Hey everybody! I'm back, with an update! Finally, some plot development! A super-special thanks to Tortall101, purple smurfs r real, and especially silverflight8. Without my lovely reviewers, my story would never have taken off the way it has.
As a side note, when the thieves talk in this chapter, I am aware most of them use heavy slang. But rather then writing " an' then 'ee ran t'rough tat alleyway, o'er there", which I find to be annoying to read, I will simply translate it as "And then he ran through that alleyway, over there." If anyone believes the addition of this slang would be beneficial to this story, or agrees with my reasoning, message/review me! I'd love to hear what you guys think!
Nal'om
Alanna's eyes widened at his rather unexpected statement. Jon's eyes never faltered; they remained staring at her face, waiting for a reply.
Alanna could feel the world slipping away. Everything seemed so distant. All she could hear was the beat of her own heart. Her traitorous heart that had caused her so much trouble, and others so much pain.
Jon seemed to take notice of Alanna's discomfort. He moved his hand cautiously to cover hers, his thumb tracing circles on her wrist. Alanna managed to bring her shock back under control.
"Jon, I-" Alanna was cut off by a loud BANG. The door to the tavern flew open, admitting a short man with substantially grubby hair and tattered clothes.
One of George's thieves.
"Excuse me, I didn't mean to alarm you, I was told that Alanna of Trebond was here?"
Jon pushed Alanna behind him, but Alanna had a different idea. She didn't need to be protected. Standing beside Jon, she drew her sword. Jon felt her move, and reached his free hand down to grasp hers.
"I mean no harm, miss. I have a message from George." By this point, the entire restaurant was staring at them-ladies whispered behind spread fans about the prince and this Lady Knight, gentlemen were caught between grabbing their wives and running or standing with the Crown Prince and fighting what seemed to be a threat to their persons.
"George?" Alanna asked, surprised. She had been secretly hoping to put off meeting the Rogue for a bit longer. She dreaded having to explain her relationship with Jon; and dreaded it all the more when she didn't know herself where their relationship was going.
Fortunately, Jon's diplomacy skills that had been pounded into his head since he was four came to use here.
"Come here, my good man, and let us buy you dinner. We would love to hear what our old man George has to say." Jon sat back down at their table and Alanna took her seat next to him. The thief came over and sat down, as the noblemen and women went back to eating. Assuming this "George" was a long-lost uncle, or some distant relative to the prince, they saw no need for further inquiries.
Once at the table, Jon picked up his menu, angling it so that others could not see he was talking.
"What does George want? And why does he feel the need to disturb our dinner at this precise moment…"
"I'm not quite sure he cares what you two are doing right now, I'm not quite sure he could quite comprehend it, even if he was conscious."
"CONSCIOUS?" Alanna fairly screamed, startling those at the next few tables. Alanna blushed beet red, and Jon moved his hand to clasp hers. Alanna sought his eyes, and found them expressing something between sympathy from all the "mishaps" he had experienced in public as a prince and amusement that Alanna would be so conscious of something so…normal.
"Well, you see…being the rogue and all, George is usually able to take on any man in combat…"
"Obviously, or he wouldn't be the Rogue." Alanna rolled her eyes, and Jon had to smother a laugh-that is to say, he quickly turned it into a coughing fit.
"Well, he can take on any one man. But when he heard you"-he pointed to Alanna-"Were back in Corus, by note, he was told you wanted to meet him in the stables. He went out back, and after a while, one of his friends realized he had been gone for quite a while. That is to say-longer then needed to welcome the lass back to Corus" Alanna blushed furiously at the implication. The insolence! She was dating the crown prince, after all. One glance at Jon's smoldering eyes told her he was thinking the same thing.
"He went to check on him, and when he didn't hear any voices, decided to open the door to the stables. George was found unconscious on the floor, with one of his own daggers buried into the wooden floor about two inches from his skull."
"Is George all right?" Alanna said, standing up. Jon put his hand over hers, forcing her not to walk away, fearing she could be walking straight into a trap.
"He probably will be, lass. I believe perhaps seeing you may help him, though. And, I'm guessing both you and him want to see him?"
"Yes."
Jonathan pulled Alanna's head down to his height, whispering furiously in her ear: "What if all this is a trap? I am the crown prince, Alanna, and you are the King's Champion. How can we trust this…this filthy thug?"
"We have no choice," Alanna responded checking to make sure her sword and dagger were still secured in place.
"Let's go, then." The thief replied. Alanna was shocked to know he had heard them, but she supposed whispering didn't do much good with thieves-they overheard everything anyway.
