Title: Court Games
Author: Ayla Pascal
Summary: When Roger turns back time and reveals Alanna to be a girl, she gets sent to the convent. Five years later, Alanna goes to court to search for a husband. AU. Alanna-Roger.
Rating: R
Pairing: Alanna/Roger
Author Notes: Thank you everybody for their reviews and words of support for the last chapter. I really appreciate it.
I love constructive criticism. Since I usually write for the Harry Potter fandom, I don't know the canon for this fandom as well as I'd like, so I'd be grateful if people pointed out possible characterisation errors and canon mistakes.
There may or may not be fluff in the future. It depends on whether I can write it. And yes, Roger is still relatively evil and power hungry.
-
Chapter 3: Settling In
-
Roger looked over Alanna of Trebond with appraising eyes. She was definitely not this pretty when she was Jonathan's squire, he thought idly as he sliced his beef into perfectly equal squares. But then again, Roger thought, Alan had always been an unusually pretty lad. He had always thought it quite unfortunate that he wasn't partial to lads, or he would have attempted to seduce Alan to get to Jonathon. Roger was furious when Alan the man had proved to be Alanna the woman, for not only was a mere woman challenging him in front of the entire Court, he had also missed out on an opportunity of a lifetime on getting Alan – Alanna – on his side.
But enough of that now. Roger gave the pretty woman sitting beside him another smile. This was a whole new timeline and doubtless he would not make the mistakes he had last time.
"Did you enjoy your trip down to Corus?"
Alanna gave him a shy smile and took a sip of wine. "The scenery was very beautiful. Thank you."
Roger gave her a sharp look. If he wasn't mistaken, she had just subtly not answered the question of whether she enjoyed the trip or not. Why Alanna, he thought with no small amount of amusement, five years at the convent taught you something that eight years at the Palace couldn't teach you. A certain amount of diplomacy.
He wondered what it would be like if she stood beside him as his queen when he ascended the throne. Unless the convent had completely changed her, Roger knew that underneath that smiling lady-like exterior, there was still the stubborn girl-child who had wanted to be a knight. She would be more than a match for him and would keep him entertained in a way that other women wouldn't.
But first, Roger had to ascertain her loyalty to the throne. He was going to move far more slowly in this timeline. After all, he was still a young man, there was still plenty of time for Roald, Lianne and Jonathon to meet their untimely ends. Perhaps in this timeline, Alanna would be far less loyal. She hadn't been exposed to the crown yet. In fact, no doubt she would still be bitter about her inability to become a knight. With time, he could erase the portion of that anger towards him and direct it instead towards Jonathon. He still had time to slowly mould her beliefs.
Roger saw Thom staring at him curiously. With only a slight effort, Roger smiled guilelessly back, managing to erase the calculating look on his face.
"Have you managed to make the King see reason yet?" Thom asked. There was a bitter twist to his lips as he said the word King that Roger particularly enjoyed.
Alanna frowned. "See reason?"
Roger mentally glared at Thom. Mithros, if he didn't know himself that the boy was a brilliant sorcerer then he wouldn't bother with trying to keep him relatively happy. Better him on my side than him against me, Roger thought dryly. I just wish he would learn some tact. "What Thom means," he said smoothly, "is that I am currently heading a campaign to teach the Gifted pages and squires how to handle their Gift effectively. They need not become both knights and mages, but they do need to have control over their Gift or their Gift will control them."
Alanna pursed her lips. "I don't like it," she finally said after a long pause. She sipped some wine before continuing: "It seems ... dirty to me."
"Why?" Thom asked bluntly.
She gave a delicate shrug. "If you know a skill, you're bound to use it. And if you're fighting against non-Gifted warriors, then is it not unfair and against the Code of Chivalry."
Thom looked amused. "Alanna, sister dear, what would you know of that?"
As Roger watched, Alanna visibly tightened. Suddenly she looked far less like the well-bred noblewoman and far more like the boy squire she had been in the other timeline. "Just because I am not a squire," she said icily, "does not mean that I have no education. We had a very thorough education at the convent. So, my dear brother, I would desist from making such comments in the future."
