Disclaimer: I don't own it.

Ok, chapter twelve. . . I'm not sure how this is going to turn out so please be patient with me.

Ryne

Anxieties Appeased

"So, what did he say?" shrieked Kyla.

"What are you talking about?" Alanna stalled.

"We saw you walking with Jon, and then he leaned in and talked to you, what did he say!"

"Jon does that all the time."

"Not like that, he doesn't. He was pale and he kept looking at you nervously, and when he stopped talking you had this really goofy grin on your face and you said yes. Then he smiled really big too."

"So obviously he said something rather important" Steph piped in.

"Yeah so what did he say?" Lindsey asked.

Alanna sighed. "Fine, come here and I'll tell you." She beckoned them closer with a finger; when they were close enough she whispered, "He asked me to the dance."

All the girls except Steph squealed. "Oh my God! That is so great, Alanna! So, you said yes, now we all have dates tonight!" Lindsey exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's gonna be awesome!" Added Emily. Kyla nodded with a big smile.

Steph stared strangely at Alanna. "Have any of you noticed that today is Friday the thirteenth?" She asked, still staring at Alanna with eyes that seemed hooded. Alanna reached for her neck instinctively and as her fingers brushed the stone that hung from her neck, she thought she saw traces of orange on Stephanie's skin. When she attempted to see it more clearly, the color was gone.

"Yeah, I know, freaky, eh?" Kyla added as if the comment hadn't been out of place at all and with a guise of solemnity not often adopted by this frivolous girl. "Can you imagine if something unnatural happened at the dance tonight?" Alanna had a bad feeling of foreboding as she laughed with the others and then turned to the teacher.

I cant' believe she said yes! This is fantastic! What am I going to wear? I have nothing to wear! It's a little odd that she said yes so fast though… Jon was so deep in thought he didn't hear Ayden calling his name. When he finally realized he was being summoned, he swiveled quickly on his chair.

"Well?" The other boy asked impatiently.

"She said yes!" Jon beamed. "And you?"

"She said yes!" Ayden fell back in his seat with a sigh. "I'm so happy, I was afraid she'd say no because she never goes out with other guys until a month after her last boyfriend, you know." Ayden was rambling in relief now. Jon only nodded and pretended to listen. "I do feel kind of bad though, for Gary, I mean," Ayden continued.

"Gary? Why Gary?" Jon asked with a frown.

"Because he totally likes Ryne but didn't ask her out," Ayden pointed out the seemingly obvious.

"He does? He didn't tell me."

"Of course he didn't, and he sure as hell didn't tell me either, but I can tell. It's pretty obvious; he stares at her all the time. Rather like you stare at Alanna actually," Ayden grinned at his own joke. Jon glared at him and Ayden just kept grinning.

"Then why wouldn't he have told me? I am his cousin and one of his best friends," Jon mused.

"Well, we're pretty close friends too; maybe he thought you would tell me." Ayden suggested.

"No, Gary knows me better than that, maybe it's something else entirely."

"Maybe," Ayden shrugged.

"Well?" George practically sprang from his seat near the hearth in the inn called Dancing Dove. "Did you find them?" The man before him wore nothing but simple, unidentifiable clothes, like all his workers did, but he knew this one as well as all the others, he knew all of his men. They were supposed to be the best, so why hadn't anyone found her yet? He seated himself once more on his throne and looked at Francis before him, commonly known as Striker, he had a look of fear in his eyes and George knew what he was about to hear before the man opened his mouth. That didn't stop him from being enraged.

"Your Majesty," Striker's fingers started to twiddle. George looked at them pointedly and the twiddling stopped. "Your Majesty," Striker tried again. "I have searched, as my men and many others have, every end of the realm we can. The rogues from every other nation are being led by a member of our circle in search of the group." Striker looked like he was about to run from the room, his manner was calm and his noble's accent was still very noticeable despite years of faithful service to the rogue. His eyes portrayed fear to its highest extent, for he knew what the King of thieves could do in a fit of rage.

