I'm finally back from summer break, and I finally (after 4 months) have an
internet connection at home. I really want to finish this story within the
next couple months, there isn't that much let to go. However, I am
alternating between this and The Princess and the Subatomic Particle and I
can only publish one chapter a weekend. Why? Because my teachers have an
evil conspiracy to drive innocent young minds into insanity through stress.
As always, the location and some of the characters belong to Tamora Pierce.
Alanna woke the next morning to a chorus of snores; Neal, Stella, and Lord Lucas were all sleeping soundly. She got up to stir the campfire and wished she hadn't. Neal, Stella and Lord Lucas woke to a chorus of grunts and curses.
"A touch stiff, are we?" Neal asked cheerfully.
"I hope I live long enough to see you reach middle-age," the Lioness shot back.
Stella, who having been raised in a stable had no difficulty rising early, got up to help Alanna with the fire. She was hesitant to say anything to Neal or Alanna, or even to meet their eyes; they had all fallen asleep as soon as she finished telling them her story.
Alanna put a hand on her shoulder, "thanks," she murmured. "I just want you to know that I'm not dragging you back to be tried for treason or anything-- ----though I am dragging you back to talk to Numair which might be even worse. I know this is easier said then done, but just try not to worry about anything. We'll have breakfast and then head back to the palace."
Stella swallowed and blinked, then, before she could stop them, words slipped out of her mouth: "I though you were supposed to a have an awful temper in the morning."
Alanna smiled sweetly, "I do, it's just not being directed at you." Her eyes lit up evilly as they landed on Neal. Stella hoped that the king was offering Neal compensation or special privileges for being her squire.
Five hours later, they stood mounted outside the gate of Lakefront manor. Alanna had decided it would be prudent, and not too far out of their way, to take Lord Lucas home before they continued towards the palace. Getting the gate open so that they could return him to his parents proved difficult. The guards, accustomed to a soft and whiny spoiled brat, did not recognize the quiet, travel-worn child in front of them. Alanna then tried to use her nobility and her knighthood as grounds for entry to see the boy's parents (there was not doubt that the guards recognized her.) Unfortunately, the Lord of Lakefront refused to acknowledge her knighthood because she was female; he refused to acknowledge her nobility because her husband and her adopted father did not meet his personal standards.
"This does present a challenging situation," Alanna muttered. "I can't beat him at a duel to prove my superiority because he wouldn't accept my challenge." She shook her head in frustration.
"Now, now, you've already injured two conservatives this week and that surpasses your weekly quota," Neal reminded her. She glared at him.
Forty-five minutes later, they were still outside the gate. Neal was seated cross-legged on the road with his book of poetry. Alanna was scraping mud of her boots. Pinecone was walking around in tight restless circles and Lord Lucas was staring off into space.
Stella asked Lucas if he was bored; he nodded. Suddenly, she knew how to end the stalemate. "Why don't you throw a little temper tantrum to liven things up a bit?" she asked quietly. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, he winked at her.
Lord Lucas took a deep breath, he opened his mouth wide and produced a whine such as only one in a thousand children can produce, the sort of whine that leaves parents, older siblings, and other child-caretakers scarred for life. "I'M HUNGRY!"
The guards winced, one even tried to cover his ears. Lord Lucas whined again. Stella had to work hard to conceal her grin as she rummaged in the saddle bag. She quickly found what she was looking for and handed it to Lord Lucas. "How about some lovely carrots?"
And he was off to the races, this was his area of expertise. "EEW! NO! GROSS! YUCK! HOW DARE YOU OFFER ME FUNGUS!" He began chucking the offending vegetables at the guards.
"Actually, they're root vegetables," said Neal, who seemed to have cued in on the plan.
"FUNGUS!" yelled Lord Lucas.
And Neal, always the champion of truth and knowledge, stooped right to his level.
"VEGETABLES!"
The screaming match lasted about five minutes before Alanna started worrying about damage to Neal's vocal cords and decided to end it.
"SILENCE!"
And there was silence, for about ten seconds, before Lord Lucas started up again. "YOU CAN'T MAKE ME BE QUIET! I'LL SAY WHATEVER I WANT! YOU'RE UGLY AND STUPID! I'M COLD! IT'S TOO WINDY!" Finally, just when Stella thought his voice might be beginning to waver, Lord Lucas point at the guards and gave another shout. "THEY'RE WIMPS!"
That did it. The guards gathered together and began whispering furiously, a few minutes later they had come to a conclusion: there was only one child on earth that this could be. His nursemaid was summoned and the gate was opened. Stella just had time to wave goodbye as they whisked him away for a bath.
