"- And I don't EVER want to see either of you STEP FOOT farther than the market limits ever again – you understand me?"
The girls nodded gravely.
"Good, I will write to both of your parents about your disobedience, most likely neither of them will be very pleased and will hopefully carry out a suitable punishment for you this summer when you return. Now, since we leave tomorrow, neither of you can leave your rooms today. Do you hear me?"
The girls nodded again.
"Wonderful, now leave, I can't even bare to look at you at this moment, I'm so disappointed."
They left the room and walked to their own rooms – thankfully adjoined in between.
"Holy Goddess, do you think she could have been angrier?" asked Kat, her eyes almost popping out of her head.
Alanna shook her head. "Never, ever do I want to witness that again." Back at the convent, Alanna had pulled plenty of tricks on Delia or on the teachers during class – but never on Reddlark. She was the strictest teacher in the school and no one ever crossed her. If you even step one toenail out of line in her class, she catches you and well you will never do it again. "That was worse than Gyrone's lecture to me about how glue and seats don't mix – and that was the worst."
"Are you sure? What about Edgewoods talk when you 'accidentally' wore breeches to dinner? She almost had a cow on the table!"
Alanna burst into laughter, she would never forget Edgewood's face when she entered dinner in a pair of breeches and a tucked in shirt. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head and her jaw dropped to her knees.
"Well, that made the top of the list for sure – if I ever even think of doing anything to Reddlark remind me of this."
"Done," replied Kat with a grin. "So what do you think we should do tonight?" her face went white – "Oh Alanna!!! I Forgot!!" she started pacing, "I forgot, oh no he'll never forgive me oh Gods Alanna what will I do?? He's never going to talk to me he'll think I stood him up, well I sort of did but its not my fault – you know its not!"
"Whoa, whoa slow down there, Kat what are you going on about?"
"RAOUL! I was supposed to meet him at midday! But we didn't arrive until after that! Alanna oh Alanna … after he was so generous and kind and handsome and oh dear Alanna I've just gone and ruined my life."
"No, no Kat, you definitely did no such thing. He has to understand when we explain things to him!"
"And when dear Alanna will we have a chance to do that? We leave the city tomorrow morning!"
Alanna grinned, "Feel like taking a walk?" Kat's eyes widened. That girl's eyes are going to turn into windows pretty soon. Thought Alanna.
~
Right after all the ladies were turned in for the night, did Alanna and Kat jump into action. Having all day to plan what they would do, they waited until they heard Reddlark retire early for the night and slowly walked out of their rooms, both wearing dark and quiet clothes; Alanna in slightly tight-fitted breeches and a blouse, Kat in a loose fitting skirt that hung just below her knees and a blouse like Alanna's. They crept down the hall and down the steps, checking to see if the Innkeeper was up. He was sitting at the counter in the front of the Inn, and looked to be counting the income for the day. As slow as a snail it seemed he counted it once, then twice, then three times before putting it back in a small pouch and walking to the back of the room.
"Quick!" whispered Alanna. They crept in front of the counter and walked to the door, slowly it creaked open as the two slid out of the crack and into the streets. "Now, to the Dancing Dove!" Alanna said happily.
The two walked the way that George and Jon had taught them earlier, taking extra careful that they turned at the right landmarks and that they walked quickly – they didn't need to be stopped again by someone wanting a bit of fun. They kept to the shadows and were almost at the Inn when they heard voices. Both jumped behind the nearest building.
"- Can't believe she would do that," a familiar voice was saying. "I thought she really enjoyed my company." He sounded very sad.
"I'm sure she had a reason, Raoul." Said another voice.
"Yes, don't be too sure she meant it – perhaps she forgot." Said a voice that sounded almost like…
"Thom?" Alanna whispered.
The boy looked around. "Did you just hear my name?" he asked.
"No…" said Raoul, "why did you hear your name?"
"I thought I did, maybe I was mistaken." The three continued walking.
"Tho-" started Alanna, but a hand around her throat stopped her.
