Once again, thanks to my beta, SOPROL!
Chapter Thirty-Seven: Thom
"Hasn't changed a bit." Aly said as she took in the plain, old grey buildings around her. She would have thought in a place with young ladies, there would be color. Unfortunately, no such luck. There were no colorful drapes in windows, no flowers in sight. Just grey buildings against the brown road beneath them and the blue sky above them. The only gardens were ones with plants that were grown for medicinal purposes. This was a place for study, not luxury.
"How can Thom live in such a cursed ugly place?" Alanna asked George. "I'd go mad if I had to look at this all the time."
"Gods know I almost did," Aly said, remembering her days at the convent. "If it wasn't for Lianne and Jocelyn-Gary's mother," she added when Alanna opened her mouth to ask something. Alanna shut her mouth again "-I would have lost my mind within the first year."
"He probably doesn't notice," George replied. "Most scholars don't."
The warrior-priests who manned the gates showed them to the Mithran Cloisters. As they passed the Convent of the Mother of Mountains, Alanna and Aly each shuddered.
"You do not know how lucky you are to have avoided that place," Aly said, "I hated every minute there. The sisters had to have guards hold me back when I first arrived, to keep me from running back into the carriage your grandfather had me arrive in."
"Have I ever told you thank you for going along with my plan to switch?" Alanna asked.
"No," Aly said, "You thanked me for allowing you to do it, but not for helping you with it."
"Well, thank you," Alanna said, "From the deepest part of my heart, thank you."
An orange-robed initiate admitted them to the Cloisters; a novice took their horses. An ancient yellow man in the black-and-gold robes of a master tottered out to greet them. "We are honored to have you among us, Lady Alianne, Squire Alan, Freeman Cooper," he said. "I am Si-Cham, Chief of the Masters here."
Alanna bowed very low, and Aly dropped into a low curtsy; as a sorcerer, Si-Cham would be nearly as powerful as Duke Roger. As a priest, he was head of the cult of Mithros for all of the Eastern Lands. Either way you looked at it, he was not a man you wanted to risk offending. "We would be honored if you would join us for our evening meal," this friendly old man went on. "We get little news of the world."
"We'd be honored to come," George said.
"Excellent, excellent, follow me, if you please. I do not believe Adept Thom is expecting you?"
Alanna smiled grimly. "We wanted to surprise him."
Si-Cham looked sharply at Alanna before knocking on one of the many doors lining a long hallway. "Do you think much surprises Adept Thom?"
Thom opened the door. He was bearded, taller-older. He hugged Alanna with enthusiasm, crying, "Brother Dear!" Next, he hugged Aly with just as much enthusiasm. "Mother!" Seeing their companion, Thom widened his violet eyes, "Not-George Cooper?" He grinned.
"The same," George replied, extending his hand. "I've heard a thing or two about you myself."
"Surely some of it was good," Thom quipped, shaking the offered hand. He looked at Master Si-Cham.
"Their things have been taken to the guest's wing." The Master's voice, warm and friendly a moment ago, was suddenly chilly. "And they have accepted an invitation to take the evening meal with us."
Thom lifted a single coppery eyebrow. "Oh?" he asked, his voice too sweet. "Then I will have to join you, won't I?"
"It will be a change." The old man voice was as dry as autumn leaves. Aly frowned. What happened to the gracious man they had just been talking to? "I will leave you to talk now." He hurried away down the long hall.
"I don't get it." Alanna said, "He was very friendly a moment ago."
"They've been angry with me ever since I stopped playing the idiot and passed the written examinations for Mastery. Come in, sit down. Wine?" Thom rang a bell, and a servant in the white robe of novice came in. He gave the boy orders, pretending not to notice that Aly, Alanna, and George were staring at him.
"You passed the written examinations for Mastery?" Alanna's voice emerged from her throat in a squeak.
"Two weeks ago. It was easier than you think." Thom shrugged. "All that's left are the spoken examinations and the Ordeal of Sorcery."
"You call that all?" Alanna demanded weakly.
Aly had to admit, she was feeling much the same as her daughter. Most would-be Masters did not even try for that title until they were at least thirty. Her son wasn't even eighteen yet!
Thom laughed at Alanna's shock. "I was ready for this more than a year ago. And now they can't wait for me to finish and get out of here. I make them nervous."
"Well, we will be glad to have you at the palace." Aly said. "I know Alan wouldn't forgive you if you missed his Ordeal, and I would be a very happy woman if both my children were at my wedding."
"Wedding?" Thom asked.
Aly showed him the engagement ring. "You are looking at the future Duchess of Naxen."
"When did this happen?" Thom asked, "Why did no one write and tell me?"
"I wanted to tell you in person," Aly said, "And it happened a few months ago."
The wine came. Alanna drank hers in one gulp and poured another glass while George told Thom about their ride to the City of the Gods.
Alanna then went to explain why they had come, and Thom said he hadn't forgotten about the "certain smiling gentleman" as he called Duke Roger. He also told them that he had two men watching him. Thom was surprised when Alanna pulled out a stone that she had hanging around her neck. It was the same stone that Jonathan had noticed on Alanna back when Aly first met George and Mistress Cooper. Thom asked to see it and worked some magic on it. Si-Cham said it was called a Word of Command. He also told Thom he had interrupted very delicate spells, and Si-Cham said his Ordeal of Sorcery would be to set to rights all the damage he did.
Alanna turned to her brother when the door closed behind Si-Cham. "Couldn't you make friends with them?" she wanted to know, "I like Master Si-Cham. And the others-"
Thom shook his head. "They're afraid of me because I am better than they are." Aly frowned in her son's direction. Who was this man? Her son would never have talked as if he was superior to anyone...at least, he never did when he was younger. Had so much changed in such little time? "They'd hate me even if I went out of my way to be good to them; and I'm certainly not going to do that."
