Chapter Twenty Four; Fidelity.
"What has you in such a state?" Toren asked as soon as Eda had shut the door behind them.
Eda, seeing that Alanna needed a little like to organise her thoughts, called Toren over to help her move a heavy bench nearer. When the two had sat down, Alanna slowly walked over from her position near the door, wringing her hands in anxiety. She took a seat on the chair opposite their bench. Now she was face to face with the two people she had lived with, and come to love over the years she had studied Shang, and she was at a complete loss for words.
Finally Toren's impatience grew too much for him and he blurted out
"Just say it!"
Eda spoke more softly, counselling her charge to be calm. She had never seen the girl this nervous before.
"Ariana, tell us now, it will only be the worse for the waiting."
Nodding, Alanna straightened her back and, taking a deep breath said simply,
"I'm not quite who you think I am." She paused to bolster her courage, knowing that this was the last moment she could change her mind about telling them the truth. "I'm not Ariana, a commoner from northern Tortall. My real name is Alanna, and I'm a noble."
After a moment Toren broke out into laughter,
"Well that's an eye opener for sure." He said, still chuckling. "I can't wait to see the faces of the Elder's Council when they're told that one of their warriors, apart from being the oldest student to join Shang, is a noble lady!"
"But why the secrecy?" Eda asked.
"There is more." Alanna said hesitatingly, although they'd taken that piece of news well, the next piece was more likely to stun them. "My full name is Lady Alanna of Trebond and Silvereves."
She waited, knowing that Toren, who loved to hear palace gossip, would soon put everything together.
He stared at her for a moment, his mind processing what she had said.
"But she's dead." He stammered out at last.
With a sigh, knowing that what she was about to do went completely against all the Shang teachings she removed her glamour, shedding the dark colour of her hair, revealing the natural copper red tone.
"No. I'm not."
"Shang masters!" They both sprang to their feet, the Wildcat looking disappointed but not as shocked as Toren.
After the stunned silence stretched between them, the older woman broke it, saying
"I have to admit that this isn't as large a surprise as it could have been. Although I had no idea that you were gifted."
"How…" Alanna began.
"Liam wrote me a letter before he died." Cautiously Eda sat back down, replying to her query with sober eyes. "And in that letter, he told me about a student he'd picked up. A noble lady, who was a member of the thieves' guild in Corus. He had never mentioned you before, but he did in that final letter. Perhaps he knew that his death was near, a Doi told him that he would know when the time came.
"I knew, as soon as you arrived that you weren't telling us everything about yourself and slowly, seeing how you acted and fought, and based on Ironarm's description of your rather… unusual eyes, I guessed that you were the girl he had trained. Although he never mentioned your name, or that you had the Gift."
"He hated my Gift." Alanna said, remembering. "He refused to let me heal him more than once. Mostly he liked to pretend that I didn't have the Gift, and I did nothing to remind him."
"Perhaps you should tell us the whole story." The Wildcat suggested. "Toren. Sit." Her words flicked out sharply. "Give the girl a chance to explain."
So Alanna did. She told them the bare facts of her life, trying to restrain her emotions and not let them colour her speech.
After she had finished she sat there, perfectly still, waiting for their reactions. Eda's face was impassive, neither condemning, nor reassuring. Toren's face, however, showed his feelings all too clearly. Hurt, betrayal, confusion and anger all flashed across his face in turn. Eventually, Alanna broke the silence when she could stand it no longer.
"Please." She begged. "Say something."
"Say what?" Toren burst out. "That everything is fine? You lied to us for years and pretended that you were something that you weren't!"
Pushing himself off the bench violently, he stormed out of Eda's rooms. Beseechingly, Alanna turned to face Eda.
"He is right Child. You know him. Give him some time to calm down, and then try again." She paused, seeing the girl's eyes were shining with wetness. "If I didn't already know some of what you told me, I might be reacting the same way."
"I've never used my Gift in a fight since the battle in the palace!" Alanna explained, desperately seeking her teacher's approval. "Liam told me that one of the reasons that Shang didn't accept Gifted students was because they would need training for their magic and that would distract them from their Shang training."
"That is correct." The Wildcat said calmly.
"Usually you take children under seven years old, but I was far older than that when I began and I had all my Gift under control."
"I understand." The older woman said "I may not approve, but what is done is done. In my eyes you proved yourself to me when you were accepted and I took you in two years ago." Alanna flung herself at the other woman, embracing her tightly in relief. "But what are you planning on telling the council tomorrow?" Eda asked warily, looking down at the copper head.
"I wasn't. I trained as Shang as Ariana, and I'll receive my name as Ariana. I'll deal with the rest as it comes. I know I will have to tell them eventually." She glanced towards the door. "But for now…"
"Go!" Eda urged, catching the look. "You need to make him understand, or he will certainly do something rash. I will keep my silence."
