Alanna's Baby by Blue Mariah
Disclaimer: It all belongs to Tamora Pierce, (except Sarah and the Fanclub, but they're still fairly irrelevant)
A/N: Here, as promised is chapter 4 (another longish chapter I might say - by my standards anyway). I have a slight amendment to the promise made at the end of the last chapter - it's not a sword fight, exactly, but a sort of dagger fight. But if everyone feels cheated and wants a sword fight I'll try very hard to have one next chapter.
This chapter: Dagger fights, a reconciliation, perhaps?, more of Gary and Raoul, Faithful gets a few lines too, and the first appearance of the Lioness Fanclub!
Thankyou to all my darling reviewers, especially the regular ones. I literally grin for *days* after posting because I'm so excited by the reviews!
And without further ado:
Chapter 4
Alanna left the palace as darkness was falling. She had spend a restful afternoon with Myles, forgetting for a while her worries and simply enjoying herself with her old teacher.
She smiled, feeling peaceful for the first time since coming to Corus.
She walked back through the city sunk deeply in thought: a dangerous thing to do in Corus at dusk. A dark figure skulked in the shadows of a building, watching her as she passed. More figures watched from the roof. She passed them all oblivious.
She was suddenly grabbed from behind, a knife point pressed into her throat.
"This is no place for a noble lady." Commented a rough voice in her ear. She sprang swiftly from her reverie into the alertness of a battle situation. She held herself stiffly in his grasp, knowing her legs were hampered by the billowing skirts.
"Mithros, who'd be a lady!" she wondered briefly.
"Just hand over you money purse, m'lady, and you'll come to nee harm." She positioned herself slightly and drove her elbow back into her assailant's stomach. Shocked, he released her, doubling up and clutching his stomach. She swirled and tried to kick out in the skirt - a mistake, she discovered. The kick was virtually ineffectual in the long skirts, and her attacker was recovering fast.
She swept the ground with her eyes, looking for the knife which he had dropped. She saw it just as she heard the others dropping from the roof tops and running footsteps behind her. She was functioning on automatic, noting the number of attackers and their positions as she planned her own attack. The odds were not on her side: there were at least three on the roof and the running footsteps meant five to one. She swooped on the knife and turned to greet the maker of the footsteps. She turned, preparing to stab her attacker before he had time to attack her. His face caught her eye as she turned, a strong jaw line, blue eyes and coal black hair: Jonathan. She faltered, then turned back to the real attackers. Jonathan caught her eye as they moved into position; back to back, protecting each other once again.
Alanna focused on her the fallen attacker who was quickly rising to his feet. Behind her Jonathan was keeping the others at bay with wide sweeps of his sword. The first attacker drew another knife and swore as he launched himself at her. She sidestepped his lunge and caught hold of his arm, bringing her own knife up under his rib cage. He fell and she turned to help Jonathan. She noted one attacker on the ground, a growing stain covering his torso. Jonathan was fighting the other attacker. She looked around quickly, remembering there had been four men. The fourth attacker was skulking in the shadows, waiting until Jonathan's back was turned to launch himself in to the fray. She yelled and ran towards him, wishing she had her sword. The attacker, caught off guard by her yell turned, and she lashed out quickly, slicing the blade down his right side and catching him off balance a moment later with a punch to the jaw. He stumbled backwards into an alley and quickly fled. Turning she found Jonathan alone, sword still in hand, a trickle of blood running down his temple. She swallowed hard as he looked into her eyes.
"Thanks." She said gruffly. He smiled slightly
"Thankyou." he snorted "Still protecting my back, huh?"
"I guess so." Her eyes flicked to the small cut above his brow. "Are you alright?"
"Yes." He said gently. "You?"
She nodded. They seemed to be talking about more than the fight.
"I'm…"he paused. "I'm glad you've come back."
"You certainly haven't been acting that way. Were you following me?" she asked suspiciously.
He looked a little embarrassed. "A bit." She was about to respond indignantly, but she quickly bit her tongue, wondering what would have happened if he hadn't turned up.
"You could have taken them." He commented, as if reading her thoughts. She smiled.
"I'd better walk you the rest of the way." Alanna frowned, but grudgingly agreed.
They walked in silence, two dark figures in the dark city. Jonathan glanced sideways at Alanna, who kept her eyes firmly on the alley ahead of them.
Jonathan paused a block from the Dancing Dove, turning to face Alanna.
