Disclaimer: What's the point?

Claimer: Joscelin and Alcuin are mine! But if you want to borrow them, that's fine with me just let me know.

Note About Disclaimer/Claimer: I have a character in here, Kylia the Shang Unicorn. She's special because her position is mentioned in the books, but not her name, personality, appearance, ect. I believe, though I cannot remember, the name Kylia and possibly her appearance came from another FanFic. I have searched for it and cannot find it, so if anyone has any idea what I'm talking about please leave a comment. I would like to talk to that person, and see if it's okay that I'm using this character, or at least give them credit for creating her. Thanks for your help. And now on the chapter!

Chapter 5: Visitors in the Rusty Blade

Alanna sat down in her chair next to the fire, facing the door so she could see the whole common room. It also allowed her to monitor "visitors" in the Rusty Blade. She smiled, thinking about the first time she had walked in here. She had been a "visitor" then.

It was during one of her nighttime excursions out of the convent Kyprioth had told her where to find a thief who would teach her how to play with knives. Alanna left that same night and sought the thief out. She had come to a boisterous Inn called the Rusty Blade and she swung the door open. Immediately the Inn fell silent as they all stared at what they thought was a very young and road weary lad with startling violet eyes. Alanna, not wanting to catch the wrong attention on the streets, had disguised herself as a boy and had put her long hair up in a hat, and dressed up as a messenger.

Alanna could remember how nervous she had been then, as she walked up to a man at the bar. She knew this was the one she was looking for; he fit Kyprioth's description perfectly.

"Could I have a word with you sir? I carry a message from Chorus," she lied putting more boldness in her voice than she actually felt. She wasn't scared, just very nervous. He glanced at Alanna, drained his mug, and nodded. The rest of the onlookers lost interest and carried on with whatever they had been doing. The thief motioned for her to follow him as he got up and headed to a door in the back.

She followed him down a dimly lit hallway and through another door that led into a private sitting room. He turned around and looked at Alanna, sizing her up. He was a good three heads taller than her, but then again Alanna was only 12 and very short. He had dirty-blonde hair and light blue eyes. He was handsome by most women's standards.

He must have noticed something different about her because his eyes were searching, "So what's your message?" he asked.

Alanna took off her hat and let her hair fall around her shoulders, "My name is Alanna, and I have come to ask you to teach me the Trade."

He didn't look too surprised that she was a girl, Alanna guessed that he could probably tell by the way she walked, but when she had told him why she was there, he had raised his eyebrows in shock. After a second of consideration, he stuck out his hand, "Marek Swiftknife." Alanna shook it, giving him Kyprioth's Sign. (A/N: Kyprioth's Sign works like the Thief's Sign, getting protection/support from your own kind. It's a way of telling the person whom you support without speaking in case there's a spy around (besides the one you're shaking hands with!). Usually Kyprioth's supporters aren't the most respectable cough cough so this binds them to their words and secrecy, otherwise Kyprioth will have his revenge!)

Marek was taken a back for a moment, then he grinned, "Well met little one! I see there's more to you than meets the eye." Alana gave him her best impish grin in reply.

After that meeting Alanna would sneak out of the convent once a week at night, and learn how to pick pockets, pick locks, and, Alanna's favorite, wield knives from her expert teacher. That lasted for two years. Occasionally Marek would have to travel to Chorus to see his "Majesty," a mysterious man named George Cooper. The only information Alanna could get out of Marek, about George, was that he was the King of the Rouge, and one of the best fighters with knives in Tortall.

When Alanna could best Marek at knives nine times out of ten, Marek deemed her "adequate" and announced that he had been ordered to return to Chorus. On that chilly night in autumn, after they had finished practice and were sitting in the "class room," Alanna didn't want to give up the argument. It was the last chance she'd have to get the information out of Marek until spring when he returned. So she pestered him until he finally broke.

"Alanna, I am not going to tell you anymore about George, about the Rouge, about anything! So please, just stop," Alanna opened her mouth, but he cut her off quickly, "Look, young girls have no business in the Trade," he paused and took a raged breath, "and neither do you."

It hurt him to say that, and Alanna could see the pain in his eyes. She knew, deep in her heart, that he was just trying to protect her, but at that moment Alanna had gone numb. Marek had to stop himself from pleading her to forgive him, as he watched her heart tear and reforge itself with ice. Those exquisite violet eyes, which had been filled with mischievous laughter, not a moment ago, now looked at him flatly with no expression. He watched as his student rose from her chair and walked over to the open window. Executing a graceful tumbling move, she leapt out of the window, and her feet touched the ground with a silence that shook the room.

Marek still watched, his knuckles white from gripping the arms of the chair, wiling himself not to run after her. Don't even think about it, he warned himself, You became too attached to her, and everyone knows it. Why else would you have spent so much time in the City? George actually had to order you to return to Chorus! At least she'll be safe now. Safe from me, safe from the Rouge… safe from Them. Marek shuddered at the thought of Them. No matter what he told himself, he still felt horrible. He sat there for a while, in his misery. Then, being struck with an idea, he grabbed his cloak and leapt out of the window.

Alanna stormed into her room with a silent furry. Of all people she had hoped that Marek would approve of her for what she was. Why had he spent the last two years teaching her the Tricks if he thought she didn't belong?" She had no answers to her own questions. A wave of sedative grief came then, and she paused looking around her room. The window was open and there was a flat object sitting on the windowsill. Curious, Alanna walked over to examine it, and found that it was a very familiar knife. Immediately she looked up and scanned the convent grounds. As if on queue, a cloaked figure appeared in the moonlight and quickly scaled the stone wall, dropping off the other side and out of sight.

Alanna sighed as she looked down at Marek's knife. She ran her hand across the hilt feeling the well-worn braided leather, and the metallic strip of gold that wove around, and through the leather.

That was the last she ever saw of her teacher, Marek Swiftknife, and that had been a year and a half ago.

Author's Comments:

I am so sorry for this unbelievably long wait. I had too many things to do with too little time. I just got back from California, with my friend, and I finished all my homework… except for the English reading assignment, so I thought it was a safe time to update.

In other news, I think I have finally finished The Prophecy, so I can get this story in motion at last. I might need a break for Finals and then I'm going to Peru a week after that, so we'll just have to see how much I can get done in the allotted time period.

Wish me luck!

Oh! And I give a supper extra "Thank you" to californiapoppy for correcting my totally humiliating mistake of spelling Thayet's name wrong. I made sure that I went back and updated the other chapters so I spelled her name right! If anyone else sees any other mistakes like that, please save me the humiliation of repeating the mistake and correct me! Thank you everybody! I love all of you!

I was trying to post this a couple of days ago, but something was wrong with the server and it wouldn't let me login. Anyone else having problems? Or am I just special? Any way, read, review, and enjoy!