Author's Note: It's me again, after about...I don't know, two weeks of torturous waiting, I'm sure. I had lots of stuff to do after winter break, so I'm sorry that it took me so long to put up more...until now!
I was most offended by reading *certain* reviews from a person (who threatened me to keep this A/J; gee, who could that be?) in past fics....how can someone not like Daine? Or Daine and Numair as a couple? What's wrong with these people?!?! If you personally don't like Daine or Daine and Numair together, just do NOT mention that in your review
*hint, hint*, okay? Thank you!
And the peasants rejoiced!
Chapter Five: All That Glimmers
Running lightly up the steps to Jon's bedroom, Alanna clutched the large scroll map tightly to her chest. She'd planned to share her new theory about where George could be with her royal betrothed, sure that he would readily accept her ideas. Reaching the door, she combed back her coppery hair and pushed her way into the room.
"Jon?" she inquired, gazing around the large room that appeared to be empty. Her visit with her brother Thom had left her in a good mood and she was feeling full of life and confidence. "Jon? Are you in here?" she called again, making her way into the semi-dark room, lighting a candle with her violet Gift. She had turned around to leave when she heard Jon's reply.
"Alanna?" An extravagantly dressed Jonathan entered his bedroom from the dressing room. Dressed in royal finery and the kingdom's best silk, Jon was a very handsome specimen indeed.
Beaming at her lover, Alanna ran over and gave him a quick, light kiss. "So where have you been all day?" he asked, pulling her close for a fast embrace.
She remembered the map and held it up. His blue eyes met hers and in answer to his question, led him over to a table in the corner of the room. Spreading out the map, she explained her theory.
"I went to the library to look at these maps. If George was going from Corus to Tyra, trying to be inconspicuous, he'd probably-" She stopped, looking up and seeing the protest in Jon's eyes.
"What's wrong?" the Lady Knight asked, concern in her voice.
Jon turned around and sighed. "Alanna, I know that you're worried about George. But I think you're taking this too seriously. I'm sure he's just gone to Tyra as planned. He wouldn't worry you intentionally, you know." His fingers drummed against the shining
mahogany of the tabletop.
Anger began to form in Alanna, but she fought to control it. "Wouldn't worry me intentionally? Jon, he's mad at me for accepting your proposal and coming to the palace. And the note! And don't forget the Dancing Dove."
Jon waved his hands, dismissing her suggestions. "Alanna, you can't be so sure of everything. At least wait another few days."
She was really getting angry now, and Jon could see it in her face. He took on his patient look, the one that really made her mad. "Alanna, listen to me. Just because George isn't here doesn't mean that he's been kidnapped or taken away to be murdered!"
Alanna turned away. Her voice, when it came, was controlled through much effort. "Jon, I know that something's wrong. I can feel it. Please try and believe me, all right?"
Jon faced her and took her hands in his. "My Lioness, I'm sorry. I know that you feel you're right, but I too feel that nothing is wrong here! Just relax for once." His warm, loving gaze made Alanna melt as it had when she was only a squire. She returned his smile lovingly and kissed him.
"Maybe you're right," she sighed, letting him sink into a chair and pull her onto his lap. He gently massaged her shoulders and she closed her eyes, contented. After a few minutes, Jon patted her back and helped her up.
"Well, it's time to get ready, wouldn't you say?" he asked.
"Ready? For what?" she replied, having no idea what he was talking about.
"For what? For the ball tonight, of course!" was his answer. Alanna sighed and moaned. She made her way over to the bed and flopped down on it.
"Oh, Jon, I don't want to go to another ball. You know I don't care for social events," she groaned.
Jon sat beside her and pulled her up again. "It's part of your job, my lovely princess."
Prickles of annoyance stung her spine. "My job?"
Jon chuckled. "You said you'd marry me, you became the Princess of Tortall. Attending balls to represent the royal family is therefore one of your duties." He smiled at her, but Alanna didn't smile back.
"Jon, when I said I'd marry you, I didn't say yes because I wanted to be a princess," she informed him a little distantly.
"I know, I know! But you did say yes and that's the price of being my wife." Jon got up and briskly strode over to a gilded mirror hanging from a wall.
Outright anger flooded the Lady Knight. She snorted. "So your ball is more important than my friend?" she demanded, angrily pushing back her hair.
Jon turned to her. "I thought we talked about that. George is fine," he said shortly.
"Jon, you don't know that. I'd still feel better if we tried to find him."
"Alanna, do you care more for him or me?" demanded Jon. "It seems like all you care about is George! You're marrying me, if you'll remember!"
"Jon, how can you say that?" cried Alanna. "He's one of my best friends! And you know that I love you. But you're taking me for granted again, just like you did in the desert! I'm sick of it!"
"And I'm sick of you thinking of everything but what you promised! You wanted to be the princess!"
"No, I didn't! I never wanted to be a princess! That's why I took so long to agree to marrying you!" With that, Alanna turned and stormed out of the room, furious. Jon followed her, worried, to the doorway.
"Alanna, wait. Listen to me," Jon begged, but she did not stop. "Where are you going?" he asked helplessly as she stomped out.
