IT'S A REVOLUTION, THE TIME WILL COME FOR US TO FINALLY WIN, AND WE'LL SING HALLEUJAH, WE'LL SING HALLELUJAH
The palace buzzed with anticipatory excitement over King Jonathan's wedding. In two days, Tortall would once again have a queen. Thayet was well liked among the nobles, save the conservative ones who chafed at the idea of change. Alanna felt for her friend, who truly tried to get the stuffy ones to approve of her. "They'll either come around or they won't," Alanna once told her. "If you live your life seeking they're approval, you'll only be disappointed." Thayet smiled at her – no one knew better than the Lioness how resistant those nobles could be. After her sex was revealed, the late king implemented yearly public tests for the pages to please those same nobles. Alanna disliked the practice, but there was nothing she could do about it.
Jonathan took dinner that evening with his closest friends and advisers. He sat at the head of the table, with Thayet at the other end. Alanna sat at his right hand, Gary at his left. She was happy to be eating with people who didn't look down on her for once – everyone at the table was either a friend or approved of her heartily. Before the meal started, she went over to speak to Duke Baird of Queenscove, the chief healer. "Hello, Alanna," he said with a smile. "It's been a while."
"It has." She momentarily took the seat beside him. "How are you? I heard your wife had another child."
"She did." He nodded. "A third son – Nealan. He's a handful."
Alanna laughed. "I'm sure. You look exhausted." She refrained from putting her hand on him and relieving some of his weariness. It was the first healing magic she had ever shown him.
Baird looked grateful at her restraint. "I am. Nothing tires like a newborn. Especially one as… spirited as Neal." He smiled. "Which isn't to say we don't love him. He'll grow up to be a great healer one day, if I read him right."
"I'm sure you do." Alanna smiled, and someone coughed. She looked up at her adoptive father.
"You seem to be in my seat, daughter," he said with a smile. Alanna rose and stepped aside. "Thank you. Where is George this evening?"
"On his way home from the Swoop," Alanna answered. "He had some things to attend to." Myles nodded, knowing better than to question what his second in command was up to. "He'll be back late this evening or tomorrow."
"Alanna," Jonathan called. She looked up and saw him motioning for her to sit down.
"Excuse me, I'm being beckoned." She put her hand on Baird's shoulder. "It was nice to talk to you again. I hope to see you more in the future, when things are less hectic."
"As do I," the man answered with a smile. Alanna and Myles simply exchanged a smile. She walked around Thayet's end of the table, squeezing the woman's hand as she passed. Neither saw the look of approval in Jonathan's blue eyes. Whether he admitted it or not, he sought Alanna's approval in some matters. That she liked Thayet made his job easier. He wasn't sure if he could handle having a queen who his closest friend disliked. Then again, he suspected Alanna of matchmaking. For which I am grateful, the man thought, looking between his Champion and his betrothed. Alanna slid into her seat. "I thought you hated social events," he commented. "Or, you did as a squire."
She made a face at him, knowing she had to watch her tongue, even around friends. "I hate balls and banquets," she reminded him. "Gatherings like this – between friends – I like."
"Hear, hear!" Raoul put in from his place on the other side of the table. The friends exchanged a grin. During her years as a squire, both she and Raoul had been known for their dislike of Court events.
Jonathan shook his head. "Why the two of you agreed to your posts mystifies me."
"We can't refuse you in all your kingliness," Alanna teased. "Just as no one could refuse you when you put on your princely airs."
Gary and Raoul laughed. "Even Ralon got put in his place," Gary said, grinning. Alanna saw the familiar impish glint in his eye. "And then Alanna beat the message into him."
She smiled triumphantly. Mention of Ralon of Malven – most recently known as Claw – did not upset her in the way mention of Alexander of Tirragen or Duke Roger did. She had known for a long time that Ralon was evil. As much as she wished to never see him again once he left the palace in disgrace, she felt no real remorse at his passing. "I would hardly say I beat it into him," she said.
"I would," Raoul said. "He wouldn't listen to me, but he sure listened to you!"
"Only imagine his shame when he learned little Alan was really little Alanna," Jon remarked, eyes dancing. "Reliving every fight he lost to you…" The old friends laughed.
"What's so funny?" Thayet asked, emerging from her conversation with Buri and Myles.
