I really do hate technology sometimes. My wireless internet decided to stop working, right as i finished writing this chapter...ok actually i wrote this as i waited impatiently for the internet to begin working (which it never did).

Thankee to all my reviewers! And all you people (the 150 of you who read the story but didnt review) please take the time to do so. It is what makes me update and makes me happy during major stress/cramming times for school.

I hope you like, its my longest chapter yet! (is it just me or do they seem to be getting longer?)


Chapter 12

The pounding forced her awake; the beating of the horses' hooves and throbbing of the slash across her back.

Alanna cracked her eyes open only to be blinded by sunlight. She tried to stifle a groan, but failed. The person who held the reins to the horses heard this and slowed the beasts to a stop, and dismounted; carrying the teenage girl down with him.

"Good to see ye awake lass." He said, and even though Alanna had shut her eyes, she could feel the grin that she knew was plastered on his face.

"Shut up George. You know I'm not a morning person." She said, cross. Slowly Alanna tried to stand from the place on the ground which her partner had placed her, only to find her butt hitting the ground once again.

Good-humored laughter carried over to her from a few feet away, though she couldn't tell for sure since her eyes were still closed.

"Wouldn't try that just yet. Ye've been out fer two days, and a good part of the third, it ain't mornin' anymore, so don't be so touchy.

Alanna growled, sounding more like a dog than a human at that moment. I'll be grouchy if I want to. You would be too if you had a massive opening going across your back, haven't been fed properly for two weeks, and was entombed in a freaking dungeon with all of the Tusainian Court knowing that I am a girl!" Her tongue, despite recent lack of use, was still as sharp as ever.

"Of course, Alanna, of course. Now open yer eyes, I got somethin' that might just cheer ye up." George said, his voice as cheerful as it had been before.

However reluctant Alanna was to give in and step out of her testy mood, she opened one eye, then another. The light was not as bad as it had been when she first regained consciousness, but it still took a moment and quite a bit of blinking to be able to see what was in front of her.

At first it was only an outline of George kneeling. Then, steadily, his face came into focus, hazel eyes shining with enough mischief to make Alanna slightly wary of what he had in store for her.

After a moment, only a few things were blurry, and Alanna took her gaze away from the handsome Rogue, and brought it to what he held in his hand.

What she saw was not the food she had been expecting, but it nonetheless made a smile form on her lips, gradually at first, and then became a full blown grin.

The item George wanted to show her was not held only in his hand, but rested on the forest floor as well. The silver, jewel encrusted hilt sparkled as rays of sunlight glanced off it. The blade looked well taken care of, as if she had never gone without it for such a long time.

It was the sword she had gotten from the ancient ruins at Miles' Barony. Alanna didn't know just how George got Lightning, but at the moment she could have cared less. From that moment she would feel much more protected knowing she could fight with what she was most talented.

Alanna was left speechless, unable to express her emotions into words. And, just as she finally opened her mouth to speak, her stomach emitted a loud rumble demanding food.

Sheepishly, Alanna ducked her head, she barely noticed her hunger anymore, it had become such a regular occurrence.

"You might be wantin' this as well lassie." George handed her a thick slice of bread that seemed to have seeds embedded in it.

Alanna looked up, smiling. "George, I…I don't know what to say. Really I don't. Just, thank you. Having Lightning back…" Her friend just shook his head at her and replied, "Then don't say anythin'. Eat and we can be on our way. I'd suppose we're about a days ride away from Corus at this point. Now eat lass, can't have ye fallin' of this here horse."

She grinned at him and took a bite into her bread. It had an almost meaty taste due to the seeds, and its flavor was pleasing after the thin, stale, bread she had been receiving only when the guards had remembered to feed her.

George, too, took a slice from his pack and began eating beside her. They were noiseless as they ate, but it was not an uncomfortable silence. Their thoughts drifted as they watched the woods around them.

They were in another clearing, much Alanna and Davus had set up camp in not long ago. This one, though, was much smaller, and the grass was long with various wildflowers scattered about. Broad leaved trees surrounded the opening, but did not make the pair feel enclosed as if in a fort, for there was much space between them. It was clear the forest must be thinning and that they would soon come to the cleared land that was Corus.

Even after they had finished their meal, Alanna and George sat there staring through the hole in the forest canopy, at the sky. Fluffy white clouds dotted the pale blue sky, giving off a sense of peace Alanna had felt so little in the last few years since she began to train for knighthood.

She had never realized how stressful it would be, not only did she have to train twice as hard to be as good as the others, but then she had to work three times as hard to be better than them. On top of that she had to maintain keeping her gender a secret from an entire palace full of court gossips and an evil Duke.

Alanna let out a heavy sigh and tore her gaze away from the sky, to the ground, and stared at the, now flattened, grass. Reaching down she plucked a dandelion that came within her sight and began fiddling with it.

So lost in thought, was Alanna, that it took her a moment to realize George had draped his arm around her shoulder.

Her violet eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she silently thanked him for the support.

"It'll be all right lass. No matter what happens, know you will always have a place at the Dove. My ma, Rispah, Lightfingers, even Marek has taken a likin' to ye." He told her softly.

Alanna's eyes were full to the brim with tears at this point, she knew the Rogue accepted her but she didn't think any of them actually enjoyed her being there.

He's right. She thought. Even if Roger manages to tell their Majesties before I can explain my side of the story, at least I will still be welcome somewhere. After all, I will probably be tried for treason against the Crown. And, since nearly everyone at the Dove is, too, against the law, I would fit right in.

