~ Chapter Seventeen ~
Leaving the Palace
"You're all set, then."
Alanna smiled at her long-time best friend, Daniella. She was looking very fine that morning, in a beautiful white and pastel blue dress. Her long, pretty brown hair was in a twisted ponytail and came down the front of her dress. Her beautiful cerulean blue eyes, however, glittered with tears.
"Oh, I don't want you to go," Daniella cried, hugging her. Alanna hugged her back, tears brimming her own eyes.
"I know, I don't want to leave you either," Alanna said. "But I must go; I can't stay here, I just can't. I'm coming to your wedding at Darien's home fief, remember? I'll see you then."
Daniella smiled. "Yes, I know," she said, wiping away her tears. Her beautiful diamond and white opal engagement ring glittered in the sun. Alanna's thoughts flickered to Jon, but she quickly pushed them away. I won't be brooding! She told herself sternly. Not today, not ever!!
Alanna quickly mounted her horse - sidesaddle - with a cringe. No matter how refined she had become, she still saw no good reason for anyone to ride sidesaddle! She gave Daniella a huge hug, and turned her horse round.
*
Daniella blinked away tears as she saw her best friend in the whole world ride away. She was happy with Darian; he made her feel bliss, but Alanna had always been there... when she'd ripped her best dress, and Alanna swapped dresses with her so she wouldn't get in trouble; when she'd had trouble with her women's archery and Alanna had shown her how to properly hold the bow; when she was caught by Delia sneaking out of the Convent to see a friend in the city, and Alanna had taken the blame; and when she'd mourned for her dead father, and Alanna was always there every second, offering a sympathetic shoulder...
Alanna didn't deserve this. She deserved her dream. She deserved love. She deserved a good, happy life. Not one teaching young girls writing at a Convent. Daniella was filled with aspiration for her friend. No one could hurt Alanna! No one should! If there was ever a sweeter, gentler soul... Daniella didn't know of it. She was filled with anger for Prince Jonathan - the one man Alanna had ever loved, aside from Thom, and he had just taken her heart and ripped it out, stomped on it and thrown it aside.
"Where are you going?"
Daniella stopped. The voice had brought her back down to Tortall. She realised she was walking into the Palace with an angered expression and stance. She turned to her fiancé.
"To see the Prince," she said icily.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
His Most Royal Highness, Prince Jonathan of Conté, heir to the throne of Tortall, sat at his desk, drinking very rich and expensive wine out of a very large and expensive goblet.
Suddenly his door burst open. He lifted his head up, uninterested, and then let it droop again.
"My - my lord, I - mean, Your Highness, I, I couldn't, could-couldn't stop her," stammered the frightened guard.
"Leave!" commanded Jonathan. The guard bowed, and quickly left the room, his wide brown eyes frightened.
"What do you want?" asked Jonathan in a sickly, droning voice. His head was in his arms on the desk.
"I want an explanation," Daniella said. She moved to his desk, and slammed her hands upon it. "You don't just break my best friend's heart without answering to me."
Jonathan's head came up. His hair was messed; his eyes were large and bloodshot. "Who are you t' come in here and tell me I answer to you?" he demanded in a harsh, drunken voice. He pushed his chair back and stood, stumbling and swaying and swearing.
"I am the crowwwed Prince off Tortaall..." he began.
"You're drunk!" Daniella snapped. She picked up his chair. "Sit!" she ordered. Jon sat.
"Now," she began. "Tell me why you broke my best friend's heart. I must say, I thought she was over-reacting with the whole Alyssa thing, but for you to throw her apology back into her face! I thought you were a gentleman. But obviously, I was wrong. The real gentleman who really loved that girl would be going after her now, telling her he was sorry and he loved her. But you I find sitting at your desk, drunk. Now what does that tell me? That tells me that you are a writhing worm, not worthy of Alanna's love."
"You don't understand!" Jon yelled. "I have a temper! I love her! I do! I just... I don't..."
"Yeah well she has a temper too! She was so sorry after she'd been so hasty to judge the situation you and Alyssa were in, and so she went and apologised to you! So I suggest you sober up, and if you truly love my best friend in the world, Alanna, then your heart will know what to do."
