A/N: In the books Tammy doesn't say what the etiquette master's name is while Alanna's in the palace so I just made Master Fruball up (wacky name I know, but I couldn't think of anything.)

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed including PurpleNinjaWarrior, Lady Deathstrike, Levaire, Mia, QuestioningReason, Sweet undying 666 and devilsheart.

Thanks for the OOC def. Alanna-of-Olau and thanks for the suggestion queen- of-sapphires. I'm not sure if it's possible for me not to state the obvious but I'll try.

Chapter 3: The Palace

"Thank you so very much, I promise that if I'm ever up this way I'll visit the convent and burn incense to the gods here." Alanna said to the First Daughter.

"Do not thank me child, thank Master Ironarm for considering you to be his apprentice. And it was not only me who convinced your father to let this be, I'm sure of it. But do visit every so often when you get the chance, we'll enjoy your company. Now, go pack. You leave tomorrow morning at sunrise so be at the gates by then. Someone will come for your bags then too. And send your maid Maude back home with anything you don't need. But do take two or three dresses just in case. By the way, Master Ironarm is out in the courtyard if you wish to talk to him." The First Daughter said.

"Thank you again First Daughter, I won't forget you for what you have done." Alanna said as she left the room. She hurried to the courtyard where the Dragon was waiting for her.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." She said as she hurried up to him.

"You're welcome. Have you any questions?" he asked her.

"Where are we going first and what do I need to take?" she asked him.

"Well I've been asked, or should I say invited, to go to the Palace in Corus and teach combat there for a few months, maybe even a year or two. I decided I would, I've taught people before and I think it's good that they learn some Shang ways. Now as to what you'll need I'd say some clothes to train in and some dresses for any occasions you'll be attending." He told her.

"Okay, but I plan to send most of my dresses back home with Maude." She told him.

"You'll only need a few." He said.

"Alright then, I guess I'd better go and pack. This will be fun. My brother is in Corus training as a page." She told him.

"Well then you'll get to see him a bit." Liam told her.

"Thank you again, I'll see you at sunrise or before." She told him before walking back to her room.

"Maude please help me pack my things. I'm going to Corus with all of my breeches, tunics and a few dresses and you're heading back to Trebond with the rest of the things I don't take. I'm the Dragon's apprentice now." Alanna said triumphantly.

"Well then that worked out well for you. I know you wanted to switch with young Lord Thom when he went to the Palace." Maude said as she pulled out one of Alanna's bags and began to pack tunics and breeches into it as Alanna passed them to her.


"And there's the city. Can you see the Palace on the hill?" Liam asked her as they topped the rise and stopped.

"Yes, it's amazing." Alanna said in awe.

"You'll get used to it once you're living there." Liam told her. It had been a few weeks since they'd left the convent and in that time Liam had taught her the basics of Shang combat, pleased to find that she was a quick learner and had also made her his official apprentice through the Shang ways. Informing the Shang Council of her and having them approve her apprenticeship even though she was a noble.

"Shall we head to the Palace?" he asked her.

"Lead the way Liam." She said and so off they went through Corus, arriving just after sundown at the Palace and settling into their rooms. They were provided with a young woman of about fifteen to be their maid whilst they were there and help Alanna dress for occasions when need be. Alanna didn't have the chance to go see Thom so she left it for the next day. They ate dinner in their rooms and discussed what Alanna would do.

"We will continue our morning training sessions before breakfast, and then you will have breakfast here and get changed into suitable clothing to take lessons." Liam said and here Alanna interrupted him.

"Who's taking me for lessons? The priestess didn't come with us." Alanna pointed out to him.

"There's a good reason for that. As I was about to say you will take etiquette and other lessons like history and such with the pages and squires in training." He said, surprising Alanna.

"I'm going to be taking lessons with my brother?" she asked.

"Yes." Was the answer.

"Does that mean I have to wear dresses?" she asked hesitantly.

"I would suggest a plain tunic dress." He said.

"Alright, I have one or two, maybe even five, in my luggage." She said in exasperation.

"Good lass. Then after you've finished your lessons you will come and get changed and come down to the practise courts where I will be taking the boys for part of their combat training. You will help me teach them the basics, and learn yourself as you do so." He said.

"Okay." Alanna said.

