Old Lovers by Blue Mariah
Disclaimer: It's all Tammy's…you know the drill
A/N: Here it is - chapter 6 - I have stopped being a slacker and finally written it.
Also - I have another fic up. It is called Alanna's Baby and I imagine you can guess what it's about from the title.
As always thankyou to all my wonderful reviewers. I really value your remarks and don't know what I would do without your continued support. I am literally on a high for days after updating and reading your reviews.
I hope this chapter is a little less angst-ridden than others - there is quite a lot of smiling in this chapter.
Enjoy! (and please review - I love all my reviewers so much!)
Chapter 6 - Husbands and Wives
The door opened quietly…
There was a gasp from behind them. Alanna turned to look behind her, and Jonathan stared over her shoulder.
Thayet stood in the door way, a look of utter disbelief on her face.
Alanna expected Jon to walk forward, make some excuse to his wife. "This isn't what it looks like.", "I never meant to hurt you." But he didn't . His grip on Alanna's waist tightened and he looked challengingly at his wife. Alanna, embarrassed, diverted her gaze from the queen's face.
"Jon-" she uttered unbelievingly before she turned and ran down the corridor. Jonathan sighed and moved away from Alanna, rubbing his forehead as though he were tired.
"Jon." Alanna followed him, resting a hand on his shoulder, turning him to face her.
"This makes it all different, Alanna. It's all different if she knows."
Alanna chewed her lip for a moment, realising what it might mean. She looked up.
"I still love you." she kissed him, passionately, and again she melted into his ready embrace. His touch was the sweetest reminder of the past, tingling as his hands roamed over her body.
"Alanna?"
"Yes?" she asked, pulling away from him.
"Stay with me tonight?" he requested, eyes filled with passion and adoration. She faltered.
"George…" she tried to explain. Jon looked deflated.
"It's like you said, Jon, it's all different if they know."
"You're right of course." He kissed her again, teasing her with his mouth. She wanted to stay, desperately wanted to stay with him. She broke away.
"I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow."
* * * * *
Jonathan walked tiredly to the royal chamber. He wasn't sure what would happen when he got there, and to be perfectly honest he didn't care. Alanna eclipsed his whole world. If being with her meant scandal, or arguments - that was the way it had to be. His two most natural urges struggled within him. Since his childhood, Jonathan had known he would be king; he knew what responsibilities that entailed, and knew that as king he should sacrifice his own happiness for his kingdom. But he also knew that living without Alanna's life was like living without oxygen. She brought him to life; humbled him, uplifted him, loved him. He sighed as he reached his and Thayet's rooms. He squared his shoulders, determined to do the only thing he knew he could.
* * * * *
Alanna walked slowly down the hall towards her room, a telltale smile lighting her face. She couldn't help it. She had agonised about her love for Jon for so long, and all she could do now was let it shine, revelling in the glow of her love. She reached her room and stopped to compose herself before she entered. She let one last excited smile escape her before she pushed open the door and entered.
George turned from the window where he had been standing, looking out into the night. He approached Alanna, smiling lightly and kissed her gently on the lips.
Alanna made a show of yawning widely and preparing for bed, moving softly around the dimmed room. George stood watching her appreciatively. Alanna wondered how she'd feel if it were Jonathan, not George who was watching her with such tenderness. She smiled again to herself, incapable of holding it in.
"I'm so glad we've talked, Alanna." Said George. She looked up. "You're so beautiful." He said approaching her. She smiled, but looked at him seriously.
"Not tonight." She said gently, stifling another feigned yawn. "I'm so tired." He nodded, accepting.
They settled companionably into bed, George embracing her, and Alanna feeling simultaneously unbelievably guilty and incredibly jubilant.
* * * * *
In the royal chambers, Jonathan confronted a tearstained Thayet. Jonathan stood near the doorway, his stance and expression quiet but strong and determined. Thayet watched him silently.
"I love her." He said simply.
Thayet stayed silent, looking at him with tear-filled eyes.
"I didn't want to hurt you - I wish I didn't have to. But I do love her, and I want to be with her.
"I've always suspected you loved her more." Said Thayet sadly. "I should have seen that she loved you too." She turned away, raising a hand to wipe her tears away.
"Please just leave me alone, Jon. I'm tired, I can't do this now."
Jon nodded to himself and left quietly, shutting the door softly behind him as Thayet collapsed onto the bed in tears.
* * * * *
It was noon the next day. Alanna was walking silently through the palace gardens, contemplating the situation. She felt extraordinarily detached. She knew she was hurting George, and she hated that, but somehow she knew she couldn't do anything different at this time.
She smiled, thinking about Jon. He was so sweet. More like she remembered him. She recognised all his faults, but she saw now that she could do no less than love him. He seemed younger again; less burdened…happier, she realised. He was impetuous and loving, smiling at her almost unashamedly in the council meeting that morning.
It was somewhat easier for him. Thayet had not appeared that morning, her maid saying her majesty was ill.
Alanna herself felt considerably constricted by George's presence. She realised that it would be hard to see Jon alone for any considerable period of time.
"Alanna." She turned and smiled at Jon. He jogged casually towards her and caught her hands in his, smiling lovingly into her face.
"I haven't had a chance to say good morning to you yet." He grinned at her and raised one of her hands to his lips, kissing it, but looking into her eyes with a look that said more to her than a thousand kisses.
They walked for some time in the lush green gardens. They sky overhead was blue and the sunshine was warm, and for a short time they were able to be just a pair of young lovers; the world empty except for themselves
A/N: Please, please, please review. And thankyou all again!
