Tia continued to remember what she had done and how she managed to fit in but there was something or rather someone who she had immediately made a connection to and was very special to her in these last months she had been at the Palace Thom, despite the fact that he was a year younger.
He had been exceptionally nice to someone who obviously wasn't really sure what to do at social events but there was something about him that Tia didn't know and drove Alanna to the point of nearly exclaiming, shouting and generally having a huge fit when she saw them together Thom was Tia's unknown (but known to Alanna and Maude) half-brother.
Tia felt drawn to Thom and Thom to her, both of them wanted a relationship but since they were inexperienced in such matters they kept to their developing friendship.
Tia sighed and her heart fluttered as she recalled the moment in the garden where she and Thom were completely alone and he was just about to kiss her unknown half-brother when Alanna seeing them and what they were about to do, quickly and loudly walked past making them jump apart.
For some unknown reason to Tia, Alanna had given Tia special treatment making Tia frustrated because she didn't want special treatment; she wanted to be treated like any other person because of this Tia didn't like her unknown mother.
It was this reason that Tia sat on a seat on the opposite side of the room to Alanna.
Suddenly king Jonathan walked in to the room and both Tia and Alanna jumped up to greet their king.
Once again Tia wasn't sure whether or not to swear loyalty to a partially unknown kingdom and king.
"Greetings Tia and Alanna my Champion where would I be with out you? Please come in." Jonathan said merrily what he had achieved a few minutes ago to make Alanna and Tia think about each other, as it was Jon was sure only two or three people knew about Alanna's forbidden secret and what was happening between Alanna's two children.
Jon smiled at the predicament Alanna had got herself into; of course it took only one glance at Tia's locket to tell what happened about seventeen years ago.
As Jon held open the door for both women as they entered his office.
"Now your probly wondering why I called you to my office and that's to discuss a certain matter that many of my nobles have been chatting about The romance between two unlikely people Thom and-" at this moment Tia blushed and Alanna looked like she was going to have a seizure and a fit at the same time. "- Roxanne Gary's daughter-" Alanna looked like she was going to faint from relief and Tia blew out air in likewise relief.
Jonathan smiled with delight as he studied the faces of the two women with similar purple eyes both with relief painted all over it and continued his sentence "-apparently there have been several 'incidents' where according to witnesses involved a lot of inappropriate behavior -" Jon realized that he was making this up now and from the look on Tia's face Thom was in a lot of trouble if what Jon said was true.
"-But that could just be a rumour but if it's true I wanted to discuss it with both of you Alanna being his mother and Tia being his teacher if they noticed any 'undignified' behavior?" Jonathan continued noticing not for the first time he was stepping on dangerous ground.
Alanna was the first to speak up (Tia looked and was speechless).
"I'm sorry Jon but I guess its just rumours because I haven't seen any 'undignified' behavior." Alanna's eyes weren't on Jon's eyes when she spoke, they were on Tia's as if saying 'you owe me'.
Tia understood and nodded and said "No there hasn't been any unusual activity on Thom's behalf."
King Jonathan could hardly contain his glee; there were obviously some side effects to this night's probing the past but they would pass.
"If that's all, I will see you tomorrow at breakfast." Jon said rising to open the door.
"Yes that's all." Alanna said aware that her daughter was thinking hard and left with Tia not far behind.
Thom stood watching the moon reflected in the pond when he heard a sound and turned to see an angry Tia approach him, even when she was angry Thom thought she was still beautiful, Thom's insides squirmed as she stood next to him and said
"You lied Thom." Tia's voice was pure ice as she regarded Thom with cold, emotionless purple eyes.
Thom looked back his own purple eyes revealed his confusion as he said
"I lied about what Tia?" Thom said his voice barely more than a whisper he couldn't believe the love of his life could treat him so bad.
"You said I was the only one, you lied." Tia's voice was gaining icyness as she spoke and her purple eyes were flashing dangerously.
"I didn't lie, I don't lie Tia." Thom sighed as he when on. "Look I don't lie O.K? I would never lie to you Tia." Thom said softly and looked Tia in the eyes.
Tia insides melted as she looked at the boy-man who meant so much to her and realized she had made a mistake or rather the King had made one but she had to get this sorted out.
"I believe you now Thom but I was told that you where doing 'undignified behavior' with Lady Roxanne." Tia said the icyness gone from her voice being replaced with softness.
"Lady Roxanne!" Thom said barely keeping his voice down.
"I wouldn't go out with her or do anything with her if she was the last woman alive!"
Thom nearly shouted really biting off the words anything and last.
Tia and Thom felt reassured by each other honesty and hugged each other before giving and receiving a long passionate kiss.
Jonathan was out on a moonlight stroll when he heard the icy but unmistakable words of Tia as she spoke to Thom "You lied Thom."
Jon decided not to stick around and see a high-ranking Shang beat up a squire he had seen all to much of it lately and went to the nearest garden that was far enough from Tia and Thom that he wouldn't hear them speak or Thom scream.
There sitting on a bench, head in her hands was Alanna, she looked up when she heard Jon's footsteps and said
"I have something to tell you Jon." Alanna sighed.
Jonathan decided to tell Alanna that he knew her forbidden secret.
"Alanna if it's about your 'forbidden secret' I already know." Jon said taking the seat next to her.
"Y-y-you do?" Alanna said startled.
"Yes I do, I figured it our when I saw Tia's locked the engraved letters on the outside and inside was enough for me to piece it together. You really shouldn't give your 'forbidden child' a locket especially with the letters A.C engraved on the inside it's too obvious."
Jon said regretting his little prank on Alanna and Tia.
"Look it's O.K even I made mistakes." Jonathan said putting his arm around Alanna for her own comfort.
"Thanks Jon, I really need that now." Alanna said slightly leaning against King Jonathan.