To:
Dragon Girl: Broken telegraph pole--hehe! Don't worry! Jeez, Elijah is perfectly straight, thank you very much!! I know it kinda comes off as gay 'cause he's obsessed with Jon, but he's obsessed in a very non-gay way, okay??
White-wolf: Ha! And your reviews always make me laugh! Oh, that was so funny! Your review, I mean. Ok, *sobers.*
Alright....you said in your review that you would have *3* new chapters for me. I only saw 2. WHERE'S THE OTHER ONE??????????
And another thing....'Alex is nice?' 'Alanna is cool?' I'm not so sure about that........
Crown: Um.....Oooookaaaaaayyyy. Next time, try WRITING more. Of a review, I mean.
Ladyluck: Yay! Woohoo! Good that you still really like my story and you're still checking it. *beams* And I look forward to your usual reviews. Don't think I wouldn't miss you if you didn't review, 'cuz I would! (hint, hint). Ok, now I understand the 'interesting' thing. Whew! You had me worried there, 'cuz "interesting" is usually a polite way of saying "bad."
I myself still don't know what's going to happen. Major flaw for a writer, I know. I shouldn't even be admitting this. *frowns*
And I'm not quite sure what to think about Alanna and Alex yet, either, so you're not alone.
Millie: Yeah. But see, I've got 2 stories goin' on at once, so it's like: write a chp of this story, then a chp of the other story, then this story, then that story, and....yeah.
AerinBrown: HAHA! Ok, I'm a little afraid now. Who checks ff.net at 2 IN THE MORNING??? Glad you're happy. That makes me happy. =) but I'm still not sure if Alex and Alanna are a forever thing....
A Reviewer: Well, I already knew THAT!!! But, like I've said repeatedly in the past, I still dunno who she'll end up with, so...
Smileypal4eva: Um, well, to tell you the truth I didn't pay much heed to Alex, since he was kinda quieter than everyone else. Or at least he was Alanna's most distant close-friend. And it's good that you don't care who she ends up with. One less person's response to worry about!
Lady Arianna: Ooh! Long review! Ok. Let's see...*reads review.*
Ha! Funny funny!
*Confused* Cliffhanger? What cliffhanger?
*reads ending of chapter* Oops. Sorry. But you have to admit, the chapter was about the length that it was time to wrap it up, so.
Now, why is alex embarassed that he likes Alanna? Good question. I only have that half figured out. 'Cause as of right now his character isn't well-developed enough yet, so. And actually, he wasn't well developed in the series, for that matter. TP didn't mention him enough. Should've, since he turned all psycho-evil.
Bblond07: I'll probably do more scenes from Alex's point of view, 'cause it'll be needed.
Xelena: Hmmmm.....yeah, and in all the fanfics the garden is the center of the interesting stuff.
AN: NOBODY IS GAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GARY IS NOT GAY!!!! ELIJAH IS NOT GAY!!!!!!!!!!!! OKAY????????? Jeez. Nobody's bloody gay, so you people have twisted minds. J/k. Anyway, just to clear that up. Ok? First Rizka, now Dragon Girl....*shakes her head.* Maybe I should state that in the story--"Elijah, the non-gay, grumbled" or "Gary the Straight looked him in the eye." Hehe.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter fourteen--
Alanna's touched her lips absentmindedly. They were still tingling. Her mind was reeling, filled with chaos. Sideways she glanced at Alex. He wasn't looking at her. She was relieved, for she didn't know what to think about the kiss. Rubbing her forhead, she decided that it was best not to think and instead focused her thoughts on Gary.
Perhaps she'd missed him while he was gone. Then again, there had been first George, then the Shang Wolf, and then Alex to occupy her time. She'd been busy enough that she hadn't really thought much about him. At this Alanna felt a tinge of guilt.
Now Alex glanced her way. Quickly she pretended to be fascinated by a sleeve of her gown. Still she felt his eyes on her. Tugging furiously at a loose string, Alanna made a face when the sleeve began to unravel. She sensed his eyes slide over her. Alanna exhaled, then realized that she'd been holding her breath.