As Roger watched the woman bristling with fury, he made a mental note not to make disparaging comments about women in the future. At least not in front of her.
Thom looked mildly surprised, but seemed to just let it wash over him. Roger suspected that he had been exposed to far fiercer displays of Alanna's temper while they were children in Trebond. "I would just like more training on my Gift, that's all," he said. "I'm nowhere near my potential."
Alanna raised a single coppery eyebrow. "You've changed, Thom," she said softly. "You've changed a lot." She gave Roger an accusing look.
Roger tilted his head questioningly. "Lady Alanna, do not blame me for your brother's... enthusiasm. It was he who first suggested the idea of training the Gift in pages and squires." After much needling from me, he added silently.
"I believe you." Alanna's tone was neutral.
Roger mentally shrugged and didn't pursue the issue. He indicated her plate. "Have you finished your food?"
She nodded.
"Perhaps you would like to be introduced to their Majesties and his Highness?"
"That would be lovely." Alanna pushed back her chair and stood up. Roger offered her an arm and she took it. Together they walked to where King Roald, Queen Lianne and their son Prince Jonathon were sitting.
"Your Majesties," Roger said as he bowed before them. "May I introduce to you our newest addition to the Court of Tortall, the lovely Lady Alanna of Trebond, sister of Squire Thom of Trebond." He turned to Alanna. "Lady Alanna, these are their Majesties, Roald and Lianne, of Conte and Prince Jonathon of Conte."
Alanna gave a deep curtesy. "I am pleased to be in your court, your Majesties and your Highness."
"Please stand," Jonathon said, looking flustered.
Roger hid a slight smirk. Obviously he was as enamoured of her in this timeline as he was in the last. His eyes hardened. Well Jonathon was not going to have what he had already claimed as his.
As he looked at Alanna who was standing there demurely, with a polite expression of interest on her face, and the obviously flustered Jonathon, Roger couldn't suppress the admiration he felt for Alanna. Obviously the woman could act the courtier as well as she could – as he grudgingly admitted – act the knight.
"Are you enjoying Court so far?" Jonathon asked when there was an awkward pause.
"It is a very busy place, your Highness," Alanna said.
It was readily apparent that Jonathon didn't know whether that was a positive or negative comment. "I agree," he finally said and then offered, "Would you like a seat, Lady Alanna?"
"Thank you, your Highness." She sat down across the table from Jonathon.
"I had better go back to talk to my squire," Roger said. "Alex will be wondering where I am." He gave a wry smile. "He does not like your brother much."
"As I have seen, not many do," Alanna replied, equally dryly. "You seem to be a rare exception, your Grace."
Roger bowed again to Roald and Lianne before leaving.
-
Underneath her calm exterior, Alanna was quite flustered. Roger had just left her in the sole company of the King, Queen and an obviously interested Prince. What was she supposed to do?
She noted some obvious similarities between Prince Jonathon and Duke Roger, the deep blue eyes and black hair being the obvious. Somehow, she thought that the looks sat better with Roger. Perhaps it was the fact he had about ten to fifteen years more than the Prince to grow into them.
"There you are!"
Alanna spun around and saw Raoul coming towards them. "I see you have already made the acquaintance of Jon." He sat next to Alanna and gave a sly smile to Jonathon. "I told you she was a pretty one."
Alanna noticed the Queen giving Raoul a disapproving look, but he simply ignored it. So, they're friends, she noted as she saw the obvious ease between Jonathon and Raoul.
"There is going to be a ball tomorrow night celebrating the returning of peace to the Tusaine troublespots," Jonathan said, looking earnestly at Alanna. "Would you like to accompany me to the ball?"
A faint flush came over her cheeks. Alanna didn't know what to say, but the etiquette books were very clear on what to do in this situation. Especially if the heir to the throne of Tortall asks you, she thought wryly. "I would love to go, your Highness."