"Then of an evening, depending on the day you may either have dinner here or in the mess hall with the pages and squires." Liam told her.

"Is that even allowed?" she asked doubtfully.

"I have discussed this all with the training master here and he has agreed to let you eat with the pages and squires if you wish to." Liam said calmly.

"All right then, I'm going to enjoy this." She said.

"You'd better go and get some rest, and by the way. Your evenings are your own to do with as you please but you are not to distract the pages and squires if you're with them. They have much to do and you will not be allowed over with them if it is found that you disturb their work." Liam warned her.

"I won't, good night." She said.


Next morning after changing and having breakfast after her morning training session with Liam he took her to a class room where a teacher was waiting.

"Alanna this is Master Fruball and he will be taking you for etiquette. You'll learn how the boys bow but the master will also teach you how ladies curtsy too, along with other things." Then turning he addressed the Master.

"I leave her in your care, please instruct someone to guide her to the next class; it is what everyone in here will be going to." Liam said.

"I shall do so." Master Fruball replied before Liam left.

"Now just before the boys get here I'll set you some work to do and then check on you throughout the lesson. And don't be alarmed but I will be letting the boys know you are here once they've come." He told her. Then he showed her to a desk at the back of the room apart from the others and set her some copying to do to improve her handwriting. She had been working for only five minutes when boys started streaming into the class room, although no one noticed her until Master Fruball told them she was there.

"Boys, now that you are all here I just want to give you an important announcement. You have someone who will be joining you for most of your lessons from now on and you are expected to treat them as befits their position. Lady Alanna will you please stand up?" he asked her. She stood, watching as the boys all turned in their seats to stare at her and scanning their faces for Thom, she caught his look of surprise as he saw her.

"Alanna." He said in surprise and she smiled.

"Excuse me Thom?" the Master asked.

"Nothing Master." Thom said hastily.

"Thank you. As I was about to say, this is Lady Alanna and she will be joining you for many lessons. Now if you'll all open your books and turn to the chapter on how to act in a ladies presence I thought it might be fitting if we learnt this now, seeing as there is one now in your company." Alanna tuned out after this and did her work, stopping every now and then as the Master came to see how she was doing. When the loud bell tolled, indicating that the pages and squires move onto their next lesson, Thom was by her desk quick as a flash.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her, giving her a huge hug.

"It's a long story, I'll tell you tonight." She said pulling away, and only then did she notice that a few people had followed Thom.

"This your lady friend Thom?" a tall boy with black curly hair and a large grin asked.

"No, of course not. This is my twin sister Alanna." Thom told him.

"Oh, sorry." The boy said.

"Alanna these are my friends Raoul of Goldenlake," here he indicated the boy with curly hair, "Gary of Naxen," he said indicating another boy,

"Alex of Tirragen," indicating the third boy,

"and his Royal Highness Prince Jonathan of Conte." He said, indicating the last boy who had midnight black hair and sparkling sapphire eyes. Alanna curtsied.

"Your Highness, boys, I am pleased to meet you." She said with a shy smile.

"Not as pleased as we are to meet you." Gary said.

"Boys, now that you've finished your introductions would you be so kind as to move onto your next class, taking Lady Alanna along with you?" Master Fruball asked them from the front of the room.

"Of course Master, it would be our pleasure." The Prince said. He left the room followed by the rest with Alanna and Thom in the rear.

"So tell me, why're you here?" Thom asked again.

"I'll tell you later. Let's just say that the story in the letter I sent you a short while ago now needs to be added on to." She told him.

"Oh, so you're the Drag-" he started to say.

"Shhh, the others will find out soon enough." She said.

"Oh, okay but you're telling me the whole story tonight." He said.

"I said I would didn't I?" she asked him as they came to a door.

"Why are you boys late?" a voice inside the room asked as Jonathan opened the door.

"We were told to bring Lady Alanna with us by Master Fruball." Jonathan replied.

"All right, take your seats and continue your work from last lesson. Lady Alanna it is a pleasure to have you here. Do take this seat here up the front. I'm the Master of this class and here you will be learning how to fight war although I don't see why this class is needful to you. But here you go; this is one of the books. You may read the first chapter this lesson and continue it tonight." He instructed. Alanna listened with half an ear as he told the boys what they were to do.


