A/n: Wow, I think this is the longest chapter I have written so far! Thanks to all my reviewers: Pink squishy lama, elfsquire90, tortallanrider, Lady Knight, anonymous girl, Lanni
Chapter 5: a party and bad news
Alanna re-read the note just to make sure her eyes were not deceiving her. They were not. On the small piece of dirty paper, some one had written:
The King, Queen and their family had better watch out.
We know what they are doing all the time,
We are watching them all the time and know their every move.
And when the time comes when they least expect it,
We shall take over and we the rightful rulers of Tortall
Shall rule.
Alanna looked up at Jon, her eyes showing who scared she was. She dropped the paper on the floor due to her trembling hands.
"Who Jon? Who could have written it? And why?" she asked, voice quivering. Jon pulled her into a huge hug.
"I don't know Alanna. We do not know. That was why they had called the council meeting. One of the members found this in his morning breakfast. They are puzzled as to how it got into his food." Jon told her. Alanna held on to him, her body shaking. She had never been sent death threats before and was not sure how to deal with them.
"What are we going to do Jon? We can't tell the children," she whispered, as tears started sliding down her face.
"We defiantly can't tell them, besides they wouldn't understand. We are going at act as though nothing has happened. I'll go into the city tomorrow and see what George knows and ask him to keep an ear out for any more information." Jon told her, rubbing her back gently. It seemed to sooth Alanna for within minutes she was fast asleep in his arms. He kissed her forehead and placed her in bed, before getting ready himself.
Early the next morning, Alanna and Jon were awakened by the twins jumping on them.
"Wake up mother, wake up father." Chantelle yelled jumping on Alanna, as Jason jumped on Jon. Alanna sat up rubbing her eyes.
"And why are you two up so early?" she asked fully aware of what the answer would be.
"Mother you couldn't have forgotten. It's our birthday." Jason told his mother seriously. Jon laughed at how proper Jason was being.
"What is so funny father? We are five today. You didn't forget did you mother?" Chantelle asked.
"No of course she didn't," Jon said. "Now if you two let us get up and you get dressed we will give you your presents." The twins jumped off the bed and ran off to their rooms to get changed. Alanna got out of bed slowly and put on her favourite blue dress with silver trimming, then pulled her hair up into a simple, yet elegant ponytail. Jon had just gotten the twins presents out of the draw of his and Alanna's desk, when the twins returned. Both Alanna and Jon laughed when they entered the room. In their hast to get dressed, they had not bothered to get dressed properly, Chantelle's dress was still untied at the back and Jason had not done up his bootlaces. Alanna walked over to Chantelle and told her to turn around. Alanna knelt down on the floor and laced up the back of Chantelle's dress, then ran a brush through Chantelle's long black wavy hair. As Alanna was, doing this Jon helped Jason to tie up his boots. Once they were done, Alanna sat the twins down on the bed. Jon handed Jason his present first.
"Happy birthday Jason." Jon said to Jason, ruffling his red hair. Alanna sat down next to Chantelle and gave her, her present.
"Happy birthday Chantelle." Alanna said. Chantelle reached over and gave her mother a hug, before ripping of the paper on her present. Chantelle pulled out a beautiful silver tiara, with sapphires and rubies on it. She looked at the tiara in awe before jumping up and hugging her parents.
"Thank you so much!" she told Alanna and Jon. Alanna smiled.
"You can wear it tonight, at the ball," Alanna told her. "But for now I think you had better put it in a safe place." Chantelle nodded, and then handed it over to Alanna.
"Will you look after it for me?" she asked. Alanna nodded and placed it in one of the desk draws. Jason, who had taken the time to carefully unwrap his present, with out ripping the paper, pulled out a belt, which had gold vine leaves stamped in it, and a gold buckle. He held it up turning it over in his hands, admiring the beauty of it.
"Is this really for me?" he asked. Jon nodded, smiling. Jason set the belt down carefully on the bed and hugged his parent. There was a knock on the door, and Gary, Robin, and Cythera entered. Gary and Cythera both holding a package. Robin ran over to the twins and gave them a huge hug.
"Happy birthday." He told them. Gary and Cythera handed the twins a present each.
"You can open them after breakfast." Jon told them. Jason nodded, but Chantelle pouted.
"Don't give me that face Chantelle." Alanna warned. Chantelle nodded and put her present on the bed.
"Why do I take you children to the nursery to go and get you're siblings?" Cythera told them. Jason and Chantelle looked at their parents, who nodded. They headed out the door. Once they were gone, Gary turned to Jon and Alanna.
"What are you going to do about the note?" he asked quietly. Jon glanced at Alanna before answering.
"We decided that we are going to act as if nothing has happened, but I am going to speak with George later today, to see what he knows." Jon told Gary who nodded.
"That sounds like a good idea, but I don't think that you Jon should go. Send Raoul so it doesn't look as obvious that something is wrong." Gary suggested. Alanna nodded.
"He's right, Jon." Alanna said.
"I know." Jon murmured.
After breakfast, Jason and Chantelle opened their presents from Gary and Cythera. Chantelle had been given a creamy light blue dress, that had silver hemming, and Jason had been given a pair of black breeches, a shiny white shirt and a royal blue tunic. Both of the twins declared that they were going to wear their new cloths at the ball later that night, which had been thrown in their honour.
It was late afternoon when Raoul returned from his meeting with George and he did not have anything good to say either.
"George talked to one of his mage friends and he said that lately there has been a magical disturbance. He says that something big has happened. Also George says that in one of the eastern fief reports have come in from the rouge that there is an army building." Raoul told Alanna and Jon grimly. Alanna let out a gasp and gripped Jonathan's arm.
"What are we going to do?" Alanna asked Jon once again. Jon sighed.
"Simple, like I said before we act as though nothing has happened. I shall put together a secret army encase something does happen. But tonight we are just going to forget all that and have fun celebrating the twin's birthday. Okay Alanna?" Jon told Alanna, who nodded, face still pale.
"Speaking of this ball we should go and get ready." Raoul said before walking out of Jon's study.
Alanna, Jon, Chantelle and Jason all stood in the small room by the queen's staircase waiting to be announced. Alanna nervously gently re-arranged Chantelle's tiara. She was nervous about what Raoul had told them earlier that day. The news had truly disturbed her.
"Introducing their majesties King Jonathan the fourth and Queen Alanna of Contè." The herald called. Alanna and Jon descended down the staircase. Alanna tried to act as though every thing was normal, but some how she was sure some one would notice that it was not. When they reached the bottom the crowed bowed, as Alanna and Jon sat down on their thrown. As soon as they sat down the herald called.
"Introducing their highnesses Prince Jason and Princess Chantelle of Contè." Alanna watched with pride as her children slowly descended the staircase, hand in hand. As soon, as the reached, the bottom music struck up and everywhere couples started dancing. Alanna walked over to Jason.
"May I have this dance?" she asked her son, who giggled in reply. As Alanna danced with Jason, she saw Jon dancing with Chantelle. This brought a smile to her lips. When the song ended, Jason ran off to dance with Jessiker and Alanna saw Chantelle dancing with Robin. Jon walked over to where Alanna was standing.
"May I have this dance?" he asked.
"You may." Alanna replied. And as she danced, she forgot about all her worries and simply had fun.
A/n: well what did you think? Please R&R