Ps peep it's PG coz of swearing – sorry!
~ Chapter Five ~
Lessons
Jonathan watched the Lady Alanna carefully since the night of the Midwinter Ball. He sae her roaming the gardens, chatting with Thom or Elisia, and doing normal things. Normal things, he thought for a very extraordinary girl.
"Lady Alanna," he finally got a chance to talk to the copper-haired girl. "I believe I owe you some lessons?"
Alanna smiled. "Yes, you do," she said. "And that man – George?"
"Yes, George," Jon smiled. "Come," he said. "Why not start now?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Alanna followed Jon into an empty, hidden practice court, and old one, which most people had forgotten about. She tried to hide her smile when Jon had seen her in her breeches. Just the look on his face was worth a thousand gold nobles.
"A warm up?" he asked, tossing her a sword.
"Very well," she said. "But I only use Storm – and I mean only ever use Storm."
Alanna drew the pink and grey crystal-hilted sword from her scabbard. She grinned recklessly. "Come on, Your Highness," she said. "Give me your all."
Jon and Alanna crossed swords. Alanna waited for Jon to attack, knowing not to strike in first. Jon, thinking she was being over-confident, lunged in. Alanna grinned as she butterfly-swiped in and under Jon's sword. Jon drew back in alarm, and Alanna's grin widened. She attacked again – and again! Alanna's hand and sword moved so fast that to the untrained eye it was simply a blur.
Alanna attacked endlessly until she spotted a flaw. There! She lunged up and out, making Jon's sword fly from his hand. She pointed her sword to Jon's throat. "Huh!" she breathed triumphantly. Jon smiled slowly, and dived under her sword, aiming for her feet. He knocked her off-balance, and her sword flew from her hand. Jon wrestled her to the ground. He noted her strength – the small fire-head was stronger than she looked.
They rolled over and over on the practice courts, getting tangled up together. Jon smiled, Alanna laughed. They stopped rolling. Jon leant over the top of Alanna, his coal black hair untidy.
"I win," he said. He leant down, and gently, almost timidly, kissed her mouth.
Great Merciful Mother! Alanna thought, letting Jon kiss her. After a moment, Alanna kissed him back.
Their kisses went from soft and gentle to hard and passionate. Jon lifted Alanna up off the floor, and started unbuttoning her shirt. Alanna stopped him, and drew away.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I – I don't know," answered Jon.
"Obviously!" Alanna cried, standing up. She was hot and sweaty, but she shivered uncontrollably. She only ever felt like this when she used too much of her Gift than she could afford to give away.
"Alanna," said Jon worriedly. "Are you ok?"
"I'm – I'm just fine, thankyou," she stammered, gasping. She stood up hurriedly, and felt her stomach lurch. Her head felt extremely heavy.
"Oh," she gasped, as she fainted on the floor.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Alanna woke, feeling dizzy. She looked around her surroundings. She was in the Healer's Wing. A worried Duke Baird stood over her.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
"What happened?" she asked.
"You fainted," the Duke said. "His Highness brought you in here."
Alanna remembered now – her lesson, and warm-up, and Jonathan. Alanna closed her eyes. "I'm so dizzy," she said.
"Go to sleep Alanna," Duke Baird said. "Just sleep."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When Alanna woke the second time, she felt alive and refreshed, and ready to get going. She saw Elisia by her bedside.
"Alanna!" Elisia cried, overjoyed. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine," Alanna replied. "I just – am a little dazy." Alanna pondered shortly whether to tell Elisia about the day's happenings. After all, she is my best friend. So Alanna told Elisia all about Jon and her lessons.
Elisia gasped. "The Prince kissed you?"
"Yes," Alanna blushed.
"Oh, wow," Elisia smiled. "Guess what happened the other day?"
"What?" Alanna asked curiously.
"You know Sir Gareth the younger?" Alanna nodded. "Well," she began. "He was walking with me in the gardens. And then we went up to the top of the big hill, and he –" Elisia blushed. "He kissed me, under the huge oak."
Alanna grinned. "Ooo," she teased.
