Subj: shanglioness4
Date: 6/5/01 10:11:26 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Starbucks95
To: Zizikicafe


Hey Alanna," Beth called, "Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you. Did you know the Shang Dragon is here!?"
Alanna stopped walking and turned to face Beth, "Yeah, I talked to him last night." She didn't mention their conversation though.
Beth's jaw dropped, "You didn't. Did you? Ohmygosh you did! And you didn't tell me! How could you!? I mean we're like best friends and best friends share this stuff right. That's just the way it is. I can't believe it, I just can't b-"
"Beth," Alanna interrupted, "Stop blabbering, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I couldn't find you." She also didn't mention that she hadn't intended on telling her, but she figured she should leave that out.
"So what did you talk about?"
"Shang. He asked me how old I was, did I like Shang, you know typical stuff. And can we walk? I really want to get back to the room. After practice some boy pushed me in the mud."
Beth examined Alanna's clothes now noticing the mud all over them, "Oh all right."
After they'd reached the room and Alanna had changed clothes, the two of them started to straighten their room. As Alanna picked up her pillow off the ground there was a sound coming from the door. She looked up to see Beth picking up a sheet of paper.
"What does it say?" Alanna inquired.
" It says 'Lioness, I'll try'. There's no signature. Who's the Lioness? I guess they got the wrong room," Beth wondered.
"Yeah, I guess," Alanna muttered with a smile on her face. He remembered. Yes.
"Well I'm done why don't I help you Alanna?" Beth asked.
"No, no I'm fine. You go and talk to Rachel. We haven't talked to her in a while. Go find out where she is and talk. I'll catch up later."
"How will you find us?" Seeing Alanna's look, she tried to discourage her, "Alanna, no. You know the Masters see the Gift as a crutch. I really don't know how they let you stay in, but please don't use it."
"Okay, Beth I won't use it. After you've talked come back with her so I can talk to her."
"Okay that works, but I'll wait for a while so you can clean your room," Elizabeth pounced out of the room.
Alanna hurried to finish her side of the room, she needed time to think and she couldn't do that while cleaning. When she finished she climbed onto her favorite part of the room- the window. It was nice a wide so she could fit in it. She crawled in, and settled back to think.
Would Liam really keep his promise? Of course he would, he seemed to really like her, and he'd slipped her a note that basically said he would and it had included his pet name for her. He'd remember, he had too.
That out of the way, she decided to think about something that had bothered her for quite some time.
Did she really want to be Shang? Or did she want to be a knight. She knew it was impossible for her to become a knight. There hadn't been a woman knight in a century! But wouldn't it be cool to be the first? Yes it would have, but she wouldn't have met the friends she had now, and she wouldn't know how to fight like she could. Yes, being Shang had it's advantages.
She leaned back to imagine what it would be like to be a page. She might make a lot of friends, but it would be hard. She'd have this huge secret, she hated secrets. But she might get to meet the prince who everyone said was very handsome. She grinned trying to imagine what he'd look like. Right as the image came into focus the door opened.
"Hey Alanna!" Rachel called, "Long time, no see."
Alanna hopped off, "So true, so having fun?"
"Oh yes, I'm having so much fun. They're teaching us on herbal remedies and other things that "could save our life", as our teacher says."
Alanna chuckled. Rachel had never like her teachers. "Where's Beth?"
"Oh, some guy stopped her in hall and started flirting with her. I figured it would be best just to leave them alone."
"Yes it would be. When she starts flirting she never stops." Rachel nodded, for she and Alanna had both seen Beth flirting.
"Ok, this is depressing me. What else can we talk about?" Rachel said, "Oh I know the Shang Dragon."
Alanna cringed.
"No? You don't want to talk about the Dragon?"
"No, I don't. That's all anyone talks about. I'm sick of it."
"Oh I guess I see your point. Well what do you want to talk about?"
"How about the stuff they call food that they're now serving you and us."
"Oh dearie I have it worse. Once a week I'm forced to go out and find herbs from the forest, and eat it. That is my lunch and dinner. Starting next month it's everything I eat on that day. Then they add another day, and so on."
"Well that's good for you, but yesterday the apple I had had half a worm in it after I bit into it."
"You're kidding?"
"Nope."
They continued on for a while about this and many topics, until dinner.
87^87^87^87^87^87^87^87^87^
A year passed. Alanna became an expert on any weapon the Shang gave her, but sword was her best. The Shang masters were always surprised. Alanna made more friends, and she dreamed about what it would be like to be a page. Those were very interesting. Almost like a premonition, or that they were really happening. Beth was still a flirt, and she often had many guys come up to her. It was not uncommon for Alanna to come into her room to find Beth and another guy talking. Whenever she would talk with Rachel about it, Rachel always told her that she should wait until Beth becomes of age to lie with a man. Alanna cringed at the very thought. Beth was only 11. And every day Alanna prayed that Liam would come through.

Hehe sorry it's been so long, but it's summer for me and i've been busy with exams(my fave thing) O and i'd like to apologize 2 everyone i talk to. I'm apologizing for the other times i gloated about that, and no i will not stop or shut up. Thank u.