Chapter Six: As Rumors Continue
"Have you heard?"
"I heard she's the Lioness' daughter. An illegitimate child."
"But did you see how the king reacted? I bet he has something to do with this!"
"Maybe he's her father!"
"Or maybe it's that Conte duke. She's old enough."
"The Lioness hates him. She'd never have gotten a child by him. But the king-"
"They were friends-"
"Maybe more than." Giggles broke out. George frowned. He had not lost any of his skill at being unobtrusive, and no one had noticed him. After Alanna had fallen asleep, he'd come out here to see how bad the gossip was getting. This flock of ladies had the kindest gossip he'd heard all night. Quietly, he slipped back out, walking silently to the rooms he shared with his wife.
"George!" He turned to see Gareth the Younger of Naxen or Gary running towards him. "George, is it true, what people are saying? Who was that girl?" He sighed.
"Part of it is true," he said quietly. "Caterin is of Conte. Alanna and Jon are her parents. She was conceived shortly before they had their fight and broke up. She's been raised at Trebond. Alanna gave Coram a letter to give her when she was fourteen. Apparently he did so, because she's here now. Jon didn't know until today, and neither did Thayet. I knew because she was born at Port Caynn, and I was there." Gary whistled through his teeth.
"I was right," he said as if to himself. He sobered suddenly. "This is bad. Very bad." George snorted.
"You think I don't know that? The gossip is not doing Alanna's reputation any good; Jon seems to have sidestepped most of the trouble, though I think most of that is due to him not having all the conservatives more than willing to create a huge scandal over this. But Alanna-"
"Is in for it," Gary said grimly. "As is the girl- Caterin?" George nodded. "I've got to go; I promised Cythera I'd return as soon as I'd discovered a bit of what was going on here." With that, Gary turned on his heel and left. George sighed and turned to continue walking towards his earlier goal.
Alanna was not asleep when he returned, something he was not surprised to see. "I expect you went to see what the court is saying," she said as he stepped inside and pulled off his cloak. "How bad is it?" He sat on the bed.
"Bad," he said bluntly. "The most kindly thing I heard was that you and Jon were lovers and that she's a shameful, illegitimate child- that was after they suggested Roger as being her father as well." Alanna snorted.
"And the worst?" she prompted. George grimaced.
"Relating you to something lower than a prostitute," he said sourly. "Needless to say, that was from some of the younger conservatives." The half smile on her face had a sour edge to it.
"Hardly surprising," she said dryly. "They've called me out for much less than this; this must be a happy holiday for them, finally having some kind of solid evidence that I'm a whore and unworthy of my shield so that they can confine me to a barony for the rest of my life. Needless to say, that's not going to happen, but they do dream." George pulled her into his arms and kissed her on the forehead.
"Get some sleep," he advised, standing up to prepare for bed. "Tomorrow's doubtless going to be a very long day." Alanna grinned.
"You sound like my mother," she retorted. George grinned.
"Someone's got to." He kissed the tip of her nose. She smiled at him.
"Maybe," she agreed sleepily, before lying back down. The sound of even gentle breathing filled the room within seconds.
A/N You like? Review if you do and I'll update. I might be a bit slow though; holiday season started for choir and that means tons of rehearsal. Plus I have standardized testing this week, and a BIG concert this weekend. But I'll update as soon as I can. In the meantime, review and NO FLAMES!! Thanks to all my reviewers! -Queen's Own.
"Have you heard?"
"I heard she's the Lioness' daughter. An illegitimate child."
"But did you see how the king reacted? I bet he has something to do with this!"
"Maybe he's her father!"
"Or maybe it's that Conte duke. She's old enough."
"The Lioness hates him. She'd never have gotten a child by him. But the king-"
"They were friends-"
"Maybe more than." Giggles broke out. George frowned. He had not lost any of his skill at being unobtrusive, and no one had noticed him. After Alanna had fallen asleep, he'd come out here to see how bad the gossip was getting. This flock of ladies had the kindest gossip he'd heard all night. Quietly, he slipped back out, walking silently to the rooms he shared with his wife.
"George!" He turned to see Gareth the Younger of Naxen or Gary running towards him. "George, is it true, what people are saying? Who was that girl?" He sighed.
"Part of it is true," he said quietly. "Caterin is of Conte. Alanna and Jon are her parents. She was conceived shortly before they had their fight and broke up. She's been raised at Trebond. Alanna gave Coram a letter to give her when she was fourteen. Apparently he did so, because she's here now. Jon didn't know until today, and neither did Thayet. I knew because she was born at Port Caynn, and I was there." Gary whistled through his teeth.
"I was right," he said as if to himself. He sobered suddenly. "This is bad. Very bad." George snorted.
"You think I don't know that? The gossip is not doing Alanna's reputation any good; Jon seems to have sidestepped most of the trouble, though I think most of that is due to him not having all the conservatives more than willing to create a huge scandal over this. But Alanna-"
"Is in for it," Gary said grimly. "As is the girl- Caterin?" George nodded. "I've got to go; I promised Cythera I'd return as soon as I'd discovered a bit of what was going on here." With that, Gary turned on his heel and left. George sighed and turned to continue walking towards his earlier goal.
Alanna was not asleep when he returned, something he was not surprised to see. "I expect you went to see what the court is saying," she said as he stepped inside and pulled off his cloak. "How bad is it?" He sat on the bed.
"Bad," he said bluntly. "The most kindly thing I heard was that you and Jon were lovers and that she's a shameful, illegitimate child- that was after they suggested Roger as being her father as well." Alanna snorted.
"And the worst?" she prompted. George grimaced.
"Relating you to something lower than a prostitute," he said sourly. "Needless to say, that was from some of the younger conservatives." The half smile on her face had a sour edge to it.
"Hardly surprising," she said dryly. "They've called me out for much less than this; this must be a happy holiday for them, finally having some kind of solid evidence that I'm a whore and unworthy of my shield so that they can confine me to a barony for the rest of my life. Needless to say, that's not going to happen, but they do dream." George pulled her into his arms and kissed her on the forehead.
"Get some sleep," he advised, standing up to prepare for bed. "Tomorrow's doubtless going to be a very long day." Alanna grinned.
"You sound like my mother," she retorted. George grinned.
"Someone's got to." He kissed the tip of her nose. She smiled at him.
"Maybe," she agreed sleepily, before lying back down. The sound of even gentle breathing filled the room within seconds.
A/N You like? Review if you do and I'll update. I might be a bit slow though; holiday season started for choir and that means tons of rehearsal. Plus I have standardized testing this week, and a BIG concert this weekend. But I'll update as soon as I can. In the meantime, review and NO FLAMES!! Thanks to all my reviewers! -Queen's Own.