Thank you to:

BACswimma, Aly-Of-Tortall 13, Kiley 1 09, Lady Knight Jocelyn, LadyKnightOpal, Rogue-Storm-Rampant, Shang Leopard, bloodsucker13, destinystar105, half-demon priestess, henrychick, addicted2TPierce, LadyReaderofBooks, kittylitious, Dragonfly257, Lilly Romanov, Jezebel Montgomery, Lady Leopard, Faia Sakura, LadyPirate13, gaya2081, Tamora Pierce Junior, Lady Kale, Kate of Carlay, fox-siren, PeytonPaigePatriciaHalliwell, Mickeygee, Ally-Marty, ILoveCockatiels and inktounge58
For the Story alert

And again to: bloodsucker13, LadyKnightOpal, Gallan Princess, dares to dream, Lady Knight Jocelyn, destinystar105, Dragonfly257, Lady Leopard, ILoveCockatiels, Litara, Tamora Pierce Junior, Lilly Romanov, LadyPirate13, PeytonPaigePatriciaHalliwell, fox-siren, kittylitious, Aly-Of-Tortall,
and to Kiley 1 09
For the favorite story!

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"I'm so sorry." She looked away; "It's alright if you don't want to speak to me, I understand." She didn't cry but he figured she had been through too much to, but Alex knew that she felt hurt, he had loved her, he still did.

--

-

He strode forward and hugged me, hard. Startled, after a second, I hugged him back.

"Gods, I thought you were dead. Never scare me like that again."

I smiled and shook my head; "I don't plan to."

He looked deep into my eyes again; "I still love you, if you're willing to love me back."

My own eyes widened then filled with relief. I hugged him tighter. He laughed at me and the others took it as their cue to come in, Lilia and Jon included.

"You-you're a Maren knight?" Gary looked at her open-mouthed.

"So you became a warrior after all." Drawled Raoul, smiling at his red-headed friend.

Thom just looked at me and then jumped forwards and hugged me until I found it hard to breathe.

"I missed you, brother."

"I missed you Alanna. The day that I got the letter that the convent said you were probably dead, Mithros I thought -I really thought you were gone. But now, now you're back!"

I smiled warmly at my brother. Yes, I was back, and I wasn't planning on leaving again.

I turned towards Lilia, my life-long best friend. She had soft tears staining her face and smiled the warmest smile that had ever touched her face as she looked back at me.

"I thought you were going to Galla." She stated simply.

"They didn't want a female knight, neither did Maren, but according to their laws I am allowed to train, and I did. I could never have gotten there without you Lilia. Thank you." I whispered the ending. We stared at each other for a long time and then ran into a bone-crushing hug. It was good to be back, very good.

"You knew she left." Alex accused, looking at Lilia.

Lilia nodded sadly; "I couldn't tell you, it would ruin everything."

The others looked away, they understood, but hat didn't mean they liked it.

"Besides," I said wickedly, "who do you think got me past the guards?"

Lilia blushed a wonderful blotchy colour.

"What did you do?" Jonathan asked suspiciously.

"I –uh-- flirted with them." She blushed an even darker shade of maroon.

"You what?" Gary asked, amused.

"Alanna was supposed to, but she was a terrible flirt, I came to her rescue." Lilia protested hotly.

"And then I came to yours."

She nodded amused, "By setting off the alarm and getting chased by the dogs."

My face darkened; "don't remind me."

Lilia stuck her tongue out and we laughed. We stopped abruptly and looked at each other in silence. We jumped forward and hugged again.

"Hey Lilia," Alex started, Lilia turned in the embrace to look at him, "quit hogging her."

Lilia laughed and so did the others. Alex hugged me tightly and kissed me on the lips softly, gently.

"I love you." He said again.

"I love you too." I said back.

We kissed deeply again and the enormous room exploded in applause. We broke off, red, we hadn't realized that we were being watched by every body else in the room.

I looked into the older man's eyes, it felt so right to be back here. Ten long years had passed, I wa now twenty six, I knew every mistake I had ever done, but leaving, leaving was the right thing to do. I got to come back in the end, I was older now, by quite a bit, but leaving had given me a chance I never would have gotten had I stayed. I was now a knight, and Alex still loved me, for the first time in many years, I started to think my life was going exceptionally well. I smiled at Alex again, he looked so much older now, his eyes beheld more wisdom, he was still tall and handsome, that hadn't been changed by time.

I waved a friend over, one of my fellow knights, my only friend during training.

"This is William of Marshall's Hill, William, these are my old Tortallan friends; Gareth the younger of Naxen, Raoul--"

"The Giant Killer." Gary butted in. I looked at him, he shrugged, "Killed a couople of giants." I turned to Raoul bewildered, he too shrugged, "it was nothing."

"Raoul the Giant Killer of Goldenlake --"

"and Malorie's Peak" Gary added. I glared at him for interrupting a second time but I was still confused.

I looked at Raoul inquisitively, "I got a second piece of land for services to the crown." I nodded in understanding.

"Queen Lilian of Naxen." I introduced,

"Call me Lilia, please." She said politely, I noticed that she had a more powerful air about her, maybe being Queen helped her with that.

"Only if you call me Will." He answered with a smile, he then bowed.

"Please don't do that Will, any friend of 'Lanna's is a friend of mine, my friends do not bow to me." Lilia said, eyes full of mirth.

He nodded his understanding.

"and finally, this is his majesty king Jonathan of Conté." Jonathan held his hand out for William to shake. William shook it.

"Finally, sister dear?" Drawled a voice from behind me.

I grinned, I had not introduced him on purpose, to get on his nerves.

"Did you come in today?" Thom asked me.

I looked at him, startled out of my daydreams; "no I came yesterday night, very late. We stayed at an inn. I actually met a very interesting person there, I would like you all to meet him tomorrow, if you have time, his name is George, George Cooper."

"George Cooper?" Jonathan asked bewildered, they all were, they had obviously heard the nae before.

"Alanna, you do realize that he's --"

"I know perfectly well who he is thank you. But you'd be surprised, he's an alright person, and he has some news for you, your highness." I said. "Very important news." I added.

Jonathan's eyebrows pulled together confusedly, he nodded his decision; "We'll come with you tomorrow. But I don't want any thing to go wrong, if he pulls any mischief he will regret it." He stated through narrowed eyes.

William nodded, he was in on it too. He was a close friend, he had been with me and had met George at the same time.

I nodded too, I knew George wouldn't do anything stupid, they would realize that too tomorrow, when they came around. Besides, this was important, the future of Tortall rested in whether they would believe him or not. They had two choices, believe or not believe. They had two decisions to make, fight or die.

--

Okay, so he wasn't physically in this one, you gotta wait till I write the next day.. which will probably be tomorrow, but I have my grad cruise and my last HPV shot so I don't know if I can out it up tomorrow, maybe Tuesday, but then again, I have my actual graduation that day... i don't know... I'll figure something out.

Hope you like it!

Review!

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Keep Reading,

xxTunstall Chickxx

22/06/08