A.N I wrote this chapter for all of you to make sure that none of you feel the need to kidnap me...I was a tad afraid that one of you might get that idea and then pass it on to everyone else....*is scared* *hears noise* *jumps*
Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognise. Period. End of discussion.
This is a much longer chapter. I hope you don't mind the intense mood of this chapter. I was listening to Eminem for part of it. I feel...intense...And guess what! I got my writing groove back! The words have not poured so well from my fingers as they did today!!!
*************
Chapter 9
Alanna sat in the small carriage, alone with her thoughts. She was unsure if she was making the right decision, leaving Alianne there by herself when she so obviously wanted her there. I should go back, she told herself, but made no move to tell the driver to turn around.
It's not like she didn't want to be there. If Alianne and Liam married then that would be the perfect excuse to tell Jonathan to leave her alone. But, did she want Jonathan out? What of her love for George? This was all too confusing for one lady knight to handle all by herself. She couldn't talk to Myles: he was at the palace and she was headed in the opposite direction.
Did she love Jonathan? She wasn't sure. Sure, he was smart, kind, romantic, sweet, caring, and understanding of her love of her shield. He had been the best man at her wedding, had he not? But, he was also arrogant, pig-headed, temperamental, and a prat. But, he was a lovable prat.
George. Her husband George. Father of her children George. George was wonderful: he respected her no matter what she was. He loved her so much. He was kind, caring, loving, and funny. But, he wasn't Jon.
Jon always made her feel better. He always made her feel like she could do anything, no matter what. It was his confidence in her that made her fall in love with him. He could be commanding, but he never did so to her. She remembered at the River Drell, when he risked his father's wrath to save her. When he didn't want her to go into battle. When he took care of her wounds.
She was too confused to think any longer. She was exhausted too. She snuggled into the bench and closed her eyes.
*****
The knock sounded on the carriage door awoke Alanna from her slumber. In her excitement, she fell off the bench. She reached for the knob and turned it, hoping to see Jonathan.
"Milady, we have arrived." It was the driver. He held out his hand.
"Yes," she said and took his hand. She stepped out and instantly a young man appeared with a cover and held it over Alanna's head.
"We shall get your things," the man said, with fake courtesy. He handed her the cover, which she handed back to him and said:
"I am a knight, not a fine lady." She took one confident step forward, then stopped. She searched through the rain, looking for the familiar black hair and blue eyes that she had come to love once more, but only found hazel eyes and brown hair.
"Alanna!" George rushed up and was about to say something, but could not seem to find the words. "You're in a dress...Mithros.."
"So?" she snapped. "You don't need to get all shocked like just because I'm wearing a dress. I have done this before, you know." She stepped around him and headed for the entrance to Pirate's Swoop, with George staring after her.
***
Alanna slid her thin, muscled body into the hot bath. It felt good, but something was missing. Something she could not put her finger on. Ah, yes. Jon. Jonathan was missing.
I can't even take a bath without thinking of him, she thought sourly. Well, then I shant take any more baths.
But she loved baths...Almost as much as she loved Jonathan, which, mind you, was wrong. She wasn't supposed to be in love with the King of Tortall, but she was and she was ashamed. A few steamy moments should not recreate a love that was once lost, she thought logically. But it did. And that was beyond logic.
Maybe it had something to do with the gods. They didn't often weasel their way into the personal lives of one or two people, but the Great Mother Goddess had always felt like meddling in Alanna's life in particular. Maybe this was her doing.
If that was so, then it must mean that this should happen. The Great Mother had always struck Alanna as the sensible type. A-reason-for-everything kind of woman.
Maybe that was it. If it was, she had a feeling she would be paid a visit by someone very soon.
***
Morning dawned bright and clear once more which only made Alanna's mood dampen to an all-time low. It was this kind of morning that she had realized her love for Jonathan. So, naturally, she did not want to socialize with her husband.
"Morning, lass," George called, stepping into the bedroom. He was disgustingly cheerful and happy. Most likely because she was home.
"Morning," she replied, sounding barely there. She stared out into the deep blue and green waters of the ocean just outside the balcony off her and George's room. It reminded her of her love for Jonathan, which could have been why she was staring at it with such intensity. The wind blew her hair, circling it around her face and neck. Her skirt blew around her legs, filling her with a strong feeling in her gut.
"Are ye all right?" her husband asked, leaning on the railing beside her, all the while looking at her intently. It was most apparent in his eyes that he knew that this was not the Alanna he remembered. She was different, intense and focused.
"Fine," her soft voice was carried north by the wind. Alanna longed for that wind to take her along for the adventure. Seeing places from above, all the while heading north to Jonathan. Where he was waiting for her. At least, she hoped he was.
George nodded and then turned to see if he could see what she saw in the rough waves that were colored green and blue with a slight tinge of purple.
Alanna noticed the sudden change of color, wondering if maybe it was her eyesight. But when she turned to mention something to George, she saw his eyes widen and then she knew he saw it too.
The ocean now resembled what Alanna would call her relationship with Jonathan. Swirling blue and purple, sometimes rough and sometimes smooth. Yet, everlasting. The ocean flowed and the waves came to shore everyday without fail. Never breaking time, never ceasing. Forever.
Watching the water flow, crash, and swirl and feeling the cool breeze on her face formed a plan within her mind that must commence as soon as time would allow it.
*********
I was feeling very intense and I got my fancy word jumble thing back and I feel so happy because I can remember good words to use now!!
I want to know if you guys think that this is more realistic or whatever you want to think. I just need to know. And I know you'll tell me!
Thankees to:
I am going to ask for 190 reviews for this chapter. I know it seems like a lot, but I know you can do it!!
