Author's Note: This is the last chapter in Alanna of Naxen. There will be a sequel, but I really needed to wrap everything up for time being, because I have so much going on with debate and trying to get published and my webzine and all. I hope you've all enjoyed this fanfiction. Thank you all so much for your support, especially Keita, who always commented, and Lady Marie, who changed her mind. J Goddess bless.
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Alanna looked around more closely at the room. Jonathan had locked the room magically, so she couldn't get out through the door. There were no windows in this part of the castle, for fear of assasination of the monarchs. She sat and was about to burst into tears, when she remembered something vital.
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Delia, still looking like Alanna, reappeared in front of the Prince outside of the room.
"Your Highness, I made my maidservant come to rights. Be assured, she was out of her mind. She committed treason against the crown. I want her hanged at sunrise. Can we move her to a cell?" asked Delia.
Jonathan stared at the beautiful woman in surprise. "You want someone killed?" he asked incredulously.
"Sire, I would do anything to ensure your safety. Surely you must know that even though it will be a sacrafice for me to find a new maid, I will do it to keep you safe," said Delia, with a phony smile on her face.
"All…right then, I suppose. I'll unlock the door, and we can…move her…" said Jonathan slowly. He spoke three words, the passwords to get into his room, and entered. Nobody was there.
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Alanna had found the secret passageway out of the room easily. There were many tapestries in the room, but only five were the right size to conceal a door. Now she ran along the dimly lit hall, only occasionally spotting a servant. They left her alone, as future queen. She soon reached the door that led into her new chambers. There, she locked her door and made three passes in the air to find and rid the room of any spells meant to harm her.
She had done all of this before realizing that she had a visitor: Merin was sitting on her bed, watching her curiously.
"I suppose you know by now," drawled Merin, in his annoying accent, "The Prince has surely told you by now."
"I don't know what you are speaking of, Merin. Honestly," she spoke the last under her breath, hoping that he would come clean soon.
"Of course you don't. So you're saying that you don't know about Delia and I? And her plot to marry the Prince and kill him? Sure, Alanna, I can believe that," he said sarcastically.
Alanna gasped. The news shocked her. She stared at Merin for several minutes.
"Are you a part of this plan, Merin?" she finally asked.
"No, I didn't know until you left for the Palace. We've been together for a year. I thought you knew. I was only marrying you for mother," he told her willingly, "And if you let me out of this room, I won't try to hurt you."
Alanna believed him. Ever since they were children, they always told the truth to each other. Yes, some parts might be left out, but the truth was always told.
"Merin of Goldenlake, you can leave this room if you promise to find Delia, take her away, and marry her within a week," she said, with a hint of a smile around her eyes. Her problems might have an end in sight!
Merin grinned at her and hugged her tightly. She hugged him back and whispered, "Good luck, Merin, and beware: she can be downright evil when she wants to be Queen."
She picked at the enchantments that held her room shut, and let Merin out with his things. As he walked down the hall, he turned and yelled, "I'm sorry Alanna! I wish things could have worked out better! I'll beat some sense into…my wife!"
Alanna waved until he was no longer there. Being friends with him again was a relief. She didn't want to pretend to love him. She just wished that Merin had better taste in women, although she knew that he had a strong enough will to keep Delia away for a long, long time. He obviously wore a focus for her, seeing as he was being trained for the Gift, and was obviously in love.
She wondered how she missed their affair. The answer was obvious. She was busy in her preparations for Court and praying for a better husband than he to notice anything other than herself. She cursed under her breath that she had allowed Delia to get out of control, but now she could marry Jonathan! It seemed that things would work out. She thought about the dream she had had, that seemed like such a long time ago. The unicorn was smiling now, it appeared that she had done the right thing. She grinned, and ran to find Jonathan, when she got a proper look in a mirror. She turned and called for a bath from a servant posted in the hall.
She continued looking in the mirror and sighed. It had only been a few months that she had been here, but it felt like a lifetime. She reflected on the things that had happened: Stephen being the Prince, guilt over Merin resolved, Delia and Jonathan. All her problems wrapped up in a bow. Or so it appeared to the casual onlooker.
