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"Lady Alanna of Trebond." Announced the herald. The doors opened, revealing a stunning young woman. She had flaming red hair and piercing amethyst eyes. Her hair was braided and looped up on top of her head with a bit of gold cord and pearls hung in her coppery locks. She wore a long lavender gown that hugged her waist and then billowed out to sweep the floor. It had a square neckline and long, full sleeves made of a transparent gold material that opened wide at the wrists, revealing a pale gold bracelet set with black opals and pearls. Her gown rustled delicately as she descended the stairs nervously and curtsied deeply to the king and queen of Tortall.
The king nodded and she rose, to be escorted to the dance floor by an unknown knight. The music started up and they spun around the floor. From the end of the room, the black-haired prince watched the new girl with a calculated gaze. She's gorgeous, he thought, she dances like an angel, though she seems disinterested. An angel with flaming hair! Who'd ever have thought? As the song ended the knight kissed her hand and left her to dance with another man.
She really didn't like court functions or balls, but she was old enough, so she had practically been ordered to stay at Corus (at least through the social season, they'd said) by the priestesses at the convent. Her twin brother, Thom, was there training as a knight, but Alanna hadn't seen him since she had arrived. After each dance, someone else swept her back onto the dance floor. She was beginning to bore, so she told the man she was dancing with that she was exhausted and needed to rest. He led her to a velvet covered chair where she could sit and watch everyone else dance and left her there. For a little while she was content to simply sit and watch the flurry of colors on the floor, and assumed an air of invisibility. She could do that occasionally; pretend not to be there. People simply wouldn't see her sitting there unless they were specifically looking for her.
As it turns out, Thom was looking for her, and he had a small group of young knights with him. Thom walked up casually and greeted her, "Hello, Alanna. You're using that invisibility thing again, aren't you? Enjoying yourself?"
"About as much as I enjoy being fitted for new clothes," she retorted, "I am going to kill you for ever getting me to come here in the first place! You know how much I dislike court things. I feel like a clown!"
"I actually think you make a very beautiful clown," interrupted the prince with a smile.
"And how would you know?" she snapped, "I bet you've never been forced into a dress and face paint for some stupid court party!" She started when she realized to whom she was speaking. Her violet eyes widened in surprise, she curtsied and she quickly apologized, "Begging your pardon, Highness." She would have to be a fool not to recognize the crown prince, Jonathan of Conté. He looked her over with his sapphire colored eyes for a moment before turning to Thom.
"Your sister, am I correct? The family resemblance is striking."
Thom grinned, "Sure is Jon, we are twins after all."
One of the young knights behind Thom nudged him with an elbow, "So what are you waiting for, Trebond? Introduce us!" Both twins rolled their eyes at his remark. Thom was thinking, Boy, just what I need-my friends falling for my sister!
"Alanna, meet my friends," he waved at the group. They smiled at her as he continued, "Raoul of Goldenlake, Gareth-Gary-of Naxen, Alexander of Tirragen, and this of course," he put his hand on the prince's shoulder, "is Prince Jonathan. Everyone, this is my sister, Alanna. I feel I have to warn you-she's got an attitude, and she knows how to use it!"
Alanna looked at the group, "I'm pleased to meet all of you. Now at least I know some people at court." She punched her brother lightly on the arm and he mock-cried,
"Ouch, sis, that hurts! I'm dying!"
"You want to die? I used to duck you in the pond back home, and I can do it again if you like."
The two siblings were joking and making mock threats and the little group was laughing hysterically. Finally, Jonathan recovered and walked up to Alanna, "May I have this dance, Lady Alanna?"
Alanna looked up warily, "I'm not that fond of dancing." Jonathan raised an eyebrow,
"Is that so?"
Thom was grinning wickedly from behind Jonathan. Alanna glared at him, both knowing that she couldn't refuse. She sighed, silently promising to get Thom back later. If there was one thing she learned at the stupid convent, it was how to play excellent pranks and not get caught.
"Very well, your Highness."
