Chapter Five
"Jon please talk to me," Alanna begged. "Tell me what's wrong," She held him at arms length, staring at eyes that refused to respond to her presence. "Jon?" she asked again desperately.
"Not Kally," he whispered hoarsely. "Not my daughter. You've already taken my mother and father, isn't that enough? Leave my daughter alone," Alanna realised he was addressing Roger and she felt a look of intense pain appear on her face.
"Jonathon!" she tried one more time, practically screaming at the pain she felt from him. "Please!"
Jonathon looked at her. "I can't Alanna," she whispered. "I can't do this,"
"You don't have to Jon," she replied. "Kally's going to be fine; she's strong,"
"I wanted her to marry him," Jon continued, bent on his misery. "I told her it would be good for the realm if she were to marry the ruler of one of our former enemies,"
"Jonathon!" Alanna yelled. "For Goodness sake stop that!"
"How can I Alanna? How can I not blame myself? How can I ever face Kally again, and how do I tell Thayet?"
Alanna put her arms around him and pulled him in close. "You don't tell Thayet; there's no need to worry her like that. Kally would never even think about blaming you so don't blame yourself, and you have to face her, because she's going to need you,"
"I've made such a mess of everything," Jonathon whispered. "First Roger, and you and Thayet, and the female knight thing, and now Kally,"
Alanna reached out and slapped him, hard, across the face. He stared up at her in disbelief. "You haven't made a mess of anything, but your face and my handkerchief," Alanna told him, gesturing down at the twisted scrap of material that was lying in his lap. Jon blinked at her blankly, and then smiled.
"Sorry," he muttered. "I'm good now,"
"Good," she replied sternly. "Now I'm going to take you to your room, and you're going to sleep, and feel better"
Jonathon began to protest, but was stopped by a finger to his lips. "Shh," Alanna told him. "Rest, your papers can wait,"
"I doubt most of the court would agree with you there Lady Knight," Jonathon noted dully. Alanna scoffed.
"Too bad!"
Most of the palace had gone to their dinners by this time, so the halls were all but empty as Alanna and Jonathon wandered down to the Royal chambers. Both of them were tired, so their pace was slow, and once they left the more public area of the palace Jonathon had to lean on Alanna for support. They passed Raoul in the hall outside of the queen's quarters, and he told them that Buri was sitting with Thayet, and Gary and his wife had taken Liam, Jasson and Lianne.
At the door to Jonathon's bedroom they paused for a moment. Jonathon looked at Alanna.
"Stay with me," he whispered. Alanna shook her head.
"Not now," she whispered. "I should go and tell Buri what's happening, or an abbreviated version of what's happening anyway,"
"I don't want to be alone right now," Jonathon pleaded. Alanna looked into his eyes, and then nodded.
"I'll sit with you until you fall asleep," she agreed. Jonathon nodded.
"Thank you,"
Alanna sat in a chair by the window while Jonathon stripped off his outer clothes and sank onto his bed. "Come closer," he muttered drowsily, raising one hand to beckon. Alanna hesitantly pulled her chair in close to the bed and reached out for his hand. Jonathon smiled at her as he took it.
She sat still by the bed as Jon's eyes closed and his breathing slowed. It was a long time before she was sure that he was deep enough in sleep that she could move without waking him, and even then she was reluctant to get up; the softly upholstered chair was very comfortable, and she was so tired… Alanna shook herself and stood up quickly as she disengaged her hand from his and dropped it to the bed.
Her booted feet squeaked against the floor and she glanced at Jonathon to see if it had disturbed him. He was still fast asleep, lying on his back with his hands crossed atop his chest, as if he had been arranged for a funeral. Alanna shivered and pushed such thoughts from her mind. Quickly she scanned his sleeping face, and noticed a tiny red scratch on his cheek. She realised that she must have made it with her wedding ring when she'd slapped him, and smiled ironically. Then she felt tears well up in her eyes and blinked fiercely to remove them.
