One of a Kind
Disclaimer: Don't own it, don't sue.
Chapter fourteen: Corus
It was snowing. Alanna rolled out of bed and it was only years of training that prevented her climbing right back in again under her pile of blankets and staying there. Corus wasn't a warm country in winter in the best of places - and a convent in the mountains was anything but that.
Alanna pulled on breeches, shirt, a woollen tunic, a jacket, fur-lined boots, debated pulling on another jacket, and decided against it when Shannyn - who she had accidentally woken up stumbling around her dark rooms - pointed out that she'd have to take most of it off when she reached the practice courts or not be able to move sufficiently to fight.
Liam glanced up with emerald eyes at her arrival in the vaults that served as practise courts in winter. "You're late."
Alanna scowled back at him. "I was cold - most sensible people wouldn't be up and about in freezing vaults at this time of the morning."
"Most people aren't training to become a Shang."
"I did say most sensible people." she snapped.
Whoever said you were sensible?
Shut up, Faithful. It's too early in the morning for your particular brand of humour.
Alanna stretched slowly, mindful she'd have to warm up properly or risk getting injured or sick.
"You ready?"
Alanna nodded, and they began. Liam caught her a couple of times on mistakes she would not normally have made, once knocking her to the ground. Alanna scowled up at him, then stopped, letting irrational anger become cold determination. Hooking a leg round Liam's, she yanked, hard, at the same time spinning up and away, then ran towards him, kicking up, twisting, and landing a punch on his chest, spun away, then jumped up as she spun back so that both her feet connected with his jaw and chest, sending him flying to the ground.
Alanna stood over him, panting slightly, and Liam looked up at her, stunned. Then his expression turned into a slow grin.
"Good - very good. I do believe that's the first time you've ever beaten me. Congratulations."
Alanna grinned. This was a first, no doubt a first that would not happen again for some time. It was to be savoured.
"Now I want to show you a new type of sword dance - no not that one," he said as Alanna made for one of the blunt practice swords on the ground nearby. "Your sword - it's new and you need to get used to the weight and feel of it. Using it in exercises will help you do so."
So she did. And the sword whistled through the air, responding to her movements as if it were an extension of her.
Liam raised an eyebrow when they were done. "You're doing well today."
Alanna smiled, surprised and touched by the rare display of praise that day from her mentor.
***
Sophia poked her head round the door after knocking briefly. "Alanna? Is Rhiannon there?"
"Hullo Sophia." Alanna and Rhiannon carolled.
"The First Daughter wishes to see you two now."
"Why? What'd we do?" Surely she's not going to call us in for putting frogs in Delia and Marisa's beds, is she?
No, replied Faithful. She doesn't know about that. Clothilde suspects, but that's nothing new about that.
"You're not in trouble," Sophia was saying. "This has nothing to do with frogs or other small pond dwelling creatures."
Alanna glared at Faithful. I only said the First Daughter didn't know. The kitten commented.
Is it just me, or are you going out of your way to be annoying today?
Just you.
***
Taking a seat in the First Daughter's office for the second time in a few months, Alanna wondered what the Priestess had in mind for them, and, from the look on Rhiannon's face, she wasn't the only one.
The First Daughter looked at them both for a moment, then began. "Girls," she said "you have both been tutored in this convent for a number of years, and, as you know, midwinter is in two weeks. I feel you have been taught all there is to teach you both here. Rhiannon," she said, facing the girl, "I know you are - well - younger than necessary for a lady to leave the convent, but, with the - situation - I felt you might adjust better if you were to depart for court with Alanna -" she held up a hand to stop Alanna, who had one very pale and taken in a large breath of air, no doubt to fuel the torrent of protest in her head. "And as for you, Alanna, I know that you would like to simply leave with the Dragon until such time as you are a full Shang, but, before he died, I made an undertaking to you father that you would be sent to Corus in the normal course of things, and that is what you shall do, and I would appreciate it if you stayed at least until the social season is over. There is no reason you cannot continue your studies in Corus. I have already spoken to the Dragon of this and he has no objection. You will leave the day after tomorrow, and tomorrow you shall pack your things. Goodbye, girls. I shall miss you."
"We'll miss you too," Alanna blurted out compulsively, and realised it was true - she would miss the First Daughter.
"Yes," agreed Rhiannon. "Goodbye to you too, First Daughter."
***
Alanna wrapped her cloak around her. The chilly predawn air had an insidious way of getting inside her clothes, though she hoped she would warm up once they started riding.