The rest of the morning, full of lessons continued in much the same way. At the end of the last one Alanna got up along with the boys and left the room.

"I'll see you later." She said to Thom and headed for her rooms to change for combat. Once she was ready she made her way down to the practise court where they'd held their training session that morning and where Liam had told her his lessons would be held and to come there at training time. She arrived minutes before the first group of boys and many were surprised to see her there.

"Listen up!" Liam yelled.

"I am Shang Dragon but you will call me Master Ironarm whilst I am teaching you and treat me like any of your other teachers. Assisting me will be my apprentice Alanna and you shall treat her with the same respect and politeness which you accord any of your teachers. Now, let's start shall we?" he asked. A few of the boys looked surprised that Alanna was the Dragon's apprentice but none of them said anything. This was the first year pages so Thom was in the group. Liam started teaching them, asking Alanna to go along the rows correcting stance and position. This continued on for all of the pages, Liam using the same starting words on all of them. Within the group of third year pages was the Prince. He looked up at Alanna in surprise as Liam told them all who she was and then and there she judged him to be a bit sexist. As she was helping him correct his stance he spoke.

"So that's why you're here? Thom wouldn't tell any of us why, he said we'd find out soon enough and now I have. I assume the others will find out shortly." He said.

"Yes, they are fourth year pages." She told him coldly.

"So why are you apprenticed to the Dragon?" he asked.

"Because I want to be. Now shush, concentrate on your position." She told him before moving on down the line. In the next class were Raoul, Gary and Alex, all fourth year pages. She was moving past a boy with ice-blue eyes and white blond hair when he said something suggestive to her and then made a comment to his friends. Alanna whipped around.

"What did you say?" she asked him. Everyone, including Liam, looked up to see what was going on.

"I said would you give us a kiss?" he repeated as though she were dumb.

"That's what I thought you said." Alanna told him grimly.

"And what are you going to do about it?" he asked.

"Only this." And then, giving him her sweetest smile, she whacked him right in the face, hearing the sickly, yet satisfying, crunch as his nose broke. Then she turned around and walked off, ducking the punch he aimed at her just in time. She moved on down the line to help another boy who was staring at her in horror and fascination.

"Everybody back to your exercises." Liam yelled.


"Well that was an entertaining day." Liam said with a grin as they walked back to their rooms after they'd finished with the fourth year squires.

"Humph, that's what you think." Alanna replied darkly.

"Oh don't be such a sad sack. You scared half the squires out of their wits when you dealt with that boy and you're the age of a first year page. Cheer up, you're in the Palace, you're with your brother, you're learning Shang and you're not stuck in the convent for the next six years." He pointed out.

"You think I have reason to be cheerful?" she asked.

"Yes, only one boy had a go at you and the others respect you enough to leave you alone." He said gently.

"Well even if one has ago that means there's a chance the others will too." She said grumpily.

"Oh well, I'll let you deal with them if they do, won't I?" he said in his most cheerful mood, his eyes sparkling.

"Oh you're unbearable when you're like this." She said as she entered their sitting room.

"Then you'll just have to put up with me if you want to learn Shang." He said.

"I guess I will." She said, sighing gustily.

"Are you going to be having dinner here?" he asked.

"No, I don't think I could stand you." She said pointedly.

"That's a pity, I won't be eating here. I'll be eating in the mess hall with the training master. I'll take you to dinner." He said mischievously.

"I give up! I'll never get away from you." She said in exasperation before turning into her room and slamming the door. She bathed and changed into a modest dress for dinner. She opened her door and walked back into the sitting room to wait for Liam.

"Ah, so you're in a tame mood now are you?" he asked as he came out of his room.

"Don't push it." She said, standing up and heading for the door.

"Touchy." He teased.

"I only want you to show me the way." She said in reply before walking out and waiting for him before she closed the door.

"If you'll follow me my lady I shall escort you to the mess hall." Liam said in a fake polite voice.

"Shut up you oaf." She said. They walked the rest of the way in silence and Liam stopped her just outside the mess hall.

"I know you will want to catch up with your brother this evening but I will lock our main door at eleven o'clock so either you're in or you're out but I won't mind either way unless you don't come to morning training. Have a good evening." He said before proceeding to enter the mess hall. Alanna followed and joined the que for food. Once she'd gotten her food she glanced around, saw the boy who had made suggestive remarks to her earlier and headed in the opposite direction. She found Thom's copper head in the crowd and sat across from him.