Daniella gripped Jon's shoulders. "I know you love her," she whispered. "You just need to make sure she knows it, too."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tears flowed freely down Alanna's face. She was unpacking her bag, and folding all her clothes into chest at the end of her bed. As a Priestess-in- training, she was only allowed to wear plain white robes with a white sash, instead of a blue sash that the Priestesses wore. She missed Daniella already. She missed the Palace, believe it or not. She couldn't believe that two and a half months ago she was dreading it so much.
She finished folding the last of her clothes, and placing them in the chest. She went to move her back, and then realised that one more item was in the bottom of her bag - Lightning. More tears stung in Alanna's extraordinary eyes. She picked up her sword, and laid it in the chest. Alanna shut the chest and locked it.
Alanna began a spell: "May all memories be kept inside this locked chest..."
Knock, knock, knock.
Alanna's concentration was broken. Her shimmering violet Gift vanished from the air. Alanna wiped her sweaty palms and dried her eyes. "Who is it?" she asked.
"Priestess Lalia," came the reply.
Alanna head turned, and she got up and went to the door. She opened it, bowing slightly to Lalia. As the head Priestess, a fellow Priestess (or Priestess to be) must show her respect in the formal palm-together bow. (A/N - you know how they bow in India or wherever?)
"Please, enter," Alanna said.
Lalia stepped inside Alanna's chambers. The standard chambers for the Priestesses was plain - a simple bed covered in white, a wooden chest, bureau and table. The carpet of the room was plain light grey. A small, open window with light blue curtains and a small window-shelf was already filled with clutter of Alanna's.
Lalia moved over gracefully to the window. She picked up one of Alanna's framed portraits in her long, slender, fragile-looking fingers. Looking up at Alanna, she said, "You know you're not supposed to have things like these now."
Alanna made a face. "I care?" she said, instantly putting on a stubborn attitude. Lalia's wizened blue eyes crinkled.
"Don't put on an act with me, Alanna," she said sternly. Alanna rolled her eyes.
"Come here child," Lalia demanded. Alanna walked towards the Head Priestess and stopped when she were only a few steps away.
"Look at me," Lalia said quietly.
"I am looking at you!" Alanna cried exasperatedly.
Lalia frowned at her. "No, Alanna, look. Really look."
Alanna sighed. But she looked - and what she saw frightened her. Lalia's face was no longer young looking and smooth, it was paler and slightly wrinkled. Her strong tan had gone, and there were crow's feet around her eyes. Her eyes! They no longer sparkled, but were duller. Her pupils were smaller. Her whole body looked thin and pale come to think of it.
Alanna reached forwards with a shimmering violet hand. Since the Duke Roger incident, she was no longer fearful of her Gift as she was before. She reached inside Lalia and saw what she feared: the sickly black shadow of death.
She withdrew her hand, a confused look upon her face. "Lalia -" she began. But Alanna stopped when she saw Lalia's expression.
"What?" she asked the Head Priestess, frowning.
"Since when were you not afraid of your Gift?" asked Lalia, greatly confused. She remembered the old Alanna - the girl who was afraid of her powerful Gift; who hated dresses and feminine ornaments; who despised ladyship and adored fighting. Apparently the Alanna that Lalia knew was not the Alanna standing in front of her right now.
"Oh," muttered Alanna, blushing a little, "there was an incident at Court..."
"Oh yes," Lalia interrupted. "I remember. Something about a beautiful young lady with fiery copper hair slaying the evil Conté Duke with her powerful magic. We thought of you - but none of us would have described you as a 'beautiful young lady' using her 'powerful magic'. It was you, wasn't it?"
Alanna blushed some more and nodded. "Don't say anything to the other Priestesses," she said. "I don't want any fuss."
Lalia laughed. "Still the modest Alanna," she chuckled. Then she began to cough. "Lalia!" Alanna cried. "Sit, would you?!"
Lalia shook her head. "I must be going," she said. She looked Alanna in the eye. "You've changed," she told Alanna. "And for the better, I am thinking."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
That night, as the clock struck midnight, a tall dark figure emerged from the stable riding on a mount as black as night. After a command to the guards, he rode through the gates and into the night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Okay!! Sorry this chapter took so long! We've been renovating the house and everything was covered up, so I couldn't get access to the computer. Argh! Well I thought I'd get this chapter up because I'm leaving on a holiday on Wednesday until Sunday. Hope you enjoy!! R&R!