Quote: "Cats, it has been well said, will be cats and there seems nothing to be done about it." P.G. Wodehouse.
Thank you for reading and please review!
Alanna woke the next morning to a chorus of snores; Neal, Stella, and Lord Lucas were all sleeping soundly. She got up to stir the campfire and wished she hadn't. Neal, Stella and Lord Lucas woke to a chorus of grunts and curses.
"A touch stiff, are we?" Neal asked cheerfully.
"I hope I live long enough to see you reach middle-age," the Lioness shot back.
Stella, who having been raised in a stable had no difficulty rising early, got up to help Alanna with the fire. She was hesitant to say anything to Neal or Alanna, or even to meet their eyes; they had all fallen asleep as soon as she finished telling them her story.
Alanna put a hand on her shoulder, "thanks," she murmured. "I just want you to know that I'm not dragging you back to be tried for treason or anything-- ----though I am dragging you back to talk to Numair which might be even worse. I know this is easier said then done, but just try not to worry about anything. We'll have breakfast and then head back to the palace."
Stella swallowed and blinked, then, before she could stop them, words slipped out of her mouth: "I though you were supposed to a have an awful temper in the morning."
Alanna smiled sweetly, "I do, it's just not being directed at you." Her eyes lit up evilly as they landed on Neal. Stella hoped that the king was offering Neal compensation or special privileges for being her squire.
Five hours later, they stood mounted outside the gate of Lakefront manor. Alanna had decided it would be prudent, and not too far out of their way, to take Lord Lucas home before they continued towards the palace. Getting the gate open so that they could return him to his parents proved difficult. The guards, accustomed to a soft and whiny spoiled brat, did not recognize the quiet, travel-worn child in front of them. Alanna then tried to use her nobility and her knighthood as grounds for entry to see the boy's parents (there was not doubt that the guards recognized her.) Unfortunately, the Lord of Lakefront refused to acknowledge her knighthood because she was female; he refused to acknowledge her nobility because her husband and her adopted father did not meet his personal standards.
"This does present a challenging situation," Alanna muttered. "I can't beat him at a duel to prove my superiority because he wouldn't accept my challenge." She shook her head in frustration.
"Now, now, you've already injured two conservatives this week and that surpasses your weekly quota," Neal reminded her. She glared at him.
Forty-five minutes later, they were still outside the gate. Neal was seated cross-legged on the road with his book of poetry. Alanna was scraping mud of her boots. Pinecone was walking around in tight restless circles and Lord Lucas was staring off into space.
Stella asked Lucas if he was bored; he nodded. Suddenly, she knew how to end the stalemate. "Why don't you throw a little temper tantrum to liven things up a bit?" she asked quietly. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, he winked at her.
Lord Lucas took a deep breath, he opened his mouth wide and produced a whine such as only one in a thousand children can produce, the sort of whine that leaves parents, older siblings, and other child-caretakers scarred for life. "I'M HUNGRY!"
The guards winced, one even tried to cover his ears. Lord Lucas whined again. Stella had to work hard to conceal her grin as she rummaged in the saddle bag. She quickly found what she was looking for and handed it to Lord Lucas. "How about some lovely carrots?"
And he was off to the races, this was his area of expertise. "EEW! NO! GROSS! YUCK! HOW DARE YOU OFFER ME FUNGUS!" He began chucking the offending vegetables at the guards.
"Actually, they're root vegetables," said Neal, who seemed to have cued in on the plan.
"FUNGUS!" yelled Lord Lucas.
And Neal, always the champion of truth and knowledge, stooped right to his level.
"VEGETABLES!"
The screaming match lasted about five minutes before Alanna started worrying about damage to Neal's vocal cords and decided to end it.
"SILENCE!"
And there was silence, for about ten seconds, before Lord Lucas started up again. "YOU CAN'T MAKE ME BE QUIET! I'LL SAY WHATEVER I WANT! YOU'RE UGLY AND STUPID! I'M COLD! IT'S TOO WINDY!" Finally, just when Stella thought his voice might be beginning to waver, Lord Lucas point at the guards and gave another shout. "THEY'RE WIMPS!"
That did it. The guards gathered together and began whispering furiously, a few minutes later they had come to a conclusion: there was only one child on earth that this could be. His nursemaid was summoned and the gate was opened. Stella just had time to wave goodbye as they whisked him away for a bath.
Quote: "Cats, it has been well said, will be cats and there seems nothing to be done about it." P.G. Wodehouse.
Thank you for reading and please review!