Alex. Toward him she felt a strange tangle of emotions, an ugly mess that she'd rather not untangle. There was perhaps friendship there, but Alanna had not much experience in friendship to know if it existed between them. Of course, there was also a bit of contempt, annoyance, emotions she usually felt for other people. Yet she also felt a bit of grudging respect and admiration for his athletic ability and swordsmanship. Mainly what she felt were mixed emotions, or feeling that she could not put names to.
What had he meant by the kiss? His expression afterward was surprise, though at what she did not know. Alanna only knew that she felt the same. The kiss itself was...unexpected? Pleasant? It had been short, and in truth she'd been too shocked by it to feel anything.
All of a sudden, Alanna stiffened. She had vowed long ago that she would never fall under the spell of a man, fall in love. So really there was only one option. She could not allow herself to fall in love with Alex. In this new light, the situation was really quite simple, and Alanna nearly laughed out loud. She would push him away, harden her heart against him. Love was just another form of hurt, for in the end love always ended in hurt. Her father was one fine example. After her mother's death, everyone commented on how different he was. Alanna refused to let that happen to her. She refused to give any part of herself away, least of all her heart or soul.
"Hullo. What's with the grim faces?" Gary's cheery voice asked. Alanna was alarmed to see that Alex and she were both sitting in his room in uncomfortable chairs. She'd been so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't remember coming in or sitting down at all. Alanna glanced at the unpacked trunks against the wall, then looked to Gary.
"Gary!" Alanna smiled, relieved. "I would say that I missed you, but that'd be a lie."
He scowled. "Well, good to see that you haven't changed a bit. Missed you too! What about you Alex? Did you miss me?"
"Of course," Alex responded, small smile playing on his lips. He gestured to the trunks. "So, what brought you back so soon?"
"Jon ordered it," Gary said. "He got sick of Delia, and so he got us to escort her home. Can't say I'm upset. Desert didn't really agree with me." Gary stretched, extending his legs and placing his hands behind his head. He grinned. "Told you Jon and Delia wouldn't last. They were screaming at each other before we even left." He shook his head and sighed. "Enough of that. What's been going on here in Corus? Did you take care of Alanna, Alex?"
"Care enough," Alex responded carefully. "Mostly it was the Shang Wolf, though."
"Shang Wolf?" Gary repeated, frowning. "What do you mean, Alex?" Alex shrugged.
"Alanna's been taking fighting lessons from the Shang Wolf," Alex answered simply. He glanced towards Alanna. "She's quite good."
To Alex's great surprise, Gary laughed. He arched one eyebrow at Alanna, who looked torn between glaring at him and laughing along.
"Fighting lessons from the Shang Wolf, eh? Well, guess you didn't miss me after all!" He chuckled. Alanna huffed.
"Don't think of it like that, Gary," she said. "I saw it as an oppurtunity to learn skills I wouldn't with you."
"'With you?'" Alex repeated, looking first at Gary then to Alanna in confusion. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," they both answered quickly. Alex stared at both of them a long moment before sighing. He would get no more information out of them than that.
"Well, Queen Lianne's been sicker, and Roger's coming to Corus. See if he can help her," Alex said, to change the subject. Gary frowned deeper.
"Unfortunate. I don't suppose she'll last much longer," he murmured. Alex nodded sadly.
"I agree. She rarely comes out into public any longer, and when she does she looks so fragile and weak," he said.
"What do you suppose is causing her illness?" Gary mused aloud. Shrugging, Alex stood.
"I don't know, but I have matters to discuss with Raoul." Alex nodded politely toward Alanna. "I suppose now she's in your care again."
"I don't need anybody's care," Alanna replied sullenly. Shrugging again, Alex turned and left the room. As soon as his footsteps could not be heard, Gary straightened.
"Care to tell me what's going on between you two?" asked Gary, leaning forward.
"There's nothing going on," Alanna remarked sharply. "Now, about our lessons?"
"What lessons?" Gary inquired in mock-innocence. Alanna swatted his arm.
"You know what lessons I'm talking about. We start tomorrow, alright?" she growled, standing. Gary stood as well, sighing.
"Well, if you insist. Now milady, where are you going this fair afternoon?" he asked, bowing to her. Alanna scowled and marched out of the room.
"None of your business. Just as I have no business sitting in your room keeping you from unpacking," she retorted, moving down the hall. Gary fell into step beside her.
