Author's Note: So is this better for updating times? Hopefully.
Thanks for the reviews!
"I'm so sorry, milord." Mary dropped back down to her feet and dipped into a curtsey. "Please forgive me.I din' realize who you were at first.
The very large man on top of the horse laughed at the poor girl. His dark eyes were merry as his black curls bobbed with his laughter. "Alan, maybe you should make introduction's before your mother's face get's stuck like that."
Alan was dropped back down onto the ground and he straightened while he grinned and dusted off his shirt. "This is Marisle Canter." He gestured to Mary. "Mary, this is my Uncle Raoul. Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak , The Giant Giller, and Knight Commander of the King's Own."
"It's a pleasure, milord," Mary said and kept her eyes down cast.
"And this is my mother," Alan told her and presented the woman next to Raoul. "Sir Alanna or Pirate's Swoop and Olau, The Lioness and King's Champion."
Mary took a sharp breath and curtseyed again. "Lady Knight, it's an honor."
"Alan...?" Alanna looked at her son.
"Mary is a friend of mine, we were spending the day in the markets. I didn't know you were arriving today." Alan gave his mother a crooked grin.
"Well, I'll be going to the townhouse, Raoul is going to the palace, but you can see him off later."Alanna clucked to her horse to get the animal moving.
Raoul gave the girl a wink and grinned at Alan. "I will see you later, Alan," he said over his shoulder as he followed his red headed friend.
They watched the two knights follow the squad of soldiers up the road for a while. Noticing that they were both talking joyfully but their backs were ridged. Alan assumed their postures were due to the upcoming threat of war.
"Ye should be gettin' back, Alan." Mary smiled and started to walk back towards her lodgings. "I should be home b'fore Elly has to go t' work and Phoebe still needs somethin' fer supper."
"I'll see you around, Mary!" Alan called and jogged off to catch up with his mother and uncle.
When he did catch up with them his mother grabbed his arm and swung him up behind her in the saddle before they trotted to the townhouse and bid Raoul good bye.
His mother's bags were carried away by servants, her horse was taken by a hostler, and her son helped her into the house.
She sat down on a large couch in the sitting room downstairs after she had washed and changed. Alan was sitting across from her and waited for her to be comfortable before he began his interrogations.
"So what is going on?" he asked as soon as she looked up at him.
Alanna sighed. "Your father has agents talking about a king in Scanra, and not too long before Raoul came back from up North, his squire, Keladry, led an attack on this killing machine. Big things that have razors and giant bones, and sound all but pleasant from what he told me and the reports I got" Alanna rubbed her face with her hands. "Rumors are that if it does come to an all out war like we expect, those killing machines will be the deciding factor."
"Why was Raoul with you, I thought he was supposed to be up north still?"
"Well he was on leave to see Jonathan about these killing machines, we're having a huge meeting with as many mages as Numair can bring in and as much information as your father and grandfather have been keeping under wraps."
Alan cocked his head to the side. "Who's on the northern border now?"
"Oh we've got several forts, I'm supposed to be head one, Raoul, Wyldon of Cavall, there's more but we have a refugee camp up there that's seeing just as much combat as the forts."
"A refugee camp?"
Alanna nodded and looked down into her hands. "They've been fighting off everything, and doing a great job of it too with barely any soldiers, minimal supplies, and they are in a shack compared to Giantkiller."
"Who's in charge of that?"
This time his mother looked up at him with a wicked grin on her face. "Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan."
They both broke out into laughter at the thought of all the conservatives hearing about that.
"Oh they'll say she's doing something wrong," Alan told his mother. "They'll say she slept with the enemy to keep them from killing everyone."
Alanna rolled her eyes. "People were already complaining about how she's ruining the minds of proper young ladies ever since some are talking about the Riders and Knighthood."
"They'll get over it or they won't," Alan grinned.
~a~A~a~
Alanna rolled her eyes as a dark skinned girl jumped up and grabbed onto Alan's saddle horn. Dag's calm demeanor kept him from stomping on the girl.
"Uri, you're going to get yourself killed if you do that!" Alan snapped but was contradicted by the horse just gazing over at Uri.
"Alan, I'm going to tell your training master you're no longer allowed into the city if these girls keep throwing themselves on you." She smiled wickedly and waited for her son to make his greetings.
Uri dropped to the ground and curtseyed quickly, but Alanna saw the slits in the girl's dress. "Lady Knight. Y' must be the Lioness. It's a true honor, Lady. M' name's Uri, I'm a friend of Alan's."
"It's nice to meet you, too, Miss Uri." Alanna let her horse to move along, slowly.
"What's wrong, Uri?" Alan asked and he saw Elly come down the street from behind Uri with the tiny version of Mary on her hip. He raised a hand to wave. Elly gave a faint smile and nodded her head.
"It's Mary, Alan," Uri told him quickly. "She was supposed t' be back after she went t' the market with y'. Did y' even see 'er t'day?"
"She was with me today; we had a bit of trouble with some young lads, around my age. The leader's name was Zeke. A couple of Dogs came and broke it up. She was fine when she left me."
"Kyprioth's blessing!" Uri's dark eyes flashed. "What if the Dogs got 'er. Or worse, the Rogue? He's been after us fer a while now."
Elly's eyes fell on Phoebe and a frown tugged at the edges of her mouth. "The Rogue wants your heads."
Alan's brow furrowed. "What happened between you and the Rogue?"
"Never y' mind that," Uri snapped. "I got t' go an' look fer Mary."
