Disclaimer: No, I don't own anything by Tamora Pierce, but the characters Lana, Varnya, Gwendolyn and Holly are most definitely mine.

A/N: Just wanted to say a BIG thankyou to my 5 (gasp) reviewers adurere, heartsoblivion, magqueen, winky-wink and LadySara05! Thankyou for your kind words, and this next chapter is for you guys (winky-wink, Lana WILL be paired with someone, but can you guess who it will be? I don't want to give too much away, except that we haven't met him in this story yet).

p.s. I know NOTHING about horses, a bit like Lana. So if anyone wants to give me a few hints about how to write about them, it would be greatly appreciated!

CHAPTER 5

Jonathan packed the letter and images of broken homes and lost lives back into the envelope and hid it inside his tunic.

'What happens now? How long before Alanna returns from her trip?' asked Lana, not sure of how long she may have to stay in this unfamiliar place.

'She's due back tomorrow, I believe, so you'll need somewhere to stay the night at least.' Jonathan and George looked at each other and some unspoken agreement was made.

'You're welcome to stay here, lass, but I would guess that you would find it more enjoyable and more comfortable at the palace, no doubt. It's up to you.' George offered, and Lana felt bad because this man had found her and helped her in this crisis, and now he could see that she wanted to go to the palace. But he laughed at the indecision on her face. 'To the palace it is, and don't worry, I'm sure I'll be seein' you. It's OK, I'm not offended.'

'OK, as long as you're sure,' but Lana laughed with him.

'You'll need a change of clothes and we'll have to work out something we can tell people about where you're from. Maybe we can just say that you're a friend of mine from the city who'll be staying with us for a few days? I think the less complicated we make this, the better. The smaller the lie, the less we have to keep track of, so to speak. What do you think, George? This is your kind of thing.' Jonathan remarked cheekily.

'Hey! Just coz I'm a thief doesn't mean I'm a great liar!' But at Jonathan's incredulous look he amended 'OK, so I am a great liar, but I don't lie to my friends.'

'All right then, it's settled. You'll come back to the palace with me, and you'll be known only as "Lana", my friend from the city.' As he got up to leave, Jonathan said to George 'Thankyou for finding me. If I can pass a law that will prohibit that forest being cut down for as long as someone in my line rules, then we may have been able to save thousands of lives, if what Lana's Aunt says in this letter is true. Even if we will never live to see it!' and he shook the rogue's hand.

'I'm glad I could be of service, your Highness' George added, but not formally. 'And you my lady, try and enjoy your time here in Tortall. It was an experience meetin' you, I can tell you that!'

Lana laughed. 'Thankyou George, I'll try. And thankyou for helping me when no one else would. I wont forget it.' And with that, the Prince and his friend from the city left for the stables.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

'This is Darkness, my horse. Err…do you know how to ride?'

'Um no, actually, not really. I rode a horse once, a long time ago, but I can't say that I really know what I'm doing when it comes to horses. We don't use them back home, you see. Unless of course you have a farm or something, but I'm from the city.'

'Right…well, it's fairly easy, and all you'll have to do today is get up behind me and hold on. Think you can do that?' He didn't mean to sound patronizing, but he wasn't sure if she really knew anything about riding at all.

'Piece of cake, I think.' A giggle slipped out of her before she could stop it, but Jonathan just smiled.

'It's OK, I'll get up first, and then I'll help you up.'

He makes that look so easy thought Lana as he swung his leg up and over the back of the horse.

'You're turn. Give me your hand, and I'll help you.'

Lana tentatively gave him her arm, and as she jumped up slightly, holding onto the back of the horse with her other hand, Jonathan pulled her up effortlessly, and she swung her leg over too.

'You sure you haven't done this?' he asked with a grin as they made their way out of the stable and through the city towards the palace.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

People watched them pass and they made their way through what Jonathan told Lana was the Temple District and up towards the palace gates. Something I guess you'd get used to, being the prince. She didn't think that perhaps together they made a strange couple.

George was right, she didn't know how she could have missed the palace coming into the city. It was massive, sitting a top a hill over looking the entire city. It was big enough that it even had its own forest surrounding it.

Is this the forest that Aunt Varnya doesn't want cut down? Lana wondered, but didn't ask. She was too busy trying to look at everything at once. Before she knew it, they were in stables again – much bigger this time – and dismounting Darkness.

'Thanks Stefan.' Jonathan said, as he handed his horse to a man waiting in the shadows, and then motioned for Lana to follow him into the palace.

'I'll show you to a guest room, and I'll have one of the seamstresses come up and take your measurements so they can find you some appropriate clothing,' he laughed, and said 'not that there's anything wrong with your clothes of course, but maybe it might be best if you look like you fit in. And then I'll show you around a bit if you like?'

'That would be great, although I think it would probably take two weeks to show me around this whole place!' Lana joked, and Jonathan laughed with her.

'Yeah, it definitely takes some getting used to. But I'll just show you the interesting bits. Anyway here we are, I hope this room is OK.'