"But we still haven't found them." George flew out of his chair and grabbed Striker by his collar; a dagger already in hand and ready to add a new ear to his collection. However, George wasn't stupid and Striker had already wet himself. George knew his men were doing the best they could, and if they said they searched everywhere they probably had. But where could she be? She has to be somewhere in Tortall! He himself had searched the Trebond grounds without arousing suspicion from Coram, he had Thom search the City of the Gods, his men were all over the nation, searching. The only place they hadn't looked was the Roof of the World, and knowing Alanna the way he did, she wouldn't be there for she was deathly afraid of the cold. He grinned at this.

His dagger had already resheathed itself, though he was still holding Striker by the collar. "Keep looking," he ordered gruffly, and then threw Striker away from him. "And clean yourself up," George stalked off to his room.

When he entered the room he flung himself onto an armchair. I'll never forgive myself if I don't find her. I'll never forgive myself if I don't find them. But where could they be? George buried his head in his hands when he noticed the corner of an envelope sticking out from between his bed frame and his mattress. He stared at it in shock then grinned. I should have known she wouldn't leave without a hint or something. He quickly removed the letter from the envelope and read its contents.

Dear George,

I hope this finds you well and not angry with me. I and the others have left the Palace as you surely know by now; life in Corus is dull and Duke Gareth will do nothing to ease this. We have gone on an adventure, do not search for us, we are beyond even your reach. We are not in trouble; we are merely exploring other possibilities for it. I don't know when we will be back but fear not, I will miss you too much to leave for very long. We should be back within a month, if ever you need to reach us, go to Jon's rooms in the Palace, you will find your way to us there, bring no one with you and do not let yourself be seen. No, don't frown at me —George was frowning—, I know what you're capable of but you aren't invincible and our Smiling Friend may be watching. Remember what I have said, and I hope you aren't too cross with me for I meant no harm.

Alan

P.S. Please do not take anyone's ears off on my account.

George smiled, then reread the letter several times before throwing it into the fire and watching it burn. This didn't tell him much more than he already knew but at least she had thought to say goodbye. A month... it has already been two weeks. If they don't come back in another three, I will go after them. Having made his decision, George sighed and shifted the ashes of the letter before rising and leaving his room.

He would assemble his men and tell them to spread the word; they were to end the search for the Prince and his friends. The men had been curious as to why it was so important to George, they knew that Alan was a very close friend of his and that the others were not much less, but why the Prince? He had never cared before, so why now? Let them wonder, George told himself. A good mystery will keep them guessing.

Suddenly, in the middle of Geography, last period, a loud ring was heard. Everyone's heads turned every which way, trying to locate the sound. Everyone except Alanna. She merely smiled at her necklace then resumed copying her notes. Ryneka, seeing this, reminded herself to ask about it later.

When the two left the class and started walking to their lockers, Ryneka glanced pointedly at Alanna and raised an eyebrow. "Must you see everything?" Alanna asked with a sigh of exasperation.

"Yes, I must. It's the only way I'll ever learn anything." Ryne replied pertly. Alanna gave her a curious look. "What?

"It's just that an old teacher of mine told me the exact same thing." Alanna stated, thinking of Myles.

"He was a wise man, then." Ryne said serenely, nodding her head.

Alanna laughed, seeing the twinkle in the girl's eyes. "Has anyone ever told you you should be a Player?" Alanna asked as they rounded a corner of the hallway.

"A Player? An actress you mean? Oh yes, many a time, but my parents disapprove, they say it isn't a good job for their daughter. Everyone expects me to be something great, more than I feel I could ever be." Ryne shook her head sadly.

Alanna looked at her friend in shock; that anyone could refuse Ryneka joy was beyond her. She decided to change the subject. "How goes it with Ayden?"

Ryneka opened her mouth to answer, a smile brightening her face once more. Then she frowned at Alanna, "Don't change the subject, I'm not stupid! What was the ringing in Geography, I know it came from you!"