"I'll see what I can do to help you find her. If she is in the cages, don't hesitate to come to me for bribes." Alan dug into his belt pouch and pulled out a few silver coins. "Use this, if you need to, if not, consider it supper for you guys. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Alan turned Dag's head and trotted up to meet his mother. "Mary's missing, Ma. Do you really need me at the palace?"
Alanna turned her violet gaze upon her son. "Go, but come up there as soon as you can and if you need anything, don't be afraid to send for me. Here." She shoved a few heavy coins into his hand and he tucked them away.
She couldn't say anything; Alan was already going back to Uri. Alanna gave a faint smile and left him to help his friends.
Alan dropped onto the ground holding the reins in his left hand. "Let's go to the nearest Kennel and do what we can there." After that, we'll figure something out. I thought you were supposed to be at work?" He looked at Elly, he knew she was the one that kept them from becoming completely engulfed in the criminal world.
"She wanted t' help find Mary. We can't jus' leave one of us out like that." Uri's dark eyes looked at Alan like he was about to tell her she was wrong.
"I understand," Alan told her. "Why don't we take Phoebe, while Elly goes to work. We'll speak with the Provost's Guards."
Elly looked skeptical but she handed Phoebe over to Alan. He grinned and swept the five year old up into the saddle on Dag's back and the girl laughed with joy.
"D' we get to go fer a ride, Al?" Phoebe asked Alan.
He smiled a the girl, "For a little one, lass." He linked his hands together and gave the short girl a lift up into the saddle behind the child. Uri scowled but didn't say anything as she accepted and he pulled himself up behind the other two.
"Y' sure this beast can take all of us?" Uri asked while fidgeting.
Alan chuckled. "He trained to hold a grown knight in full plate armor, weapons, supplies, and then anyone that needs help. I think Dag can handle an old page, a scrawny thing like you and Phoebe will be nothing." He patted the horse's side affectionately.
The three of them trotted to the nearest kennel and dismounted. Alan didn't like leaving his mount out here but he pulled him into the small yard on the side of it and tied the animal there.
Alan led the way into the small building; Uri stayed by his side and held Phoebe's hand tightly as her eyes darted around the room.
The floorboards squeaked when they stepped on them but the small room was very plain. A tall desk sat on one wall, a bench along another and two doors that must lead farther into the building waited in front of them.
Alan walked forward and stood before the desk, meeting the desk sergeant's eyes squarely. "I'm here looking for a girl, a year younger than me. She has black hair, green eyes, she's short, and goes by the name Marisle Canter."
The man behind the desk glared down at him. "And why should I help ye, thieves I'm sure you lot are."
"I am no thief," Alan declared and pulled his chin up. "I am Alan Cooper of Pirate's Swoop. Son of Baron George Cooper of Pirate's Swoop and Sir Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau, The King's Champion. I request your assistance."
The man's brown eyes widened as he jumped to his feet and bowed, his dark hair flopping into his eyes. "I beg your forgiveness, milord. I'll check our records right away."
The man bent down over a book and started flipping through the pages. He ran his finger down the lines of writing. "Here we are, Marisle Canter, arrested this afternoon for fighting in the streets, sir. I can release her to you, and the other young boys in for the same offence as well. After the fines are paid, milord."
"I'm only here for her, how much?" Alan asked. The man looked over Alan's shoulder and back down.
The arrangements were made quickly with a small fine. The man behind the desk rushed back into one of the doors and came back with Mary.
The girl widened her eyes as she rubbed her wrists from the leather ties that had been used to hold her. "Great Mother, she came to get me ou' of here?"
"I'll need your signature, Milady," the sergeant walked past Alan to the door.
Alan looked at the desk sergeant, confused, until he saw who was leaning in the door. "I could have handled this."
The Lioness shrugged as she scribbled her signature across the paper. "I thought things would be quicker if I came along and I saw someone going to the palace and knew the meeting would be delayed anyway, so I came here to help out."
"Thank ye Lady Alanna, I can't show ye how grateful I am." Mary curtseyed deeply to the red headed woman while taking her younger sister's hand. "And I'm sorry to cause ye any trouble."
The nobles walked out the door, the girls following them. Uri started walking down the steet to their lodgings after making her goodbyes. Mary told Phoebe to go with Uri and that she would be there in a minute.
Mary walked around to the yard where Alanna and Alan tied their horses. Alanna was mounting but Alan was knocked into his horse as Mary threw her arms around his torso.
"Thanks, Alan." Mary held on tightly. "I don't know what would of happened if I didn't have anyone to bribe 'em fer me. I might of been whipped fer my smart mouth."
Alan wrapped an arm around her. "Don't worry about it Mary, just get going."
Mary backed away while blushing and took off running to catch up with her sister and friend.
Alan mounted and followed his mother.
"That's it, Alan." Alanna told him while laughing. "You're not to go into the city anymore."
Alan grinned, "I'm not nearly as bad as you were though. Why Do you need me at the palace anyway?"
"Prince Liam will be there, he's finally starting his page training this fall. I thought you could be company for him and Princess Lianne." His mother's back was turned to him but he knew she liked to have him be the 'escort' for anyone new to keep her from having to do it herself.
"So you push your 'Champion duties' on me, is that it?"
"Oh no, I'm pushing your own duties on you since Aly's with your father and I'll be in war meetings most the time."
A/N: So what do you think? Think Alanna might have a soft spot for the little thieves? haha
Excerpt:
"Princess Lianne of Conte, it is always a pleasure to see a fine lady such as yourself."