Chapter Twelve; City Life.

I am in such a good mood tonight I have updated when I didn't mean to. So thank S-Star for that!

This is for you chica! Thanks for everything!

Alongside his friends Jon was introduced my Alanna to the underbelly of Corus. He learned how to play cards with the thieves and how to pick a lock. He discovered what went on in the city, the laws that governed the Rogues and commoners. He learned how to knock someone out who attacked him in an instant. Liam took him under his arm, at Alanna's request. The Shang Dragon taught him the basics of unarmed self defence, along with the other knights.

Alanna had opened up more since she had told him about her past. She came up to the palace to join her new friends when ever they trained.

On this autumn evening there were in the Dove once more, laughing as 'Fingers, the inn's resident drunk persuaded Nell, a flower girl to dance with him. Some men pulled out dusty instruments from a cupboard and struck up a lively tune. At that moment Alanna left the kitchen, carrying two bowls of stew and tankards. She expertly wove her way past 'Fingers.

"Still at it 'Fingers? Leave him be Nell," She advised, "He's drunk early tonight." She set the food down on a corner table where a thief and his lady sat. Alanna then made her way to the Knights' table and sank into the empty chair beside Jon.

"It's busy tonight." Gary observed.

"Yeah." She leaned back and fanned herself with her hand. "I haven't sat down all night."

Alex spoke from the shadows in the corner where he was quietly sipping at his tankard.

"Lightfingers has had one too many I see." She nodded.

"He was drunk when he came in, and Nell isn't helping, encouraging him to dance." She laughed quietly, "better her than me though."

"You don't dance?" Jon asked.

"Not when I don't have to." She said firmly. Jon looked across the table to Gary and Raoul, the smiles twitching around their mouths told him that they knew exactly what he had in mind. As Alex distracted her with questions, Jonathon nodded and the three men pulled or pushed her out of her chair and herded her onto the dance floor. Everyone's attention turned to them as she shook her head in refusal.

"Oh no. No you don't." Jon caught her hands and spun her around. "You've had too much to drink as well!" She accused.

"No." Alex drained the rest of his ale and stood from his chair with his customary catlike grace. "He's sober."

Liam called out from his chair by the hearth.

"Go on Princess, or are you too afraid."

"I'm not afraid."

"So prove it." he challenged. She shook her head laughingly at him.

"No Ironarm. You won't trick me that way again."

"Come on gal!" 'Fingers swayed up to her, "I'll dance with yeh." She smiled and pushed him back into Nell's open arms. Beseechingly she looked at Rispah.

"Don't look at me like that girl. You're on yer own there, I'm far too tired to dance." The men began a slow handclap as the music started up again.

"There's no way out of this for me is there?" She looked pleadingly up at the circle of young men.

"No!" Raoul said cheerfully. "So you'd better just grin and bear it."

She grimaced at him,

"Please?"

"No." A couple of  the Rogue girls came up to them, Alanna swiftly introduced them to the boys, The blond haired girl beside Gary was Rosetta, the tall brunette was Lucy, who stood next to Raoul and the chesty blonde called Marion joined Alex. Alanna herself felt Jon take her hand.

The young couples laughed at the sight of all the Court gathering around in a circle, a large area now cleared of chairs and tables.

Gary and Rosetta were the first to begin dancing, but the others soon followed. Alanna pulled on one of Jon's hands, placing it on her hip, as she raised her other hand, still holding on to his, and curved it above their heads. She looked up into his face and smirked,

"You forced me into this. You have to lead."

"I don't know the steps." He protested.

"Who says I do?" She replied tartly. Jon laughed and looked around at the other couples before slowly turning her so they walked around in a slow circle together.

The music changed to a faster beat. She grinned up at him and brought their hands down as she turned, crossing his hands at her waist, before releasing one and whirling out.

Jonathon soon got the hang of the dance. It was nowhere near as complicated as some of the court dances were. Slowly, more and more couples joined them on the floor as the dance sped up, the partners spinning and interweaving between each other at a rapid pace. As the music finally came to an end the young people sat down on their chairs, the other girls perching on the table.

"I really hate you lot." Alanna said, mock glaring at them all. Lucy flicked the redhead's hair.

"You're a good dancer 'Lanna. Why'd you hide it?"

"It's too courtlike for our Princess." Rosetta teased. Alanna nodded seriously, exchanging a glance with Jonathon.

"That could be one reason." She said. "The other reason would be that I can never remember all the steps."

"Neither can I." Raoul confessed, "I hide away in a corner during balls." Alanna laughed as she imagined the big knight hiding behind a curtain.

"We do court here at the Rogue." Marion said. "But we don't get the flowery language or the poetry." after she said this, Gary immediately knelt before her and began reciting a horrible love poem that had them all in stitches with laughter. Gary however, looked around at them, bewildered.

"What?"

"That..." Alanna choked out from her doubled over position, "was some of the worst poetry I have ever heard."

"It was sweet though." Marion said to the Duke Gareth's son, "a good effort." Gary levered himself up from the floor.

"Thank you fair lady." She blushed, but let him take her hand.

Jon noticed Alanna was looking over Raoul's head, a scowl on her face.

"What is it?" He asked quietly, as the others remained oblivious to the mounting tension. She turned to look at him, face showing her anger.

"We've got trouble."