Random Anonomous Person: NI! Filthy English k-nig-its! A wet noodling lashing on my arse sounds particularly uncomfortable, in fact that was the only reason I updated, because I was afraid of a lashing. Thanks for reviewing!
Waterfaerie15:Thank you! Hope you like this next chapter.
Menelien: Oops, you're right. My bad. Thanks for catching that one. And thank you very much for reviewing!
Piglet12345: Aww, thanks! I hope that I'm not a bad author, although that first one was pretty rusty. Hopefully I can do Tamora Pierce proud with this improved version.
Jollyrancher-j2k: Hah, sorry to break it to you, but this will be an eventual Alanna/Gary fic. She tells him in this very chapter, so read on! Thank you for reviewing!
Mailiaphire: Thank you! I'm glad that you like it so far. I hope you'll keep on reading!
PussinBoots: Thank you very muchly! I'm glad you liked it.
Hope you all enjoy this chapter, in this one Alanna tells Gary!
CHAPTER TWO
Gary walked slowly down the hall, his head nearly spinning with confusion. Not from his father, he had only wanted to congratulate his son on his choice of squire. No, the person that was making Gary's mind spin was Alan. What was it that his new squire was so afraid to tell him? It couldn't be all that bad...could it? Eager to hear what it was that Alan had to say Gary picked up his pace and hurried back to his room.
Alanna paced nervously, waiting for Gary to come back. She HAD to tell him...didn't she? Or could she keep it secret? Yes! That was what she would do, he would never have to find out about her lie. Alanna stopped mid-pace and shook her head, imagine Gary's reaction when it finally DID come out. When she finally admitted to her true self, how could she stand knowing that Gary knew his squire had lied to him for four years? Alanna moaned and sunk onto Gary's bed. She had no choice, she had to tell him. Besides, knowing my luck he'd open the door on me sometime whilst I was unclothed, and wouldn't that be a nasty surprise
Alanna jumped as the door swung open and Gary re-entered the room. She felt her heart begin to race and swallowed nervously.
"Sorry about that, Alan." Gary said with an easy smile. (Tough truth be told, inside his stomach was churning with nerves) "Father simply wanted to congratulate me on my choice of squire, I think his words were 'one of the best fencers at court', or something along those lines." He grinned at his friend who blushed.
"Gary," she began, trying to keep her voice steady. "Remember how I needed to tell you something? Well, I, uh..." She trailed off, searching for the right way to put it. Failing, she just blurted it out. "I'm a girl. I'm sorry I lied to you, I never wanted to lie, but I couldn't have been a knight any other way and..." She trailed off. "I'm sorry." She finished miserably.
She glanced up from her hands to see Gary staring at her with wide eyes. " Mithros, Alan! That's your secret?" He fought to keep his voice quiet. Alanna nodded miserably and returned her gaze to her hands which were laced tightly in her lap.
She looked up slowly to meet Gary's eyes. His were confused and hesitant. He gave a nervous bark of laughter,
"Very funny, Trebond. But you've been swimming with us--" He stopped abruptly, remembering Alan's unwillingness to swim. In fact...he never took his shirt off. Never, not in the hottest of weathers. He looked up from his hands, complete bewilderment on his open face. "But HOW?" He burst out. Then realizing how loud he was he continued in a quieter tone, "what about your father and brother? Do they know?" Alanna was almost as shocked as Gary was. Because as she looked at her friend's face she saw only confusion and amusement, not the horrified expression she had expected to see. Suddenly Alanna realized she could breath again and sucked clean air into her lungs to clear her head.
"I'll tell you everything." She promised, "but first I have to ask. Do you-uh-do you still want me to be your squire?" She bit her lip, then added in a quick rush of words, "because I understand if you don't. Because I know I lied to you and I'm so sorry." Gary sat next to her on the bed with a thump. He started to look like the easy-going unruffled Gary that she knew. He reached up his big hand and ruffled her hair lightly.
"Of course I still want you as my squire, you dupp. I'm just a little...shocked. But you're still the person that I asked before. Just...uhm...a bit more...female." He ended lamely. Then he laughed, and Alanna felt a smile break onto her face. Gary added. "But I am going to have to know your true identity. It would be awkward to have a squire who's name was unknown." Alanna smiled. "The name's Alanna of Trebond. Twin SISTER to Thom of Trebond. 'Alan' started when our father told us that I was to be sent to the convent and Thom was to come here to be a knight.
Gary bit his lip to stifle a laugh, imagining "Alan" in a dress. Alanna guessed his thoughts and punched his shoulder. But secretly was glad he was laughing again. "So we switched. Well, almost. Thom's not becoming a lady, but a sorcerer at the City of the Gods. And I am came here. As Alan."