Alanna regained her composure. "Oh! I had forgotten all about it!" She grinned slyly at her friend. "When the others and I left home a few weeks ago, we didn't really tell anyone, as you know. But I have a particular friend whom I know would stop at nothing to find us." Alanna was staring at nothing, thinking of George. She remained cryptic in her explanation for fear of prying ears. "So I left him a note, explaining that it was futile to search for us. I laid a device on it," at this Alanna flicked her fingers to indicate magic, Ryne nodded, "so that when he found it and read it, I would know. Hence the loud ringing sound. I only fear for what he has done in the two weeks prior to his discovery of my letter." Alanna shook her head.

"Who discovered what letter?" Jon had caught up with them in the hallway.

"The letter he left for George, he found it." Ryneka supplied, grinning at Jon.

Alanna looked at Ryne sharply, "How did you know his name? I didn't mention it before."

Ryne shrugged obscurely and retained her calm veneer "You must have told me before." With this she walked briskly over to Ayden and began chatting about nothing.

Jon frowned at Alanna's concerned face. "Let it go, you know we can trust her."

"I know, but it still bothers me that she knows so much without being told. I hadn't told either of them about George so how did she know?"

Jon patted her shoulder reassuringly, "We'll figure it out later, but for now, tell me: are you really coming tonight?" Jon peered at her suspiciously.

"I already said yes. I was going to ask you myself, you know." Jon's eyes widened. "What, would you rather I didn't come at all?" Alanna's temper broke loose.

"No! No, come, I'll met you here?"

Alanna nodded and set off to meet her friends and take the bus to Ryne's again. Ayden followed them for a while before leaving to his own bus.

The six girls gathered in Ryneka's big bedroom, spread out in the room, doing each other's hair, chattering over magazines and chips and getting dressed in the bathroom, showing their dresses off for the others. Kyla was first, she did a catwalk for the girls in her dark red dress, the same one she had worn for her grade eight graduation and the gala with her boyfriend that year. The dress had a few minor adjustments, the neckline was slightly lower cut to flaunt her large breasts, the red straps that crossed on her back were more numerous and the dress itself was shorter. The dress suited Kyla, though it bared too much skin for anyone else's comfort. Her long brown locks were piled in curls on the top of her head, a few stray curls danced coyly in her face, and she had a large red brooch in it that sparkled when it caught the light, drawing attention to her hair and face.

Lindsey went next, a long black dress with a V neck and lace down the arms made her look like she was ready for a funeral and it did nothing for her generous and slightly disproportionate curves. The girls were too polite to say anything but Lindsey already knew it was no good even with her attempts at making the dress seem attractive. Ryne frowned, "There must be something we can do..." The girl bit her lip, walking slowly around Lindsey. Finally she stopped in front of the redhead, tapping a finger against her chin. "The black suits your style and personality, and that's fine but it's to… conservative and depressing..." She turned to Alanna "fetch me the scissors I used yesterday." She said firmly, Alanna did as she was told. Returning to the room, she found Ryneka rolling up the hem of the skirt, saying "We'll make you stand out, bringing the attention away from your middle to your face and chest. We'll make a collar."

Lindsey looked at Ryne with a look of dread. "We won't have enough time, and I don' think any of us is capable of making this work, maybe I'll just stay home."

Accepting the scissors from Alanna, Ryneka looked at the girl sternly "Nonsense, we will make this work, we aren't about to leave you behind! And besides, I'm not that bad of a seamstress! I usually know what looks good on a girl and I'm sure the others will help out, right girls?" She gave the others a slightly threatening look and they all nodded. "Anyway, it's all about making the right features stand out, like your hair for instance. It is beautiful, you should never change it, and the different tones really set off your blue eyes. The black of the dress is really dragging the color out of it and making it seem drab and lifeless." Ryneka crouched on the floor and picked up the hem of the dress again, starting to saw at the fabric with the scissors. "We're going to change that by; first of all, showing off your cute ankles and gorgeous calves, only halfway though, we don't want to show the knees at a semiformal dance." After making it once around the width of Lindsey, Ryneka stretched out her full five foot five inches and held a length of black fabric in her hands.

