Author's Note: This is when George takes Jon to meet his mother, and they see Alanna in a dress...with a few changes done to it...if you recognize it from In the Hands of the Goddess, it is probably because it is from In the Hands of the Goddess.

Author's Note 2: I hope you all like this! I am posting it because it is my 18th birthday, and I decided to give my readers something (btw...reveiws make great presents)

Chapter Thirty-Three: George Cooper

One day during the long winter, Aly's schedule only consisted of a few tasks; laze about all morning, get ready for supper, dine with Gareth, and go to bed. Her plans changed last minute when she heard a knock on her door.

"Hello Jon." Aly smiled at her surprise guest. She was a little surprised to see he had on a plain shirt and breeches, which wasn't his usual palace wardrobe. "Alan isn't here, but-"

"I actually came here looking for you." Jon interrupted.

"Oh," Aly said, a little surprised. "Well, you found me. Come on in." She stepped to the side, and Jon walked in before Aly shut the door.

"I am only staying for a minute. I have somewhere to go today." Jon said.

"Alright," Aly said. "What can I do for you?"

Jon bit his lip, "Could you put up a magical barrier? I'd prefer knowing no one will overhear this."

Aly nodded and set a magical barrier in place "Now, why don't you have a seat and tell me what you want to talk about?" Aly asked as they walked over to the couch and sat down.

"Alanna told me that you now know about George." Jon said.

Aly nodded, "I must say, Jonathan, I was a little surprised at both of you. Did either of you think of the dangers that would come with being in the lower city without protection?"

"George would never let anything happen to us." Jon assured Aly.

"Alanna told me the same thing." Aly said.

"She's telling the truth. We are perfectly safe, and if you could meet him, even once-" Jon stopped suddenly and smiled.

"Your mother always got that look on her face when she had an idea." Aly said.

"Like mother like son, I suppose," Jon said, "Because I have an idea."

"What would that idea be?" Aly asked a little warily.

"I had been saying if you could meet George, even once, you would be able to see for yourself that George is a good friend, and that he would never let anything happen to Alanna or I."

"So?" Aly asked.

"Well you see...remember that 'somewhere' I told you I was going to?"

Aly nodded.

"I am going there with George." Jon said, smiling. "You could come with us, and then you could meet him and see what a great guy he is for yourself."

Aly thought for a moment. It would be nice to meet this George. She would be much more comfortable with Jon and Alanna being with him if she knew him, and if she thought after a visit with him that she had a reason to worry, she would simply demand Alanna stay away from him, and tell Roald and Lianne what she knew, encouraging them to do the same thing with Jon.

"I can't come with you," Aly said finally, "I wasn't invited. It would be rude."

"George won't mind." Jon assured.

"I don't care if he'd mind or not, Jonathan, it would still be rude." Aly said.

Jon shrugged, "You are the one who isn't comfortable about Alanna and I being with him. Come with me, and you can put your mind at ease."

Aly thought for a moment longer.

"You're not going to be rude," Jon said, "You're going as a concerned mother, looking out for the well-fare of her daughter."

Aly nodded, "Let me get my cloak."

Aly silently followed Jon from the palace through the lower city, into a smoke-filled inn called the Dancing Dove, all the way to a man with brown hair, hazel eyes, and a nose that Aly considered just a little too big for his face.

"Hello, George." Jon said.

"Johnny! You made it!" the man named George said. He turned his eyes on Aly. "Who is your guest?"

"Alan's mother," Jon said. "George Cooper, may I present Lady Alianne of Trebond."

George stood up and bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Alianne."

Aly gave George a small, polite curtsy, "And you, George Cooper."

"I hope you don't mind George." Jon said. "I invited Lady Alianne to join us today."

"Not at all, the more the merrier." George said as he motioned them to follow him outside. "Shall we go then?"

"We'll wait with our horse out around in the front." Jon said. George nodded and went around the inn for his horse.

"So you go by Jonathan, Jon...and now Johnny?" Aly questioned

"I'm only Johnny in the city." Jon said, "Johnny, the merchant's son."

"And you're sure that you and Alanna aren't in any danger here?"

