Chapter Two: All That Shines


Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine, they belong to Tamora Pierce and I'm not stealing them! Just...borrowing!

Author's Note: What did I tell you, all you A/J people? Eh? Eh? That's what I thought. But please remember that I haven't insured that this will stay that way.
Alanna is wearing a lot of dresses because she's in the palace, and as Princess during those times in Tortall, she would have to! She said in the real 3rd book that they'd probably make her stop dressing comfortably. Plus, do you remember in the real The Woman Who Rides Like A Man, where when she went to George's, she wanted to wear dresses? Well, that's why she's wearing them a lot.
Thanks for all the reviews! Now, on to find who the *mystery* person is. So read on!





George Cooper stepped from the doorway into the flickering candlelight of Alanna's room.

Fighting back a gasp of surprise despite the fact that she had recognized his voice, Alanna could only stare. Was it her imagination, or was he angry, like Jon had been? She stammered for a moment, tried again, but could not speak.

"Ye didn't answer my question." There was no mistake, he was obviously mad about something.

Alanna found her voice. "No, I wasn't saying that I didn't care about you." She sighed. "It's Jonathan. We-"

"If ye didn't care so much about him, why's it you became his Princess?" George demanded.

So this is why he's angry, Alanna realized. Some time, quite a long time ago it was, before she and Jon had become lovers, George had expressed his true feelings towards her. On that day he had told her that she would be his bride one day. She, and no other.

Alanna swallowed. "George, listen to me-"

"No, ye listen to me! Alanna, I-" George stopped. His ruddy face was flushed with anger. He tried to compose himself.

Easing herself off the bed, Alanna walked over to him in her delicate slippers (she'd have preferred boots, actually) and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "George, you know that I love you. But not in the way I love Jon. I'm sorry."

The anger returned to George's hazel eyes as he removed her hand from his broad shoulder. "No, Alanna. It's I who ought to be sorry. I never shoulda-" he broke off and turned away. "Good-bye, then," he said abruptly, and turned to go.

"No!" Alanna cried, not realizing that she said it out loud. George turned around and gave her a quizzical look.

"What's it now?" he asked.

She hesitated. "We haven't seen each other for a long time. Won't you stay a while?" Inside she chided herself, noticing how awfully formal and princess-like she sounded.

George sighed. "Alanna, I don't-you just-I shouldn' stay-" But when she caught his hand and he gazed into her deep violet eyes that still made his feel fuzzy inside, he sighed and nodded.

The Lioness smiled, relieved. "So how goes things with the Rogue?"

The King of Thieves snorted and plopped into a straight-backed, ornately carved chair. Frowning, he tried to get comfortable, but the chair was designed to teach ladies to sit properly, and it was impossible. "Well, I managed to calm down them in Port Caynn, bu' it wasn't so easy when I came back here and discovered that you'd-" he broke off.

Alanna felt her temper surging and couldn't control it. "Enough! Stop criticizing my decisions! If you were really my friend, you'd be happy for me!" Her insides; her heart, her mind, were spinning and burning with anger and some indescriable feeling she couldn't name.

George leapt up out of his chair, knocking it over, eyes flashing and stared at her angrily for a moment before sweeping out of the room.

Alanna just stood there, waiting as her emotions subsided.


* * * * * * * * *

Sweat rolled off her face as Alanna continued to practice hand-to-hand combat on the wooden and straw dummy. The exhilaration from the fight cooled her anger. Anger from what? she asked herself. George had overreacted; she hadn't ever promised herself to him.

"As if that would happen," she snorted. The idea of ever promising her hand in marriage to someone was utterly ridiculous in her case.

"What would happen?" Alanna jumped a foot into the air and landed on the gloor with a thump. A laugh came from behind her and she looked to see who it was.

Jon, with his loving smile stretched out a hand to help her up. She hesitated, then pushed aside her anger and accepted. Roughly pulling her into his arms, he held her tightly and brought her face close to his. Searching in her purple eyes, he frowned.

Alanna sighed. Jonathan always knew when something was wrong. "Well?" he prompted. The Lady Knight placed her hands on his chest and closed her eyes. Kissing her nose, Jonathan asked silently what was wrong.

"It's George," she explained, "he showed up yesterday and was angry."

"Angry because?" he questioned.

"You and me." She pulled away, but he wouldn't put her down until he had kissed her thoroughly.

"If he's so angry, and you're so, I don't know, why are you here?" The practice court was empty at this hour of the morning; no one else was there. Moonlight gleamed in silver streams through a window.

Alanna turned and picked up the staff she had been using earlier. Examining the wood grain beneath her fingers, she sighed. "I was so angry, and now-now I just....I wanted to vent my anger." Stepping back, she tossed the staff to him, and momentarily startled, he caught it, then grinned.

"Should have figured, Princess," he replied, grinning. But then the grin faded. Alanna immediately looked down and forlorn, then a hard look came onto her face and she turned her face away. "What's wrong, Alanna?" he asked softly, moving over to stroke her cheek.

Alanna started to pull away, but allowed herself to be pulled into his arms. Wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her hands on his broad shoulders, she sighed with content. "I don't know, Jon...it's just...I'm so confused. And I thought becoming a knight would solve my problems!"

With a laugh, Jon released her and tossed the staff back to her, then grabbed another from a nearby shelf. Moving inward to strike, Alanna blocked his blow then returned with an attack of her own. Swiftly and silently, save for the noise of wood against wood, the two knights fought with the weapons. As the sun began to rise and both were tiring, Jon moved in with all his strength and made Alanna drop her staff, then cornered her against the wall.

The Lady Knight giggled. "You win," she said sleepily.

Jon grinned cockily. "Well, actually, we both win, Lady Knight." Sweeping her into his arms, he carried her back to the main palace and into her room.



So.....what should happen next? Who will Alanna get with now, or will she stay with Jon? YOU decide. Review please!
~Lotw