With a deep, heartfelt bow, Alanna ran from the room. Once she was gone, Eda allowed her composure to slip. Resting her head in her hands, the Wildcat sighed. She didn't know what this would mean for her student, for Ariana, or Alanna, as she supposed she should get used to calling her, of for their way of life. But one thing was certain, neither of the two would ever be quite the same after the truth came out. Looking up to the heavens, she sent out a prayer to any god that Toren would listen. She thought that he would, like her, keep silent about the revelation, but would he ever find it within himself to forgive Alanna? She honestly didn't know.
Alanna ran through the back hallways of the palace, only remembering to colour her hair seconds before heading to where she knew he would be. She searched one practice court after another. They were mostly deserted now; while they were talking the dinner bell had sounded. Only a few pages, squires and knights, either finishing their exercises or undergoing punishment were left, and most were heading into the buildings. Then Alanna spotted him. He was in the furthest court from the palace, attacking a punching bag stuffed with straw. Leaning on the fence, feeling awkward, she watched him. His fury showed in his every move. He wasn't sparing himself, or the bag, at all, every hit knocked the bag to the furthest reaches of the chain and forcing him to block or dodge when it swung back. Eventually he stilled the bag, panting and red faced.
"I know you're there." He said, his tone harsh and clipped, his anger evident.
"I'm sorry." She offered, not quite knowing what else to say.
He didn't turn to face her, speaking with his back to her,
"Just leave. This isn't going to be solved by talking."
She swallowed, making a split second decision. Slowly she walked through the gate.
"Fine."
Then he did turn around.
"What are you doing? I told you to go away."
"You also said that we wouldn't solve anything by talking. So, let's solve it another way."
"You want to fight me?" He asked incredulously. She only shrugged, beginning some basic stretches.
"This has to be solved eventually. And you're obviously angry at me, so this seems like the best way."
"All right then. No cheating." He warned her, falling into a ready stance.
She bowed to him, a courtesy he had deliberately missed, before doing the same.
"I've not used my Gift in a fight for two years." She said in response to his insult, before the fight began.
With a fierce animalistic yell, Toren attacked, coming at her in a flurry of blows, aiming everywhere; her head, torso and legs. His anger lent him strength and agility. It was all Alanna could do to defend herself from this onslaught. He leapt high in the air, like the falcon he had taken the name of. His kick sent her reeling back and although she flipped enough to bring herself onto her feet, she refused to take advantage of the distance and attack him.
He noticed it after a time and dropped back, dancing around on the balls of his feet.
"Why don't you fight properly?" He taunted.
"Because I don't need to." Was her calm rejoinder, hands in a blocking position as she dodged another kick at her midsection.
"Prove to me that you are a proper warrior!" He challenged. "Fight me properly."
"No." She shook her head, wiping hair and sweat from her eyes. "I shouldn't have to. You fought with me every day for two years. I never used my Gift then, why should now be any different? I'm the same girl I was then, but now you know the whole truth."
After a while's contemplation, Eda rose from her seat. She had made her decision, now she had to help Alanna calm her other student down before he did something rash. She left her room, hurrying towards the training grounds, only to meet four knights moving in the same direction.
"Prince Jonathan. Sir Knights." She greeted them, barely halting her steps in time.
"Mistress Bell." Jon said sharply, "How did your meeting with Al…" he paused, "Ariana go?"
She looked him over with a critical eye.
"You all know?" She asked plainly. At their nods she sighed, "Toren hasn't taken it at all well and she is probably with him now."
"Where?" The largest knight asked.
"Most likely at the practice yards." Together they hurried out, instantly seeing the pair.
When they approached the fence they saw Alanna block a punch, but she wasn't fast enough to defend herself against the axe kick that came at her next.
She was knocked backwards, onto the floor and before she could rise, Toren was straddling her upper body, hitting her everywhere. All precision was gone from his movements but still the blows made contact too hard and too often for her to do much more than protect her face and body the best she could.
The knights broke into a run, Jonathan was the first to get through the gate, his face terrible with fear for the girl. Eda restrained him with an arm across his chest.
"No!" She hissed fiercely. "Don't disturb them."
"But he's practically killing her!" he shouted.
"Don't you think that she could have stopped him by now?" The Wildcat turned to face them all. "Look at them. She's letting this go on."
In the silence that followed her proclamation they heard Toren's voice sounding into the silence.
"Why won't you defend yourself?" He demanded of her. "Go on, Alanna." His voice dripped with contempt. "Use your magic. Save yourself!" His blows slowed and then Alanna spoke, her voice hoarse with pain but still calm.
"No, I won't. I don't cheat and I don't need a crutch."