Elisia said sternly, "Alanna, you breath a word and I'll kill you!"
Alanna laughed. "I wouldn't do that! But make sure you don't tell anyone about me and the Prince!"
Elisia shook her head. "Pact?" she asked.
"Pact," said Alanna.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Alanna was roaming the palace halls when a strange young man walked up to her. Who's this? Alanna thought silently to herself. Oh I know! He escorted me the other night!
"Lady Alanna," the young man said, "I don't believe I had a chance to introduce myself before you were whisked away by the Prince."
Alanna blushed. "No," she said.
"Well, I'm Sir Cole of Northern Lake," he said politely. (PS I couldn't think of any names and I was half-watching Charmed tapes anyway…)
Alanna looked up into his light brown eyes. He had dark brown hair and a gentle touch. Very nice! Alanna thought.
"A pleasure, Sir Cole," Alanna said.
Just at that moment, Prince Jonathan walked into the hall where Cole and Alanna where standing.
"What – Alanna – I, ah, needed to talk to you," Jonathan said, going a bit red. "Sir Cole," Jonathan just realised Alanna's new "friend" was there. "How – nice to see you."
"Likewise, Prince Jonathan," Cole replied, his voice slightly mocking.
"Lady Alanna," Jonathan said, his eyes hard. "May I see you now?"
Alanna didn't want to leave Cole right now, but a royal command was a royal command.
"Certainly, Your Highness," Alanna said. "I'll see you later," she said quietly to Cole.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"What is it?" she asked Jonathan hotly as he shut the door to his chamber. "I was having a perfectly fine conversation with Sir Cole – he's very nice."
"Cole is nothing but trouble," Jon said. "Stay away from him!"
"Well excuse me!" Alanna said. "I was unaware that I need a some one to look out for me!" Alanna was red with fury.
"Oh, sorry!" Jonathan cried. "Forgive me if I was worried!"
"Why would you be worried about me? It's all crap! You don't give a shit!"
"How would you know how much I care about you –" Jonathan stopped short. "I – I –"
Alanna was lost for words. She silently walked to the door and closed it, heading for her room.
~ Chapter Five ~
Lessons
Jonathan watched the Lady Alanna carefully since the night of the Midwinter Ball. He sae her roaming the gardens, chatting with Thom or Elisia, and doing normal things. Normal things, he thought for a very extraordinary girl.
"Lady Alanna," he finally got a chance to talk to the copper-haired girl. "I believe I owe you some lessons?"
Alanna smiled. "Yes, you do," she said. "And that man – George?"
"Yes, George," Jon smiled. "Come," he said. "Why not start now?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Alanna followed Jon into an empty, hidden practice court, and old one, which most people had forgotten about. She tried to hide her smile when Jon had seen her in her breeches. Just the look on his face was worth a thousand gold nobles.
"A warm up?" he asked, tossing her a sword.
"Very well," she said. "But I only use Storm – and I mean only ever use Storm."
Alanna drew the pink and grey crystal-hilted sword from her scabbard. She grinned recklessly. "Come on, Your Highness," she said. "Give me your all."
Jon and Alanna crossed swords. Alanna waited for Jon to attack, knowing not to strike in first. Jon, thinking she was being over-confident, lunged in. Alanna grinned as she butterfly-swiped in and under Jon's sword. Jon drew back in alarm, and Alanna's grin widened. She attacked again – and again! Alanna's hand and sword moved so fast that to the untrained eye it was simply a blur.
Alanna attacked endlessly until she spotted a flaw. There! She lunged up and out, making Jon's sword fly from his hand. She pointed her sword to Jon's throat. "Huh!" she breathed triumphantly. Jon smiled slowly, and dived under her sword, aiming for her feet. He knocked her off-balance, and her sword flew from her hand. Jon wrestled her to the ground. He noted her strength – the small fire-head was stronger than she looked.
They rolled over and over on the practice courts, getting tangled up together. Jon smiled, Alanna laughed. They stopped rolling. Jon leant over the top of Alanna, his coal black hair untidy.
"I win," he said. He leant down, and gently, almost timidly, kissed her mouth.
