A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in forever...this update will hopefully be longer. And of course this story will be a few chapters longer and then I might make the sequel for when they actually venture to Maren. I'm not sure yet - haven't decided. But ideas and thoughts are very much appreciated!

And perhaps Alanna's apology might have seemed OOC (thanks to those who said it wasn't!), but she needed to. Otherwise she would have just looked like a horrific mother. And I loved Alanna, and I didn't want her to be a bad mother. So that's the reasoning behind Alanna's apology.

Sorry also if Kel and Dom seem OOC - but they are in LOVE! And love (apparently) does crazy things...but also Kel is new to this whole thing. As I guess is Dom - love I mean. He's new to love...ANYWAY!

ENJOY!

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"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Aly quickly looked in her mirror and pulled a brush through her hair before opening the door to Braden's insane knocking. She had only woken up a few minutes ago...

"Hold on Mr. Impatient!" She quickly opened the door and before thinking stood on her toes to wait for his kiss -

"ROALD?" Aly stumbled when she realized it wasn't Braden standing there, but her dear friend the Prince.

"Aly!" He came in and swept her up in a huge hug all in one swift motion. "I feel as though I haven't spoken to you in ages!" He put her down and Aly smiled.

"Well of course not - you were always with your wife or doing whatever it is you Princes do, and I was busy learning to be a Spy!"

Roald's sapphire eyes twinkled with amusement. "Yes, Father told me." He hugged her again. "Aly, that's terrific! You're finally a spy, just like you always wanted, and a Player to boot!"

She laughed. "I know. Isn't it terrific?"

Roald sat down in an empty chair and motioned for her to sit down in another. She bowed mockingly, "Well thank you, Your Highness, for letting me sit in my own chair."

The Prince's cheeks turned a light shade of red. "You should be proud of yourself; I hardly ever blush."

Aly's own eyes twinkled. "Oh, I am proud."

"Congratulations, by the way, for finally getting Kel and Dom together."

"It was merely a job for my persuasion skills."

"Oh?" He cocked an eyebrow in amusement and curiosity.

"They only needed to be persuaded to let each other know they really felt."

"Ah, of course. And you are the Royal Persuader of Tortall..."

"Don't chide me, Prince. When you become King you won't be mocking me - you'll need me for all your persuading purposes."

Roald's laugh was deep and rolling, similar to his father's. "Aly, I don't think I laugh nearly as much with other people. Besides Royal Persuader, you might also have to be Royal Jester."

Aly put a hand to her chest in horror. "Jester, Your Highness! That is much to low for my noble stature!"

Roald laughed again. "Oh, yes of course Aly. Please forgive me!"

Aly and Roald continued to talk the rest of the morning catching up and reminiscing about times when they were all younger. They talked about Thom and his crazy antics as a child, as well as Kalasin's new baby son. Finally Roald had to leave - he was having lunch with his father and Gary.

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"Jon! Just the person I wanted to see!"

The King turned around hesitantly. He knew whose voice that was, and he did not want to have to deal with her anger.

"Oh, Alanna! I would love to stay and chat, but I have a luncheon that I really need to be going to..."

The small redhead grabbed the back of the King's robes and pulled. "No, Jon, you have plenty of time to talk to me first."

'Gulp'. His sapphire eyes widened in fear. This can not be good... "Well how may I be of service to my favorite Champion?"

"You're only Champion, Your Highness."

"Hm, that too..."

"So I hear it was your idea to write a decree that Aly could be a spy and Player?"

'Gulp'. "Actually, it wasn't a decree, it was-"

"Why did you Jon?"

"Alanna, the entire kingdom knows that Aly would be a terrific spy - I mean her father and grandfather are the Realm's Spy-Masters and the world's greatest! She's only bound to one day be a Master herself!"

Alanna's small face turned a shade only slightly lighter than her hair. She breathed, and to Jonathan's relief, she turned back to a normal tan.

"Fine. Thank you."

He gawked. Had Alanna just thanked him? Surely not! "S-sorry?"

"Thank you."

"For-for what?"

"For allowing Aly to be a spy and Player like she wanted and for not letting me interfere." She allowed Jon a few seconds to process the fact that she had just thanked him and then said, "I think I've gone soft. First I apologize, and now I'm thanking you for something I should be angry about. Now go to your luncheon." Before he could say another word she turned around and walked away in the opposite direction.

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"Kel! I feel like I haven't seen you or Dom for a while..." Aly smiled at the fact that even though the lady knight had up her Yamani mask, she could still see she was blushing.

"Aly! How good it is to see you!" Dom said, and motioned for Aly to sit at their lunch table. "How have you been? I hear you're seeing one of your Player friends..."

Aly smiled. "I've been fine, thank you. And aren't we the Court Gossiper?"

Dom grinned. "I have to keep up with all the gossip that's flying around about us," he gestured at himself and the grinning lady knight sitting next to him, "so I'm only bound to hear other gossip. Like you are now seeing one of your fellow Players?"

Aly stabbed a piece of meat and grinned ignoring Dom's last comment and addressing Kel. "So when do you go back to New Hope?"

Kel smiled, knowing that Aly was ignoring Dom. "Actually we're getting our assignments tomorrow."

"Oh, I see..." she cocked an eyebrow, "want me to persuade the King to give you a certain assignment? I can be very persuasive when I need to be..."

Kel's mask faltered for a moment, perhaps because she was unaware that Aly could persuade the King, but politely responded that she didn't want a particular assignment.

Mental note, tell Uncle Jon to keep Kel and Dom together...

"My dear Aly, I think you must have forgotten to inform me of your new friend."

Aly rolled her eyes at the familiar dry voice. "Sit, Nealan." She patted the spot next to her on the bench and waited for her friend to settle down before she told Neal, Dom and Kel exactly who Braden was. "He's only a fellow Player that I met, and things simply escalated from there."

Dom seemed amused. "So, I'm assuming that since he's a Player he's fairly interesting."

Neal cocked an eyebrow and smiled slyly. "Interesting enough for our Aly? Only we, dear cousin, could match wits with this young woman."

Aly rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Ah, are we practicing for a certain performance?"

"Shut it, Meathead."

Neal pouted and stabbed his potatoes. "Why must everyone call me that?"

Aly grinned. "And yes, Braden is interesting. And no, neither of you can match my wits. Only my father and perhaps some of his own friends can match my wits."

"And your brothers."

"And my-" Aly turned around to see who had said this and came face to face with Braden. "Oh, hello." He stooped down to kiss her lightly in greeting and sat on her other side with his tray. He waited patiently for her to introduce her friends. "Oh! Right! Braden, this is Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle, and Sir Nealan of Queenscove."

Braden nodded his head and politely shook everyone's hands. "Aly's told me so much about all of you." He smiled and looking at Kel and Dom, "And I hear I must say congratulations to the two of you for finally admitting your love."

Both Kel and Dom blushed. "Thanks, I guess."

Neal sighed happily. "I love how gossip travels so quickly here in our lovely palace!"

Aly hit his arm and Kel kicked his shin at exactly the same time, much to Neal's displeasure. "OW!" The two young women smiled at each other and continued to eat. Braden's right arm pulled her left onto his leg where they stayed clasped, and Aly smiled smally as she watch their hands through the table.

She could get very used to this...

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A/N: Ok, that's all I care to write for right now. I feel liked I haven't updated in forever, and I want to, so you'll just have to deal with this...do you love it? hate it?

PLEASE REVIEW!