In one smooth movement she kicked him off her and then, swinging her legs, came to her feet, biting down on her lip to suppress the pain. Although Toren hadn't broken any of her bones, she knew that she was going to have some very serious bruising.
"I have never used my Gift in a fight since I joined Shang. For the years I was Ariana I didn't use my Gift once, except to drain it at the beginning."
The Falcon launched himself at her again, but his attack had lost some of its ferocity. When she saw that he was fighting properly, locking down on his emotions she too allowed to fight to escalate, attacking as well as defending.
Those waiting by the fence noted the change and were silenced. Eda released her hold on the Prince's arm when she saw that they were no longer planning to rush to Alanna's aid. Although the Shang mistress had seen the two sparring many times before, they had never possessed the same enthusiasm and fervour as they did now. They were both trying to prove something. Toren to cling on to what he had believed for most of his life, and to show he was right, Alanna to demonstrate that she was a warrior worthy of Shang.
The exchange of blows was fast and furious. Alanna's roundhouse kick was blocked and Toren grasped her foot, spinning her over. She managed to catch him in the ribs with her other foot before landing in a crouch, ducking under his back hand blow, then sweeping his legs out from under him.
These two were at the peak of their physical finesse. Each blow was hard, perfectly timed and purely instinctive. There was no time for either of them to think about what blow to throw next or to plan a strategy. They just fought.
Eda, watching from the side knew what was going to happen eventually. Currently their control was firm enough that if one of them missed a block, the other could deflect their own hit so the other wouldn't be killed. But they were coming to that part of a long fight when that control began to waver. They could wound each other very easily if that happened. Both of them had fiery tempers and that could prove their ruin. She moved towards them when she saw Alanna barely block a hook kick to the back of her head and then swiftly retaliate with a spinning kick and punch combination which Toren had to drop to the ground to avoid.
"That is enough!" Eda barked, moving towards them as she did so. Automatically, used to hearing that command in daily sparring, the two backed away slightly. That was enough for the older woman to step between them, catching a wrist in each hand. She pulled them apart with a sharp tug. Alanna was the first to realise what her teacher wanted, and put her hands down by her sides.
Eda jerked her head towards the fence. Alanna nodded, and although her ribs ached from a well placed snap kick of Toren's which had got through her defences, she bowed, first to Toren, who ignored her, and then to Eda.
When Alanna reached the fence, the knights entered the yard and tried to gather around her. Gently she pushed them away, thankful for their care, but knowing that this wasn't the time. At their puzzled and slightly hurt looks she spoke softly, her eyes never leaving Toren and Eda.
"Not now, please. Later."
They muttered their agreement and left, Jon pressing her shoulder and saying quietly in her ear.
"We'll wait in my rooms." He then left with the other men, all casting anxious looks over their shoulders at the girl, obviously unwilling to leave.
Alanna watched the men leave and then looked back at the two Shang masters. Toren had lowered his fists and stood in a more relaxed manner as Eda spoke to him intently. She couldn't hear the words but it was clear that they were having an effect on the Falcon. His shoulders slumped and his eyes flickered over to her often. After a long while he replied to Eda and then turned to face Alanna. His eyes met her gaze and although there was still betrayal and hurt in his expression, there was less hatred there than before. She grew more hopeful, he seemed to accept the truth more.
Solemnly he bowed to her. It was exactly the correct depth one warrior should offer another. When she replied in kind, her bow was deeper, as was correct for a student honouring a master. Something briefly flashed through his eyes. Before she could decide what it was, it was gone and he walked through a different gate and strode in the direction of his rooms.
As Alanna watched him leave, Eda came back to where she stood.
"Give him some time." She recommended. "He's had a shock and you know how he is about people lying to him." She waited for Alanna's understanding nod before continuing. "He's vowed not to say anything."
"Eda." Alanna said, staring down at her hands, noting that she was bleeding from a knuckle. "Do you think that he'll ever forgive me?"
The Wildcat sighed.
"He will in time. Or if not forgive, then he'll come to accept it. We'll be staying here a while, but let him come to you."
With that she also left, wondering if it was possible for any more revelations to hit her today.
Alanna, after letting out a long sigh, also walked away from the training yards, thanking the Great Gods that no one had seen the display that they had just put on. Jon and the others would be worrying about her and she needed to heal herself so she wouldn't have any visible bruises for the fitting later that day or for the ball. At that thought she paused, suddenly worrying about the time. A swift glance at the sun reassured her that she had at least another hour before the dress fitting.
She sighed again, casting another glamour, this time not only to conceal her bright hair, but also her cuts and bruises as she made her way to the Prince's rooms.
Well, I hope the length makes up for the huge delay in posting!
What did you think? Please let me know!
HuntressDiana