"Well, at least let me walk you to your rooms," he said.
Alanna gave him a sharp look. "Whoever said I was going to my rooms?" Gary laughed at her statement.
"Ah. You see, that is what I missed when we left for the desert." He shuddered at the thought. "It was so hot there, and sand managed to get into everything."
"Aw, poor thing," Alanna said, patting his shoulder in feigned sympathy. Gary shook his head and grinned.
"So, what else have you been doing since I left?" he questioned. Alanna shrugged and grinned as well.
"Meeting with thieves. That is all, I think. No wait--no, I haven't done anything else besides meeting with thieves, learning hand-to-hand combat from the Shang Wolf, and...there was that fight with that lady..."
"A fight?" Gary repeated. "Alanna, what have you done now?"
"Her name was Cythea, I believe." Alanna shrugged. "She and her friends insulted me. I defended my honor."
"By?" Gary probed.
"Hitting her in the face," Alanna answered, her face blank. Throwing his hands into the air, Gary said something Alanna couldn't catch.
"I'm going to kill Alex! I told him to watch you--"
"Oh, so that's what that was all about?" Alanna interrupted. "I think you should know by now that I can take care of myself."
"Obviously not," Gary retorted. Glaring at him, Alanna turned a corner.
"That is your opinion and not mine," was her swift answer. "She deserved it."
"Oh, I don't doubt that she did, but you shouldn't use your fist to solve problems."
"So you're lecturing me now? How else am I supposed to solve problems?" Alanna asked. Gary shrugged.
"How did you solve them before?"
"I slipped slimy things into their beds," she replied, grinning wickedly.
"Oh, Alanna," he said with a sigh. "Now what's this about thieves?"
"Nothing. What's wrong with meeting with thieves?" Alanna asked innocently.
"Meeting with thieves?" Gary laughed, not believing her. Nodding, Alanna stopped at the door of her room.
"The King of the thieves himself," she replied, slipping into her room. Gary stood at the doorway and watched as she pulled an envelope off of a table.
"You're getting even better at lying," Gary remarked. Alanna snorted as she tore open the envelope.
"That wasn't a lie. Though I thank you for the compliment." She frowned as she read over the letter. Then, she crumpled it into her left fist, clenching her teeth.
"What's wrong?" Gary asked gently.
"The First Daughter of the Convent," Alanna answered bitterly.
"What did she want?" he asked when she didn't continue.
"Oh, she's just making sure that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing," Alanna answered, throwing the crumpled letter at Gary, who caught it in the air and straightened it.
He read:
Dear Alanna of Trebond,
I trust that you are doing well in Corus. I hear that your father has passed away. I am sorry for your loss.
However, I trust that you are accomplishing your duties. Please report your activities.
The First Daughter
"Short," Gary commented. Alanna nodded.
"She's usually more elaborative, but..." she shrugged. "I guess I'm not worth the effort."
"So what were you so upset about?" Gary asked, reading it over again. "There's nothing--"
"It's what she's implying," Alanna asked. "Am I finding myself a husband? Well, look around. Do you see any men flattering me with poetry or asking me for a dance?"
"So find yourself a husband," Gary said unsympathetically, crossing his arms over his chest. "Or at least pretend to."
Alanna glanced up sharply. Slowly, a sly smile spread across her face. Instantly Gary shifted and stood upright, made uncomfortable by that expression. Oh no, he thought. Me and my mouth...
"That's brilliant Gary! I'll write and say that YOU'RE courting me!" Alanna chattered excitedly. "Oh, this will be such a great joke! All you have to do is just....you know, pretend to court me in public. Oh, you're a genius!" So saying, Alanna fetched a scrap of parchment and an inkpen. Swiftly in scribbled lettering she wrote a brief note.
At the moment Sir Gareth of Naxen, the Younger, is courting me. He is wealthy and wise.
Alanna of Trebond
"You're joking, right?" Gary muttered. Laughing, Alanna slipped the letter inside an envelope and stood.