"We are in more danger at the palace." Jon said as George came around to the front of the inn, the reins of a saddled horse in his hands.

"Are you two ready?" he asked.

Jon nodded and jumped onto the back of Darkness. George tied up his horse and helped Aly mount her side-saddle.

"Thank you." Aly said.

George nodded, untied his horse's reins, and mounted. Right before leaving, he turned in his saddle to look at Aly. "Would you like to check your purse before we leave, Lady Alianne?" George asked with a smile in a good-humored tone. "Just to be sure I've been a good lad and not taken anything?"

Aly couldn't help herself, she smiled. She could see why Alanna and Jon liked this man, however he hadn't earned her trust yet.

Aly shook her head. "If you know my son, you know he has a temper. You seem like a smart man, which means you would know you don't want to get on his bad side."

George laughed, "You're right there, Lady Alianne. I wouldn't wish Alan's temper on my worst enemy."

Despite his assurance that he wanted to avoid Alanna's temper, Aly couldn't help herself; slowly, she placed her hand at her side, scooping her hand around the pouch and feeling it. She was pleased by the weight of many coins.

"Mother, see who I finally brought to meet you!" George called as they reached what Aly guessed was his mother's house. "And I have a second guest." he turned to Jon and Aly. "Come on then-she's here."

Jon helped Aly from her side-saddle, then headed towards the stable to take care of both horses "The man will take care of horse; that's what he's there for."

Aly saw George turn back to look in the doorway he was standing in. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you had-" the King of Thieves stopped talking abruptly.

Aly and Jon looked at each other, confused. Jon walked over to the door. Aly was a half-step behind him.

"George, you're blocking the way." Jon laughed. "Have you changed your mind? You don't want me to meet your mother after all?" Aly watched as Prince Jonathan, heir to the throne of Tortall, dressed in a plain shirt and breeches, edged into the kitchen behind the thief.

As Aly tried to figure out a polite and lady-like way to get past George and Jon, she heard a kind female voice say. "And so you're Prince Jonathan, or is it Johnny today?"

"I am always Johnny in the city." Aly heard Jon admit.

"And do you mention that fact in front of every strange young lady you meet?"

Aly froze for a second at the sound of the voice, then threw polite and lady-like out the window as she shoved past George into the room the voice had come from...she knew that voice.

Aly came to a dead stop once she successfully got into what appeared to be a kitchen. There was a woman Aly assumed was George mother standing there. However, it was the small person next to Mistress Cooper who held Aly's attention.

It was Alanna. Her daughter Alanna. She was in a dress. By the look of the pins in the dress, and the other dresses in the room, Aly guessed this was a fitting of some kind. One look at Jon told Aly he was just as confused as she was.

"Close the door." Mistress Cooper ordered. "You're letting the cold in. Lass, we'll need three more cups, I think."

George gripped Alanna's arm as she moved past him, "So you're a girl after all."

"I thought you knew that." Alanna snapped. She looked at Jonathan. "You don't seem surprised."

He grinned. "Oh I am, a little. I knew you were up to something though. You've been awfully mysterious lately, and remember I caught you two days piling your hair on top of your head looking at yourself in the mirror."

"Some people think they're pretty observant since they became heroes of the war." Alanna said, sniffing.

Aly opened her mouth, ready to reprimand Alanna for being so rude, but Jonathan started talking before she got the chance.

"Maybe I do," Jonathan replied amiably, "But what is that stone?"

Aly watched as Alanna look at the stone, fingering it. She was wondering the same thing when Alanna answered. "I got it from-from a lady I met once."

Jonathan frowned, "Why would a lady give you a charm? It looks valuable, whatever it is; and it's magic for certain."

Alanna shrugged, "If it's magic, it's not magic I can use. And she gave it to me-well it's a long story and I really don't want to tell it right now. I don't understand it myself." She sat down, and Mistress Cooper handed her the teapot.

"Pour," the woman instructed. "You two can take off your hats, at least. Don't you know when you're being served by a lady?"

Aly, determined to be involved in the conversation hit Jon in the back of the head, hard.

"Ow! Jon said. "What was that for?"