"I'm…" he looked into her eyes, raising her face with a trembling hand to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry." He said with obvious effort. Alanna felt choked with emotion. She bit her lip, trying not to cry. Jonathan watched her worriedly. She wiped at her eye, embarrassed to be crying. She looked up and caught his worried look. She laughed in relief, flinging her arms around Jonathan's neck and hugging him tightly.
"Thankyou." she snuffled into his shoulder. He held her tightly and she clung to him.
"You'd better go in. These streets aren't the safest place to be." Said Jon when she relinquished her grip. She grinned, still a little teary. Jon wiped an imaginary tear from her check and turned to go. She watched as Jonathan disappeared into the darkness before she walked inside.
* * *
The tavern was crowded, and she slipped quietly through the crowd, drawing as little attention as she could. She slipped into George's small upstairs dining room, in search of some food, where she found George pacing worriedly.
"Alanna." He hurried over to her. "I was getting worried." He caught sight of a blood stain on the silk of her dress and his eyes widened.
"Are you alright?" he asked frantically.
"Yes, I'm fine. I was attacked. In an alley. It was my own fault, I wasn't paying attention. And dresses aren't the best thing for fighting in." George narrowed his eyes.
"My people?" he asked. Alanna had a feeling the attackers who had got away would be regretting it if they were George's people. And even if they weren't
"I don't know." She considered, wrinkling her brow. "I didn't know them, but I haven't been in Corus for a while."
"How many?" asked George.
"Five, no four. We killed two of them, the other two ran."
"I'll look into it." said George ominously. Alanna wiped a strand of hair away from her face, looking tired.
"I'd better go and wash."
"Do you want some food?" he asked, looking her over critically.
"Yes, thankyou." George nodded.
"I'll have Sarah bring it along to you in bed."
"Thanks."
"How was Jon?" George asked as she made her way to the door. She knew those shrewd eyes hadn't missed anything. She turned smiling.
"Good." She said. "I think thing are better." She smiled with hope and light in her face, and George watched her tenderly as she walked along the corridor to the bathroom.
* * *
Alanna emersed herself in the warm soapy water. The bath tub was cramped and small, but the hot, scented water was absolute heaven. She sat and gazed wonderingly at her own stomach, wondering what was going on in there. It was amazing to think that a baby was growing inside her.
"How am I going to manage to be a mother?" She worried to Faithful. "I can't look after a baby - I don't know anything about babies!"
You can learn, commented Faithful from the edge of the bath where he was fastidiously washing a paw and giving the water a disapproving look.
"But what's going to happen to my adventuring. I can't take a baby on adventures."
If you married Jonathan you probably wouldn't have to. You'd probably never see it - it'd be swamped in nursemaids.
"They wouldn't let me go on adventures."
"Probably not, but you could change that. I have no doubt. You've changed everything else you didn't like about the world." Faithful commented dryly.
Alanna splashed at him and he leapt off the edge of the bath, leaving Alanna to enjoy the caress of the hot water.
* * *
The next morning Alanna rose late. She dressed and went downstairs to find George and some breakfast. She searched for the thief for some time and eventually went out into the stable yard. A group of youths were hovering cautiously around the entrance. They looked up as she shut the door behind her and walked into the yard, feeling for the dagger which she decided to keep her waist since last night's attack. She watched them curiously. There seemed to be some sort of subdued argument going on. Three of the boys stood back as they pushed forward the fourth who was desperately trying to regain a position as the back of the group. Eventually the boy lost the fight and stalked forward, shooting resentful looks back over his shoulder, and shyly glancing at Alanna in between. Alanna stopped to watch them. She was dressed in plain green skirts and cream brocade bodice over a full sleeved linen shirt, with the knife hanging visibly from a soft belt. She reached for it, but his youth really didn't look very threatening. He reacher her and began to speak.
"Beggin' yer pardon, mistress, but…they's saying all 'round the city that …that the Lioness is here, mistress."
Alanna looked towards the group hovering a little way off.
"Where are you boys from?" she asked, taken aback that she'd attracted any attention.
"Just round about, mistress. We wanted to see the Lioness. They says as she killed a bunch of thieves last night, an' all. Is it true, then?"
"Yes, it's true." Said a voice from behind her. Alanna turned to find that George had appeared behind her. The boy took one look at George and his eyes widened. He tugged his forelock respectfully to them both and headed back to his group.
Alanna turned to glare at George.
"I see ye've got yerself a followin'." Commented George, grinning wickedly.
