Disclaimer: Everything here belongs to the genius-type imagination of
Tamora Pierce
A/N: Hey guys! Thankyou all soooooooo much - I can't believe how many reviews this has. Do you guys realise this two chapter fic has more reviews than my six chapter fic! Wow - thankyou all again - your reviews means so much to me!
Here is chapter 3 (and is a bit longer than usual)- But wait, there's more - I've been on a little writing spree and have most of chapter 4 written so expect that soon, either Saturday or Sunday. This chapter is a little ponderous, but be prepared for lots of action next chapter!
Other notes:
- Yes, I know Alanna shouldn't be drinking - and will try to stop her, but don't go all hysterical on me because I think the discovery that alcohol is bad for pregnant women is rather recent.
- Thankyou all again!
Alanna's Baby By Blue Mariah
Chapter 3 - Back to the Palace
They found a quiet room and Gary ordered some food and drink. Alanna looked around her. It was really quite strange to come back to the palace, openly as a lady knight this time, but with another secret to conceal. She felt slightly guilty, almost as if, in keeping her secret, she was lying about who she was, again.
Gary couldn't keep the grin off his face.
"So how was the desert?" the pair watched her avidly.
"It was…" she struggled for words, but Gary cut her off.
"I take it you've made up with Jon?" she floundered, caught off guard by the sudden question. She wondered how much Gary actually knew. "He was furious when he came back."
Raoul was looking at her confusion curiously.
"The desert was great." She recovered hastily. "Warm." She smiled. "But it's good to be back."
"Why have you come back?" asked Raoul.
"Oh."
Gary burst in again. "This is incredible! Just wait until people know you're back. The lady knight of Tortall!"
Alanna grinned a little, inescapably cheered by Gary's buoyant attitude. She felt an odd pull at the pit of her stomach though, and a little voice that reminded her that things were quite different from how Gary perceived them.
"Does Jon know you're back…of course he does. When did you get back?"
"Ah, a week ago." She stammered.
"A week, where have you been? Why no triumphant return?" Gary exclaimed.
"I though people mightn't be so pleased to see me."
"What?" asked Raoul. "What a stupid thing to think! We're overjoyed."
She smiled slightly. It was amazing to have these two back again. Somehow she felt everything might just be alright.
* * *
Jon was walking angrilyalong the corridor, thinking about that morning, when he heard his two friends voices raised in excitement. He put his ear to the door and listened for a moment to the laughter and loud voices. He could hear a female voice, interposing the deep tones of his friends. He listened for a moment, unable to hear the words, but trying to guess from the voices which court lovely those two were talking to, but was unable to guess. The voice was familiar, but he couldn't place it. Smiling, he opened the door. Gary and Raoul looked up, grinning at him. The woman was facing away from him, dressed in lilac with flaming red hair. He smiled at his friends. The woman turned at the sound of the door.
He stood stock still as he realised who the woman was. Alanna froze as well. Gary and Raoul looked between the two with confused looks on their grinning faces.
"Look who's here, Jon." Said Gary. Silence ensued and soon the two knights realised something wasn't right, smiles fading slowly from their faces.
"Alanna." Said Jonathan stiffly.
"Jonathan." Alanna replied.
"What exactly is going on here?" asked Gary. "this isn't like you two. Haven't had a lover's tiff have you?" he asked jokingly. From the stony glances he realised that he had hit far too close to the mark.
"Oh." He said quietly. "I, ah, didn't realise that…"
"So you've decided you'd rather one of these two, is that it?"
"What? Jonathan-"
"Didn't you want George either? Or are you just spreading you wings, having a go at being the court floozy, sneaking around under my nose?!"
"Jonathan!" Alanna was outraged. Jon walked towards her, threateningly, his face as dark as thunder
"I don't know why you bothered coming back," he growled. "Did you expect me to fall at your feet, asking for forgiveness, Lady Knight?"
"I never did Jon, I know you're far to arrogant to admit when you're wrong!" she snapped, standing.
"Come on, Gary." Said Raoul. "I think we'd better leave these two alone." They rose and headed for the door.
