One of a kind

Disclaimer: The land of Tortall and all it's inhabitants are the property and invention of Tamora Pierce (with the exception of the characters I made up).

Chapter Fifteen: Knightly Business

Midwinter was over, thankfully. The endless balls, feasts and parties had begun - more than begun, to be honest - to grate on Alanna's nerves.

Now, much to her relief, she had a chance to do something she was actually good at - mindless chattering had never been one of those things.

Changing, as always, into one of her many sleeveless tops, and loose, light breeches - a mixture of cotton and wool, she pulled on a loose tunic, unsure where the day's lessons would be taking place.

***

She had met with Liam for a quick training session and warm up before the first pages began to file down to the inside courts (it was snowing outside), for the lesson's King Roald and Duke Gareth had asked Liam to give them. Most of them ignored Alanna, seated high up on the layered bench's with Faithful, though a few glanced at her curiously, no doubt wondering what she was doing there dressed in such clothing.

Liam was standing further down, talking to the Duke, who had come in with the pages, and most of the attention was on them. The duke nodded at something Liam had said, and murmured a reply, glancing at the pages. They shook hands briefly, and the Duke departed.

Liam strode out into the centre of the enormous main court, the pages having by now taken seats on various benches surrounding it, clustered together, talking.

"Everyone! Listen!"

They did - there was something in Liam's voice that gave his words a silent or else.

"Duke Gareth has asked me to teach you some basic elements of Shang fighting. I shall endeavour to do so. Whether or not it actually sinks in is another matter, and entirely up to you. However -" he said, glaring at a boy who looked like he was nodding off at those words, "- while you are in my class, you will be attentive to what I teach you. Is that understood?"

There was a general chorus of  'yes' around the court, and a few sat up slightly straighter. There were some classes you could be lazy in, Alanna knew. Liam's were not one of them.

"Assisting me will be my apprentice, Alanna -" here he waved a hand towards her, and the boys stared at her. "You will accord her the same respect you do me, and all you other teachers. Should you not, I will not intervene on your behalf with her."

A few laughed, but Liam seemed so completely serious, they stopped quickly.

"Right," he said. "Let's begin."

***

More classes came, pages of varying ages for most of morning, then, in the afternoon, the squires.

She had had to restrain a laugh at the face Thom made at her when he came in with his year-mates, and when she found herself correcting him in a stance she had assumed so many times in the previous years it had become instinctive.

It was during one such inspection of stances - the year above Thom - that Alanna was walking along the row of squires, when she felt a hand reach out behind her and slap her on the behind. Alanna spun, grabbing the squire by his shirtfront and slamming him back against a wall, her dagger at his throat. The other squires stared at this display of the petite girl's strength - Alanna was much stronger than she looked.

She glared at the squire with eyes hard and cold as ice. The boy's face was pale. "Master Ironarm!" he called. Liam glanced up from where he showing another squire a simple punch, and then went back to concentrating on the boy's blow.

"Master Ironarm!" he called again, more desperately this time. Liam sighed and looked up. "I did say I wouldn't interfere on anyone's behalf, young man."

"But -"

Liam ignored him, and the boy looked at Alanna with real terror in his eyes. She pressed her dagger to his throat. "What do you say?"

"I -"

"Surely you can't be entirely lacking in manners, dolt! What do you say?"

"I - I'm sorry. I won't - I won't do it again."

 She dropped him at her feet, resheathing her dagger as she glared down at him. "See that you don't." she spat, before turning on her heel and stalking away, head high.

***

Her encounter with the squire had left her in a bad mood, and the last class of the day all got a thorough lashing from Alanna's tongue.

"Are you sure you scared them enough? I thought that between us, me and the daughters at the convent had taught you how to restrain your temper by now."

"Oh, so you think I shouldn't be angry?" her voice shot through with barely contained fury.

"No, only that you succeeded in making an entire year of squires terrified of you when they did nothing to deserve it." he said, his eyes a flat grey-green.