The prince smiled, holding out his hand. She put hers in his and they stepped out onto the floor. As they danced, Jonathan spoke of how sick he was of dancing with all the goggle-brained females at court. "You have no idea how horrible it is to have all those ladies fawning on you and batting their eyelashes and chatting about mindless topics."
Alanna smirked, "Try me."
He blushed slightly, remembering what Thom had said about her hating the convent, court functions, and pretty much hating anything to do with what females were supposed to do and how they were to behave. "I forgot, you had to endure years at the convent. I'm just glad you didn't turn out the way most of them do, Lady Alanna."
"Your Highness?"
"Jonathan, please. I hate it when people go all formal on me." He felt Alanna relax a bit, and it made him feel better knowing that she felt the same way. She smiled,
"In that case just call me Alanna."
Jon smiled back, "Anyway, I like it when I can talk about things other than what the court ladies find interesting. Ugh. Thom says you hate these court functions. I'm actually surprised you made it."
Alanna grinned. "Yeah, well Thom practically dragged me here in the first place. If it weren't for him, I'd probably still be back at that stupid convent. At least I get a break," She sighed, "I never asked to be born a girl. Why couldn't I have been born a boy? It isn't fair! I want to go off on great adventures! I don't want to marry and raise a bunch of boring, goggle-headed children."
"You know," said Jon, "you're not like what I expected."
"Really? And what exactly did you expect?"
"To tell the truth, I thought you would be more like the usual, soft court ladies. I'm so glad that you aren't. It will be fun getting to know you."
"Wait until you hear my stories of the convent!"
The song ended and they returned to the group watching them on the sidelines. "I look forward to hearing them," replied Jonathan. As soon as he dropped her off, different people intercepted them both. Gary wanted to dance with Alanna and a gorgeous girl with long chestnut colored hair and green eyes came to drag the prince away. She shot a look of triumph at Alanna and tossed her hair at the prince. Alanna recognized her as Delia of Eldorne, one of the girls from her convent. Alanna despised her, because she'd always looked down her pert little nose at Alanna and her friends. Jon gave Alanna a disgusted look and reluctantly went to dance, the little green-eyed girl chattering away the whole time.
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"Lady Alanna of Trebond." Announced the herald. The doors opened, revealing a stunning young woman. She had flaming red hair and piercing amethyst eyes. Her hair was braided and looped up on top of her head with a bit of gold cord and pearls hung in her coppery locks. She wore a long lavender gown that hugged her waist and then billowed out to sweep the floor. It had a square neckline and long, full sleeves made of a transparent gold material that opened wide at the wrists, revealing a pale gold bracelet set with black opals and pearls. Her gown rustled delicately as she descended the stairs nervously and curtsied deeply to the king and queen of Tortall.
The king nodded and she rose, to be escorted to the dance floor by an unknown knight. The music started up and they spun around the floor. From the end of the room, the black-haired prince watched the new girl with a calculated gaze. She's gorgeous, he thought, she dances like an angel, though she seems disinterested. An angel with flaming hair! Who'd ever have thought? As the song ended the knight kissed her hand and left her to dance with another man.
She really didn't like court functions or balls, but she was old enough, so she had practically been ordered to stay at Corus (at least through the social season, they'd said) by the priestesses at the convent. Her twin brother, Thom, was there training as a knight, but Alanna hadn't seen him since she had arrived. After each dance, someone else swept her back onto the dance floor. She was beginning to bore, so she told the man she was dancing with that she was exhausted and needed to rest. He led her to a velvet covered chair where she could sit and watch everyone else dance and left her there. For a little while she was content to simply sit and watch the flurry of colors on the floor, and assumed an air of invisibility. She could do that occasionally; pretend not to be there. People simply wouldn't see her sitting there unless they were specifically looking for her.
As it turns out, Thom was looking for her, and he had a small group of young knights with him. Thom walked up casually and greeted her, "Hello, Alanna. You're using that invisibility thing again, aren't you? Enjoying yourself?"
"About as much as I enjoy being fitted for new clothes," she retorted, "I am going to kill you for ever getting me to come here in the first place! You know how much I dislike court things. I feel like a clown!"
"I actually think you make a very beautiful clown," interrupted the prince with a smile.