"No, I'm quite serious. We'll make a big show of it, of course. Oh, this will be SO fun! It's perfect! They'll think that I'm finding myself a noble husband, and when they finally find out the truth, I'll be too old for anyone to want me!" Alanna said excitedly. "All you have to do is take me to balls, dance with me, and..." she frowned. "Do whatever men do when they're courting a lady."
"No," Gary protested. "You want me to make a complete fool out of myself!"
"Really? Or are you more afraid of driving other ladies away?" She wiggled an eyebrow at him. Gary flushed, embarrassed.
"I...Alanna!"
"Please?" Alanna begged, stepping into the hall and shutting the door behind her. "Just do this for me? It'll only be for a little while, then you can go back to chasing those other court ladies." She sniffed disdainfully in her best impression of a noblewoman. "Not that I see what you see in them anyway!" She pulled his arm. "Now come, we can start at once! We'll walk around the palace, and make sure plenty of people see us." Shaking her head, she added, "Oh, why didn't I think of this before? It's so EASY!"
"Well..." Now that he thought about it, it DID seem fun. Gary copied her goofy grin, linking his arm in hers. "Of course! You're right, this'll be fun! Now, there's this walkway in the courtyard where all the lovers usually go to. We'll go there and whisper in each other's ears..."
------------------------------------------------------------
After leaving Raoul, Alex felt so relieved. Now he no longer had to spend time with Alanna--she would be with Gary. Alex had already enlisted in border patrol. Anything to leave Corus and clear his head. He'd even already packed.
Alex had free time on his hands now, too much of it. Too much time to be filled with thoughts of Alanna. What was she going to say before they were interuppted? He'd never know now. As he strolled around the palace he avoided the gardens. Maybe she was there. Instead, he traveled around them, to the courtyard.
Everywhere he went, something reminded him of Alanna. Here they'd trained with the Shang Warrior. Disgustedly, Alex ducked into a roofed walkway to avoid the courtyard. That time when they were caught in the rain, they'd been here, laughing and soaking wet. Their packed lunches were soggy, so they'd tramped into the dining hall dirty and dripping.
Grimly, Alex stared at his feet as he walked. Push those thoughts out of his head. In vain he tried to redirect his thoughts on his steps. Hardly anyone used this walkway except for lovers, who ducked sat in the benches or hid in shadowy corners, so there was little chance that he would bump into anyone.
Was he in love with Alanna? To be honest, he truly didn't know. All he knew, all he could think about, was that her lips were softer than anything on earth, her hair was smoother than the finest silks, her skin was utterly perfect...
Voices pulled him out of his thoughts. Alex ducked into a dark corner, then peered around the stone edge. Luckily, and unluckily, for him he did this. What he saw was the image of a couple sitting in a bench near the wall. The man's face was turned away from him, as he was whispering in the woman's ear. She giggled, her face covered by red curls.
Red curls?
"Oh, Gary stop it," she whispered. Alex froze. Alanna? And...Gary?
He ducked into the corner again, breathing hard. Now it made sense. Gary took Alanna somewhere every morning, and the two of them did not return until evening. Why hadn't it occured to him that the two of them...?
But it had, his pessimistic side shrieked. It had occured to him, Raoul, and even Jon. Had not the three of them teased Gary about it those few weeks ago? How could he have forgotten?
"Oh, my love. Your beauty is sung by the nightingales, sung by the angels in the heavens," Gary whispered, rather loudly. Alanna laughed again.
"Oh, Gary! Think of something more original!" Then Alex heard...kissing?
He peeked. Yes, Gary was kissing her neck. Exactly where he'd kissed it only hours before!
Jealousy engulfed him then. He was filled with it, drowning in it. The blood was pounding in his ears, the adrenaline rushing throughout his body. The world flashed red before his eyes. Unconsciously his fists clenched.
Then, turning in the other direction, he fled.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm so proud of myself, I finished this chapter! I was inspired! And I know EXACTLY what's gonna happen next, woo-hoo!
Don't sriek, please. The next chapter should be up REALLY soon. Really!
And shame shame on Alanna for leading Alex on like that! Then using Gary to make him jealous! Tsk Tsk, and poor Alex!
So.....review! Like I said, though...don't shreik. Lotsa stuff will happen in the next chapter, explanations and...otherwise. Hmmm.
Anyway, be happy. This chapter was [slightly] longer than the last one!