Joff, a hostler who had taken a special liking to Luna, lead her out, and Alanna reached for her reins, making to mount.
"My lady!"
"My lady," said the boy who was to drive the carriage, swinging down from his perch, "The carriage is for you and Lady Rhiannon to ride in. Not - I mean, I have orders to drive the carriage for you - "
Alanna ignored him, swinging one breach-clad leg up into the stirrup. The boy's mouth fell open.
"My lady, with all due respect -"
"Look," Alanna snapped, her temper getting the better of her "I -"
"Young man," Rhiannon interrupted diplomatically. "Lady Alanna and I wish to ride today. However, our maids will be glad of the carriage, and we will certainly ride in the carriage when we arrive at Corus. Hmmm?"
The boy bit his lip. "I suppose that will be alright." He turned to face Sophia. "Will it?"
Sophia merely nodded, and Rhiannon mounted as the boy climbed back up to his seat, cracked his whip and they set of slowly, Alanna riding behind the wagon with Rhiannon, while Liam roamed ahead on Flame.
Luna pranced a bit at the sight of the thin fog they were descending into, but Topaz, Rhiannon's horse, was mountain bred in her father's stables, stepped calmly through the swirling vapours, and Luna soon grew accustomed to it.
Alanna felt an odd familiarity with the inn they stopped at that first night. It was the one she had stayed at with Maude when she first came to the convent, and with Liam when they went to Port Caynn for the meeting that made her his apprentice.
***
"This is so boring!" Alanna wailed, for what felt like the millionth time that morning. Rhiannon glanced up from her book.
"Why don't you read something, then?"
"I don't have anything to read."
"Then do some needlework."
Alanna's only answer to that was a snort, and Rhiannon sighed. "Look out the window."
Alanna sighed. "There's nothing to look at. Hang on." Reaching for the small metal ledge that allowed the pane of glass in the window to be lowered, Alanna yanked at it, and stuck her head and upper body out the window, uncaring that all the delicate work that had gone into arranging her curls that morning was being undone by the wind, and yelled at the driver.
"Hey! Master - master driver, how long have we to go 'til Corus?"
The boy turned slightly, looking shocked to see a noblewoman half hanging out of the window of his carriage.
"A while yet, milady."
Alanna blew the hair out of her eyes, and sat back down, slamming the window upwards as she did so. Shannyn's mouth twitched slightly, but she said nothing as she undid her lady's hair and began to brush it, pins in her mouth.
"Fine." said Rhia. "Tell me about your brother, then. I might as well be forearmed to deal with any unexpected traits in my betrothed."
***
It was very late when they arrived at Corus, so they had had supper in Alanna's rooms, and unpacked a few things before saying goodnight and going to bed, Alanna too tired even to seek out her brother.
***
Waking early the next morning, as always, Alanna stumbled out of bed and through her apartment, heading in a general downwards direction as she searched for the practise courts, where Liam had told her to meet him - their late arrival the previous night was no excuse for not turning up for training that morning.
She got a few strange looks from the servants she asked directions from, but mostly she was too tired to notice.
Liam was down there before she arrived, late, but instead of pushing her harder than usual, as was his wont when she was late for a training session, he held to their normal pace, still pushing her limits, but not so hard she would be exhausted by the end of it. That, and the fact he excused himself early, saying he had to go and freshen up, as the king wanted to meet him, meant that Alanna was still fairly fresh when he left, so she decided to wait around for a while, curious as to whether or not any knights would be coming down - she was happy as Liam's apprentice, but all the same, she wanted to see the people who's ranks she'd once hoped to join fight - most knights main weapon was a long sword, and Alanna had rarely seen or been in a fight in which the opponents used only their swords, rather than the Shang way of unarmed fighting in conjunction with a weapon.
***
Jon had woken up shortly after dawn the next morning, heading down to the practise courts with Gary and Raoul, who had come back to Corus when a truce had been declared for winter between King Roald and King Ain, both leaving only a token force behind to guard their borders.
His shoulder had still been healing from the poisoned arrow, and he had bowed out after one match with his cousin left it aching, to watch Gary and Raoul as they fenced.
"They're both good, but the one in red isn't guarding his left as well as he should be."
The murmur was quiet, and obviously not directed at him, but the softly accented, feminine sounding tones made him turn quickly. A redheaded girl lounging on the benches nearby was watching the two knights intently, but Jon doubted she had made the comment - while it was true Gary's guard was weaker on the left than the right, it would take an experienced swordsman to spot it - no noble girl could have seen it. Still...