"I'm going to find George," she answered shortly, and left.
I was most offended by reading *certain* reviews from a person (who threatened me to keep this A/J; gee, who could that be?) in past fics....how can someone not like Daine? Or Daine and Numair as a couple? What's wrong with these people?!?! If you personally don't like Daine or Daine and Numair together, just do NOT mention that in your review
*hint, hint*, okay? Thank you!
And the peasants rejoiced!
Chapter Five: All That Glimmers
Running lightly up the steps to Jon's bedroom, Alanna clutched the large scroll map tightly to her chest. She'd planned to share her new theory about where George could be with her royal betrothed, sure that he would readily accept her ideas. Reaching the door, she combed back her coppery hair and pushed her way into the room.
"Jon?" she inquired, gazing around the large room that appeared to be empty. Her visit with her brother Thom had left her in a good mood and she was feeling full of life and confidence. "Jon? Are you in here?" she called again, making her way into the semi-dark room, lighting a candle with her violet Gift. She had turned around to leave when she heard Jon's reply.
"Alanna?" An extravagantly dressed Jonathan entered his bedroom from the dressing room. Dressed in royal finery and the kingdom's best silk, Jon was a very handsome specimen indeed.
Beaming at her lover, Alanna ran over and gave him a quick, light kiss. "So where have you been all day?" he asked, pulling her close for a fast embrace.
She remembered the map and held it up. His blue eyes met hers and in answer to his question, led him over to a table in the corner of the room. Spreading out the map, she explained her theory.
"I went to the library to look at these maps. If George was going from Corus to Tyra, trying to be inconspicuous, he'd probably-" She stopped, looking up and seeing the protest in Jon's eyes.
"What's wrong?" the Lady Knight asked, concern in her voice.
Jon turned around and sighed. "Alanna, I know that you're worried about George. But I think you're taking this too seriously. I'm sure he's just gone to Tyra as planned. He wouldn't worry you intentionally, you know." His fingers drummed against the shining
mahogany of the tabletop.
Anger began to form in Alanna, but she fought to control it. "Wouldn't worry me intentionally? Jon, he's mad at me for accepting your proposal and coming to the palace. And the note! And don't forget the Dancing Dove."
Jon waved his hands, dismissing her suggestions. "Alanna, you can't be so sure of everything. At least wait another few days."
She was really getting angry now, and Jon could see it in her face. He took on his patient look, the one that really made her mad. "Alanna, listen to me. Just because George isn't here doesn't mean that he's been kidnapped or taken away to be murdered!"
Alanna turned away. Her voice, when it came, was controlled through much effort. "Jon, I know that something's wrong. I can feel it. Please try and believe me, all right?"
Jon faced her and took her hands in his. "My Lioness, I'm sorry. I know that you feel you're right, but I too feel that nothing is wrong here! Just relax for once." His warm, loving gaze made Alanna melt as it had when she was only a squire. She returned his smile lovingly and kissed him.
"Maybe you're right," she sighed, letting him sink into a chair and pull her onto his lap. He gently massaged her shoulders and she closed her eyes, contented. After a few minutes, Jon patted her back and helped her up.
"Well, it's time to get ready, wouldn't you say?" he asked.
"Ready? For what?" she replied, having no idea what he was talking about.
"For what? For the ball tonight, of course!" was his answer. Alanna sighed and moaned. She made her way over to the bed and flopped down on it.
"Oh, Jon, I don't want to go to another ball. You know I don't care for social events," she groaned.
Jon sat beside her and pulled her up again. "It's part of your job, my lovely princess."
Prickles of annoyance stung her spine. "My job?"
Jon chuckled. "You said you'd marry me, you became the Princess of Tortall. Attending balls to represent the royal family is therefore one of your duties." He smiled at her, but Alanna didn't smile back.
"Jon, when I said I'd marry you, I didn't say yes because I wanted to be a princess," she informed him a little distantly.
"I know, I know! But you did say yes and that's the price of being my wife." Jon got up and briskly strode over to a gilded mirror hanging from a wall.
Outright anger flooded the Lady Knight. She snorted. "So your ball is more important than my friend?" she demanded, angrily pushing back her hair.
Jon turned to her. "I thought we talked about that. George is fine," he said shortly.
"Jon, you don't know that. I'd still feel better if we tried to find him."
"Alanna, do you care more for him or me?" demanded Jon. "It seems like all you care about is George! You're marrying me, if you'll remember!"
"Jon, how can you say that?" cried Alanna. "He's one of my best friends! And you know that I love you. But you're taking me for granted again, just like you did in the desert! I'm sick of it!"
"And I'm sick of you thinking of everything but what you promised! You wanted to be the princess!"
"No, I didn't! I never wanted to be a princess! That's why I took so long to agree to marrying you!" With that, Alanna turned and stormed out of the room, furious. Jon followed her, worried, to the doorway.
"Alanna, wait. Listen to me," Jon begged, but she did not stop. "Where are you going?" he asked helplessly as she stomped out.
"I'm going to find George," she answered shortly, and left.