A/n: Thnaks to all my reviewers: ConfusedKnight, Piglet12345, Jessie, Lady Shannon of Rose Peak, Nikki, lanni and Lady knight. ok updates are going to take a little longer now on cos i have three dance performances and a drama performance comming up. anyway. enjoy!
Chapter 3: riding, a picnic and Injury
Thom watched his sister cross the room arm in arm with the prince. She was laughing at something he had just said. He sighed. She hadn't been at the palace for twenty-four hours yet and already she was spending more time with his Knightmaster than him. It just wasn't fair. Gary who had heard him sigh and looked over to see what Thom was looking at.
"Hmm…They seem rather… close." Gary commented. Thom threw Gary a look.
"What do you mean by that?" Thom snapped. Gary held his hands up in defence.
"Nothing it just looks like Jon-" he stopped as soon as he saw the dangerous look in Thom's eyes. "Its nothing don't worry about it."
"She is my sister Gary and I haven't seen her in six long years. Im supposed to know every thing about her." Thom said rather quietly. "But I feel like I hardly know anything about her. She doesn't seem the same as she once was." Gary put his arm around Thom's shoulders.
"Don't worry about it. She is still the same. People don't just change." He told Thom.
"Some do." Thom muttered.
Early the next morning Alanna had just finished getting dressed. She had just picked up her brush and was about to do her hair when there was a knock on her door. She put down her brush again with a sigh.
"Coming" she called. She opened the door to reveal Jonathan. He was wearing a white shirt with black breeches and a royal blue tunic. Jon looked her up and down.
"You're not wearing a dress." He commented seeming a little surprised. She looked down at her outfit. She was wearing her good white shirt and tanned breeches. On her feet, she had her sturdy leather boots. She shrugged.
"So? I never go riding with a dress on. I hate riding side saddle." She walked off, picked up her brush, brushed her hair, and pulled it up in a ponytail. Jonathan walked over to her bedside table and picked up a picture of Alanna and Thom when they were younger. Both had the same identical grins on their faces. Jon knew that look very well. Thom had the same grin when he had thought of an evil prank to pull on some poor unsuspecting person. Alanna who had finished getting ready was standing at the door.
"Are you coming? Or are you going to stare at that picture all day?" she demanded with a grin. Jon put the picture down, grinning.
"Im coming." He told her. Together they made their way down to the stables.
Thom was waiting impatiently down in the stables. Jon had told him the night before that Alanna was coming with them. That suited him fine. The fact that they were late didn't. He began to pace. At last, Jon and Alanna arrived. Thom looked at her sister shocked. She wasn't wearing a dress like most of the ladies wore when ridding.
"What are you wearing Alanna?" he asked his sister.
"Clothes." Was her reply. "Don't look so surprised Thom. You didn't think that I had completely turned into a soft noble lady did you? I told them at the convent that they had to teach me archery, and proper riding, none of that sidesaddle crap, and I would not cause too much trouble for them. They agreed after awhile." Thom grinned. This was more like the sister he knew. It didn't take them long to get their horses saddled. Soon they were ridding in the royal forest. It was a cool clear day, perfect for a ride and picnic lunch.
They soon came across a small clearing, it was shady and privet. They tied up the horses and set up the picnic lunch that the kitchen staff had made for them. There was so much food it would have satisfied a small army. As they ate, Alanna told them the story about the time she had accidentally turned her teacher's hair blue in sewing class.
Thom could not stop laughing. He eventually had to whip tears from his eyes.
"Did you get in trouble?" he asked.
"Yes." She replied. "I had to sew up all the sheets, and mend all the clothes for a week." Thom laughed at the image of Alanna sewing.
After lunch, they packed up and started the ride home. They came by a small creek. The once again stopped and tied the horses up. Alanna pulled of her socks and sat down on a rock. Dipping her feet in the cool water. Jon silently came up behind Alanna and pushed her in. as she feel. She managed to grab is sleeve and pulled him in with her. The both stood up soaking wet. Thom stood at the side of the bank laughing.
"You think that's so funny?" Alanna asked, and with out waiting for a reply she pulled him in to.
Some few hours later, they were heading back to the palace. They had managed to dry off by lying in the sun. They had not been riding for long when, an arrow whizzed over their heads and lodged itself into a tree. With out thinking Jonathan threw himself onto Alanna and they both fell to the ground. Jon landed on top of Alanna. He stared into her violet eyes. There are so beautiful and unusual. He though to himself. Alanna found herself becoming lost in his eyes. They were both oblivious to everything going on around them. Thom turned his horse around just as another arrow when by. This time it hit Thom in the shoulder. He cried out in pain and fell to the ground. Both Jon and Alanna looked over to Thom. Jonathan stood up looked around and noticed someone in a tree. Alanna ran over to her brother. Jonathan started chanting. Blue magic filled the air. Suddenly a man fell from a tree. He was dead. Jonathan went over to look at the man. He was wearing a royal guard's uniform under a brown cloak. A sudden cry of pain brought Jonathan to Thom's side. Jonathan looked at the arrow carefully. It was lodged in deep and had a dark substance on it.
"Don't touch it. It's poisoned." He warned Alanna. She drew back her hand rather quickly, with a small gasp.
"POISONED!" she cried out. Jon nodded. She looked at her brother. Her only brother. She felt hot tears sting her eyes. She brushed them away.
"What do we do?" Alanna asked.
"Help me lift him up onto his horse. We need to get back to the palace quickly as possible. Ill sit behind him." Jon told her.
Alanna and Jon lifted Thom on to his horse and Jon got up and sat behind him. Alanna went to fetch both Jon's and her own horse. As the rode, Jon was bitting on his lower lip. Lost deep in thought. Why would someone want to hurt Thom? As far as Jon knew, his squire hadn't done anything that would cause someone to hurt or kill Thom.
Once they reached the palace, they rushed Thom down to the infirmary. He was getting worse by the second. Jon and Alanna were told to sit outside while the healers tended to him. After what had seemed like hours, Duke Baird stepped out. He looked tired and worn out. His face was pale and covered in sweat.
"Im afraid that Thom is in a bad state. We are doing all we can for him, but we aren't sure that he will make it. The arrow that poisoned him was in rather deep. It looks like who ever did this knew what they were doing." He told them. He went back in side. A sudden cry came from the room. Then it all went silent.
A/n: ohh is thom dead? please review.