Chapter 4

By: LadyIsabelle

~*~Disclaimer: I don't own nothin~*~

"Thayet?" called Alanna. "Are you still in here?" Alanna had walked to back to her rooms, feeling somewhat angry with herself for not hurting Jon and more than slightly angry at Jon for hurting Thayet.

"I'm still here." Thayet came out of the back room, freshly showered and in a new dress. Where the dress came from, Alanna didn't know. The bruise was still nasty and the fading scar from the cut was still slightly visible, but aside from that, Thayet looked like her normal gorgeous self.

"Good. I want to talk to you. Please sit down."

Thayet raised an eyebrow, but sat down next to the roaring fire. Around Midwinter, it got deathly cold in the palace. "What is it?"

Seeing the worried look on Thayet's face, she hastily said, "Its nothing bad. But, I do want to tell you something."

She nodded and replied, "I want to tell you something, the worst words anyone could ever utter."

Alanna smiled wryly. "I talked to Jon. He does love you. But," seeing that Thayet was going to interrupt she said, "I know you are having problems. And he said he wouldn't hit you again. And if he does Thayet, you come directly to me. I swear, I will beat the shit out of him. He won't want to live after I'm done with him."

Thayet nodded. "But he does love you."

"Well, yes. He does. But, you have to believe me; I don't love him back. George and my children are the light of my life and Jon was a fling when I was younger."

Thayet held a hand up to stop her. "I believe you. And I'm not angry with you. I'm angry with Jon."

Alanna nodded. "I'm glad. And I'm also glad that you trust me. And I don't truly believe that Jon loves me. I think he what he feels is lust and there is nothing more. You know the two of us never could have made it. You are the only one for him and he for you."

"Maybe. But it just hasn't seemed right in a long time. Not for a long time." Alanna looked down at her hands and sighed, she didn't know what she could do. This wasn't her place to talk. "Maybe I should just forget about it. Not worry so much. We do have the Midwinter next week. And tonight is the ball for Prince Jasson. I didn't want a ball. Jon did. He said we aren't sociable enough. Or rather, he said I wasn't sociable enough. And then he, he said I shouldn't wear breeches and a shirt anyone because it wasn't respectable. And I..I just don't know what to do," she trailed off, glancing at Alanna. "I shouldn't burden you with my problems Alanna. I'm sorry." She stood up and said, "I'll see you later Alanna, and I hope you'll come to the ball." She turned and walked out the door, heading for her rooms.

Alanna mused to herself. I believe this is the first time Jon has ever hit Thayet, but I also believe the mental abuse has been coming for long times now. It all makes sense. The haggard eyes, the demure clothing, the looks that pass, which were once friendly and loving, are more hostile and scared. Scared on Thayet's part. Perhaps she is scared; she certainly doesn't like she is having a ball. And tonight, I wonder what Jon will say about the cut. I know I could have healed it more, but I left it for a reason. Maybe Jon will realize what he really is doing. Maybe he won't. But I have to try. I have to try to fix it, or I could lose both of them. Alanna stopped thinking; she needed to hit someone. She buckled on her sword belt and went to the practice courts.

Thayet wandered back to her rooms, keeping her head down so she wasn't noticed. She opened the door and was grabbed and shoved up against the wall. (A/N, I was going to end it here, but I'm not! I'm so nice) "What do you think you were doing?"

She squirmed a bit, trying to get free, but Jon's grip was like iron. "Doing what? You are the one who is abusive."

She paid for that, getting backhanded across the face. "I am not going to deal with you, woman. You ran to Alanna, you stupid bitch. Not only are you stupid, you are infuriating. You could ruin my plans."

"What plans?" she spat at him. "I cannot help but wonder my lord, what they are."

He snarled and kicked her legs out from underneath her. She collapsed on the ground, her face bruised and bleeding. "You need to learn to keep your mouth shut." He frowned at her. "Get up. And get changed. Make yourself presentable. And don't tell anyone. And wear something nice. But not revealing. I won't have any men staring at you. You are mine and you belong to me."

She glared up at him as he left the room. "I belong to no one," she whispered, and passed out.

A/N I'm going to rename the story as You Belong to Me. Not because I think it's a better title. Sorry bout that. And I'm really sorry it's taken me so long to update. School takes up so much time. I hope this chappie helps. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I love you! Please read and review again!