A/N: Sorry it took me so long to write more. I have had so much homework, but Christmas break is almost here, so I plan to write tons more! Well, I plan to. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I'm glad you like it and please keep telling me what you think!

brTwo nights later, Jon, Gary and Alex were knighted, and a huge feast was held in Jon's honor. Alanna watched from a window above, hidden by the curtains. It would be two years before she would be allowed to join everyone down there at parties. Even then she knew her uncle wouldn't want her around. An improperly trained lady would be an embarrassment to him. Alanna didn't know if she wanted to be at feats either. Already people she was a problem people laughed at. Somehow being teased more didn't sound too fun.



brAlanna had forgotten Sir Darin, but he hadn't forgotten about her. She was with Jon, Alex and Gary one afternoon. Jon and Alex were playing chess and Gary was talking to a sleepy Alanna. Alanna was drifting off to sleep, ignoring Gary, when Lady Portia entered the room, carrying a bouquet of flowers.

br"that new knight sent them - Sir Darin, I believe he's called." She sniffed disapprovingly. "He obviously doesn't know that you're only fourteen."

brAlanna blushed, taking the flowers from the glaring Lady Portia. She noticed that her friends were staring at her.

br"what?" she snapped irritably.

br"Alanna, it's just, well., you're not the first lady Sir Darin has sent flowers to. He's just a bit of a flirt."

br"I didn't ask for them." Alanna retorted.

br"ignore them." Gary advised, with an annoying air of wisdom, "then he'll leave you alone."

br"Since when did you tell me what to do?" Alanna cried, "Why should you have to warn me and order me around? And why should I listen to you? I said then same thing about Lady Rosabel, and you just said I was jealous!"

brGary stared at her, shocked.

br"Ok, do what you want." He muttered, moving away.

brthe room went quiet. Alanna threw the flowers on the floor, angry that her temper had gotten away from her again. She didn't even like Sir Darin, and gray and Jon had only been trying to help.

brAlex looked up from the chess board, and said quietly,

br"She does have a point. We didn't listen to her, why must she listen to us?"

br"Alanna smiled gratefully at Alex. Jonathan looked at Alex oddly, and then at Alanna,

br"because she knows what it's like to be ignored when you are trying to help someone." He replied.

br"Forget I said anything. I was only angry with you for trying to boss me around; of course I don't like Sir Darin! " She exclaimed,

br"flirt." Gary laughed. Alanna made a face at him and was about to retort, when she noticed Ralon standing in the doorway.

br"Flirt? Who's a flirt?" he asked nastily, "If you mean her, she's just a witch with everyone under a spell - just like her mother. Why else would anyone possibly want to look at that thing?"

br"Shut up, Ralon." Alanna jumped up angrily, sick of his nasty comments about her and her mother, "I'm not a witch and I'm not casting spells on anyone. Neither did my mother."

br"Sure," he sneered, "If you're mother didn't use love spells, you wouldn't exist."

brAlanna punched Ralon in the face. He made a face at her and lunged, but Alanna moved quickly and he stumbled. She punched him in the stomach and he yelped, and threw a fist at her. He barely hit her, and Alanna immediately, twisted Ralon's arm behind his back, and pushed him down. She kicked him in the stomach, making him scream. Kicking him again, disgusted, Alanna stood back. He was bleeding, had a black eye and was sobbing; she felt pleased with herself.

br"Get lost." Alanna snapped, knowing that her lip was bleeding and she looked a mess. Ralon stood up and left the room, still crying.

br"And he thinks he's going to become a knight?" she asked of the room at large, trying to ignore that fact that all three young knights were staring at her. Jonathan looked like he was about to say something, but just then Duke Gareth walked in.

br"I just passed Ralon - coming from this room." He said harshly, ignoring Alanna who had shrunk back into a corner, "I'm surprised that one of you three would hurt him. Who was it?"

brbefore Alanna could confess, Alex jumped up,

br"Me, Your Grace." He mumbled, head bowed as if he were ashamed.

br"Alex!" Duke Gareth exclaimed, shocked, "I'd expect this of the pages and squires, but you're a knight. You should know better than to beat up a squire." He sighed, "Come with me."

brAlanna watched speechlessly as they left. Stunned, she turned to Jon and Gary.

br"Why did he do that? She asked.

br"You would have gotten in more trouble than he will." Jon explained, "And he wanted to apologize to you for treating you so meanly at first."

brAlanna glanced at Jon, wondering if he was being serious.

br"What an odd way to apologize."



bra few days later Alanna found Alex ready to go off on border patrol duty as his punishment for hurting Ralon. In her anger that Alex was being unjustly punished, Alanna went to see Duke Gareth.

br"Yes, Alanna?" the Duke asked absently, not looking up.

br"Your Grace, it's about Alex, and.Ralon." She whispered.

br"Oh?" now Duke Gareth looked up, his face impossible to read.

br"he didn't beat up Ralon." Alanna took a deep breath, "I did."

br"You?" the Duke stared at his niece incredulously.

br"Yes, Your Grace, I - ."

br"Find Sir Alexander!" Duke Gareth snapped at his servants. Alanna looked at the ground. Judging by the tight lips, frown, and cold eyes resting on her, her uncle was very angry.

brAfter a long silence, Alex finally appeared in the doorway, looking puzzled.

br"Alanna has just told me something very interesting." Duke Gareth said quietly, "She claims that she is the person responsible for Ralon of Malven's present predicament. Quite understandably, I'm not sure I believe her, because you confessed to the same thing. Could you please explain my confusion?"

brAlex started at Alanna, before replying,

br"she did, Your Grace."

br"My fourteen year old niece has beat up and squire a head taller than her and three years older, and you took the blame?" Duke Gareth repeated slowly.

br"Yes, Your Grace." Alex replied again.

br"I see. Well, Alex, you no longer have to go on the border patrol. I apologize for this misunderstanding, but if you refuse to tell the truth then I cant possibly know that you're innocent."

brAlex nodded, and left the room. The Duke turned back to Alanna.

br"Well, Alanna, you understand that I will have to punish you." He said sternly. Alanna only nodded, ashamed that she was causing him so much disappointment and embarrassment.

br"The only way I can think of to ensure that this does not happen again, is to send you to the convent." Duke Gareth announced. Alanna gasped.

br"But - but - my mother said - ." she spluttered.

br"And I say you will go to the convent." Duke Gareth's tone signaled that the conversation was done. Alanna ran out of the room without curtseying, tears stinging her eyes.



brLater that day, Jonathan came to her room to see her. if he saw that she had been crying, he gave no sign of it.

br"What's going to happen?" he asked quietly.

br"I'm going to the convent." Alanna replied dully.

br"oh," Jonathan sounded surprised that she was so upset over it, "Don't worry, everyone else survives it."

br"But I won't!" Alanna cried, "I'm happier here! I'll run away before I'll go to the convent!"

br"Why would you do that?" Jon asked, "You'll be safer there and it'll only be for a year or two."

brAlanna nodded, not agreeing with him. How could she be happy at the convent? And how would it keep her safe?