Without realising it, Jonathan had led Lana though the palace and to a set of rooms that were bigger than her rooms at home.

'It's beautiful…better than what I usually live in! I just don't remember how I got here!'

'Don't worry no one ever remembers the first time, or the second. I'll leave you here for now, and get the seamstress up here for you, then I'll come back in about half an hour, OK? Do you want anything else? Food, something to drink?' Jonathan offered before he left.

'No I'll be fine, thankyou, err, your Highness.'

Jonathan laughed at her formality, and said 'It's Jon, my friends call me Jon.'

Lana sighed with relief. 'Thankyou! I didn't know what to call you, this is all so confusing. Meeting royalty is not a regular occurrence at home, especially because they don't live in the same country as us. So it's a relief for me not to have to worry about it.'

'Your King doesn't live in the same country as you?' Jonathan asked, intrigued.

'We don't have a King, just a Queen, and no, the royal family lives in a separate country. I'll tell you all about it later if you like?'

'I would love that…hmm…a Queen as monarch. Interesting…' he mumbled to himself as he left her alone.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The guest quarters Jonathan had given her really were beautiful. Two rooms; a sitting room with a couple of over-stuffed chairs and a love seat, a low table and desk with a chair, and thick rugs on the floor. The second room was the bedroom, with a double four-poster bed and lots of cushions, a set of drawers and a dressing table with a small mirror and a large empty bowl on it, and a partition, which Lana assumed was to dress behind. Both rooms had a fireplace each, and Lana thought that these rooms would be very comfortable indeed. Just as she put her bag down and finished looking around, there was a knock at the door.

The two ladies Lana understood to be the seamstresses stifled a gasp as she opened the door, but quickly recovered and introduced themselves.

'Good afternoon my lady, my name is Gwendolyn, and this is Holly. I understand you're expectin' us?' The older lady asked. She spoke with the same slight accent that George spoke with; Lana guessed a more common way of speaking.

'Yes, Jonathan said he would be sending for you. My name's Lana. Please, come in.'

As they entered, Lana took in their appearance. Gwendolyn, the older lady, had slightly greying brown hair, tied back into a bun at the nape of her neck, but apart from that- and a more mature glint in her eye- she didn't look to be over 40. You could just tell that she had worked hard in her life. Holly, on the other hand, didn't look older than Lana herself. Not quite as tall, and with ash blonde hair, she seemed quiet and almost shy. They both wore plain but neat dresses; long and utilitarian, obviously for working in.

Gwendolyn was holding a rope with a series of knots in it, while Holly was holding a piece of paper ready to take any notes.

'We've been told my His Highness to dress you for all occasions. So I'll measure you for a few different dresses, but also some breeches and shirts as well.' Gwendolyn said, as she looked Lana up and down, taking in her jeans, t-shirt, boots and jacket. 'Take off those shoes, and the jacket please.'

Lana did as she was told, and the seamstress whipped the rope around her waist, along the length of her arm and leg, inside and out, while telling Holly her measurements. She also measured her feet. 'You'll be needin' boots and shoes too, I guess?'

'Yes, I-I didn't think to bring anything with me. I didn't know how long I'd be staying here, you see.' Lana hoped that the lie she'd made up on the spot wasn't too obvious, but Gwendolyn seemed satisfied. Holly eyed her suspiciously though.

'OK, I'll take those measurements and find you some appropriate clothing. Holly, you can stay if you like. I'll be right back.' And Gwendolyn swept out the room.

Lana smiled at the younger girl encouragingly, but it only seemed to frighten her more. She then went about the room, straightening things up, when it was obvious that the room was impeccable. So Lana ventured out and tried to make conversation.

'So, Holly, how long have you been here at the palace?'

'A year, my lady. My mother died a year ago, so I came here to live with my Aunt, and I've been helpin' her and the other seamstresses, as well as some of the maids, ever since. There's always lots to do.' She looked relieved that Lana seemed almost normal, except for her clothes. Although she's got a funny accent Holly thought.

'So Gwendolyn is your Aunt?'

'Yes, m'lady.'

'Please, call me Lana. "my lady" just seems weird.' With everything else, I don't need to addressed like an old lady or someone important. I'm the same as her, if I lived in this time I'd probably be doing the same job. Being a maid.

'Oh-OK.' Replied Holly. 'Where are you from my-sorry-Lana?'

'Um, I'm just from the city. I'm here to see Alanna, the Knight, about something, but I didn't know she wasn't here. So I'm going to wait for her. Jon said I could stay a couple days if I needed to.' God, I hate lying to her, but she would never understand the truth. I hope she believes me.

Holly looked sceptical, but didn't question her about it any further. Except to ask 'If I may, where do you get your clothes? I've never seen anything like them before.'

Crap. 'Um…well I travel a bit, and this is the fashion overseas. And it's comfortable. I know it looks a bit weird, but I like it. It might take a while to catch on, but one day everyone will dress like me.' Yeah, in like hundreds of years! Lana silently joked.

