Thank you's:

professionaldooropener: Wow, three awesome's in a row! Thank you very much! I hope that you will review again. I'll be eagerly waiting to see if you do. :-)

jollyrancher-j2k: Fluff is always good! Not much fluff in this chapter but it will be there eventually. Sorry about the Raoul thing, momentary lapse in concentraition, perhaps? Thanks!

Pussin Boots: Yeah, it might have been a bit rushed, I agree. Sorry about that, I just really wanted to get on to more of a plot. You'll see more in this next chapter. Thanks for reviewing!

GSCer: grin You're a clever one. Read on to see which one you got correct. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Razzle-dazzle-me: Yeah, I'm a nasty little girl that likes cliff-hangers, I admit. Sucking up never hurts! Haha. Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Devious Sorceress: I shall never tell! Oh...wait, I will. Read on to find out! Thanks for reviewing!

Andy-c.o.: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. Hope you'll like the next one as well.

epobbp: I did! And now I shall again. Hope you'll like this one as much as the last.

Speaky: Yes! Just for my very special Speaky, whom I love. Yeah, not sure where Raoul came from. Maybe he magically transported himself there just to confuse the readers...or maybe Hannah was just kind of tired. Thanks!

green pea soup: Glad you liked it. Sure, I'll read your story. I can't say that I'm a big fan of Ally, but I'll give it a go anyway. Thanks for reading!

Psycholioness: Thank you ton's! I think it's better too. I think fan fiction are a good exersize for learning to write better. Glad you liked it!

ALL: You all rock majorly. kiss


CHAPTER FIVE

A loud pounding on the door interrupted Gary and Alanna from any further bickering.

"Gary?" A voice called in a demanding voice. Alanna's eyes widened in panic.

"They can't see me! Th-they might guess." Gary shook his head and whispered quickly.

"No one knows you're my squire, remember? And they saw you accompany me to the dance. It'll be fine."

"Gary, open the door." The person banging on the door said forcefully. Gary gave Alanna a reassuring look and opened the door.

"Mithros," He said in shock when he saw who was standing outside his room. "How did you get here?"

He pulled the door open and reveal Prince Jonathan standing there, looking rather flustered.

"Father decided to bring me at the last minute. I'm afraid to say I missed the jousting, though. I hear you put on a good show, how many did you--" He trailed off as his eyes fell on Alanna. His cheeks reddened. He gave a quick bow, "I'm sorry cousin. I didn't think..." He turned quickly and made to leave the room.

Alanna sighed in relief and sank down wearily on the bed. "I would have expected you of all people to recognize me. Seeing as I'm the only girl you know with red hair and violet eyes." She commented dryly. Jon stopped. He turned and looked at her again.

"Alanna?" He said incredulously. "Wow, you look-I mean, you..." Alanna felt suddenly felt the urge to hit him, but held herself back.

"Stop stuttering. It's unattractive." She said simply. "Now if you don't mind, Gary, I'm going to try to get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." With that she stood and walked to the joined door before opening it and disappearing into her room. She hesitated for a moment then pressed her ear against the door, listening intently. She pushed her Gift at the door and with a whispered word was able to see into the dimly lit room. The two men were standing in the room about a foot apart.

"--might have told me!"

"I didn't think she'd agree to dress as a girl. I only asked because, well, I thought it might be fun."

"Did she have fun?" Jon asked in a unconvinced voice.

"I don't know." Gary said slowly.

"Mithros. She's...gorgeous." Jon said, running his fingers through his black hair.

Alanna winced. She didn't want Jon thinking of her in that way.

"I know," Gary said looking and sounding miserable, he sunk onto the bed. "I hadn't counted on that when I asked her. She's so different now, Jon. But at the same time..."

"Do you like her?" Jon asked quickly, he looked shocked and stern.

"NO!" Gary denied quickly, turning red. Alanna heard Jon give a disbelieving snort and Gary sighed. "I...don't know. Mithros, Jon, She's my squire!"

Jon quickly said,

"You're right, nothing could happen between you two. It would be...unethical in a sense."

Gary said in a confused voice,

"But," He took a deep breath and said in one breath. "I kissed her, Jon."

"WHAT!" Jon yelped.

"I know," Gary moaned miserably.

Alanna, frowning, pressed her ear harder to the door, her heart thumping uncomfortably in her chest.

