I'm determined to put more fluffs and info in. You might find Jon escaping the fire a little bit short and not detailed, but I'm trying to fit Alanna's leaving in this chapter too. Bear with me!

Chapter5

Jon didn't go to bed instantly; he remained there, planning things over in his mind. Suddenly, he smelled smoke. No, that's not right! It couldn't be. He walked to his door, the smell was stronger there. He felt the doorknob, it's hot. In fact, it's iron red!

There must be a fire outside of his door. His quick thinking told him to grab a wet towel and pressed it against his nose, and then carefully, he jumped out of the window. Good thing that the ground was full of snow.

Coldness brought him back to reality. He was at the back of the palace, facing the garden. If he took the closest door, it will be full of smoke. So, he chose to walk in the cold snow rather than going into the hot fire.

When he got around to the front and walked in, he was face to face with Delia.

"Hey, Jon, have you been avoiding me?" Delia said flirtatiously.

"No, Delia, I haven't. If you don't mind, I have to catch some sleep before people drags me out of bed again." Jon replied a little bit too patiently.

"Do you need someone for bed tonight? I'm free!" Delia said, "Or…did you already have one?" Jon didn't want to hurt her feelings, after all, he still have a soft place in his heart for Delia.

"Yes, I did." Jon lied, he saw her nose twitched. Clearly, she didn't believe him.

"Then, I'll walk you to your room." Delia offered again.

"No thanks, it's quite alright. I have to attend to some business first, and I won't be going to my room anytime soon." Jon stiffened at her offer.

"Oh, Jon, you are always teasing me, making my heart break and my mind wondering who you are sleeping with tonight." Then, with a different tone, she said, "Jon, are you tired of me so soon? Did that witch Alan and his…her cat bewitched you from me? Oh, Jon! You used to pour your hearts to me, why not now? Why did you stop?"

Jon was softened, but not enough to accept a sleepover. "Delia, please, I really have to do this as fast as possible. Good night." He bent and kissed her hand delicately and rushed pass her, calling guards to his room.

Delia watched him go, her eyes filled with hatred. She had failed to kill the Prince again, and she had failed Roger, her one time lover. 'I will find a way to bring him back…wait, I have an idea!' With that, she walked away, smiling to herself.

Slowly, Alanna woke up. It was a long time since she had ate anything. With a grunt, she got out of her bed. Memories overwhelmed her. Glancing up, she saw her work; Lightning, fully restored, hung from the post where she usually kept her weapons.

'The riddle said that the dark time for Tortall is coming.' Alanna thought. 'I'll just make myself useful.'

She decided that she would leave Corus the next day and there wouldn't be anybody or anything that can stop her, not even her own wedding. Silently, she made her way down the hall. Passing Jon's door, she inspect the burnt marks. She was about to knock on his door when she heard a girl was giggling inside. Changing her mind, she cloaked herself in an invisible spell she had learnt from the days in the tribe.

Walking through the door, she saw what she had heard. A very pretty girl was lying on Jon's bed, she was naked. Another sound came from her left got her attentions. Jon, who was also naked, was making his way towards the bed in a zigzag way. From what Alanna could tell, he was drunk. Obviously, the girl had fed him lots of alcohol, but what was she doing in Jon's room in the first place?

Fury rose in Alanna's chest. What was that girl thinking, lying with her fiancé? She breathed slowly, deeply and quietly to control her temper and regarded the situation again. Now, Jon and the girl were exchanging pretty heavy kisses, same as how Jon used to do to her when they lay together. The girl wasn't any court lady Alanna had seen. She must have been new! A glimpse of her clothes which were lying on the floor in a heap with Jon's, told her she was a noble and she had lots of jewels from wherever she came from.

Carefully, not to look at the couple on the bed who were having sexual intercourse, Alanna exited with her head bowed. It was not until she was back in her room again when she gasped and choked as fury became the better of her.

Hastily, she started to throw clothes into her trunk, by the time the bell rang for midday; she was packed, loaded and ready to go.

When she made her way downstairs into the Mess Hall that evening, Jon was no where to be found. She bet that he was in his room right now, wearing off the craziness that goes with the alcohol. However, she wouldn't go back in there to look even if someone threatened to kill her.

'It's okay, Alanna, you'll be gone tomorrow and it's not my problem if he never marries me, nor that he will never gets anybody as good as you.' Alanna told herself, but the inside of her said a different story. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice she had company until he shouted: "Alanna!"

Alanna jumped a mile. Then, rubbing her ears, she said, "Coram, (I forgot his name's spelling.) No need to shout, I'm right here!"

"I doubt you would hear me if I don't shout." Coram retorted. Changing the subject, he said. "So, I heard that you are going on a field trip, huh?"

"It's no field trip." Alanna protested.

"Then, where are you going in a hurry? I just arrived here and heard that you are all packed up to leave." Coram said.

"I'm going on a mission. Want to come?" Alanna asked.

"You know I'll die if anything happens to you!" Coram said offensively.

Alanna knew he was too proud to say that he wanted to have some adventure with her. "Ok, that's settled. We will leave at dawn tomorrow. I hope that you haven't unpacked, yet!"

"Too bad for me, I did." Coram grumbled.

"Well, there is something you can do right now. I'm hitting the sack. I'm practically asleep on my feet!" Alanna said with a false smile and a fake cheerfulness.

"Yes, see you tomorrow." Getting the hint, Coram left the table. Alanna followed soon afterwards.

On her way back to the room, she heard gossips all around her. She found out that the girl was a princess of the Copper Isles (I forgot her name! Please help, I needed it for the rest of my story.) She had attracted Jon in a mysterious way. Some said that she blackmailed him; some said she had put spells on him. Others said that she made him drank a love potion. Anyhow, she was first introduced by Queen Lianne to Jon and the prince had been around her all the time for the past few days.

'I don't care anymore about him. I just don't!' Alanna wanted to scream. This pressure was really getting into her.

Finally, she got into her room. Gratefully, she sprawled on her bed, fast asleep. Sometime later, Faithful came in and curled up beside his (or is it her? Help!) mistress.

At dawn, Alanna went to fetch Moonlight. Jon surprised her by standing there, waiting for her to come. Usually, Jon was not a morning person.

"Hey, Alanna, where are you going?" Jon burst out.

"No where you should be concerned of." Alanna replied easily, knowing her words hurts.

"Oh, at least, you should have told me that you are going!" Jon argued.

"Well, you never asked and I never saw you after I woke up. If you had been around me more, maybe I would tell you then." Alanna said.

'Put a lid on your flirting machine Alanna!' Faithful said. He had known Alanna's encounter yesterday.

Alanna mounted up. "You forgot your bags." Jon told her simply.

"Don't laugh, I wasn't thinking." Alanna mumbled.

She dismounted and loaded up her things. Just as she finished, Jon's arms snaked his way up to her waist. He pulled her in and kissed her. At first, Alanna sank into his passionate kiss, and then she remembered the day before. She wasn't sure if she was mad at him or the Princess from Copper Isles. Pulling away, she slapped him across the face, then quickly mounted up and rode away, leaving Jon, stunned at her reaction to his kiss and Coram, yelling after her to stop and wait for him.

Whew! That was the longest chapter I ever posted on Fan fiction! I hope it really have fluffs in there that you can enjoy. Seriously, CAN SOMEONE HELP ME WITH THE NAMES THAT I GOT PROBLEMS ON IN THIS CHAPTER? (In the reviews) Thanks, that's all I ask for.

Thanks

Sorceress Shadow Rain