Oh my gosh, an update, I know. Haha. Anyway, I tried something new with this, in the sense that I wrote it from someone other than Kel's point of view, and I will never do it again. It was not fun and Kel had a minimum part, for all that it was about her. So for my next chapter, I will go back to my original format, and I promise it will be better! Anyway, this is dedicated to Alicegirl, if you're still out there!

Alanna rolled her head around on her shoulders and heard the satisfying pop of her neck tendons. Nothing could relieve the discomfort in her back, however. Goddess, I'm getting old, she thought with a sigh. Traveling never used to be so cursed bothersome. As an afterthought, she added, Or maybe it's my companions that are getting more bothersome.

She chanced a look over her shoulder, just in time to see her former squire dump a cup of feed down the back of Nicoline's shirt. A squabble broke out and the younger boy tried desperately to slap Nealan with the flat of his sword. Neither of their horses took kindly to this. She shook her head and turned back to brushing down Darkmoon. It was much easier on her indigestion if she remained oblivious. Only Neal would be foolish enough to dither about the stables. The only one with any sense around here is Keladry, she thought with pride. A perfect level-headed leader. And so tall!

"Copper for your thoughts," a voice said quietly to her left.

Alanna smiled wryly and murmured, "I'm jealous. I would've loved to have had Keladry as my squire for four years."

Raoul snorted, his snapping black eyes eyeing her over his big destrier, and said, "You'd have had to pry her from my cold dead hands. I wouldn't have taken that Queenscove for all the gold in the king's treasury."

"He wasn't so bad," she allowed. "He slept a lot."

In unison, they both glanced back. Kel was wagging a finger at Neal as she spoke to him, and he smiled shamelessly and—or so he probably thought—winningly.

"There is no help for him," she said, resigned.

He did not disagree.

She hoped Thom was back from the university. George was good enough company, but with Alan back at the palace and Alianne fussing over her crow-babies, the silence at the Swoop was almost unbearable. But George had only mildly remarked he had not seen Thom, which could either mean he had yet to arrive or that the boy had just secluded himself in his workroom. He loved the magic, just like his namesake, bless him.

"I still think Corus was closer," Neal said loudly. "We could've been there in the same time it took us to get here."

"Don't be ridiculous," Kel said. "Pirate's Swoop was much closer."

"I'm sorry, but I don't seem to recall geography being one of your better subjects."

"I'm sorry, but I seem to remember Kel doing your geography assignments nonetheless."

"You're impossible," Neal told Esmond. Turning to Kel, he said, "Sometimes I think you should have married Cleon anyway."

Well, that was certainly unexpected. Alanna half-pivoted to say something and thought better at it. She also tactfully decided not to laugh at Raoul's ferocious scowl, directed at his innocent curry comb. She was quite familiar with his vendetta against that big redheaded lad. It was an oft-heard grumble throughout the years, if only because he was protective of his helpless little squire-daughter. Helpless, indeed. Pah.

"It's a shame, how it happened," Neal said mournfully.

Alanna knew that tone. She would have bet the deed to the Swoop that he was about to say something very rude, or very stupid.

Or both.

"It's not a shame," Kel said, surprised. "We're still friends."

"Ah," he said sagely, "but you're deprived, Mindelan. You're not getting good and bed—"

Whatever he was about to say—and she had an idea—Kel cut him off with a resounding smack that had Alanna nodding approvingly. She slanted a look at Raoul and bit her tongue to suppress a chuckle.

"Keladry," she said instead, "pay him no mind. Queenscove, I believe you have some swordsmanship to prove to me."

With a grin of satisfaction, she heard an audible gulp behind her.

Once the horses were well taken care of, Alanna led her guests to her fortress for a good meal and, finally, bed. George wouldn't stop toasting everyone—a bit too far in his merry cups, bless him—and by the time she managed to usher the three knights away, they were all but swaying on their feet. Alanna herself could not get to her chambers fast enough, and smiled indulgently at George, snoring and quite naked, sprawled all over their bed. She slipped in next to him and snuggled down, preparing for a beautiful sleep.

