~ Chapter Nine ~
Lonely Love
Alanna woke in her bed, trembling. Her linen was covered in sweat, and even though she was shivering, she had a high temperature. She'd just had a terrible nightmare. She shuddered as she thought about it.
*A white-faced Jonathan lay on a bed. A tall man, with looks similar to Jon, stood beside him. With a silent laugh, the man lifted a crown from beside Jonathan, and placed it on his own head. The man shimmered with orange fire - the Gift.
And then Alanna had seen something that had really confused her - at the man's waist it seemed to be the sword that Jon had fought with the other day.
Alanna shivered - and put it out of her mind for the rest of the day.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
At around midday that day, Alanna was visiting her mount in the stables when a pale-faced Jon confronted her.
"Jon - what's the matter?" she asked, exceptionally concerned. The look on his face wasn't very pleasing.
"I -" he looked down. "My - my father thinks it would be good for me to 'get to see the lands'. He's sending me on a congress venture around Tortall."
Alanna's stomach plummeted. She shook her head. "For how long?" she asked. Jon shrugged. "A few weeks? A few months? Who knows?" He looked down as he took her hands. "I'm - sorry, Alanna."
"Oh, Jon, it's really not your fault," she told him soothingly. "And you'll be back soon."
"But you've already been here a month, Alanna," Jon said. "You only have a month and a half left to stay, and I. I want to spend more time with you."
Only one and a half months left! Alanna thought ecstatically. Then she remembered her fate if she didn't find a husband. I have Jon, she thought to herself, but then she remembered; I'm not ready to marry!
Pushing her sudden panic to the back of her mind, she focused on her immediate problem. She hugged Jon fiercely, a tear dripping down her cheek. "I love you Jon," she whispered. "And I always will."
Jon smiled, still holding her tight. "I know. I love you too, my dearest Alanna."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Five days later, Alanna watched as Jon mounted his horse. There were many other men travelling with Jon, including a well-dressed man that Alanna wasn't too sure about - he looked uncannily familiar. Somehow she didn't feel comfortable with Jon going away with this man.
Alanna smiled as Jonathan said goodbye to all his friends. He gripped hands with each man, and hugged his big cousin Gary. Then he rode over to Alanna.
She looked up at him with wonder in her bright purple eyes, and he lent over close to her. He passionately kissed Alanna again and again. Alanna could hear whistles from some of the men that were standing by, she could feel Cythera, Faith and Jacqueline gaping at them, and she just knew Daniella would be grinning.
Their lips locked, Alanna held Jon's head. She didn't want to let go. But ever so slowly she did, another tear dripping down her cheek. She wiped it away angrily. She wasn't a baby, she could deal with this!
"I promise I'll be back before you leave," he whispered to her. "Swear it by the throne."
Alanna hugged Jon. "I know," she told him in a whispered voice, "I know."
With once last glance at Jon, she turned to wait with Thom and the others. Thom whispered, "Not in love, hey?"
She glared daggers at him and he silenced. Alanna still caught hum sniggering, and whacked him over the head. Thom got the hint and shut up.
Alanna watched as the men rode off into the distance. Wiping another tear away, somehow she knew life would be much, much different without the Prince by her side.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Some several traumatic days later, Alanna finally seemed to get over the fact that Jon was gone. In the early hours of a crisp Tuesday morning, she exercised with Lightning, and then had a hot, bubbly bath and donned a new, light dress that she had had made especially for herself. It was very light material, a camel colour with embroidery along the boat-neckline. Although Alanna wasn't the greatest fan of dresses, she didn't mind this one as much because it gave her freedom to move her legs, arms, and body.
Strolling along to breakfast, Alanna dined on cold cheese, chilled fruit juice and fresh fruit. Deciding to put Jon out of her mind (for the time being) she chose to go into the Garden to get some fresh air.
She strolled through the Garden, inhaling the fresh air deeply. Quietly moving through the paths, she peeped over a large fern. She choked on a gasp. Daniella and Darian, the man she danced with all night at that ball a while ago, were passionately making out in the Garden!! And this wasn't just a small kiss, this was. was. Alanna looked away. She stifled a giggle as she turned for another peek. Goddess! Alanna thought. She walked away silently, with a grin on her face. Shaking her head, she thought, get a room!
An hour or so later, Daniella returned to her rooms. Silently she walked in. She turned and saw Alanna sitting on a chair, reading.
Daniella jumped back in fright. She put her hand on her chest. "You frightened me!" she said with a gasp.
Alanna looked up and smiled. "Did you and Darian have a nice walk?"
Daniella frowned, and flustered with her hair. "What do you mean?" she asked in a confused tone.
"Oh, you know what I mean!" Alanna snapped. "You mummy me to death and yet when you have five minutes you act like a fifteen year old with outrageous hormones!"
"ALANNA!" Daniella cried. "You'd think you think you're the only person who can be in love?"
"I'm not in love!" she cried, before turning red with embarrassment. It was a lie, and they both knew it.
"Oh, crap Alanna. That's just crap! You're going to sit here moping for the rest of your two-and-a-half months until you go back to the Convent to teach just because you won't admit you love the guy!"
