Chapter Fourteen: The joys of happiness...
Don't be afraid of the happiness that comes your way.
Treasure what you have.
You never know, it may be exactly what you need.
Lady Tamaida of Ninequor to her daughter when she turned fifteen.
Teirra found she liked wearing dresses and found that her father liked having dresses made for her, more than she liked them. She still practiced at her archery every day for hours on end, and she still practiced with her sword, learning to fight in a dress. It was a challenge, more so than she would have thought. She had a new respect for those who wore dresses.
After Grufford was sentenced and Teirra begged for imprisonment for the rest of his life, she had gone home to Ninequor. She took some of the horses left behind by the Scanran's with her, including the smart talking stallion she called Twilight. He wasn't Prancer, but he was a good companion, despite his retorts. The Riders would now only be a memory that she cherished.
She missed the Riders terribly, but she could not go back on her decision and she would not. Her decision had been for the best, she knew that. Teirra couldn't continue with the Riders, not when she would be married soon and when she could cost the lives of her group every time she went off like she had so many times recently. Her last duty was to be at the trial.
She had never planed to returned to Corus once she left. Teirra had accepted the fact that she could only forestall marriage so long before her father demanded it from her and honor would drive her to obey. She couldn't face her friends again, not after leaving them. A part of her still felt like she was letting them down every day that she wasn't riding with Group Nobility. Only Taex could make her come back.
He wrote to her before his Ordeal, hoping she would be there when he left that horrible chamber. Of course she would; Teirra would never deny a request from her brother. Besides, she wanted to be there for his knighting. She would be the proudest sister in all of Tortall to see it, even if it felt bittersweet for her. It was her brother's time.
Teirra couldn't bare to wait outside the chamber doors for her brother, but she was at his side from that day until the day he officially became a knight. After, she decided to throw a small party, close friends only. She invited Domitran and Alan of course, Alyxander, Mattieu, the whole of Group Nobility and several other knights who were close to her brother. She didn't mention a word, nor did anyone else, when she "neglected" to invite the Count of Slate Coast.
It had been an enjoyable evening so far and Taex was thoroughly enjoying himself, as Teirra had hoped he would. She waited from the sides of the large room with a small smile of satisfaction. She wanted to cherish this memory and all the tiny details; tomorrow, she would be bound back home.
"Bittersweet?" Alan came to stand beside her, offering her a glass of warm cider.
Teirra smiled and took the offered glass, sipping carefully at the warm liquid she loved so much. "It reminds me of the winters with my mother."
"The party?" Alan laughed, deliberately not understanding her.
His little ploy worked, she laughed. "Oh, no. Mother never liked parties like this. She preferred only her family to keep her company. I meant the cider."
"Of course you did." Alan remarked and leaned against the wall beside, making her comfortable enough to do the same, even in her green velvet gown. "Gowns suit you."
"I have to be a lady now. Besides, I have found I rather like them, as long as they don't get in my way." Teirra smiled, feeling for once, content with the choice she had made. She would do alright as a lady. She would even be a great leader for her people when the time came. The ladies of Ninequor would know how to protect themselves better than any other in Tortall.
Alan gave a short laughed at that. "I meant, you look beautiful in them."
Teirra flushed bright red. "Thank you." She sipped at her drink, ducking her head slightly so that her black curls fell over her face.
"Has your father found you a suitable husband?" He asked the question casually, but Teirra looked up surprised.
"I don't know. I hope not. I'm just getting used to being a lady and not a Rider." Teirra looked at him.
"You can do both. Not necessarily as a Rider, but as woman. My mother does it, so does Queen Thayet and Lady Keladry." Alan told her. "Why settle to being just a wife."
Teirra frowned. "I don't plan to be 'just a wife.' I plan to be a great lady of my people. I plan to do a great many things. But I will honor my husband and he should honor me. My mother was not 'just a wife.' I won't be either. I will educate the ladies in Ninequor about how to defend themselves. Perhaps the next Lady Knight will come from my home."
Alan raised a hand. "I didn't mean to offend. You just have so much potential."
Teirra took a deep breathe and let it out slowly. "I hope so. I hope to reach it. A woman doesn't have to be a great legend to make a difference."
"It helps." Alan told her pointedly.
"Yes, it does." Teirra conceded with a smile. "But I'm not a legend."
"You could have been. The greatest Queen's Rider, even the commander one day." Alan looked into his glass.
"I will be great, in my own way." Teirra told him, watching her friend with curiosity. "Why do you care?"
Alan looked up as if he hadn't heard her. "What?"
"Why do you care, Sir Alan?" Teirra repeated patiently.
He was quiet for a moment, his eyes closed. Teirra couldn't imagine that the question was as difficult as it was appearing to be. She certainly didn't expect it to be. "You're my friend, Lady Teirra, and I care."
"Oh," was all she could say. The answer seemed insufficient for the time it took to reach it. Teirra didn't know how to react to it.