"Did you say something, my lady?"
Her head snapped towards him her expression startled. "Ah - yes. I was just thinking out loud - about the duel." she explained, waving a hand towards the two knights.
He gestured to the bench besides her. "May I?"
She nodded, and he sat next to her, curious. "How did you know about Gary's guarding? Most ladies wouldn't have noticed it."
"I'm not most ladies, you Highness. I know a lot about fencing."
"Well, you're very good at the theory, I must admit."
He eyes flashed, and Jon realised they were an unusual shade of purple. "I'm very good at the practical, as well."
Jon stared at her, taking in her petite, slender frame - she wouldn't be much taller than most of the pages - some would be taller, and much less sturdy looking. Was she serious?
She studied him, an expression akin to amusement flitting across her delicate features as she did so. "You don't believe me." She said flatly.
Jon opened his mouth to say something - he wasn't sure what, but she cut him off. "Somehow I think there will be only one way to convince you, your Highness. Shall we?" she gestured towards the practise courts, empty now.
She's challenging me - me fight her!
She stood up. "Come on then. Don't worry - I won't hurt you."
"I'm actually rather more worried about it being the other way round, my lady. But if you insist - " he added, as she lifted her chin, a dangerous look in her eyes.
He followed her down to the centre of the court, then walked to on side, to where the practise swords were kept, but was stopped by her voice. "If you don't mind, I'd prefer to use my own sword."
Her own sword? He turned, and realised she was holding a slim, silver and black long sword, a sheath lying discarded nearby.
He shrugged, and drew his own. I'll just have to be a little more careful of hitting her, I guess.
Her first few strokes disabused him of the notion. She had been serious when she said she knew how to handle a sword, and she was fast. Within a few moments, Jon was fighting in earnest, all his knightly training coming in to keep him from losing.
It wasn't enough. After a few minutes, he thrust in, only to be deflected, and, as she twisted her sword round his blade and flicked it upwards, disarmed.
She grabbed the hilt easily as it spun towards the ground, aiming it towards his heart at her own flickered upwards to his throat.
Defeated by my own blade. "I yield." She grinned, flipping his sword so she held the shoulder, the short piece of unsharpened blade below the hilt, and presented the hilt back to him.
"You take being disarmed well, your Highness."
Only then did it occur to him that, although they had never met before, despite her being eerily familiar, she knew who he was, an he knew nothing of her.
The bell that signified one and a half hours after dawn rang.
"I have to go."
"Wait!" he said, a little desperately - she was so - annoying? No, but close. "Can't you at least -"
"Jon! Are you coming to breakfast or not?" It was Gary, who had come back when he realise his cousin wasn't with them. Jon turned around to answer, and when he turned back, she was gone.
***
What an arrogant little - Alanna paused, thinking of a word to describe him to Faithful as she hurried down the hall.
Prince? Although he's not exactly little ... her cat suggested, licking a paw.
Well, yes, I suppose that'll do ... and he is arrogant!
Never said he wasn't ... but what did you expect from a teenage boy who just happens to be the sole heir to the throne of Tortall?
I don't know ... but after I beat him he'll think twice about being so patronising, I hope. She smiled. A win always made her happy, especially if it was against someone who was a good warrior, but most of the satisfaction had been seeing his face when he lost to her - she'd rarely seen such shock on a person's face.
At least to you.
***
Rhia was waiting for her when she got back. "Where've you been?" she demanded. "Since when does the Dragon keep you this long?"
Alanna grinned. "He didn't. I was just enjoying studying the techniques of the young knights."
Shannyn smiled in amusement at some inner thought. "Did you - challenge one of them, milady?"
"You didn't, did you?"
"As a matter of fact, I did -"
"Who?" Rhia demanded.
"Prince Jonathan - and I won."
This was too much for Shannyn, who began to laugh into her hands. Rhiannon looked like she might faint. "On our first day here, Alanna?"
Alanna shrugged. "He had it coming." she said as she walked into the bathroom that formed the third part of her three-roomed apartment, and the only part that was truly closed off ... the bedroom and parlour were separated by a wall that was mostly taken up by a curtained arch, and both had large arches in the outer wall led up to by three shallow stone steps out onto her balcony.