Alanna frowned, "You're going to be very lonely," she said frankly.
Thom laughed. "I have the Gift. That's enough for me."
"I wonder. It doesn't seem as if it would be enough."
Aly looked over at Alanna. Her daughter's words matched her thoughts. They stayed to talk for a little while and then got up to leave.
"You two go on without me." Aly said. "I'll have a novice show me to the rooms."
Alanna and George left, and Aly shut the door behind her.
"So here it comes." Thom said, crossing hIS arms across his chest.
"Here what comes, Thom?"
"The lecture you are going to give me," he said, "The same one you gave me when I was eleven."
"I was not lecturing you then, nor am I lecturing you now." Aly said.
"You want me to make friends with the other Masters." It wasn't a question.
"I want you to make friends period, Thom." Aly said desperately. "I don't care whether or not they are Masters or even if they are mages. I don't care if you find the lowest servant in Tortall and make friends with them."
"As I told Alanna, my Gift is enough for me."
"Now," Aly said, "But what about when you get a little older? You will regret not having friends then. Having the Gift is great, Thom. It is a blessing, but you need friends, and you need love."
Thom grinned, "You are only talking like this because you are getting married. If it wasn't for that ring on your finger, you wouldn't be talking to me about love and such things like it."
"Thom, listen to me." Aly said. "Magic is a tricky business, especially at the level of Mastery."
"Listen to me, mother." Thom said, "No, better yet, look at me. I've gotten by the past almost seven years without your advice and without friends. Do I look any worse for the wear?"
Aly's hand itched to slap Thom. "You are to never," Aly said, enunciating each word carefully, "Speak to me like that again, Thom, am I clear?"
"Yes, mother." Thom said, in a tone that made him sound like he was very bored.
Aly glared at Thom, he matched her gaze steadily. Aly sighed, and broke eye contact. "You aren't going to listen to me, are you?"
"Mother, it's not that I don't value your opinion and your wisdom." Thom said, grinning "I do. It's just that this time, you are wrong." He shrugged. "Maybe you and Alanna need love and friendship. But I am fine on my own, and my Gift really is enough. When I was younger, I needed my Gift and Alanna, but we went our separate ways, and I adjusted, just like she adjusted."
"She adjusted with friends." Aly emphasized the last two words. "A child needs friends."
Thom motioned to his grown body. "I am hardly a child, mother."
"You are my child." Aly said, "And you need more than magic in your life."
Thom grinned, "If you'll remember from when I was younger, I always preferred to sit alone and work on a new exercise Maude gave us during our magic lessons to being with Coram working on my fighting...not much has changed. I still prefer a sorcerer's work to a knight's."
"You worry me, Thom." Aly admitted, "You really, really worry me."
"There is nothing to worry about, mother." Thom assured Aly, "I promise."
"You're my son. I am always going to find something to worry about you over. You and Alanna both."
Teaser: OK, I decided to add in another teaser for all of you.
Aly looked down at the mention of secrets
"Gareth, while we are on the subject of secrets, I have one to tell you."
Gareth smiled amused, "Telling me one of your secrets won't get me to tell you mine."
"I know, that isn't why I am telling you this….it shouldn't have been a secret from you, not for this long."
"Are you alright?" Gareth asked with concern
Aly nodded, "I'm fine. This secret is about Alan."
....and that is what you get to look forward to in the next chapter
Review Reply
Elfsquire90: Yes, you got to see Thom in this chapter
SarcasticLoner: Glad you liked the chapter
mistmagic: I will try to add more Jon + George + Alanna.....and I am glad you think my story is rockin'!
Trisana Sarrasri: This will go to the end of the Alanna books yes. That was the plan when I started this story, and Gareth will find out soon...hehehe....that is all I will say right now (that and to make sure you saw the teaser I included above).
SeekDreamsAndFindHope: You will have to wait and see who she chooses....hehehe...I love being evil by keeping my reviewers on the edge of their seats...it makes them review quicker which makes me send stuff to my beta quicker which (hopefully) means she gets it back to me quicker
a happy camper: If I did the math right with the (very poor) timeline I was able to find, she is 17, almost 18, so yeah, her ordeal isn't too far off....sorry about the confusion, the only time lines I could find were pretty bad and confusing themselves. This is the hard thing about trying to mix a non-cannon story into a cannon timeline
Thecla: Finals are awful, aren't they? I didn't do too badly, the lowest I got was a C, and I got a perfect score on another. I am glad you liked the story so far.
Brandi Heir: Thanks for the bit about the description. I hate when stories don't describe stuff, and I am horrible at describing stuff in my own work. I am trying to work on it, so keep letting me know how I am doing. I am glad you still like it.
Mistyrious One: lol. I liked your comment about the shaking heads, but really, are you sure Thom won't turn out fine? I know he dies in cannon, but did I ever claim to stick with cannon? And I am sure this chapter answers the questions.
Anjalit2624: Thanks!
spazzysassyangel: Thanks!
xXthenextbookwormXx: I am glad you liked it.
Tishica: Thanks for the review, and this chapter is the only one focusing on the trip to the city of the gods, so that answers that question in your review.
LittleMissGiggles'94': I know it was a little lovey-dovey, but that is just how it turned out. I am glad you still liked it.
Whitepoint Star: I am glad you are enjoying it, and I hadn't planned on writing about Gareth losing his finger, but I'll consider it and let you know what I decide by having it either be in the story or not.
raven-anya: Thanks!
Silentflier: Sorry, I am not saying who the pairing is, you'll just have to keep reading and see how it unfolds. There will be time when there are both, though, so I am sorry for the confusion