~tAmInG tHe LiOnEsS~

DeDiCaTiOn: This chapter is dedicated to Innocnet Angel who added me to her favorite authors lists... I just love to see that number go up, it makes me feel loved Thanks!

POLL: You must help me here or I can't go on. I'll tell you what I think then you spill back with you views okie dokie?

Should I keep this going... or break it off with a `sequal`?

When I see a story with a lot of chapters(but I'm not sure how many is a lot) I wonder if I want to take all the time to read that. (even if the good ones are long and juicy) But also when I see a story and it says 'sequal to blah blah blah', I feel like I need to read the first one before I can read that. But that seems like a big pain to go and find that story, read it, and then find the sequal and go and read that. That's how I feel. TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! or no posting from me (hehe haha blackmail...okay not really blackmail, but I can pretent right?)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Let's Get it On!

"Before Mandy and George's blow out argument, and before she left, she told everyone who would listen, and even those who didn't want to or didn't care, that she was..." Eleni paused and Alanna wasn't sure why. Was it to tease her, was it for dramatic effect? Either way it was annoying. Eleni continued seeing Alanna's irritation. "She- Mandy," Eleni clarified unnecessarily. "Told everyone she was carrying George's baby." Eleni finished, waiting tensely for Alanna's response.

She didn't have to wait long. "What?!" The short red-head cried in pure outrage.

Eleni chuckled evilly, knowing, expecting, wanting, and even openly provoking this sort of loud upset, exclamation.

"No my dear, you misunderstood." Eleni gave a wistful half smile, knowing full well that she had led Alanna to that raged misunderstanding. "Mandy 'told' everyone she was having George's baby. Just because you say something, doesn't mean it's true."

This last statement gave Alanna chills. The words seemed directed right for her and George's situation. Just because she said she was carrying 'George's' child, didn't mean it was true. Alanna felt sick from these simple nine words.

Eleni pressed on. "Mandy having George's baby, seemed possible at the time. It was an entirely believable claim at the moment. After all, Mandy spent hours everyday in George's upstairs room. With no supervision." She smiled teasingly. "It was easy for everyone she told to assume it was true. Why would she say it if it wasn't true right?" Eleni didn't wait for a reply. "Besides no one, but the two of them - Mandy and George- really knew what went on during their time share alone. Even Solom was convinced; he disliked Mandy as much as George did, but he didn't know how George felt. They hadn't spoken in weeks."

"So..." Alanna asked questioningly. "Mandy wasn't really-" she let her sentence trail as she waited nervously.

"I'm a trained healer." Eleni stated the well known obvious facts. "She might have fooled the rogue court, weary travelers, Solom, and George himself..."

"George!?" Alanna burst. "So they did! That hornball! He had to of," she reasoned. "Because if not, George wouldn't have had any reason to doubt." Alanna wailed.

"No." Eleni stated firmly. "They didn't."

"Then why did George...?"

Eleni smiled. "Mandy's convincing and conniving... and George well...he's not the brightest lantern in the bunch that's ever shown."

Alanna scowled, suddenly shifting gears, that was her husband she was insulting.

"Any way," Eleni persisted. "I wasn't fooled. Even before I examined her."

Alanna shrugged her shoulders getting weary of idle chit chat. Slowly she stretched her constrained legs and winced as she massaged a cramping muscle. "So how did she get out of that lie?" She wanted to move things along.

"She claimed a miscarriage-" Eleni had more to say, but before she could finish her statement Alanna stood.

The young knight stretched her aching, stiff muscles more throughly as Eleni studied her daughter-in-law without speaking. Alanna stepped briskly toward the door without a second glance back. She never spoke a single word before she reached the door. She had one hand on the brass door knob when...

"Where are you going?" Eleni questioned a little concerned and more than a little offended by Alanna's attempted departure.

"I'm out." Alanna said simply. "It took me long enough, but I got my priorities in order now." Alanna shook her head ashamed and sorry that she had wasted so much time here listening to unimportant rubbish. "I'm going to find my lover." She smiled thinking about George. "Something I should have done a long time ago." Eleni remained silent there was no arguing with that and she knew it. Knowing she had won the battle for the time being, Alanna swiftly departed before she could be trapped into listening to more of Eleni's long reminisce stories.