Just as Holly started to open up a little bit and talked about her friends at the palace, Gwendolyn came back with an armful of clothing; dresses, breeches, shirts and tunics, boots and some under garments, which looked so completely different to the more modern underwear that Lana wore, but she didn't say anything – she didn't think they'd be as open about it as her and her friends were.

Gwendolyn then instructed Lana to put on one of the dresses that she had brought. A deep blue dress with short sleeves and a round neck, with pale blue embroidery around the sleeves and neck. It's kind of pretty, in a quaint, old-fashioned, innocent sort of way. Gwendolyn had also given her what looked to be a kind of bra, but thick and rectangle with straps which did up at the side, but she put that aside and left on her own. As she came out from behind the partition, Jonathan knocked at the door, and Holly curtsied and let him in. As Lana put on the shoes that Gwendolyn had given her, Jonathan admired her from the doorway. Now that I see her in normal clothes, she is beautiful. It's her smile that makes her. But she's no Thayet…Jon smiled as he thought of the woman who had captured his heart over the last couple of weeks. If only I knew how she felt about me. But he pushed that thought aside and concentrated on the woman before him.

'How's the dress? You look beautiful.'

Lana gushed at his comment. That smile…he could turn any woman to mush! 'It's fine, it will take some getting used to, but it's comfortable enough.'

'I'll just put the rest of these clothes away for you, my lady.' Gwendolyn said from the back of the room.

'That will be fine, and thank you both for your help.' Lana said politely as she and Jon left the room.

'I thought I'd take you around the more common parts of the castle; the Nobles' Mess Hall so you know where to get something to eat if you're hungry; the Library; the practice courts (where you'll find most of the available Knights and squires showing off their muscles),' Jon added with a wink, 'and I'll show you the formal parts of the palace later. And I thought tomorrow if you wanted, a few of us could go for a ride, I'll take you through the forest to a spot where you can overlook the city. It's quite a sight.' Jon had obviously though it through.

'That sounds great. I hope I can meet some of your friends too.'

'Gary and Raoul should be at the practice courts. We'll go there last. But come, you look like you could do with something to drink – to the mess hall.'

Jonathan took Lana around as much of the palace as he could in a couple hours, and she was easily lost. It wasn't until they reached the practice courts that she gave up on trying to keep track of were she was going.

'Jon, I have to tell you, I'm so lost right now, that if you left me here I think I'd probably die of starvation because I have no idea on how to get back!' At this he laughed a big belly laugh that caught the attention of a couple knights practicing their fencing.

'Jon, do you mind? We're having a contest here, and we can't concentrate with you so loud!' a very tall man shouted with black hair and eyes. The other was slimmer but just as tall, with lighter hair. But just as the man spoke, the other took advantage of his distraction and flicked his sword out of his hands to win the duel.

'Damn it! Jon that was your fault.' The big man complained.

'Who's your friend, Jon?' The other man stripped off his protective clothing and walked over to where Lana and Jonathan had been watching, not so quietly.

"My Lady, may I introduce my two best friends, sirs Gareth the Younger, of Naxen, our winner, and Raoul of Goldenlake, our very sore loser.' Jon added dryly. 'This, men, is Lana, a friend of mine from the city. She'll be staying with us for a few days to experience Palace life.'

'It's nice to meet you' Lana said to them both, and in return they both took her hand and kissed it, much to Lana's embarrassment.

'It's our pleasure, m'lady' said Raoul.

'Please, call me Gary. I hate it when Jon introduces me like that.' Gary stated.

'Gary it is. And I should apologise, Raoul, it was my fault that Jon laughed like that. I didn't mean to make you lose your duel.'

But at her words, the others smiled, and someone behind her laughed.

'Don't worry, Raoul regularly loses, so he's used to it.'

As Lana turned around to see the person who had spoken, she came face to face with a short stocky red head with – Holy cow…purple eyes! That's the freakiest thing I've ever seen...If I weren't hundreds of years back in time, I'd think they were contact lenses!

Next to her, Jon spoke.

'I didn't think you were due back until tomorrow! How was the road?'

'Quiet – too quiet for my liking. I wasn't bothered once. Moonlight and I made good time.'

'You always did like being in the thick of the action,' Raoul rumbled behind her. But the woman's bizarre amethyst eyes were trained on Lana.

'I haven't seen you before, are you new in court?' her tone was brusque; she obviously didn't take to strangers, especially ones taking company with the Prince.

'Oh Alanna of Trebond and Olau, this is Lana, a…friend. She's come a long way specifically to meet you, actually.' Jonathan answered for the girl, clearly forgetting the company they were in.

But before Lana could say anything to try and smooth over the contradiction Jonathan had made, Gary noticed and piped up from behind her.

'I thought you were here from the city to spend a few days at the Palace?' he looked enquiringly at her, then Jonathan. Raoul looked at her suspiciously, and Alanna had picked up that there was a problem and narrowed her eyes at the stranger. Lana sighed. This is going to get messy.

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