In the summer a battle broke out on the Scanran border, causing every knight to go. Alanna packed her bags, secruing Faithful with Thayet. Thom had decided to stay at home so they could prepare for the wedding, every other able bodied person left.

"I don't suppose I could ask you to stay?" Jon almost pleaded.

"You wouldn't dare if you wanted to walk." Alanna teased him.

"Alanna, I'm not joking. I know you aren't delicate, but I don't want you to be tossed around and broken." Jon's voice was heavy with concern.

"Jon…I need to get this energy out of my system."

"Fine, I just don't want you to get hurt…"

She smiled saying, "I'm tougher than that Jon!" as she mounted Moonlight.

Jon mounted Darkness and they rode into the army formation.

The ride was long and hard. Many were in awe that the Lioness was joining them. Many of the men were joking, and they teased her constantly. She tried to control her temper when she thought some of the got incessant in their flirtations. She enjoyed getting Jon annoyed at her suitors.

"You'd think they had something better to do…" Jon muttered after one particularly aggressive flirtation.

"Does it bother you?" Alanna asked wide eyed and innocent.

"Would it bother you if Lady Josephine were here and incessantly flirting with me?" Jon snapped.

"Depends if Lady Josephine prizes her hair enough, I supposed I could sheer it all off…"

Jon smiled, "Alanna, I hope you aren't serious."

"We'll see." Her eyes twinkled.

The next time someone flirted with her, she loudly announced that she was already being pursued by someone in Corus, and owed it to that person to be faithful. No one seemed to notice the Prince hiding a smile.

On the third day, they arrived at battle grounds, and after a lack of tents, everyone was forced to share tents.

Many fought for the rights to share Alanna's tent.

"I'm sorry, I'll be sleeping alone, the grounds-master decided I needed my own tent." She smiled at the disappointed faces.

Jon smirked, "Really? So I suppose that I should take the second sleeping roll out of my tent?"

"No, I think that you may just need a second sleeping roll in there. However, I think that the tent flaps should always be closed…you know to keep you from being attacked at night."

Jon merely smirked and nodded. That night Alanna crept in his tent.

They got their first taste of Battle early. The Scanran army flooded into their camps, but they were prepared. Many had already mounted, and the formation flooded out to meet the army.

Alanna was a target, and many tried to attack her. Many wanted to test the lady knight that many spoke so highly of. Alanna, had barely changed into her armour and mounted Moonlight, when men came crashing towards her.

One knight leered through his visor, he slashed downwards and nearly cut her, but she ducked. She maneuvered her way around him and cut him from his horse. She ran through another man, and then pulled back to blow through her horn for more help.

"Archers!" She screamed.

A man seemed to notice her and charged at her, slashing at her with a broad sword.

"Alanna!" Jon cried, and she ducked, before using Lightning as a club and knocking the knight off his horse.

Jon squirmed through people to get to her, and went to her left.

"Are you all right?"

"I think so…"

A horn rang through the clearing, as the Scanrans retreated with fresh forces flooding in. Many tried to get last hits in, and before Alanna noticed, and archer hit her, on in the arm, one in the leg.

She called for Jon, and gripped Moonlight's mane as everything went black.

She came too in a tent. It was small and smelled of lilacs, and for a minute she thought she was dead.

"Water?" she rasped.

"You almost died you know…"

"I didn't?"

"No, you're alive thank the lord." Jon's eyes were flaming.

"Jon…"

"Duke Baird was so shocked to see you, and after an inspection he almost turned pale."

"Jon…"

"The injuries were really grave…and…"

"Jon, where is Duke Baird?"

"…Why?" Jon looked suspicious.

"I need to talk to him, or another healer preferably female."

"Why female?"

"Are you sure you wish to know?" Alanna raised an eyebrow, challenging him.

"All right." Jon sighed, but gave in.

"Alanna," Duke Baird entered the tent.

"Did Jon inspect me?"

"He didn't, he doesn't have the magical training of ability to fix you." Duke Baird became very interested in his shoes suddenly.

"So he doesn't know." She dropped her voice.

"He doesn't…"

"He won't know, not until we get back to Corus…tomorrow I will ask to be sent back to Corus."

"He will go back with you."

"Of course, my injuries take up a lot of my strength, strength that I need for other things."

"You need time to heal…you're very right Lady Alanna. If you would like, I will tell the prince of your decision."

"Thank you…"

Alanna was left alone in the tent, with only her thoughts.

Alanna was back in her own bed by the afternoon of the next day. Jon was slightly sullen but not surprised that he was leaving.

"So, are you going to tell me why?"

"Why what…?"

"Why you wanted to leave, I know you never give into your injuries. You always insist on fighting Alanna, so tell me why are you at home again?"

"I have a dream…while we were sleeping, I think that Duke Baird saw it."

"So?"

"It was a premonition, that if I continued, I would lose very important things."

"…like what?"

"I saw this figure, all in black. He came towards us, slowly he took out this sword and cut down everyone I knew. Gary killed, then Raoul and then you. Then they slowly cut up my body…it was frightening."

Jon held her close.

"It's all right, I'm glad that you came home…but can I say…"

"You were right…"

"Well, I'll let you get some rest, I need to say hello to mother, father and everyone."

Alanna smiled, hoping her wouldn't realize her lie.

I know, I just patched them up, and then I'd leave it open like that...Don't hurt me! I just wanna make it interesting!

Review!

-MK