DISCLAIMER: The lovely characters that this story is based on are all property of that Goddess of Fantasy, Tammy. Don't sue, darlings!
Author's Note: I love Alanna, she's soo cool. However, this story makes me seem Anti-Alanna. THIS IS NOT MY POINT OF VIEW. I'm trying to write out of the box...
Three hundred years after the legacy of Alanna, Tortall is a very different place. King Jonathan VII and Queen Mariane are wise and just rulers, yes, but all this foolishness of female knights is finally beginning to wear down. The legends of the Five Lady Champions are still told, embellished as ever, but nobles, the only ones who can become knights, are forbidden to hear the tale, for fear of corruption of their minds. So is the setting for the tale of Lady Alanna of Naxen, named for her great grandmother, who in turn was named for the legend.
The girl stepped out of her house and blinked at the bright lights. She had been cooped up with influenza for three weeks, and was enjoying her first outing in a month.
Alanna wandered for awhile through the woods, followed silently by her servants. She knew they were there, of course, they always were, to protect her from dangers she might encounter when out walking. After awhile, she turned back, deciding that it wasn't worth being outside if she was going to risk her health. She did not want to be ill throughout social season. When she reached the building, she sighed and went in to finish packing her gowns. They were to leave that afternoon.
~*~
They arrived at the Palace in the middle of the night. The almost full moon overhead lit the path that Alanna was walking on. She was in travelling clothes, but she still looked stunning. Her copper hair glistened in the moonlight as she waited for a servant to show her to her quarters and bring her things in. As she stood and waited, a young noble approached her.
"Hello, I don't believe we've met before...are you new to the Palace?" he asked, smiling, "It's too cold for you to be outside. Would you like to come in?"
Obviously, the young boy was smitted with her ethreal appearance.
"Why, thank you, Sir, and yes, I am new to the Palace," replied Alanna. "OK, then, I'll have someone get your things," he said, motioning to a servant to get them, "I believe that there is a free suite down the hall from where I'm staying. You might try to get that room."
"Yes, yes of course. Sir...I hate to be impolite, but...could you please tell me your name?" she said.
"It's Sir Stephen of Pirate's Swoop. Terribly sorry I forgot, I was stunned by your radience, Lady," said Stephen, shocked at his own ability to flirt. He had a reputation of being horrible with ladies.
"Thank you, Sir Stephen. I'm Lady Alanna of Naxen," said Alanna, glad that they had finally arrived at what was to be her suite. It had been a long walk, and her slippers were not the most comfortable.
"Lady Alanna, you have the most beautiful name. Will I see you at the ball tomorrow night?" asked Stephen, shifting slightly and blushing.
"Thank you. And of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world. But please, call me just Alanna. The formalities of the palace, I believe, are too stiff for my tastes," said Alanna, blushing in turn. She had just revealed a secret part of herself to someone she barely knew.
"Yes, Alanna. You can, um, call me Stephen...if you like," he stammered.
He turned his back on her and walked away before he could say anything to embarrass himself further. Already, Stephen believed that the beautiful Lady Alanna -no, Alanna- would never want to speak to him again. He was far from right, however. Alanna was as smitten with him as he was her.
~*~
The next day, the day of the ball, Alanna had awoken after noon. She realized with a start what time it was, then set about getting ready for the ball. She wanted to be especially stunning tonight.
~*~
Alanna looked at herself in the glass. She was shocked to see a beautiful lady, like the ones she had admired when she was a small child of four. Her coppery-red hair was twisted on top of her head, with ringlets spilling out from it everywhere. She had added a small glass butterfly as her only hair ornament.
Her dress was the palest of lavender, with a swooping neckline and full-bodied skirts that swept the ground. The sleeves came to her elbows, gracefully tied back from her arms. The entire creation was dotted with pearls, and set off by an amethyst charm on a silver string around her neck. She sighed into the mirror and stepped out of her door.
After the first resounding steps in the hall, she realized that someone was behind her. She turned and saw Stephen. She gasped with surprise.
"May I escort a beautiful lady to a certain ball?" whispered Stephen in Alanna's ear, after a moment or two of stunned silence when he saw her.
"Of course you may, Stephen, I'd be a fool to turn down someone so handsome as you are," she said out loud.
He extended his arm, and she looped hers in, and they set off the the ball.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
So what do you think? Should I bother to finish this? I'm open to opinions, suggestions, and hey, maybe even a few flames.
