Hey, I'm sorry I haven't updated for so long. The last month or so of school is killer, and now I've got finals next week, which SOME people think are more important than going out with their friends on a *Friday* night. But, anyway...will not go off on a tangent, as...that would just be bad.

I really want to thank all of my reviewers! Y'all are so great! But I do have a few comments I have to make now:

Rima : Thank you for pointing out that Gary was married. I guess that would put a kink in the story, but for all intents and purposes in this fanfic, we'll pretend that he's not.

Anyway...here's the chapter! Thanks again to all of my reviewers and keep reading please, even though it normally takes me forever to update!

~*~

A brisk rapping on the door woke Alanna the next morning. Opening bleary eyes, she took in the fact that the sun was already up, and probably had been for an hour at least. "Who is it?" she managed to croak.

"Tybal, mi'lady," came the voice; "I was sent by the king, he requests your presence in the banquet room in about one half hour, lady."

Alanna cleared her throat, and swore quietly. She then thanked the messenger, and climbed out of bed, groaning as her ankles popped, as they did every morning. To wake herself up, she splashed some water on her face before getting dressed. Looking into the mirror, she saw here eyes were slightly pink. She wasn't sure if it was because of George or because she had just gotten up.

Deciding not to worry about it, she dressed simply, but appropriately, grey breeches, and a soft maroon tunic with grey stitching. She quickly brushed her hair and tied it back, it was getting long, she noticed.

After slipping on shoes, she headed towards the banquet room, taking note of the things she normally wouldn't, the maids bustling around doing laundry or straightening rooms, the pages heading to and from classes, ladies with their perfect hair. Their lives all looked so simple from where Alanna was. None of them had husbands to worry about.

Before long, she arrived, and greeted the king. She wasn't surprised to see Gary sitting next to Jon, poring over a map. "Good morning, Alanna," Jonathan greeted her with a smile.

Gary also greeted her with a smile. He raised an eyebrow in a silent question. She nodded, almost imperceptibly. She was grateful that she would have Gary with her in this procession. He would keep her and Jon from each other's throats.

"We're going over the maps for our trip, as we do leave tomorrow, you remember. We were thinking of starting out from Corus and going about twenty miles north. Then we'll work our way in a zigzagging circle around the capitol, and end up right where we began." As Jon continued in his speech, she listened with only one ear. Her eye had been caught by Gary's.

"Are you okay?" he mouthed. They had become experts at lip reading. Well, perhaps experts was an exaggeration, but it did come in handy to be able to communicate across the classrooms during training.

Kel nodded. "I'm fine," she mouthed back. Gary looked unconvinced, but dropped the subject, as they had just realized that Jon had asked a question.

"Umm, yes?" Gary answered.

"So you do think that purple basilisks make wonderful pets for children of any age?" Jon asked.

"Uh huh," Alanna answered, before she realized what Jon had asked, as he raised an eyebrow. "I mean..."

"Not enough sleep, Alanna? Or is there something Gary would like to say to all of us?" he asked pointedly, sounding too much like a grey-haired teacher for Alanna's liking.

A devious smile on her lips, she reacher over, and mussed Jon's hair. He froze, and turned to her, mouth open. "You did not just do that..." he marveled. "Do you know how long it takes me to do my hair?"

At this, Alanna and Gary looked to eachother, then burst out laughing. After a moment Jon joined in too, looking more like the Jon that Alanna knew, than she had seen him for months. "Thank you, Alanna." Alanna must have looked surprised, as he said, "I haven't been able to laugh at myself for a while. However, I have the odd, sinking, feeling that you and Gary will have me doing it often, if I'm not mistaken." Alanna and Gary's mischevious grins didn't refute that. Jon sighed, but Alanna could tell it was exaggerated. "Well, since my whole set of plans seems to bore you so much, I'll just give you the information on tomorrow. Meet in the stables just after breakfast, and we'll ride all day, only stopping for lunch. Make sure you pack everything you think that you'll need for our trip. I don't know how good the conditions will be."

Now Alanna was getting suspicious. "What do you mean, Jon? Don't all pages have to come from a fief or manor, or something?"

Jon stood up, shifting his weight back and forth. "That's what the rule originally was, and it didn't affect most young boys who wanted to become knights. If they were lower-class, they would be needed to work at home or at the family business. We truly haven't been getting enough pages in the past few years, and if they and their families want them to come, I don't see any reason as to why they can't. They will still have to pay for their own equipment that's not supplied, of course, but we think it will help."

Alanna was shocked. She had always wondered about that rule, was it really fair just to keep a boy (or girl) from training if only their parents' standing was keeping them from their dream? Before when she had breeched the subject, Jon passed it off as "ridiculous". Now he had decided to go through with it. "Wow," Alanna stated, unsure of what else to say.

"I thougnt you would like that I used your idea!" Jon said.

"Yes, but only if it would help you, and make you, look good!" Alanna shot back without stopping to think.

Gary heaved the first, of what was bound to be many, sighs, and intervened. "Come on, Alanna. Now that you have your orders, how about some lunch?"

"But I haven't had breakfast yet!" she protested, as Gary led her from the room. Looking back, he saw Jon shaking his heead, probably wondering what he had gotten himself into.

"So, are you hungry?" Gary asked her as they walked through the hallways of the palace together.

"Not really," Alanna answered, "I think I'll grab something and head back to my rooms to pack. Is that okay?"

"Sure... Do you want to meet for dinner? I know a place outside of the palace that's pretty good," he suggested.

