This chapter was kinda hard to write because I had so many ideas for the plot that there was no way that I could do all of them in one story. So I finally had to just pick one, and I obviously chose my favorite. So just in case you're wondering, there won't be much action/adventure. Oh well, I'll just save that for another story.
Just a warning: I might put this story on hold for a little while and do some revising. But that's just a maybe.
Right, anyway, thank you all you wonderful reviewers!!!!!! I can't believe I have 119 reviews!!
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Thanks everyone!
Here's Chapter 6!
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Three weeks later, Alanna was sitting in the parlor, her mother beside her, struggling over her dreaded embroidery.
"No dear," Lady Annette said patiently. "Only nine across, not eleven."
Alanna groaned silently. Not again.
Slowly and painstakingly, she removed two of the stitches she had just done, then continued on at snails pace, determined not to mess up again.
"No Alanna," her mother sighed. "That should be red, not blue."
Alanna threw up her hands in frustration. "Argh!"
"I see you still don't appreciate the art of sewing," a voice behind her said.
"Nicolas!" Alanna said joyfully, whirling around to see her older brother standing in the doorway. She jumped up from her seat and ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck.
Nicolas gave a laugh and hugged her back. "You're just happy that I interrupted your sewing session."
"So what if I am?" Alanna said, her eyes twinkling as she stepped back from him.
After greeting his mother with a hug and a kiss, Nicolas turned back to Alanna.
"Would you mind going on a walk with me for a few minutes? I need to speak to you about something."
Alanna glanced at her mother, who smiled slyly and nodded her consent, then looked back at her brother. "I'd be glad to."
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"So what's on your mind?" Alanna asked curiously as they seated themselves beneath a tall evergreen tree.
Nicolas cleared his throat. " I've been thinking a great deal lately."
Alanna grinned. "Your poor brain!"
Nicolas rolled his eyes. "Yes, pity it all you like." He paused. "It did seem to come up with one thing, however."
"And what's that?"
Nicolas licked his lips. "That perhaps it's time I married."
Alanna should have not been surprised. Her mother had been hinting at this very thing for months now. But surprised she was nonetheless. Nicolas married? The very idea seemed absurd.
She fiddled with a button on her cloak. "Have you anyone in mind?"
At his silence, she looked up. Her brother was staring at the ground, a pink tinge spreading across his face. "Well, you know Rebecca."
Alanna nodded, a small grin climbing her face. "Of course."
Eighteen-year-old Rebecca Stows had lived next door to the Thetchers for many years. She and Alanna were friends, though not very close, as they had only lived next door to each other for a couple years. Alanna had suspected something had begun to evolve between her brother and pretty Rebecca, and now it seemed as if she had been right.
Nicolas, with a slight blush still tingeing his cheeks, continued. "Yes, well, we've been writing each other for a few months now. At first, it was just friendly, but then..."
"You fell in love," Alanna finished for him, a huge smile on her face. Nicolas ducked his head and nodded, a happy grin on his face.
"And?" She asked, urging him for more details. He shrugged sheepishly.
"We're invited to their house for dinner tonight. I'm going to ask her father for her hand in marriage."
At this announcement, any thought of uneasiness flew out of her mind. Alanna threw her arms around him for the second time that day. "Oh Nicolas, that's wonderful!"
Nicolas grinned. "It'll only be wonderful if she accepts me."
Alanna scoffed. "She'd be a fool if she didn't. Who wouldn't want to marry my fantastic brother?"
Nicolas furrowed his eyebrows in false concentration. "Do you really want me to answer that?'
"Maybe it's better if you didn't. Just let me keep believing I have the most wonderful brother in all Kyrria," Alanna said with mock seriousness. "By the way, have you hinted at any of this to Rebecca?"
Nicolas gave a smirk. "Maybe."
She playfully hit him on the shoulder. "What about Mother and Father?'
He nodded. "I wrote them about a week ago. I made them promise not to tell you. I wanted to talk to you myself."
