Chapter Thirty three; Luck.

Ok, not even I would be mean enough to leave that cliffhanger for so long as it was left. The site wouldn't let me update!! So am really sorry, I have been trying every day, now I can update (obviously) I hope you enjoy it!

Frantically Alanna scanned the area around them, Jon was conscious, but surprised and weakened by the arrow. The bolt had hit nothing important by the looks of it, but was imbedded deeply into one of the big muscles in his abdomen. Alanna seized a crossbow and quiver from a dead, or dying, man. She thanked the gods that the string was in place and not sticky with blood. She fumbled with a bolt, setting it in the notch, then swung the bow up to her shoulder, and she fired, her finger curling around the trigger.

The assassin fell from his perch. Carefully, standing over her prince, she surveyed the hall for any more archers. There were four, and coldly, she brought them down with a bolt each. She used up the rest of the quiver, save one, aiming carefully and with a calculated air, shooting the best fighters, or those in places where the press of battle was thickest. She nocked the last bolt into the bow.

"Gary! Your Grace!" The two Gareths fought their way over to her side.

"I need to get Jon out of here." She saw the Duke start at her familiar tone about the Prince. For the moment she ignored him, asking instead "Where are their majesties?"

"We got them away to safety while you were out there. A company of the Own is with them." Even as they spoke, Jon was struggling to get to his feet in the middle of their protecting circle and they were being attacked from all sides. Most of their conversation was in the form of calls over the shoulder, or in a moment's respite from the fighting.

"Go. We will protect you." Gareth the Elder ordered. Raoul and a few of the King's Own joined them, forming a circle around Alanna as she supported Jon and half carried him away from the main bulk of the fighting. He protested, but she ignored him as she opened a concealed door, used only by servants, and pulled him through it, shutting it behind them. They were alone in a dark corridor, the door behind them dulling the noise of battle.

They hurried along the corridor until they came out into a large room, filled with cases and soft crystal lights illuminating the hall.

"Where are we?" Alanna asked.

"The library." Jon replied, sitting down on the floor. Alanna drew her belt knife. The arrows had passed out through his back and she was astounded that he was still able to walk. A blue spark darting over the wound caught her attention. She'd forgotten that he had the Gift. As soon as he had been wounded, he had probably set his magic onto the wound to heal it and to numb the pain. Quickly she cut off the arrow head and the fletching, being careful not to move the shaft any more than was necessary.

"I've got to pull this out." she wrapped her hand around the part protruding out his back. "On the count of three..."

Jon nodded, biting his lip and clenching his fists in anticipation

"One... Two..." She yanked the shaft through at the same angle it had entered at. He cried out slightly in pain and shock.

"I hate it when you do that." He gritted out through his teeth, breathing hard to suppress some of the pain.

Alanna pulled his shirt aside and placed her hand on top of the wound, feeling the muscle binding beneath her palm, the blood clotting and the skin mending. She used part of her underskirt to bind the now far smaller wound. Jon moved around slightly, twisting from side to side, testing his flexibility.

"Thanks Alanna!" He stood again very close to her. As she was about to speak, a flash of orange light came from their right. Immediately, acting on pure reflex, she grabbed the crossbow from where it hung at her side and aimed it in that direction.

"Roger." Jon said quietly. She nodded, lowering the bow slightly, then letting it fall back to her side as no threat seemed to be emerging.

"I better go." he said "I need to go back to the hall."

"Aren't you coming with me?" She asked,

"No." He bent down and retrieved his sword, then handed it to her, stepping closer as he did so. "This is your fight I think. My fight is back there."

She gave his sword back to him, curling his fingers around the hilt when he did not accept it at once.

" I think so too." She agreed, readying herself to find Duke Roger, her belt knife in her hand and the crossbow still primed.

As she walked away, she smiled over her shoulder at him.

"Good luck Jon."

He stiffened, as if her words had some hidden meaning that even she did not understand. As she continued to leave, she heard him follow her and then felt him clasp her upper arm.

"Alanna..."

When she turned around to see what he wanted, she saw him standing very close to her.

Slowly Jon's face descended towards her. His lips were soft and gentle as they closed over hers. Alanna gasped slightly in surprise, but did not back away as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Then, Jonathon stepped away and looked down at her, with a look in his eyes and a smile on his face that took her breath away.

"What was that for?" He lifted a hand and brushed her cheek tenderly.

"Midwinter Luck Alanna."

With another smile and a gentle brush of his lips against hers once more, to which she responded slightly, placing her hand on his upper arm, Jon left. Before he opened the door back into the battle he gave her a wry smile and a salute.

"Midwinter luck Jon." She called to him.

He smiled openly at her, and Alanna felt her own mouth curve upwards in reply, before he left to rejoin his battle and she went to find hers.