She re-emerged fifteen minutes later, washed and dressed in a dark blue velvet gown, with a high collar - modest, since Alanna refused to wear the ridiculously low necklines some gown had, her excuse being they were cold, with her red curls flowing free down her back, but for the front part, drawn back into a loose plait to keep it off her face.
She grinned. "Let's go."
***
They'd decided to wander round the palace mostly that day, hoping to run into either Thom or Tat, since it was unlikely they'd be in their rooms at that time of day, and, as luck would have it, they ran into both.
They were near the outdoor practise courts, disused in that time of year but for the jousting arena, and, hearing the clash of lances, Alanna decided she wanted to investigate, puling Rhiannon after her
A number of young knights were milling about; lances in hand, but there were few spectators. Two, however, caught her eye - a small redheaded one, and an icy blonde next to him.
Pointing them out to Rhiannon, Alanna walked up behind them, quietly until she was near them.
"Thom?"
Her twin jumped up, staring at her for a moment, then enveloped her in an enthusiastic hug, which she returned. Tat stood up, grinning, and hugged Rhiannon, then Alanna, the impromptu re-union taking quite a while as someone kept jumping up to hug someone else. Alanna introduced Thom and Rhiannon, and bit her lip to keep from laughing as she watched them size each other up.
It was a good thing Rhiannon was fairly small, she decided - even though Thom had grown since she'd last seen him, and was now only on the smallish side of medium height for a young man, Rhiannon was still equal to him in height.
After an hour or two, when Alanna and her twin, who had been chatting non-stop since that first hug, began to wind down, Alanna suggested, a glint in her eyes, that Thom take Rhiannon to see the 'magic library' one of the many libraries in the palace, this one devoted entirely to all things magical.
They left, and Alanna moved to sit next to Tat. "So ... this Raoul of your's ... when am I going to meet him?"
"He's down there, jousting. See the one with black curls? That's him."
"What's he like? Tell me about him."
Tat grinned and began to do so, a subject that occupied most of the afternoon.
***
The bell tolled for dinner, and Alanna groaned.
Tat laughed at her friend's decidedly un-enthusiastic response to the thought of dining in the great hall, and dragged her to her feet.
"C'mon - I'll take you down to the Dancing Dove."
"The where?"
"The Dancing dove - it's a tavern in the lower city. They serve good food and beer, and somehow I doubt we'll run into Delia."
***
At Alanna's insistence, they'd changed into tunics and breeches before going, and Alanna had buckled on sword and dagger under her cloak.
Luna was as ready for an adventure as she, and she and Vixen pranced around at seeing each other again all the way to the lower city.
Entering the tavern, Tat dragged Alanna to a bar and told her to order, and was called briefly away as someone yelled her name.
Sitting at a small table nearby, Alanna felt a hand descend on her shoulder, and, instinctively spun, her dagger at her assailant's throat.
"Thom, calm down lad. It's me, George."
Thom? Alanna frowned, remembering her brother telling her about this place - and about George Cooper.
She pulled back her hood, cautiously resheathing her dagger. "I'm not Thom."
The man's mouth dropped open at the sight of her.
"I presume you're George Cooper."
"I am - who might ye' be?"
She held out a hand. "I'm Alanna - Thom's twin." His grip was firm, dry and reassuring, and Alanna decided on impulse that she liked him.
"George!" Tat came up behind them, calling his name. The greetings the two exchanged made Alanna realise that they were obviously friends - she probably knew him either through Thom or Raoul.
George invited them up to the top, near the huge, roaring fireplace, and began to question them - mostly Tat - about doings up at the palace, and Alanna listened, surprised at how much he knew. After a surprisingly good dinner, and a mug of ale for George and Tat, and juice for Alanna, who Liam had taught to remain sober at all times, unless you were staying at the place you were drinking at and sure of the goodwill of your host, George told them they should go, "seein' as it's gettin' late an' all."
"Maybe I should accompany ye," he said as he walked with them to the stables.
Tat shook her head. "We're riding. Besides, Alanna and I can deal with any trouble between us, I should say."
"That's right, I can." said Alanna, mounting Luna, and shifting her cloak to show the dagger and sword belted around her hips.
George raised his eyebrows. "Be careful, then. Yer brother'll turn me into a frog if anythin' happens to ye, no doubt. He fond of you. And then Raoul'd do somethin' unmentionable to me on lady Tat's account."
Tat grinned. "We'll be careful, George."