Gary and Alanna talked long into the night, and Gary was able to piece together the many odd things he had noticed about his friend.
"So Alan-Alanna...er...Mithros, that's going to take some getting used to." Alanna laughed,
"Don't get used to it. I'm still going to have to be Alan when we're around anyone other than Jon or George.
Gary nodded,
"You're secret's safe with me." He sat in silence for a moment then let out a long, low whistle.
"Well, label me dumbfounded. Whoever said that girls couldn't fight as well as men were mightily mistaken. I mean, look what you did to Ralon! And you were a girl all along." He stared at Alanna who laughed. He grinned and said happily, "I can't WAIT to see all their faces when they find out!" Alanna laughed at this, and found that inspite of everything she had thought, it was actually somewhat funny. It didn't seem so much like the life and death situation that she had been convinced it was.
Gary's only insistence was that when they were alone he was going to call her Alanna, despite her worries that he might one day slip. They parted after the bells rang midnight, and slept for a few hours before meeting up again in his rooms in the morning. After a while Jon knocked on the door. Coming in and seeing them both smiling and laughing he was pleased. They all talked long, and laughed over what seemed like a great jest to Gary and Jon.
The only slightly awkward moment was when Gary asked how she had managed to hide her female body. Then realized suddenly that while "Alan" hadn't gone swimming with them, she had been there watching them the whole time. But unlike Jon's initial reaction, Gary just laughed all the more and brushed it away without a second thought. They talked for most of the day, spending all the hours but for meals in Gary's room, laughing and thinking about the reactions people would have when they found out.
The next morning Alanna woke early, as usual, although she didn't technically have to rise until her Knight Master did.
She was dressed and reading at her little desk when she heard a light tapping on the door adjoined to hers. She hollered for Gary to come on in and folded her book carefully as not to lose her place.
She turned to face a very wide-awake and active Gary. She moaned at the sight of his cheeriness.
"I forgot that my squire was not a morning person. It would figure that I would get the one who bites off peoples heads if messed with before noon." Alanna glared at him and yawned widely. Rising, she crossed to her night-stand and splashed water on her face from the bowl sitting there. She turned to see Gary watching her intently. She folded her arms and asked in a grumpy manner,
"What?" Gary shook his head. Then said jovially,
"I was thinking that maybe we could visit George today. What do you think? Unless you've been into more trouble since yesterday you don't have any current punishment work." Alanna was more than willing, but first there were some things they had to attend to. Such as, Gary had noticed that some of Alanna's weapons were not in the best condition. Her dagger was rather blunt, and he informed her that she needed a new lance, seeing as hers was quite battered.
After they had eaten breakfast and ordered her new weapons from the armory, Gary, Alanna, Jon, and Raoul headed down towards the Dancing Dove to visit the King of the Rogue.
George smiled broadly upon seeing the boys (and in Alanna's case, girl) come into the pub. He hollered at old Solom to bring ale from the "parched young lads" and gestured for them all to take a seat.
"So what's this I hear about Gary getting a new red-headed squire?" He questioned with a twinkle in his hazel eyes, "I hear this squire's got quite the temper on 'im." George knew Alanna's secret, of course, but for the sake of Raoul, the only one present who did not know, he kept Alanna's guise. He raised his tankard to Gary, "I wish ye luck. Ye'll need it with this lad." He winked at Alanna as he drank.
Later, while Gary and Jon and Raoul were playing a game of cards with the local thieves, Alanna and George slipped up to his rooms.
"So are ye happy havin' Gary as ye're Knight Master? I know ye were sort of hoping Jon would pick ye." Gary said as he handed Alanna a tumbler of water. Alanna accepted it with a nod of thanks.
"I was." She said slowly, "but I am happy with Gary. He's a good man, and he's always been a good friend to me. Besides, Jon needs someone who can go with him to meetings and not get bored out of her skull. You know I have no patience for those types of things.
George smiled and and pulled out a chair from her before sitting down himself.
"He's a good lad. Truth be told, I knew he was goin' 't ask ye. He asked if I thought ye would agree 't it." "Oh?" Alanna asked, mildly curious, "and what, pray tell, did you tell him?" "I told him he was a right fool for wanting one the likes of ye to be his squire, and encouraged him 't ask all the same.
Alanna stuck out her tongue at the Rogue, who grinned and stood. Alanna stood to. He led her back down to the Inn and to her friends.
Author's Notes: Again, not a particularly long chapter but right now I'm working on getting them out improved and quickly. Hope you enjoyed it!