×~× ~ ×~×

George sat alone. Myles had left a while ago, claiming he was too old to sit in stable lofts for such a long time. George let him go, without saying anything to try and prolong his departure. Truth be told (hehe) George didn't mind being alone right know. It felt better this way. Now he didn't feel as if he had to keep up a happy visage and keep conversation flowing. Still in the stables loft, George was quietly contemplating. The former king of thieves wasn't exactly sure what he was thinking so deeply about. It was more of a calm jumble of deep pestering yet superficial thoughts of no concern. If that makes any sense. It did for George. He sat with his busy mind watching form above an ageing buckskin stallion.

George pried his gaze from the horse and studied the wall instead. He examined the intricate grain pattern formed in the wood.

Instinctively and silently, Alanna entered the large stables. With cautious steps she made her way into the dim shadows without knowing it, she moved slowly closer to George with each step. It seemed her heart led her deeper into the darkness and was met with a ladder. Alanna quietly ascended the rickety wooden ladder that led to the old decaying loft. As she reached the top, George's broad shoulders were easily visible. His back was to his wife so he had no idea of her nearing presence. Soon Alanna found herself standing directly behind the unconcerned thinking George. For a minute Alanna stood listening to and being comforted by George's rhythmic breathing.

Alanna licked her lips nervously and then swallowed. Slowly her defined arms snaked around George's wide back. She felt him jump, surprised, under her touch, then he relaxed slightly. Alanna clung to her husband tightly before standing on tip toe to whisper in George's ear.

"I love you." She breathed.

George shivered involuntarily when he felt his lover's hot breath on his ear. He turned against her strong embrace and turned to face her.

"Oh. It's you." He pretended to be disappointed.

"Who were you expecting?" Alanna demanded playful.

"I thought it would be Susan, my stable hand lover." He grinned.

"I hate you." Alanna lied.

"Oh that's curious, a minute ago you love me."

"Well I changed my mind." She smiled playfully.

"You can't. I wont let you."

"So how many other lover's do you have?" She asked.

"None. I lied. There's just you and no one else. I don't need anyone else, you keep me on my toes, I like that." He wrapped his arms around his smile wife. "Now what were you saying before all this?" He asked a small grin enveloping his face.

"Oh! So now you're lying to me?" Alanna demanded. Then she realized what a stupid comment it was. *How long have I been lying to him?* Alanna demanded of herself. Then she had to defend herself as well. *I didn't lie to him really, he just assumed, and I didn't correct him.* But this defense didn't hold up with her and she was sure it wouldn't hold up with George.

"I would never lie to you." George assured. "You're the one person who I share everything with."

*Thanks for the guilt trip, George Cooper.* But Alanna chose to ignore that and got eith the possitive side of things. "I love you." Alanna repeated glad it was entirely true. "I love you more than I thought was possible to love anyone." She stated and George believed it with all his heart.

"In spite of my past?" He persisted.

"Because of... No." Alanna shook her head rethinking her statement. "Absolutely none of that matters to me. I just love you. Isn't that enough?" She pleaded looking up at her husband with a small grin.

"I love you too." George returned. "And that's more than enough." He assured. "After all...I took you on despite your past."

"What?" Alanna asked confused.

"Was it the other way around?" He asked. "Did the noble- you, marry down. Or did the thief- me, marry up?"

"Neither." Alanna affirmed with feeling. "It was union based on love and respect."

"Good thing." George decided. Alanna chose that moment to capture her husbands lips and hold them hostage. Teasingly she broke off the kiss leaving George somewhat satisfied, yet still painfully longing for more.

"Er-" George growled at his wife. "Torture." He claimed.

"What?" Alanna asked innocently.

"Why are you playing with me?" He asked.

"Because it's so much fun."

"Let's go." George pleaded tugging on Alanna's hand.

"Go where?" She asked.

George grinned. "To our room. It's getting late." Alanna looked outside, and sure enough the sun had just fell behind the mountains leaving the sky beautiful dusky pinks, oranges, and purples.

"Why?" She asked innocently.

"Lioness, you're driving me crazy." He stated firmly.

"Last time I was in our room, which wasn't that long ago, your mother was in there. Are you sure that's where you want to go?" She teased.

George attempted to kiss her, but she move away, and all her got was a small brush of the lips. She was playing with him.

"I just want to get you down from here."

"Why?"

"Because-"

Alanna cut him off. "Because... I know why. I've seen that gleam in you're eyes before George Cooper, and I'll have you know, okay you already know, but I'll remind you, that I am in a motherly way right now. In case you've forgotten."

