Chapter Seven - Made Public
"My mother is returning to court," Lianne remarked casually one afternoon in the gardens, keeping her eyes on the book she was reading. "She will be here within a sennight."
Aly exchanged a look with Cecila and bit her lip. Gossip must have reached the queen in the north, where she was rumored to be living. That, or she had decided to beg forgiveness of her husband and subsequently humiliate herself in the eyes of the world. Aly highly doubted the latter.
"Why?" one of the other ladies, Margareta of Montavert, asked curiously.
The princess' face darkened. "My dear sister Kalasin is coming home for a visit. Gods have mercy."
Some of the other girls laughed, but Aly kept silent. She picked a leaf off of a tree and twirled it around. Her older brother had recently been to Carthak, but he had not said much of the eldest Conté princess other than that she was well adapted to her new home. Kalasin, though a few years older, had always been kind, if a little distant. She wondered why Lianne did not want her sister to return.
She felt the weight of someone's stare and looked up to meet the gaze of Margareta. The other girl quickly looked away, but Aly knew why she had been so curious. Although it was not open knowledge yet, people were starting to talk of the king's sudden interest in her. Even now, in front of her face, people were whispering behind fans, speculating as to how far it had gotten.
Sarai had warned her the previous night to remember Bronau.
"Oh, this is different," Aly had snapped back, sick to death of the whole situation. "Bronau was some minor prince, a second son, not a king. And I've refused every offer he's given me, which is more than I can say for you." She later regretted her harsh words and apologized, but the resemblance between the two scenarios still irked her.
Someone giggled, and she stiffened. This was too much. "Forgive me, but the heat is getting to me," she said, pretending to be unsteady on her feet as she stood. "I'm feeling rather faint."
She ignored the flurry of whispers that broke out as she walked quite steadily across the garden, feeling her cheeks burn. Curse you, Kyprioth, she said silently. One day I'll get you for this.
I'm sure you will, my darling, came the reply.
Aly found herself heading in the direction of Daine and Numair's apartment, needing someone levelheaded to talk to.
Gareth of Naxen passed her, balancing several heavy looking books and a stack of parchments, grinning. Then he spun around. "Oh, Aly, your mother wants to see you."
She raised her eyebrow, and he correctly interpreted her look. "I'm the first person she found, and so I was given this very important task."
"Ah." She frowned, her spirits sinking even lower. Just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, her mother had to be thrown into the mix. "Well, thank you. I guess I'll go now, since I wouldn't want her to think you hadn't told me."
"Oh, gods no," Gary quipped. Then his face grew serious. "Aly, listen..." He trailed off, but looked like he truly wanted to say something to her. "Have a nice afternoon," he finished rather hastily.
Once he was out of site, she hiked up her skirts and ran. If Gary knew, everyone knew. Most unfortunately, her parents certainly knew.
Aly skidded to a halt in the midst of a chaotic scene. People were everywhere, talking amongst themselves, and no one noticed her. It looked as if the Scanran War was finally, truly over. Most everyone had returned, from the looks of this joyous reunion. She managed to get around the mass of people and up a staircase. She gave a huge sigh of relief when she slammed the door to her parents' apartment behind her.
"So." Alanna's voice was cold, restrained, as if she truly wanted to scream but was holding herself back with great effort. "I received a most interesting piece of gossip while away. Apparently, my daughter has been carrying on with the king."
Aly's jaw dropped. "That's completely unfair! I've told him at every turn that he's to keep his distance, that I want nothing do to with him! Even my own brother told me to say yes, that the king is the king, and one does not simply say no to him!" She threw herself down furiously in a chair and scowled up at her mother.
"I had all of this from Thayet."
A silence followed, drawn out and highly uncomfortable. Before she could restrain herself, tears began pouring down Aly's cheeks. Soon she was sobbing uncontrollably, something she hadn't done in years. When she had her emotions under control, she wiped her eyes and looked up to find that her mother had left. She set off in the direction of her older brothers' rooms, knowing that she needed someone who cared halfway to talk to.
She didn't bother knocking and barged right in to see her brother and Sarai jumping apart. "You've known each other a day," she remarked dryly, enjoying seeing them blush. "A little pathetic, if you ask me. Anyway, I need to speak with you. No, Sarai, don't leave. Please?"
Thom rolled his eyes and gave her one of those condescending looks that only come from older siblings. "If you're here to discuss the Jonathan problem, then..."
"Mother came back, and the queen knows. A very misconstrued version of the story, but she knows that he's been asking for me."
Sarai pursed her lips. "What can you do? If you anger the king, you might not be the only one to suffer the consequences, and yet..."
