Hey people. Sorry about the wait for the last chapter.

Disclaimer: Not mine yada, yada, yada. You get the picture (rolls eyes)

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Chapter 6: Not Over Yet

Waking up, Alanna had found herself in the infirmary. She couldn't recall much from the previous night after Jon and Raoul had helped her to the others and fainted from blood loss. She ached terribly all over.

-You're awake. It's been two days. - Faithful said, softly padding over to her.

"Two days?" she repeated. Faithful didn't reply.

Duke Barid poked is head in, "So, you're finally awake." He stepped back out of the tent. There were soft voices outside the tent and then Myles and Roger entered.

"How are you feeling, Alan?" The knight asked.

"As well as can be expected," She sat up and Roger gasped. Looking down at her chest, she found that her breasts were no longer restrained by her special corset. Before she could hide her bandaged chest, Roger had dragged her out of the tent.

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"We have been defiled. In our midst is a woman!" Rodger shouted, shoving Alanna down.

Jonathan walked up to them, followed by their friends. "Alan?"

"I didn't want to lie, but how else was I supposed to keep my brother from taking part in this war?" She stood, arms folded across her chest.

"What is your real name?" Gary asked.

"Alanna of Trebond, I'm Thom's twin sister."

"She has no right to be here! We should-" Rodger was cut off by Myles.

"Alanna has proven her worthiness to this army." The knight nodded to her.

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Alanna had been left behind, much to Jon, Raoul, and Gary's protesting. Sitting next to the small fire, she lost herself in thought. Word had been sent that the Tusane army was being held off just inside the Tusane border and at the rate things were going the end of the war was coming into sight. She had a bad feeling but wasn't sure what it was.

Faithful Joined her. –You might want to follow the others back to Corus. Unless I'm mistaken, I thought I saw Tusane spies following them. There's no doubt in my mind that they may be preparing to strike when least expected.-

"So soon! They won't be ready for an attack!" Alanna stood abruptly. Dousing the fire, she saddled Moonlight and trotted after the others. They were a half day's ride ahead. She figured they'd stop around dusk, giving her time to catch up and hope she wasn't too late.

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It was well past dusk and she still hadn't caught up to them. They must have kept going. But they'd have to stop at some point, right? Corus was still a long ways away so there was still a chance.

She stopped for a rest. Looking up at the sky, she figured that she might as well stop here for the night. There was no point in going still. Eventually Moonlight would get tired and neither would she have the energy to keep going.

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A week or so later:

They had made it back to Corus. Jon still felt a bit guilty about leaving Alanna out there, even if she had lied to them. He knew Gary and Raoul felt the same. Even if he didn't say anything, Sir Myles felt that way too.

In his room with Gary and Raoul, they were discussing that very topic. "It doesn't seem right no matter how you look at it." He paced the room.

"Her reason behind lying to us seemed good enough," Gary agreed, staring at his fists.

"It goes to show that girls aren't as weak as we seem to think they are. Now That I think about it. It seems unfair for girls not to be allowed to fight," Jon slumped into a nearby chair.

"If all of them are as strong and skilled as her, we'll have to watch ourselves," Raoul said, trying to lighten his companions' moods.

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Madame-S-Butterfly: Once again I'm sorry. Don't kill me!

Prince Jonathan's Lover: Thanks -.