"If you want," Alanna said, noncomittally. She didn't really want to have to socialize, but she knew it would do her good, and she didn't want to hurt Gary's feelings. "Do you just want to stop by my rooms around six?"

"It's a date!" Gary confirmed, then colored, "I mean, well, not a date date, but we've set a time, and we're going to eat and-"

"Believe me, I know what you mean, not to worry," Alanna reassured him, and headed towards her own rooms to get to work.

~*~

Just as the sun was setting, Gary knocked on Alanna's door. "Coming!" Alanna called, as she shut her last bag and opened the door. Alanna had no way of knowing what was running through Gary's head as she walked into the hallway.

She looks beautiful... She doesn't deserve to be treated this way by her own husband! Instead of voicing his true thoughts, Gary asked, "So, are you ready for some good food and drink? With some excellent company, if I say so myself."

Alanna couldn't stop her grin. "The food and drink for sure..." She teased, and laughed at Gary's injured expression.

"I'll have you know that I am the finest of company," he informed her, as they traipsed out to the stables.

This time, both horses were there, and the pair was saddled and ready to go in a matter of minutes. They set out in a comfortable silence, each immersed in their own thoughts. When they finally arrived, they got a seat quickly and ordered. Going against her normal principles, Alanna ordered ale. She hated it when people were drunk, but tonight she didn't really care.

~*~

"Umm, Alanna?" Gary started tentatively, "Don't you think that you've had enough to drink?" The evidence was plain on the table. Three empty mugs sat in front of Alanna's place, and she was working on her fourth.

Alanna hiccupped. "What do you mean?" She started to lean a bit too far to the right, but caught herself before falling out of it completely. She giggled, and twirled a chunk of her hair around a finger flirtatiously.

Gary was starting to get worried, he had never seen Alanna very drunk before, and for that, he was now grateful. "I think it might be time to get you to bed," he suggested, keeping his voice as he would while dealing with a temperamental child.

Alanna grinned widely, her eyes not entirely in focus. "That's sounds nice," she agreed, and pushed her chair back to stand up. It was a good thing Gary was sitting right across from her, because as soon as she was in a standing position, her knees buckled, and Alanna found herself on the floor. She looked around in bewilderment, as if wondering how she got there.

Gary groaned, and bent to pick up Alanna. He grunted a bit as he hoisted the lady knight and firmly placed her arm around his shoulder. She looked up at him and Gary had to look away, his face coloring slightly at the thought that had just flashed through his brain. You want her, said the voice that Gary didn't normally like to listen to; it was much too brutally honest.

After what seemed like an eternity, Gary half-dragged, half-carried, Alanna out of the door of the pub leading her back towards where the horses were tied. "Can you ride?" he asked her, and then realized was a ridiculous question it was. First of all, Alanna would never admit to not being able to do something, and secondly, she couldn't even stand up, there was no way she would be able to ride back to the palace.

With a small sigh of resignation, Gary decided to have Alanna on his horse with him, letting her horse follow behind. As they rode, Gary was uncomfortably aware of their bodies pressing together. She was in from of Gary, and turned around sometimes to speak to him. Most of it was nonsensical babbling, but then something caught his attention.

"D'you know how handsome you look in the moonlight?" Alanna asked him. Gary wasn't sure if she expected an answer or not, so he gave a noncommittal grunt. No more of Alanna's drunken talk reached Gary's ears, thankfully. After he dismounted at the palace, he turned around, and lifted Alanna to the ground. Seeing that she still couldn't stand on her own, he decided to carry her to his rooms, as he wouldn't be able to open hers.

When they reached the door, Gary propped Alanna against the wall long enough to find his key. "What we doing here?" Alanna asked, looking confused.

"You need some rest," he explained, "And I won't be able to get into your rooms, so I'll let you sleep here tonight."

"Thanks so much, Gary," Alanna responded, her voice slurred. "You're such a great friend." Before Gary had an idea of what was coming next, Alanna had thrown her arms around his neck, and began kissing him.

Gary's first reaction (like most males) was pleasure. Her lips were so soft, and they pressed against his, as if hunting for treasure. His hands were exploring her back, feeling the hard muscles there from years of training and fighting. He felt her tongue asking for permission to enter his mouth, warm and persistent. Before he knew what he was doing, his mouth was open too, and he began exploring more of Alanna than he ever had been able to before.

Gary's second reaction was shock. He pulled back, and looked down at Alanna, her hair starting to fall in her eyes, and looking like a rejected puppy. "What were you doing?" he asked her, unsure of what he wanted the answer to be.

"I just wanted to kiss you," she slurred, sounding hurt.

By now, Gary had taken time to strengthen his resolve. "You're only doing this because you're drunk, you know that. Well, maybe not right now, but in the morning you will. But if you do feel like that about me," he swallowed, "tell me when you're not drunk, and I know that it's the Alanna I've grown to know and love. Now, come in. You can have the bed, I'll take the couch."

He looked down and saw a very docile Alanna, eyes closed and leaning against the wall. Gary sighed and led her to his bed. He removed her tunic and breeches, leaving her in her underclothes. He forced himself to look away, and not stare at her body, as he knew many men would do. He tucked her in, and bestowed a light and chaste kiss on her forehead.

Gary readied himself for bed, and climbed onto the couch, using an old blanket as a pillow. As he reached up to extinguish the lamp, he whispered into the dark, "I love you, Alanna," before falling asleep.

If he had stayed awake a few minutes longer, he would have heard Alanna's sleepy, "I love you, too."