Alanna opened her mouth to yell at him, then realised she had been acting childishly, and yelling at him would only prove his point. It was hard, though, to close her mouth, turn around and gather up Faithful, and walk out of the court. It was fortunate the door was too big for her to slam, otherwise it most certainly would have been.

***

"Lady Alanna!"

She turned to see Prince Jonathan hurrying towards, her, sighed, and wondered just how bad a breech of courtly manners it would be to turn and walk away.

He was beside her. Too late now, in any case.

She bowed, remembering she wasn't wearing a dress just in time to stop herself making a horribly embarrassing mistake.

"Yes, you Highness?"

"I was wondering if you had seen your brother. I'm looking for him."

No, really? I never would've guessed.

"No, your Highness, I haven't."

"Are you sure?"

Of course not, I'm incapable of recognising my own twin.

"Yes, I am sure. Why don't you go look for him? After all, you're the one who's had all the knightly training - surely you could make a guess at where he is."

The prince looked taken aback. "I was just asking - I didn't mean to offend you, my lady."

"Well then perhaps you shouldn't have treated me like an idiot just because I happen to noble and a woman!" Alanna bit her tongue, realising belatedly that she'd yelled at her future king. "Excuse me, you Highness - I have to go."

***

"She just started yelling at you for no reason at all?"

Jon nodded.

"Well what do you expect?" Raoul pointed out. "She's Thom's sister, after all."

"Whose side are you on?" Jon demanded. Raoul merely shrugged and kept silent.

He glared at Thom, who had remained silent throughout the discussion. "I'm more afraid of my sister than I am of you." he said bluntly.

Jon groaned, throwing up his hands, and Gary chuckled from his seat on the other side of the room. "Don't worry, cous - I'll stand by you." Jon threw him a look that plainly said, gee, thanks Gary.

***

A month and a half later, Alanna had settled into a comfortable routine of training, assisting Liam with the classes he held gave every few days, the occasional ball or feast (not exactly enjoyable, but a part of life), and free days spent with Tat when she wasn't with Raoul, Rhiannon, and Thom, when the two either weren't together of their own accord - they had become friends, sharing an interest in magic and general studious things - or Alanna and Tat hadn't conjured them up some reason to be together - both hoped that friendship might develop into something more.

She and Prince Jonathan spoke rarely - her embarrassment at her behaviour and the fact that he'd assumed that she was one of the few ladies who didn't like him, meant they generally avoided each other as much as possible, and, as each assumed the other disliked them, they tended to react accordingly - the age-old I don't like you either, approach.

However, un-beknownst to Alanna, Tat had plans to change all that, and Thom provided an unconscious helping hand.

***

Thom, Gary, Douglass and Raoul had all gathered in Douglass's rooms to discuss the war. Thom was explaining his thoughts to the others.

"Once the snows melt, and we all set out again to the river Drell, Jon's going to want to come, and he'll manage it, I'll wager, unless King Roald decides not to let him. And if Tusaine tries to attack him directly again, like they did last summer, it would be better if we were all there with him, not separated up and down the river like we were last time - you two should be there." he said, nodding at Raoul and Gary.

Gary nodded. "I agree - it's too risky to have him alone there with only a couple of knights and some arms-men. I don't know why uncle didn't see that last time - he and the queen are usually, if anything, overprotective of Jon."

Thom thought he knew why but wasn't about to say.

There was a knock on the door connecting Jon and Douglass's rooms, and Jon's head poked round. "I heard voices ... oh. Can I come in, or is this a private meeting?"

Thom waved him in, and he sat down. "What were you talking about?"

"Oh ... this and that. The war at Drell, you ... just stuff."

Jon raised an eyebrow. "Me?"

"Yes ...." Thom drawled. "Actually, we were talking about what happens at Drell come summer. We wanted to see if we could get Gary and Raoul re-posted so they're near you if Tusaine ... struck again."

