RECENTLY ADDED: HEY, I RECEIVED ONE REVIEW AND THE REVIEWER'S NAME IS: 'SIR ALANNA OF CONTE' SOUND FAMILIAR? IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH FANFICTION? DOES SOMEONE HAVE THE SAME USERNAME AS I DO? ISN'T THERE AN AUTOMATIC ' USERNAME TAKEN' THING? PLEASE EXPLAIN.

Disclaimer:

"What are you doing here?" Tamora hissed. "Aren't you locked up at the kookoo house?"

"They released me. I told them I'd mention them in my fic." I grinned. "THIS IS FOR YOU BOB AND EARL! SAY HI TO THE CHILDREN FOR ME! winks."

"Get outta here loser!"

"No."

"No—but whyyy?"

"Cause."

"Cause what?"

"You wouldn't give me Jon."

"Ha! You can never have him!"

Patricia jumps over her bulldogs and into her window.

"I bet they're in you closet!"

"No! Don't go near that closet!"

"AHA!"

What did I find? You gotta read on next time to know.

Alanna the Lioness roused at her usual hour, before dawn. She groaned and stirred.

Today it isn't necessary to rise early she thought.

Instead she closed her weary eyes. She felt for George around the bed but found herself caressing air. She muttered heatedly swearing her accursed fate of never getting away with sleeping after dawn.

"So early my love?"

"Huh? Whassat?" she said looking around, she could barely make out her betrothed. After shaking herself awake, she grinned.

"What are you doing up?" the Lioness noticed he was wearing a cotton shirt and breeches, dressed for riding. She raised an eyebrow. "Why are you dressed?"

"Nothing to be bothered about." He said putting on a boot. "I'll be back before noon. I give my word on it."

"Tell me."

"I'm just-- going out okay?" He smiled at her. "I just wanna check on something." He was already walking out the door, putting a hand on the knob he paused.

"George?" she said finally giving up, she knew him all too well to know that George would not tell her.

"Yes?"

"Take care of yourself."

He chuckled and closed the door. Alanna got up and went to the dressing room they shared to dress for breakfast not caring less that the sun hasn't risen yet.

Alanna went downstairs alone.

I forgot how long the walk to the dining hall was; with George around I was never bored I guess, she thought.

Taking care with her steps Alanna entered. Satisfied that there were no murmurings today she walked on.

She didn't realize how hungry she was until she picked up her tray. The usual icky rather-not-eaten breakfast looked appetizing.

She then scanned the room, hands owned by familiar faces shot up, waving at her. Alanna smiled warmly at my friends then shook her head.

I'm sitting alone today, she thought. She looked for a table near the back where no one sat.

I needed all the thinking space I can get.

Happy to be alone, the copper-haired knight ate her breakfast in peace. Afterward she took Moonlight for a ride in the vast gardens.

She dismounted and sat on a very familiar bench. Jon, she thought stroking Moonlight's pelt. What a man he's become. Amused with her thoughts she shook her head.

I've got to stop thinking too much. This time frowning.

"I take my walk to clear my head and I see someone fretting." A deep but soothing voice filled the air. "My Lioness has a lot on her mind."

"After all this time," Alanna said, amusement in her voice. "You always manage to startle me your Majesty."

"Jon."

"What?"

"It's Jon, no matter what the rank remember?" he said repeating his own words. "May I sit here?"

Alanna felt herself turn the exact shade of her fiery red hair, her hands went sweaty and her head spun. She remembered the last time they sat here. Sensing her discomfort the King kept space but laughed all of a sudden.

"George'll murder me. You are betrothed am I right?"

She gasped and turned to face him. His eyes were closed and his head was leaned back. She said carefully "Who told you? We ourselves haven't told anyone."

"No one told me." He replied after a while.

"Then," Alanna said, puzzled "How did you know?"

His eyes remained closed. The faintest of smirks can be traced on his handsome face.

"I didn't."

Alanna was grooming her horse when the lunch bell rang. Unconsciously she spun around half hoping George will be there. Much to her dismay he wasn't. She sighed and turned to her rooms to dress up to eat.

"Where could that man be?" she muttered to herself. She sighed. "I worry too much."

The Lioness was thinking too hard that she did not notice where her feet were taking her. Instead of going to her rooms, she found herself in front of the king's quarters. Shaking her head she turned to leave.

"Alanna?" a voice behind her said. Slightly she jumped.

"Will you stop doing that?"

"'M sorry." Jon said quietly grinning at her. Her face was always priceless whenever she was startled. "What's bothering you?"

"Did you send George off somewhere?"

"Why no," the King said slightly taken aback. "Though I heard he is out, has he returned yet?"

"He hasn't," quietly she said. "George doesn't just go off somewhere without telling me first."

"I'm sure he'll be back soon," said Jon trying to comfort Alanna.

"It's not that, something is wrong I can feel it," she sighed. "I'm checking it out."

Alanna turned to leave for the stables. She smiled when she heard Jon behind her.

Alanna found Stefan the chief hostler at the stables. He seemed to be talking to a homing bird.

"Milady," he greeted peculiarly unemotional. "What brings you here."

"Listen," Alanna said. "Do you know the whereabouts of George? He went out really early and he hasn't come back yet."

"What?" He said with a frown on his face.. "He hasn't come back yet? He be telling me he was to visit his mother. Told me something was wrong."

"Tell them we went out for a ride," she said, then nodded to Jon. "C'mon."

"I better go check, are you sure you want to come?" She said her back to him. "It's not gonna be pretty."

He just chuckled, saddling his horse. "What's the plan anyway?" he asked finally, riding beside her.

"Would you like the lie? Or the truth?"

"Preferably the lie."

She winked and with that she rode out the gates leaving a dumbfounded Jon behind.

"George, where could you be?" she groaned to herself as she rode on through Corus, until Jon finally caught up with her, panting.

"A-alanna, c-could you-you please slow down" he said.

Alanna snorted then caught sight of the inns and eating places there, she realized that she was very hungry because she hadn't eaten her lunch.

I shouldn't be thinking about food. She slapped herself mentally.

Soon they reached Mistress Eleni's house. Alanna saw that the fine door had been tried to break down, suggesting forced entries. She opened the door.

She saw, to her surprise, George sitting miserably on a stool. Next to him, his mother, lying down bloody on a cot. Two healers were attending to her.

"Alanna."

She winced; it was her name again, coming from his mouth. Truly not a good sign.

"What's going on?"

"She's been attacked." Said George, his voice consumed with so much anger.

IMPORTANT

I WILL NOT UPDATE UNTIL I GET 20 REVIEWS. I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT I AM DETERMINED TO FINISH THIS FIC UNLIKE THE OTHERS THAT WERE DISCONTINUED. SO REVIEW GOT IT?