"Don't even move." Said the voice. Alanna nodded. He held her there until the boys were at a far enough distance away so they wouldn't hear a commotion. Alanna's mind raced. "Turn around." She slowly turned and saw the face of her captor; a tall gangling youth with a thick mouth, cold blue eyes, and sandy-blond hair that flopped over his forehead. She also saw Kat fighting with the man holding her. He lifted his arm up to hit her and Alanna reacted.
"NO!" she screamed, trying to lunge at him. Surprised he dropped her, and Kat fell to the ground in a useless bundle.
The man near here slapped her. "Shut up!" he said, spitting his 's's. Alanna fell to the ground, and felt around for one of the two daggers she had hidden in her belt. Finding one she leapt up and tried to attack.
The man, caught off guard, jumped back from the attacking girl and swung to look at his friend. He nodded and both pulled out their swords.
Alanna looked from one to the other. I wonder if they'll attack me both at once. The thought was a grim one. Movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Kat was slowly moving. She flinched as the one that had grabbed her first moved in for an attack. Alanna dodged and tried a quick jab at his side, slightly nicking his tunic. He lunged again, but Alanna again quickly dodged to the side, thanking Lucas's lessons graciously. If I get out of this, that man deserves the biggest midwinter gift I can buy him. The man, now wary of Alanna's speed seemed to be thinking of a tactic. Alanna darted into the shadows and he desperately tried to find her in the dark. She jumped from behind him and her dagger found its way into the side of his arm. He yelled and swore violently.
The other man had enough of Alanna's games and was about to help his friend when he fell to the ground. Kat stood over him, breathing heavily with blood dripping from her forehead.
"That was for dropping a LADY to the ground." She said and looked at Alanna. "Can we go?"
Alanna turned to find the other man – noticing that he had fled the scene. Shaking her head at his cowardliness she answered. "Yes, please let's go. Let me see your forehead."
The girls continued their path to the Dancing Dove – maybe they could still leave a message with George to tell Raoul that Kat had been held up to meet him.
The common room was bustling with people – it was still early for the people of the Lower City.
George was at a table with 3 other men. They seemed to be in a conference of some sort, so Alanna and Kat didn't bother them – instead they went to the bar and asked for a glass of juice.
"So what do you think we should tell him?" asked Kat.
"I'm not too sure – I don't think we should bother him with the er, adventure we had earlier."
"Adventure eh?" said a lilting voice from behind.
Alanna almost choked on the juice she was drinking and began coughing. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that!" she exclaimed.
"Sneakin' is what I do, it's a hard habit to break, sorry lass." Seeing the curious look on the ladies faces, he continued. " I'm not well – my work is not quite under th' law."
"You're a thief." Alanna said plainly.
"Yes, Lady Alanna, in common words I am a thief."
"In any words you're a thief." She retorted and George grinned.
"Well, now that ye know, what're ye goin' t' do 'bout it?"
Alanna thought for a second, "Nothing at all George Cooper, I think I shall leave you to your own business – just don't think either of us will help you steal from the ladies at the Inn."
"Nay, Ladies, I do my own stealin'. I wouldn't put ye in that kind of a position."
Alanna looked at him curiously. "So George – what exactly is your role as a thief?"
"Well," He thought carefully, as if he didn't fully trust them yet, "Ye might say I run the thieves in the lower city, King of the Rogue is what they call me."
"King?" asked Alanna, disbelieving, "you're their king?" George gave her a look of 'you want me to prove it?' and Alanna yipped an 'Alright,' then shut up, looking into her glass.
"So what do you do exactly?" asked Kat, curious as always.
"I make sure things are done proper here, my people listen t' what I tell 'em"
As if to prove what he said, one of the men that had helped Alanna and Kat home walked up to the three. "Majesty, you're word is done," he said as he presented George with a small dark cloth, which was damp with what looked like blood. Alanna and Kat looked at him horrified.
George on the other hand simply thanked him and took the cloth and excused himself from the bar.
"Did you see what that was stained with??" whispered Kat when he was out of earshot. "It looked a lot like blood to me!"
Alanna nodded gravely. "I guess he does have control over these people."
"Remind me not to make him mad."