She started to work on it right away, making Lindsey twist and turn, sowing things directly onto the dress, cutting parts out, then getting Lindsey out of the dress to sew other things, finally after an hour during which the other girls did menial tasks like fetching water and supplies for Ryne, the dress was pronounced ready. She ushered her mannequin into the bathroom and closed the door after her. A few minutes later she called in: "Don't look in the mirror yet! Let us judge it and if it's ready you can see it, so you aren't disappointed." Lindsey emerged looking fabulous in a black gown that reached a little higher than the middle of her calves, with a slight slit on the right side up to her knee; Ryneka pointed at it and admitted "I felt like being a little risky since that's Lindsey's nature anyway." The girls only nodded, staring at the dress in fascination; in addition to the other changes, the dress now sported a diamond shaped hole against Lindsey's skin just above the swell of her breasts and there was an erect collar around her neck, Count Dracula style. This elevated the eye to her face and accentuated the delicate shape of her face, her high cheekbones and small nose. It also made her hair seem much more prominent and lively. The lace still covered her arms and seemed more like a fashion statement than a fashion faut pas.

"So, is it any good?" Lindsey asked shyly. "It feels a lot better," she grinned at Ryne, who smiled back.

"Oh, Lindsey, it's wonderful!" Kyla said softly, running her hand over Lindsey's should and arm where the velvety fabric and lace connected. Kyla turned to its maker, "How did you do it? And in only an hour! It suits her perfectly!" Ryne only shrugged.

"I think you've been approved," Ryne stated and brought out her full length mirror from her closet, she placed it in front of Lindsey and withdrew the cloth that covered it quickly, watching raptly for Lindsey's reaction.

The girl's eyes became like saucers as she stared at herself in the mirror, twisting and turning to see every angle of herself. "I'm beautiful!" She breathed.

Ryne laughed "You're no Holly Sernoskie," she mentioned the most popular girl in school, "but you'll do."

"No one is as good looking as Holly," Lindsey said.

Ryne shrugged and looked appraisingly at her subject. She turned and disappeared into her closet; she resurfaced with a pair of strapped black high heels which she handed to Lindsey. "Try them on, they should fit, size ten, I got them for my cousin but she didn't want them and I never got around to returning them." Lindsey reached out and grasped the shoes, slowly, she strapped them on. They were perfect, both for her feet and her outfit. Ryne looked ponderingly at Lindsey again and asked to see the girl's jewelry, when she had scanned through all of it; she picked out a gold locket for her to wear as well as two gold, tacky looking bracelets which she had to practically force the redhead to put on. When she had been duly convinced, the outfit was coming together nicely; the two bracelets on one arm actually gave it some spunk rather than make it look stupid. Ryne fished through Lindsey's jewelry one last time and emerged with a pair of chandelier gold earrings that were to be the piece de resistance to the outfit. "A little black eyeliner and some blush and you're ready to go," Ryne smiled. "Now," she clapped her hands, "the rest of us. We have," she paused and checked the alarm on her night table, "one hour before we have to leave."

The girls resumed the show of outfits; Steph came out next with a very conservative black dress that fit well in all the right places, black, comfortable looking heels that were very practical and Stephanie's style. As a splash of color, Steph had added dangling turquoise earrings that matched her eye shadow and a sort of cardigan of the same blue-green that wrapped around her and emphasized her small chest; it covered her bare arms and protected her from the chill, conservative yet cute. Perfect.

Next came Emily, she wore a dark green dress that highlighted the matching color in her eyes. She had high black stilettos that made the already tall girl even taller. Her mouse brown hair was curled slightly even though by the night's end the shoulder length hair would remain pleasantly wavy. Her dark eye makeup, done by Ryneka, made her look smoky and mysterious, which also matched her personality.

Alanna decided to get it over with and slipped into the bathroom while the others admired Emily, she was excited to see their reactions but even more so to see Ryne's outfit, she had found it interesting how everything she did for the other girls suited them perfectly but she'd only met them once before. It was no wonder Ryne knew every student in the school. Alanna donned her outfit and was putting on her magnetic earrings just as she heard the girls starting to wonder where she was. She emerged from the bathroom in all her glory. Ryne had added her extensions in earlier and done up her hair and makeup perfectly. The girls ogled her and she saw a huge smile on Ryne's lips as if her entire life's work lay before her. The girls all started talking at once, saying how pretty she was and how all the boys would love her and want to dance with her and that Jon would be very jealous and not able to take his eyes off her. Alanna smiled and thanked them, reassuring them that earrings weren't real and that she would be quite alright walking in the almost flat dainty shoes she wore.

