Authors Note: Okay, well here I am again, writing another chapter to my story, so yeh… oh, it has been brought to my attention that I've made some mistakes; I'd like to thank the people who pointed those things out. Nothing else to say, so on with the show…

Moi Mistakes: The sea I mentioned it the last chapter is NOT the Emerald Sea, it is in fact the Inland Sea. Roger is spelt as such, with no 'd' and shall now be spelt correctly. And lastly, I will be doing no more 'Thank You' chapters.

Disclaimer: I own nothing; it all belongs to the all powerful Tamora Pierce.

-()-

Alanna groaned, rubbing her hand on the side of her neck, trying to take out the kink that had formed while she had been sleeping.

'That's what you get for sleeping there…' a soft voice murmured.

Alanna's head shot up to its normal, upright position, and looked around the empty room "Who-who's there?" Alanna asked a slight undertone of fright in her normally calm voice.

'Me, of course-who else?' the body-less voice continued.

Gulping, Alanna looked around the room again; and came to the conclusion that she had gone mad.

'Oh stop looking like a suffocating fish, I'm right here,'

Alanna looked at her bed, finding the only, somewhat logical explanation to this all was that the demon cat had talked; whimpering, Alanna whispered "cat…?"

'Thank you for that, although, I must say…your stupidity is over-whelming.'

Alanna growled at the comment; temporarily forgetting the fact that she was now talking to a cat.

'You should get up soon-your leaving in an hour,' noticing Alanna's somewhat dazed appearance, the cat continued 'for Tortall, and Corus…'

As Realization dawned on Alanna, she cursed loudly, and stormed into her private bathroom.

-()-

The Boat ride to the mainland was more nauseating than Alanna has assumed, and she had chosen to speak her mind by retching all over the front deck of the boat. Sighing, Roger escorted her to her rooms.

"Nervous?" Roger asked, after opening the door, and seating Alanna on the bed.

Nodding slowly, Alanna murmured something along the lines of 'bloody court functions will be the death of me', and curled into a ball on the bed, as a wave of nausea coursed through her.

After Roger had left, the black cat had decided to come out of hiding 'you look paler than the white sheets you're sleeping on.' Not finding any humor in the statement, Alanna, rather happily threw a fluffy looking white pillow at the disturber of her peace and quiet.

-()-

Lurching off the wretched boat, Alanna pressed a hand to her stomach, and once again, lost what little contents there were in her stomach. Picking up the black cat she had named 'Faithful' during the horrendously long boat ride, Alanna half walked, half stumbled to an awaiting carriage, and collapsed on the soft red velvet seat cushions, sighing her delight.

On the way to the Palace of Tortall, Alanna had cleaned herself up, and, after kicking Roger out of the carriage, put on a new, black silk dress, which had been given to her by Roger as a birthday present.

Sighing for what seemed the thousandth time, Alanna peeked out the window, and was shocked to see the lower city of Corus before her. "We're-we're here…" Alanna whispered, almost in awe.

Smiling, the Duke of Conte placed a hand on Alanna's somewhat tanned shoulder, and stopped the carriage, only to climb onto an awaiting horse. Watching what Roger was doing, Alanna opened her door as well, thinking she would have a horse to ride as well.

"No." Roger said, seeing what Alanna was doing, "You're a lady, and ladies ride in carriages, I am a Duke, and am supposed to ride a horse, stay in there, we'll be there soon."

Sighing defeat, Alanna closed the door, and the carriage jolted to a start.

-()-

As gracefully as Alanna could muster, she came out of the carriage, and looked upon her one time home, the palace of Tortall.

"Well," she murmured to herself "here we go again…"

Author's Note: Yay!! I updated, and I'm so sorry I stopped for a while; I know you probably all hate me, but here's the newest part, hope you like it. As for my disappearance, I was going through a tough time, I had to move out of my parents place, and find a apartment of my own, and then I was crushed by school work. But, the plot bug still found me, and gnawed on me until I finished writing this chappie.

Thank Yous

Dragon Shadows- Anytime! Hope you like the new chappie

Razzberrycat- Thanks! And I took your advice on the Thankyous, see

Fen in the sky with diamonds- Wow, thanks, this means a lot to me! no more ro'd'ger, I promise.

Waterdancer15- Thank You! As I mentioned in the first chappie, you're gonna have to use you imagination, and pretend that it happened this way, for writing purposes. Sorry if I sound like a hag and don't stop your story, it's good!

Firehottie- Yay Thanks! Yes, George will be in the story, I just gotta fit him in somewhere…

Independantlioness- I didn't know there was a bad type of uniqueness, and thanks!!

Flamata-I intend to, thanks!!

Anmarie Aspasia- I'm with you on the shi thing, although, I don't even think that I know who Alanna's gonna end up with in the end…Thankies!!

And there my friends in the ending to this chappie, I hope to update soon, and if I don't I give ya'll the right to hunt me down, and poke me with a pitchfork 'till I write more.