~*~kaz~*~
"You're all set, then."
Alanna smiled at her long-time best friend, Daniella. She was looking very fine that morning, in a beautiful white and pastel blue dress. Her long, pretty brown hair was in a twisted ponytail and came down the front of her dress. Her beautiful cerulean blue eyes, however, glittered with tears.
"Oh, I don't want you to go," Daniella cried, hugging her. Alanna hugged her back, tears brimming her own eyes.
"I know, I don't want to leave you either," Alanna said. "But I must go; I can't stay here, I just can't. I'm coming to your wedding at Darien's home fief, remember? I'll see you then."
Daniella smiled. "Yes, I know," she said, wiping away her tears. Her beautiful diamond and white opal engagement ring glittered in the sun. Alanna's thoughts flickered to Jon, but she quickly pushed them away. I won't be brooding! She told herself sternly. Not today, not ever!!
Alanna quickly mounted her horse - sidesaddle - with a cringe. No matter how refined she had become, she still saw no good reason for anyone to ride sidesaddle! She gave Daniella a huge hug, and turned her horse round.
*
Daniella blinked away tears as she saw her best friend in the whole world ride away. She was happy with Darian; he made her feel bliss, but Alanna had always been there... when she'd ripped her best dress, and Alanna swapped dresses with her so she wouldn't get in trouble; when she'd had trouble with her women's archery and Alanna had shown her how to properly hold the bow; when she was caught by Delia sneaking out of the Convent to see a friend in the city, and Alanna had taken the blame; and when she'd mourned for her dead father, and Alanna was always there every second, offering a sympathetic shoulder...
Alanna didn't deserve this. She deserved her dream. She deserved love. She deserved a good, happy life. Not one teaching young girls writing at a Convent. Daniella was filled with aspiration for her friend. No one could hurt Alanna! No one should! If there was ever a sweeter, gentler soul... Daniella didn't know of it. She was filled with anger for Prince Jonathan - the one man Alanna had ever loved, aside from Thom, and he had just taken her heart and ripped it out, stomped on it and thrown it aside.
"Where are you going?"
Daniella stopped. The voice had brought her back down to Tortall. She realised she was walking into the Palace with an angered expression and stance. She turned to her fiancé.
"To see the Prince," she said icily.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
His Most Royal Highness, Prince Jonathan of Conté, heir to the throne of Tortall, sat at his desk, drinking very rich and expensive wine out of a very large and expensive goblet.
Suddenly his door burst open. He lifted his head up, uninterested, and then let it droop again.
"My - my lord, I - mean, Your Highness, I, I couldn't, could-couldn't stop her," stammered the frightened guard.
"Leave!" commanded Jonathan. The guard bowed, and quickly left the room, his wide brown eyes frightened.
"What do you want?" asked Jonathan in a sickly, droning voice. His head was in his arms on the desk.
"I want an explanation," Daniella said. She moved to his desk, and slammed her hands upon it. "You don't just break my best friend's heart without answering to me."
Jonathan's head came up. His hair was messed; his eyes were large and bloodshot. "Who are you t' come in here and tell me I answer to you?" he demanded in a harsh, drunken voice. He pushed his chair back and stood, stumbling and swaying and swearing.
"I am the crowwwed Prince off Tortaall..." he began.
"You're drunk!" Daniella snapped. She picked up his chair. "Sit!" she ordered. Jon sat.
"Now," she began. "Tell me why you broke my best friend's heart. I must say, I thought she was over-reacting with the whole Alyssa thing, but for you to throw her apology back into her face! I thought you were a gentleman. But obviously, I was wrong. The real gentleman who really loved that girl would be going after her now, telling her he was sorry and he loved her. But you I find sitting at your desk, drunk. Now what does that tell me? That tells me that you are a writhing worm, not worthy of Alanna's love."
"You don't understand!" Jon yelled. "I have a temper! I love her! I do! I just... I don't..."
"Yeah well she has a temper too! She was so sorry after she'd been so hasty to judge the situation you and Alyssa were in, and so she went and apologised to you! So I suggest you sober up, and if you truly love my best friend in the world, Alanna, then your heart will know what to do."