Alanna now turned red with fury. "How dare you. predict what I'll do! You have no idea what I plan to do!" she yelled hysterically.
"Keep your voice down!" Daniella snapped sharply. "Do you want the whole world to hear?"
"I don't care! And what you were doing. wasn't love, it was - it was - gross!" Alanna squirmed.
Daniella rolled her eyes. "Alanna, grow up," she snapped.
Alanna laughed. "You're so easy to tease," she taunted her.
"Oh shut up, Alanna," Daniella cried. She glanced at Alanna, who was giggling helplessly.
Daniella smiled and shook her head, flopping on the bed beside Alanna. "You are such an idiot!" she cried. She put her arms around Alanna and hugged her. Alanna stopped giggling, and sighed.
"Is it really happening?" Alanna asked Daniella. "Is what really happening?" Daniella replied.
"This," Alanna said. "I mean, the whole Palace thing. I mean, it seems only yesterday that you and I were little girls at the Convent, remember? You were dancing in a new purple dress in the Garden and I threw dirt at you."
Daniella smiled. "I remember that," she said dreamily. "And I hated you because it was my newest dress and it was so pretty."
Alanna giggled. "That's right. it was the one with the lace at the bottom and the embroidered flowers."
"And Lalia threw a fit at you because you'd only been there for three days at you'd been in trouble eight times before."
Alanna laughed. "And then you remember when Delia was being a cow about the dress your mother had sent you -"
"And you stood up for me," Daniella finished.
They sat there, for a while, Alanna's head on Daniella's shoulder, and Daniella's head on Alanna's.
"I'd be lost without you," Alanna eventually said. "And I'm sorry for yelling. I just - hate people telling me what to do, and when I'll do it. and. and when they're right, and I know it." She smiled up at Daniella, and sighed. "I am in love, aren't I?"
Daniella nodded. "And you said it would never happen," she told Alanna.
"Don't remind me," she said drearily. Then she sighed. "He'll be gone for a month," she said sadly. "When he returns we'll only have two weeks together."
Daniella smiled. "I know you'll make the right decision, Alanna. You trust your instinct - which is always right."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N - I'd just like to apologise for the Daniella-and-Darian-making-out-and- causing-conflict-between-two-friends thing. I was in a major writers' block, and I guess writing about anything kind of sorted a few things out (along with the help of Angel-Goddess). Sorry for babbling on in the story though, I'll make the next chapter better, and longer, promise!! And I'm sorry it's been song long, too, I've been in a non-writing mood lately, but I'll get my butt back into gear soon!
~*~kaz~*~
Alanna woke in her bed, trembling. Her linen was covered in sweat, and even though she was shivering, she had a high temperature. She'd just had a terrible nightmare. She shuddered as she thought about it.
*A white-faced Jonathan lay on a bed. A tall man, with looks similar to Jon, stood beside him. With a silent laugh, the man lifted a crown from beside Jonathan, and placed it on his own head. The man shimmered with orange fire - the Gift.
And then Alanna had seen something that had really confused her - at the man's waist it seemed to be the sword that Jon had fought with the other day.
Alanna shivered - and put it out of her mind for the rest of the day.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
At around midday that day, Alanna was visiting her mount in the stables when a pale-faced Jon confronted her.
"Jon - what's the matter?" she asked, exceptionally concerned. The look on his face wasn't very pleasing.
"I -" he looked down. "My - my father thinks it would be good for me to 'get to see the lands'. He's sending me on a congress venture around Tortall."
Alanna's stomach plummeted. She shook her head. "For how long?" she asked. Jon shrugged. "A few weeks? A few months? Who knows?" He looked down as he took her hands. "I'm - sorry, Alanna."
"Oh, Jon, it's really not your fault," she told him soothingly. "And you'll be back soon."
"But you've already been here a month, Alanna," Jon said. "You only have a month and a half left to stay, and I. I want to spend more time with you."
Only one and a half months left! Alanna thought ecstatically. Then she remembered her fate if she didn't find a husband. I have Jon, she thought to herself, but then she remembered; I'm not ready to marry!
Pushing her sudden panic to the back of her mind, she focused on her immediate problem. She hugged Jon fiercely, a tear dripping down her cheek. "I love you Jon," she whispered. "And I always will."
Jon smiled, still holding her tight. "I know. I love you too, my dearest Alanna."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Five days later, Alanna watched as Jon mounted his horse. There were many other men travelling with Jon, including a well-dressed man that Alanna wasn't too sure about - he looked uncannily familiar. Somehow she didn't feel comfortable with Jon going away with this man.
Alanna smiled as Jonathan said goodbye to all his friends. He gripped hands with each man, and hugged his big cousin Gary. Then he rode over to Alanna.
She looked up at him with wonder in her bright purple eyes, and he lent over close to her. He passionately kissed Alanna again and again. Alanna could hear whistles from some of the men that were standing by, she could feel Cythera, Faith and Jacqueline gaping at them, and she just knew Daniella would be grinning.
Their lips locked, Alanna held Jon's head. She didn't want to let go. But ever so slowly she did, another tear dripping down her cheek. She wiped it away angrily. She wasn't a baby, she could deal with this!