Author's Note: I love Alanna, she's soo cool. However, this story makes me seem Anti-Alanna. THIS IS NOT MY POINT OF VIEW. I'm trying to write out of the box...
Three hundred years after the legacy of Alanna, Tortall is a very different place. King Jonathan VII and Queen Mariane are wise and just rulers, yes, but all this foolishness of female knights is finally beginning to wear down. The legends of the Five Lady Champions are still told, embellished as ever, but nobles, the only ones who can become knights, are forbidden to hear the tale, for fear of corruption of their minds. So is the setting for the tale of Lady Alanna of Naxen, named for her great grandmother, who in turn was named for the legend.
The girl stepped out of her house and blinked at the bright lights. She had been cooped up with influenza for three weeks, and was enjoying her first outing in a month.
Alanna wandered for awhile through the woods, followed silently by her servants. She knew they were there, of course, they always were, to protect her from dangers she might encounter when out walking. After awhile, she turned back, deciding that it wasn't worth being outside if she was going to risk her health. She did not want to be ill throughout social season. When she reached the building, she sighed and went in to finish packing her gowns. They were to leave that afternoon.
~*~
They arrived at the Palace in the middle of the night. The almost full moon overhead lit the path that Alanna was walking on. She was in travelling clothes, but she still looked stunning. Her copper hair glistened in the moonlight as she waited for a servant to show her to her quarters and bring her things in. As she stood and waited, a young noble approached her.
"Hello, I don't believe we've met before...are you new to the Palace?" he asked, smiling, "It's too cold for you to be outside. Would you like to come in?"
Obviously, the young boy was smitted with her ethreal appearance.
"Why, thank you, Sir, and yes, I am new to the Palace," replied Alanna. "OK, then, I'll have someone get your things," he said, motioning to a servant to get them, "I believe that there is a free suite down the hall from where I'm staying. You might try to get that room."
"Yes, yes of course. Sir...I hate to be impolite, but...could you please tell me your name?" she said.
"It's Sir Stephen of Pirate's Swoop. Terribly sorry I forgot, I was stunned by your radience, Lady," said Stephen, shocked at his own ability to flirt. He had a reputation of being horrible with ladies.
"Thank you, Sir Stephen. I'm Lady Alanna of Naxen," said Alanna, glad that they had finally arrived at what was to be her suite. It had been a long walk, and her slippers were not the most comfortable.
"Lady Alanna, you have the most beautiful name. Will I see you at the ball tomorrow night?" asked Stephen, shifting slightly and blushing.
"Thank you. And of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world. But please, call me just Alanna. The formalities of the palace, I believe, are too stiff for my tastes," said Alanna, blushing in turn. She had just revealed a secret part of herself to someone she barely knew.
"Yes, Alanna. You can, um, call me Stephen...if you like," he stammered.
He turned his back on her and walked away before he could say anything to embarrass himself further. Already, Stephen believed that the beautiful Lady Alanna -no, Alanna- would never want to speak to him again. He was far from right, however. Alanna was as smitten with him as he was her.
~*~
The next day, the day of the ball, Alanna had awoken after noon. She realized with a start what time it was, then set about getting ready for the ball. She wanted to be especially stunning tonight.
~*~
Alanna looked at herself in the glass. She was shocked to see a beautiful lady, like the ones she had admired when she was a small child of four. Her coppery-red hair was twisted on top of her head, with ringlets spilling out from it everywhere. She had added a small glass butterfly as her only hair ornament.
Her dress was the palest of lavender, with a swooping neckline and full-bodied skirts that swept the ground. The sleeves came to her elbows, gracefully tied back from her arms. The entire creation was dotted with pearls, and set off by an amethyst charm on a silver string around her neck. She sighed into the mirror and stepped out of her door.
After the first resounding steps in the hall, she realized that someone was behind her. She turned and saw Stephen. She gasped with surprise.
"May I escort a beautiful lady to a certain ball?" whispered Stephen in Alanna's ear, after a moment or two of stunned silence when he saw her.
"Of course you may, Stephen, I'd be a fool to turn down someone so handsome as you are," she said out loud.
He extended his arm, and she looped hers in, and they set off the the ball.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
So what do you think? Should I bother to finish this? I'm open to opinions, suggestions, and hey, maybe even a few flames.