"Don't be stupid." He said. George grinned, and ducked Alanna's swipe at him.
Alanna went back out tot he stables, meaning to tend to Moonlight. The boys were still loitering excitedly just outside the stable yard, knowing they'd be chased off if they entered. Walking towards her however were two large figures. The boys' eyes were standing out on stalks as these two, obviously knights, strolled casually towards her.
"Alanna!" cried Gary, extending his arms. Alanna grinned at these two, big idiots as they were, she thought affectionately.
There was a scuffling amongst the boys.
"That's her, I tell you!" one of them cried. Gary and Raoul turned.
"What's all this then?" asked Raoul, eyebrow raised.
"Well, it's obviously her admirers, isn't it." said Gary, grinning at Alanna's obvious discomfiture. She punched him playfully and he groaned and staggered in mock pain.
"So I take it Jon's not going to have you both beheaded for talking to me?" asked Alanna.
"No," said Raoul who'd been looking Moonlight over. "In fact, he send us especially to tell you it's the midwinter ball tomorrow."
"Very contrite." Added Gary to Alanna. "Doesn't know what came over him."
"Although we could think of one or two things.'
"Anyway, his royal highness would be most gracious if you would grace him, and our fair court, with your presence tomorrow evening."
"And sends his humble apologises that he couldn't deliver this invitation in person, but he was detained on state business."
"Have you ever thought of getting a position as a herald, Raoul?"
"No, but you know, I think we'd be rather good at it."
"All we need are the plumes." Agreed Gary. Both of them were doing their very best to look put out by the insult of this errand, and failing miserably, but grinning widely. Alanna laughed at their antics; pleased to have her two large friends back again.
* * *
And I think that's it.
Well, what did you think?
Reviews are like cookies…I don't know why, but it sounded good didn't it? Hang on, I've thought of a reason: they are sweet, and scrumptious, and greatly appreciated. Look on yourselves as the bakers of cookies, and please leave a review.
(I'm listening to the 2nd Moulin Rouge soundtrack, and it's so sad, I'm nearly crying. I don't know if that's an excuse for the bizarre remarks about cookies, but it's better than nothing.)
Please leave a review/cookie, I really do love reading/eating them!
BM
PS. If you enjoyed this please read my other fic - Old Lovers, Ta.
Disclaimer: It all belongs to Tamora Pierce, (except Sarah and the Fanclub, but they're still fairly irrelevant)
A/N: Here, as promised is chapter 4 (another longish chapter I might say - by my standards anyway). I have a slight amendment to the promise made at the end of the last chapter - it's not a sword fight, exactly, but a sort of dagger fight. But if everyone feels cheated and wants a sword fight I'll try very hard to have one next chapter.
This chapter: Dagger fights, a reconciliation, perhaps?, more of Gary and Raoul, Faithful gets a few lines too, and the first appearance of the Lioness Fanclub!
Thankyou to all my darling reviewers, especially the regular ones. I literally grin for *days* after posting because I'm so excited by the reviews!
And without further ado:
Chapter 4
Alanna left the palace as darkness was falling. She had spend a restful afternoon with Myles, forgetting for a while her worries and simply enjoying herself with her old teacher.
She smiled, feeling peaceful for the first time since coming to Corus.
She walked back through the city sunk deeply in thought: a dangerous thing to do in Corus at dusk. A dark figure skulked in the shadows of a building, watching her as she passed. More figures watched from the roof. She passed them all oblivious.
She was suddenly grabbed from behind, a knife point pressed into her throat.
"This is no place for a noble lady." Commented a rough voice in her ear. She sprang swiftly from her reverie into the alertness of a battle situation. She held herself stiffly in his grasp, knowing her legs were hampered by the billowing skirts.
"Mithros, who'd be a lady!" she wondered briefly.
"Just hand over you money purse, m'lady, and you'll come to nee harm." She positioned herself slightly and drove her elbow back into her assailant's stomach. Shocked, he released her, doubling up and clutching his stomach. She swirled and tried to kick out in the skirt - a mistake, she discovered. The kick was virtually ineffectual in the long skirts, and her attacker was recovering fast.
She swept the ground with her eyes, looking for the knife which he had dropped. She saw it just as she heard the others dropping from the roof tops and running footsteps behind her. She was functioning on automatic, noting the number of attackers and their positions as she planned her own attack. The odds were not on her side: there were at least three on the roof and the running footsteps meant five to one. She swooped on the knife and turned to greet the maker of the footsteps. She turned, preparing to stab her attacker before he had time to attack her. His face caught her eye as she turned, a strong jaw line, blue eyes and coal black hair: Jonathan. She faltered, then turned back to the real attackers. Jonathan caught her eye as they moved into position; back to back, protecting each other once again.