Dragon Girl: Broken telegraph pole--hehe! Don't worry! Jeez, Elijah is perfectly straight, thank you very much!! I know it kinda comes off as gay 'cause he's obsessed with Jon, but he's obsessed in a very non-gay way, okay??
White-wolf: Ha! And your reviews always make me laugh! Oh, that was so funny! Your review, I mean. Ok, *sobers.*
Alright....you said in your review that you would have *3* new chapters for me. I only saw 2. WHERE'S THE OTHER ONE??????????
And another thing....'Alex is nice?' 'Alanna is cool?' I'm not so sure about that........
Crown: Um.....Oooookaaaaaayyyy. Next time, try WRITING more. Of a review, I mean.
Ladyluck: Yay! Woohoo! Good that you still really like my story and you're still checking it. *beams* And I look forward to your usual reviews. Don't think I wouldn't miss you if you didn't review, 'cuz I would! (hint, hint). Ok, now I understand the 'interesting' thing. Whew! You had me worried there, 'cuz "interesting" is usually a polite way of saying "bad."
I myself still don't know what's going to happen. Major flaw for a writer, I know. I shouldn't even be admitting this. *frowns*
And I'm not quite sure what to think about Alanna and Alex yet, either, so you're not alone.
Millie: Yeah. But see, I've got 2 stories goin' on at once, so it's like: write a chp of this story, then a chp of the other story, then this story, then that story, and....yeah.
AerinBrown: HAHA! Ok, I'm a little afraid now. Who checks ff.net at 2 IN THE MORNING??? Glad you're happy. That makes me happy. =) but I'm still not sure if Alex and Alanna are a forever thing....
A Reviewer: Well, I already knew THAT!!! But, like I've said repeatedly in the past, I still dunno who she'll end up with, so...
Smileypal4eva: Um, well, to tell you the truth I didn't pay much heed to Alex, since he was kinda quieter than everyone else. Or at least he was Alanna's most distant close-friend. And it's good that you don't care who she ends up with. One less person's response to worry about!
Lady Arianna: Ooh! Long review! Ok. Let's see...*reads review.*
Ha! Funny funny!
*Confused* Cliffhanger? What cliffhanger?
*reads ending of chapter* Oops. Sorry. But you have to admit, the chapter was about the length that it was time to wrap it up, so.
Now, why is alex embarassed that he likes Alanna? Good question. I only have that half figured out. 'Cause as of right now his character isn't well-developed enough yet, so. And actually, he wasn't well developed in the series, for that matter. TP didn't mention him enough. Should've, since he turned all psycho-evil.
Bblond07: I'll probably do more scenes from Alex's point of view, 'cause it'll be needed.
Xelena: Hmmmm.....yeah, and in all the fanfics the garden is the center of the interesting stuff.
AN: NOBODY IS GAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GARY IS NOT GAY!!!! ELIJAH IS NOT GAY!!!!!!!!!!!! OKAY????????? Jeez. Nobody's bloody gay, so you people have twisted minds. J/k. Anyway, just to clear that up. Ok? First Rizka, now Dragon Girl....*shakes her head.* Maybe I should state that in the story--"Elijah, the non-gay, grumbled" or "Gary the Straight looked him in the eye." Hehe.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter fourteen--
Alanna's touched her lips absentmindedly. They were still tingling. Her mind was reeling, filled with chaos. Sideways she glanced at Alex. He wasn't looking at her. She was relieved, for she didn't know what to think about the kiss. Rubbing her forhead, she decided that it was best not to think and instead focused her thoughts on Gary.
Perhaps she'd missed him while he was gone. Then again, there had been first George, then the Shang Wolf, and then Alex to occupy her time. She'd been busy enough that she hadn't really thought much about him. At this Alanna felt a tinge of guilt.
Now Alex glanced her way. Quickly she pretended to be fascinated by a sleeve of her gown. Still she felt his eyes on her. Tugging furiously at a loose string, Alanna made a face when the sleeve began to unravel. She sensed his eyes slide over her. Alanna exhaled, then realized that she'd been holding her breath.