"How can I forget?" He asked seriously. "Besides that's partly what adds to your appeal." He admitted. "I like your little belly." He put his hands gently over Alanna's still rather small, but growing, stomach and rubbed it affectionately.

"Uh-huh, I know why you want to get me down, you want to get me into bed and..."

This time it was George's turn to interrupt. "No, because this loft is old." He said simply. "And it isn't safe. Come on." He took her hand and led her over to the place where the ladder stood. George nimbly made his way down and then helped Alanna with her dissent climb.

George embraced Alanna and brushed his lips over hers. "Let's get it on." He finished.

~A/N: Where do you think they're gonna go? Huh Huh? Tell me because I have something written already, but I don't know if you want that...if not you might be SOL because I have a major case of writer's block. You want to know How I know i have writers block, everything I look at, no insipration, absolutely everything. So I dug out my 'writer's block project' the one I never write on, except when I get writers block on anything else. Well I couldn't even write that. So give me some inspiration okay. I was going to have george take alanna to his study and show her all the things Mandy gave him and He'll tell her to do with it what she wants but I don't know everyone seems sick of Mandy so...tell me what to do. I need help here.

Thank you Thank you THANKIES!

*Brilliant, just brilliant: You said you had a question, I read and reread you're review but there was no question in it. Oh well, I think I get what you mean. Yeah I understand about that brother/sister thing, I just wanted to know what other people thought on the topic. I'm a A/G fan so...I don't care if they are sorta related. Anyway...I also liked Cruel Intentions(if you know that movie) and I think there was something going on with Sabastian and Kathryn *wink*wink* so that's the same thing there...sorry I got off Thanks for the review.

*dragon defender: Yeah, I'm done, Mandy may not completely disappear, but she's gone. Everyone, me included, got sick of the flashback... I update every Wednesday, or I try to any way since I have WRITER'S BLOCK I don't know, but I've got a couple chapters written already, i just don't know if I like them, I might redo them. I hate it when people don't update to, it drives me crazy-er, who are they to think they can have a life huh? jk Thanks.

*escawing: I'm glad you like it thank a lot for your reviews, and if you thought George sounded like a cuddly bear before, I bet you loved him this chapter ^_^ Thanks again!

*FlamingKnight101: Holy CRAP! Are you alive after that long review? I don't think that was a flame. I've had some, they make me feel bad that one didn't, It just made me want to explain myself better so here goes: I didn't mean end as in 'No more, that's it the shows, over go home' I meant: what I said above in the Poll thing. Cut it off with a sequal. So there aren't too many chapters, but I don't know which to do, so read that (the poll) if you haven't already and tell me what you think okay? And there's no need to fear, I'm done with the Mandy part, no need to make me feel bad on that part, everyone else told me how sick they were of the flashback... QUESTION: can a healer tell '''who''' fathered the child??? I don't know, I wouldn't think so, I mean we can't do that before the child is born today so... i dunno. I mean I don't know what I mean. Alanna has gotten upset, but she wants to hear the whole thing, so she hasn't gone running off, but as you can see from this chapter, she got sick of it, and I wrote some nice fluff... and thanks even for all the criticism you had some possitive points, so that made it easier to take, eventhough I know what you mean with all the negative stuff so... thanks keep reviewing, it really does help in many ways...

*Forget-me-not: YES!! Yes, doesn't that make you happy? The flashback is finally over! yay! I know I'm glad it's done, except now I can't write to save my life. Of course I meant for Mandy to be crazy, she is in real life to... Just Kidding Mandy Sue, ya know I love ya! Thnaks

*Liams Kitten: Okay Okay OKAY! I get it... grr... jk the flash back is over, and it shall never retuen....unless, no just kidding. I'm glad you like it, but I seemed to be burned out onm what's going on in Alanna and George's presnt got any ideas? Help is always welcome, any way thanks for being so honest about you dislike *cough* dispise hate *cough* of the flashback

*Rochelle: Thank you. That's a really great comment, and I appreciate it a lot! THANK YOU thank you, that really cheered me up! Umm I have read the other Tamora Pierce quartets (infact I own them) and the protector of the small is my favorite, but Thom, Alanna's oldest, looks quite a bit like alanna right? Well lets hope so, and I belive that Liam had red hair...so... you never know. Just go with me on this. I know my timing's off but you have to have willing suspension of belief or something like that, you'll have to ask my english teacher, she's the one that said it anyway THANKS

I'M OUTIE!

CHILL IT!! HEAT THINGS UP!

~ `- ^_^ Lady Daffodil of Queenscove