A/N: Hi guys, it's me again. I'm sorry it took me so long to get this up but I didn't realise just how much stuff I had to do at other places. Works been hectic and so has school so sorry for the delay.

Thanks:

know-it-all: thanks for the review, sorry but I couldn't email you. It was the whole anonymous thing.

Ti-Ti: there might be a little romance but I don't think it's written too well. I've never written romance before so I have to get used to the idea before I get good at writing it, sorry.

randombandnerd: thanks for your review, I think I emailed you, didn't I? Anyway, Ruatha was a pure coincidence.

Devilsheart: thanks again.

Mage Light: I'm glad you like it.

Silence is Deafening: thanks for the awesome comment, I'll try to update more regularly.

Disclaimer: same for the rest of the story: anything you recognise is Tammy's and anything you don't is mine. If you want to borrow anything that isn't Tammy's then just drop us an email and ask.

A/N: This chapter of the story is a few years after Alanna left the palace, she's about 15... I think. Anyways, enjoy!


Chapter 5: Boys

"Are you two having fun?" Liam asked as he rounded a corner and saw Alanna and Will cuddled together.

"Yes thanks." Will replied.

"Well Lanna just remember that you do have training tonight." The Dragon told his fifteen year old apprentice.

"I know, do you really think I would forget?" she asked him with mock hurt.

"Just reminding you." He said before walking off in a thoughtful silence.

"Why does he even think he needs to remind me?" Alanna asked Will.

"Who knows how the mind of a Dragon works?" Will asked her.

"I suppose no one bar the Dragon knows." She said with a sigh.

"Cheer up Lanna; we were having fun before he came to tell you that." Will said, giving her a long kiss after wards.

"Mmm, maybe he thinks I'm getting distracted by someone." She said pointedly.

"What? I'm not that big a distraction am I?" he asked, mock concerned.

"No, I never said you were." Alanna said.

"Well then why'd you say it at all?" he asked suspiciously.

"No, you have nothing to worry about. There's no one else." Alanna told him with a laugh.

"Good. Now come on, I guess we'd both better go get changed before training." He said standing up and pulling her with him.


"What do you think of going to the Palace to teach Shang to the pages and squires?" Liam asked Kyliah later that night.

"I wouldn't mind. I've never taught more than one person at a time." She told him.

"So we could head there next?" Liam asked.

"Yeah, why not?" Kyliah asked him.


"We're going to Corus now." Liam told the two apprentices the next morning.

"Why the change of plan? I thought we were heading in the other direction." Alanna commented.

"We thought we'd like change for once." Kyliah said.

"And I thought you'd like to see Thom again." Liam said.

"He won't even be there. He'll be out in the field with Myles." Alanna said.

"Actually I know as well as you that Myles is not a field knight, he teaches one of the classes which you used to take." Liam said.

"Okay, I'll come." Alanna agreed.

"And I think it'll be fun to live in the palace for a little while." Will said.

"Then you two had better go and pack because we're leaving tomorrow morning." Kyliah said.

"See you then I guess." Will said before walking off to his room to pack his bag.

"Thanks for thinking of me when you chose our next destination." Alanna said with a smile at both Shang masters before heading to her own room to do her own packing.


Alanna looked around the practise courts where she had dragged Will as soon as they had arrived and sure enough there was a little group of squires huddled over on one side. She went round behind the group, indicating that Will come behind her quietly, and crept up behind Thom.

"Guess who?" She teased as she put her hands over his eyes.

"Now that ones hard. Let's see, could it possibly be my dreaded sister?" Thom drawled before turning round to give her a hug.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her after he'd drawn back from her.

"Liam and Kyliah, the Unicorn, decided to come here for a little while. It seems that the training master was short a few Shang." She told him.

"Well good, you can stay here for a little while. I haven't seen you since we were at Trebond for father's passing." He said.

"And last time you saw me I didn't bring my friend Will." Here she dragged Will forward into the circle.

"Will meet my brother Thom, Thom this is Kyliah's apprentice Will." She introduced the two. Thom offered his hand.

"How do you do?" Thom asked.

"Well thanks. It's nice to finally meet you, Lanna talks about you so much that I was wondering just when I would meet you." Will said as he took the proffered hand.