"Now its my turn," he said when he returned. He looked at Alanna, "What were you doing earlier today, dressed up as a Thom? I had a feelin' it wasn't him when ye first started talking."
Alanna gulped. "Well, uh, ye see," she started, "Thom, well you know he's my twin brother, and well I was going to buy a sword today," Which I never got to. "And they would give me a fairer deal if I was a boy, so I changed my hair and bound my chest." George raised an eyebrow. "I didn't mean to trick anyone!" She said defensively, "they just saw me and thought I was Thom! I didn't think that anyone would see anyone else in that crowd!"
"An' what were ye doing buyin' a sword in the first place?"
Alanna blushed slightly, "well I needed something to use – I can't use Lucas's huge broadsword forever!"
"Lucas? Broadsword? Lass, you're going to have t' do a better job explainin' then that."
Alanna sighed, then indulged him in the entire story, from when Coram made them switch back at the beginning, to when she had found Lucas and he had been teaching her ever since. And since they were sharing, Kat added in their two attacks that Alanna had fought bravely in, she pointed out that it had come in very handy.
She sighed, "I wish I knew something about fighting – I'm a bit intimidated by those guards though, even if Alanna was there I wouldn't have the nerve to come and learn." Alanna looked at her friend, surprised. She grinned, "yes, Lady Alanna, you aren't the only one who doesn't want to be defenseless, unlike you I didn't want to become a knight, but I do want to learn something."
George, amused by the look on Alanna's face, got an idea. "Well, lasses, come with me, I'll teach ye a few tricks of the Rogue before ye go."
George brought them to his room, and before the night was over he had taught them a few ways of getting out of holds, how to climb a wall silently (which would come in handy when they returned home pointed out Kat) and gave them their own sets of pick locks.
By the time the girls were ready to leave, both were exhausted.
"Alanna, we have about 3 hours before we leave back to the convent, we have to get back to our rooms."
George grinned as Alanna's face turned into a disgusted twist. "Do we have to??"
"Yes we do, - just think Reddlark." She said. Alanna shot up from her stupor,
"Lets leave NOW!" she said, dragging Kat across the room. Kat grinned. Alanna stopped at the door and turned around. She gave George a hug "Thank you for everything!" she said and left to walk home.
Kat grinned and hugged him as well. "Remember to give Raoul this letter with this." She kissed George on the cheek.
"I don't think that'll be th' same comin' from me, but I'll give him the message, Kat, don't fret."
The girls go to the Inn without mishap this time, learning not to stop in dark alleys. They tried to climb the wall to their rooms like George taught – but it didn't work as well as they had hoped. (What did you expect, that they'd be good at it the first time they tried??) Eventually they had to get back in the way they came out – through the front door.
They crept to the window and peaked in.
"See anyone?" whispered Kat into Alanna's ear.
"No, lets go." Both went to the door and it creaked open, just like before. They slid through and ducked under the desk as the Innkeeper walked out of his office. Panic set in for a minute, until they heard him walk back in.
"Nows our only chance," said Alanna and they jetted to the stairs, bolting as quietly and quickly as they could to their doors. Turning the doorknob, a voice echoed through the hall.
"OH NO, you don't Alanna."
Oh shit. Caught again. "Yes Sister Reddlark?" she asked sweetly and innocently.
"What on EARTH do you think you're doing??" she demanded.
"I was just going to my rooms, Sister! What does it look like?" Reddlark's eyes turned red.
"Don't ever talk to me like that, young lady. You change out of that infernal costume and put on your riding skirts NOW or so help me…" she trailed off and stalked down the hall. Only when she was down the stairs did Alanna let out a breath.
Kat and a few other Ladies that had heard the commotion looked at her in awe. "Oh Goddess, Alanna, she looked like she was going to kill you!"
A girl Alanna had talked to a few times came up "that took guts, Alanna."
Alanna's look was of shock to herself; she shook herself out, "Thanks Lynda, it felt like it wasn't me who said it."
The other ladies went back to their rooms gossiping with each other about crazy Lady Alanna and her temper.
woooh!! thats a longy!!!! :) next will be up soon!!
~CJ~