Disclaimer: It's all Tammy's…you know the drill
A/N: Here it is - chapter 6 - I have stopped being a slacker and finally written it.
Also - I have another fic up. It is called Alanna's Baby and I imagine you can guess what it's about from the title.
As always thankyou to all my wonderful reviewers. I really value your remarks and don't know what I would do without your continued support. I am literally on a high for days after updating and reading your reviews.
I hope this chapter is a little less angst-ridden than others - there is quite a lot of smiling in this chapter.
Enjoy! (and please review - I love all my reviewers so much!)
Chapter 6 - Husbands and Wives
The door opened quietly…
There was a gasp from behind them. Alanna turned to look behind her, and Jonathan stared over her shoulder.
Thayet stood in the door way, a look of utter disbelief on her face.
Alanna expected Jon to walk forward, make some excuse to his wife. "This isn't what it looks like.", "I never meant to hurt you." But he didn't . His grip on Alanna's waist tightened and he looked challengingly at his wife. Alanna, embarrassed, diverted her gaze from the queen's face.
"Jon-" she uttered unbelievingly before she turned and ran down the corridor. Jonathan sighed and moved away from Alanna, rubbing his forehead as though he were tired.
"Jon." Alanna followed him, resting a hand on his shoulder, turning him to face her.
"This makes it all different, Alanna. It's all different if she knows."
Alanna chewed her lip for a moment, realising what it might mean. She looked up.
"I still love you." she kissed him, passionately, and again she melted into his ready embrace. His touch was the sweetest reminder of the past, tingling as his hands roamed over her body.
"Alanna?"
"Yes?" she asked, pulling away from him.
"Stay with me tonight?" he requested, eyes filled with passion and adoration. She faltered.
"George…" she tried to explain. Jon looked deflated.
"It's like you said, Jon, it's all different if they know."
"You're right of course." He kissed her again, teasing her with his mouth. She wanted to stay, desperately wanted to stay with him. She broke away.
"I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow."
* * * * *
Jonathan walked tiredly to the royal chamber. He wasn't sure what would happen when he got there, and to be perfectly honest he didn't care. Alanna eclipsed his whole world. If being with her meant scandal, or arguments - that was the way it had to be. His two most natural urges struggled within him. Since his childhood, Jonathan had known he would be king; he knew what responsibilities that entailed, and knew that as king he should sacrifice his own happiness for his kingdom. But he also knew that living without Alanna's life was like living without oxygen. She brought him to life; humbled him, uplifted him, loved him. He sighed as he reached his and Thayet's rooms. He squared his shoulders, determined to do the only thing he knew he could.
* * * * *
Alanna walked slowly down the hall towards her room, a telltale smile lighting her face. She couldn't help it. She had agonised about her love for Jon for so long, and all she could do now was let it shine, revelling in the glow of her love. She reached her room and stopped to compose herself before she entered. She let one last excited smile escape her before she pushed open the door and entered.
George turned from the window where he had been standing, looking out into the night. He approached Alanna, smiling lightly and kissed her gently on the lips.
Alanna made a show of yawning widely and preparing for bed, moving softly around the dimmed room. George stood watching her appreciatively. Alanna wondered how she'd feel if it were Jonathan, not George who was watching her with such tenderness. She smiled again to herself, incapable of holding it in.
"I'm so glad we've talked, Alanna." Said George. She looked up. "You're so beautiful." He said approaching her. She smiled, but looked at him seriously.
"Not tonight." She said gently, stifling another feigned yawn. "I'm so tired." He nodded, accepting.
They settled companionably into bed, George embracing her, and Alanna feeling simultaneously unbelievably guilty and incredibly jubilant.
* * * * *
In the royal chambers, Jonathan confronted a tearstained Thayet. Jonathan stood near the doorway, his stance and expression quiet but strong and determined. Thayet watched him silently.
"I love her." He said simply.
Thayet stayed silent, looking at him with tear-filled eyes.
"I didn't want to hurt you - I wish I didn't have to. But I do love her, and I want to be with her.
"I've always suspected you loved her more." Said Thayet sadly. "I should have seen that she loved you too." She turned away, raising a hand to wipe her tears away.
"Please just leave me alone, Jon. I'm tired, I can't do this now."
Jon nodded to himself and left quietly, shutting the door softly behind him as Thayet collapsed onto the bed in tears.
* * * * *
It was noon the next day. Alanna was walking silently through the palace gardens, contemplating the situation. She felt extraordinarily detached. She knew she was hurting George, and she hated that, but somehow she knew she couldn't do anything different at this time.
She smiled, thinking about Jon. He was so sweet. More like she remembered him. She recognised all his faults, but she saw now that she could do no less than love him. He seemed younger again; less burdened…happier, she realised. He was impetuous and loving, smiling at her almost unashamedly in the council meeting that morning.
It was somewhat easier for him. Thayet had not appeared that morning, her maid saying her majesty was ill.
Alanna herself felt considerably constricted by George's presence. She realised that it would be hard to see Jon alone for any considerable period of time.
"Alanna." She turned and smiled at Jon. He jogged casually towards her and caught her hands in his, smiling lovingly into her face.
"I haven't had a chance to say good morning to you yet." He grinned at her and raised one of her hands to his lips, kissing it, but looking into her eyes with a look that said more to her than a thousand kisses.
They walked for some time in the lush green gardens. They sky overhead was blue and the sunshine was warm, and for a short time they were able to be just a pair of young lovers; the world empty except for themselves
A/N: Please, please, please review. And thankyou all again!