"Really? My sister actually says things about me? I hope they're all good." He said with a glance at Alanna.

"Oh no, they're all absolutely horrible." She replied with a straight face.

"We'll have to remedy that then." Thom said.

"Well can we remedy it later? I'm rather hungry and I believe Will probably is too." Alanna said.

"Come on, we'll go to the kitchens and weasel something out of one of the maids." Thom said.

"Good." Alanna said and followed behind Thom as he led the way.


Alanna was watching Thom and Will on the practise courts when a shadow fell over her.

"Oh, it's you." She said as Jonathan sat down next to her.

"What a nice way to greet an old friend." He said.

"Sorry your highness. Shall I rephrase that? How do you do Prince Jonathan?" Alanna asked more formally.

"Oh don't be such a pain Alanna. I heard you and Liam were back in the palace and I thought I'd come say hello. When I went to where you're staying the woman who answered the door told me that you were down here." Jonathan told her.

"Congratulations, you found me." She said dryly.

"You're just ecstatic at seeing me aren't you?" he asked in a cheerful yet sarcastic way.

"Oh I'm absolutely jumping with joy." She agreed in the same manner.

"So what've you been doing since we saw you last?" he asked.

"Not much, travelling, which, might I point out, is what Shang apprentices usually do with their masters." She said.

"I knew that." He said calmly.

"By the way, congratulations on the shield." She said, for Jonathan was now a knight.

"Thank you. Who's that Thom's fighting with? I don't think I've seen him here before and he looks too old to be a first year page." Jonathan said.

"That's Will, the Unicorn's apprentice." She told him proudly. He looked at her sideways but didn't comment on the tone of her voice.

"Really? I would have thought he'd have beaten Thom by now." He said.

Alanna grinned. "He would've if I hadn't told him to go easy." She replied.

"How nice of you to do so."

"If there's now a problem with saving your brother's butt from a whipping then let me know." She said crossly. Wondering why the hell he was even there and asking as much in politer terms.

"Well I only came to say hello but if you don't want me around I'll go." He said angrily as he stood up.

"Do so, I never asked you to come." She said and then watched as Jonathan strode off angrily.

"Now who was that?" Will asked as he and Thom made their way over to her.

"That was Jonathan of Conte." She answered.

"And what did you say to him Lanna?" Thom asked.

"Nothing much." She said calmly.

"Lanna if you keep baiting my friends you'll end up in a very bad position someday. Now I'll ask you again, what did you say to him?"

"I didn't say anything bad; we just had a little chat." Alanna told him.

"I'll just ask him then." Thom said, striding off after Jonathan.

"Sorry, did you just say you were chatting with the Crown Prince of Tortall?" Will asked in surprise.

"Yes." Alanna replied without batting an eyelid.

"And you upset him?" he asked.

"Put it this way, we don't get on too well." Alanna said.

"Oh." Was all Will could manage in reply.

"Come on, let's go. You'll start to smell if you don't have a bath and get changed soon." Alanna said, standing up she tugged on his arm and pulled him in the direction of their rooms.


"Alanna get yourself out here." Thom called through their main door.

"Aren't you going to go see what he wants?" Kyliah asked Alanna, who was sitting in an armchair next to the window.

"No, and if he comes in I was never here." She said before climbing out the window, leaving the other three to deal with the irate Thom who was waiting outside the door. She made her way to the gardens and found herself a little alcove where she could while away the time until Thom had cooled off enough to talk to reasonably. She sat down on the grass and lent against the corner of the hedge, making herself comfortable before allowing herself to let her thoughts roam.

She was still thinking when she dozed off a short while later and it was like this that Jonathan found her whilst he was walking in the gardens alone, but for his thoughts. He mused that she looked so vulnerable there, dozing against the green hedge. He found himself wondering what it would be like to kiss her and shook himself mentally. No, he told himself, she'd probably eat her own hair before she would kiss you. Around this time Alanna opened her eyes.

"Oh hello Jon." She said before curling up and going back to sleep. He smiled to himself thinking how different this greeting was to the one he'd been given earlier in the day. He sat down next to her and waited for her to wake properly.