"I don't want to see you married to someone who wouldn't let you reach your potential." Alan continued on, not meeting her eyes, but watching the party.
"I don't have that control, nor you, sir." Teirra pointed out to him politely.
"I could." He remarked quietly.
Teirra looked at him, with a confused expression. She wasn't sure she had heard him correctly. "Come again?"
"I could control who." He repeated, equally as quiet as before and still looking out at their friends.
"What do you mean?" Teirra stared at him, turning herself to face him and forgetting about the cider in her hand. "How can you do that?"
Alan was silent for a long while, so long that Teirra was afraid that he hadn't heard her, or had decided to let the conversation go. Deciding the later was the case, Teirra turned to leave. "A marriage of convenience."
"Of convenience," she turned back and frowned, not liking the sound of what he was saying. "I want more than convenience."
"Not convenience, more like friendship and in time, perhaps love." Alan finally turned to look at her with eyes that seemed so fragile, something she could not fathom in his eyes.
"What are you saying, Alan? I need a little more than riddles." Teirra stood frozen in place. He couldn't possibly be hinting at what she thought he was hinting at, could he?
"I would honor you. I would let you do as you wished. We're friends are we not?" He waited for her to nod before continuing. "We care for each other. We have saved each other a number of times. We tolerate each other, perhaps not my mother, but- You wouldn't have to live with a stranger."
"Are you… You can't be saying… Alan?" Teirra couldn't even put together a sentence.
"I could learn to love you. For all I know, I could be in love with you right now." Alan stared at her with an intensity that made her take a small step back.
"Alan, I couldn't do that to you." Teirra shook her head.
"Do what? You wouldn't be doing anything to me. I have to marry; I'm not blind to that. I would rather marry you than any other girl out there." Alan took her hand.
"I want more than friendship." Teirra closed her eyes to him.
"Why can't we? I would love you, I'm certain. You could come with me. We could save Tortall together. You and me." Alan reached up and touched her cheek.
"Oh, Alan." Teirra felt tears brimming her eyes. She would like nothing more than to marry Alan, he was her friend and the man she wanted to save her when she was in trouble. "Your mother hates me, I'm certain."
"No, she doesn't. My father would love you, Thom would love you. Aly is a little more difficult, but she's too much like our mother than she'd admit. Teirra, marry me." Alan took the glass of cider from her and held her hands. Teirra felt a tear snake down her cheek. "Is that a yes?"
Teirra nodded her head. "Of course. I'd be insane not to."
Alan smiled at her. "Good. I don't need an insane friend. I have enough as it is."
She laughed and he took her up in his arms and turned her around, her green dress billowing out. He set her down gently and caressed her cheek with his hand. He bent and kissed her gently. "I will make you happy."
"Oh, don't worry about that." Teirra whispered.
"I do." He smiled and kissed her sweetly, once more.
"What's going on here?" Domitran walked over to them and clapped Alan on the shoulder in the good natured way that he always had about him.
"Alan has just proposed something crazy." Teirra remarked with a smile, feeling giddy inside.
"Oh, just crazy? Alan, my lad, you are slacking in your old age." Domitran laughed heartily.
"No, I don't believe so, Dommy. I plan to marry our lovely Lady Teirra." Alan took Teirra's hand, clasping it tightly and bringing her hand to his lips.
Domitran was silent for a moment, before clapping Alan on the shoulder once again and with the biggest smile. "Oh ho! This is great news! Now, my lady, you'll have to keep an eye on this boy. He'll run you mad."
"I will." Teirra couldn't keep the smile from her face. She couldn't believe she could feel this happy after all that had happened in the recent months.
"Good. Now for a proper announcement." Domitran turned away from them to face their friends. Alan raised a hand to stop his friend, but Domitran wouldn't hear it. "No, no, you need one. Ladies and Gents!" The group turned to look at Domitran, who didn't need a box to stand on to raise above the rest of them. "I have the most delightful news."
"And what's that, Dommy? You've hit the mark at the archery fields?" Mattieu joked lightly about his friend.
Domitran shot him a look before waving it off. "No, no! My dear friends, Sir Alan and our delightful, Lady Teirra have decided it is about time they are engaged to be married."
The room was quiet for a moment before shouts of congratulations when up. Taex pushed through to stand before them, smiling like the proud brother he was. Teirra released Alan's hand to walk up to him.
"This was your night, I'm sorry." She apologized.
Taex laughed. "My time was being knighted, your time is being engaged. Just think, father won't have to remember two dates. Congradulations. You saved me a lot of trouble." He looked over her shoulder at Alan. "Take care of her. I only have one little sister."
"I will." Alan came to stand at her side. "I always will." He took her in his arms and, in front of her brother, kissed her so passionately that she had to catch her breathe.
Author's note: The end! I honestly don't know what to do with myself now. This was a hard chapter to right, very hard. I wasn't sure I wanted to end it this way and I hope it is alright. It's sad, I had become so attached to these characters.