Okay, everyone, heres the next part… please bear w/ me and read the whole thing! :)

***

As Alanna rode out of the palace gates she pulled Moonlight up to a walk, her hands moist with nervous sweat. Moonlight obeyed, although puzzled—her mistress hardly ever went anywhere at a slower pace than a trot. But Alanna wanted time, needed time so much that she even futilely endeavored to save a few minutes by traveling to the Dancing Dove at a walk rather than the usual trot or canter.

            As she rode she rehearsed possible speeches in her mind, eventually beginning to speak out loud, murmuring under her breath.

            "George, I know that you and I have always been friends, but…"

            "I'm sorry, but there can't be anything but friendship between us."

            "You know I've married Jon, which means he's my husband and only lover…"

            Alanna gave up, disgusted with herself. Everything she said sounded stupider than the last. She sighed deeply, knowing that she must think of something. The Goddess had practically told her in plain words that she needed to break things off with George, cut any ties between them but friendship. But it was just so hard… Alanna would rather fight a real enemy, one that she could touch, any day, with a sword in her hand, than fight the love she couldn't even admit she had for George, a love that was hidden deep in her heart. To wipe out the love she would need to cut out a part of her heart, an impossible task.

            Her wish was granted immediately. Lost in her thoughts, Alanna didn't realize that something was wrong even when Moonlight, usually a calm and cool-witted mare, jerked her head up, flaring her nostrils in alarm and dancing around skittishly. Alanna, lost in her thoughts, merely reined in her horse and whispered distractedly for Moonlight to calm down. Later Alanna cursed herself for being so stupid, for letting her emotions take over her common sense and forcing her guard down.

            Before the flame-haired queen knew what was happening four black-clad men on horseback had surrounded her and formed a tight circle around Moonlight, forcing the horse and rider into a side alley. Alanna opened her mouth to yell but before she could she felt magic shimmer through the air and suddenly her jaws were clamped together by the fire of someone's Gift. Immediately she fought back, straining to open her mouth with physical and magical force, at the same time reaching for Lightning in the belt at her side. She could feel the magical bonds around her jaws straining, the magic fire almost burning out—the wielder of the Gift was very weak, his Gift nothing compared to hers.

            As soon as they had reached the cover of the alley the Gifted attacker dropped his magical gag, and one of the men slumped over in his saddle, gasping for breath. Alanna had a brief moment of triumph to gloat that such a short magical struggle exhausted the man so much before a hand took the place of the magical gag. Moonlight reared up in protest as Alanna let out a muffled scream, but the faithful mare's actions proved to be almost fatal for Alanna; while grappling with one hand to remove the attacker's hand from her mouth and with the other to free Lightning from her sword belt, Alanna wasn't prepared for a rearing horse and slid off to the ground.

            The man gagging her was surprised and loosened his hold for the briefest moment, but a moment long enough for Alanna to take stock of situation and twist her head away as she grabbed her sword hilt and whipped Lightning up and through the air. The man let out a yell as Lightning sliced through a muscle in his arm, but immediately the other three were on her, the Gifted one having regained some strength. Moonlight, forgotten, aimed a kick at one man's back, and he dropped as steel-shod hoof connected with spine, emitting a sickening crack. The other two didn't even flinch as they charged her together, the one she had injured following a second later. Alanna jumped to her feet, swinging Lightning in a wide arc to warn them away. They were not deterred, however, and all bore blades of their own, gleaming wickedly in the sunlight.

            Alanna tried to fight down panic; anyone crazy enough to attack the Queen of Tortall in broad daylight was crazy enough to kill her, and besides, these large men had muscles bulging threateningly underneath sturdy black tunics. And Alanna was no match for wrestlers.

            She didn't let any of the panic show in her face, though, as she switched Lightning to her left hand, parrying blows from two swords at once, and reached for one of her hidden daggers with her right hand. Her hand closed around the hilt as the third attacker's sword flashed by and cut deeply into her right shoulder. Unable to keep back a sharp cry of pain as fire burned through her arm, Alanna wrenched the dagger out and threw herself at the man. He gave a gasp of surprise and fell backwards, Alanna's dagger buried in his chest.

