Old Lovers By Blue Mariah
Disclaimer: None of this is mine. Tortall and all it's wonderful characters are the creations of Tamora Pierce!
A/N This is my first Tamora Pierce fanfic - so I'm desperate for reviews! All
constructive criticism welcome. Please don't bother flaming - it's a waste of words
(which are a much more precious commodity than most people realise)
I'm sorry this sort of jumps straight into the story - I have an idea what has lead up the
current - but can't write it at the moment (it needs more time to percolate in my mind)
Anyway, basically Alanna has found marriage and domestic life a little constrictive
and so has escaped to court for a couple of months.
Also, I'm sorry if this doesn't tally with Tamora's later books, but I've only read Song
of the Lioness and the Immortals Quartet.
This takes place in an indeterminate time - about two years after Alanna is married to
George. Neither Alanna and George or Jon and Thayet have children at this time. I
hope I'm not screwing with Tamora's universe too much
Chapter 1 - Glances and Rebels
Alanna watched Jon carefully as she sat near him around his council table. It still
hypnotised her sometimes, watching him being king; being in control. To her, he
would always, to an extent at least, be that confused, angry, proud, seductively hungry
young man who bore such little resemblance to her king. She couldn't help feeling
that, impatient, arrogant and presuming as he had been, she had liked his fiery
passion.
"We cannot let the Tusaine rebels think..." he paused, noticing Alanna staring at him,
and catching her eyes. There was a moment's silence
"Jon?" Gary looked at his cousin. Jon's eyes were still focused firmly on Alanna's
gaze.
"Yeah,... sorry Gary." Jon turned back to his cousin as the King's champion blushed.
The meeting broke up some time later, and the room emptied quickly. Jon walked
over to a window and, rubbing his tired eyes, leaned against the sill. The trouble with
Tusaine was wearing. The Drell valley was under contention again. A group of
rebels had broken away from King Ain's control and, lead by Count Jemis, the king
suspected, were besieging the Drell River The conflict stirred up memories Jon
would rather have left in the past. How much had changed since then, how much they
had all learned, how far they'd come. He had not been to the Drell Valley since it
was last under siege. He had strong memories of that visit. It had been his first real
military service, but there had been other firsts too. Jon's thoughts lingered on the
memory of the purple eyes of his champion, adviser, friend. No, he thought, more
than friend.
* * * * *
The situation escalated over the next weeks. Eventually it became clear that the
valley would be taken by force if some military action was not taken. Jon deployed a
group of troops, lead by his Champion.
Myles met Gary one day in a corridor. The old knight rarely saw most of his old
pupils these days, and whenever he did he was more than ready for a good chat, but
today he had a specific agenda.
After some trivial conversation, Myles asked:
"Gary, why is Jonathan sending Alanna to the Drell Valley?" Myles looked at him
meaningfully. Gary rightly interpreted Myles' look and grimaced to him.
"I don't know. The situation doesn't warrant command by King's Champion, and as
far as I know, Alanna hasn't requested the post."
"I hope our king knows what he's doing." Mused Myles.
* * * * *
Alanna packed her thing in her small room. Tomorrow she was leaving for the River
Drell. She felt uncertain about the situation. Not the military situation, she knew she
could handle that. But, Jonathan ... why had he put her in command? The Drell
valley was full of memories for them both.
She was glad of the posting, though. The long journey to the boarder would mean she
was away for some weeks. George had been pressing for her to return to the swoop,
or for himself to take sojourn to court, so that they could see each other. With her
current tumultuous feelings, the last thing she wanted was to see George. And leaving
court would mean she wouldn't have to see Jon for a while either.
She was suddenly acutely aware of the barriers love could create. She desperately
wanted someone to talk through her problem, her feelings with. George was
instinctively her first option, but here was a problem she could not discuss with him.
She imagined hurting him, and gulped back a sob. She should never have married
him, never have given herself the opportunity to hurt him, as she knew she would if...
but the most hurtful thing of all was that she knew she was capable of it.
* * * * *
Thayet, still in bed, entangled in sheets, watched Jonathan as he dressed. Early
morning sunlight shone through the casement window and showed up the sharp
angles of his face and the strong icy colours of his hair, eyes, skin. She watched him,
admiring his sleek, muscled form. He seemed distant.
"Jon?" He turned and looked at her, almost blankly. Suddenly his brow creased and
he asked softly:
"Thayet, do you ever think about..."
"About what?" he paused and looked at her.
"Nothing." He shook his head and pulled a shirt over his head.
As he walked out the door, she heard him whisper softly: "Old lovers."
Thayet was left with an odd feeling as she instantly understood her husband's strange
mood. Old lovers...
Jon had had many lovers, of course, she knew that; most kings and princes did. He'd
been faithful to her thought, since their marriage, and she'd actually believed him to
be in love with her. For a while at least... What disturbed her most was that she had
known immediately who he meant when he whispered that phrase. She had tried to
ignore it, but she noticed some of the glances that passed between Jonathan and
Alanna.
Old lovers...
So, what do you think?
Please leave a review - or feel free to email me with one.