"...if I do what he wants, I'll be known throughout the Eastern Lands as a whore," Aly finished.
"Marry Kentar," Thom suggested. "As a cover."
"Oh, yes, and no one will see through that. Your brilliance amazes me sometimes."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "So I'm not used to coming up with alibis or ways to conceal clandestine acts. You know, if you're only going to be obnoxious about my suggestions, then leave. My exams are next week, and I should be studying instead of picking fights with you."
Aly raised an eyebrow. "Or involving yourself romantically with a member of the Rittevon family?" She grinned at Sarai. "I honestly don't know what you see in him. He's positively insufferable."
"Again, I have better things to do," he said in a lofty, superior tone.
"Fine," she snapped. "And I hope that next week when you do take your godsforsaken exams that you don't earn a black robe. Maybe it will take the edge off of your arrogance."
He threw a look of intense malevolence at her before walking swiftly out of the room and slamming the door behind him.
When the palace bells rang eight o'clock, Aly slipped out of her rooms. There was a reception that evening held in honor of the visiting Copper Islanders, but she had feigned a stomachache. Mora had given her clothes that a common city girl might wear. They were rather nondescript, and could have belonged to a member of the merchant class or a maid. Her hair she quickly braided back and tucked under a white kerchief, which she knotted securely and shook her head to test the knot's durability.
It wasn't hard getting out of the palace looking like a maid. She kept her eyes downcast and ducked into the shadows when she saw someone who would recognize her no matter what her clothing happened to be.
She strolled slowly through the temple district of the city, enjoying the warm night and her short freedom. Aly knew that when Queen Thayet returned, she would have every right to banish her from court.
"Thayet won't send you away," Kyprioth piped up as he began walking beside her. "She knows too well that Jonathan would throw a fit. Not to mention it would cause a scandal."
She refused to look at him. "You are the lowest of things."
"I'm a trickster, my dear, that's what I do. Besides, your life was so dull I couldn't resist sending you some excitement." He smiled in a self-satisfied sort of way. "You have to admit, it was pretty ingenius of me, and you know you'd be laughing if this were happening to someone else."
"Yes, well, it's not," she snapped. "The king is married with five children, four of whom are older than I. Let's think of the worst case scenario and say that he divorces Thayet and marries me. I'm seventeen with a stepson who is twenty-two, this same stepson whose wife is with child. So I'd be a grandmother before the age of eighteen. And what happens if I had children of my own? They would be worthless, for if Jonathan were to disinherit Thayet's children in favor of mine, there would be civil war."
"You're too hard on yourself."
Aly snorted and shook her head. "I know what I am, Kyprioth. A crown wouldn't change that."
He was silent for a moment. "Then what are you, Alianne?" He disappeared with a pop, leaving her alone in the still summer night. Even as she began walking towards the city, his question hung in the air. She stopped in the middle of the marketplace, too bothered by her thoughts to keep walking. I'll never be a spy, she thought with dismay. Maybe that's not the path I'm supposed to take. But then what is?
A quick blur of color flashed in the corner of her eye, and Aly spun around, immediately settling into a defensive stance. Three dirty, thuggish men grinned leeringly at her.
"Now tell me, what kind of girl walks about the city at night by 'erself?" the one in the middle asked, taking a step closer. She winced at the smell of whiskey on his breath.
"L-leave me alone," she managed, trying to figure out who they were and what they wanted with her. "I'll scream!"
The man on the right snorted derisively. "Scream all ye want, dearie, there ain't no one t'hear ye." He drew a sword that while was not of good quality would serve its purpose all too well.
Aly's hands suddenly held two daggers, causing the men to do a double-take. She scowled at them. "Try anything, and I'll slice you from nose to navel, scum."
"Stop," the man on the left ordered. He stepped between her and his companions so that they could not rush her. "This one isn't to be harmed."
"Why not?"
He jerked his chin back towards her. "D'you want to keep on livin'? Then take heed, and don't touch her. Now be gettin' on, milady, there's bad people about."
King Jonathan took a weekly ride through the city, to show that he cared for the common people of his kingdom. Queen Thayet had always rode at his side unless she was away and waved to the crowds who shouted her name and threw flowers as she passed. As of late, Jonathan had been riding alone with his guards.
Aly was awoken by Mora early in the morning. Her maid was nervous, white-faced and trembling, and unusually clumsy. "Lady Aly," she hissed, "the king is waiting for you. He has ordered that you go riding with him this morning."
She flung aside the covers and jumped out of bed. "Is he mad? Either he rides with the queen or by himself. No one else ever goes!"
