Chapter Twenty Three; Arrival.
Alanna watched Queen Lianne walk away, before knocking on Jon's door. She turned the knob and entered when a male voice called for her to enter.
To her surprise, Jon wasn't in the room; instead Gary, Raoul and Alex were sprawled across the small room Jon used as a study.
They all jumped to their feet as she entered, looking for her strangely.
"Are you lost my lady?" Alex asked courteously. She looked at him for a second, before answering, confused.
"Of course not, why would I be?"
Gary, looking closer at her eyes, then let out a chuckle.
"Alanna, is that you?"
"Of course it is me!" She replied tartly. "Who else would just walk straight into the Prince's rooms?"
"You are still wearing your glamour." Raoul pointed out. She cursed under her breath, now understanding their confusion. She had forgotten again, and swiftly released the glamour before sinking into a chair.
"I've just been at a dress fitting." She said by way or explanation. "For the ball tomorrow night. And of course, on my way to and from there, I had to be disguised."
The knights nodded in understanding.
"So where is Jon?" she asked after a slight pause, "He said I should meet him here after I escaped from the dressmakers."
"The King wanted to speak with him about the ball, and Jon's going to fill us in on what is happening over lunch." Alex explained.
"Will you all be there?" She asked, keen to have come familiar faces in the Grand Ballroom on the night.
"Of course." Gary said "I can't wait to see their faces when you reappear from the dead!"
"Anyone's faces in particular?" She enquired archly.
"Just everyone's!" He laughed, imagining the reaction to the stunning news.
Alanna groaned,
"Well, I'm glad some one is going to be enjoying themselves. Now I remember, after spending all morning being attacked with pins, cloth and designs why I hate dress fittings." The men chuckled at her agonised face. "And." She declared theatrically "I have to attend another two! One this evening and another in the morning."
Their conversation continued mainly in this vein, the knights gently teasing her until Jon returned from his meeting with his father.
"Tomorrow night will certainly be interesting to say the least." He announced as soon as he had entered. When he spotted Alanna, he added. "Oh good, you're here." He leant on the edge of the desk beside her, reaching out to take her hand. "Father wants me to tell you all what to do at the ball. Master Oakbridge is alternately rejoicing that he can show off his dramatic side and panicking because we have no time for a rehearsal. Father's just told him there is an important mystery guest, who will be sitting at the Royal table."
It was an hour later, at least, when he finished explaining. Halfway through a servant had brought up a bowl of fruits as well as a tray of bread and cold meats for them to eat. On hearing the knock, Alanna had dodged into Jon's bedroom, only to emerge when the servant had left, only to find them all in fits of laughter at what the servant must have thought, seeing all four men grouped in front of the bedroom door, and five chairs pulled into a circle. Still, it would have been far worse if she had seen Alanna, without a glamour and in the presence of four men, unchaperoned. Gossip would have spread around the palace like wildfire, from servant to noble.
Eventually Alanna stood from her chair.
"I need to see if Toren and Eda have arrived yet. I need to explain to them alone, rather than wait for them to find out at the Ball. I don't think they are going to take it terribly well though." She sighed, self revulsion evident in her eyes. "They'll probably hate me."
Jon also stood, taking both her hands in his, and turning to face her, subtly making it a private moment between them.
"Why would they hate you?" he asked gently.
"Because I've lied to them for years. They thought I was a Giftless commoner, and now I have to tell them I'm a Gifted Noble. I can't imagine they will take that well."
"Surely you don't think that they will renounce you, when you tell them the truth?" Gary said, also getting to his feet.
"Won't they?" She removed her hands firmly from Jon's grip, turning to face them all. "I've lied to them, ever since we met. But it isn't really them I am worried about. It's the Council of Elders, although I never used my gift while training, they regard it as a crutch. They could easily refuse to recognise me as Shang and even throw me from the order.
"Would they actually do that?" Alex enquired.
"I don't know." She responded haltingly, "It's never happened before."
"Well." Raoul said practically. "If you want to find Eda and Toran, the first place Shang warriors usually head for is the practise courts."
She nodded. "Before I see them, I really need to change out of this dress though."
"What will you change into?" Jon asked sensibly. "All of our clothes would be far too big for you."
She laughed at that, before assuring them that she had a spare change of clothes in her saddlebags. So together, after giving Alanna a couple of seconds to raise her glamour once more, they left Jon's rooms and walked to the stables. While the knights stood outside the stable doors, deterring anyone from entering, Alanna whistled for Stefan as she found her clothes in the saddlebags slung over the stall door. The ostler slid down the ladder from his hayloft, the horses all whickering a greeting as he did so, he looked slightly bemused until she explained why exactly she needed to use his hayloft. With a chuckle he offered to stand guard below the ladder, just in case someone slipped past the knights outside. After a swift change into breeches and shirt, and binding her hair back with a leather thong, she left a message with him to be passed on to George, explaining that unless her dress fittings finished early enough, she would be staying at the palace.
When they arrived at the practise courts, although one court was taken up by pages and squires training, the others were mostly clear, with only an older knight training.
