Chapter 7:
An strange silence hung about in the stables and any sounds that could be heard were the faint sounds of the pages and squires training up at the practice courts. Aaliia's bay mare whickered softly and nuzzled into her arm. Roald and she had gone for their ride and in one word it had been delightful. Roald had to run back to the palace for some meeting with his father and bunch of other important people including her aunt and uncle. Aaliia opted to stay down with Lithuanna rather than sit in her room being ladylike.
"You are my beautiful girl aren't you," she cooed to her horse gently softly
"She's not as beautiful as you," came a hard voice behind, which made her spin around in shock. It was Squire Darrin, he advanced towards her.
"What are you doing here?" she half screamed.
"I came to see you," his voice was urgent and he pushed her against the back wall of the stable, grabbing her wrists and bending down to kiss her. Aaliia turned her head away in disgust.
"Get off me!" she screamed
"I like a girl with spirit,"
She brought her knee up as quickly as she could aiming right in between his legs. She hit her desired target and he dropped like a stone, holding that certain area while groaning about the pain.
"Don't you ever touch me again! Is that clear you disgusting, repulsive creature?!" she yelled threateningly. Shaking with fear and adrenaline. He stood up slowly and as he did she slapped him as hard as she could across the face. "Now get out of here, ok?"
He mumbled something that sounded like 'slut'. She stroked Lithuanna with a shaking hand and she realised something. She liked that feeling of being able to defend herself, even if it had half been pure luck. Aaliia understood at that moment that she was basically defenseless and exceedingly vulnerable.
"Are you ok?" asked Alanna, standing at the edge of Lithuanna's stall. "You seem sort of shaken up."
"Oh, nothing really. Some disgusting squire tried to make a move on me and I.Alanna would you teach me how to fight?"
"Aaliia; I would absolutely love to. And as long as you're here there's something I've got to discuss with you."
"Mmm? What's that?"
"Well, about your future. Now we discussed this last night and Thayet said your welcome to stay at the palace which would probably involve you getting married off to some Lord or Baron." Alanna laughed at the disgusted looked on Aaliia's face. "Or alternatively you could come and live at Pirate's Swoop with George and I. You could always travel back to the palace, besides George and I regularly visit here. So it's up to you? George and I would love to have you."
"I would absolutely adore to come and live with you Alanna, after all you are my only family I have on my fathers side." She spoke with a note of sadness but had had time to adjust to the idea of never being able to meet her father.
"How old are you Aaliia?"
"Twenty two,"
"Huh, you are the exact same age as Roald."
The two women were standing there in harmless conversation when a seething Jonathan swept down the aisle between the town rows of stalls. "Alanna, may I speak with you for a moment?" he spat venomously throwing a particularly nasty look over to Aaliia.
"Yes, of course Jon. What's the matter?"
The two walked away out of ear shot but heard the words 'slut' 'niece' 'imposter' and 'throne stealer' being thrown, very loud, around by the King. Curious; Aaliia pressed her ear against the wood so as she could hear the conversation better.
"Kali said they just started to kiss, right in front of everyone," yelled an irate Jon. "She's nothing but an immoral slut! She's only after one thing, she wants power and money and respect because she's got none of that being an illegitimate child."
"Don't you dare talk about my brother's daughter like that. And as if it's only her fault, clearly your son was half to blame; so you can get off your moral high horse Jonathan!" Fumed Alanna, "Don't even talk to me Jonathan you rude conceited prig!"
Alanna walked off grabbed Aaliia's hand. "Come on, we're leaving we better pack our things." She glared furiously at Jon as they walked past him.
As she packed her things Aaliia felt an overwhelming sense of guilt, she didn't view what she had done the previous night as all that bad. Even if he was betrothed it wasn't as if he was married yet and it wasn't as if she had known. She also felt badly for being the reason of the argument between Alanna and Jon. It was midday and George had said last night it usually took a four day ride to get there, although this seemed to not be a factor in their decision. Alanna wanted to leave, so they were leaving. No arguments.
