Here I am, giving this given-up story another shot. I will say no more.

-Lauren

………………….

Alanna left her rooms in a confused state. She didn't want to reflect on George's comments that day, instead choosing to focus on finding work in Corus. The note George had given her suggested some good options. Now that she had more clothes and other things she would need, she would start looking for a job down the streets he had named.

Sadly, she had managed to pick one of the more chilly afternoons in September. The sun was nearly set, and it was only five hours after noon. That morning, with the sun up high, had been warm, but today everybody was closing up early and the few shops left were either completely impossible for her to work at or simply couldn't afford help. She had no choice but to give up for the day.

By the time she was ready to return, she had gotten over the – fight? No, not really a fight, just a little argument perhaps – and started to really think on what George had said to her.

She had been of noble blood, but that was no more. She had to get used to that. She had expected somebody to see her and whisk her away to a perfect job on the street, or something – that's how it might have happened at Trebond, where everybody would be honored to have her working there. For a moment, Alanna realized just how spoiled the noble children of Tortall were. Alanna was ashamed.

If she was now a commoner, she thought, she shouldn't have any noble pride. Maybe she couldn't get rid of her stubbornness and bad temper, but no commoner would think twice about becoming a thief. She was also foolish – George had given her a way to live, a good "job" with mostly good rewards, if she succeeded. She had denied him with her foolish pride, had foolishly set out on to the streets alone, and foolishly searched for a job she wouldn't get.

It truly struck her, just then, that she was now worth absolutely nothing. And after the way she had just treated George, she wouldn't be surprised at all if he decided she wasn't deserving of his good charity.

Alanna sighed as she opened the door to the Dancing Dove. Thankfully, nobody noticed, and her things were still in her room – she wasn't going to be kicked out.

That meant she owed George something big. She hated apologies, and hated admitting she was wrong even more. But if it meant money and a place to call home, which she might soon lose, it was something she had to do.

……………..

When Alanna awoke late the next morning, she immediately went to the main room of the Dove to find George. Her eyes were guarded in her anxious state, and she refused to look directly at him.

"Nice to see you up," George remarked happily. He looked much too awake for her pleasure. "What do you need, lass?"

"To...apologize," she mumbled, half-wincing as she did so. "In private, please?"

George nodded in mute understanding and with a word to his table-mates he took Alanna to a hidden room she didn't even know existed.

Once they had gotten themselves settled, she began, her eyes looking at the floor in her shame. "George, I'm sorry. I was foolish and prideful. I know I'm young, but even at this age I really should have known better. I'd like to take your offer, if you will still give it, but if you feel I don't deserve anything I completely understand. I practically slapped you in the face yesterday, and I hope you can forgive me."

She didn't dare look up. She felt George's eyes on her, watching her carefully. She fidgeted. Silence reigned for many seconds.

At last she looked up. George was just looking at her thoughtfully.

"You'll really take up my offer?" he asked. She nodded hard, and he began to grin. Alanna sighed in relief as the tension melted away. "Good. I'm glad. This is how it works – you'll help me steal, you'll guard my life, you'll do whatever needs doing for the Rogue and for me. You report directly to me, and directly take my orders. Once you reach the proper standing, you yourself can command Rogues – if you're up to it. If this all winds up badly, I'll have to force you to leave, but I certainly won't kick you out or anything – I'll give you a good purse and such to be on your way. If you're ever caught, you'll have to be killed somehow, and it's not hard for somebody to attack a young miss like you when you're caught unawares. But that's only the bad side."

"Alanna, if you turn out to be a good Rogue, you will have the highest standing there is next to mine. You may do as you please. You will have learnt knife-fighting, hand-to-hand combat and perhaps other weapons that suit you might make their way into your training. You will have money, you will have a place to live – that's the Dove, lass – and with any luck you will have my friendship." George's teeth flashed in a grin. "Of course, that's probably the most valuable one of all. It'll be hard work to earn your way, but something tells me you can do it. Can you?"

Alanna had listened to it all in shock. The offer was dangerous, but it was also extremely generous and the prospect of learning to fight was something she couldn't believe. She loved this idea.

But there was one thing she had to say.

"Yes, George. Definitely. I'm" - she gulped and swallowed, amazed she was actually going to say this. It made her terrified to realize what she was resorting to, but she had to, and the rest of the offer was too amazing to give up – "willing to steal now, if that's what it takes to be part of the Rogue."

