Trouble at the Swimming Hole
By DragonSinger06
Disclaimer: The characters and setting of this story are the property of Tamora Pierce, I own nothing.
Alanna of Trebond, better known as Page Alan to her friends at the palace, splashed happily as she waded into the swimming hole. She hadn't been swimming in over three years, not since she'd started disguising herself as a boy to train to be a knight. Fortunately, all the pages and squires were in Corus on a rare day off from Duke Gareth. Only Alanna had stayed behind, by telling her friends that she wasn't feeling well. Alanna swam another lap across the swimming hole. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy this, she thought.
Suddenly, a boy's voice broke the quiet of the pool. "Hey!" the voice called, "Catch up! We're almost there!"
Alanna recognized the voice as belonging to Raoul, and began to panic. At 13, she'd developed enough of a chest that she would never be taken for a boy, even in waist-deep water. She spotted a cluster of reeds in one corner, and quickly hid herself in them. Alanna could hear the sound of two boys crashing through the forest towards her. Too late, she remembered her clothes, laid out on the flat rock at the opposite side of the pool. She would never get to them in time, and they would give her away!
Before Alanna could come up with a plan, Raoul burst into the clearing, with Gary on his tail.
"Ha!" Raoul laughed, "I beat you, slowpoke!"
"That's just because my ankle's still sore from being wrenched during wrestling yesterday," Gary retorted, "I'll best you later, sure as the Crooked God cheats!"
"Sure, sure, I'll believe it when I see it," Raoul said, moving closer to the swimming hole. "Hey, what's that?"
"What?"
"That," Raoul pointed to the rock where Alanna's clothes lay.
Gary walked over to the rock. "It's a set of clothes, probably for a page, but I don't see anyone around."
Raoul peered about the pool. "Hello? Is anyone there?"
Alanna held as still as she could and sent a silent plea to the Goddess. Please don't let them see me. I'll be good forever, just don't let me get caught!
However, the Goddess didn't answer Alanna's prayer that day.
"Hey! In the reeds! Is that you Alan?" Gary yelled.
Alanna did not respond, hoping against hope that they would just forget about it and go away.
Luck was not on her side. The boys ran around the pool to investigate. Alanna struggled to cover herself as they approached, lowering herself so that only her head was above water.
"Alan! I thought you didn't like to swim!" Raoul exclaimed.
"I… er… thought I'd give it a try…" Alanna stuttered.
"Then why did you hide from us?" Raoul persisted.
"Because… because I didn't want to make a fool of myself."
"A bit late for that, I'd say," Gary quipped.
"C'mon, get out if those reeds and we'll help you learn." Raoul took hold of her arm and started gently lifting her to her feet in the shallow water.
Alanna let out a squeak of protest, but Raoul didn't know his own strength, and soon she was standing in the waist-deep water. She tried to cover herself, but the boys caught sight of her chest and staggered backwards in surprise.
"You're… you're a girl!" Raoul stammered, incredulous.
"Really now? I thought Alan here was a dancing bear. Thank you for that brilliant observation," Gary drawled, but Alanna could see that he was rattled.
She sunk back into the water, her face the same bright crimson as her hair. There was a moment of silence as the three friends stared at each other.
Suddenly, Gary burst out laughing. "This is just too funny! Who else knows?"
"Just George and his mother," Alanna said, not meeting his eyes.
Raoul knelt down to be closer to her eyelevel and said, "Don't worry Alan - or whatever your name is – we're you're friends. Your secret is safe with us."
"We'll never tell," Gary added.
"Alanna," she said softly, "My name is Alanna."