"And that was gentle." He said in reply to the way she slammed her tray down.

"Don't you start too." She pleaded.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked kindly.

"I'm not sure what he is but he has blond hair and blue eyes." She said nastily.

"That could be anyone of about half the people in this room. Who was it and what did he do?" Thom asked.

"I think we can answer that for you." Gary said as he came to the table.

"Your sister had a little run in with Ralon today whilst we were at the practise courts being taught by Master Ironarm and her." Alex added.

"Oh really? What'd he do?" Thom asked with interest.

"Must've said something to her, not sure what. But she dealt with him pretty quick. Remind me never to upset you." Raoul said to Alanna once he'd finished his explanation to Thom. She just smiled at him. All three boys sat down across from her, next to Thom and each other.

"So how was your first day at the Palace, without the Ralon incident?" Thom asked.

"Not too bad, some of the lessons are a bit boring but they're all right." She said.

"What's all right?" Jon asked coming up and putting his tray down next to her, then sliding onto the bench on her right hand side.

"The lessons Jon, you've got to be here for the start of the conversation if you want to know what's being discussed." Gary said.

"Not that lessons would be of much interest to you." Alanna said half spitefully. Thom gave her the oddest look.

What's wrong with you? He asked using their twin link.

Nothing, what did I do? She asked back.

Just then you were rude to Jon. He replied.

Oh well, you'd better start talking soon, Gary just asked something. She told him.

"Pardon? What was that Gary?" Thom asked, interrupting the conversation which the other four were conducting.

"What? I didn't say anything." Gary said in surprise.

"Meanie." Thom said to Alanna.

"What? I never said he asked you." Alanna pointed out.

"What are you two talking about?" Jon asked.

"Nothing." Alanna said, turning to her food. She ate quickly, finishing before most of the others had finished and picked up her tray.

"Where are you going?" Thom asked.

"I've got stuff to do but I'll come to your room later on for a chat. Where is it?" she asked. After Thom had given her directions she put her tray on the counter and left to finish her homework.


"What was wrong with her?" Jon asked after Alanna had left.

"She's a bit grouchy. Something happened with Ralon whilst the fourth years were in the practise courts." Thom told him.

"Oh, I just thought she sounded a little put off and I was wondering what I'd done." Jon said.

"I don't think you've done anything." Thom said.

"Anyway, she's a feisty little thing." Gary said.

"Hey, that's my sister." Thom said.

"I didn't say anything bad." Gary said.

"Talking of bad, I wonder what Ralon said." Raoul commented.

"I'm sure we can find out." Thom said.

"How?" Raoul asked.

"There's three ways actually. We could ask Master Ironarm, we could ask Ralon or we could ask Alanna." Thom told him.

"I think I'll opt for the lesser of three evils, Ralon." Raoul said.

"Actually, it's probably easier to find out from Alanna later tonight when she comes round. We can study in my room tonight, I hope you don't mind." Thom said.

"Not at all, it might be entertaining to hear what she has to say." Jon said. "The only problem is that she might not say it in front of you all. Maybe you could hide when she first comes in so I could ask her." Thom suggested.

"Okay, and then we'll come out after she's said it." Alex agreed.

"I don't think so. You lot can hide but I'm not going to, you saw how she dealt with Ralon." Raoul said.

"Very true." Gary said, grinning at the memory.


"Thom are you in there?" Alanna asked through the door.

"Yes, come in." Thom called back. So Alanna entered Thom's room.

"This is a mess, what have you been doing in your spare time?" Alanna asked as she stepped over a pile of books in the middle of the floor.

"Don't you remember? Pages don't have spare time." He said.

"Well at least clean up sometime, this place is going to bury you soon." She said.

"I'll think about it. Now tell me, what did Ralon say to you?" he asked.

"Not much." She said evasively.

"Spill." He ordered.

"Oh alright. He said something about kissing." She told him crossly.

"I'm sure you've heard it before." Thom said mildly.

"It's the way he said it that I didn't like." She said tersely.

"Oh, by the way, I hope you don't mind but Jon, Gary, Raoul and Alex are coming round to study." He said apologetically.

