Alanna of Trebond (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
the_lioness) wrote2005-06-30 02:39 pm
the_lioness) wrote2005-06-30 02:39 pm
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Alanna stands outside the Dancing Dove, staring up at the window she had climbed through so many times in her life. For some reason, the distance from the ground to George's chambers seems particularly great today.
Earlier this morning, Rispah had told her that George carted a strange man back to his rooms last night before returning to the palace. Assuming the stranger was Indy, Alanna had relaxed and ambled through the marketplace, in no rush to speak with Jon or face Delia. She had stopped off at the Temple of the Great Mother Goddess, reflecting on the past few days and wishing she could hear the Mother's voice once more for all that the sound always forced her to her knees in pain.
Upon arriving at the palace, she had looked for George and Jon, but found Raoul instead. Her friend stood on the battlements, staring out at Corus with an unreadable expression on his face. He didn't look at her when she moved to stand beside him. "We were so young and stupid to fight over her glove that way, but Mithros. She enchanted us all."
Alanna snorted, turning to look at him with an incredulous expression. "Yes," she managed. "You were all... enchanted by the lovely Lady of Eldorne."
Raoul made an odd noise. "A girl that lovely should never die in such an ugly fashion, no matter her crimes."
Alanna felt her heart skip a beat. "Pardon?"
"The homemade noose around her neck... I'm not sure I'll ever forget that image." Raoul's strong shoulders slumped a bit.
Alanna fought down an irrational urge to prod him in the small of his back and correct his posture. No, no, no. The Captain of the King's Own stands tall and proud. If you slump, if you falter, I'm lost. "She's dead?" Alanna finally croaked.
"Yes, and by her own hand. Great Mother, I never thought..." He rubbed one large hand across his face, and if he did so to hide tears of frustration, Alanna didn't notice. She stared over the wall without truly seeing the bustling city before her and remembered the look in Delia's eyes as she left the Great Throne Room. You bastard.
Jon had been convinced that Delia wanted to die, and Delia had always done just about anything to get what she wanted.
Alanna and Raoul stood together for what felt like an eternity before she turned and hugged him swiftly. "If I could, I would erase the image from your mind, Raoul. Should you see George... tell him I went back to our friend. He'll understand." With that, she fled the palace, running faster and faster through the city as if trying to escape the truth.
She felt hurt, numb, confused... disappointed. Alone.
Now, eyes bloodshot but no longer bright with angry tears, she digs her nails into her palms and considers her options.
Leave and let George break the news to Indy. But that would be cowardly, and no Knight of the Realm of Tortall could ever be called cowardly.
Grit my teeth, and do the right thing. The thought alone makes her stomach churn. Why? I had to tell him about the arrest. Mithros, his face... and this is so much worse. This time there is no hope. Why didn't she at least wait until we could speak?
Truthfully, there isn't really a choice to be made. Sighing, Alanna grasps the highest rung she can reach and begins to pull herself up the ladder, her stomach continuing to sink. She owed it to Indy to tell him herself. Maybe she owed it to Delia too.
Earlier this morning, Rispah had told her that George carted a strange man back to his rooms last night before returning to the palace. Assuming the stranger was Indy, Alanna had relaxed and ambled through the marketplace, in no rush to speak with Jon or face Delia. She had stopped off at the Temple of the Great Mother Goddess, reflecting on the past few days and wishing she could hear the Mother's voice once more for all that the sound always forced her to her knees in pain.
Upon arriving at the palace, she had looked for George and Jon, but found Raoul instead. Her friend stood on the battlements, staring out at Corus with an unreadable expression on his face. He didn't look at her when she moved to stand beside him. "We were so young and stupid to fight over her glove that way, but Mithros. She enchanted us all."
Alanna snorted, turning to look at him with an incredulous expression. "Yes," she managed. "You were all... enchanted by the lovely Lady of Eldorne."
Raoul made an odd noise. "A girl that lovely should never die in such an ugly fashion, no matter her crimes."
Alanna felt her heart skip a beat. "Pardon?"
"The homemade noose around her neck... I'm not sure I'll ever forget that image." Raoul's strong shoulders slumped a bit.
Alanna fought down an irrational urge to prod him in the small of his back and correct his posture. No, no, no. The Captain of the King's Own stands tall and proud. If you slump, if you falter, I'm lost. "She's dead?" Alanna finally croaked.
"Yes, and by her own hand. Great Mother, I never thought..." He rubbed one large hand across his face, and if he did so to hide tears of frustration, Alanna didn't notice. She stared over the wall without truly seeing the bustling city before her and remembered the look in Delia's eyes as she left the Great Throne Room. You bastard.
Jon had been convinced that Delia wanted to die, and Delia had always done just about anything to get what she wanted.
Alanna and Raoul stood together for what felt like an eternity before she turned and hugged him swiftly. "If I could, I would erase the image from your mind, Raoul. Should you see George... tell him I went back to our friend. He'll understand." With that, she fled the palace, running faster and faster through the city as if trying to escape the truth.
She felt hurt, numb, confused... disappointed. Alone.
Now, eyes bloodshot but no longer bright with angry tears, she digs her nails into her palms and considers her options.
Leave and let George break the news to Indy. But that would be cowardly, and no Knight of the Realm of Tortall could ever be called cowardly.
Grit my teeth, and do the right thing. The thought alone makes her stomach churn. Why? I had to tell him about the arrest. Mithros, his face... and this is so much worse. This time there is no hope. Why didn't she at least wait until we could speak?
Truthfully, there isn't really a choice to be made. Sighing, Alanna grasps the highest rung she can reach and begins to pull herself up the ladder, her stomach continuing to sink. She owed it to Indy to tell him herself. Maybe she owed it to Delia too.