Alanna opened her eyes blearily and sat up, wondering where she was. Then she remembered that she was in the gardens. She allowed herself a small smile as she remembered the dream she'd had. In it she had been sleeping and had opened her eyes to see Jonathan standing over her with a look akin to love in his eyes as he looked down on her. She laughed to herself as she remembered thinking of how they seemed to hate one another at the moment. Then she realised that there was someone sitting next to her and looked to see that it was Jonathan.

"Hello Alanna." He said quietly.

"What are you doing here Jon?" she asked.

"I was wandering through the gardens and saw you here so I thought I'd sit and have a chat once you woke up." He said.

"Oh." She said.

"So what was that little incident this morning about?" he asked.

"I'm sorry about that. I was thinking about the last conversation we had. You know I still think you think I shouldn't be in combat training." She commented.

"I don't think that. In fact I think it wonderful that you're doing what you want to." He said in exasperation.

"I'm allowed to think what I will." She said.

"And how am I supposed to change how you think?" he asked, leaning closer to her face.

"I'm not sure." She said becoming speechless when she realised how close they were.

"But I still have the chance to change it?" he asked, moving even closer.

"Um, I think so." She said, staring at his lips. Jonathan tired of waiting and kissed her. Instantly Alanna stiffened up but then relaxed and put her arms around his neck, kissing him back.

"Well this is interesting." Thom said as he came into the alcove. Alanna and Jonathan sprang apart.

"Thom, uh, how nice to see you." Alanna said nervously.

"I see you've settled your disagreement." Thom replied, looking pointedly at Alanna.

"I think we have." Jon said with a grin.

"Might I ask what was going on when I came upon you?" he asked as though it were an ordinary question.

"No you may not." Alanna said, just a little too quickly.

"Oh okay, but you know this works out quite well. If my sister marries my best friend then I won't have to head in two different directions when I want to visit you both." Thom said.

"We're not getting married." Alanna cried.

"How do you know? You two only just started getting along well. You were fighting this morning and it's rather a large step to kissing. Next you might be getting married." Thom said, with a teasing glint in his eye.

"Can't you go away Thom?" Alanna asked.

"Oh fine then, if you two love birds don't want me around then I guess I'll just go." He said as he turned around, then left.


"That was rather embarrassing." Alanna said, her cheeks red.

"Oh well, it was only Thom." Jon said, putting his arms around her. Alanna shrugged him off.

"Don't, I'm so confused." She said.

"What's confusing about it?" Jon asked.

"I used to hate you and I used to think about Will the way I'm thinking about you at the moment." She told him. His eyebrows shot up.

"Will's courting you?" he asked in surprise.

"I don't know." She told him in confusion. He gave her a hug.

"What you do is tell Will that you would prefer it if you were just good friends. Tell him what you really think if you want." He said.

"But what if he never speaks to me again?" she asked him.

"If he's a true friend he will, don't worry about it." Jon told her.

"Thanks Jon. Listen, I'll see you later." She said. She pushed herself up off the ground and went to leave.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"To have that chat with Will." She said before leaving him there by himself.


"Can I tell you something?" she asked Will.

"Sure, what is it?" he asked.

"Promise you'll still speak to me afterwards." She said.

"I promise."

"Well I don't think I like you anymore." She said hesitantly.

"Oh. Why not?" he asked her quietly.

"I'm not sure but the problem is I think I like Jonathan." She said.

"The Prince?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes. I'm so sorry Will, I honestly did like you before." She said.

"I guess people's feelings change. I'm okay with it, honestly." He said, seeing her glance at him in concern.

"You're sure?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Go and apologise to Jonathan for what you said this morning and good luck." He said with a grin.

"Hey, that's not something you should be talking about." She said indignantly.

"What? I never said it, I implied it. And besides, it's possible." He said.

"Thanks Will. See you later." She said, turning around and hiding her grin. She walked off to find Jon.


A/N: Sooo, I think that was a little to long, wasn't it? Oh well, more reading for you I guess. I think there was also too much talking but I just can't help it, I'm a chatterbox and that seems to come across in my stories, sorry. Did I move the story alng too quickly? Sorry if you think I did. Now, time to review. Let me know what you think, and if you want me to try and chuck anything into the story put it in your review. Cya's later.