Four bells later, Alanna was still painfully wide awake. The Goddess had never been a cruel mistress, but she was certainly toying with her now. As it had become obvious she wasn't going to fall asleep anytime soon, she kicked off the covers and sat up. George snuffled and rolled over. She glared at him. I wonder how many people will miss him if I just...ah, never mind. I need fresh air.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed with a groan. Out of habit, she grabbed her scabbard and buckled it around her hips and sheathed her sword. She stole out of her chambers stealthily.

The corridor was quiet and dark, but she knew every step in Pirate's Swoop. The stone floor was cool to her feet. Alanna took a right down a long passage. A flight of stairs led up to the guest chambers, where Kel and Queenscove and that Nicoline fellow were housed. She was passing them, on her way to the balcony, when she heard a quiet sound that barely resonated from upstairs.

Thud.

Immediately, Alanna went on high alert. In her youth, she had dealt with the likes of Duke Roger of Conte. Suspicion was ingrained in her head; it was what kept her and her friends alive all those years ago. George was passed out back in their chambers, her children were not home, and her guests—well, certainly they would be too exhausted to be up. That left...what?

An intruder?

She grasped the hilt of her sword and quietly sidled up the stairs. It was pitch-black but her footing was sure. She reached the landing and paused, quivering with tension. There was nothing there.

Embarrassed and disgusted, Alanna went to sheathe her sword—when there was another thump and a colorful curse from down the corridor.

Without hesitation, she rushed toward the noise, preparing to ambush whoever was there. She didn't intend to kill. No, she wanted to question the foolish soul who thought to burglarize the den of the Lioness.

Unfortunately, she miscalculated. Alanna crashed headfirst into someone big and unyielding; they both stumbled with yells and tumbled to the ground. Her sword clattered out of reach. She rolled over on the intruder, hoping her weight would be enough to keep him down. Instead, her opponent grabbed her around the head, effectively putting her in a headlock, and struggled upward.

Alanna cursed and fought, but the arms that bound her were as strong as a blacksmith's. So, she resorted to the only thing she could do.

She bit him.

Whoever it was let out a yelp like a girl and cursed, releasing her. Alanna stumbled forward, wheeled, and lunged blindly. She tackled him head on, flattening him to the ground and straddling him.

"You think you can come into my home without consequence?" she yelled furiously. "You cur, I'll cut you, I'll thrash you so soundly you won't be able to fu—"

"Alanna," a familiar voice panted, "wait—"

"What in the name of the Black God's Holy Name is going on?"

And suddenly there was light. Alanna blinked, staring down at Keladry's flushed face. She glanced over her shoulder to see Raoul peering at them in bewilderment, holding a torch.

"Great gods," he said blankly. "I thought the fortress was falling down around my ears."

She glanced back down at Kel.

"Whatsitchurfloop—" a voice mumbled incoherently behind the door beside them. It opened, and Neal regarded them with bleary eyes. "Cannons, eh? Well, I always figured those damn Carthakers would double-cross us. Cut off their braids, I always said."

He glanced agreeably around, then spotted Alanna mounted on Kel and blinked. "This isn't quite the dream I had in mind," he muttered, and closed the door.

"Alanna," Raoul murmured, looking very much like he was holding in laughter. "Keladry. Pray tell, what are you doing? Is this what lady knights do? It's no wonder your lot went extinct."

Alanna cough and tried to remove herself from Kel as gracefully as possible. She knew she failed when Raoul stared very pointedly at their bare legs. Neither of them were wearing breeches.

"I thought she was an intruder," she sniffed. "I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk. I heard a noise and I thought...well, I thought there was a threat."

"It never occurred to you that it could be a guest?" he asked politely. "There are, after all, the guest chambers."

She colored, but lifted her chin and said haughtily, "You were all so tired, I just assumed no one would be awake." She rounded on Kel, who was self-consciously smoothing her nightshirt over her thighs. "Which leads me to the question, what were you doing up?"

For some reason, a very bright flush seemed to be creeping up Kel's neck. She cleared her throat and said, "I couldn't sleep. Either. Like you. So I was just walking. To the stairs."

Alanna and Raoul stared at her.

Suddenly the door swung open. "Oh good gods," Neal exclaimed, sticking his head out again, this time very much awake, "it wasn't a dream. You really are outside my door...although I seem to remember Alanna and Kel—"

"Alanna attacked Kel because she thought she was an intruder," Raoul explained. "Neither of them could sleep."