"There's no need, Raoul. I can see his royal highness doesn't want me here, and has so far forgotten himself to even be civil to a lady." Said Alanna stingingly.
"Lady," scoffed Jonathan quietly.
Alanna felt tears sting her eyes, and she ran from the room.
Gary and Raoul stared accusingly at the prince.
"What?" Jonathan growled.
"Well, Jon," began Gary.
"I know you'll take her side," spat out Jonathan. "She's been in here flirting with you both!" Jon made to storm angrily out of the room, but Gary grabbed his shoulder.
"Look, we didn't realise there was anything between you two, and Alanna's just been in her catching up with two old friends. Neither of us think of her like that, and you two would be better to talk calmly than shouting abuse at each other. If it's important enough to make you that angry, it's important enough to worry about fixing."
Jon stared stonily at his cousin.
"Take your hand off me." He said coldly. Gary looked despairingly at him, and removed his hand. Jonathan gave them both a final look which indicated exactly what he thought of them and left the room.
* * *
Alanna walked through the palace, determined to talk with Myles, no matter what happened with Jonathan. Her first instinct had been to run immediately out of the palace, but then she remembered her original intention in visiting the palace.
Eventually she found the old knight in a class room, teaching a group of young pages. She knocked tentatively at the door.
"Come." Instructed Myles' gruff voice from inside. She opened the door and smiled around it shyly. Every pair of eyes in the classroom was on her. Myles was at the front of the class, a sheaf of papers held in his outstretched hand.
"Alanna!" he exclaimed in amazement. He looked from her to his class for a moment.
"Off you go then." He said eventually. "Do the work I set you, and don't make nuisances of yourselves."
Alanna stood aside as the torrent of pages rushed from the room. She heard voices raised in the crowd.
"That's the lady knight isn't it?"
"The Lioness!"
Several of the boys stopped to stare at her as they passed.
"Along with you!" snapped Myles, pushing the last few out the door.
When the awe-struck pages had disappeared Myles embraced her, and drew out a chair, beaconing her to sit. She sat, looking around her own old class room, remembering the many hours she had spent there.
"I'm so glad to see you." said Myles, looking at her seriously.
"I'm happy to see you too." Myles looked at her meaningfully.
"Is there a particular reason you're here?"
"No, just…" she hesitated, looking into his face, and remembering how hard it was to lie to Myles. "Yes," she conceded.
"You don't have to tell me." He assured. "But remember I'm here to help if you need it. Are we battling evil sorcerer or thwarting plots against the throne?"
"No," she shook her head, "It's something a little more complicated."
"Ah." Said Myles knowingly. "Jonathan." Her face darkened, remembering the scene earlier.
"Yes," she admitted.
"He's been as dark as thunder since we arrived home - Mithros, since we left you!"
"You don't have to tell me." Said Alanna, darkly. "He's unbelievable!" she raged. She clenched her fists, glowering.
Myles looked dangerously close to laughing and she rounded on him.
"Why are you laughing, you're supposed to be on my side." She pouted, glaring angrily at Myles
"I am." Myles assured. "He's a proud one, Alanna, and so are you." said Myles gently. "All you can do is hope to teach each other humility."
"Well thankyou very much." retorted Alanna, looking a little peeved, but knowing she was hearing the truth.
"You forget, I've seen you together so much, even if it's never been exactly candid. And I know how much you care about each other. Don't let your pride tear you apart."
"Will you give Jonathan this talk?" asked Alanna, grinning.
"You think I haven't already?" asked Myles, leaning towards her conspiratorially.
She laughed a little, and the old knight quickly joined in. Alanna grew serious again.
"There's more complications than you know, Myles. I don't know what to do. He doesn't seem to want anything to do with me. What am I going to do?" Alanna looked suddenly depressed.
"That's a question only you can answer. Maybe you two should just put…whatever happened in the desert behind you and talk about what you're going to do."
Alanna looked pensive. She hugged Myles
"Thankyou."
* * *
A/N: Please, please, please take the time to write me a review - I love hearing what you guys think!