Alex. Toward him she felt a strange tangle of emotions, an ugly mess that she'd rather not untangle. There was perhaps friendship there, but Alanna had not much experience in friendship to know if it existed between them. Of course, there was also a bit of contempt, annoyance, emotions she usually felt for other people. Yet she also felt a bit of grudging respect and admiration for his athletic ability and swordsmanship. Mainly what she felt were mixed emotions, or feeling that she could not put names to.
What had he meant by the kiss? His expression afterward was surprise, though at what she did not know. Alanna only knew that she felt the same. The kiss itself was...unexpected? Pleasant? It had been short, and in truth she'd been too shocked by it to feel anything.
All of a sudden, Alanna stiffened. She had vowed long ago that she would never fall under the spell of a man, fall in love. So really there was only one option. She could not allow herself to fall in love with Alex. In this new light, the situation was really quite simple, and Alanna nearly laughed out loud. She would push him away, harden her heart against him. Love was just another form of hurt, for in the end love always ended in hurt. Her father was one fine example. After her mother's death, everyone commented on how different he was. Alanna refused to let that happen to her. She refused to give any part of herself away, least of all her heart or soul.
"Hullo. What's with the grim faces?" Gary's cheery voice asked. Alanna was alarmed to see that Alex and she were both sitting in his room in uncomfortable chairs. She'd been so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't remember coming in or sitting down at all. Alanna glanced at the unpacked trunks against the wall, then looked to Gary.
"Gary!" Alanna smiled, relieved. "I would say that I missed you, but that'd be a lie."
He scowled. "Well, good to see that you haven't changed a bit. Missed you too! What about you Alex? Did you miss me?"
"Of course," Alex responded, small smile playing on his lips. He gestured to the trunks. "So, what brought you back so soon?"
"Jon ordered it," Gary said. "He got sick of Delia, and so he got us to escort her home. Can't say I'm upset. Desert didn't really agree with me." Gary stretched, extending his legs and placing his hands behind his head. He grinned. "Told you Jon and Delia wouldn't last. They were screaming at each other before we even left." He shook his head and sighed. "Enough of that. What's been going on here in Corus? Did you take care of Alanna, Alex?"
"Care enough," Alex responded carefully. "Mostly it was the Shang Wolf, though."
"Shang Wolf?" Gary repeated, frowning. "What do you mean, Alex?" Alex shrugged.
"Alanna's been taking fighting lessons from the Shang Wolf," Alex answered simply. He glanced towards Alanna. "She's quite good."
To Alex's great surprise, Gary laughed. He arched one eyebrow at Alanna, who looked torn between glaring at him and laughing along.
"Fighting lessons from the Shang Wolf, eh? Well, guess you didn't miss me after all!" He chuckled. Alanna huffed.
"Don't think of it like that, Gary," she said. "I saw it as an oppurtunity to learn skills I wouldn't with you."
"'With you?'" Alex repeated, looking first at Gary then to Alanna in confusion. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," they both answered quickly. Alex stared at both of them a long moment before sighing. He would get no more information out of them than that.
"Well, Queen Lianne's been sicker, and Roger's coming to Corus. See if he can help her," Alex said, to change the subject. Gary frowned deeper.
"Unfortunate. I don't suppose she'll last much longer," he murmured. Alex nodded sadly.
"I agree. She rarely comes out into public any longer, and when she does she looks so fragile and weak," he said.
"What do you suppose is causing her illness?" Gary mused aloud. Shrugging, Alex stood.
"I don't know, but I have matters to discuss with Raoul." Alex nodded politely toward Alanna. "I suppose now she's in your care again."
"I don't need anybody's care," Alanna replied sullenly. Shrugging again, Alex turned and left the room. As soon as his footsteps could not be heard, Gary straightened.
"Care to tell me what's going on between you two?" asked Gary, leaning forward.
"There's nothing going on," Alanna remarked sharply. "Now, about our lessons?"
"What lessons?" Gary inquired in mock-innocence. Alanna swatted his arm.
"You know what lessons I'm talking about. We start tomorrow, alright?" she growled, standing. Gary stood as well, sighing.
"Well, if you insist. Now milady, where are you going this fair afternoon?" he asked, bowing to her. Alanna scowled and marched out of the room.
"None of your business. Just as I have no business sitting in your room keeping you from unpacking," she retorted, moving down the hall. Gary fell into step beside her.