Jon lifted his chin. "Oh? And why might that be?" He glared at them. "I'm not a baby, you know ... I don't need protecting. I -"

There was another knock, this time at the door that led onto the hall that ran through that wing. Douglass got up to open it, and Alanna stepped in. "I was looking for Thom ... Are you busy?" she asked her twin.

"We're discussing the war." he said, then bit his tongue - that was the wrong thing to say to Alanna.

"Really? I'll hang around then, 'til you're done."

Jon glared at her. "I would prefer it," he said frostily, "if certain people weren't here."

"Something in your eye, your Highness?" Alanna asked innocently.

"No, my eyes are fine, thank you very much, but -"

"That's it!" Thom yelled, bounding out of his seat. "I have had enough! Can't you two at least try to act your age?"

Alanna stood up, intending to yell at her twin, but he waved his arm violently at the door to Jon's room, his magic throwing it open and Alanna inside, Jon following a few seconds later, and the door slammed shut. Alanna distinctly heard the sound of the locks clicking shut, and ran to the main door. It was no use ... Thom had locked that one too.

"Thom!" she yelled, running back to the other one and pounding on it. "Thom, let me out right now! Thom!"

There was no answer, and Jon joined her. "Thom! Let us out! That's an order, Thom!"

Still no answer.

Ten minutes of pounding on the door and yelling proved that either the people in the adjoining rooms had astonishingly resilient eardrums, or that they were simply no longer there. Alanna turned around, sinking to the ground against the door, head in her hands, muttering about what she intended to do to her brother when she got out.

Jon sighed, resting his head against the wall. After a few moments he turned and looked at Alanna. Had he not known just how angry she was, he would've thought she looked oddly vulnerable ... she wasn't much bigger than some children, truth be told.

"Come on," he said. "Get up."

She glared up at him resentfully. "Don't tell me what to do!"

He sighed again. "I didn't mean it like that." he snapped back, his tone as sharp as her's had been. He closed his eyes briefly, making himself calm, impassive. "Look," he said. "If we're going to be here for a while we might at least be comfortable." he gestured towards the sofa by the fire.

 Alanna sighed, got up, and plonked herself down on it, curling her feet up under her as she half-sat, half-lay on the sofa, her head resting on arms folded over the stuffed arm of the sofa.  She squirmed, reaching down behind her, and finally pulled out an indecently small scrap of black lace that just might pass for an undergarment on a fat day.

She dangled it between the nails of thumb and forefinger, raising an eyebrow at the prince.

"Delia's?" Her mocking voice made it more statement than question, and Jon blushed, snatching at it. "Give me that." Failing to find anything else to do with it once he had grabbed hold of it, he tossed it towards a nearby desk, then blushed again as it landed on the fire, and Alanna snorted in amusement.

How long has that been there? I haven't well - seen - Delia for a month at least.

Trying desperately to think of something to say that wasn't to do with court or Delia, he blurted out, "So, how did you meet the Dragon, anyway? I somehow feel it wasn't that he dropped by the convent one day."

She glanced at him. "I was at the City of the Gods with Tat and Rhiannon. Some louts attacked us and Liam intervened." she said shortly, then returned to staring at the fire, which by now had consumed the lace.

"Oh."

There seemed nothing to say, so they sat for a time in uneasy silence, Jon in an armchair, and Alanna on the overstuffed sofa. When the silence became unbearable, Jon pursued the question of Alanna's apprenticeship again.

"If that was how you met him, why did he choose you to be his apprentice? Not that I doubt your fighting ability but..."

"Not everyone shares your views that noblewomen are useless ornaments, your Highness."

"Well most are!"

"But not all!" she cried, coming to her feet. "I don't believe you! You're so ... presumptuous and rude and ... why do you enjoy irritating me so?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Why do you always rise to occasion so magnificently, lady Shang?"

She scowled at him. "I can't take this anymore. I'm leaving."

"Have you forgotten the slight problem of the magically locked doors?" he called after her.