Mora shrugged. She had already laid out Aly's dark green riding habit. "Oh, Aly, it's awful. Your lady mother is practically beside herself, going on and on about how this isn't proper."
Aly kept silent as she was laced into the bodice of the gown. She could barely breathe her corset was so tight, although she knew this was the fashion. Mora pinned her hair back and placed the feathered hat on top of her head. "There," she whispered. "You look beautiful, my lady."
She opened the door to a rather uncomfortable scene. Jonathan smiled at her, but Alanna refused to look at her. George's eyes were flashing and his face was white. The king bowed and offered her his arm. "My lady, it has been so long since I've had company, and I know you enjoy riding."
Aly kept her gaze straightforward as they walked down to the stables. She climbed up into the saddle stiffly, causing her mare to shift uncomfortably. She patted her reassuringly with a gloved hand, trying to control the shakiness of her movements. Jonathan, looking resplendent in royal blue, was waiting for her in the courtyard atop his black stallion, a restless animal who pawed the ground expectantly. He grinned. "Shall we go then?"
The gates creaked open and they rode out into the city. The temple district was quiet, but once they reached the residential areas of the city, the crowds thickened quickly. The king rode every Sunday morning, rain or shine, and the people always turned out to see him. This week, however, their attention was fixed on the unfamiliar woman at his side. The residents of Corus had been hoping to see their beloved Thayet once again, but now it was clear that the rumors were true. Jonathan had fallen in love with another woman.
The city was deathly silent as they passed through the market, but then people began to mutter darkly amongst themselves. Who was this mystery woman? Was she the king's mistress?
Jonathan reached out and took her hand. He squeezed it once reassuringly, and gazed hopefully into her eyes. Aly wanted to shrivel up and die on the spot.
"Whore!" an old woman suddenly yelled, her voice carrying through the still morning.
"Gods save Queen Thayet!"
"King's whore!"
The people began to cheer fervently for the queen and jeer at Aly. Jonathan glanced back at the guards. "We keep riding," he snapped tersely. "Just ignore them, just ignore them."
"Long live the queen, and long live the princes and princesses!"
"What did you expect?" Aly hissed through clenched teeth. "That they would cheer for me? You've made me an object of ridicule to this entire city." A tear slipped down her cheek, but the king either didn't notice or didn't care.
"Fine then, we'll go back." He signaled to his guards, and they turned around. She could feel her face burning with shame.
A riding party of young noblemen hovered at a distance, and she saw her older brother among them. Thom looked at her with mixed disbelief and horror. The others had similar expressions, especially Prince Liam and Prince Roald. Having Thayet's sons as witnesses to her humiliation was more than she could bear. "They're right, you know," she snapped at Jonathan. "You can pretend all you like, but I'd never be anything but your whore."
He looked at her with an earnest expression. "What if I were free of Thayet? What if I were to marry you and make you queen?"
She closed her eyes for a moment. "No."
They had reached the palace. Jonathan dismounted as a hostler held the reins of his horse. He offered his hand to help her down. Aly took it, knowing no alternative as she didn't feel like picking a fight. Once her feet were on solid ground, he leaned over and kissed her, careless of the fact that there were servants all over the courtyard. "I know it's madness," he whispered, "but I love you, Alianne of Pirate's Swoop. I love you more than I've ever loved any woman."
She looked into his eyes and saw sincerity. There was a hot, swooping sensation in the pit of her stomach as she realized that this was more than just the trickery of a mischievous god. "I-I..." she trailed off, not really knowing what to say. Two spots of color burned in her cheeks. "You have a wife. You are not free to love."
His perfectly blue eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of Thayet. "She no longer wishes to be my wife. She has said this to me."
Silence stretched between them for several excruciatingly prolonged moments before Aly dropped into a curtsy. "By your leave, Majesty." She was halfway to the doors when he called for her to wait. She turned reluctantly.
"Just let me hear you speak my name, just once." For that one moment, she forgot that he was the king of Tortall and her godsfather. She forgot about Thayet, Roald, Kalasin, and the rest of their children as she saw him standing there, his expression longing.
"Jonathan," Aly whispered once. "Jonathan," she repeated, this time more loudly.
A/N: On occasion, my writing makes me positively ill, and this is one of those times. Ick, ick, ick! Can you say cheesy romance novel? Only Aly doesn't realize that she loves him yet. She's not actually in love with him; more with the idea of him. She's actually still in love with Nawat, but ssshhh...that's the next chapter.
Oh, yes, another thing. That part where she goes into the city and is cornered by the three guys but then the one tells them to back off? That wasn't completely random, I promise. Really. It will come back later!