Edited 08/07/05

Chapter four now, of this amazing story. Aren't you all excited? Can't you feel the suspense? Thanks so much to all those who reviewed, this is like the only one of my stories that has not been flamed! I consider this to be one of my best pieces, and please don't dampen my spirits! If you are looking for something original, please read The Danger of Sharp Fans. If you are looking for something completely random, please read Neal's Biscuits.

I don't own the characters. I own the depressing story I put them in.

Chapter four: The thought of vengeance

Ralon grimaced as the hot sun beat down on his conveniently bared neck as he bent over in the mine. His back, still showing the ugly signs of his whipping, ached dully constantly. He had kept his shirt on out of pure vanity. No-one else had to see how his skin was bruised, scabbed and scarred.

He looked at some other miners on the opposite side of the trench to him, bare-backed, smiling and chatting animatedly as they completed their work. Ralon tried to stand up straight but his muscles creaked in protest. And I thought that palace Page training was tough, he thought to himself grimly.

It must have been nearly lunchtime, and Ralon was not going to tire himself anymore. Water-bottle already empty by his side, he pushed his shovel into the dirt and perched himself onto the edge of a boulder. As long as the supervisor was not present he could take a little break. None of the other miners would report it. It was sort of like the Pages at the palace. People minded their own businesses.

His thoughts wondered back to his stolen money. He knew who had done it now, the youth who had talked to him about camels' skulls, Bleid, was just stalling him so that his friends had time to sneak into Ralon's cabin. Ralon was sure it was them because the morning after the robbery, at breakfast, Bleid and his group of friends had walked past him, all sneering as they said their good-mornings.

They would have found out that he was a noble, then, by breaking into his cabin. The general attitude from commoners towards nobles was repulse, resent, and maybe even hatred. They knew Ralon was different. He talked differently to the others, acted differently also, as if he felt he was more superior.

King Roald, unlike the rest of Corus, did not spend much time pondering Ralon of Malven's disappearance, though he was quite surprised when he heard the news that CountViljo would be coming to Court for the Midwinter Festival. He, along with the rest of the palace – including stableboys, maids and cooks – had thought thatViljo wouldn't have the face to return because of the disgrace of his son.

Roald believed Ralon was hiding at Malven, honour lost. If he was, Roald wasn't' going to do anything about it. The boy hadn't committed any crime, he wasn't in exile, but he would never have passed the Chamber of the Ordeal. Ralon of Malven had become the top priority discussion topic in Corus. It would eventually spread to neighbouring kingdoms and Roald was curious to see how distorted gossip would have made the news when it got that far.

He was also curious to hear what CountViljo had to say about his son. From what the king knew of Count Viljo, he was a good leader and never spent much time with any of his sons, so, as a result, all four of them were spoilt and believed that they were better than all others, and this personality trait was especially prominent in Ralon, the youngest.

There was a knock at the door and Sir Myles of Olau came in, carrying a stack of papers. The shaggy knight dumped the paper on the desk in front of the King unceremoniously.

"Expenses, your Majesty," Myles announced, pulling out a chair for himself and sitting down.

The King looked at his advisor, suppressing a smile. "I wonder why I chose you as part of my Council, Sir Myles, because it certainly wasn't for your manners."

"I find formalities a waste of time, Roald, you know that." Myles rang a bell for some wine and gestured to the papers. "Are you going to read those or not?"

for most of the afternoon, the King and his advisor looked over the expenses for the Midwinter Festival, interrupted only by the servant who came in to deliver the wine. When the third bell after noon tolled, they had just finished working through the who stack of papers.

Another knock at the door was heard and another servant came in to announce that CountViljo of Malven had just arrived at the Palace.

When the servant left, Myles looked at the King with raised eyebrows. "I thought that the boy was much of a brat. What's your theory of his disappearance?"

Alanna andGary sat at the coffee table in George's chambers. It was rare that they both had spare time, and they tended to make most of it by visiting George.Gary sipped at the mug of tea he held in his hands, looking around the room thoughtfully. The fire was roaring in the grate and all the windows were tightly shut. Winter was well and truly here.

"Midwinter's coming up soon,"Gary commented.

Alanna nodded absently. Neither of them were in the mood for talking – both were just content to sit and stop thinking about duties, responsibilities of being noble and, in Alanna's case, her masquerade.

George sat down with them as well, examining the coloured glass of the tabletop. "Everyone's rushin' back to Court, eh?"

Alanna frowned. "Before this, I'd never have thought that there would be so many nobles in Tortall. They're all from all over the place, and I don't even know who most of them are. You can't imagine how embarrassing it is when you meet some high ranking Earl in the hallway and don't remember his name."

George leaned forward, with half a smile on his face. "So have you seen CountViljo yet?"

Alanna thought that the name sounded familiar, but she couldn't put where she had heard it before. Certainly not in Trebond, so it must have been at the palace. Suddenly it struck her. "You mean Ralon of Malven's father? He's HERE?"

"Why not?" asked Gary. "He's a noble, he's got a right to be here."

"I know, but…"

"And anyway," he continued, "I'm quite curious to hear his explanations of his son's disappearance. Most of the Court's talking about it."

"I'd just thought that maybe he would have been a little embarrassed to turn up at Court. Though I do wonder where that conceited cockroach is hiding."

"So HAVE you seen him yet?" asked George again.

"No, not yet," replied Gary. "I don't think he's due in until tomorrow." He looked out the window at the grey December sky. "And that reminds me – we'd better be going now, my father wants us for an extra war strategy session."

George stood up also, buckling on his sword-belt. "I'll escort you two as far as the Temple District."

"George, we can take care of ourselves," Alanna protested andGary nodded in agreement.

George grinned. "I know you're scared for my safety, and I'm glad, but I'm not lettin' two young lads go walking off by themselves. Midwinter's the messiest time of the year, and if you're killed no-one's gonna know until two weeks later."

Reluctantly, they let George escort them out. Alanna's thoughts were turned to Ralon of Malven, and thought that she'd find out soon enough where he is.

Bleid and his cronies sat at the other side of the hall, talking, laughing and having fun. Ralon watched them, hunched in his seat, shivering, cursing the huge hibernal temperature range.

He was starting to regret no having made any 'friends' in the village. With people at his command, he felt safe. It was easy to start a brawl with someone when he had people to back him up.

It was like with the midget of a boy, Alan of Trebond, at the Palace. Being a bully, he was lost without a gang, but he assured himself that he would make Bleid pay. And that he, Zen, would regain the power he should hold.

Because the thought of vengeance tasted so sweet…

Things will get tougher, messier and more blood-thirsty… keep an eye out.

Thanks to the reviewers: Lil Miss Barton, -yummi beans-, Poppyhead, Ice-Otter, Anastazia Silverwind.

If anyone lives in Sydney and knows of a library that actually has Alanna: the First Adventure could you please inform me. Thanks!