laughed while Raoul continued pouting, then joined in with the laughter.
"We were about to run up and grab some lunch, would you like to accompany us?" asked Gary.
"Gods, its lunch time already?" Her stomach answered her with a growl. Alanna grinned, "That would be a yes."
Lunch was rather interesting, especially at one point when Raoul had just told a particularly funny joke, and the whole table was laughing wildly. While laughing, Alanna snorted, causing Raoul to make the comment,
"You snort when you laugh too?" which Gary misheard and thought he said You fart when you laugh too? Causing Gary to ask, "Wait, you guys fart when you laugh?" Unfortunately for the prince, that was the only part he had heard of the conversation, causing him to be extremely disgusted while his friends laughed hysterically, before finally gaining control of themselves and explaining it to him. Altogether it was a fun lunch, and by the end of it, Alanna was friends with everyone who had sat at the table with them.
Alanna returned to her room soon after, and was surprised to find Ania waiting outside the door pacing wildly.
"Where were you Alanna? I looked all over for you!" Alanna grinned sheepishly.
"I was at the practice courts, and as of late I was eating with the prince and his friends," Alanna replied.
"Good, you've eaten then, that means you'll have more time to prepare yourself."
"For what?" asked the redhead.
"We are meeting the royal family for tea, and are expected to be on our best behaviour and to look as good as we possibly can." Alanna grined evilly.
"So we get to meet Jon's parents!" Ania rolled her eyes, but nodded.
"And why are you so happy about that?"
"Oh, so I can get embarrassing stories to bug him with of course! I simply can't wait!" said Alanna. Ania shook her head.
"Whatever you say, my little trouble maker."
"Yes, exactly whatever I say, minus the little trouble maker part!"