Daniella gripped Jon's shoulders. "I know you love her," she whispered. "You just need to make sure she knows it, too."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tears flowed freely down Alanna's face. She was unpacking her bag, and folding all her clothes into chest at the end of her bed. As a Priestess-in- training, she was only allowed to wear plain white robes with a white sash, instead of a blue sash that the Priestesses wore. She missed Daniella already. She missed the Palace, believe it or not. She couldn't believe that two and a half months ago she was dreading it so much.
She finished folding the last of her clothes, and placing them in the chest. She went to move her back, and then realised that one more item was in the bottom of her bag - Lightning. More tears stung in Alanna's extraordinary eyes. She picked up her sword, and laid it in the chest. Alanna shut the chest and locked it.
Alanna began a spell: "May all memories be kept inside this locked chest..."
Knock, knock, knock.
Alanna's concentration was broken. Her shimmering violet Gift vanished from the air. Alanna wiped her sweaty palms and dried her eyes. "Who is it?" she asked.
"Priestess Lalia," came the reply.
Alanna head turned, and she got up and went to the door. She opened it, bowing slightly to Lalia. As the head Priestess, a fellow Priestess (or Priestess to be) must show her respect in the formal palm-together bow. (A/N - you know how they bow in India or wherever?)
"Please, enter," Alanna said.
Lalia stepped inside Alanna's chambers. The standard chambers for the Priestesses was plain - a simple bed covered in white, a wooden chest, bureau and table. The carpet of the room was plain light grey. A small, open window with light blue curtains and a small window-shelf was already filled with clutter of Alanna's.
Lalia moved over gracefully to the window. She picked up one of Alanna's framed portraits in her long, slender, fragile-looking fingers. Looking up at Alanna, she said, "You know you're not supposed to have things like these now."
Alanna made a face. "I care?" she said, instantly putting on a stubborn attitude. Lalia's wizened blue eyes crinkled.
"Don't put on an act with me, Alanna," she said sternly. Alanna rolled her eyes.
"Come here child," Lalia demanded. Alanna walked towards the Head Priestess and stopped when she were only a few steps away.
"Look at me," Lalia said quietly.
"I am looking at you!" Alanna cried exasperatedly.
Lalia frowned at her. "No, Alanna, look. Really look."
Alanna sighed. But she looked - and what she saw frightened her. Lalia's face was no longer young looking and smooth, it was paler and slightly wrinkled. Her strong tan had gone, and there were crow's feet around her eyes. Her eyes! They no longer sparkled, but were duller. Her pupils were smaller. Her whole body looked thin and pale come to think of it.
Alanna reached forwards with a shimmering violet hand. Since the Duke Roger incident, she was no longer fearful of her Gift as she was before. She reached inside Lalia and saw what she feared: the sickly black shadow of death.
She withdrew her hand, a confused look upon her face. "Lalia -" she began. But Alanna stopped when she saw Lalia's expression.
"What?" she asked the Head Priestess, frowning.
"Since when were you not afraid of your Gift?" asked Lalia, greatly confused. She remembered the old Alanna - the girl who was afraid of her powerful Gift; who hated dresses and feminine ornaments; who despised ladyship and adored fighting. Apparently the Alanna that Lalia knew was not the Alanna standing in front of her right now.
"Oh," muttered Alanna, blushing a little, "there was an incident at Court..."
"Oh yes," Lalia interrupted. "I remember. Something about a beautiful young lady with fiery copper hair slaying the evil Conté Duke with her powerful magic. We thought of you - but none of us would have described you as a 'beautiful young lady' using her 'powerful magic'. It was you, wasn't it?"
Alanna blushed some more and nodded. "Don't say anything to the other Priestesses," she said. "I don't want any fuss."
Lalia laughed. "Still the modest Alanna," she chuckled. Then she began to cough. "Lalia!" Alanna cried. "Sit, would you?!"
Lalia shook her head. "I must be going," she said. She looked Alanna in the eye. "You've changed," she told Alanna. "And for the better, I am thinking."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
That night, as the clock struck midnight, a tall dark figure emerged from the stable riding on a mount as black as night. After a command to the guards, he rode through the gates and into the night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Okay!! Sorry this chapter took so long! We've been renovating the house and everything was covered up, so I couldn't get access to the computer. Argh! Well I thought I'd get this chapter up because I'm leaving on a holiday on Wednesday until Sunday. Hope you enjoy!! R&R!
~*~kaz~*~