"I'm surprised Mother hasn't burst with excitement," Alanna said. "She must be so pleased with you, giving her a daughter-in-law and a whole wedding to organize."
"Well, if she's not pleased enough, I might have to give her a few grandchildren to make her happy."
Alanna gave a pretend gasp and swatted him on the arm. Nicolas just laughed.
After he calmed down, Alanna asked him, "So is all this the reason why you're home so soon? You were only gone for a month or so."
"Partly," Nicolas replied "Sir Richard sent me to Frell to report to the king. He allowed me to take a slight detour and stay here for a couple of days."
"I'm so glad for you, Nick," Alanna said after a few moments of silence. "You two really are good for each other."
Nicolas smiled. "I know."
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"Do you think they're talking yet?" Rebecca Stows whispered to Alanna, who was sitting next to her.
It was later that same day, and Alanna and her family were at the Stow's manor. It was after dinner, the traditional time when the men of the group left the women and disappeared into the study while the women went to the sitting room. This was when Nicolas would ask Mr. Stows for permission to marry his daughter.
Besides Alanna and Rebecca, their mothers, Lady Annette and Mrs. Stow occupied the sitting room. The older women were sitting together, talking with low voices, no doubt about the coming wedding.
Alanna shook her head. "Probably not. They've only been up there for a few minutes."
Poor Rebecca, Alanna thought. The pretty dark-haired girl was nervously plucking at her dress, no doubt worrying her head off. Alanna reached over and took hold of her hand and squeezed it. "It's alright. I seriously doubt Nicolas will back out or your father will refuse."
Rebecca blinked her blue eyes in amazement. "How did you know I was thinking that?"
Alanna grinned. "Because Nicolas had almost exactly the same thoughts."
Rebecca looked terrified. "He had thoughts about backing out?"
Oops, Alanna thought. That obviously hadn't helped. She tried another reassuring smile. "No silly, I meant he was afraid you might back out."
"Oh," Rebecca shook her head fervently, her dark curls bouncing. "Not a chance.'
"So then there's nothing to worry about."
"I don't know," Rebecca said, biting her lip. "Papa is awful protective of me. I am his only child."
Alanna sighed and gave another squeeze. "I'm sure he'll consent. What other man could be possibly good enough for you?"
Rebecca gave a small giggle. "No one."
Alanna smiled triumphantly. "There, you see? Everything will turn out fine."
Rebecca nodded, with a tiny smile on her face.
They sat like that for another ten minutes, chatting about the wedding. They had just gotten onto the topic of dresses ("How will I choose one?") when the door to the sitting room opened and Alanna's father, Rebecca's father, and of course Nicolas stepped inside. The room immediately went quiet as everyone looked expectantly at Mr. Stows.
Unfortunately for the waiting audience, the tall, distinguished gentlemen only offered a polite greeting and settled himself comfortably onto the large couch beside his wife.
The women, as one, turned to look at Nicolas, who gave a much more satisfying performance.
"Would you like you accompany me on a walk, Rebecca?" he asked smoothly, going to stand beside her and extending his arm to her. "It's a lovely evening."
She smiled pleasantly up at him. "Why, certainly."
Taking his arm, they left the room with eyes only for each other. As soon as the door closed, Mrs. Stows pounced on her husband.
"Well? What happened? Tell us everything!"
Poor Mr. Stows was forced through ten minutes of interrogation before his wife and Alanna's mother would let him alone. They asked for every detail, with which Mr. Stows was hard-pressed to give them, as he was a man and hardly cared for such things.
At last, the two older women had to be satisfied with Mr. Stow's assurances that he found Nicolas to be a perfectly wonderful boy and there would be no problem with his marrying Rebecca.
Alanna hid a smile during all of this. She found Mrs. Stows and her mother's antics to be quite amusing, though she never would have admitted it.
Directing her attention back to fireplace, where a large flame was burning, Alanna smiled and hugged herself. Everything was turning out just right for her brother. She couldn't have been happier for him.