Soon the chatter died down and Alanna looked pointedly at Ryne. "So when do we get to see the main attraction?" She asked with a small smile. The other girls were confused for a moment, and then light dawned on their faces. "Yeah!" they screamed in agreement "We want the real thing!"

"Alright, alright, hush!" Ryne told them with a smile. "Give me a minute to gather my things and I'll be right out." Of all the girls, she was the only one who had done nothing to her appearance in preparation for the dance. She gathered articles from around the room, seemingly at random and disappeared into the washroom. After ten minutes or so, a completely different person seemed to surface. She smiled shyly and asked: "So what do you think?"

She was resplendent in a pink dress, a color that would be totally out of place on the relaxed, level-headed girl they all knew. Alanna had expected a blue dress but the pink one was sensational. It curved gently over her considerable breasts, cutting squarely at the top and showing a little cleavage. It flowed gently over her stomach then hugged tightly at her hips before flaring out in an array of pleated skirt from mid-thigh to mid-calf. She sported a silver anklet with a pink design on it, a silver chain and pink stone was displayed at her throat and her hair was long and extremely straight, her red and blond streaks showing clearly but not clashing, accented by the pink. Ryne wore blue eye shadow, black eyeliner on the outside of her lashes and blue on the inside, a little blush and pink lip gloss and she was done. The overall effect was stunning. She walked forward and when her skirt had settled, they noticed her pink stiletto strapped heels; all her nails were French manicured.

"Good?" She asked, her confidence fading in the silence; her smile vanished.

Alanna recovered, "Of course! It's absolutely stunning! You look fantastic, it wasn't anything like I expected, it's much better." She reassured her friend. The others were quick to agree and add their own comments afterwards.

Ryneka's smile returned and she clapped her hands, saying: "Alright, it's just about time to go." She glanced at her watch, the movement drawing attention to the silver watch with a pink quartz face and a dozen of jangling silver bracelets on her wrists. Her silver necklace flashed.

Ryneka led them down the stairs and out the door, they al piled into her family van, a black Saturn. When they reached the school fifteen minutes later, the girls were all very nervous and could think of nothing but the dance, they entered the school, handing their tickets to the pair of chaperones at the doors. They walked to Ryne and Alanna's locker in the dark corridor where they would meet their dates.

"So, who is everyone going with, let's have a last run through for names, shall we?" Ryne suggested to get their minds off their growing anxiety.

"Alex," Kyla responded automatically, he'd been her boyfriend for a year. Ryne nodded.

"Jon," Alanna said, her stomach tightening at the thought. I hope he likes my dress. She thought surreptitiously. Ryne smiled at her.

"Ben," Lindsey added.

"Max," Emily supplied.

"Alexander," Steph said quietly, the others looked at her sharply. "Alanna's friend, the new one in grade eleven. Tirragen." She supplied; Alanna frowned delicately and looked away.

"And I'm with Ayden," Ryne said with a deep sigh.

"I hope you don't think that's a bad thing," A decidedly male voice commented. Ryneka's face lit with a grin.

"Oh woe is me, but I do!" She cried dramatically, turning to the voice. The boy grinned back; he was leading a group of ten boys or so.

"I ran into these guys and they said they were headed in the same direction so we walked together, it's nice to see all of you," he said charmingly. The boys introduced themselves one by one, but they were hard to discern in the near darkness. There was Gary, Jon, Raoul (who looked decidedly uncomfortable), Alex, Ben, the other Alex, Max, Ray, Kai and a friend of Ayden's who called himself Chung for no apparent reason. The entire group resettled itself into groups, the extra guys at the back, Ayden, Ryneka, Jon and Alanna in the lead. They all strolled off toward the gym.

End Chapter 12. Pretty long, actually, hope you liked it.

Ciao, review, please!