"Not at all." Alanna said cheerfully. But Thom, I wanted to talk, I thought you'd want to too, she was thinking as she said it.

"Great, they'll be here shortly. If you want to go and get any bookwork you have you could join us." Thom offered.

"Okay, I'll be right back." Alanna told him, heading back to her room to collect her books. I guess it's better than not seeing him at all. Besides, I'm going to see him nearly everyday from now on, one day won't matter. She thought as she did so.


She stopped outside Thom's door, hearing voices and not wanting to interrupt.

"What did she say?" she heard a voice that sounded distinctly like Alex ask.

"Ralon apparently said something about kissing her." Thom answered him.

"Is that all?" Jon asked.

"Yes, but don't let Alanna hear you say anything like that. To her it was a deadly insult, especially the way Ralon said it apparently." Thom told them. Alanna was silently fuming. She pushed the door open and the five boys looked at her in surprise.

"Alanna, you're back!" Thom said.

"Yes, apparently sooner than you thought I'd be. What a lovely thing that was to say about your sister Thom." she said tightly.

"I didn't mean anything by it." he defended himself.

"Didn't you? Oh well, I guess I'll be seeing you boys later." she said, emphasising the word boys. Then she strode off down the hall without closing the door.

"Excuse me." Thom said, extracting himself from under the books on his lap.


"Go away; I don't want to talk to you or your annoying friends." Alanna said as Thom caught up to her.

"They only wanted to find out what Ralon said to you." Thom told her.

"Yes, but you didn't have to say any of that stuff about me thinking it offensive. That was just mean." Alanna exclaimed.

"I'm sorry Lanna." Thom told her, looking at her with puppy dog eyes.

"I don't care; I'm not speaking to you, goodnight." She said, turning round a corner and going out of Thom's sight. He returned dejectedly to his room.

"I don't think she was pleased." He told his friends.

"No, maybe we should have waited to talk, we know that she was already upset." Jon said awkwardly.

"Well I'm going to be happily avoiding her until she cools off." Thom said, dragging a book over in front of him.

"My guess is we should do the same." Raoul said.

"Well I would if I was you, she'll calm down soon, maybe even tomorrow." Thom said as he flipped the pages of his book, they all settled down to do their homework.


But Alanna was madder than Thom thought; she ate all her meals in her and Liam's rooms and wouldn't speak to him or the other four. When she was paired with one of them for fighting exercises in Liam's classes she attacked viciously, disarming them quickly so that they had to yield.

"What did you do to upset her?" Liam asked Thom on Alanna's fourth day of acting like this.

"I told some of my friends what Ralon said to her and she overheard me." Thom said sheepishly.

"You silly boy, you should go apologise to her." Liam suggested. Then he went over to talk to Alanna, who was absolutely miserable without someone to talk to.

"You know I think he's really sorry for what he did." Liam said.

"Well I don't care, he shouldn't have done it." She replied.

"But you know you're miserable without being able to talk to him. If he apologises I think you should forgive him." Liam told her.

"Maybe." She said. Later that day when Thom came to apologise on behalf of the boys she accepted their apology. So she became friends with the boys, although she was a little more reserved around Jonathan than the others and Thom started to notice.

"Why do you act differently around Jon?" he asked her one night about six months after she'd come to the Palace.

"Because he's a sexist stuck up Prince. He was so surprised when he found out that I was the Dragon's apprentice and I could see in his face that he didn't think a petite little lady such as myself should be learning combat ways." She told him.

"He's really okay; it might just've been his first surprise at hearing. I mean you saw my face when I saw you in Fruball's class that first day." He said.

"Still, he doesn't think I should be learning combat and I can't be good friends with people who don't accept who I am." She said.

"Wait til you know him better and then make your judgement." Thom suggested before walking away.


Alanna's life at the Palace continued in much the same way for the rest of the year and she continued to learn the Shang ways from Liam. She moved onto more advanced techniques which the pages and squires weren't learning and her lessons in other areas also continued. Gary, Raoul and Alex were all squires now and went away on travels with their knight master. Things went on the same with only Thom and Jon, whom Alanna was warming up to, for company. Then one day during her second year at the Palace it all changed.

"Alanna could you please dine in our apartments tonight? I need to talk to you." Liam said after combat training had finished.