Next chapter - very exciting - sword fights and all!
A/N: Hey guys! Thankyou all soooooooo much - I can't believe how many reviews this has. Do you guys realise this two chapter fic has more reviews than my six chapter fic! Wow - thankyou all again - your reviews means so much to me!
Here is chapter 3 (and is a bit longer than usual)- But wait, there's more - I've been on a little writing spree and have most of chapter 4 written so expect that soon, either Saturday or Sunday. This chapter is a little ponderous, but be prepared for lots of action next chapter!
Other notes:
- Yes, I know Alanna shouldn't be drinking - and will try to stop her, but don't go all hysterical on me because I think the discovery that alcohol is bad for pregnant women is rather recent.
- Thankyou all again!
Alanna's Baby By Blue Mariah
Chapter 3 - Back to the Palace
They found a quiet room and Gary ordered some food and drink. Alanna looked around her. It was really quite strange to come back to the palace, openly as a lady knight this time, but with another secret to conceal. She felt slightly guilty, almost as if, in keeping her secret, she was lying about who she was, again.
Gary couldn't keep the grin off his face.
"So how was the desert?" the pair watched her avidly.
"It was…" she struggled for words, but Gary cut her off.
"I take it you've made up with Jon?" she floundered, caught off guard by the sudden question. She wondered how much Gary actually knew. "He was furious when he came back."
Raoul was looking at her confusion curiously.
"The desert was great." She recovered hastily. "Warm." She smiled. "But it's good to be back."
"Why have you come back?" asked Raoul.
"Oh."
Gary burst in again. "This is incredible! Just wait until people know you're back. The lady knight of Tortall!"
Alanna grinned a little, inescapably cheered by Gary's buoyant attitude. She felt an odd pull at the pit of her stomach though, and a little voice that reminded her that things were quite different from how Gary perceived them.
"Does Jon know you're back…of course he does. When did you get back?"
"Ah, a week ago." She stammered.
"A week, where have you been? Why no triumphant return?" Gary exclaimed.
"I though people mightn't be so pleased to see me."
"What?" asked Raoul. "What a stupid thing to think! We're overjoyed."
She smiled slightly. It was amazing to have these two back again. Somehow she felt everything might just be alright.
* * *
Jon was walking angrilyalong the corridor, thinking about that morning, when he heard his two friends voices raised in excitement. He put his ear to the door and listened for a moment to the laughter and loud voices. He could hear a female voice, interposing the deep tones of his friends. He listened for a moment, unable to hear the words, but trying to guess from the voices which court lovely those two were talking to, but was unable to guess. The voice was familiar, but he couldn't place it. Smiling, he opened the door. Gary and Raoul looked up, grinning at him. The woman was facing away from him, dressed in lilac with flaming red hair. He smiled at his friends. The woman turned at the sound of the door.
He stood stock still as he realised who the woman was. Alanna froze as well. Gary and Raoul looked between the two with confused looks on their grinning faces.
"Look who's here, Jon." Said Gary. Silence ensued and soon the two knights realised something wasn't right, smiles fading slowly from their faces.
"Alanna." Said Jonathan stiffly.
"Jonathan." Alanna replied.
"What exactly is going on here?" asked Gary. "this isn't like you two. Haven't had a lover's tiff have you?" he asked jokingly. From the stony glances he realised that he had hit far too close to the mark.
"Oh." He said quietly. "I, ah, didn't realise that…"
"So you've decided you'd rather one of these two, is that it?"
"What? Jonathan-"
"Didn't you want George either? Or are you just spreading you wings, having a go at being the court floozy, sneaking around under my nose?!"
"Jonathan!" Alanna was outraged. Jon walked towards her, threateningly, his face as dark as thunder
"I don't know why you bothered coming back," he growled. "Did you expect me to fall at your feet, asking for forgiveness, Lady Knight?"
"I never did Jon, I know you're far to arrogant to admit when you're wrong!" she snapped, standing.
"Come on, Gary." Said Raoul. "I think we'd better leave these two alone." They rose and headed for the door.