"I don't know what came over me. We had just been dancing and it just felt right." Alanna strained to hear what he said next in a very quiet voice, "She felt right."

"Well it's not right." Jon said in a stern voice and started pacing. "You're her knight master."

"I know. I don't know what came over me." Gary said quietly, looking at his hands.

"What are you going to do?" Jon asked, sinking onto the bed. Gary shrugged looking helpless.

"What can I do?" "Stop thinking of her as a woman." Jon said quickly, "It's the only thing you can do."

"I don't know if I can do that, Jon." Gary said looking at the man, his friend, standing in front of him.

"You have to" Alanna heard Jon say, rather curtly. "Look, I'm going to take off. You get some rest. Maybe we can ride back together."

Alanna took her ear from the door. Unsure of how she should be feeling just then. Beautiful? Her? She didn't even know how to dress herself! She'd had to get a maid to help her. She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked okay, she supposed. But she was no ravishing beauty. Most of the women in there had been much better looking than her. None of the other men had looked at her for long, too wrapped up in their choice of partners. Just what had Gary meant when he said she was different? What did it matter if she looked good in a dress? Would it have been different if she had looked horrid? When Gary kissed her did he only do it because of how she looked?

Alanna heard a knock at her door and jumped back in surprise. She tried to school her face not to look guilty or concerned. She called in a shaky voice that made her wince.

"Come in." Gary opened the door and poked his head in.

"Can I talk to you, Alanna?" He asked, his cheeks rather red. Alanna felt her temper flare and then fade as she noticed the nervous look on his face. She rubbed her head and nodded. She gestured for him to take a seat on her bed, which he did, sitting stiffly, looking acutely uncomfortable. Alanna sunk down next to him, heedless of her wrinkling skirts.

"What can I do for you?" Alanna asked innocently and forced a yawn. Gary looked even more nervous.

"I just wanted to apologize. I treated you in...a very unprofessional way." He struggled for words. "I guess I need to remember that while you're my-" he paused, "my friend that you are my squire as well and I--"

Alanna cut him off.

"Are you here to apologize for kissing me, Gary?" She asked bluntly, watching his cheeks go pale.

"Yes." He said, looking away from her. "I am. I shouldn't have Alanna and I didn't mean to. It just...happened and--"

Alanna held her hand up to quiet him,

"Just forget it, Gary. It didn't happen." She said resolutely. Then she added firmly, "I'm tired. I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

Gary stood quickly and walking to the door, turned to look at her.

"Goodnight, Alanna." He said sadly before shutting the door quietly.


Alanna awoke to knocking on her door.

"Who is it?" She moaned into her pillow.

"It's Jon." A voice said. Alanna sat up and rubbing her eyes walked in her night shirt to the door. She opened it looked blearily at Jon. She steered him in quickly, just in case someone was watching.

"What do you need, Jon?"

"I wanted to talk to you," He looked uncomfortably at her outfit, "but this seems to be a bad time..." Alanna waved her hand and stumbling to her wash stand threw water over her face. She took a sip of water and turned to face Jon, feeling a bit more awake.

"What do you need to talk about?" She asked, pulling out and sitting on the chair in her room.

"Gary." Jon said simply.

"What about him?" Alanna said cautiously.

Jon shifted uncomfortably. He averted his eyes and asked,

"Did you drink the wine last night?" Alanna blinked, not comprehending,

"Yes..." she said slowly.

Jon said in a rush,

"Someone drugged it. They infused it with Holly leaves, they lower a person's inhibitions."

Alanna felt the color drain from her face. She thought back on last night and the kiss Gary had given her. After they had kissed! She gulped. She remembered the two of them steadily getting closer and closer before Jon had knocked on the door, interrupting them. She thought back on what Maude had taught her about Holly leaves. They wore off quickly if only a small amount was consumed.

Jon continued nervously,

"I'm worried he's...er...going to make advances on you."

Alanna glanced up sharply at her friend.

"Jon you don't need to worry about that. Even if Gary would try to do something like that without my consent, which he would never do, do you think I would let him? I may be little but I can still beat him at sword."

"I just want you to be careful." Jon said earnestly. Alanna stared at him in shock and growing anger.

"Jon," She said tightly, trying to rein in her temper. "Gary is my friend and knightmaster. He would not going to use me." Her words bit into the air and Jon visibly flinched at the cold tone.

"I'm just looking out for your well-being." Jon said defensively.

