Time and Again

Time and Again

Chapter 1

Rated PG (Just in Case)

By LynaQT

E-mail: Lyna_Q.T@miakaandtamahome.com

Disclaimer: These amazing characters belong to Tamora Pierce. I haven't a dime, so don't sue.

Chapter 1: She Arrives

Morning…

"Neal, what is going on?" Kel had been back at the palace for only a week and today everyone was busy. Classes were distracted, and everyone seemed to be doing menial tasks. Even Joren wasn't around to bug Kel or any other first year pages. Servants were scrambling everywhere: dusting this, cleaning that, washing this, and drying that. It was the first meal of the day and time to finally get the lowdown on what was going on.

"You're in luck, my good friend," Nealan of Queenscove was in a chipper mood even though it was morning. He grabbed an apple and loaded his plate with scrambled eggs. "Guess who is coming to our lovely Corus? Come on…I'll give hints."

"Luck? A unique choice of words, so is it royalty? The way the servants have been acting all morning, it must be someone important." Kel added an extra bread roll to her platter for her feathered roommates. "Hmm…Maybe someone from Mindelan? Wait, it must be Princess Chisakami, right?"

"Close, but no cigar," Neal took one impassive look into Kel's eyes, raised an eyebrow, and laughed at the bewildered look of a Yamani. "Let's just say that this person in question is one you have been dying to meet ever since you came here."

"ALANNA!" Kel thought over that last sentence for about a second, dropped her meal, and ran to her room with Neal close behind. "How can you even call my guess CLOSE?!? Dear Yama, what am I going to SAY?!"

"Slow down! KEL! We haven't even EATEN YET! You KNOW we can't eat without ALL the pages." By the time Neal caught up with Kel, they were already at her door. "Besides, it was CLOSE just because you guessed. Last year, you would have given me some stoic expression and expected me to answer you plainly. At least now, you humor me."

Kel seemed to be at a mental standstill after such an un-Yamani outburst over her hero. "When is she coming? Which cat should I bring? Do you think I will get to see her? Why did she come back?"

"I think the black cat would be the best. Did you know that when Alanna was a squire she had a black cat with violet eyes? She called him Faithful. I read that he would perch on her shou —Ouch!"

"Answer my PERTINENT questions PLEASE or I'll punch you again…HARDER," Kel for once couldn't control her emotions and she did not have time to waste. She had to figure out how to worm her way to see the Lioness.

Neal absentmindedly rubbed his bruised shoulder. It would take another beating in the morning training. Sigh. "Be that way. Afternoon. The black one. Maybe. I don't know. Why, out of all reactions you could have possibly taken, do you run to your room for a cat?"

"I need the luck." Kel pocketed her black porcelain cat that was crafted to look like it was waking from a nap.

"You know what? I think you need all the luck you can get because now we are phenomenally late for breakfast. Our lovely Lord Stump will probably punish us with so many chores that we will never have the time to meet Alanna at all."

"DAMN IT!"

Morning…

"Doesn't this seem familiar?" Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak was waiting at the port to welcome his old friend. "I thought you said you would never travel by sea again."

Alanna had no patience for jokes; she had lost what little food she had eaten on that godforsaken sea. "Don't test me. There was no time and the fastest way to get to Corus was by sea. Believe me if time WASN'T of the essence I would have taken a leisurely journey by ROAD."

"What is the rush? Are the Scanrans planning another invasion?" Raoul knew that Alanna had spent most of last year keeping the Scanran raiders in their place.

"Not that I know of. I came back because of personal reasons." Alanna packed her bags on her saddle and hoisted herself on. "We should head out now, if we are going to be in Corus before sunset."

"Whatever you say, Lioness." Raoul was curious, but of course kept to himself. Each to his—her—own. "Let's ride."

Afternoon…

They had finally arrived. Jon had been waiting for Alanna, since the day she left a year ago, to return home. It wasn't often that they got in a fight, and the Kelandry issue had turned into a full on war. But he supposed that after a year of waiting, it was the time for forgiveness. He ordered an informal dinner celebration for the return of the King's Champion. He hoped that the bonds of friendship would be re-mended and that their relationship would return to what it once was.

Jon knew that he could not allow Alanna to have contact with Kel still, but after Kel became a squire there would be a new compromise to be made…

Evening…

"Cheers to the return of our Champion and may she know that she is always wanted here," Jon looked directly into violet eyes with that sentiment. "Besides it has been far to boring without our Lioness to keep us on our toes."

"Thank you for this elegant welcome, Jon. I'm sorry I came back without more than a day's notice, but I had forgotten what an important day this is." Alanna wasn't sure how she should approach the subject of her arrival, but she knew that they needed an answer and soon.

The dinner assemblage was comprised of all of Alanna's friends, colleagues, and family. George arrived with the children earlier that day, but with the preparation for the dinner Alanna had not had the time to properly greet her husband.

"This is the day when I'm supposed to receive a gift from someone very important to me," Alanna looked up from her palms and saw that everyone was listening intently. How should I go about telling them my gift is from the Great Mother Goddess…Well, they don't need to know all the details… Yes, the less they know the better. And I might as well spill the info. Gary looks like he is about to fall out of his seat, Alanna thought with an inward chuckle. "Anyway, I don't know why I'm beating around the bush, so I will just say it. My 'gift' is of magical descent. And it should be arriving in approximately ten seconds, which is why I practically killed myself to get here, in Corrus, on time."

The word 'magical' got Numair's attention and I could practically hear everyone counting down. 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…

With that, a flash of brightness enveloped the dining hall. The light was so bright at first it looked white, but gradually as everyone's eyes adjusted there was a hint of violet. The power was so immense those with the gift felt a slight twinge of pain, but as quickly as the pain had come; a peace encircled them all. The light receded and all that was left was a young brunette girl.

Well, I DID say approximately…

"Everyone, I would like you all to greet my niece, my Brother Thom's daughter, Lady Alexis of Trebond."

A/N. Well, that is pretty good for a day's work. Please read and review. I'd appreciate all the advice. I have not read Page yet and I MUST review the Immortal Series, because I DO DO DO want to use all, if not most of the beloved characters we know. Plot Copyright 2001, May.