Alanna focused on her the fallen attacker who was quickly rising to his feet. Behind her Jonathan was keeping the others at bay with wide sweeps of his sword. The first attacker drew another knife and swore as he launched himself at her. She sidestepped his lunge and caught hold of his arm, bringing her own knife up under his rib cage. He fell and she turned to help Jonathan. She noted one attacker on the ground, a growing stain covering his torso. Jonathan was fighting the other attacker. She looked around quickly, remembering there had been four men. The fourth attacker was skulking in the shadows, waiting until Jonathan's back was turned to launch himself in to the fray. She yelled and ran towards him, wishing she had her sword. The attacker, caught off guard by her yell turned, and she lashed out quickly, slicing the blade down his right side and catching him off balance a moment later with a punch to the jaw. He stumbled backwards into an alley and quickly fled. Turning she found Jonathan alone, sword still in hand, a trickle of blood running down his temple. She swallowed hard as he looked into her eyes.
"Thanks." She said gruffly. He smiled slightly
"Thankyou." he snorted "Still protecting my back, huh?"
"I guess so." Her eyes flicked to the small cut above his brow. "Are you alright?"
"Yes." He said gently. "You?"
She nodded. They seemed to be talking about more than the fight.
"I'm…"he paused. "I'm glad you've come back."
"You certainly haven't been acting that way. Were you following me?" she asked suspiciously.
He looked a little embarrassed. "A bit." She was about to respond indignantly, but she quickly bit her tongue, wondering what would have happened if he hadn't turned up.
"You could have taken them." He commented, as if reading her thoughts. She smiled.
"I'd better walk you the rest of the way." Alanna frowned, but grudgingly agreed.
They walked in silence, two dark figures in the dark city. Jonathan glanced sideways at Alanna, who kept her eyes firmly on the alley ahead of them.
Jonathan paused a block from the Dancing Dove, turning to face Alanna.
"I'm…" he looked into her eyes, raising her face with a trembling hand to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry." He said with obvious effort. Alanna felt choked with emotion. She bit her lip, trying not to cry. Jonathan watched her worriedly. She wiped at her eye, embarrassed to be crying. She looked up and caught his worried look. She laughed in relief, flinging her arms around Jonathan's neck and hugging him tightly.
"Thankyou." she snuffled into his shoulder. He held her tightly and she clung to him.
"You'd better go in. These streets aren't the safest place to be." Said Jon when she relinquished her grip. She grinned, still a little teary. Jon wiped an imaginary tear from her check and turned to go. She watched as Jonathan disappeared into the darkness before she walked inside.
* * *
The tavern was crowded, and she slipped quietly through the crowd, drawing as little attention as she could. She slipped into George's small upstairs dining room, in search of some food, where she found George pacing worriedly.
"Alanna." He hurried over to her. "I was getting worried." He caught sight of a blood stain on the silk of her dress and his eyes widened.
"Are you alright?" he asked frantically.
"Yes, I'm fine. I was attacked. In an alley. It was my own fault, I wasn't paying attention. And dresses aren't the best thing for fighting in." George narrowed his eyes.
"My people?" he asked. Alanna had a feeling the attackers who had got away would be regretting it if they were George's people. And even if they weren't
"I don't know." She considered, wrinkling her brow. "I didn't know them, but I haven't been in Corus for a while."
"How many?" asked George.
"Five, no four. We killed two of them, the other two ran."
"I'll look into it." said George ominously. Alanna wiped a strand of hair away from her face, looking tired.
"I'd better go and wash."
"Do you want some food?" he asked, looking her over critically.
"Yes, thankyou." George nodded.
"I'll have Sarah bring it along to you in bed."
"Thanks."
"How was Jon?" George asked as she made her way to the door. She knew those shrewd eyes hadn't missed anything. She turned smiling.
"Good." She said. "I think thing are better." She smiled with hope and light in her face, and George watched her tenderly as she walked along the corridor to the bathroom.
* * *
Alanna emersed herself in the warm soapy water. The bath tub was cramped and small, but the hot, scented water was absolute heaven. She sat and gazed wonderingly at her own stomach, wondering what was going on in there. It was amazing to think that a baby was growing inside her.
