Golden Squire

Disclaimer: i only own lady Morgan, so please don't sue this innocent poor child.

A/N: in answer to my reviews:

charlie and lola: thank you, and probably, and just read to find out.

obsessed reader: yeah, it's called thorns revised by hannirose

mercury-shadowfeather and saphron: thanks, and i promise i will update as often as i can. by the way, mercury-shadowfeather, i'm going to read you story in a little while. and i will review.

Naming the Allies

Alanna woke later than usual. Groaning in protest as light poured through her open shutters and into her eyes. The chirping if birds irritated her to no end, and the footsteps outside her door was more than she could take.

A pounding on her door angered her even more. Does anyone in this place sleep? She thought drearily. Remembering to make sure she looked as masculine as possible she opened the door, only to almost shut it in shock. What in the name of Mithros was He doing here?

Duke roger of conte stood in her doorway, completely at ease despite Alanna's previous reaction. "Good morning, Alan's. I hear sir Raoul of Goldenlake, is it true?"

"Yes, your Grace," alanna replied, alanna was extremely nervous around this man, she only thing she hoped for now was that he would leave, and that her voice didn't show any emotion other than grogginess.

"Interesting, you should inform Duke Gareth when you have eaten and are presentable," he instructed her, "thank you for your time."

Alanna closed the door while shuddering. Why would he visit her so early in the morning? Surely he could wait to discuss court gossip with her. Already unsettled about the day, she went through her chores and left for the mess hall.

Unfortunately, roger wasn't the only person who wanted to talk to her. Jon Did, so did Gary. They both were asking her to be their squire, and when alanna told them she already had a knight master they looked crestfallen, and looked startled. And when they asked her who it was, she only said "wait and see"; she didn't want to cause a war between three very old and good friends.

She finally arrived at the mess hall. Her violet eyes scanned the rows of seats, looking for two of her friends. She caught sight of them talking to some of the older squires, Geoffrey of Meron and Douglass of veldine. She sat down between them and smiled. The two weren't wearing a squire's palace uniform, they were wearing the colour of conte blue for Geoffrey and the Naxen emblem for Douglass. They, in turn, looked surprised to see their small friend wearing the palace uniform.

"Hey, Alan, why are you still wearing a palace uniform? I heard you were chosen, but the person didn't say to whom," commented Douglass, confusion in his grey-brown eyes.

"I was, I just don't have a uniform in their colours yet," she replied easily.

The others looked satisfied. She glanced around the hall in hopes of seeing her new knight-master. What she saw was more than she expected;. Morgan was walking towards her with a brisk pace, as if she had something on her mind.

She smiled at Douglass and Geoffrey, and said quickly," I'm sorry to disturb you, but may I speak to squire alan?" her chestnut eyes gave the two boys a reason to flee.

Her two friends scrambled to their feet, her gaze was so much like her brothers it was unnerving. They hurriedly bow and said their farewells and dashed to find other seats.

Alanna looked at morgan confused. "Why are we still in here? Someone could overhear."

"It's better in here because there's more noise in here, they're less likely to hear than if we were out there." her eyes narrowed, "now, tell me, why are doing this to yourself? You could accomplish much more somewhere else than you could here."

Alanna was taken aback. "What do you mean? I was supposed to be here, my brother is-"

"Oh, would you just stop! You've kept it hidden all this time? Have you ever gone swimming? Have you ever left your door unlocked? How many people know?"

Oh no. I'm not telling you ANYTHING. "I'm sorry, I really have to be going, I must meet with my knight master right now." he finished with a note of challenge in her voice.

"Why won't you tell me in your own words? I figured you out the moment I saw you, you're just lucky Gary isn't as observant as me." she said venomously.

"If I tell you, you swear by the goddess that you won't say a word to Gary or the other?" she inquired. If she could get morgan to agree then she would actually be in the clear. If she ever needed a woman to talk to, she would have one. But only if everything went right.

"I swear by the great mother goddess and mithros as my witnesses, is blood necessary?" she swore in a mocking tone.

Alanna smiled, the girl was nice, and witty, just like her brother.

"Alright then, you can witness me telling Raoul," a thought struck her, "how'd you know I wasn't a boy? I fooled everyone here."

Morgan's face lit up. "I'm not sure, you're quite good lucking, but for some reason I wasn't attracted to you, in that way. I still like you, but only for your cleverness and cunning."

Alanna raised an eyebrow. "I'm cunning now?"

