"Jon! Could you just-"
"Sorry, I have to check Shadow. I'll be with you shortly." He vanished down a passageway, not waiting for a response.
"No, you won't," she whispered, leaning against a wall. "You never have any time for me."
"Are you feeling unwell, Thayet?" The concerned voice was Alanna's. The Lioness and Daine joined the Queen.
"I think he's having an affair." The Queen had spoken softly, but the King's Champion and the WildMage caught every word.
"Of course he's not," Alanna said, heatedly. "He wouldn't dare, right, Daine?"
Daine was uncomfortable, knowing that he would, he'd do it right under their noses, with the person they least expected it to be. "I...have to...the cats."
"Sorry?" Alanna's eyes flickered suspiciously. Daine backed away.
"Ah, kitchen cats. They're calling for me. Ill, you see." Without waiting for a response, she ran.
*
"They know."
"Sorry?"
"Well, they suspect. Just now. Thayet thinks you're having an affair. Alanna too." She was breathing raggedly, her hair falling in front of her eyes.
"I'm glad they have so much faith in me." He was fairly insulted, all those years of loyalty, and this was his thanks.
"Jon, you are having an affair," she pointed out, folding her arms across her chest.
He kissed her. "I know. It's wonderful, isn't it?"
She pulled back. "No! It isn't! It's painful, it's deceitful, it's hurtful, and it's lying."
"Did you run out of words ending in 'ful'? Look, it shouldn't matter what they think. It should only matter what you think."
She smiled, and kissed him in return. "So I shouldn't care what you think?"
He grinned. "You already do mind what I think? I'm touched."
He had misread her however, the kiss now appeared to have been a parting one. She stepped back from him, her determination clear from her stance. "So since it doesn't matter what you think, I should have no trouble doing what I've come here to do."
Jon paled. He sensed she had a well-thought out plan in mind.
"We should finish. Before Thayet finds out. Before Alanna has time to kill me, and mount my head on the wall."
He gulped as he searched for another alternative, not liking the only one he came up with that would please her. "I'll tell Alanna about us," he promised. "She'll see reason."
"And I'll just get a nice headboard, shall I?" She eyed him. "Keep her away from sharp objects when you tell her."
"Afraid for my well-being?"
"You should be, too."
He sighed. "Thank you for your comforting words." She laughed, and kissed him.
"Good luck. You'll need it," she muttered as he went to tell his best friend he was having an affair.
"Sorry, I have to check Shadow. I'll be with you shortly." He vanished down a passageway, not waiting for a response.
"No, you won't," she whispered, leaning against a wall. "You never have any time for me."
"Are you feeling unwell, Thayet?" The concerned voice was Alanna's. The Lioness and Daine joined the Queen.
"I think he's having an affair." The Queen had spoken softly, but the King's Champion and the WildMage caught every word.
"Of course he's not," Alanna said, heatedly. "He wouldn't dare, right, Daine?"
Daine was uncomfortable, knowing that he would, he'd do it right under their noses, with the person they least expected it to be. "I...have to...the cats."
"Sorry?" Alanna's eyes flickered suspiciously. Daine backed away.
"Ah, kitchen cats. They're calling for me. Ill, you see." Without waiting for a response, she ran.
*
"They know."
"Sorry?"
"Well, they suspect. Just now. Thayet thinks you're having an affair. Alanna too." She was breathing raggedly, her hair falling in front of her eyes.
"I'm glad they have so much faith in me." He was fairly insulted, all those years of loyalty, and this was his thanks.
"Jon, you are having an affair," she pointed out, folding her arms across her chest.
He kissed her. "I know. It's wonderful, isn't it?"
She pulled back. "No! It isn't! It's painful, it's deceitful, it's hurtful, and it's lying."
"Did you run out of words ending in 'ful'? Look, it shouldn't matter what they think. It should only matter what you think."
She smiled, and kissed him in return. "So I shouldn't care what you think?"
He grinned. "You already do mind what I think? I'm touched."
He had misread her however, the kiss now appeared to have been a parting one. She stepped back from him, her determination clear from her stance. "So since it doesn't matter what you think, I should have no trouble doing what I've come here to do."
Jon paled. He sensed she had a well-thought out plan in mind.
"We should finish. Before Thayet finds out. Before Alanna has time to kill me, and mount my head on the wall."
He gulped as he searched for another alternative, not liking the only one he came up with that would please her. "I'll tell Alanna about us," he promised. "She'll see reason."
"And I'll just get a nice headboard, shall I?" She eyed him. "Keep her away from sharp objects when you tell her."
"Afraid for my well-being?"
"You should be, too."
He sighed. "Thank you for your comforting words." She laughed, and kissed him.
"Good luck. You'll need it," she muttered as he went to tell his best friend he was having an affair.