"That's a lie," Neal snorted, "because I fell asleep to Kel's snores. I could hear them through the damn walls."

The three knights blinked, and turned to Kel, who was now painted scarlet. "Something woke me up—" she began.

"Kel," a sleep voice called, "did you find the pudding okay?"

Kel hunched her shoulders as they all turned to flight of stairs at the other end of the corridor.

Armed with nothing more than a torch, Thom perched on the bottom step, looking perplexedly out at them in the blissful ignorance of not-quite-wakefulness. Most importantly, he was naked as a jay-bird.

Something woke her up, indeed, Alanna thought, mystified.

"Alanna..." Raoul inquired, "why is your eldest child naked?"

"Better yet," Neal said, horrified, "why is he asking Kel about pudding?"

There was a very long silence.

"Thom," Alanna began, although she had no idea what she was going to say.

"Kel," Neal choked, pointing an accusing finger at her. "You—you—you—you!"

She was doing a laudable job on maintaining that Yamani Mask of hers, although little could be done about the glowing red blush.

"It's not what you think," she blurted. "I really have no idea what he means by pudding."

Raoul rubbed his nose, stumped.

"So, Thom," Alanna said desperately. "I see you're back from the university."

Neal stared at her.

"I arrived a couple days ago," Thom said conversationally. "I thought Da would have told you..."

"He said he hadn't seen you. I thought that meant you weren't here..."

"Thom," interjected Neal, "why is Kel getting pudding?"

"Pudding?" Thom said, vaguely surprised. "I don't like pudding. Which reminds me, have you seen Kel?"

Even Kel stared at him.

"Gods," Alanna suddenly laughed, "he's sleepwalking again."

"Sleepwalking?" Raoul sputtered. "This is the most bizarre sleepwalking adventure I've ever witnessed."

"Well, if you see Kel," Thom said, waving at them dismissively, "tell her I'd like my clothes back. She's always running off with them. I think she took my shirt this time. And make sure she doesn't forget the pudding."

In unison, they glanced over at Kel, who staunchly watched Thom retreat back up the stairs.

"Well, this has gotten too strange for me," Raoul announced after a moment. "As far as I'm concerned, what happens at the Swoop, stays at the Swoop." He said to Kel sternly, "We will either talk about this very soon, or never again. I haven't decided yet."

He shut the door behind him.

It was very quiet.

"I'm not entirely sure where my door is," Neal said, "as Raoul took the torch with him, but I'm going to find a bed and sleep in it. And Kel," he added dangerously, "this is not over."

There was a minute or two of fumbling and curses before Neal finally managed to find the handle.

That left Alanna and Kel alone.

Finally, Alanna began awkwardly, "Just so you know, I'm sorry I tackled you and led you into this. If I had known about you and Thom...well, certainly I would have approved. I do approve, of course. I think it's lovely. I mean, I know you and Thom aren't talking of marriage—or are you...?—ah, well, regardless, you have my blessing. And George's, too. I'm sure he'd be pleased. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

No reply.

"Kel?" she ventured.

Still, there was nothing.

"Kel," she said loudly. "Are you still here?"

She listened very hard. To her embarrassment, there wasn't a sound.

"Well, you little sneak," she said to no one. "I don't believe it. You've gone upstairs, haven't you?"

"And talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity," Neal's muffled voice yelled grumpily from his chambers. "For gods' sakes, go to sleep!"

"Neal, I had the weirdest dream about Alanna and Kel last night—"

"This may surprise you," Neal told Esmond, "but under no circumstances do I want to hear it."

"Well, fine," Esmond said irritably, biting into a piece of bacon.

Relieved, Raoul went back to buttering his toast.

"By the way," Esmond continued, "what happened to the pudding? There was an entire bowl left and the whole thing was gone this morn—mmph—"

He gagged on a piece of buttered toast that was unceremoniously shoved into his mouth.

Yes, I really am sorry that you waited practically a year for this. Sad face. But I have some great ideas for the next installments (thanks to all my reviewers - I am using every situation and character that is requested!) and I will try to do better. Thanks for everyone's support!

Note: Today is June 8, 2010 - I did slight revisions to the format, nothing more. I just wanted to let everyone who's reading this that I will be updating this summer; I'm so sorry to everyone who's been waiting so long for updates!