Story title and my name are at the top; story summary and disclaimer are on the first five chapters. These will hold for the rest of the story. No, the incident in the initial summary still hasn't occurred yet or in the next three chapters. Everything's in bold because it helps me see.
I know what I am doing up until the chapter title, after that, not a clue. Therefore any and all suggestions are appreciated because they may be turned into later plot twists. I will send you hugs and kisses with all of the telepathic force I have. Please contribute. (Not quite begging but close.)
Chapter Summary: Alanna tries to make peace with her friends and a meeting with the Duke.
Chapter the Sixth
Alanna woke bright and early the next morning thanks to the wayward splash of sunshine that landed on her face. Ignoring her cat's annoyed muttering, she slipped out of bed and dressed in a plain pair of breeches and shirt. Silent as a ghost, she slipped out of the door carrying her boots and a couple of apples she'd filched from dinner the night before.
As she passed the desk opposite Jon's door, she froze at a soft noise from the other room. A soft, distinctly feminine noise. Shaking her head in disgust, she crept out of the room and into the corridor and set off at a brisk pace for the palace stables.
Stepping inside the thickly hay-scented area, she craned her head to either side to check for any hostlers in the vicinity. She thought that Gary and Raoul would hear her out; but just in case she'd misjudged them, she didn't want anyone to witness the resulting scene, not even Stephen. Because if Stephen saw what happened, then he would tell George. And if George knew, the next time she saw him he would be kind and sympathetic, and after the...incident on Jonathon's birthday, Alanna didn't really want to deal with a kind and sympathetic George.
Having finally decided that there was, in fact, no one there, the girl walked over to greet Moonlight with a caress and a stolen apple.
Fifteen minutes later, when Gary and Raoul entered the courtyard before the stable, squires in tow, Moonlight was in the middle of the courtyard brushed, saddled, with a sheepish and apologetic redhead perched atop her back.
"Um, Hi." She said, sliding off as the foursome stared at her. "There's a few apples in the barrel by your tack. I couldn't find any of the cheese that Blackie likes." Raoul carefully stretched out a hand to close Douglass of Veldine's gaping jaw.
" Why that was so thoughtful of you Alan," Gary said with a grin. "But if you're really trying to get our forgiveness, you should have at least brought a few pieces of last night's blueberry pie."
"Five pieces," interrupted Raoul. Everyone turned to look at him. "I'm hungry," he added simply.
Gary shrugged, then went on, "new quills, eagle feathers of course, maybe a hat or a belt buckle-"
"Flowers," added Raoul, nodding sagely, "Definitely flowers, and a tin of chocolates, probably a-"
"Alright already," Alanna conceded, laughing, "I get the picture your Lordships."
"A new bottle of perfume," oblivious to the whack on his arm from his own squire, "bright blue toe socks."
"Do you want my apology or not?" the squire called out, doing her best to glare ferociously. Douglass and Geoffrey exchanged a glance. Despite his infamous glare, it was hard to be scared of Alan when he was A) a foot and a half shorter than those he was trying to intimidate and B) trying not to fall over with suppressed laughter.
"Do we get pie?" asked Raoul. "Just kidding," he added, noting the exasperation on his friend's face.
"Well," continued Gary, drawing himself up with as much dignity as he could muster. "If you haven't brought anything than your only option is to come riding with us through the Royal Forest today. There's this really fantastic web overhanging the entrance to Goosecatcher trail, I know that you'd love to see it."
Alanna rolled her eyes through her relief. Ever since Gary had found out about her fear of spiders, he'd taken every chance that he'd gotten to tease her about it. "Really? That sounds absolutely smashing1" she smiled up at his smirk before swinging herself back into the saddle. "We ready to go then?"
At her challenge, both Gary and Raoul leapt onto the mounts their squires had readied for them and the three friends thundered away in a race for the gate.
~*~*~
Several hours later, Alanna strode out of the stables, exhilarated after the ride and still slightly annoyed at Raoul for trying to shove a handful of spiders down the back of her tunic. She'd given all of them a very stuffy and pompous lecture on respecting personal space that had the other four in gales of laughter. Behind the laughter she hoped they all took her words to heart, or at the very least remembered them. She couldn't afford to let any more people find out her secret.
She nearly ran across her own hallway, intent on rushing into her room for a change of clothes before dashing down to the city. That way, she wouldn't get back until the darkest hour of the night, and the less time she spent in the rooms, the less chance of having another confrontation with Jonathon.
Outside of the door, she paused, wondering where Faithful was. She hadn't seen him since; she stopped to think, looking backwards over her day, just before lunch. That was definitely out of the ordinary. Faithful never missed a meal if he could help it.
So, just before lunch was deportment which Faithful, finding it incredibly boring, usually skipped. He must have run off to Myles or someone and lost track of time. Shrugging she tugged on the door handle, already moving to step inside.
Nothing happened. She tried again, harder. Nothing. "Damnit!" I thought that the servants would have fixed the stupid thing by now. Over the last two weeks, the outer door had warped slightly from the cold, developing first a hitch, then a reluctance, and eventually a stubborn refusal to open the door.
Alanna deliberately cracked her knuckles and shook herself out. She was going to open the door by Mithros. Bracing one foot on the stone wall, she firmly gripped the handle and leaned back in preparation for one great heave.
Only to land on her rump a few feet away at the sudden opening of the door from the inside.
"Oh dear," came a voice from above her in smooth cultured tones. "However did you get down there?'
Alanna slowly lifted herself from the floor, arranging her features as pleasantly as she could over the grimace caused by her bruised hindparts. "I believe that your strength, your grace, must be far greater than you have, so modestly, claimed."
"Really?' replied Duke Roger, looking quite flattered. "Well, I have entered the practice bout here and there."
"It shows your grace," Alanna answered as standing stretched her abused muscles. "Believe me it shows."
"Who are you talking to Roger?" floated Jonathon's voice from within the room.
"Just your squire, cousin. And I bid you goodnight that you have found my advice..." here the Duke paused, seemingly searching for the right word as his gaze flickered from Alanna to his wrist to back to Jon's presumed position inside the room, "instructive." Then, with a bow towards the room and an abbreviated nod in Alanna's general direction, the Duke of Conte took himself off, leaving Alanna to face her prince, knight-master, and best friend alone.
Dun Dun Dun!
Requesting bad poetry for Jon to write about Delia, any submissions are appreciated!
I will try to update again soon!
Heiress