Up at the palace, preperations were still going on for the beginning of the midwinter festival - which meant a week of balls and feasts. The halls were lit up as servants cleaned and arranged everything from tables to flowers from Carthak, imported for the festivals, and the palace looked magical as they rode up the hill to it, like something out of the fairy tales Maude had told Alanna as a child.
The hostler on duty was asleep in an abandoned stall piled with hay, so Alanna and Tat unsaddled and groomed their horses themselves, before leaving to go to their apartments, which, much to their mutual dissapointment were at opposite ends of the palace. They said their goodbyes, and Alanna trudged up to bed.
***
"What are you wearing tonight?"
"Hmmm ... Pardon Tat? What did you say?"
The girl sighed. "What are you wearing for the ball tonight?"
"Ummm ... Shannyn, what am I wearing?"
"The violet gown I made you for it, milady."
"Oh ... What?" she demanded as Tat raised an eyebrow.
"You didn't know what you were wearing?"
"You know me, I'm terrible at picking clothes for myself. I let Shannyn do it for me ... she's far less likely to muck it up than I am."
Tat threw her book at Alanna, but Alanna dodged.
"Hopeless. What happened to your aim, Tat?"
Tat grinned and dove at Alanna, who, from her vantage point of her bed, threw an exceptionally large and fluffy pillow at her, and, within seconds, the pillow-fights of their childhood were being re-enacted as Alanna's overstuffed weapon exploded over both Tat and Rhiannon, covering them in feather's which both picked up and flew at Alanna with. Some landed on Shannyn, and in a few moments she too had joined in.
Half an hour later, feathery and panting, the four collapsed on Alanna's bed, laughing happily, until a knock on the door brought them all onto their feet.
"Well," said Shannyn. "I suppose I'd better answer that."
It was Thom and Raoul, who Alanna hadn't met before.
They entered, coming to an abrupt halt at the sight of the many feathers on the ground. "Has it started snowing inside the palace now?" Raoul commented.
Thom's mouth twitched. "We'll come back later." he announced, pulling Raoul out the door behind him.
"Well," said Alanna, plucking an exceptionally large feather out of her hair. "That was - interesting."
***
Alanna sat in front of her dresser, playing with her emberstone nervously as Shannyn hummed, fussing with her hair behind her. "There," she announced, tucking a final curl in with small pin, then adding a amethyst covered comb to the loose chignon. Alanna tucked one of the loose curling strands Shannyn had left behind her ear. "No," Shannyn announced. "You leave that curl right there." Alanna made a face at here in the mirror and Shannyn grinned at her as she hooked a stool around so she could apply Alanna's make up - pale lip rouge and a little shadow on her eyes, nothing more, she assured Alanna.
Tat came in, looking more like a lady than ever - not that she ever had a problem with looking elegant, thought Alanna somewhat enviously, closely followed by Rhiannon.
Tat pulled her up, inspecting her closely.
"The earrings." she said. "You should wear the earrings I gave you."
Shannyn nodded in agreement, and handed Alanna the box, and she threaded them carefully through her ears. Tat grinned. "Perfect. Don't you two agree?"
"Yes," agreed Rhiannon. "After you get over the shock of seeing Alanna like this."
She turned to Faithful. Are you coming?
No, I'll stay here with Shannyn ... less chance of being stepped on ... besides; you couldn't dance with me on your shoulder.
***
When they arrived at the small antechamber where they would wait to be announced, Thom and Raoul were already there, and, to Alanna's surprise, so was Liam.
He grinned at her. "I thought you might like someone to lean on - besides, my apprentice should be introduced with me."
The chief herald looked in through the door. "My lords and ladies? Are you ready?"
There were gestures of assent from everyone in the room and Tat squeezed Alanna's arm as she walked past on Raoul's arm. "You'll be fine."
The left door swung open, and Raoul and Tat walked past. "Sir Raoul of Goldenlake and of Malorie's Peak, and the Lady Tatiana of Eagles Reach."
The door's closed again, and Alanna looked around the chamber. A concealed window not far from the door was manned by one of the younger herald's, whose job it was to see when the couple had reached and made their bows to the king and queen, and left the carpet, so that no one collided. He nodded, and the two young heralds's manning the doors pulled it open again.
"Lord Thom of Trebond, and his betrothed, Lady Rhiannon of Ruatha's Gorge."
They were next.
The boy nodded once more, and the door swung open for the third time. Liam walked out, and Alanna had no choice but to come with him, since he had trapped her arm in his own.
"Master Liam Ironarm, Dragon of the Order of Shang, and his apprentice, the Lady Alanna of Trebond."
