Title: If the Darkness Were Different
Author: shattered
Rating: PG or so.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, which should be obvious, because if I did, would I posting at FANfiction.net. I thought not.
Summery: A shifting in the Bazhir balance forces Alanna to go to the Covenant, but not simply to become a lady, but to become something *more*.
If the Darkness Were Different
Sir Myles of Olau was by no means the stereotypical knight, in fact the man looked rather shaggy and just a bit shabby. The plump knight was more of a scholar than a fighter and in fact taught the pages and squires the history of Tortall as well as the Code of Chivalry. His primary interest though was in a long dead race, fittingly called the Old Ones. Now though he found himself staring at the Lady Trebond, almost unable to fully comprehend exactly who she was.
"Well? Are you going to help me, or are you going to stare?"
Myles' locked gaze on Alanna had not gone unnoticed. "Help if I can, lady."
"Alanna… my name is Alanna. You must be Sir Myles of Olau."
"Well… Yes, but how did you…?"
"I have a brother, siblings talk." She flashed him a smile from her place on the edge of Jonathan's bed. "The Prince is in a bad state. All that's left are the most arcane, and powerful magics, after this it may be days before I am fully recovered." Her tone had slipped into the cold voice that had so frightened her best friend the day before. She shook her head and levered herself off the bed. Alanna headed to the desk that she had set the bag that she had brought up from her horse, it took a moment of her riffling through it to find what she was looking for, vervain. The purple eyed girl looked over at Myles head tilted, eyes appraising. Her curt nod sent her curls tumbling, and the movement traveled like a wave down her shoulders and back till it reached the tips of her hair.
Inquisitive green-brown eyes followed the petite red head as she move toward the roaring blaze in the room's hearth, amazed that anyone could go through so many emotions in such a short time. Myles was no fool and he could see the family relation between Alanna and her brother, the determined set of her face was the same as Thom at his worst. Purple eyes shone with determination and Myles knew that she would succeed, no matter what it cost her. It was then that he noticed the small, black cat sitting on the foot of the bed, seeming to watch both Alanna and Jon, the knight shifted forward so that he could see the color of the cat's eyes…
…and could barely stifle his gasp when he saw that they were the exact same shade as it's owner's. Bright blazing purple.
"Is there anyway that I can help?" He had to ask, how could someone so small possibly save the prince all alone when Duke Baird, the best healer in Tortall, couldn't heal him with the aid of Roger of Conté and Thom of Trebond, it just didn't make sense to him.
"I will need your support later, but not just now, all you have to do is sit, and hopefully not freak out." The girl was kneeling now, and fingering the seal to the vervain.
"You've had people freak out before?"
"Yes." She turned around and flashed him another bright smile, "This is powerful magic I'm about to mess with and if I were any less trained or any weaker I probably wouldn't even survive the attempt. I scream bloody murder every time I do it though and there's no getting around that." She turned back to the fire.
"Oh."
"Quite." And she threw the dried leaves into the fire, then thrust her hands in and started to speak. Myles took that as his cue to be quiet and step back.
"Dark Goddess, Great Mother, show me the way. Open the gates to me. Guide me, Mother of the mountains and the mares…" The words became indistinct as the fire, which was now bright purple, blazed and seemed to almost stream into Alanna. Now the girl shone a bright purple, her flesh full of the amethyst fire of her gift, her head went back and a single pain laden scream was rent from her lips. Within moments Alanna had herself back under control, the purple light receding back to a gentle glow beneath her skin. Alanna stood as though unaware of her surroundings and looked toward the bed, simply watching for interminable moments.
Myles was shocked from his frightened reverie by the banging of the door hitting the wall hard. Raoul and Gary stood in the doorway staring at the tableau set before them. "We heard screaming… Myles, what's going on?" Gary was the first to recover the use of his tongue.
"Yes, Myles, who is she? And what is she doing? Can she save Jonathan?" Raoul's stream of questions was loosed as he and Gary approached the desk that Myles stood near, being careful to put a wide berth between themselves and the lady. As he neared the desk he saw something glint in the eerie lavender light. It was a gold bracelet, one that he recognized, he had been with his squire when he purchased it for his sister. "Wait… this is the bracelet that Thom bought his sister… Is she his sister?"
"Yes, this is Lady Alanna of Trebond, trained as a healer as well as a lady. She's saving the prince." Suddenly a noise from across the room startled them, it was a voice, Jon's, but not quite, it seemed older, somehow.
"Who are you?"
"Alanna. You're worrying your friends, and your family." Her voice too seemed older, and warmer.
"I am?"
"Yes. It's time to come home, your highness."
"My name is Jonathan."
"Inconsequential, it's not your time yet, you must leave this place. Now." The words were said with an unusual patience, well unusual for Alanna.
"Help me?" And that shocked them; Jonathan nearly never pleaded, and never to a complete stranger. This whole thing was getting really weird.
"That, your highness, Prince Jonathan, is what I've been trying to do, now stop fighting me and let me do it."
"'Kay." And a bit of the purple fire flowed from Alanna into Jonathan's hands where she was holding them then up into his chest where it took up residence and started to flash and flare pushing back an almost intangible darkness from the Prince. As the light receded from the prince it also started to dim in Alanna until finally only Alanna was left beneath her skin. She released Jonathan's hands and stood up, managing even to take a few steps before the dizziness caused by such expenditure of power caught up with her.
Lady Alanna collapsed.
Only to be caught by Sir Raoul of Goldenlake, the large Sir Gareth the Younger of Naxen moved over to his friend and peered at the young woman that he supported. He glanced up from his study of her face to glance at Myles standing across the room, then returned to his gaze to the copper haired healer-lady.
"I don't mean to sound like a half wit but… what do we do now?"
AN: Chapter two done, Yeah. I got four reviews in one day! That made me feel sooooo good. Reviews are totally addictive.
RosieLady- Thank you! Is this soon enough for you?
Froggy- I really wanted Alanna to still be Alanna, but to be different. She didn't go to the palace, she went to the Covenant, the experiences would have been completely different so she would be different, but underneath it she has to be what we know Alanna to be like, hotheaded and aware of those things she does well, and proud of them too. I wanted it to be Alanna, not just some redhead who'd come back from the Covenant. This story lends itself more to the Alanna/Jon so that's probably what it'll be, much as I like George. He's hilarious.
XX?- I didn't mean to confuse anyone with the Roger thing but it is important that he's not the villain. I hate cannon Roger but the character could go so many places, plus if Roger were evil the Gods would have had her go to the palace, right? So he can't be evil. Umm…Yeah… Let's just go with that.
Silver Angel- Thank you so much! I'm trying really hard to make it different, hope it works.
Cat- Thanks for reviewing, and look, more!
Thanks to all for reviewing,
Love to all,
shattered