AN: My age guesses come from Trickter's Choice where Alanna turns 43 during the book while Thom is 18 meaning that she must have had Thom 5 years after she became engaged to George since she turns 20 while searching for the Dominion Jewel in May. Thom is about 1 ½ in this chapter.

6 Years Later

Alanna lay on the floor holding her baby boy above her as he giggled. Staring up into his bright green- hazel eyes, so like his father's, she couldn't help but laugh, giving him a jiggle. He laughed harder, eyes lighting up and little pudgy arms reaching out to her. She brought him down to her chest, closing her eyes and smelling his bright red hair, even redder than her own. She found herself thinking back to the day he was born…

"Push Alanna!" Eleni had ordered her. "I can see the head. One more push."

Alanna gathered the rest of her strength and gritted her teeth together, pushing hard, the pain drawing a scream from her lips. Thayet supported her back, giving her encouragement. "Good girl, good girl, almost there!" she cried. At last, the baby came out of her, a red and screaming miracle. Alanna fell back onto the bed and Thayet brushed sopping hair out of her eyes.

"Congratulations, Lady Knight. You have a son!" she whispered, wiping her friends brow with a wet cloth.

Eleni placed the now-clean babe in her arms ….and Alanna fell in love. Plain and simple. The little boy, her little boy, opened his eyes slightly, looking up at her with eyes greener than his father's. She stared back into his eyes, holding him tight, and couldn't help herself from smiling, tears of joy streaming from her eyes.

"Hi baby boy," she said softly. "Thanks for finally coming out." Thayet and Eleni chuckled and then went out to inform a very nervous George, who had been pacing the corridors outside his wife's room for hours, that he could see them.

He entered the room, half anxious, half elated. Alanna didn't hear his soft footsteps at first, captivated by her little son. Then she looked up at George, smiling and exhausted. George kissed her gently and Alanna transferred the boy to his arms so that he could kiss his son.

"Well done, lass. A little boy. He's beautiful." He was smiling like a lad himself, consumed by happiness.

"He's perfect," she replied, reaching to stroke the blankets holding their child.

"What should his name be?" He asked, sitting on the side of his wife's bed and returning the babe to her.

She stared into her son's face for a long moment and then nervously looked up at her husband. "I'd like to call him Thom. He looks like a Thom, don't you think?" The baby cooed softly and Alanna's smiled widened.

"Indeed he does," George replied softly, running a finger along the baby's arm, "Thom it is then."

"Hello Thom," She said to her son. "Welcome to the world. I'm your Mama and I've been waiting for you for so long. So long."

Soft footsteps on the rug woke her from her reverie. She turned her head to see George leaning against the door to their bedroom in the Swoop.

"Now what would Tortall's criminals say if they saw the King's Champion acting like this?" He asked jokingly, hazel eyes bright as he watched the two people he loved most in all the world. Alanna sat up, bringing the baby with her and he reached his little arms out to his father, who laughed and came over to claim him. Alanna rose to her feet, smiling. It was one of the effects Thom had on her: she couldn't help but smile. George threw the boy into the air, making him giggle with glee. Alanna watched, also laughing until a wave of nausea hit her and she had to sit on the bed. George walked over to her, worry in his eyes.

"I'm fine," she assured him, hand going to her stomach. "It hasn't been so bad this week." George put his hand over hers, feeling the slight bump that had started to grow. She was four months pregnant and the morning sickness that had plagued her for the last few months had finally started to disappear. She placed a hand over his, smiling up at him and the boy he held.

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" She asked.

"I want whatever you have in there, lass. I just want it to be healthy. And I want you to be safe."

Although he never brought it up, Alanna could tell George worried that he would lose her the same way her father had lost her mother.

"I'll be fine. I'm a full-blooded knight after all."

"Who fainted when she got her ears pierced," He replied wickedly.

Alanna gasped. "Who told you that? I'll kill them! They promised they wouldn't tell a soul!"

Her husband just laughed and offered his free hand to her. "Come on, lass. Let's go to the beach and let the lad get his feet wet."