They descended the stairs, Alanna keeping a tight grip on Liam's arm, and Alanna curtsied deeply to the king and queen. Queen Lianne frowned. "You are noble, lady Alanna?"
She nodded. "Yes, your Majesty."
"How is it you are apprenticed to the Shang Dragon? I was under the impression that the nobility were not allowed to become Shang."
Liam bowed again. "That is not so, your Majesty. We have no objection ... it is merely that most noble families do not allow their children to join us."
She nodded, and Liam drew Alanna off the carpet, handing her a glass of wine from plucked off a servant passing with a tray.
"You always told me not to drink."
"This is an exception. You look like you're about to faint.''
Alanna made a face, but drank, anyway.
An older man with lank brown hair and eyes the same shade came over, drawing Liam away into a conversation, and Alanna headed over to her brother, who was chatting to a group of young men nearby, with Tat and Rhiannon, who were resplendent in ice-blue velvet and honey-gold silk, respectively.
Alanna tapped him on the shoulder, and he turned, grinning at her. "Why hello, my lady. May I help you?" he teased, catching her hand and bringing it to his lips.
"Thom!" she whispered furiously, blushing. "Stop it."
He made a face at her and drew her into the crowd.
"Everybody," he said. "May I introduce my sister, Alanna. Alanna, this is Gary," a tall young man with brown eyes and hair, "I'm not going to introduce you to Raoul, as you already know him - "
"I'm hurt," Raoul said, placing a hand over his heart.
"- And Prince Jonathon."
***
Jon's eyes widened as he recognised the girl who'd beaten him the previous day. He'd seen her introduced to his parents as the Shang Dragon's apprentice, though, and the salved his wounded pride a little.
Raising her hand to his lips as she curtsied as protocol demanded, he studied her. She wasn't a beauty like Delia, but she was certainly pretty, and her slightly exotic-seeming hair and eyes combined with - something - a certain expression maybe, to make her more attractive than Delia's chattering classic beauty.
He released her hand, and she stepped back. Conversation resumed, but she didn't say much - he got the feeling she was observing before she spoke.
Protocol demanded he dance with each and every lady at the ball, and when she began to look bored, he decided to ask her to dance.
She was a surprisingly good dancer ... not that she showed much interest in it, so her took the opportunity to ask her what she thought of the court.
She shrugged. "It's alright, I suppose. I've just never thought of being carted off and paraded around like a prize filly for sale as being one of the main achievements in my life."
Jon was taken aback. He supposed that the presentation of young ladies to a court filled with potential suitors could be put like that, if one wanted to be blunt about it, but still...
"Well. There's not much one can say to that, I suppose."
She smiled. "No, your Highness, there's not."
Searching for something to say when the silence became uncomfortable, he said, "Well, you're not really in much danger of that, my lady, since your father's death..."
She glanced up again, violet eyes cool. "No, I'm not. Thom's far too afraid of me to dare suggest I marry anyone."
The dance ended, and Jon saw Delia hurrying up to claim him. He looked around for something to do that would get him away from her - he wasn't in the mood for her endless giggling and flirting that night, somehow, but couldn't find anything, and when he turned back, Alanna was gone, and Delia bearing towards him determinedly.
***
Alanna watched the prince and Delia leave together, raising an eyebrow.
Tat came up behind her. "I suppose it's fairly obvious she's his current mistress."
"And welcome to him ... they suit each other."
Tat looked over at her tiny friend. "He's not that bad - you should get to know him before you judge him so harshly."
"I knew Delia five minutes and knew what she was like. He's such an arrogant, presumptuous, and rude -"
"Yes, but Alanna all men are like that. You can't blame him for the downfalls of his sex. And he is nice on occasion." and you two would make a gorgeous couple. She added silently.
Alanna glanced at her friend, but Tat's face was bland and she kept her silence, bidding Tat and Rhia goodnight and saying goodnight to Thom mentally.... she couldn't spot him in the crowded ballroom and she was beginning to feel sick from the noise, smoke and wine, and bed seemed very attractive.
When she got back to her rooms there was a note from Liam ... the training master wished him to teach some basic fighting elements of Shang to the pages and squires, and Liam wanted her to assist him. She groaned ... the idea of even the most basic of punch's seemed beyond her for now, and, uncomfortable as is was, she collapsed fully clothed onto her bed, falling asleep before she could even summon the energy to kick off her shoes.