She touched her two middle fingers to her lips and then lay them gently down on Jonathon's forehead. Murmuring, "I love you," she crept from the room, stopping to look at him once more as she leant back to close the door. She then wiped one hand over her face and set off to the Queen's room to tell Buri what was happening.
"Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like whatever you have to tell me?" the K'miri woman asked Alanna as the knight walked into Thayet's bedroom.
"Please Buri, I'm too tired for that sort of thing right now," Alanna protested, collapsing onto a sofa beside her friend and closing her eyes.
Buri gave her a sympathetic smile and then glanced at the queen, asleep in her bed. 'Duke Baird had to give her a sedative," she confided to Alanna. "She was panicking. So please tell me you've got good news,"
Alanna opened one eye and peered at her. "They're doing a little job for the Great Mother Goddess and Kalasin made her promise that they'd be home before Shinkokami's baby is born,"
Buri smiled. "Raoul always said that girl could make the gods follow her orders; now I guess he has proof,"
Alanna returned the smile before glancing quickly at Thayet. "I hope that news will be a comfort to her as well,"
"Of course it will," Buri replied. Alanna closed her eyes again. She felt her body grow heavier and rested back against the cushions of the couch. In the distance she could hear the sounds of swords clashing, assumedly coming from some impetuous young knights duelling outside the royal quarters in the hopes of being noticed by their sovereigns. The light streaming through the door had softened to an orange tinged purple, signalling the coming of night, and the air had suddenly turned chill. Alanna shivered. Through the haze of her exhausted mind she heard Buri's voice, as if from miles away, calling her name. She opened her mouth to answer but no words came out. The darkness raced up to surround her.
Alanna slipped from the sofa and fell to the floor, lifeless. Buri fell to her knees beside the woman and turned her over, reaching out to feel for a pulse at the same time as she called out for help. She heard feet racing along the corridor, and a moment later her husband was at her side, staring at his unconscious friend.
"We have to take her to the infirmary," Buri muttered. "I don't know what happened Roaul; she was just sitting there and then she passed out,"
"I'm sure she was just a little tired," Raoul replied soothingly. "I can't claim to ever have talked to a god, though I have been scratched by the pet of one, but from what I've heard from Alanna and Jonathon, it's a pretty intense,"
"You're right," Buri murmured. "But we should take her to Duke Baird anyway, to make sure she's alright,"
Raoul nodded, then frowned, as a shadow passed over the door and blocked out the light. A few seconds later the door opened, and Jonathon was standing there looking at his champion in horror.
"Alanna?" he whispered. "What happened?" his face was drawn and haggard, as if he had not sleep in weeks. Buri realised that he was in fact leaning against the wall, unable to stand alone, and she got to her feet and walked over to him.
"She's just tired Majesty," she told him calmly. "Like you. You've both had a trying day and you need to rest. Let's go back to your room,"
Jonathon was still looking at Alanna, but he seemed to have heard what Buri had said and nodded blankly in response. Buri took his arm and glanced at Raoul, who'd risen to his feet with Alanna in his arms. "I'll have Baird come and see to the king as soon as he's finished with Alanna," he promised. Buri nodded as she led Jonathon from the room.
As soon as the king was settled in his room Buri left him, and stepped outside to wait for her husband. She walked up and down the corridor between the two doors, stopping and listening at each to ensure that neither monarch had wakened. Eventually Raoul returned, bringing with him not only Duke Baird, but Gary and Kuri Taylor as well.
The latter smiled a greeting at Buri and quickly slipped into the queen's bedroom. Baird gave them all a curt nod and proceeded into Jonathon's room, leaving Gary with Raoul and Buri outside. Gary smiled weakly at Buri and then settled down on one of the benches that lined the wall. Raoul glanced at him and then put an arm out for Buri and hugged her quickly. Buri smiled at her husband and then turned to speak to both men.