"Of course, I'll just go have my bath and get changed. I can go see Thom after we've talked and eaten." She said. They had dinner and then Liam started his talk.

"I know you've been having fun here but I think it's time for us to move on. I want to go to the Shang meeting this year and you can meet your year mates there whilst I talk to the other Shang masters and see what else has been happening that I need to know about." He told her.

"I don't mind. I did say that when I came with you I would travel where ever I needed to go to learn Shang." Alanna said, although inside she was beginning to feel sad. This would mean she wouldn't be seeing Thom anymore.

"Good. We shall leave in maybe a month or two to get to the meeting in time and then I shall decide where we go from there once it is over. You never know, we might join up with some other Shang and travel as a group for a while." He said.

"Okay, is that all?" Alanna asked.

"No, you do realise that this time I'm going to have to get you a travelling teacher?" he asked.

"Oh, who?" she asked him in return.

"I was thinking of asking about but I'll let you know when I've found someone. It might be a noble governess." He said.

"Okay then, I'm going to go see Thom." She said, rising from her chair.

"Don't forget to come back." He warned.

"I won't." she said as she left. She hurried to Thom's room and burst in without knocking.

"Thom guess what?" she called as she did so, only noticing after she'd entered that Jon was there too.

"You were saying?" Thom asked when she stopped.

"Oh never mind." She said. She took a seat to wait until Jon left before talking to Thom.

"You may as well tell me now while Jon's here, I'll be telling him anyway." Thom said.

"Okay. Liam and I are leaving in about a month or two to go to the Shang gathering and start travelling like other Shang do. I think Liam feels he's been in one place too long." Alanna said.

"Oh but that means we won't see you anymore." Thom said sadly. Although they fought like cat and dog he and Alanna were really at their happiest when they could see each other.

"I'll still write to you and I won't be leaving for a little while yet." She said, cheering him up slightly.

"Well I hope you enjoy your travels." Jon said.

"I'm sure I will. I'll force Liam to come back here sometime if I feel like it." Alanna told them.

"Good, if you didn't I'm sure I'd find a way to contact you." Thom said, wriggling his fingers indicating that he'd use his Gift.

"Well if I'm not back good luck for your Ordeal Jon and good luck becoming a squire and getting a knight master Thom." Alanna said.

"Couldn't you say that on the day you leave?" Thom asked.

"I could but I'll bet you I forget." Alanna told him.

"Oh well, you've said it now anyway. And I at least thank you." Jon said.

"You're welcome." Alanna said.

"Well thanks for coming to tell me." Thom said.

"That's okay; I thought you'd like to know. After all, you are my twin brother. Anyway, I have to go now." Alanna said, getting up.

"So do I. I'll walk with you for a little way." Jon said as he too got up.

"I'll see both of you tomorrow." Thom said, turning back to his work. Alanna left with Jon and closed the door to Thom's room behind her.

"Which direction are you heading in?" Jon asked.

"That way." Alanna said, pointing down the corridor to the left.

"Lead the way; I'll walk you to your room." Jon said.

"If you have to go in another direction then go, I don't mind." Alanna said nonchalantly.

"Can I ask a question?" Jon asked.

"Fire away." Alanna replied.

"Well you were always fine with Gary, Raoul and Alex but you've always seemed a bit further away from me. Why?" he asked.

"Do I really have to tell you?" she asked.

"I think I can guess." He replied.

"What is it then?" she prompted.

"You think you have to act more proper around me because I'm the Prince." He said.

"You are way off. I don't care that you're the Prince, if that was what I was worried about I wouldn't be walking with you now, I would've fled a short while ago." Alanna told him matter-of-factly.

"Then what is it?" Jon asked.

"If you must know it's because I've always had the feeling you don't think I should be learning combative ways because I'm a girl and so I never actually classed you as close a friend as the others." She said.

"What? I never said that." He said.

"Did I say you did? No, you didn't say it but you're thinking it even now. I can tell. Good night Jonathan, keep my brother company for me and good luck in your Ordeal." Alanna said before walking off, leaving Jon behind to ponder her.


A/N: So did you like it? I think I used the word 'said' too much but oh well. R/R time again, please give me your thoughts. Come on, I'm going for fifteen reviews this time. Thanks, luv Alenor.