She stalked to the main door, and placed her hands on the lock. He felt her power building up, and then there was a purple flash, and she was lying on the floor. She did look vulnerable now, her face pale and small against the copper cloud surrounding it. Shaking his head, he picked her up, considered the rather uncomfortable-for-sleeping-on couch and placed her on his bed. Curious, he walked over to the door, tried the handle, and found it open.

***

Alanna groaned, opening her eyes, and watched Prince Jonathan's face swim into focus above her.

"You fainted." he told her matter-of-factly.

She nodded. "I guessed that - that always happens when I break open one of Thom's spells - his Gift is stronger than mine."

"Well," he said. "It worked - the door's open."

"It is? Why didn't you leave?"

"Because then I would lose any standing I might have left in your eyes as a gentleman." he teased, then realised what he was doing and blushed, as did Alanna.

"Well," she said. "Thank you then, for - for taking care of me. I'd better go now."

***

Faithful was sitting in Shannyn's lap and yowled a greeting when she opened the door. Shannyn stood up as the cat leapt off her, coming over.

"What happened?" she demanded.

Alanna rubbed her head, which was pounding from the way she'd just abused her Gift. "Long story. Suffice to say Thom is in very big trouble."

Faithful yowled again.

And the prince in better favour than he's ever been.

Don't be ridiculous, Faithful. The man helped me out ... it's not a crime to say thankyou!

The cat said nothing, but, with infuriating calmness, licked a paw and rubbed it over an ear, and Alanna resisted a temptation to do ... well, something horrible at any rate.

Shannyn walked over to the small dressing room-wardrobe that led off Alanna's bedroom, re-emerging with a pale green-gold velvet gown, and Alanna realised belatedly that her current one was very much crinkled and dusty. Shannyn laid the gown over a chair and began to unlace the back of the dress.

"What did Thom do?"

Alanna sighed. "He threw a fit and locked Prince Jonathan and I into his Highness's rooms. Apparently we were acting childishly."

Shannyn said nothing, merely picked up the dress that lay over the chair, and pulled it over Alanna's head - another reason Alanna preferred breeches and shirts for everyday wear - they didn't require someone else to help you dress.

***

Alanna looked down at her plate, speared an unfamiliar vegetable with her fork, resisted the temptation to make a face, and choked it down.

"Not nice?" Tat asked from her seat beside her, and Alanna gave a vehement shake of her head.

"No - not really." Half the plate was covered in them. Suddenly, I don't feel that hungry.

"C'mon," Tat said. "Let's go."

The smaller ballroom that adjoined the dining hall was semi-filled with nobles, musicians playing softly in the background, but the dancing wouldn't begin until the last course had been cleared away and the rest of the court came in to chatter and flirt.

Alanna curled up into a window seat, chatting quietly to Tat, until Raoul came up to ask her to dance, when Alanna resorted to staring out the window.

"Hullo."

Alanna looked up - Prince Jonathon was standing in front of her. She stood up and curtsied slightly. "Hullo your Highness."

"You looked lonely. May I join you?"

She shrugged. "If you like."

"So ... how've you been?" his voice was unusually gentle. What's this? Alanna wondered.

"Not to bad. You?"

He nodded. "Likewise." He looked up, and swore.

Alanna frowned. "Something wrong?"

He jerked his head in the direction he'd been looking in. "Delia."

Alanna made to stand up. "Well - I'll be leaving, then."

He sighed. "Please don't. Look - would you like to dance?"

"I don't like to dance, your Highness - you know that."

"Please - just - just dance with me, this once. So I can get away from Delia."

Alanna raised an eyebrow. "As you wish, your Highness."

The waltz was a fairly simple one, and Alanna kept an eye on Delia as she spun around the floor. The girl was making her way through the crowd, following them so she could intercept Jonathan once the dance ended.