"And how would you know?" she snapped, "I bet you've never been forced into a dress and face paint for some stupid court party!" She started when she realized to whom she was speaking. Her violet eyes widened in surprise, she curtsied and she quickly apologized, "Begging your pardon, Highness." She would have to be a fool not to recognize the crown prince, Jonathan of Conté. He looked her over with his sapphire colored eyes for a moment before turning to Thom.
"Your sister, am I correct? The family resemblance is striking."
Thom grinned, "Sure is Jon, we are twins after all."
One of the young knights behind Thom nudged him with an elbow, "So what are you waiting for, Trebond? Introduce us!" Both twins rolled their eyes at his remark. Thom was thinking, Boy, just what I need-my friends falling for my sister!
"Alanna, meet my friends," he waved at the group. They smiled at her as he continued, "Raoul of Goldenlake, Gareth-Gary-of Naxen, Alexander of Tirragen, and this of course," he put his hand on the prince's shoulder, "is Prince Jonathan. Everyone, this is my sister, Alanna. I feel I have to warn you-she's got an attitude, and she knows how to use it!"
Alanna looked at the group, "I'm pleased to meet all of you. Now at least I know some people at court." She punched her brother lightly on the arm and he mock-cried,
"Ouch, sis, that hurts! I'm dying!"
"You want to die? I used to duck you in the pond back home, and I can do it again if you like."
The two siblings were joking and making mock threats and the little group was laughing hysterically. Finally, Jonathan recovered and walked up to Alanna, "May I have this dance, Lady Alanna?"
Alanna looked up warily, "I'm not that fond of dancing." Jonathan raised an eyebrow,
"Is that so?"
Thom was grinning wickedly from behind Jonathan. Alanna glared at him, both knowing that she couldn't refuse. She sighed, silently promising to get Thom back later. If there was one thing she learned at the stupid convent, it was how to play excellent pranks and not get caught.
"Very well, your Highness."
The prince smiled, holding out his hand. She put hers in his and they stepped out onto the floor. As they danced, Jonathan spoke of how sick he was of dancing with all the goggle-brained females at court. "You have no idea how horrible it is to have all those ladies fawning on you and batting their eyelashes and chatting about mindless topics."
Alanna smirked, "Try me."
He blushed slightly, remembering what Thom had said about her hating the convent, court functions, and pretty much hating anything to do with what females were supposed to do and how they were to behave. "I forgot, you had to endure years at the convent. I'm just glad you didn't turn out the way most of them do, Lady Alanna."
"Your Highness?"
"Jonathan, please. I hate it when people go all formal on me." He felt Alanna relax a bit, and it made him feel better knowing that she felt the same way. She smiled,
"In that case just call me Alanna."
Jon smiled back, "Anyway, I like it when I can talk about things other than what the court ladies find interesting. Ugh. Thom says you hate these court functions. I'm actually surprised you made it."
Alanna grinned. "Yeah, well Thom practically dragged me here in the first place. If it weren't for him, I'd probably still be back at that stupid convent. At least I get a break," She sighed, "I never asked to be born a girl. Why couldn't I have been born a boy? It isn't fair! I want to go off on great adventures! I don't want to marry and raise a bunch of boring, goggle-headed children."
"You know," said Jon, "you're not like what I expected."
"Really? And what exactly did you expect?"
"To tell the truth, I thought you would be more like the usual, soft court ladies. I'm so glad that you aren't. It will be fun getting to know you."
"Wait until you hear my stories of the convent!"
The song ended and they returned to the group watching them on the sidelines. "I look forward to hearing them," replied Jonathan. As soon as he dropped her off, different people intercepted them both. Gary wanted to dance with Alanna and a gorgeous girl with long chestnut colored hair and green eyes came to drag the prince away. She shot a look of triumph at Alanna and tossed her hair at the prince. Alanna recognized her as Delia of Eldorne, one of the girls from her convent. Alanna despised her, because she'd always looked down her pert little nose at Alanna and her friends. Jon gave Alanna a disgusted look and reluctantly went to dance, the little green-eyed girl chattering away the whole time.
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