George could see her thoughts as they flitted into her brain, she never was good at concealing her emotions. He also noticed when the glee that had made its what into her face suddenly disappeared, and a frown replaced it.

"Lass?" He asked gently.

"It wouldn't work. There is no way I could stay there George. Treason is the highest charge; I would be put to death as soon as possible. Even if there was the chance that I would escape, I would be a fugitive, concealing my hair would be no problem, but no one can change their eye color. As far as I know the only other people to have purple eyes are Thom and my mother, before she passed to the Dark God's Realm."

"We'd find a way Alanna, you know we would. After all, I'm one of the most wanted men in all of Tortall and you don't see my head on the chopping block no do ye?" George told her light heartedly, though there was a serious undertone to his words.

"I know George, I know. It doesn't matter anyway. I chose this destiny and if I am meant to die because of my choice, then I accept that. No, don't look at me like that. It doesn't mean I'm going to give in easily, it just means that I am not sorry about the path I have chosen. If I had not taken the chance and switched places with Thom, I never would have met you, or anyone at the Dove, or Raoul, Gary, Jon or even Faithful, as annoying of a cat he is. I prefer to dying knowing I may have planted the seed of doubt in other girl's minds that women can be warriors, than to have spent the last five years rotting in the Convent." Her voice sounded so resolute, George could barely detect the trace of doubt in it, but it was there nonetheless.

"Alright lass." He said, standing up. "If that's what yer thinkin' then ye can feel that way, though I don' want ye to die with people thinkin' yer a traitor. Just remember what I told ye. Now all this talkin' isn't gettin' us any closer to the City, and I for one want a hot meal and me own bed."

Laughing, Alanna too stood. She found her legs were less wobbly now that she had been awake for a while.

They walked over to their mounts and mounted them, Alanna with only a little bit of help from George. She had been adamant against his aid, but he gave it anyway.

The two of them set off through the woods and after a few hours of dodging in and out of trees at a slow pace, they came to a wide road.

There were very few travelers, but every once in a while they would pass by someone on a horse, most likely farmers coming home after selling their goods at the Corus Market. The pair were fairly inconspicuous, they looked like average commoners journeying into the city in their plain brown breeches and dull colored shirts.

They had both changed out of their bloodstained clothing from the skirmish to avoid questioning, and the stench. And, though it was uncommon for the average person to own steeds such as the ones they were riding, no one gave them a second glance.

It was around the seventh bell, and the sun was just beginning to lower itself in the sky, when they came to the top of a hill to where the trees finally disappeared and became a sloping prairie.

Casting her sight down at the scene that lay before her, Alanna was as enamored with the sight of Tortall's Capital as she had been when she first arrived there.

She has been such a different person at the time, so innocent. Everything and nothing had changed since then. She was just as stubborn and loyal as she had been previously, but the ways of war and death had still been a mystery, an unexplained occurrence. Now she knew what it was like, to kill, and very nearly be killed.

Alanna and George shared a single glance before galloping down the slope to the city, both shared the same elation to being home, and they each remembered that first time they had met in Corus, when Coram had warned her against getting her packs stolen.

Oh the irony of it all. Thought Alanna as the entered the packed city streets.

There was people everywhere, some heading home after their suppers, while others, those George probably knew by name, were mingling with the crowd, not planning to leave for some time. After all, there were many nobles about with their heavy purses so noticeable and easy to steal; even a novice could get it without being caught.

I must be spending too much time with George if I am beginning to think like this. Alanna thought with a smile. For some reason, she wasn't troubled about this revelation.

The two of them weaved their way in and out of the crowd, deftly avoiding trampling anyone under the horse's hooves. Once Alanna could have sworn he purposely blocked a noble's way so he wouldn't see the small boy who had just stolen coins from his purse, but decided not to say anything.

In no time at all they arrived in front of an old building, already lit up by the boisterous noise inside. They saddled their horses in the stable and George made his way to the side door of the Dancing Dove where a middle aged, rather plump, red head was standing, dumping dirty water into a flower bed while Alanna stayed behind. She was unable to walk too far; her injury was already irritated from the long ride previously.

The woman looked up when she noticed him coming towards her and gave a shout of surprise.

"George, your back! Why were ye gone so long? There's been talk of a new Rogue comin' to power. Who is that with…Alan? That ye?" Rispah questioned, seeing Alanna leaning against one of the stable doors.

"Not now Rispah, I'll explain later. Can you get my ma fer me?" George told her in a serious tone of voice.

"But ye know she don't come to the Dove. And why do ye need her?" She asked confused.

"Please just do it cousin." His tone exasperated.

Rispah left to fetch Eleni, while George walked back over to where his friend stood, her eyes closed.

"Ye'll be alright till my ma comes?"

"Yes." She replied, her eyes still shut and her voice jaded. "I'll be fine. I've had worse than this."

"Lets get ye into the Dove, I don't think my ma would appreciate healing in a stable."

Without warning, George lifted her up and carried her through the back door and up a hidden stairway into his room, where he laid her on his bed.

It was obvious to him that she had fallen asleep on the way up there, for there were no protests to where he put her, and her breathing was deep.

The King of the Rogue was surprised though, that she hadn't objected to his carrying her in the first place, but decided there were more important things to place his worries.


okok, so they didnt really spend any time in Corus. Im sorry to dissapoint the many of you who were so anxiously awaiting the capital. But i began writing and, well, i dont know, the chapter just happened. Just like the random wild turkeys i saw driving today...wow that was random.

anyway...PLEASE REVIEW! I appreciate each one and (if it is signed aka the person is logged into ff.) i shall reply to it.

suggestons, flames, and critiquing (sp?) are all welcome!!