Thank You: I don't say this nearly as often as I should: Special thanks goes out to my beta, without whom I would not have the great story you are all enjoying. My version is decent, by my version with her beta work is great.

Disclaimer: I also don't do one of these as often as I should.I don't own anything except for Lady Alianne of Trebond. The rest belong to Tamora Pierce, and I am just borrowing them.

Chapter Thirty-Two: The Drell Valley

While Gareth was recovering, Aly slept in Lianne's old bedroom, so that Gareth could just call her for anything he needed help with. It took very little time for Gareth to be well enough to move around and begin an active lifestyle again. At this point, Aly returned to her own set of rooms. After he was on his feet again, he went back to acting like a suitor.

Gareth noticed Aly seemed lonely without Alan to talk to, and he invited her to stay in Lianne's old room again, closer to him. This information quickly was among the gossips, who couldn't stop talking about Duke Gareth and Lady Alianne. Many said that she was only courting Gareth because she was pregnant with his child. There was no other reason that Lady Alianne would be in a relationship so recently after her husband's death....except that she loved him and he loved her, but of course that didn't make for juicy gossip.

Gareth and Aly ignored all the gossiping and acted as if they were teenagers again. Aly has new dresses made, with a slightly lower cut, and Gareth began leaving her little surprises, both in Lianne's old room, and in parts of Aly's suite where she couldn't miss them when she went there every afternoon to get a new nightdress and a new dress for the following day, while leaving the old dress and nightdress for the servants to take care of. They also went on rides and picnics in the Royal forest. Even the pages and squires noticed a change in their training master. His punishment duty assignments weren't quite as severe, and he lightened up a little on everything except weapons training and chivalry. Not that the pages were complaining. They though this change in the training master was for the better. Also, whenever Duke Gareth was sitting in on a lesson and observing the pages, Lady Alianne was always with him.

They had recently returned from a picnic in the Royal Forest, and had decided to spend some time with Roald and Lianne when news came from the fort where Roger was stationed; news that did not make Roald happy in the least.

"Jonathan did what!" Roald snapped as his nephew informed him of the latest news. Aly, Lianne, and Gareth all looked up at the king, surprised at the change from his usually calm demeanor.

"He crossed the river, with more than thirty men."

"Do you have any idea why?" Roald asked.

"His squire." Roger's voice came from the mirror.

"Alan?" Aly asked. She rushed to the king's side, only then remembering he was royalty, and offering a small curtsy "Sire, may I? Just for a moment?"

Roald looked at her for a moment, and nodded.

"Lord Roger, what about Alan?"

"He was kidnapped."

"Kidnapped?" Aly demanded. Gareth and Lianne came over, and Gareth gently pried the mirror out of her hands, before handing it back to Roald, who demanded Roger continue with his report. He and Lianne led Aly back to her seat.

"Alan had been kidnapped?" Aly said, it was impossible to keep the panic from her voice.

"He'll be alright, Aly," Gareth said quietly, as to not interrupt Roald and Roger's conversation. "He's proven he is a good warrior."

His words fell on deaf ears.

"Aly," Lianne said in a tone so harsh that Aly couldn't block it out. "Gareth is right. Alan had proven himself. Furthermore, a rescue party is already going for him...which is why my husband is not pleased."

"But what if the rescue party can't find him, what if he's dead when they do find him? What if-"

"Aly, if you worry about all the 'what ifs' in the world, you'll have wrinkles." Lianne said. "Alan will be fine."

"But-"

"No more arguments," Lianne said. "Now repeat after me…Alan is fine."

Aly took a deep breath, "Alan is fine."

"The rescue party will get to him and he'll be just fine."

"The rescue party will get to him and he'll be just fine." Aly repeated.

"Good," Lianne said, "Remember, what you said? We'd pray to the gods until both Alan and Jon are in a force field? The Gods knew that before you said it, so they probably protected them after our first prayer, and gods know we prayed more than once."

Everyone looked up at Roald as he ended his conversation, "Inform me the second Jonathan and his men return. I want my son to come to the fort...I want a word with him."

"Yes, uncle." Roger said.

The magical connection was broken, and Roald slammed the mirror he had been using on the table.

"I cannot believe Jonathan would do this!" Roald snapped, "He knew if he led the rescue the men would be saved from treason."

"He is Alan's friend, Roald." Gareth said. "If you were Jon and I was Alan, do you mean to tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing?"

"My father never would have made such an order as I did." Roald sighed sitting down. "In fact, my father would have done the exact thing Jonathan did."

"Jonathan is a lot like his grandfather," Lianne said. "Those skills will serve him well as king."

"But not as a son." Roald said. "How can I expect knights to take my orders seriously if my own son defies them?"

"Roald, the knights of this realm serve you. But those that left are young, and still foolish in some matters. They haven't quite latched on to the concept of orders are orders, no matter what." Gareth said.

"Do you think I made a mistake ordering no rescue parties?" Roald asked.