"Well, at least let me walk you to your rooms," he said.
Alanna gave him a sharp look. "Whoever said I was going to my rooms?" Gary laughed at her statement.
"Ah. You see, that is what I missed when we left for the desert." He shuddered at the thought. "It was so hot there, and sand managed to get into everything."
"Aw, poor thing," Alanna said, patting his shoulder in feigned sympathy. Gary shook his head and grinned.
"So, what else have you been doing since I left?" he questioned. Alanna shrugged and grinned as well.
"Meeting with thieves. That is all, I think. No wait--no, I haven't done anything else besides meeting with thieves, learning hand-to-hand combat from the Shang Wolf, and...there was that fight with that lady..."
"A fight?" Gary repeated. "Alanna, what have you done now?"
"Her name was Cythea, I believe." Alanna shrugged. "She and her friends insulted me. I defended my honor."
"By?" Gary probed.
"Hitting her in the face," Alanna answered, her face blank. Throwing his hands into the air, Gary said something Alanna couldn't catch.
"I'm going to kill Alex! I told him to watch you--"
"Oh, so that's what that was all about?" Alanna interrupted. "I think you should know by now that I can take care of myself."
"Obviously not," Gary retorted. Glaring at him, Alanna turned a corner.
"That is your opinion and not mine," was her swift answer. "She deserved it."
"Oh, I don't doubt that she did, but you shouldn't use your fist to solve problems."
"So you're lecturing me now? How else am I supposed to solve problems?" Alanna asked. Gary shrugged.
"How did you solve them before?"
"I slipped slimy things into their beds," she replied, grinning wickedly.
"Oh, Alanna," he said with a sigh. "Now what's this about thieves?"
"Nothing. What's wrong with meeting with thieves?" Alanna asked innocently.
"Meeting with thieves?" Gary laughed, not believing her. Nodding, Alanna stopped at the door of her room.
"The King of the thieves himself," she replied, slipping into her room. Gary stood at the doorway and watched as she pulled an envelope off of a table.
"You're getting even better at lying," Gary remarked. Alanna snorted as she tore open the envelope.
"That wasn't a lie. Though I thank you for the compliment." She frowned as she read over the letter. Then, she crumpled it into her left fist, clenching her teeth.
"What's wrong?" Gary asked gently.
"The First Daughter of the Convent," Alanna answered bitterly.
"What did she want?" he asked when she didn't continue.
"Oh, she's just making sure that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing," Alanna answered, throwing the crumpled letter at Gary, who caught it in the air and straightened it.
He read:
Dear Alanna of Trebond,
I trust that you are doing well in Corus. I hear that your father has passed away. I am sorry for your loss.
However, I trust that you are accomplishing your duties. Please report your activities.
The First Daughter
"Short," Gary commented. Alanna nodded.
"She's usually more elaborative, but..." she shrugged. "I guess I'm not worth the effort."
"So what were you so upset about?" Gary asked, reading it over again. "There's nothing--"
"It's what she's implying," Alanna asked. "Am I finding myself a husband? Well, look around. Do you see any men flattering me with poetry or asking me for a dance?"
"So find yourself a husband," Gary said unsympathetically, crossing his arms over his chest. "Or at least pretend to."
Alanna glanced up sharply. Slowly, a sly smile spread across her face. Instantly Gary shifted and stood upright, made uncomfortable by that expression. Oh no, he thought. Me and my mouth...
"That's brilliant Gary! I'll write and say that YOU'RE courting me!" Alanna chattered excitedly. "Oh, this will be such a great joke! All you have to do is just....you know, pretend to court me in public. Oh, you're a genius!" So saying, Alanna fetched a scrap of parchment and an inkpen. Swiftly in scribbled lettering she wrote a brief note.
At the moment Sir Gareth of Naxen, the Younger, is courting me. He is wealthy and wise.
Alanna of Trebond
"You're joking, right?" Gary muttered. Laughing, Alanna slipped the letter inside an envelope and stood.
"No, I'm quite serious. We'll make a big show of it, of course. Oh, this will be SO fun! It's perfect! They'll think that I'm finding myself a noble husband, and when they finally find out the truth, I'll be too old for anyone to want me!" Alanna said excitedly. "All you have to do is take me to balls, dance with me, and..." she frowned. "Do whatever men do when they're courting a lady."