"How am I going to manage to be a mother?" She worried to Faithful. "I can't look after a baby - I don't know anything about babies!"
You can learn, commented Faithful from the edge of the bath where he was fastidiously washing a paw and giving the water a disapproving look.
"But what's going to happen to my adventuring. I can't take a baby on adventures."
If you married Jonathan you probably wouldn't have to. You'd probably never see it - it'd be swamped in nursemaids.
"They wouldn't let me go on adventures."
"Probably not, but you could change that. I have no doubt. You've changed everything else you didn't like about the world." Faithful commented dryly.
Alanna splashed at him and he leapt off the edge of the bath, leaving Alanna to enjoy the caress of the hot water.
* * *
The next morning Alanna rose late. She dressed and went downstairs to find George and some breakfast. She searched for the thief for some time and eventually went out into the stable yard. A group of youths were hovering cautiously around the entrance. They looked up as she shut the door behind her and walked into the yard, feeling for the dagger which she decided to keep her waist since last night's attack. She watched them curiously. There seemed to be some sort of subdued argument going on. Three of the boys stood back as they pushed forward the fourth who was desperately trying to regain a position as the back of the group. Eventually the boy lost the fight and stalked forward, shooting resentful looks back over his shoulder, and shyly glancing at Alanna in between. Alanna stopped to watch them. She was dressed in plain green skirts and cream brocade bodice over a full sleeved linen shirt, with the knife hanging visibly from a soft belt. She reached for it, but his youth really didn't look very threatening. He reacher her and began to speak.
"Beggin' yer pardon, mistress, but…they's saying all 'round the city that …that the Lioness is here, mistress."
Alanna looked towards the group hovering a little way off.
"Where are you boys from?" she asked, taken aback that she'd attracted any attention.
"Just round about, mistress. We wanted to see the Lioness. They says as she killed a bunch of thieves last night, an' all. Is it true, then?"
"Yes, it's true." Said a voice from behind her. Alanna turned to find that George had appeared behind her. The boy took one look at George and his eyes widened. He tugged his forelock respectfully to them both and headed back to his group.
Alanna turned to glare at George.
"I see ye've got yerself a followin'." Commented George, grinning wickedly.
"Don't be stupid." He said. George grinned, and ducked Alanna's swipe at him.
Alanna went back out tot he stables, meaning to tend to Moonlight. The boys were still loitering excitedly just outside the stable yard, knowing they'd be chased off if they entered. Walking towards her however were two large figures. The boys' eyes were standing out on stalks as these two, obviously knights, strolled casually towards her.
"Alanna!" cried Gary, extending his arms. Alanna grinned at these two, big idiots as they were, she thought affectionately.
There was a scuffling amongst the boys.
"That's her, I tell you!" one of them cried. Gary and Raoul turned.
"What's all this then?" asked Raoul, eyebrow raised.
"Well, it's obviously her admirers, isn't it." said Gary, grinning at Alanna's obvious discomfiture. She punched him playfully and he groaned and staggered in mock pain.
"So I take it Jon's not going to have you both beheaded for talking to me?" asked Alanna.
"No," said Raoul who'd been looking Moonlight over. "In fact, he send us especially to tell you it's the midwinter ball tomorrow."
"Very contrite." Added Gary to Alanna. "Doesn't know what came over him."
"Although we could think of one or two things.'
"Anyway, his royal highness would be most gracious if you would grace him, and our fair court, with your presence tomorrow evening."
"And sends his humble apologises that he couldn't deliver this invitation in person, but he was detained on state business."
"Have you ever thought of getting a position as a herald, Raoul?"
"No, but you know, I think we'd be rather good at it."
"All we need are the plumes." Agreed Gary. Both of them were doing their very best to look put out by the insult of this errand, and failing miserably, but grinning widely. Alanna laughed at their antics; pleased to have her two large friends back again.
* * *
And I think that's it.
Well, what did you think?
Reviews are like cookies…I don't know why, but it sounded good didn't it? Hang on, I've thought of a reason: they are sweet, and scrumptious, and greatly appreciated. Look on yourselves as the bakers of cookies, and please leave a review.
(I'm listening to the 2nd Moulin Rouge soundtrack, and it's so sad, I'm nearly crying. I don't know if that's an excuse for the bizarre remarks about cookies, but it's better than nothing.)
Please leave a review/cookie, I really do love reading/eating them!
BM
PS. If you enjoyed this please read my other fic - Old Lovers, Ta.