"Oh, we're reminiscing on our years in training," her soon to be husband replied. "I'll tell you all the stories later." The two exchanged a smile, and Alanna felt her heart sink. She wished George were there to look at her like that.
After the meal, the older men (Myles, Baird, and Gary's father) left to let the younger friends talk alone. Raoul sat with Buri, Jonathan with Gary and his wife, and Thayet with Alanna. "Are you nervous?" Alanna asked frankly.
"About getting married?" Thayet asked. "Maybe a bit. It's what comes after that scares me more."
"Being queen?" Thayet nodded. "Why? You'll be a wonderful queen."
"That's what everyone keeps saying." Worry filled her hazel eyes. "But I'm still not sure I believe them." Alanna would have accused most women of fishing for compliments, but she knew that the pressures of running Tortall weighed heavily on Thayet's mind. Unlike Jonathan, she had not been brought up to rule. She expected to be married off by her warlord father, kept for the sole purpose of breeding children. Jonathan would not let her stand idle, and she feared she wouldn't know what to do.
"We all believe in you," Alanna told her with a kind smile. "And you know Jon. He's not going to force you to do anything you aren't comfortable with – unless it's your duty of course." They shared a smile. "But look at all the friends you have backing you up – few scholars in Tortall are more learned than Myles, Gary's brilliant, George is clever… not to mention Buri, Raoul, and I, who'll support you and Jon no matter what. And Jon loves you. If you ever have any doubts, you can turn to him. He won't think less of you."
"I know all that. But, somehow, I can't shake the feeling that I'm just not good enough. I've seen the way the nobles look at me."
"Some of them dislike you," Alanna agreed. "But that's life. And you're in good company – they don't like me either." She took her friend's hand. "But we'll just have to show them, won't we?"
"Yes." Thayet smiled broadly. "I suppose we will."
Alanna was writing a letter to Coram when a knock came on her door. "Come in!" she called. On the off chance it wasn't a friend, she had weapons within easy reach. The door closed. "One moment. Just let me finish-" She gasped as someone seized her from behind and kissed her neck. She spun in her chair, looking into George's dancing eyes. "George!" She glared at him, but there was no anger behind it. "I could've killed you!"
"No you couldn't've," he said. "Ye're fast, but I bet I'm faster with a blade." She considered this, but said nothing. "How was dinner? I'm sorry I missed it."
"It was fun," she said. "We spent a lot of time sharing memories. Buri and Thayet were entertained, and Duke Gareth learned some things about what really happened when we were training to be knights."
George laughed. "I'm sure! Good to know ye can still surprise people, lass." He kissed her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"How's the Swoop?" she wanted to know. "All prepared to get a baroness next week?"
"More than," he answered, kissing her again. "Wishes it could be sooner."
"Well, so do I." They smiled, kissing yet again. "No more." She pulled away. "I have to finish this letter."
"I'll wait." George sat on the bed. "I'm a patient one."
"I know," Alanna teased. "You're very good at waiting for me."
Thayet reclined back in her chair in Jonathan's study. "Are we going to have time like this once we're married?" she asked frankly, fixing her hazel eyes on his blue ones. "Time to just… be?"
"Of course we will," Jonathan answered quickly. "Well." He paused. "Sometimes, no. But, we'll make the time." He leaned forward and placed his hand on her leg. She met him in the middle, putting her hand on top of his. "I'll make the time." They kissed. "Did you have a nice chat with Alanna?"
"Yes," she said. "She's a good friend to me. She understands some things better than Buri does."
Jon nodded. "I'm glad you two get along." He turned his hand over and laced his fingers through hers. "It makes my life less complicated." Thayet nodded in agreement – she couldn't imagine marrying Jonathan when the knight charged with defending him disliked his queen.
"Two days," she whispered, looking at him from under her lashes, rubbing his palm with her thumb. "How quickly the time has gone."
Jonathan brushed her black hair back behind her ear, gently kissing her the tip of her nose. "I know, my love." He slid his knee in between hers and they embraced. She closed her eyes and settled her head on his shoulder, enjoying the feeling of being close to him, thanking every deity she could think of for bringing him to her.
I really enjoyed writing this one. I've had a very Tammy-heavy day, finishing First Test and starting in on Page. I've never written any Jon/Thayet fluffiness, so it felt strange for me. I tried to tap into my old fluff habits for it. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thank you so much for reading!
