Alanna was having a horrible time, there was a ball to welcome that night, and try as she might, her maid knew every hiding place in the palace.  She finally conceded to come and get prepared when the maid and her friends cornered her.

After her bath the maid laid out Alanna's gown. It was a shade darker than her eyes and was made of silk. It whispered with her movements and a pair of amethyst drops glimmered in her ears. A light coat of make up was brushed on and Alanna was ready to begin worrying for the ball. She waited impatiently until half an hour before the ball and set out to find the rest of the girls.

She stood before the closed door, willing herself not to hit her head on it. She looked at the herald and nodded, showing that she was prepared.

He opened one door and walked out, "Lady Alanna of Trebond." She walked to the top of the stairs and paused. She then let herself float down each step as she had been taught.

Ignoring the crowd's blatant stares she curtsied and glanced at the monarchs, they too were staring at her. She quickly stood and tried to move to one side. She had every intention of leaning against a strong wall and breathing.

The king foiled her plan, "Lady Alanna," he said softly. Now Alanna recognized the stares. They were the same as the girls of the convent wore when she said she had tried to become a knight. Disbelief even touched the face of the queen.

"Yes, sire?" Alanna gave another polite curtsey.

"I am sorry to tell you," King Roald began, he swallowed, unsure how to phrase what he was trying to say, "Your brother-"

Jonathan stepped forward, cutting him off, "I can explain to her if you want, father. I know what happened."

Alanna gaped at him, 'Did he say father?' she nearly gasped in surprise, restraining a slap to her forehead for stupidity, 'Prince Jonathan of Conté! How did I forget?' Glancing at the King's nod, she took Jon's offered arm and he led her outside. Both ignored the whispers that followed them.

Once the door was closed Alanna whipped around, "You never told me that you were the prince, Jonathan!"

He didn't smile, only mumbled, "It must have slipped my mind." He stuffed his hands roughly in his breeches.

Alanna sat on a bench, trying to control all of her raging emotions, anger at Jon for lying, nervousness after descending the stair, and fear; fear for her brother. No one had told her where Thom was. "Jon, where is my brother?"

He came and sat beside her, grabbing one of her clenched hands in his own. He turned, "Alanna, I really don't want to hurt you. You just got here and-"

Ever blunt, Alanna interrupted, "Spit it out, Jon. Whatever you're going to say to me, stop dancing around the question and spit it out."

Jon sighed, looking deeply into her violet eyes, "Thom is dead, Alanna."

Alanna shut her eyes tight to the reality, but the tears forced themselves out anyways. She tried to keep her brain from recognizing these words but it was of no use. "How?" her voice was rough, bubbling in choked tears, "When, Jon? No one told me."

"It was a few months ago." Jon's voice was shaking now, too.

"What?!" Alanna nearly screamed, "No one told me! How did this happen?" tears were coursing down her cheeks.

Jon tried to comfort her by slipping an arm around her, Alanna shrugged it off roughly, "No one told me, Jon," she hissed, "Not even you." She turned away from him on the bench.

Jon knew she was angry with him, 'It'll be a miracle if she ever speaks to me again.' He thought sadly, he let her cry for a few minutes, letting the news sink in before starting his story. "He was brave; he saved my life you know."

Alanna faced him again, eyes still streaming, "How?"

"More than once, but the first time was with the Sweating Sickness. How Myles knew about it, I have no idea, but he told Thom what to do. All I can remember is being pulled from the Black God's Realm just before the gates opened to let me in."

"He wrote and told me that you had gotten sick, but nothing like this was ever written to me."

Jon nodded, "Even though we were friends, he was still really quiet. When he did talk it was about magic. I don't know why he never talked about you; we never knew he had a sister only that his parents had died."

"We never were close to my father, and our mother died giving birth to us."

Jon sighed, "The second time he saved my life, he gave his own for it."

"What happened?" Alanna steeled herself for the worst.

"Though we didn't know it at the time," he spat out the name like poison, "my cousin Roger was trying to kill me. He used magic to influence us to go to the Black City. We entered the city; everything was made from black stone, like a carver and a piece of perfect rock. We found our way to a chapel of sorts. A flash blinded us for a while and when we could see again there were immortals, the Ysandir, closing in on us." Jon shook his head, "They insulted us, to provoke us and get us to attack. We managed to finish them off until the last two were left, Ylon and Ylanda. Thom and I connected our magic and the Ysandir did too, it was a battle with swords and magic. Thom had beaten them, and I yelled a word of command. Before I could do anything Ylanda was reaching for me." Jon stopped, remembering the crazed look in the immortal's eye. "Thom stopped her, he put himself between us and she grabbed him, pulling him into the flares with them. I was knocked out, when I woke up, I was alone."

Jon looked over at Alanna, the tears had stopped, and she was sitting, frozen in time. She had lost all the light of her eyes and was staring blankly ahead, not even bothering to wipe away the tears that had coursed down her cheeks. Jon was unsure of what to do, 'Would she push me away if I tried to hug her? If I said anything to her?'

Alanna's whisper was so quiet he nearly missed it, "I do."

"What?" Jon was startled.

"I know why Thom never talked about me. He never wanted to be a knight; he wanted to be the greatest sorcerer the world had ever seen. Maude said that we both had the Gift in greater abundance than she'd ever seen in a human. He was never afraid of his magic like I was."

Jon was puzzled, "How would it have worked though, if you both went to the City of the Gods, I mean?"

Thom and I wanted to switch places. I wanted to be a knight," seeing Jon's stunned look she continued, "I was willing to masquerade as a boy for eight years if it meant getting a shield and being a knight."

Jon was switched, a girl who didn't want to be lady-like and willing to do something out it? "I'm impressed. Did you ever learn to fight?"

"No, I had a light sleeper as my roommate and I had no one to teach me. I'm afraid I lost all the skills that I had before leaving."

"What did you know as far as skills?" Jon was relieved to direct the conversation away from Thom's death and was genuinely interested in finding out more about Alanna.

"Coram taught me to ride, use a bow, and fight with knives a little."

Jon started to form a plan, "Alanna? Would you ever consider learning now?"

"Really?" Alanna squealed this was an exciting possibility, "Do you mean it Jon?"

"Of course! I'm sure some of your admirers wouldn't mind helping either."

Jon laughed as Alanna blushed, "What admirers? The only man I've talked with is you."

"You don't think I'm an admirer? I am crushed, Lady Alanna." He put a hand over his heart, bowed and turned to leave.

"Jon!" Alanna ran and hugged him fiercely from behind, impeding his movements.

"Yes?" he asked, looking around at the arms wrapped around his waist.

She gave him an innocent, but fake, smile, "Will you tell me about my admirers?"