Alanna fiddled with the purple tinged pearl drops at her earlobes, a gift, with Jon's blessing.
'Stop fidgeting.' Commanded the newly ennobled Eleni Cooper of Olau. 'There,' Eleni said with a satisfied nod. She'd finished fluffing and tying whatever she'd been fluffing and tying at, at Alanna's back. 'Now turn around and let me see you.'
The girlish part of Alanna that looked wistfully at Thayet and the court beauties, longed for herself to be approved in this by the older woman. The King's Champion tried desperately to squash that idiotic corner of her mind. Stop being so damnably foolish.
Eleni smiled at Alanna's all to open anxious face and proceeded to inspect her's and Kuri Taylor's handiwork.
The Lady Knight wore soft, mauve slippers, utterly impractical, was the practical knight's all to aired opinion on the matter, matching perfectly her eardrops and the pearls and pale amethysts that decorated her throat. The modestly dipping neckline barely revealed the glowing ember that Alanna had pointedly refused to part with on this day. For the first time since she was ten, Alanna had consented to wearing a dress- in front of people she knew, and people who knew that the red-headed figure was Alanna. I should have stuck with armour. The dress that was the concern of so many of the court gossips had been spared no effort. The bodice was of a soft violet velvet and embroidered in copper and dark gold. Darker shades of purple that complemented the lady's eyes coloured the long silken sleeves and flowing skirt. It had a grand effect that created a very charming image of Sir Lady Alanna.
Eleni's grave green-grey eyes meet Alanna's with amusement.
'As if George needs another reason to moon over you.' Eleni snorted in a most indelicate fashion. Before Alanna could take offence- she was so ready to hear she was horrendously hideous- 'You're lovely, Alanna.'
She coloured prettily with pleasure, caught herself at it and scowled.
'Myles, she's ready.'
As Myles, who'd been stationed down the corridor, entered the dressing chamber, his eyes widened in astonishment. He took in the form of the young noblewoman who stood before him, in complete shock. At some point in the rare moment when Myles had been dumbstruck and at a loss for words, his wife had left, leaving the two alone. Myles exhaled a shaky breath and proffered a shaky arm. What a sight we must make, Alanna thought bemusedly while trying to extend her arm daintily. Him usually clad in clothes not fit for a beggar, a slight exaggeration. And me, not only without a sword at my side, but decked out as if I were some horse on show. All I need is the bells. Soot on my eyelashes indeed!
Myles and Alanna neared the last corner of their course, he halted her and kissed Alanna on her forehead and both cheeks.
'I love you, my daughter.'
Alanna, surprised, for her adoptive-father was not one to express his emotions often into words, was pulled along into a stone courtyard over looking Corus. The gardens were thriving under the attention the palace gardeners had been doling out. Beds of tiny jewel like flowers, and waist high miniature sculpted trees were not to Alanna's taste, but undeniably gave the area an aura of untouchable grace and beauty.
Alanna squirmed. It was not the dozen or so of her dearest friends-Coram & Rispah, Gary, Jon & Thayet, Buri and Raoul- that made her do so, but what would take place in a few moments if she did not come to her senses and run for the hills.
Her violet eyes reached George as she surveyed the horrific scene. She smiled unconsciously, and forgot to try and make her wooden legs work backwards. George's back was to the dying sun, the pink and orange tipped clouds floated behind his shoulders. His hazel green eyes danced, and let show his joy that he was finally marrying his Lioness. Alanna glided over the stone path thinking only of George, and that the goddess had been right; love was nothing to fear but something to be cherished. Alanna continued to drift towards George, the man she loved, her soon to be husband