"There's no need, Raoul. I can see his royal highness doesn't want me here, and has so far forgotten himself to even be civil to a lady." Said Alanna stingingly.
"Lady," scoffed Jonathan quietly.
Alanna felt tears sting her eyes, and she ran from the room.
Gary and Raoul stared accusingly at the prince.
"What?" Jonathan growled.
"Well, Jon," began Gary.
"I know you'll take her side," spat out Jonathan. "She's been in here flirting with you both!" Jon made to storm angrily out of the room, but Gary grabbed his shoulder.
"Look, we didn't realise there was anything between you two, and Alanna's just been in her catching up with two old friends. Neither of us think of her like that, and you two would be better to talk calmly than shouting abuse at each other. If it's important enough to make you that angry, it's important enough to worry about fixing."
Jon stared stonily at his cousin.
"Take your hand off me." He said coldly. Gary looked despairingly at him, and removed his hand. Jonathan gave them both a final look which indicated exactly what he thought of them and left the room.
* * *
Alanna walked through the palace, determined to talk with Myles, no matter what happened with Jonathan. Her first instinct had been to run immediately out of the palace, but then she remembered her original intention in visiting the palace.
Eventually she found the old knight in a class room, teaching a group of young pages. She knocked tentatively at the door.
"Come." Instructed Myles' gruff voice from inside. She opened the door and smiled around it shyly. Every pair of eyes in the classroom was on her. Myles was at the front of the class, a sheaf of papers held in his outstretched hand.
"Alanna!" he exclaimed in amazement. He looked from her to his class for a moment.
"Off you go then." He said eventually. "Do the work I set you, and don't make nuisances of yourselves."
Alanna stood aside as the torrent of pages rushed from the room. She heard voices raised in the crowd.
"That's the lady knight isn't it?"
"The Lioness!"
Several of the boys stopped to stare at her as they passed.
"Along with you!" snapped Myles, pushing the last few out the door.
When the awe-struck pages had disappeared Myles embraced her, and drew out a chair, beaconing her to sit. She sat, looking around her own old class room, remembering the many hours she had spent there.
"I'm so glad to see you." said Myles, looking at her seriously.
"I'm happy to see you too." Myles looked at her meaningfully.
"Is there a particular reason you're here?"
"No, just…" she hesitated, looking into his face, and remembering how hard it was to lie to Myles. "Yes," she conceded.
"You don't have to tell me." He assured. "But remember I'm here to help if you need it. Are we battling evil sorcerer or thwarting plots against the throne?"
"No," she shook her head, "It's something a little more complicated."
"Ah." Said Myles knowingly. "Jonathan." Her face darkened, remembering the scene earlier.
"Yes," she admitted.
"He's been as dark as thunder since we arrived home - Mithros, since we left you!"
"You don't have to tell me." Said Alanna, darkly. "He's unbelievable!" she raged. She clenched her fists, glowering.
Myles looked dangerously close to laughing and she rounded on him.
"Why are you laughing, you're supposed to be on my side." She pouted, glaring angrily at Myles
"I am." Myles assured. "He's a proud one, Alanna, and so are you." said Myles gently. "All you can do is hope to teach each other humility."
"Well thankyou very much." retorted Alanna, looking a little peeved, but knowing she was hearing the truth.
"You forget, I've seen you together so much, even if it's never been exactly candid. And I know how much you care about each other. Don't let your pride tear you apart."
"Will you give Jonathan this talk?" asked Alanna, grinning.
"You think I haven't already?" asked Myles, leaning towards her conspiratorially.
She laughed a little, and the old knight quickly joined in. Alanna grew serious again.
"There's more complications than you know, Myles. I don't know what to do. He doesn't seem to want anything to do with me. What am I going to do?" Alanna looked suddenly depressed.
"That's a question only you can answer. Maybe you two should just put…whatever happened in the desert behind you and talk about what you're going to do."
Alanna looked pensive. She hugged Myles
"Thankyou."
* * *
A/N: Please, please, please take the time to write me a review - I love hearing what you guys think!
Next chapter - very exciting - sword fights and all!