"No," Gary protested. "You want me to make a complete fool out of myself!"
"Really? Or are you more afraid of driving other ladies away?" She wiggled an eyebrow at him. Gary flushed, embarrassed.
"I...Alanna!"
"Please?" Alanna begged, stepping into the hall and shutting the door behind her. "Just do this for me? It'll only be for a little while, then you can go back to chasing those other court ladies." She sniffed disdainfully in her best impression of a noblewoman. "Not that I see what you see in them anyway!" She pulled his arm. "Now come, we can start at once! We'll walk around the palace, and make sure plenty of people see us." Shaking her head, she added, "Oh, why didn't I think of this before? It's so EASY!"
"Well..." Now that he thought about it, it DID seem fun. Gary copied her goofy grin, linking his arm in hers. "Of course! You're right, this'll be fun! Now, there's this walkway in the courtyard where all the lovers usually go to. We'll go there and whisper in each other's ears..."
------------------------------------------------------------
After leaving Raoul, Alex felt so relieved. Now he no longer had to spend time with Alanna--she would be with Gary. Alex had already enlisted in border patrol. Anything to leave Corus and clear his head. He'd even already packed.
Alex had free time on his hands now, too much of it. Too much time to be filled with thoughts of Alanna. What was she going to say before they were interuppted? He'd never know now. As he strolled around the palace he avoided the gardens. Maybe she was there. Instead, he traveled around them, to the courtyard.
Everywhere he went, something reminded him of Alanna. Here they'd trained with the Shang Warrior. Disgustedly, Alex ducked into a roofed walkway to avoid the courtyard. That time when they were caught in the rain, they'd been here, laughing and soaking wet. Their packed lunches were soggy, so they'd tramped into the dining hall dirty and dripping.
Grimly, Alex stared at his feet as he walked. Push those thoughts out of his head. In vain he tried to redirect his thoughts on his steps. Hardly anyone used this walkway except for lovers, who ducked sat in the benches or hid in shadowy corners, so there was little chance that he would bump into anyone.
Was he in love with Alanna? To be honest, he truly didn't know. All he knew, all he could think about, was that her lips were softer than anything on earth, her hair was smoother than the finest silks, her skin was utterly perfect...
Voices pulled him out of his thoughts. Alex ducked into a dark corner, then peered around the stone edge. Luckily, and unluckily, for him he did this. What he saw was the image of a couple sitting in a bench near the wall. The man's face was turned away from him, as he was whispering in the woman's ear. She giggled, her face covered by red curls.
Red curls?
"Oh, Gary stop it," she whispered. Alex froze. Alanna? And...Gary?
He ducked into the corner again, breathing hard. Now it made sense. Gary took Alanna somewhere every morning, and the two of them did not return until evening. Why hadn't it occured to him that the two of them...?
But it had, his pessimistic side shrieked. It had occured to him, Raoul, and even Jon. Had not the three of them teased Gary about it those few weeks ago? How could he have forgotten?
"Oh, my love. Your beauty is sung by the nightingales, sung by the angels in the heavens," Gary whispered, rather loudly. Alanna laughed again.
"Oh, Gary! Think of something more original!" Then Alex heard...kissing?
He peeked. Yes, Gary was kissing her neck. Exactly where he'd kissed it only hours before!
Jealousy engulfed him then. He was filled with it, drowning in it. The blood was pounding in his ears, the adrenaline rushing throughout his body. The world flashed red before his eyes. Unconsciously his fists clenched.
Then, turning in the other direction, he fled.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm so proud of myself, I finished this chapter! I was inspired! And I know EXACTLY what's gonna happen next, woo-hoo!
Don't sriek, please. The next chapter should be up REALLY soon. Really!
And shame shame on Alanna for leading Alex on like that! Then using Gary to make him jealous! Tsk Tsk, and poor Alex!
So.....review! Like I said, though...don't shreik. Lotsa stuff will happen in the next chapter, explanations and...otherwise. Hmmm.
Anyway, be happy. This chapter was [slightly] longer than the last one!