An strange silence hung about in the stables and any sounds that could be heard were the faint sounds of the pages and squires training up at the practice courts. Aaliia's bay mare whickered softly and nuzzled into her arm. Roald and she had gone for their ride and in one word it had been delightful. Roald had to run back to the palace for some meeting with his father and bunch of other important people including her aunt and uncle. Aaliia opted to stay down with Lithuanna rather than sit in her room being ladylike.
"You are my beautiful girl aren't you," she cooed to her horse gently softly
"She's not as beautiful as you," came a hard voice behind, which made her spin around in shock. It was Squire Darrin, he advanced towards her.
"What are you doing here?" she half screamed.
"I came to see you," his voice was urgent and he pushed her against the back wall of the stable, grabbing her wrists and bending down to kiss her. Aaliia turned her head away in disgust.
"Get off me!" she screamed
"I like a girl with spirit,"
She brought her knee up as quickly as she could aiming right in between his legs. She hit her desired target and he dropped like a stone, holding that certain area while groaning about the pain.
"Don't you ever touch me again! Is that clear you disgusting, repulsive creature?!" she yelled threateningly. Shaking with fear and adrenaline. He stood up slowly and as he did she slapped him as hard as she could across the face. "Now get out of here, ok?"
He mumbled something that sounded like 'slut'. She stroked Lithuanna with a shaking hand and she realised something. She liked that feeling of being able to defend herself, even if it had half been pure luck. Aaliia understood at that moment that she was basically defenseless and exceedingly vulnerable.
"Are you ok?" asked Alanna, standing at the edge of Lithuanna's stall. "You seem sort of shaken up."
"Oh, nothing really. Some disgusting squire tried to make a move on me and I.Alanna would you teach me how to fight?"
"Aaliia; I would absolutely love to. And as long as you're here there's something I've got to discuss with you."
"Mmm? What's that?"
"Well, about your future. Now we discussed this last night and Thayet said your welcome to stay at the palace which would probably involve you getting married off to some Lord or Baron." Alanna laughed at the disgusted looked on Aaliia's face. "Or alternatively you could come and live at Pirate's Swoop with George and I. You could always travel back to the palace, besides George and I regularly visit here. So it's up to you? George and I would love to have you."
"I would absolutely adore to come and live with you Alanna, after all you are my only family I have on my fathers side." She spoke with a note of sadness but had had time to adjust to the idea of never being able to meet her father.
"How old are you Aaliia?"
"Twenty two,"
"Huh, you are the exact same age as Roald."
The two women were standing there in harmless conversation when a seething Jonathan swept down the aisle between the town rows of stalls. "Alanna, may I speak with you for a moment?" he spat venomously throwing a particularly nasty look over to Aaliia.
"Yes, of course Jon. What's the matter?"
The two walked away out of ear shot but heard the words 'slut' 'niece' 'imposter' and 'throne stealer' being thrown, very loud, around by the King. Curious; Aaliia pressed her ear against the wood so as she could hear the conversation better.
"Kali said they just started to kiss, right in front of everyone," yelled an irate Jon. "She's nothing but an immoral slut! She's only after one thing, she wants power and money and respect because she's got none of that being an illegitimate child."
"Don't you dare talk about my brother's daughter like that. And as if it's only her fault, clearly your son was half to blame; so you can get off your moral high horse Jonathan!" Fumed Alanna, "Don't even talk to me Jonathan you rude conceited prig!"
Alanna walked off grabbed Aaliia's hand. "Come on, we're leaving we better pack our things." She glared furiously at Jon as they walked past him.
As she packed her things Aaliia felt an overwhelming sense of guilt, she didn't view what she had done the previous night as all that bad. Even if he was betrothed it wasn't as if he was married yet and it wasn't as if she had known. She also felt badly for being the reason of the argument between Alanna and Jon. It was midday and George had said last night it usually took a four day ride to get there, although this seemed to not be a factor in their decision. Alanna wanted to leave, so they were leaving. No arguments.