Great Merciful Mother! Alanna thought, letting Jon kiss her. After a moment, Alanna kissed him back.
Their kisses went from soft and gentle to hard and passionate. Jon lifted Alanna up off the floor, and started unbuttoning her shirt. Alanna stopped him, and drew away.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I – I don't know," answered Jon.
"Obviously!" Alanna cried, standing up. She was hot and sweaty, but she shivered uncontrollably. She only ever felt like this when she used too much of her Gift than she could afford to give away.
"Alanna," said Jon worriedly. "Are you ok?"
"I'm – I'm just fine, thankyou," she stammered, gasping. She stood up hurriedly, and felt her stomach lurch. Her head felt extremely heavy.
"Oh," she gasped, as she fainted on the floor.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Alanna woke, feeling dizzy. She looked around her surroundings. She was in the Healer's Wing. A worried Duke Baird stood over her.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
"What happened?" she asked.
"You fainted," the Duke said. "His Highness brought you in here."
Alanna remembered now – her lesson, and warm-up, and Jonathan. Alanna closed her eyes. "I'm so dizzy," she said.
"Go to sleep Alanna," Duke Baird said. "Just sleep."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When Alanna woke the second time, she felt alive and refreshed, and ready to get going. She saw Elisia by her bedside.
"Alanna!" Elisia cried, overjoyed. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine," Alanna replied. "I just – am a little dazy." Alanna pondered shortly whether to tell Elisia about the day's happenings. After all, she is my best friend. So Alanna told Elisia all about Jon and her lessons.
Elisia gasped. "The Prince kissed you?"
"Yes," Alanna blushed.
"Oh, wow," Elisia smiled. "Guess what happened the other day?"
"What?" Alanna asked curiously.
"You know Sir Gareth the younger?" Alanna nodded. "Well," she began. "He was walking with me in the gardens. And then we went up to the top of the big hill, and he –" Elisia blushed. "He kissed me, under the huge oak."
Alanna grinned. "Ooo," she teased.
Elisia said sternly, "Alanna, you breath a word and I'll kill you!"
Alanna laughed. "I wouldn't do that! But make sure you don't tell anyone about me and the Prince!"
Elisia shook her head. "Pact?" she asked.
"Pact," said Alanna.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Alanna was roaming the palace halls when a strange young man walked up to her. Who's this? Alanna thought silently to herself. Oh I know! He escorted me the other night!
"Lady Alanna," the young man said, "I don't believe I had a chance to introduce myself before you were whisked away by the Prince."
Alanna blushed. "No," she said.
"Well, I'm Sir Cole of Northern Lake," he said politely. (PS I couldn't think of any names and I was half-watching Charmed tapes anyway…)
Alanna looked up into his light brown eyes. He had dark brown hair and a gentle touch. Very nice! Alanna thought.
"A pleasure, Sir Cole," Alanna said.
Just at that moment, Prince Jonathan walked into the hall where Cole and Alanna where standing.
"What – Alanna – I, ah, needed to talk to you," Jonathan said, going a bit red. "Sir Cole," Jonathan just realised Alanna's new "friend" was there. "How – nice to see you."
"Likewise, Prince Jonathan," Cole replied, his voice slightly mocking.
"Lady Alanna," Jonathan said, his eyes hard. "May I see you now?"
Alanna didn't want to leave Cole right now, but a royal command was a royal command.
"Certainly, Your Highness," Alanna said. "I'll see you later," she said quietly to Cole.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"What is it?" she asked Jonathan hotly as he shut the door to his chamber. "I was having a perfectly fine conversation with Sir Cole – he's very nice."
"Cole is nothing but trouble," Jon said. "Stay away from him!"
"Well excuse me!" Alanna said. "I was unaware that I need a some one to look out for me!" Alanna was red with fury.
"Oh, sorry!" Jonathan cried. "Forgive me if I was worried!"
"Why would you be worried about me? It's all crap! You don't give a shit!"
"How would you know how much I care about you –" Jonathan stopped short. "I – I –"
Alanna was lost for words. She silently walked to the door and closed it, heading for her room.