Disclaimer: Hey, you know the drill, I own nothing, well at least not so far. ;)

Hey people, sorry bout the delay. Exam week is hectic and I am breaking out from stress. So anyway, enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 2: Gary

Jon's mouth open and closed like a fish gulping water. Gary finally realised that this reaction was more than just a friend's sign of shock.

Gary's brow furrowed in concern. "Jon, I'm touched by your consideration but you can close your mouth now."

Jon smiled sheepishly. His face turned serious once more. He replied and said slowly: "Did you just use Alanna of Trebond and the word betrothed in the same sentence?" "What's wrong with you, is your hearing impaired, is your brain working? Oh mithros, why? Do you know something about her that I don't? Is she ugly? Is she evil? Does she have a giant wart on the side of her neck? Oh, great gods, she doesn't have Alan's temper does she?"

Jon and Raoul couldn't help but laugh at the whimpering tone Gary had taken on. Jon just couldn't let this last sentence slip by: "Yes, I guess her temper and Alan's are strangely......similar."

Raoul chuckled at the despairing look on Gary's face. Suddenly Gary looked suspiciously at the prince: " How do you know all this?"

But Jonathan did not answer; instead he stood up and strode silently out of the mess hall, a single thought circulating in the sharp mind behind those stunning sapphire eyes. His Alanna was no longer only his.

Alanna sat in her room, breathing hard. Her temper was no longer under her control and she glared dangerously at the desk stacked full of papers.

Suddenly, out of the neat papers, emerged purple sparks that singed the ceiling above it.

The red headed girl watched emotionlessly as the sparks turned into fire and engulfed the entire desk, and eventually the chair.

When the flames of the fire started licking the hangings of the windows, the violet-eyed girl waved her hand in command, and the once roaring fire turned into a tiny wisp of white smoke.

Alanna sighed, she considered her options. She either dropped out of knight training and marry Gary as not to shame her family, or she continued and shamed her family by never being found, yet this way she knew that she would hurt Gary as well as her own reputation.

Choices though they were, they were not ones she was ready to consider. There had to be another way. The stubborn hearted girl knew she would not back down and would never settle for something she did not want.

When Jon returned to his rooms, his small squire was perched on the edge of his bed. She hugged her legs to her chest and stared at him with swollen red eyes.

She opened her mouth and spoke with a matter-of-fact tone: "My room was slightly suffocating." She smiled grimly and continued: "I suppose you would like to know..."

Jon raised his hand and silenced her: "Gary already informed me of that piece of news."

"Oh..." was all she could say as she turned her head and stared silently out the window. Suddenly out of no where, she burst out and said: "What will I do Jon? How is this going to work out? They'll expose me! They'll...they'll take away my dream..."

The prince watched with a tight pain in his chest, he could not stand to see her like this. He could not stand around and hear her voice lose hope like it had. Within two steps, he was by her side. With one motion, he scooped her up and walked to the window bench. He sat down gently and propped her small form in his lap. Jonathan hugged Alanna to his chest and stroked her fiery hair.

The prince breathed in her scent and comfortingly kissed the top of her head. "I suggest that you tell Gary the truth...he will understand. Maybe with his help, you'll figure it out."

Regretfully Jon let her small form wriggle out of his tight grip. She smiled at his hesitation and gently brushed her lips onto his cheek. He reached out to grab her, but she skillfully skipped out of his reach and ran out the door and into the hallway.

Jon laughed at her antics and glanced into his squire's room. The door stood open and out of it came wafting wisps of smoke. Jonathan stood up and walked curiously to the room. Inside he spotted two smoking piles of ash that most likely use to be Alanna's desk and chair. He sighed at this. Slowly he looked around the room and noticed the singed curtains and burnt ceiling. Sometimes he just didn't know what to do with that squire of his.

Alan ran down the corridors, searching everywhere for her big friend. Just when she had given up and decided to head to the mess for food, she crashed straight into a solid figure towering above her.

Alan gasped in shock and bent over in a bow: "Your Grace...I must apologise, I was not watching where I was going." Alanna fumed inwardly. She hated Duke Roger and they both knew it.

The Duke stared down his nose at the small boy, smiling smugly as he said: "I'd watch where I were going if I were you, you'd never know what trouble could be round the corner."

Alan smiled politely as the Duke strode away. The squire quietly pondered the hidden meaning behind those words. It had been a threat, trouble was coming and Alan definitely didn't like it.

Behind Alan, footsteps closed in on the small squire. All of a sudden Alan's body stiffened, as the footsteps stopped right behind him. In a quick jerky motion, Alan grabbed the persons arm and flipped the figure over his hip.

Alan stared down into the chestnut eyes of Gary. Alanna's face went bright red. "Whoops..." Gary laughed and said: "Is that all you have to say? What about an apology? You know, I think you've shattered my spine."

Alanna laughed at her good friend and helped him up. Gary's expression unexpectedly sobered: "Alan, I think it's time we spoke." Alanna nodded her head, her face remaining emotionless: "Yes, it is time we talked, there are things that must be...cleared up."

Without looking back, Alanna walked towards the practice fields knowing full well that the knight following her now was about to have a surprise of a lifetime.

Hope you liked it...Exams are still not over, so it may take me a very long time to update, well maybe a week or so...dunno. Anyway, please R&R!!!!

Luv C.

P.S Thanks to my reviewers! Luv ya!