            But the move cost her: as Alanna leapt forward one of the other attackers knocked Lightning out of her hand, and it flew to land harmlessly a few feet away. Before Alanna could yell out or reach for another dagger, the two men were upon her, pinning her arms to her sides and one of them clapping a hand over her mouth. Alanna nearly fainted as her injured arm was wrenched behind her back. The next instant real panic set in as one of the attackers used his free hand to raise his gleaming blade in a final blow. Alanna struggled helplessly, hardly able to move in their vice-like grips, and for one fleeting moment the thought crossed her mind, The last thing I will ever see is sun glinting off the sword that will bring about my death… and I will never see George again. Somehow the thought was enough to make her fight again, her eyes still closed in a stubborn effort as she refused to look her impending death in the face.

            The next instant she heard a whuff of ragged breath escape a man, and her eyes flew open in time to see one of the attackers slump forward and fall to the ground, his unseeing eyes taking in the ground as blood pooled around the dagger sprouting from his back. The one attacker left dropped Alanna's arm and whirled to face the man who had killed his comrade. With a final spurt of energy, Alanna grabbed a second dagger and hurled it into his back unthinkingly. Immediately she regretted her action; four dead men couldn't tell her who their boss was.

            The next instant she had collapsed on the ground, and darkness set in.

***

When Alanna awoke her first instinct was to run and attack anyone around her, but in the next moment she remembered that all her attackers were dead. She was sitting on something soft, leaning against a warm body. Dimly remembering that someone had saved her, Alanna turned her head around, to look up into a familiar pair of hazel eyes.

            "George?" she whispered in disbelief, blinking. But when her eyes opened the face was still there.

            Immediately the strong arm around her waist tightened.

            "Alanna! Mithros, I thought you were…"

            Alanna shook her head, her temper flaring back to life. "George, I'm a knight! You know I can defend myself," she snapped.

            Normally George would have chuckled benevolently at this point, but instead he continued as if he hadn't heard her, whispering brokenly.

            "Alanna, I don't know what I would have done if… if anything had happened to you… because I had to tell you one more time that no matter whose wife you are, even the King of Tortall's, I still love you."

            George had been in the middle of bandaging up her shoulder, and he continued to do so, averting his eyes from her face, as she stared at him, emotion swelling in her and becoming impossible to bear.

            "George, I…" the words she had been practicing on the way over failed her, and instead what came out of her mouth was, "I love you too."

            George's hands stopped moving, the bandage finished, but he didn't remove them from her shoulder as his face snapped up, his eyes boring into hers. Alanna could feel his hands trembling slightly, hope for the impossible brightening his eyes.

            "You… you love me?" he whispered, his words barely audible.

            "George, it's so hard to explain! I made a mistake with Jon, but I'm married to him now, and… well, now he has to be my only lover! But George… I can't stand it anymore, because I do, I really do still love you!" Alanna's voice broke and she turned away.

            Strong hands turned it back to George. "Alanna," he said firmly, "is that all true?"

            Miserable, Alanna nodded, fighting to keep her calm. This was just too much!

            But then George kissed her, and all thoughts escaped her as the thief filled every inch of her mind. Before either knew what was happening, they were lying in a tumble on George's bed, lips pressed together.

            Suddenly George broke away, rasping, "Alanna… we… we can't." His face betrayed his inner desires, though, the words sounding alien on his tongue.

            Knowing as she said the words the mistake she was making but unable to help herself at the same time, Alanna said resolutely, although her voice shook, "No, George. I owe you for saving my life. I'll do anything for my hero."

            George made no argument, powerless to resist what he had been longing for since he had first found out Squire Alan's true identity.

A/N: ok, finished. Ugh…. I don't like writing romance, even alanna/george (*heart*) romance! Hehe. But anyway, I needed to write this part for the rest of the story to unfold. (yes, I sort of have an idea now… hope it works out!) and probably the chapters will be longer now, cause im outta school and have more time. (YAY! YAYAYAYAYAY!!!) so anyway, put up w/ me! *grin*

AHEM, REVIEWS PLEASE!! They make me so very happy…… *hint, hint*