"You did what you thought was right," Lianne said. "No one can fault you for that."

Roald looked at Aly, "Lady Alianne? Can you fault me? If my son wasn't leading the rescue, your son would still be in enemy territory, with no hope of a rescue."

Aly sighed, "No, your majesty." she answered, surprised to find this to be the truth. "Lianne is right, you were doing what you thought was best for your kingdom. Your duty is to the whole country, not just my family."

Aly and Gareth stayed with Lianne and Roald for the rest of the night, and everyone was still as Roald's mirror shined with magical fire. He picked it up.

"Yes, Roger?"

"Jonathan and the men are back." Roger said.

"Alan?" Aly asked, Gareth quietly shushed her, but not before Roald heard Aly's question.

"What about Squire Alan, and the two other men who were taken?" Roald asked.

"All safely back on our side of the river," Roger said, "With two very special guests."

Aly nearly fainted from relief.

"Guests?" Roald asked.

"I'll let my cousin explain that." Roger said.

"Hello father."

"Jonathan, before you explain your cousin's 'guests' comment, I want to know what you were thinking! I gave very clear orders to remain on our side of the bank!"

"I couldn't just leave my squire in enemy territory, father."

"How can I know my orders will be followed? If one knight doesn't like my orders, they can go to you to go against them! That is the message you sent out by pulling this little stunt tonight!"

"This was a special situation father. Alan is my squire. I was obligated to save him."

Roald glared at the mirror.

"I know you are angry with me father, and you have every reason to be, but I do have news that will please you."

"And that would be?"

"Those guests that Roger was talking about? They are Duke Hilam and Count Jemis."

"King Ain's brothers?"

"That's right," Jonathan said, "I told the men that I believed we could think up a fair ransom...like a signed peace treaty?"

With as mad as Roald seemed at his son, Aly was surprised to see him smile, and even give a small laugh, "I think that is a fair ransom indeed, Jonathan. Roger!"

"Yes uncle?"

"See to it that a peace treaty is created and signed, and make sure that my son's two guests are well guarded. We wouldn't want them hurt or worse taken back to their border."

"Yes, uncle."

Roald negotiated the Drell Peace, in which Tusaine relinquished all claims to the valley forever. King Ain was willing to agree to much more: He wanted his brothers back to rule his lands for him. By the end of August the peace was signed, and Aly could not remember a happier moment than when she heard Alanna and her friends were able to go home.

Author's Note: George will be making an actual appearance in the next chapter!

Disclaimer

Roald negotiated the Drell Peace, in which Tusaine relinquished all claims to the valley forever. King Ain was willing to agree to much more: He wanted his brothers back to rule his lands for him. By the end of August the peace was signed, and Alanna and her friends were able to go home. In The Hands of the Goddess, pg.152

Review Reply

Trisana Sarrasri: I am glad you like the chapter. And you asked the most popular question for this story when you asked if Gareth will find out about Alanna from Aly...as to that, I am going to meet a little more of my evil quota and say you just have to be patient. I am not telling anyone how that works out (I didn't even tell my sister).

LittleMissGiggles'94': Wow...I am glad you liked it so much. I hope you liked this chapter as much.

DomLuver: I am glad you felt special. I like it when I can make my reviewers feel special because all the positive feedback I get from them makes ME feel special...it's nice to return the feeling. How did your friend like the story so far? I'm curious. Are you going to have her keep up with the story as I keep posting?

Soraya the All Speaker: I am glad you liked me working in the Tusaine gathering, and I guess this chapter answered your question as to if Aly will visit Gareth.

Anjalit2624: I am glad you liked that line.

SeekDreamsAndFindHope: I guess this chapter answered you question about Alanna being kidnapped

Brandi Heir: Thank you for reviewing, and for the cirtique. Every writer has something to work on, and if it doesn't get pointed out to the author, they can't work on it. Most of my golden work, as you called it is thanks to my beta, SOPROL. Without her, this would have very bad editing, so I am also glad that someone is commenting on her great work, not just the story itself. I read your story, and as I said in a review to it, you did a great job, and I am waiting to see how yours progresses.

PokemonKnight: Thanks!

xXthenextbookwormXx: I am glad you liked that line. I had thought it was pretty good myself. lol...yeah, I think Aly did a wonderful job of toning down her worry over her daughter going to war...she wasn't freaking out at all. :)

SarcasticLoner: Well, I really didn't cover the war that much as you saw, and that was because the war was Alanna, and this story is about Aly. Although I don't know, maybe I should have included a few chapters of the way Aly was affected by the war with her daughter gone. I don't know, maybe I will do a few flashbacks or something later.

a happy camper: Yeah, at least Aly can go nuts with Gareth. Although if he had led the war, she would have gone nuts with Lianne, so either way, she would have gone nuts. So do you like how I worked in Aly finding out about Alanna being kidnapped before she got home? I figured that in the book Roger lets King Roald know about Jon crossing over the river, so why not have Gareth and Aly there when he gets that news?