Lady Alanna Salmalin of Conte, the Queen of Fluff
Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognise. Period. End of discussion.
This is a much longer chapter. I hope you don't mind the intense mood of this chapter. I was listening to Eminem for part of it. I feel...intense...And guess what! I got my writing groove back! The words have not poured so well from my fingers as they did today!!!
*************
Chapter 9
Alanna sat in the small carriage, alone with her thoughts. She was unsure if she was making the right decision, leaving Alianne there by herself when she so obviously wanted her there. I should go back, she told herself, but made no move to tell the driver to turn around.
It's not like she didn't want to be there. If Alianne and Liam married then that would be the perfect excuse to tell Jonathan to leave her alone. But, did she want Jonathan out? What of her love for George? This was all too confusing for one lady knight to handle all by herself. She couldn't talk to Myles: he was at the palace and she was headed in the opposite direction.
Did she love Jonathan? She wasn't sure. Sure, he was smart, kind, romantic, sweet, caring, and understanding of her love of her shield. He had been the best man at her wedding, had he not? But, he was also arrogant, pig-headed, temperamental, and a prat. But, he was a lovable prat.
George. Her husband George. Father of her children George. George was wonderful: he respected her no matter what she was. He loved her so much. He was kind, caring, loving, and funny. But, he wasn't Jon.
Jon always made her feel better. He always made her feel like she could do anything, no matter what. It was his confidence in her that made her fall in love with him. He could be commanding, but he never did so to her. She remembered at the River Drell, when he risked his father's wrath to save her. When he didn't want her to go into battle. When he took care of her wounds.
She was too confused to think any longer. She was exhausted too. She snuggled into the bench and closed her eyes.
*****
The knock sounded on the carriage door awoke Alanna from her slumber. In her excitement, she fell off the bench. She reached for the knob and turned it, hoping to see Jonathan.
"Milady, we have arrived." It was the driver. He held out his hand.
"Yes," she said and took his hand. She stepped out and instantly a young man appeared with a cover and held it over Alanna's head.
"We shall get your things," the man said, with fake courtesy. He handed her the cover, which she handed back to him and said:
"I am a knight, not a fine lady." She took one confident step forward, then stopped. She searched through the rain, looking for the familiar black hair and blue eyes that she had come to love once more, but only found hazel eyes and brown hair.
"Alanna!" George rushed up and was about to say something, but could not seem to find the words. "You're in a dress...Mithros.."
"So?" she snapped. "You don't need to get all shocked like just because I'm wearing a dress. I have done this before, you know." She stepped around him and headed for the entrance to Pirate's Swoop, with George staring after her.
***
Alanna slid her thin, muscled body into the hot bath. It felt good, but something was missing. Something she could not put her finger on. Ah, yes. Jon. Jonathan was missing.
I can't even take a bath without thinking of him, she thought sourly. Well, then I shant take any more baths.
But she loved baths...Almost as much as she loved Jonathan, which, mind you, was wrong. She wasn't supposed to be in love with the King of Tortall, but she was and she was ashamed. A few steamy moments should not recreate a love that was once lost, she thought logically. But it did. And that was beyond logic.
Maybe it had something to do with the gods. They didn't often weasel their way into the personal lives of one or two people, but the Great Mother Goddess had always felt like meddling in Alanna's life in particular. Maybe this was her doing.
If that was so, then it must mean that this should happen. The Great Mother had always struck Alanna as the sensible type. A-reason-for-everything kind of woman.
Maybe that was it. If it was, she had a feeling she would be paid a visit by someone very soon.
***
Morning dawned bright and clear once more which only made Alanna's mood dampen to an all-time low. It was this kind of morning that she had realized her love for Jonathan. So, naturally, she did not want to socialize with her husband.
"Morning, lass," George called, stepping into the bedroom. He was disgustingly cheerful and happy. Most likely because she was home.
"Morning," she replied, sounding barely there. She stared out into the deep blue and green waters of the ocean just outside the balcony off her and George's room. It reminded her of her love for Jonathan, which could have been why she was staring at it with such intensity. The wind blew her hair, circling it around her face and neck. Her skirt blew around her legs, filling her with a strong feeling in her gut.
"Are ye all right?" her husband asked, leaning on the railing beside her, all the while looking at her intently. It was most apparent in his eyes that he knew that this was not the Alanna he remembered. She was different, intense and focused.
"Fine," her soft voice was carried north by the wind. Alanna longed for that wind to take her along for the adventure. Seeing places from above, all the while heading north to Jonathan. Where he was waiting for her. At least, she hoped he was.
George nodded and then turned to see if he could see what she saw in the rough waves that were colored green and blue with a slight tinge of purple.
Alanna noticed the sudden change of color, wondering if maybe it was her eyesight. But when she turned to mention something to George, she saw his eyes widen and then she knew he saw it too.
The ocean now resembled what Alanna would call her relationship with Jonathan. Swirling blue and purple, sometimes rough and sometimes smooth. Yet, everlasting. The ocean flowed and the waves came to shore everyday without fail. Never breaking time, never ceasing. Forever.
Watching the water flow, crash, and swirl and feeling the cool breeze on her face formed a plan within her mind that must commence as soon as time would allow it.
*********
I was feeling very intense and I got my fancy word jumble thing back and I feel so happy because I can remember good words to use now!!
I want to know if you guys think that this is more realistic or whatever you want to think. I just need to know. And I know you'll tell me!
Thankees to:
I am going to ask for 190 reviews for this chapter. I know it seems like a lot, but I know you can do it!!
Lady Alanna Salmalin of Conte, the Queen of Fluff