They whirled to a halt, and Alanna, seeing Delia not so very far away, turned on her heel and headed for the open doors leading onto one of the many balconies there were in this section of the palace. The prince hadn't relinquished her hand, though, so she found herself dragging him after her.

Once in the open air, she yanked her hand out of his, and headed for the part of the stone railing that connected with a wall, knowing Delia would be there soon - Mithros that girl was determined!

The prince followed her, and she grabbed the railing, hoisting herself up so she was standing on the wide marble top.

He grabbed her hand. "What in Mithros' name do you think you're doing?"

She looked down at him. "What - you've never climbed something to get away from someone?" He looked up at her, confused. "The roof, idiot! Are you coming or not?"

His expression cleared, and he pulled himself up behind her. She reached for the low section of roofing supported by the wall. Standing on the fence it was just low enough for her to grab hold of the stone guttering and pull herself up - and Jonathan unexpectedly helped, pushing her up, then scrambled up himself behind her.

"Nice," he commented. "I wouldn't have thought of that."

She looked at him, and he could just make out her mouth twitching in the darkness. "Yes, well -" she left the sentence hanging, and leaned back on her elbows, looking out at Corus - the view was better on the roof, away from the noise and light, she had found - the lights of the city like a reflection of the thousands of stars above them.

"It's beautiful out here," she murmured, more thinking aloud than anything else. Jon looked at her in surprise - he hadn't expected such a comment from her.

"Do you think anyone will find us?" he asked.

She glanced over, violet eyes shining in the darkness. "I doubt it. Maybe Thom, but anyone else -"

He frowned slightly. "How would Thom find us?"

She cocked her head to one side, as if to ease a stiff neck. "We can usually find each other if we set our minds to it - and, when were little, we - I, really - used to climb trees, roofs, anything, when I wanted to hide from someone, and I could usually bully Thom into coming with me."

They lapsed into silence again, but a comfortable silence this time.

Alanna rested her chin on her knees; arms clasped around her legs, and closed her eyes, savouring the feel of the wind ruffling her curls, left loose but for the front part drawn back with a comb.

"Lady Alanna?"

Alanna opened her eyes, and tilted her head to look at him. "Yes, your Highness?"

"I was hoping we could - well, if not be friends, at least declare a truce of sorts? You're not actually that bad when you're not -"

"Going out of my way to be unpleasant?" she finished for him.

He grinned. "I was trying to find a way to say that that wouldn't make you rush at me with drawn sword."

She shrugged. "As you wish, your Highness."

He winced. "Please, lady Alanna - I prefer my friends call me Jon - or at least Jonathan."

Alanna raised a slender copper eyebrow. "So I'm your friend, then, your Highness?"

"Unless you have any particular objection to it."

"Not really - as long as you stop calling me 'lady Alanna'. It grates on my nerves."

"So what am I supposed to call you?"

"Well Alanna suits just fine, Jonathan."

He smiled. "Thank you."

The bell for midnight rang nearby, and Alanna clapped her hand over her ears - it was incredibly loud from where she was.

"Come on," Jon said. "We'd better get in - people might start wondering where we are."

He turned and half walked, half slid down the roof  'til he was back where they'd started, and climbed over the ledge, dropping onto the wide stones. He turned to help Alanna down, but she'd already dropped onto the fence, silent as a cat.

He jumped down onto the balcony, and held out his arms to Alanna. She paused, thinking, then allowed him to help him down - she could've easily done it herself, even in her dress, but if he wanted to be a gentleman, so be it.

"I'll walk you back to your rooms." He offered, but she shook her head. "No - it's not that far from here." she turned; slipping into a small door leading off the balcony, in the wall they had climbed together earlier that night.

She smiled, running lightly down the stairs. Tat's right - he's not that bad.

***

Tat watched them from the window seat she occupied looking out on the balcony and gardens - things were going well. And unbeknownst to her, Duke Roger also watched the two. The two were friends, nothing more - but they hadn't been until that night, and the Duke decided he'd best watch the young lady Shang very carefully indeed.