All right, this one is dragging out the plot more, I'm putting the chappie out too for kicks like usual! It has some great banter (which I lurv!)

I'm going to have a little twist in the plot soon, but you'll see that. I'll have chap. 5 out ASAP! Review

-MK

Thayet came to visit her the next day.

"So Alanna was I ever going to be able to see this little one?"

Alanna smiled, "Ali and I have been busy adjusting to palace life. I could've just stayed at Trebond and you know it."

"Rumors are swirling about whose she is."

"She's mine."

"Who's her father?"

"I don't know…" Thayet was silent at this, Alanna looked at her, watching her face carefully.

"Are you going to tell her?"

"I will, when she's old enough."

Silence, then Thayet spoke up quietly, "Alanna…we've all made mistakes."

"What does that mean?"

"Exactly what I said, we've all made mistakes. I would not begrudge you if you told her father…"

Alanna laughed, "Thayet, you don't even know who the father is. For all you know she's some Bazhir that I courted for a couple of months, who died in a raider attack. Anyway, I think that Ali and I need to…adjust to court. I don't want more rumors to haunt her."

Thayet nodded, "Thinking of her first then?"

"I try…"

Thayet's hands went to her stomach, "You're strong Alanna, I've always admired that. Kalasin and Ali will probably grow up together…"

"Kalasin?"

Thayet patted her stomach, "Duke Baird told us she was a girl." Thayet smiled, "I think that Jon's happy about that, I'm not sure though. I think he would've liked a boy."

Alanna laughed, "Men…you can't live with'em…"

"Or without'em."

The two friends sat for a moment, looking at each other. They had grown a lot in nine months, more than they would admit to each other.

Thayet's face was still lovely, only it was filled with responsibility, maybe happiness. She was worried though, maybe that Alanna would break their family, maybe that Jon would go back to Alanna, maybe something about the baby.

Alanna finally had an anchor, Ali. She looked more like a mother than anything, and the soldier seemed to be at peace for now. Make no mistake, Alanna wanted to fight more than anything now, but Ali needed to grow up first.

They sat there, looking at each other on totally new levels and finally they both came to peace with something.

"Ali's going to grow up to be beautiful…" Thayet murmured, holding the baby.

"Kalasin too, she'll probably grow up to her namesake."

They smiled at each other, and for that moment they felt like they had a year ago, just friends with nothing on the line.

It wasn't until Thayet had left, that Alanna realized everything was on the line with this friendship.

"Who's your father little one?" Alanna wondered, wishing that life weren't as complicated as she felt right now.

Raoul smiled at Gary as they walked, "You know there's something odd about the castle these days." Gary said.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean first Jon takes my squire, then he takes my idea for a beard, then he gets the Dominion Jewel, then he becomes king, then he gets Thayet who's perfect…then Alanna become a mother…."

Raoul rolled his eyes, and cuffed Gary lightly, "Alanna was Jon's squire because he deserved the best, other people have grown facial hair before you Gary, you wouldn't have been able to handle The Dominion Jewel, Jon was always meant to be king, Thayet and Jon are in love, and don't make me tell Cythera about that, but Alanna becoming a mother….is just weird."

He was promptly whacked.

"Thank you for sticking up for me Raoul." Alanna glared.

Raoul shrugged and grinned, "Where's the little one?"

"Myles is watching her, apparently he always wanted a grandchild."

Raoul shuddered and Gary silently raised an eyebrow, "That's a disturbing thought isn't it?"

"You're telling me." Alanna muttered.

"It was so much simpler when we were pages." Alanna said after a brief silence

"Just whacking the hell out of everything?" Raoul suggested.

"Exactly, just whacking the hell out of everything…" Alanna said rather wistfully.

"…and everyone, remember when you gave me that nasty bruise on the practice courts Alanna?" Gary smiled.

"Hey you asked for it." She glared at him, as she flushed.

They laughed, "That new training master must have something up his arse though…" Raoul muttered.

"He never smiles." Alanna remarked.

"He works the pages hard."

"And he's the only available conservative, are you doubting me….why wouldn't that be treason?" Jon's light hearted voice came out.

"No!" Raoul had wide eyes.

"Of course not!" Alanna mimicked Raoul.

"What are you going to do about it?" Gary's smile was wicked.

Jon stroked his beard, which made Gary glare at him, "I suppose there's nothing I could do to punish three grown adults, who are the Prime Minister, The Head of The Own and My Champion…" He grinned.

"I just said that I wanted to be a page again, it was so much simpler back then." Alanna muttered.

Jon laughed, "Remember mathematics?"

"And Ralon…"

"And the fact that you had to hide your sex…"

"The knight from Tusaine…?"

"The war?"

"Duke Roger…" Gary suggested, Jon grimaced at this thought.

"The Black city…?"

"But I got through all of those things, didn't I? And what about for you guys, you rarely got into trouble and everything was easy for you."

Jon started to laugh, "Who was with you in the Black city, and the war in Tusaine?"

"Who was doing mathematics and etiquette lessons?" Raoul asked.

"Who had to face up the king when Duke Roger fought you, and revealed you were a girl?" Gary said calmly.

"All right, I get it." Alanna huffed, "I still say it's easier than living as a Bazhir shaman, dealing with the Shang Dragon, going to the Roof of the World, Retrieving the Dominion Jewel and then bringing it back to once again face Duke Roger, Princess Josaine and Alex. To top that off becoming a mother…"

They laughed, "Well one thing about the pages is we didn't have to deal with wives." Gary sighed, rubbing his beard.

"Or fiancés…" Jon added, "Or pregnant women?"

"So when's the wedding Jon?" Alanna asked.

"I don't know, after Kalasin is born probably…"

"That's months away..."

"Well Thayet just found out she was pregnant, she doesn't want the baby to ruin her dress..."

Silence, Alanna looked around and realized they had somehow ended up in the page training quarters.

"I bet you 3 gold nobles that the kid at the end will be thrown off by the quantain…" Raoul muttered.

"I'll take that action." Alanna grinned.

"I'll raise you two nobles, so 5 gold nobles that the kid will be knocked off." Gary added.

"So if I lose I'll pay you both 5 gold nobles? Sure…" Alanna shrugged.

The kid in question was currently mounting a horse and putting up a lance.

"They never did jousting when we were pages…" Gary muttered.

"The smaller pages would've been flying…" Alanna retorted.

"You weren't small Alanna…" Jon said, "You were microscopic."

The three of them laughed as Alanna made attempts to hit each of them at once, "Fiends, don't make me take you to the courts!"

They all sobered up, hiding grins.

"Besides, when we were pages, Jon didn't have that god forsaken beard…" Alanna said innocently, Gary grinned at this.

"I think it makes me look kingly!"

Alanna nodded, smiling weakly with her eyebrows raised, "Suure Jon, kingly…" Jon hit her arm lightly.

With that the small page went on the horse and charged, hitting the quantain squarely, and avoiding a blow.

Alanna grinned, Raoul and Gary paid the nobles sourly.

"Thank you gentlemen, pleasure doing business with you. Now, I have a daughter to attend to." Alanna whistled as she sauntered off.

As she walked off Raoul asked something quietly.

"Any ideas on who the father is?" Gary thought out loud.

Jon shrugged, "I have no idea, she's been awfully good about keeping everyone in the dark."

"Just like Alanna…" Raoul muttered.