"I promise I'll be back before you leave," he whispered to her. "Swear it by the throne."
Alanna hugged Jon. "I know," she told him in a whispered voice, "I know."
With once last glance at Jon, she turned to wait with Thom and the others. Thom whispered, "Not in love, hey?"
She glared daggers at him and he silenced. Alanna still caught hum sniggering, and whacked him over the head. Thom got the hint and shut up.
Alanna watched as the men rode off into the distance. Wiping another tear away, somehow she knew life would be much, much different without the Prince by her side.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Some several traumatic days later, Alanna finally seemed to get over the fact that Jon was gone. In the early hours of a crisp Tuesday morning, she exercised with Lightning, and then had a hot, bubbly bath and donned a new, light dress that she had had made especially for herself. It was very light material, a camel colour with embroidery along the boat-neckline. Although Alanna wasn't the greatest fan of dresses, she didn't mind this one as much because it gave her freedom to move her legs, arms, and body.
Strolling along to breakfast, Alanna dined on cold cheese, chilled fruit juice and fresh fruit. Deciding to put Jon out of her mind (for the time being) she chose to go into the Garden to get some fresh air.
She strolled through the Garden, inhaling the fresh air deeply. Quietly moving through the paths, she peeped over a large fern. She choked on a gasp. Daniella and Darian, the man she danced with all night at that ball a while ago, were passionately making out in the Garden!! And this wasn't just a small kiss, this was. was. Alanna looked away. She stifled a giggle as she turned for another peek. Goddess! Alanna thought. She walked away silently, with a grin on her face. Shaking her head, she thought, get a room!
An hour or so later, Daniella returned to her rooms. Silently she walked in. She turned and saw Alanna sitting on a chair, reading.
Daniella jumped back in fright. She put her hand on her chest. "You frightened me!" she said with a gasp.
Alanna looked up and smiled. "Did you and Darian have a nice walk?"
Daniella frowned, and flustered with her hair. "What do you mean?" she asked in a confused tone.
"Oh, you know what I mean!" Alanna snapped. "You mummy me to death and yet when you have five minutes you act like a fifteen year old with outrageous hormones!"
"ALANNA!" Daniella cried. "You'd think you think you're the only person who can be in love?"
"I'm not in love!" she cried, before turning red with embarrassment. It was a lie, and they both knew it.
"Oh, crap Alanna. That's just crap! You're going to sit here moping for the rest of your two-and-a-half months until you go back to the Convent to teach just because you won't admit you love the guy!"
Alanna now turned red with fury. "How dare you. predict what I'll do! You have no idea what I plan to do!" she yelled hysterically.
"Keep your voice down!" Daniella snapped sharply. "Do you want the whole world to hear?"
"I don't care! And what you were doing. wasn't love, it was - it was - gross!" Alanna squirmed.
Daniella rolled her eyes. "Alanna, grow up," she snapped.
Alanna laughed. "You're so easy to tease," she taunted her.
"Oh shut up, Alanna," Daniella cried. She glanced at Alanna, who was giggling helplessly.
Daniella smiled and shook her head, flopping on the bed beside Alanna. "You are such an idiot!" she cried. She put her arms around Alanna and hugged her. Alanna stopped giggling, and sighed.
"Is it really happening?" Alanna asked Daniella. "Is what really happening?" Daniella replied.
"This," Alanna said. "I mean, the whole Palace thing. I mean, it seems only yesterday that you and I were little girls at the Convent, remember? You were dancing in a new purple dress in the Garden and I threw dirt at you."
Daniella smiled. "I remember that," she said dreamily. "And I hated you because it was my newest dress and it was so pretty."
Alanna giggled. "That's right. it was the one with the lace at the bottom and the embroidered flowers."
"And Lalia threw a fit at you because you'd only been there for three days at you'd been in trouble eight times before."
Alanna laughed. "And then you remember when Delia was being a cow about the dress your mother had sent you -"
"And you stood up for me," Daniella finished.
They sat there, for a while, Alanna's head on Daniella's shoulder, and Daniella's head on Alanna's.
"I'd be lost without you," Alanna eventually said. "And I'm sorry for yelling. I just - hate people telling me what to do, and when I'll do it. and. and when they're right, and I know it." She smiled up at Daniella, and sighed. "I am in love, aren't I?"
Daniella nodded. "And you said it would never happen," she told Alanna.
"Don't remind me," she said drearily. Then she sighed. "He'll be gone for a month," she said sadly. "When he returns we'll only have two weeks together."
Daniella smiled. "I know you'll make the right decision, Alanna. You trust your instinct - which is always right."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N - I'd just like to apologise for the Daniella-and-Darian-making-out-and- causing-conflict-between-two-friends thing. I was in a major writers' block, and I guess writing about anything kind of sorted a few things out (along with the help of Angel-Goddess). Sorry for babbling on in the story though, I'll make the next chapter better, and longer, promise!! And I'm sorry it's been song long, too, I've been in a non-writing mood lately, but I'll get my butt back into gear soon!
~*~kaz~*~