"Stephan?"
"Alanna?"
"Where am I?" she asked.
"On the edge of the forest. Can't ye see the castle?" He pointed at the towering stone building just out of the trees.
"Excellent!" She began to run towards the castle. As an afterthought she called over her shoulder, "Thank you Stephan!"
He shook his head. "She's a strange lass, that one."
#######################################################
As Alanna burst into the ballroom everything went quiet. Alanna realized that even for those who had not known of her absence, she was still wearing breeches.
Finally a Daughter bustled up. "Alanna! We've been so worried -"
"Where's Thom?" she asked urgently, hardly aware of the people staring at her.
The Daughter narrowed her eyes slightly. "You'd best come with me dear," she told Alanna, still trying to sound motherly. As soon as they had left the ballroom, her kind look disappeared. "Where were you? Everyone was in panic. Don't do that ever again! And what are you wearing?!"
"Where is Thom?" Alanna repeated stubbornly.
"He rode off in search of you yesterday. The prince wished to as well, but his father forbade him. He seems quite smitten with you, Goddess knows why. I insist you go change your clothes right now, Alanna. It's a disgrace -"
Alanna walked past her, knowing she would pay for it later and not caring. She had to find Jonathan.
Jonathan! I though I hated him! Maybe I do. Still, I think I can trust him. I hope. And I have a feeling his not as stupid as I thought he was.
The Daughter was still calling after her, so Alanna broke into a run. As she rounded the corner she ran full into someone.
"Terribly sorry, Lady Alanna," Duke Roger said smoothly, offering her a hand up. She swatted it away and stood up on her own, rubbing her sore shoulder.
"No, the fault was mine, Duke," she said, aware that she was in hearing distance of he daughter. "What are you playing at," she hissed at him through clenched teeth.
He laughed airily. "You shall see soon enough. I have plans for you, my dear."
She shivered. "I'm sorry, I must be going. I…hope to see you again soon," she said so that the Daughter could hear her.
He rewarded her with a snake-like smile. "Don't worry, dearest. You shall. Oh, and I wouldn't go telling the prince about our little… meeting. I wouldn't want to have to make it painful for you."
She turned and ran.
#######################################################
She played sick for the next three nights, not wanting to meet Duke Roger again. Confined to her room, she paced her balcony and wondered what to do. It's like a game of chess, she mused. The duke is about to take my queen and there's nothing I can do.
By the fourth evening she decided she would go mad if she stayed in her room any longer. She had to face the duke sometime.
Yeah, I know it's super-short…surry…