The only thing wrong with the wedding was the thing it represented. When Nicolas married Rebecca, that would be the end of her family childhood. Nicolas would leave, then she would leave, and on until little Leah had grown up and married.
Suddenly, Alanna frowned and sat up straight in her chair. She had never really thought of marriage before, at least for herself. She had always known Nicolas would find some lovely wife, but she had never thought of herself as married.
Would she ever be married? Who knew? But if she did get married, who would it be? Someone she already knew? Or perhaps someone entirely new?
Alanna shook her head. This was too deep of a subject. Better to just concentrate on her brother's happiness.
Alanna joined her mother, who was chatting gaily with Mrs. Stows. They spent the next twenty minutes brainstorming about the wedding. (Would Rebecca's hair look better up or down? What kind of flowers should she have?) The men only glanced smilingly at the women, then dove into a conversation about elven trading.
Before long, the sitting room door opened, and Nicolas and a blushing Rebecca reentered the room. Alanna grinned and sat up. This was it.
Nicolas cleared his throat. "Excuse me, I would like to say something."
The room grew quiet. Nicolas continued.
"A few minutes ago I asked. Rebecca a question."
The older women made a big deal out of holding their breath. Alanna rolled her eyes. If they hadn't known Nicolas was going to propose, she was sure they would have had a bigger effect. As it was, Mr. Stows glanced at them with a strange look on his face, then turned back to the young couple.
"I asked her if she would consider becoming my wife." Nicolas paused. "And she said..."
Rebecca smiled and took his hand. "Yes."
Immediately, the room was filled with congratulations and smiles. The two mothers swarmed Rebecca, while the men shook Nicolas' hand.
Alanna went to Nicolas and gave him a small hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Congratulations, Nick!" She said gaily as she stepped away.
Nicolas just grinned and nodded happily. Alanna turned to Rebecca, who was being fussed over by both their mothers.
As soon as she could get through, Alanna hugged Rebecca.
"Now we'll be sisters!" Alanna said joyfully, stepping back with a smile.
Rebecca beamed. "I've never had a sister, but I'm sure we'll be the best of them!"
Alanna could only smile as the soon-to-be bride was again swarmed by their mothers.
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Hours later, the Thetchers cheerfully said farewell to the Stows and piled into their carriage. All the way home they talked excitedly about nothing else but the wedding.
They had decided to hold it a month from then, as that was when Nicolas said he would be able to get away from patrolling. This short amount of time caused protest from the womenfolk. One month was hardly enough time to plan an event such as a wedding! But the men prevailed, as that was the only time Nicolas could get away. And, as Mr. Stows had mentioned, you can't have a wedding without the groom!
Arriving at home, Alanna said goodnight to her family and skipped happily up the stairs to her room.
Throwing off her cloak, she quickly changed into a sleeping gown and jumped between her covers. Grinning slightly, she curled up and laid her head on her pillow.
Her mind drifted back to her earlier subject. She had never thought of being married before. Now she explored the notion fully.
Was there anyone she knew that she would consider for marriage? There was Benjamin Parker; but Alanna happened to know that he fancied her best friend Sara. What about Ewan Charleston? Nope, too old. Robert Dangety? Too weird.
Alanna sighed, frustrated. The only person left was Tyson McConty, but he hardly counted. After all, she hardly knew him. They had met twice in town since their last meeting, both times polite and slightly awkward.
Alanna mentally shook herself. She didn't need to worry about that sort of thing until she was well and ready. It wasn't as if suitors were lining up at her door. Quite the opposite, really. No one wanted to marry a girl who loved to ride horses and get tan, play in the rain, and absolutely loathed embroidery.
That made her happy. Hopefully, father wouldn't try and marry her off for a long time, so that she could have many more years to do as she pleased before being tied down with the duties of being a wife.
Not that she would be likely to accept anyone her father picked, as he would probably pick one of his old friends or something of the sort.
Giving one last sigh, Alanna closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.
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