"They're not here yet." Alanna said flatly.
"No." Jon said, his smile evident in his voice, "But while we are here and waiting for them…" He opened the gate and held it open for the others to walk through. "I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to spar with you."
"I don't have my sword with me!" She protested, even as he closed the gate behind her. "And I doubt you could match me in a Shang battle."
"There are swords in that building over there." Gary pointed out. "You should find one suitable."
Alanna walked over to the building he had indicated. The swords were mostly blunted practise swords for the pages, some with lead weights in the hilt and along the blade. Near the end of the rack though, hung the swords she was looking for. They were more suited to her, being smaller and sharper. Running her fingers along the plain hilts, wrapped with bronze wire for grip, she selected one, weighing it in her hand before putting it back at once, it was too heavy. After examining a few more she selected one that would do. Making a few practise sweeps in front of her, she left the hut.
Ignoring the knights who were warming up at the other end of the practise court she leant the sword against one of the fence posts and began the extensive preparation for a fight that she had done every morning for nearly two years. It started with simple stretches, then progressed into pattern work and finally into some small acrobatics. When she straightened from her last tumble, Alanna took her sword and performed one more pattern dance before moving to the middle of the court. The others conferred for a few seconds before Jon came to challenge her, with Gary serving as a referee. Raoul and Alex had moved away to the fence, where they were lounging.
"No tricks!" The Prince warned her, a playful glint in his eyes.
"As if I would!" She exclaimed.
"When the pair of you are quite ready..." Gary said, cocking an eyebrow and sounding remarkably like his father. Instantly they both became solemn and assumed a guard position. Gary held their sword tips level with his own, looking between them before backing away and declaring "Begin!"
Instantly Alanna struck with a simple crescent cut which she knew Jon could block easily. As expected he blocked it and then swung his blade at her legs. She swiftly jumped over the sword, twisting and striking at his torso while still in the air. He dodged her blow and she landed in a low crouch, sword guarding her face. Restraining herself from an instinctive move; sweeping his legs out from under him with a low kick, she blocked a blow and rose to stand before him. Jon lunged at her with a series of blows, high, low, at her arms, at her legs. She blocked most, and dodged the rest, waiting for her chance. She saw that sweat was beginning to drip into his eyes, as he shook his head roughly, circling her, in an attempt to rid himself of the irritation.
There! She lunged in as she saw him falter slightly, his guard never wavering, but his attention momentarily diverted. He sword slid under his out stretched arm and although every watcher was left with no doubt that she could have impaled him if she so chose, she carried on with the attack. Her cross guard fitted neatly behind his and with a twist of her body and flick of her wrist, she loosened his grip and sent his sword flying to land feet away from his hand. Before he could attempt to retrieve his weapon, her sword was presented at his neck. With a slight hint of reluctance he stepped back and bowed, acknowledging her victory.
"I should have known," he said, slightly out of breath. "I used to be better than you with the sword, but you're Shang now. I beat you once before, I should have expected to be beaten in repayment."
Before Alanna could reply, a slow handclap began at the edge of the court. As they turned in surprise, other people joined in the applause. Alanna blushed as she realised the pages were clapping as well as her friends. Jon took her hand and pulled her into a half mocking bow.
A sardonic remark then met Alanna's ears.
"I told you if we were to look for her, we would find her here. For where else would you find Ariana but on the practise courts?"
She spun once more, towards the voice, pulling her hand out of Jon's rapidly.
"Toran!" She exclaimed, hurrying over to them. "Eda!"
"Indeed, my Lady Storm." Toran said, bowing deeply. The older woman standing next to him slapped him gently around the head. She was dressed much the same as Alanna, in tan breeches and a worn men's shirt. Alanna didn't even bother with the gate as it was on the opposite side of the courts to them, simply vaulting over the high fence, and at once embracing her teacher and fellow student.
At last, pulling back, she grinned broadly at them both.
"What took you so long to get here?" She demanded. "I expected you here at least by mid day!"
"We were held up for a day or so in Maren," Toran explained. "But explanations can wait for the moment..."
"You look well child." Eda interrupted. "Did you find what sent you to Persopolis?"
"Yes." Alanna said slowly. "And I need to talk to you both about that urgently. This afternoon." Seeing her serious and anxious expression Toran let all foolery drop.
"Are you staying at the palace?" She enquired.
"Yes." Eda replied, "And we can go and talk now, in my rooms, if you want."
"Lead the way." Alanna said with forced cheerfulness.
Looking over her shoulder as the Wildcat led the way to the guest rooms, Alanna exchanged glances with her friends. They all waved to her and she saw Jon mouth 'luck' to her. She nodded and faced the backs of the two Shang warriors, taking a deep breath to calm herself.
She would need that luck before the afternoon was over, of that she was sure.
Well, I had intended to update more of my fics than just this one for Christmas, but real life simply got in the way! So I hope you like this chapter, and have a wonderful holiday and I wish you all the best in the new year!
HuntressDiana
(PS: THA and ECA judges; I need your results!)