Chapter Five: As Rumors Begin
Alanna the Lioness stared after the retreating back of her daughter, Caterin, before turning back to the fourteen year olds father, Jonathan of Conte. "Jon, what the hell are we supposed to do?" she asked bluntly. "I didn't want to say this in front of her -she's got enough on her plate already- but I'm nervous. Do you know what some of the conservatives will say? What good will it do for the Crown if rumor gets out that the King of Tortall has had an illegitimate child, and with his Champion no less!" Alanna's husband, George, ran his fingers through his brown hair.
"We'd better get this out before the rumor mills start churning," he pointed out. "With the truth out, rumors will be less."
"Less, but not stopped," Queen Thayet pointed out grimly. "There's always someone who will be able to convince enough people for it to be serious that there's something we're lying about or withholding."
"Alanna," Jonathan began. "I have no idea how to get us out of this. We're in big trouble."
"Just announce it," a new voice said quietly but firmly. "Announce it like the baron said already. That will show all that there is nothing shameful about this." Raoul of Goldenlake, Knight Commander of the King's Own stepped into the room and shut the door. Alanna spun around, relaxing when she saw her old friend, who grinned. "Jonathan, your daughter is quite lovely. I ran into her in the hall."
"Oh, you mean Kally?" Jonathan said with false brightness.
"No, I mean the other one," Raoul replied patiently. "The one with the purple eyes." He glanced from Jon to Alanna. "Mithros, you didn't tell me you were lovers!"
"They hardly need to now," Thayet pointed out dryly.
"We hardly thought it was appropriate," Alanna said, answering Raoul and pointedly ignoring the queen. "You would have thought something was amiss, if squire 'Alan' was sleeping with the prince of the realm, and after I got my shield, I was off among the Bazhir. Besides, you guessed," she accused. Raoul's grin broadened.
"Too true," he admitted. "However, you two had a daughter?"
"She's been raised by Coram since she was a baby," Alanna answered, shooting daggers at Jon. "It was- someone's fault here that I will choose not to mention." Jonathon ignored her.
"I didn't know she existed until today," he added, returning his own daggers to Alanna. "It was- someone's fault that I will choose not to mention." Raoul sobered suddenly.
"Listen," he began. "I didn't come here to watch you two unhappy parents glare daggers at one another. I came from court. There are some very- uncomplimentary things flying around about you two. Contrary to popular belief, some courtiers are able to put two and two together and come up with four- or at least three." He took a deep breath. "There are so many rumors flying I can't begin to tell you. What I can tell you is that things are going to get ugly fast if you don't do anything about it. I-" He broke off at the soft knock on the door. Caterin stepped into the room and closed the door with barely any noise. She smiled.
"Kally and Roald are in your suite," she informed the king and queen. "I'm here." Alanna smiled.
"Any trouble?" Jonathan asked. She shook her head.
"We didn't see a soul," she assured them. Alanna turned to look at the king and queen.
"Jon, Thayet. Your children are waiting for you and, if there's not anything else we need to discuss now, I'm going to show Cat where she's going to be staying." Jonathan shook his head.
"It's fine, Alanna," he assured her. "Thayet I'm sure wants to talk to me and to our children, so you are free to go do whatever you want." Alanna grinned as she and George stood.
"See you in the morning, Jon." She saluted. He smiled. George looped an arm around the lioness' waist and steered her out of the room. Cat followed them, with one quick glance back at the queen, and her father, Jonathan of Conte.
Alanna the Lioness stared after the retreating back of her daughter, Caterin, before turning back to the fourteen year olds father, Jonathan of Conte. "Jon, what the hell are we supposed to do?" she asked bluntly. "I didn't want to say this in front of her -she's got enough on her plate already- but I'm nervous. Do you know what some of the conservatives will say? What good will it do for the Crown if rumor gets out that the King of Tortall has had an illegitimate child, and with his Champion no less!" Alanna's husband, George, ran his fingers through his brown hair.
"We'd better get this out before the rumor mills start churning," he pointed out. "With the truth out, rumors will be less."
"Less, but not stopped," Queen Thayet pointed out grimly. "There's always someone who will be able to convince enough people for it to be serious that there's something we're lying about or withholding."
"Alanna," Jonathan began. "I have no idea how to get us out of this. We're in big trouble."
"Just announce it," a new voice said quietly but firmly. "Announce it like the baron said already. That will show all that there is nothing shameful about this." Raoul of Goldenlake, Knight Commander of the King's Own stepped into the room and shut the door. Alanna spun around, relaxing when she saw her old friend, who grinned. "Jonathan, your daughter is quite lovely. I ran into her in the hall."
"Oh, you mean Kally?" Jonathan said with false brightness.
"No, I mean the other one," Raoul replied patiently. "The one with the purple eyes." He glanced from Jon to Alanna. "Mithros, you didn't tell me you were lovers!"
"They hardly need to now," Thayet pointed out dryly.
"We hardly thought it was appropriate," Alanna said, answering Raoul and pointedly ignoring the queen. "You would have thought something was amiss, if squire 'Alan' was sleeping with the prince of the realm, and after I got my shield, I was off among the Bazhir. Besides, you guessed," she accused. Raoul's grin broadened.
"Too true," he admitted. "However, you two had a daughter?"
"She's been raised by Coram since she was a baby," Alanna answered, shooting daggers at Jon. "It was- someone's fault here that I will choose not to mention." Jonathon ignored her.
"I didn't know she existed until today," he added, returning his own daggers to Alanna. "It was- someone's fault that I will choose not to mention." Raoul sobered suddenly.
"Listen," he began. "I didn't come here to watch you two unhappy parents glare daggers at one another. I came from court. There are some very- uncomplimentary things flying around about you two. Contrary to popular belief, some courtiers are able to put two and two together and come up with four- or at least three." He took a deep breath. "There are so many rumors flying I can't begin to tell you. What I can tell you is that things are going to get ugly fast if you don't do anything about it. I-" He broke off at the soft knock on the door. Caterin stepped into the room and closed the door with barely any noise. She smiled.
"Kally and Roald are in your suite," she informed the king and queen. "I'm here." Alanna smiled.
"Any trouble?" Jonathan asked. She shook her head.
"We didn't see a soul," she assured them. Alanna turned to look at the king and queen.
"Jon, Thayet. Your children are waiting for you and, if there's not anything else we need to discuss now, I'm going to show Cat where she's going to be staying." Jonathan shook his head.
"It's fine, Alanna," he assured her. "Thayet I'm sure wants to talk to me and to our children, so you are free to go do whatever you want." Alanna grinned as she and George stood.
"See you in the morning, Jon." She saluted. He smiled. George looped an arm around the lioness' waist and steered her out of the room. Cat followed them, with one quick glance back at the queen, and her father, Jonathan of Conte.