A/N: Ok as some of you know, Tortallanrider and I have been doing a story together. This chapter was done by my wonderful compels and of course the next chapter will be updated soon. Ooh and one more thing. If you read the story and don't review, it just breaks my heart. I really thank all of the people that do review when they are finished reading. Thanks to Egyptian-fire, Pink-Squishy-Lama, Lioness of Tortall, and some other people. Tell me if I forgot you. Thank you sooooo much. Remember, review!

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, TP dose.

Recap: "Look at those two love birds. She makes him so happy," Myles was
talking to Thom. "And she is going to make such a great queen." He
smiled as he watched them leave.

Alanna and Jonathan went to the courtyard, to take a stroll. Jonathan
held Alanna's hand, in a way that could appear friendly from far away,
but, close up, one could see their fingers entwined. They wandered
around for a while, a comfortable silence between them. Finally,
Jonathan needed to talk.

"A beautiful night," he remarked.

"Mm," Alanna replied, though her mind was clearly elsewhere.

"Alanna, did you hear me?" Jonathan asked. She looked at him and smiled
serenely.

"I'm sorry, Jonathan. Once more please." He smiled at Alanna's
politeness, and knew that she was not focusing. He kissed her softly on
the mouth.

"Never mind. What's on your mind, sweet?" he asked, brushing hair from
her face.

"Nothing," she replied distractedly.

"Alanna." His voice was gently prodding.

"Nothing, I swear," she lied again.

"I know you better than that, Alanna. The only time you are ever that
polite is when you're thinking of something else. You revert to the
Court manners we all learned as pages," he said. Alanna grinned.

"I forgot you knew me that well," she admitted. Alanna sighed. "I don't
know, Jonathan…"

"Is it George?" he asked quietly. Alanna glanced down and bit her lip.

"Yes," she replied, with a slow nod. Quickly, she looked up and held
Jonathan's eyes. He saw how worried her violet eyes were. "But not
because I love him!" Jonathan chuckled and kissed her.

"I know, Alanna, I know. It will be hard to tell him. Are you positive
you want to go alone?" Jonathan asked. Alanna nodded.

"I can do it better alone," she replied. Jonathan smiled.

"I trust your judgment. Though, with your history, I don't think I
should." Alanna slapped him lightly.

"Be nicer to your betrothed, my prince. Or else she might leave you for
the thief," Alanna said. Though she was kidding, Jonathan looked hurt.
He pulled her into his arms and buried his face in her hair.

"Don't even joke about that, Alanna. Don't joke like that. I don't
think I could bear to lose you." In that moment, Alanna realized that,
while Jonathan might be three years her senior and the crown prince of
Tortall, he was still very young. He was young and in love… and so was
she.

The next day, at the Dancing Dove…

"Alanna!" George exclaimed, as she walked into the inn.

The Rogue looked at the woman who he loved so dearly, and knew there
was something wrong. She looked wonderful, with her red hair brought
out by the new tan to her skin. Her tan breeches hugged her rider's
legs and went into shiny black leather boots at her knees. She wore a
loose white shirt, but it still couldn't hide that she was female. Her
violet eyes were guarded, which was the first thing George noticed.
Usually, she was open and smiling around the inn where she had
practically grown up, but today she was serious behind her bright
smile.

"George!" Alanna embraced her longtime friend in her usually friendly
way. "Can we go somewhere private?"

Now, those five words could've had two meanings that George could think
of. The first was that she needed to have a word with him that
shouldn't be heard by others, which was the more likely one. The second
was what he secretly wished would happen. She wanted to see him in
private because she wanted to kiss him and tell him that she loved him
and wanted to be his… But that was very un-Alanna, and he knew that
there was someone else who came first in her affections.

He took her to his meeting room nonetheless. She circled the room with
violet fire, shielding them from magical and physical listening. This
was obviously important if she was using her magic, because she usually
trusted the men of the Dove.

"What is it, lass?" George asked, settling into a chair. Alanna twisted
her hands in her shirt and avoided his eyes. "Mithros, Alanna. Can't ye
look at me?" She looked up quickly, meeting his eyes for a split
second. He was she was nervous. George stood and went to stand in front
of her. He put his hand on her upper arm, in a gentle, friendly way.
She shook her head.

"Don't, George," she whispered. Her violet eyes met his, and he saw
they were damp. He reached to wipe her tears but she did it herself.
"I'm fine."

"If ye're cryin', lass, ye aren't fine," George said. "Now tell me
what's wrong." She took a deep, shaky breath.

"I'm engaged," she told him. George was silent. Alanna had said to him
not long ago that she "didn't want love" and "didn't want marriage."
And now she was telling him that she was engaged to someone. What had
changed? And why wasn't she engaged to him? "Goddess, George, say
something!" Alanna's voice was harsh and thick with her unshed tears.

"What d'ye want me t' say, lass?" George asked, sounding slightly
aggravated.

"I don't know, just something. Congratulations, or that you're hurt, or
something. Not saying anything is worse than saying you hate me!"

"Congratulations, Alanna," George said before walking out of the room.

Alanna stood, paralyzed. What was that? She knew he would be upset, but
not that upset. She crumpled onto the floor and cried. She loved
Jonathan with all her heart, but she couldn't bear to marry him if it
meant losing one of her best friends in the world.