"Alanna told me that she'd spoken with the Goddess and that Roald and Kalasin were safe, or at least I think that's what she meant; she said they were doing a job for the Goddess but they'd be home before the heir's born,"
"Oh good," Gary commented sarcastically. "Y'know, I think Myles was right about the gods being more trouble than they're worth; the immortals war and that fiasco in Cathark were bad enough,"
Buri and Raoul nodded wearily.
Alanna opened her eyes and rubbed her fist over them to clear away the sleep that had gathered there. The walls and ceiling of the palace infirmary swam into focus and in the distance Alanna could hear the sound of Duke Baird's voice talking to his son, laughing about something.
She couldn't remember how she'd come to be in the infirmary, or why she was there, but she had the feeling that she'd been asleep for a long time. The sun light shining in through the window told her that it was early evening, and the palace was getting ready for the night.
Alanna sat up in her bed and placed her feet on the floor. The marble was cold and she immediately looked around for her boots. Shoving her feet into them was the job of only a few moments, and collecting her sword belt took only a few more. Once she was properly outfitted Alanna made her way for the door, which nearly hit her as it opened to reveal Neal.
"Ah, the sleeping beauty awakes," he greeted her. "Are you hungry?"
"How long have I been asleep?" Alanna asked him.
"Just one day," Neal replied. "Father will be most upset; he wanted you to get at least three day's worth,"
"Three days?" Alanna demanded incredulously.
"Three days," Neal confirmed. "Apparently you haven't had a proper night's sleep since before the war, and you need to make up for it," he offered her a cup of water.
"I sleep just fine," Alanna muttered crossly as she snatched it from him. "What on earth were you thinking, keeping me under that long? I have things to do,"
"Sorry mistress but no you don't," Neal informed her. "Your husband's riding towards us as we speak, and until he gets here you do not leave the palace,"
"What?" Alanna screeched. "There is no way I'm staying inside for a week. I have a million things to do,"
"Well… don't let me stop you," Neal replied. "I'll tell Father you were much better, though he'll scold me terribly so you'd better appreciate it. You should go and see the king; he's in his room,"
Alanna was already gone.
Gary was in Jonathon's room when she arrived there, sitting by the bed holding out documents for the king to read. Alanna stood in the doorway for a minute until they looked up and noticed her. She scowled at Gary.
"He should be resting," she accused.
"He is resting," Gary replied. "I just needed to get a few of these past him today. They're very important,"
Alanna looked at him as she stepped out of the doorway and pointed at it. "Out!" she commanded. "Now!"
Gary got to his feet and walked to the door. "Now don't forget, he needs rest," he told Alanna as he left. She scowled and slammed the door before going to sit in the chair that Gary had just vacated. Jonathon looked up at her from his bed.
"They were important Alanna," he rebuked her meekly. Alanna swatted at him with her hand. Jon picked up a pillow.
"Care to try it Lady Knight?" he offered. Alanna dodged as the pillow came flying at her head and retaliated before she thought about it.
"Are you suffering memory loss?" she asked, walking around to the other side of the bed and reaching for a pillow. "Don't you remember the pillow fights we had in my squire days?"
Jonathon's hand sneaked out and captured the wrist she was leaning on, easily toppling her onto the bed beside him.
"I remember your squire days," he told her. "I remember them quite well," he rolled over to close the distance between them. Alanna felt a cold shiver run down her spine.
"Jon…" she began, but got no further, as she was pulled in for a quick kiss before being hit over the head with a pillow. She gave a shriek and laughed as she collected a pillow and threw it back at him.
The black cat stood in the doorway and shook its head sadly. "Why must humans persist with following their egos and brains instead of their hearts Mistress?" he asked.
"That is one of the great mysteries in life that not even the gods understand," the Great Mother Goddess replied. "But look how much fun they're having pet, all the more so because it is forbidden. Now come home please; you've done your work for the day,"
"How are the brats going?" Faithful asked. "Do you need me to go and check on them?"
"They're fine thank you pet. Home now please,"
"Your wish is my command Mistress," The air around him shivered and the cat disappeared, leaving behind the faint smell of fish.