"Well stop. I can look over myself just fine." Alanna said and standing went to open the door. She held it open.

"I trust you can find your way to the door without insulting another friend?" She asked acidly. Jon stood and walked to the door. He turn around as if to say something but Alanna bowed stiffly. "By your leave, your Highness." She snarled and shut the door with a resounding snap.


Alanna felt her emotions wheeling out of control. How dare he insinuate something of that nature?

She splashed water on her aching face. She could feel the traces of the wine gripping at her, although she had only consumed one glass. She winced, imagining what might have happened had they consumed more. She could imagine that there were many ladies whose reputations were in jeopardy now.

What confused her the most was Jon's reaction. He had acted as though he thought that Gary was some court womanizer. Yes, Gary had some experience with women, much more than Alanna had with members of the other sex, but he was hardly the man Jon made him sound.
She gritted her teeth angrily. Had this been what the Goddess had been warning her against? If that were the case Alanna would much rather that She had just come out and said it. It would have spared a lot of trouble. She felt her cheeks go red at the thought of her behavior the night before. It did explain a lot, she supposed. Gary would never have done such a thing on his own.

...would he?

Alanna found Gary sitting in the dining room of the Inn in the late afternoon. He was hunched over his plate, a look of complete misery on his generally smiling face. He was toying with something in his large hands that Alanna couldn't quite make out.

She stepped forward and Gary jumped, he hurriedly put whatever he was holding in his pocket before smiling nervously at his squire.

"'Lo Lana." He said huskily. He rubbed his head and sipped from a large tankard in front of him. He gestured to the pitcher on the table, "Cider?" He offered. Alanna nodded and sat down next to him. She noticed his hands shaking slightly as he poured.

"You all right there, Gary?" Alanna asked her friend.

Gary sighed and handed Alanna her drink.

"Which do you want first?" He asked sullenly,

"Surely it can't be THAT bad." Alanna offered.

Gary frowned,

"First off...last night...er..." He went red and spread his hands, "see, the wine someone-"

"Drugged it." Alanna cut in grimly. "I know, Jon told me."

"Ah." Gary said, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "The second piece of news is that...Duke Roger's fallen ill." Alanna attempted to school her face into a look of concern. Gary snorted and patted the girl's hand idly,

"No need to try to keep it from me, lass. I know how you feel about the Duke. I've known it for quite a while. Anyway, the reason this is bad for you is...you've been summoned to cure him."

Alanna's mouth dropped. She jumped up from her chair and hissed,

"Absolutely not!" Calming she sunk into the chair and demanded, "Why me? There are far better Healers than myself. I don't have anymore training than any of the other squires in the palace." Gary shook his head.

"Remember when Jon got the Sweating Sickness?" Alanna nodded slowly, "everyone was being drained of their Gift. Except you. It's the same now, everyone's Power has been sapped out of them. You're everyone's only hope. Once you cured Jon last time everyone else's power returned to them. We have a war coming, and we NEED Healers." He paused, looking at Alanna's miserable face, "I'm sorry, Alanna. I tried to talk Jon out of it but...you have to understand..." Alanna felt herself shaking. Dimly she registered Gary's alarmed face, he gently took her hands and pulled her into a stand position. He led her up the stairs and into his room.

"Alanna..." He said softly, sitting her on the bed, his eyes puzzled. "What's wrong?" Alanna shook herself mentally and looked Gary in the eye's.

"Do you remember the rumors that the Sweating Sickness had been caused by a powerful sorcerer." Gary nodded, watching Alanna intently, "There were only a few men named that were powerful enough to cast such a curse." Her eyes hardened, "One of which was Duke Roger Conte."

Gary's forehead creased,

"But Roger was in Carthak at the time. Surely the distance would rule him out..."

Alanna shook her head,

"It didn't matter the distance. If he had wanted it badly enough..."

Gary frowned and said slowly,

"Supposing Roger DID cast the Sweating Sickness, why would he put himself into a coma? What would he gain from that?" Alanna frowned and looked at her hands,

"I don't know." She said helplessly. She looked up at Gary, "Me?"


Authors Note: Yay! I'm finally on to new stuff. No more re-doing the old. Of course the down side of this is that it may take me a little longer than normal to get out chapters. Also I'm not following the plot originally in the books. Just thought I'd clear that up. Review, it makes me happy!

--Hannah