"Great!" George said with a laugh. "I got myself a good assistant at last!"

She had to grin – his laughter was infectious. But even so, she felt like a traitor to her own kin, to her friends, and to herself. A shadow rested on her mind where the memories of Trebond and of her old, respectable life lay, but she didn't let her mind see that part of her thoughts today. This was a day to celebrate – Alanna was to be a Rogue and live well for the rest of her days, never having to mess around with noble stupidity again.

She hoped.

……………..

Her first true day of being a Rogue began in a secluded little alleyway near the Dove. She stretched out while George did the same. George had decided that Alanna's size had to be made up for with some of the smarter tricks he knew – way to make up for weight and height differences. Alanna found herself thrown into the wall many, many times. By the time George let up on his attack, she had learned a lot more. It would take many days of practice to learn the things he had showed her, but she was determined to learn – in the Lower City, she knew, a trick or two could mean the difference between life and death.

George and a few other trusted Rogues who were introduced as Rispah, the Lady Rogue, and Ercole, one of George's group of very loyal men. She decided she like Rispah, who was nice if a bit teasing, immediately. Ercole seemed a little quiet and mistrustful, but after the first few minutes of eating he seemed to calm down and turned into a nice man who deserved her respect. She didn't tell either of them any of this. She instead kept an impassive look on her face. If she didn't have her emotions under control, as George had told her that morning, there might be trouble between her and the other Rogues. It was best she stayed silent and wary.

Over a nice bit of lemonade and some meat for lunch, she learned many names and many different aspects of the Rogue's code of honor. There were so many rules to learn – there was no turning other criminals in, no stealing without the Rogue's permission, requirements to have for any would-be King of the Rogue, and much more. She took it all in with silence, learning as much as she could.

Later, George took her out into the city. She walked with him and watched as he managed to successfully pickpocket many of the people he passed on the streets. He showed her things to look out for and ways to distract others. By the end of the day, her head was packed and her body ached. The torture she had been put through in the morning had finally gotten to her.

Despite all of it, Alanna the Rogue-in-training decided it had been a good day. She felt like she was born to do this. Pickpocketing seemed like something she could and would master, given the chance. The difficult throws she'd learned would take ages to learn, but she would need them and she loved even just practicing any sort of fighting. The honor code the thieves lived by was very strict, and she had no doubt that it was something she would appreciate at some point. She would learn, she would learn well, and she would love doing it.

Alanna flopped on to her bed and was out in moments.

………………

Alanna, dressed in the brilliant red and gold uniform a page wore, looked the boy standing in front of her over, up and down and up again. He had hair the color of coal, and eyes that could only be described as a brilliant blue sapphire. He wore an air of command very easily, as though anything he said should be important no matter what was going on. He also gave off the impression of a good sense of humor, a somewhat easygoing nature. Who was this person?

"This is the prince!" One of the boys on the right whispered. Alanna took in a breath in shock, and bowed deeply to Prince Jonathan, heir to the realm of Tortall.

They talked about somebody called "Ralon," and she introduced herself. The boys near the Prince introduced themselves also as Gary, Raoul, Francis, and Alex – all of them training to be pages. Alanna, or "Alan," decided she liked these pages. They might be her friends, maybe. The tall, sarcastic boy called Gary decided to take her in and sponsor her, meaning to show her all the palace, how to get around it, how life worked at court when one learned how to be a knight, and how to not tattle on anybody under penalty of exclusion from anything for the rest of her life. It would be fun. The boy Alan of Trebond decided he was going to like life at the palace.

…………………

Alanna awoke from the odd dream in the middle of the night. It took her a few moments to remember where she was - in her rooms at the Dancing Dove. She was not at the palace, learning to fight and learning the ways of chivalry. She was here in the Lower City, learning to steal and to follow the code of honor among Rogues. It was the same, right?

She knew it wasn't. It could never be. The dream had only been a stupid little dream, a figment of her imagination. She would never be able to do any such thing. This was the path she had chosen.

Did she like it? Alanna wasn't entirely sure. She thought she did. But even those thoughts could not banish the tears in her eyes, formed from the remains of lost dreams.

………………

Well, there you are. Like it? Review, please. Yay…