Disclaimer: None of this is mine. Tortall and all it's wonderful characters are the creations of Tamora Pierce!
A/N This is my first Tamora Pierce fanfic - so I'm desperate for reviews! All
constructive criticism welcome. Please don't bother flaming - it's a waste of words
(which are a much more precious commodity than most people realise)
I'm sorry this sort of jumps straight into the story - I have an idea what has lead up the
current - but can't write it at the moment (it needs more time to percolate in my mind)
Anyway, basically Alanna has found marriage and domestic life a little constrictive
and so has escaped to court for a couple of months.
Also, I'm sorry if this doesn't tally with Tamora's later books, but I've only read Song
of the Lioness and the Immortals Quartet.
This takes place in an indeterminate time - about two years after Alanna is married to
George. Neither Alanna and George or Jon and Thayet have children at this time. I
hope I'm not screwing with Tamora's universe too much
Chapter 1 - Glances and Rebels
Alanna watched Jon carefully as she sat near him around his council table. It still
hypnotised her sometimes, watching him being king; being in control. To her, he
would always, to an extent at least, be that confused, angry, proud, seductively hungry
young man who bore such little resemblance to her king. She couldn't help feeling
that, impatient, arrogant and presuming as he had been, she had liked his fiery
passion.
"We cannot let the Tusaine rebels think..." he paused, noticing Alanna staring at him,
and catching her eyes. There was a moment's silence
"Jon?" Gary looked at his cousin. Jon's eyes were still focused firmly on Alanna's
gaze.
"Yeah,... sorry Gary." Jon turned back to his cousin as the King's champion blushed.
The meeting broke up some time later, and the room emptied quickly. Jon walked
over to a window and, rubbing his tired eyes, leaned against the sill. The trouble with
Tusaine was wearing. The Drell valley was under contention again. A group of
rebels had broken away from King Ain's control and, lead by Count Jemis, the king
suspected, were besieging the Drell River The conflict stirred up memories Jon
would rather have left in the past. How much had changed since then, how much they
had all learned, how far they'd come. He had not been to the Drell Valley since it
was last under siege. He had strong memories of that visit. It had been his first real
military service, but there had been other firsts too. Jon's thoughts lingered on the
memory of the purple eyes of his champion, adviser, friend. No, he thought, more
than friend.
* * * * *
The situation escalated over the next weeks. Eventually it became clear that the
valley would be taken by force if some military action was not taken. Jon deployed a
group of troops, lead by his Champion.
Myles met Gary one day in a corridor. The old knight rarely saw most of his old
pupils these days, and whenever he did he was more than ready for a good chat, but
today he had a specific agenda.
After some trivial conversation, Myles asked:
"Gary, why is Jonathan sending Alanna to the Drell Valley?" Myles looked at him
meaningfully. Gary rightly interpreted Myles' look and grimaced to him.
"I don't know. The situation doesn't warrant command by King's Champion, and as
far as I know, Alanna hasn't requested the post."
"I hope our king knows what he's doing." Mused Myles.
* * * * *
Alanna packed her thing in her small room. Tomorrow she was leaving for the River
Drell. She felt uncertain about the situation. Not the military situation, she knew she
could handle that. But, Jonathan ... why had he put her in command? The Drell
valley was full of memories for them both.
She was glad of the posting, though. The long journey to the boarder would mean she
was away for some weeks. George had been pressing for her to return to the swoop,
or for himself to take sojourn to court, so that they could see each other. With her
current tumultuous feelings, the last thing she wanted was to see George. And leaving
court would mean she wouldn't have to see Jon for a while either.
She was suddenly acutely aware of the barriers love could create. She desperately
wanted someone to talk through her problem, her feelings with. George was
instinctively her first option, but here was a problem she could not discuss with him.
She imagined hurting him, and gulped back a sob. She should never have married
him, never have given herself the opportunity to hurt him, as she knew she would if...
but the most hurtful thing of all was that she knew she was capable of it.
* * * * *
Thayet, still in bed, entangled in sheets, watched Jonathan as he dressed. Early
morning sunlight shone through the casement window and showed up the sharp
angles of his face and the strong icy colours of his hair, eyes, skin. She watched him,
admiring his sleek, muscled form. He seemed distant.
"Jon?" He turned and looked at her, almost blankly. Suddenly his brow creased and
he asked softly:
"Thayet, do you ever think about..."
"About what?" he paused and looked at her.
"Nothing." He shook his head and pulled a shirt over his head.
As he walked out the door, she heard him whisper softly: "Old lovers."
Thayet was left with an odd feeling as she instantly understood her husband's strange
mood. Old lovers...
Jon had had many lovers, of course, she knew that; most kings and princes did. He'd
been faithful to her thought, since their marriage, and she'd actually believed him to
be in love with her. For a while at least... What disturbed her most was that she had
known immediately who he meant when he whispered that phrase. She had tried to
ignore it, but she noticed some of the glances that passed between Jonathan and
Alanna.
Old lovers...
So, what do you think?
Please leave a review - or feel free to email me with one.