A/N This story takes place after The Woman Who Rides Like a Man and is in
place of Lioness Rampant.
"Sire, she must be removed. It was wrong, what she did, how she blinded and deceived us all. I will see that it is done". A deformed young man hissed into King Jonathon's ear. The king's only reply was to grunt a consent. 'Excellent' the man thought to himself 'I am now have total control over him'. He gave a small laugh and left through a hidden door located behind one of the many tapestries in the throne room.
A young knight and her capable man at arms rode along the well used Great Road South on their way to the capital of Tortall. The knight wiped her sweaty palms on her breeches as she thought about the kind of welcome she would receive when she arrived in Corus.
The last time she was at the palace was when she first become a knight. She grimaced at the thought. Too many people had not accepted her when the found out that she was a girl and that she had pretended to be male for 8 years to win her shield. Then again there were a few that stayed by her even when they found out.
She thought about her friends, Gary, Raoul, Sir Myles and of course Jon. She wondered how her reunion with Jon would be. They left off during a fight after Jonathon had proposed to Alanna and she refused him while they were in the desert.
Her burly man at arms-Coram ripped Alanna out of daydreams as he shouted, "heads up" to her. She scanned the horizon looking for whatever it was that Coram was addressing. She saw it. About a mile off a fairly large party all mounted on well-groomed war horses donning gleaming armor.
"Draw your sword" Alanna commanded Coram. As the riders drew closer Alanna realized with relief that they were not enemies but only Raoul and a squad of the King's Own. Alanna greeted Raoul and asked him as to why he was there.
"Well, Jon sent us out to escort you to the palace" said Raoul "I don't exactly see why though it's not as though you can't take care yourself." "How is Jon?" Alanna questioned him. "After he got back from the desert he seemed a bit restless, but he got over it. Right now he seems... slightly dazed. Tell me about your time in the desert".
It took Alanna a moment to realize that he purposely change the subject so that he didn't have to talk about Jon any longer. 'I wonder if Jon said anything to him, about our fight' she thought slightly agitated at the thought that Jon would go around telling anyone and everyone about their private affairs.
She told him about her adventured in the desert and he in turn filled her in on the latest bit of court gossip.
"How is Myles" Alanna asked with concern. "He's as fine as ever" Raoul assured her, "Lately he has been working on some paper for the university, about the Ysandir. The king recently sent a party into the Black City to study it. Sir Myles seemed very interested in it."
Their conversation was cut as the reached the city gate into Corus. They quickly made their way through the city to the palace. "I am told that I am to escort you to your rooms for the night" Raoul told the disappointed Alanna. 'Bugger' Alanna thought 'I wanted to see Myles before bed'.
She grudgingly let herself be guided to her rooms. 'Oh well ' she thought 'I can see him in the morning'. As she got ready for bed she thought of the day to come. 'No reason to worry now' she consoled herself 'I'll take tomorrow as it comes'. After her hard day of riding she fell asleep instantly as her head hit the pillow.
Little did Alanna know someone watched her as she slept. The man smiled to himself. "Not long now until you walk in the realms of the dead. Not long now at all" he said aloud to himself, making him grin again. He quickly turned on his heel and headed to his own rooms.
"Sire, she must be removed. It was wrong, what she did, how she blinded and deceived us all. I will see that it is done". A deformed young man hissed into King Jonathon's ear. The king's only reply was to grunt a consent. 'Excellent' the man thought to himself 'I am now have total control over him'. He gave a small laugh and left through a hidden door located behind one of the many tapestries in the throne room.
A young knight and her capable man at arms rode along the well used Great Road South on their way to the capital of Tortall. The knight wiped her sweaty palms on her breeches as she thought about the kind of welcome she would receive when she arrived in Corus.
The last time she was at the palace was when she first become a knight. She grimaced at the thought. Too many people had not accepted her when the found out that she was a girl and that she had pretended to be male for 8 years to win her shield. Then again there were a few that stayed by her even when they found out.
She thought about her friends, Gary, Raoul, Sir Myles and of course Jon. She wondered how her reunion with Jon would be. They left off during a fight after Jonathon had proposed to Alanna and she refused him while they were in the desert.
Her burly man at arms-Coram ripped Alanna out of daydreams as he shouted, "heads up" to her. She scanned the horizon looking for whatever it was that Coram was addressing. She saw it. About a mile off a fairly large party all mounted on well-groomed war horses donning gleaming armor.
"Draw your sword" Alanna commanded Coram. As the riders drew closer Alanna realized with relief that they were not enemies but only Raoul and a squad of the King's Own. Alanna greeted Raoul and asked him as to why he was there.
"Well, Jon sent us out to escort you to the palace" said Raoul "I don't exactly see why though it's not as though you can't take care yourself." "How is Jon?" Alanna questioned him. "After he got back from the desert he seemed a bit restless, but he got over it. Right now he seems... slightly dazed. Tell me about your time in the desert".
It took Alanna a moment to realize that he purposely change the subject so that he didn't have to talk about Jon any longer. 'I wonder if Jon said anything to him, about our fight' she thought slightly agitated at the thought that Jon would go around telling anyone and everyone about their private affairs.
She told him about her adventured in the desert and he in turn filled her in on the latest bit of court gossip.
"How is Myles" Alanna asked with concern. "He's as fine as ever" Raoul assured her, "Lately he has been working on some paper for the university, about the Ysandir. The king recently sent a party into the Black City to study it. Sir Myles seemed very interested in it."
Their conversation was cut as the reached the city gate into Corus. They quickly made their way through the city to the palace. "I am told that I am to escort you to your rooms for the night" Raoul told the disappointed Alanna. 'Bugger' Alanna thought 'I wanted to see Myles before bed'.
She grudgingly let herself be guided to her rooms. 'Oh well ' she thought 'I can see him in the morning'. As she got ready for bed she thought of the day to come. 'No reason to worry now' she consoled herself 'I'll take tomorrow as it comes'. After her hard day of riding she fell asleep instantly as her head hit the pillow.
Little did Alanna know someone watched her as she slept. The man smiled to himself. "Not long now until you walk in the realms of the dead. Not long now at all" he said aloud to himself, making him grin again. He quickly turned on his heel and headed to his own rooms.