"You have to be to keep this hidden," she replied smoothly.

The walk from the mess hall was enjoyable. Morgan was interesting, telling Alanna tales from the convent that almost contained her. Alanna walked in shock when Morgan told her of the punishments.

When they arrived at Alanna's rooms, a small mewing sounded from behind the closed door. "Oh dear."

" what, I don't see anything wrong," said Morgan, confused by her new ally's reaction to her room.

"I was supposed to see to naming my new cat, and I forgot about him when... never mind, I'll tell you later," once I figure it out for myself.

The small black cat rose on his hind legs and started begging. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" alanna cooed. "Morgan, I need a name."

"A cute name, or something that you would name a human?"

"I don't care, just say names! Before he decides to go vicious!"

"Blacky?" Morgan suggested.

"OUCH! No, he doesn't like it."

Several names and more bloodshed later, Morgan gave up, "think of your own name!"

"You're real faithful! I'm the one getting clawed and going to die of blood loss if this continues!" the second Alanna said "faithful" the kitten's ear pricked forward.

Morgan laughed. "Well you finally found a name."

"But at what cost?"

A fast knock on the door drew them from their laughter. As Alanna pulled the door open, she was smacked in the face by a large fist. Alanna cursed as loudly, and badly, as any guardsmen.

"sorry, Alan, but I really need to speak to the lady Morgan," said the steward.

"I beg pardon right now before I get carried away, "Alanna started, "but why are you asking to speak with this noble lady? Surely you have business to attend."

"I was asked by a nobleman squire Alan," was the growled reply.

"Which nobleman?" Alanna was not going to risk the safety of her friend's sister, just because someone who claimed to be sent by a nobleman was asking for her!

"He said not to say."

"Well then it looks like lady Morgan is staying with me," she replied, without her temper showing in her voice.

"Humph," was his last reply before he set off down the hallway.

Morgan looked shaken. She doesn't know who would want to remain nameless when they sent for her, Alanna realized.

When the door was once again knocked on, Alanna told her companion to hide before she opened the door. To her great relief it was only Raoul, he looked at her strangely, as if there was something wrong. "Who was that man? The one who was walking away from the room."

"I'm not sure,"she replied, and hated herself for not knowing, "he wanted to talk to Morgan."

"Strange, anyways, sorry I never got around to talking to you earlier; I had some things to finish up," he explained.

Alanna sighed. Now was the time, but it was harder than she thought. "Umm, Raoul, I've got to tell you something. Morgan will remain present so she can confirm her story. Raoul, my name isn't Alan of Trebond. It's Alanna, my brother and I decided to switch places because I didn't want to be a lady, and he wants to be a great sorcerer. I went without being caught, and I trust that you won't tell Jon, Duke Gareth, or Gary?

Raoul's eye went wide with shock, "are you serious? Please say our just joking."

Tears seemed to want to cover her eyes. She held them back, along with all the rage and hurt she felt. "Why would I joke about something like this?"

Raoul was shaking his head, and mumbling things. Often alanna couldn't hear what he said, but every now and then she would catch a phrase like "how didn't I notice?" or "how did she pull it off?"

"I'm sorry I never told you sooner, I was scared that I would get caught and be sent home or worse," she said, sadly. Please goddess, I'm begging you, don't let him change his mind about me being his squire.

Finally he sighed, "I can't really switch my squire now, I don't even want to."

Alanna almost sagged to the floor in relief. She grinned, "I knew you couldn't live without me."

They laughed. The only thing that brought them back to reality was the soft mewing of Faithful, who was begging for attention. Alanna smiled, you didn't need to be able to speak to animals to know that.

Raoul looked down and his black eyes widened to an extreme. "Now what are you playing at? You had better not be putting a spell on the cats eyes just for a joke."

"I'm not, I found him like that," Alanna said patiently.

Eyebrows were raised all around the room. Morgan was the first to recover and she laughed, "you know, the eyes are very attractive."

They continued to talk until lunch, then Morgan was summoned to lunch with the other ladies, or as Morgan so kindly referred to them as "stupid little airheads".

As Alanna and Raoul walked to the mess hall again, Alanna thought: thank you! Please don't let me get on her bad side!

They entered the mess hall to a cry of indignation.

A/N: who's mad now? stay tuned to find out. anyways, like i said earlier, i will try to update as often as i can, and unless i get a good idea, i will try to update weekly. please read and review!