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Alanna looked around more closely at the room. Jonathan had locked the room magically, so she couldn't get out through the door. There were no windows in this part of the castle, for fear of assasination of the monarchs. She sat and was about to burst into tears, when she remembered something vital.
~:~ ~:~ ~:~ ~:~
Delia, still looking like Alanna, reappeared in front of the Prince outside of the room.
"Your Highness, I made my maidservant come to rights. Be assured, she was out of her mind. She committed treason against the crown. I want her hanged at sunrise. Can we move her to a cell?" asked Delia.
Jonathan stared at the beautiful woman in surprise. "You want someone killed?" he asked incredulously.
"Sire, I would do anything to ensure your safety. Surely you must know that even though it will be a sacrafice for me to find a new maid, I will do it to keep you safe," said Delia, with a phony smile on her face.
"All…right then, I suppose. I'll unlock the door, and we can…move her…" said Jonathan slowly. He spoke three words, the passwords to get into his room, and entered. Nobody was there.
~:~ ~:~ ~:~ ~:~
Alanna had found the secret passageway out of the room easily. There were many tapestries in the room, but only five were the right size to conceal a door. Now she ran along the dimly lit hall, only occasionally spotting a servant. They left her alone, as future queen. She soon reached the door that led into her new chambers. There, she locked her door and made three passes in the air to find and rid the room of any spells meant to harm her.
She had done all of this before realizing that she had a visitor: Merin was sitting on her bed, watching her curiously.
"I suppose you know by now," drawled Merin, in his annoying accent, "The Prince has surely told you by now."
"I don't know what you are speaking of, Merin. Honestly," she spoke the last under her breath, hoping that he would come clean soon.
"Of course you don't. So you're saying that you don't know about Delia and I? And her plot to marry the Prince and kill him? Sure, Alanna, I can believe that," he said sarcastically.
Alanna gasped. The news shocked her. She stared at Merin for several minutes.
"Are you a part of this plan, Merin?" she finally asked.
"No, I didn't know until you left for the Palace. We've been together for a year. I thought you knew. I was only marrying you for mother," he told her willingly, "And if you let me out of this room, I won't try to hurt you."
Alanna believed him. Ever since they were children, they always told the truth to each other. Yes, some parts might be left out, but the truth was always told.
"Merin of Goldenlake, you can leave this room if you promise to find Delia, take her away, and marry her within a week," she said, with a hint of a smile around her eyes. Her problems might have an end in sight!
Merin grinned at her and hugged her tightly. She hugged him back and whispered, "Good luck, Merin, and beware: she can be downright evil when she wants to be Queen."
She picked at the enchantments that held her room shut, and let Merin out with his things. As he walked down the hall, he turned and yelled, "I'm sorry Alanna! I wish things could have worked out better! I'll beat some sense into…my wife!"
Alanna waved until he was no longer there. Being friends with him again was a relief. She didn't want to pretend to love him. She just wished that Merin had better taste in women, although she knew that he had a strong enough will to keep Delia away for a long, long time. He obviously wore a focus for her, seeing as he was being trained for the Gift, and was obviously in love.
She wondered how she missed their affair. The answer was obvious. She was busy in her preparations for Court and praying for a better husband than he to notice anything other than herself. She cursed under her breath that she had allowed Delia to get out of control, but now she could marry Jonathan! It seemed that things would work out. She thought about the dream she had had, that seemed like such a long time ago. The unicorn was smiling now, it appeared that she had done the right thing. She grinned, and ran to find Jonathan, when she got a proper look in a mirror. She turned and called for a bath from a servant posted in the hall.
She continued looking in the mirror and sighed. It had only been a few months that she had been here, but it felt like a lifetime. She reflected on the things that had happened: Stephen being the Prince, guilt over Merin resolved, Delia and Jonathan. All her problems wrapped up in a bow. Or so it appeared to the casual onlooker.
~:~