During the next day, Alanna had come to the conclusion that this Thom that she is seeing is not the Thom that she had known before. That was why when Thom had tried to talk to Alanna the next morning, she turned away in anger, and in mistrust. She had finally realized that there were a lot of things that be would not tell. Perhaps he was really one of those people who enjoyed power, and would do anything to get at it, or so she thought.

A tray was seen from the corner of her eyes that morning on the breakfast table. Realizing who it belonged to when she looked up, she took her tray up and went to an unoccupied table. Thom looked after her, hurt and confused. He tried to suppress the anger that was welling up inside him, mad at Alanna for being mad at him for some unexplained reason. He sat down with a sigh, stressed out from the path his life had taken him.

Finally, Lucy was at the hall accompanying her. Alanna asked her where she had been this morning.

"Sorry, I sort of overslept, so I did not hear you when you knocked." Lucy said.

Alanna snorted and replied," I didn't knock, I pounded on the door."

Someone had heard Alanna snort, and laughed with his friends. "Pig!" They exclaimed. Ladies on that table could beheard sharing their humoras well. Lucy shook her head.

"So, where is Thom this morning?" Lucy inquired. Alanna did not answer. When Lucy saw Thom eating alone at the next table, she asked, confused, " Why aren't you sitting with him?"

Alanna was silence once more. Exasperated, Lucy asked angrily, " Is it because of what Cythera told us yesterday? Because you know as well as I that it is not necessarily true. You know better than to listen to court gossip Alanna!"

That had Alanna replying rather loudly, "You know as well as I that Cythera would not lie!"

"How do you know that Sir Gareth would not? Do you not think that he does not gossip as well?" With that, Lucy picked up her tray, and angrily strode over to the table to where Thom was sitting, leaving Alanna to sit by herself. Alanna huffed angrily and proceeded to eat. When a comment was made on their fight, with some people referring it to "a pig fight", Alanna got up, making as much noise as possible at a table, and slammed her tray down. She flexed her fingers, fighting the temptation to use the spell for lighting a candle to light the knight's hair on fire. With a fustrated cry, she made her way to the door of the hall, fixing her sharp glare at anyone who was staring. The door banged shut, leaving in her wake a bunch of snickering knights and ladies.

Thom was alarmed at the short argument that was going on at the neighboring table. He glanced angrily at the exceedingly annoying person who kept on making references to pigs. His eyes were fixed on Lucy in surprise for a moment, but quickly put his attention on Alanna again. He saw her fingers flex, as if occupying themselves so they would not do anything unwanted. His fingers did the same. Even though he was still angry at Alanna, he could barely tolerate his fellow knights. They all acted so disrespectfully, particularlyto people who were not normal, like Alanna.

After Alanna left, he turned back to his meal. Thom caught Lady Lucy looking at him, and so gave her a nod. She did not react, but continue on staring, as if trying to comprehend him, like a child trying to read a hard complex book. Not liking the attention, Thom finally looked up and lowers his eyelids into a glare. She jumped back, alarmed, and blushed, not aware that she was staring before.

"I'm sorry," she apologized quietly.

Thom sighed, and went back to his food. He couldn't be more confused then ever. His life already has enough trouble. Why did the gods have to make Alanna angry at him? He was counting on surviving from the day Alanna arrived with her moral support. Now...

"Sir Thom?" He heard Lucy ask. Before he can reply, she continued on with her question.

"Is it true that you have committed treason against the crown," Lucy asked quickly, almost too quickly for Thom to apprehend. He jumped up in surprise at the question, and quickly swiveled his head around to catch a glimpse of anybody who showed any signs they have heard. Lucy looked at him worriedly, fearing that what Cythera told them was true.

After the assurance that nobody have heard the last question voiced, he turn to give Lady Lucy a look that plainly showed annoyance and alarm. When Lucy did not act, he heaved another sigh, and got up. Lucy followed his suit.

"Follow me," he said mildly.

Lucy obeyed as Thom made his way to his quarters. She hesitantly entered through the door.

"Have a seat," Thom said as he put up magical barriers to prevent eaves-dropping. Once he was done, he sat himself across from Lucy and asked,

"Where have you heard it?" When Lucy looked confuse for a moment, he added, "That I have went against the crown?"

Lucy went on to explain the whole story, starting from when the prince and his comrades were cold to Alanna, leaving Alanna confused. Then she proceeded to tell Thom about when Cythera was praising Sir Gareth, how Alanna disagreed with her, and asked her to find out what Thom had did to anger the people.

There was silence as the information given was contemplated. Finally, Thom came up with a question that surprised her.

"Do you trust me?"

Taken aback, Lucy thought over this. Of course, ever since she had met Thom, she sort of developed a…well, she will admit that it is a crush. But that does not mean that she is hopelessly in love and will trust him to no ends. But, seeing Thom's actions these past few days, it is hard to think of him as a bad man.

"Yes, I trust you, Sir Thom."

Thom responded with another question. "Would you be willing to take my story as the truth?"

Here, Lucy hesitated. Then she came up with an answer that she was proud of, "It depends, Sir Thom, whether the story I hear is the truth. I cannot judge when you do not give me anything to judge yet." Okay, that may not have been the best answer, but it did not seem so indecisive as her other ones.

"Very well," Thom said, and proceeded to tell his story in full details.

As always, I really appreciate the reviews. So thanks again (and again and again).