"For not acting like the gentleman you were raised to be, Jonathan." Aly said. Aly smiled at Mistress Cooper. "Lady Alianne of Trebond" she said, giving Mistress Cooper a small, polite curtsy.

Mistress Cooper curtsied back. "Mistress Eleni Cooper, my lady."

(Aly's POV)

I smiled at Alanna as she served everyone tea, and carefully sat down, spreading her skirts out around her. Had Mistress Cooper taught her that? Has Alanna been watching me without my knowledge? No matter how it came about, there was no denying it. My little Alanna-my baby girl-was growing up before my very eyes; both as a warrior and a woman.

I had seen Alanna every day, and hadn't noticed her growing up. How much had Thom grown without me there? A few tears leaked from my eyes as I thought about it, and I quickly patted dry my cheeks. Unfortunately, I wasn't quick enough.

"Mother, what's wrong?" Alanna asked.

All eyes in the kitchen were on me. I gave a small smile as I explained. "It's nothing. I am just being sentimental."

"Children grow up too fast, don't they?" Mistress Cooper asked, looking over at George.

"Much too fast," I agreed.

"I remember when George was just a little lad. He was always getting into things...even if it wasn't his to get into."

George grinned at his mother. "Getting into things was too much fun to resist, ma."

I looked over at Alanna. "I remember when you were a little girl. It was impossible to get you into a dress. Now you are almost a fully grown woman, and wearing dresses willingly...at least, I would assume it is willingly, since Coram wasn't in here, holding you down."

George and Jonathan started laughing, and Alanna blushed. "Mother!"

"Coram had to hold her down?!" Jon asked Aly, choking with laughter.

"No!" Alanna snapped.

"Yes," Aly said, "It was horrible. Even as a baby she wouldn't wear dresses. By the time she was four, every servant in Trebond except Coram and Maude, our village healer, had told me if I wanted Alanna in a dress, I had to get her in it myself. They all refused to do it. They said they had gotten enough bruises from her for a life-time."

"Mother, please!" Alanna said, her face now the color of her hair. George and Jonathan laughed harder. Jon had tears coming out of his eyes.

Aly laughed a little, "Alright, Alanna, I am done. Should we find a topic that doesn't embarrass you to talk about?"

"Please." Alanna said.

Aly, Jonathan, and Alanna spent most of the day with Mistress Cooper and George. Slowly, the man began to win Aly's trust, and by the end of the visit, Aly couldn't think of a reason not to allow Alanna and Jon to continue to visit the city. In fact, she was trying to figure out how often she could come down and visit Mistress Cooper. She really liked the healing woman.

Review Reply

Lady Andy of California: I am glad you like that, and that would make an interesting plot twist, I'll keep that in mind as I draw closer to that part of the story.

SeekDreamsAndFindHope: Who said that Duke Gareth and Aly would be married? They aren't engaged...at least, not yet...(evil grin)

Elfsquire90: Thanks goofball (I learned how to be one from you). And happy? George made an appearance.

Soraya the All Speaker: Yes, YAY FOR GEORGE! I am glad you liked the last chapter.

SarcasticLoner: Thanks

Certified Lunatic: I am glad life is good again, yes, everyone loves George!

Trisana Sarrasri: I am glad you liked it, and I thought it would be fun to have Aly and Gareth act like teenagers again. Especially Gareth, since he is a place of high standing as King's Champion, Training Master, and brother to the Queen.

Mistyrious One: Calm down! (laughs) I posted the next chapter, and there are about twenty more after this one, so don't worry, there is still plenty more story for you to love.

a happy camper: Yeah, I know that it was unrealistic of Aly to keep the secret with her freaking out, but it just sort of happened. Maybe I should have worked on that more. Yeah, I think I have done a little with faithful, and there will be more later on.

LittleMissGiggles'94': I am glad you liked it.

Tigerlily: Thank you

xXthenextbookwormXx: I am all for locking up gossips...it's because of them I have been "pregnant" for the past...five years now. (It's not true, I am just a little on the chubby side). I am glad you liked the story so far...we'll get together at some point to plan how to lock the gossips up.