Disclaimer: I took the case to court, and the judge and jury said that I had no rights to the characters or the books…
A/N: Sorry everyone! I have been really busy lately, with lots of homework, church, yard work, and getting ready for camping… hope ya'll forgive me. Thanks to all of my wonderful reviewers, you guys are awesome!
On with the show…
Chapter 3
Waking up, Alanna groaned, seeing she had worn her beautiful silk dress to bed.
Getting to her feet, she looked toward the window. It was still dark, but false dawn was just starting.
Dressing in soft breeches and a tunic, she sat on the floor to do her stretches before the duel. Alanna would need to be calm for the match with Thom, if he showed up.
Rising to her feet, Alanna grabbed her sword and walked out the door, Faithful on her heels.
When Alanna reached the practice courts, she found a small crowd starting to form. She made a face and groaned again. She walked as calmly and as dignified as she could toward the crowd.
Prince Jonathon grinned at her as Gary waved. Raoul tried to hide behind the slightly smaller man.
"Raoul, come here. Come here and play," Alanna said, pouring on the sugar.
Raoul came out and walked to Alanna, just like a puppy that knew he was in trouble.
"What is this," she asked the cowering man.
"Well, everyone wanted to see Thom and you fence…"
"Can't you keep your mouth shut for once? Thom isn't going to be happy! I had said at dawn so he could keep his dignity!"
"Nope! Here, there are a few knights you haven't met. Alex of Tirragen, Francis of Nond, (A/N: He didn't die, well not here!) and well, I think that is everyone."
"Good," Alanna said, looking at the two small, dark men.
"What the…!"
"Thom, let's get started. I want to go back to bed. And I have a hair appointment this afternoon," Alanna said, looking him in the eye.
"Well, if you told me to begin with…"
"I felt it was unnecessary."
"Calm down! Alright, set yourselves up," Raoul said, intervening.
Alanna rolled her eyes and waited for the order to start.
"Guard!"
Alanna swung in, forcing Thom to fend her off. She danced to the side, avoiding Thom's seeking sword. Her sword slipped in toward his chest, but he jumped past her.
Circling, they waited for an opening. Alanna dived in when Thom wiped his sweat away. His blade snaked in to meet hers, almost too late.
Alanna wrapped her blade around his, catching on the hilt. She levered it out of his hand an instant before she whipped it to his throat.
Thom raised his hands, sweat glistening on his face.
"I surrender! I never knew you were that good!"
"You never knew that I could fight with a sword. I believe that you assumed that I had forgotten at the convent. I had the summers open. I learned even more. If you hadn't told, I would have probably been training to become a knight and you a Master in sorcery. But no, you couldn't take the risk."
Thom stared at Alanna in shock. "I thought that you had forgiven me for that. I seriously didn't know how much winning your shield would have meant to you. I am still sorry, truly," Thom's eyes were wet with tears, tears of pain of what could have been his.
"I know you are. But now, I can show the court that I am not just a pretty flower to stare at, like they are already doing."
"I'll try to keep me friends off your back."
"I want them to become my friends. I like Raoul's wit, and Gary's sharp tongue," Alanna smiled.
"And George's love?"
The smile disappeared from Alanna's face. She checked to see if anyone was near. No one was.
"Thom, that is to be left in the past. If I want to have that fact known to the world, I would tell them myself, instead of you."
Alanna turned on her heel and marched toward her suite of rooms, grinding her teeth in anger.
A/N: I know that they have been short after that first one, but I had had weeks spent on that one figuring out what direction I wanted the story to go at first. But after all the suggestions that I had, I changed it around. It took a lot of refiguring. Please review. I'll update as soon as possible.
I have a one-shot that I am inserting, so maybe you could read that one…
