Chapter Two - Private Kisses in Public

"Why do you keep looking around?" Jon wanted to know as he stretched out in the grass.

Alanna's hands reached up to check her wig was secure. "It just feels too public, that's all."

Jon peered up into her face. "Yes, I see what you mean," he said, affecting a very solemn air. "It's far too open; anyone in a five-hundred mile radius is going to know that the Prince is right here, kissing his squire."

"You're not kissing me," Alanna pointed out.

"No, I don't seem to be, do I? Well, I think that can be fixed," he said, smiling and reaching out to pull her down on top of him.

Alanna yelped and checked her natural colour was still not visible. "You enjoy making me sweat."

Jonathan raised an eyebrow. "Of course I do. Does your other secret lover?" As Alanna opened her mouth, no doubt to insult him, he kissed her swiftly. He was breathing raggedly as he pushed the black hair from her eyes, and explained, "I had to do that, you see. Ladies don't use soldiers' language."

"I'm not a lady," Alanna reminded him. "I'm a squire. Your squire."

"Mine," he agreed, kissing her again. "My lady squire."

"You can't always shut me up with a kiss, you know."

He grinned, leaning forward a little so their noses touched. "Oh, but it works so well."

She was about to kiss him to see if it would shut him up, but somewhere above them, a throat was cleared. Loudly. Guiltily, like a child caught stealing the last of the jam tarts, Alanna scrambled to her feet, hiding her face behind her hair. Through the veil her wig provided, she could see Jon getting to his feet.

"Lady Roxanne," he said coolly, bowing as Roxanne swept him an elegant curtsy. "What a pleasure." His tone suggested it was anything but.

Alanna made to bow, then remembered her state of dress and curtsied instead, though clearly not well enough for the standards Lady Roxanne set, judging by the contemptuous look thrown her way. She dimly recognised Roxanne, though she couldn't tell where from. She tucked her hair behind her ears, and thoughtfully examined the other girl.

"Oh, the pleasure, your highness, is all mine, I assure you. I do hope I didn't interrupt your little, ah, discussion?" Roxanne asked silkily.

Alanna clenched her fists and took a step back, wondering how much Roxanne had heard.

Her worries were apparently unfounded. In view of the Prince's lack of response, Roxanne clasped her hands together. "I apologise for my rudeness, your highness, it is certainly not my place to suggest the Prince should conduct such affairs in, shall we say, a more private place." Her eyes flicked across to Alanna, and her expression seemed to say that she thought the person far more objectionable than the place.

Jonathan nodded curtly. "I am aware that I have to congratulate you on your upcoming marriage."

"Oh, you do not have to do anything, your highness. But yes, and how sweet of you to keep up with what's been happening to me! I cannot say that I've been doing the same with you. Do you still keep in touch with those dreadful friends of yours? I suppose Ra - Raghoul was well enough, but that little boy, he had the most awful temper tantrums, and he smelt like a pig! And don't get me started on-"

"On my cousin?" Jonathan enquired frostily. "Perhaps you should ask your sister about him. Anyway, we have no wish to force you to start anything you don't want to, so good day to you, Lady Roxanne. I would hate to think we were keeping you from your busy schedule." He grabbed Alanna's hand and strode off, purposefully, toward the city.

"You'll have done it now," Alanna whispered, hoping that she didn't actually smell like a pig. It wasn't her fault that she needed to be so careful with bathing times, in case she was discovered. "She'll say the little boy is rubbing off on you."

"I don't care," he responded shortly. "Dear gods, she's even worse than before. Whatever they put in the Elden water, it can't be good."

Alanna pulled him to a stop, taking his other hand in hers. "I can't wait to see Gary's face when he realises she's in Corus, though. He's been planning methods of torture all week. And there you went, stirring it all up. Anyway, we shouldn't let her ruin our afternoon. Squire Alan's out all day courting his lady, remember?"

"Ah, yes," Jonathan said, smiling down at her. "Perhaps next week, you could start to bring me flowers. I like lilies."

Alanna snorted. "That doesn't surprise me. Come on, pansy, before she catches up."

"And to come to Court, hoping to find my sweet and innocent sister, and instead discovering she has been fraternising with the enemy!"

Roxanne finally drew breath after a five minute tirade, but Cythera did not jump in immediately, unable to digest all the information, which ranged from Roxanne's poor nerves, to the state of Roxanne's poor nerves, to the effect Cythera's behaviour was having on Roxanne's poor nerves. Confusion flickered in Cythera's eyes at the sudden change in subject, and she opened her mouth - but too late. Roxanne was off again.

"I just don't understand you. After all that vulgar boy did to me, you go and throw yourself at him like some sort of flower girl! No doubt that's the kind of girl he's turned to after me, though, especially given the company his cousin keeps nowadays. Didn't even know how to curtsy to a lady! She looked as though she'd been dragged through the gutter, though, and that hair-"

"I have not been throwing myself at Sir Gareth," Cythera interrupted.

"- didn't look brushed at - what?"

"I have had nothing whatsoever to do with him. The feeling is apparently mutual; the most he's ever said to me was yesterday. He wishes you and Glaisdan every happiness," Cythera said serenely, fixing her hair into a thick plait.

"Oh, I'm sure he does," said Roxanne darkly, beginning to pace the floor. "Every happiness into our early graves. No, don't do your hair like that, it looks messy. Put it into a bun."

Cythera obeyed. "I'm sure he repents for what he did to you, and he really does seem to have changed, from what you told me about him. He seems to be a perfect gentleman now."

"Appearances are deceiving," Roxanne replied quickly, lowering her eyes. "He won't change, don't trouble yourself trying to find the best in him, he doesn't deserve it. You would do best to keep away from him. Far away. You - you understand, don't you?" She stopped right in front of her sister, her dark eyes searching Cythera's. "It's for your own good. I don't want you getting hurt."

Cythera nodded, securing her hair with pins. "I understand, Roxanne. I'll try harder to keep away from him. There, how does that look?"

"Oh, no, that's not becoming at all! Try something looser - a plait, maybe?"