the_lioness | (no subject)

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Continued from here.

Alanna:

*Alanna's head continues to clear as she takes in Delia's mocking expression. Comprehension dawns as her stomach roils with the familiar post-battle urge to vomit. She thinks, Great Merciful Mother. Either the Goddess has abandoned me to my own devices or her protection is not as potent at the end of the Universe. What have I done? How? How did I let him into my head?

Gasping with fury, she turns her back on Duke Roger and his former mistress while she gets control of her protesting body and mind. Calling upon extra stores of her Gift to shield her thoughts from Roger's continued manipulation, she reassures herself that she will not be so careless in the future. Steeling her nerves, she whirls back around. Her cold, furious eyes look wildly at the evil pair before her.*

*icily* You unbelievable bastard. You will regret that, I promise you. It is a mistake that will not be repeated. I will not be your... *spits out the word* puppet.

*croaks* I will leave that dubious honor to Lady Delia. She has served you so well in the past. *tight smile* She does have a point about Jon's poetry but I think the fault lies not with his phrasing but his subject matter.

Delia:

[sweetly] A puppet? I am not the only one...you have forgotten Alex? [nearly spits the name out] I am told he was a friend of your's once...until he became his Grace's squire.

[raises her eyebrow again] Having green eyes is not an uncommon experience, Sir Alanna...so I am yet to see how having them can alter someone's basic grasp of language to such a degree. If, indeed, he had it to begin with. On that point I am still uncertain.

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*grimly* How could I forget Alex? I dispatched him to the Black God moments before your beloved master. You know very well that he ceased to be my friend the day he agreed to be Roger's squire.

*thinks to herself* I wonder how much Alex acted of his own accord. Was he merely Roger's play thing as well? The malice... it came and went in his eyes.

*Sighing, Alanna realizes she is still shaking. She feels hunted. Scolding herself, she straightens and latches on to the one thing that makes any sense in her current situation. Duty. Her duty as King's Champion to protect the weak and champion the cause of right. Delia, a traitor to Tortall, must face the consequences of her actions. An almost sadistic smile spreads across her face as she gives Delia her most intimidating stare.*

*mockingly* It is most unfortunate, for your sake, that Roger's gate brought you to Milliways. Lady Delia, it is my duty as a Knight of Tortall and King's Champion to escort you back to Corus and turn you over to the King's Own. You will pay for your treachery.

*motions to the front door* Shall we?

Yes, I know...I saw his corpse. A job well done, I think...but did you have to ruin his looks?

[takes a step back, green eyes bright and poisonous again]

Oh, I don't think so, Alanna. [pauses and grins] for one thing, how do you propose coming back to Milliways? If indeed I can leave in the first place...I might actually be dead, after all.

*Delia's vitriol hits a particularly sensitive nerve. Alanna falters, her uninjured hand hovering over her scabbard. Her face is carefully expressionless as she struggles with what to say.*

I'm afraid that's a risk we will both have to take. Are you going to come quietly or do I have to drag you out by your pretty hair?

[watches Alanna falter, and her lashes sweep down to veil her eyes]

You value seeing me burn for treason more then you value your brother? How odd...I thought you loved him. Or do you hate more then you love?

If you can love, that is.

*bursts out* DO NOT speak of my brother, you devious shrew.

*Alanna looks murderous. Her hand tightens on the knife at her waist and she takes a step closer. Eyes glowing with rage, she gives Delia an insolent once over.*

*hisses* And what would you know of love? You love nothing but power and your own greed. I doubt very much that you would care for Roger were he naught but a stable boy. Delia, the only person you would deign to love is yourself. You can not pretend to understand what is in my heart.

*She advances on Delia, sneering as the pretty girl glances coyly at Roger from under her dusky eyelashes.*

You're nothing but a covetous, simpering fool.

[straightens up, the bright smile fading for a moment into a bitter look. She was still beautiful-nothing could ever stop Delia from looking that-but suddenly she looked older then her twenty-one years, and rather tired]

Oh, I would never pretend to know what goes on in your heart, Alanna.

[her light, throaty voice becomes whip-sharp]

Just as you could never understand mine. Longing for power does not mean I cannot love...it merely means that I have ambition. AS for Roger...if he were a stable-boy, then he could not have offered me what I want. If he was naught but a stable-boy, then I would not know he was alive. It's the way of nobles, Alanna. Would you know of Jonathan if he were kitchen-boy? Or George Cooper if hwas from Tusiane?

[laughs, low and harsh as she moves back and around so that the table was between her and Alanna]

Now, really...if I were that, then could I have made you hate me so? To make you loathe me, to make you want nothing more then to drag me by my hair and throw me away...surely that speaks of a spark, of some measure of intelligence.

*Alanna slams both palms on the table and adopts a threatening glower.*

Your ambition is nothing more than poison, pure and simple. It leaves no room for love. If George hailed from Tuisane, my lack of association with him would be due to geography, not social status. I have no doubt that Jonathan and I would know each other were he but a kitchen boy. After all, pages are simply glorified kitchen and errand lackeys. There's a reason we nobles in training to become knights are forced to serve our elders. You would do well to learn such lessons in humility and respect. A person is defined by their deeds not their station in life.

*sneers* Did it take intelligence to sleep with Roger? I assure you that I could easily overlook your sour disposition. It is your association with the Duke and your combined scheming that I can not abide.

Delia, the only reason you hate me is that I alone resisted your ample charms. Despite the later revelation of my sex, you can not stand that I walked away from you. *thoughtfully, tapping her index finger against her lip* Or is it the fact that Jonathan cast you off in favor of me?

In any case, I find it amusing that our current situation and my duty make it impossible for me to repeat my earlier performance. If I leave you free, how far will you go? Who else will be trampled beneath your greed and ambitious evil?

I beg to differ. A person's deeds are defined by their station- whether to accept it or to fight it.

[Delia just laughs- her sparkling, glittering ballroom laugh...but there was a darkness in the wit]

Despite? Oh, my dear girl, are you truely so innocent that you think I care about your sex? I had merely assumed that you had a crush on Jonathan- to which, I might add, I was correct. Yes, I admit, being cast of for you stung...what woman, cast off for a pale, skinny boy would not feel stung? [veils her eyes] Tell me...did it sting that he treated you better as a boy then a woman?

Look at you, Alanna...you walk like a man, talk like a man, dress and look like a man...you are the closeted homosexual's wet dream, and I pity you.

[then she grows cold, her brightness turning into a banked fire of passionate loathing]

I hate you for the simple reason that you killed Roger. My Master, my Lover...[she bites her bottom lip, and the fire returns and the brightness returns]

Who else? What ambition can I serve here, in this place? [gestures with a slender hand]

I have no wish to rule the gods, Woman Who Rides Like A Man. Would it amaze you to learn that at this moment I have no ambition?

*Alanna remains quiet during Delia's rant, her demeanor deceptively calm. Her eyes turn a frigid amethyst as she watches Delia rage. To an outside observer, Delia's laugh and flashing eyes might appear flirtatious and coy but Alanna sees only the putrid heart beneath.*

*The fury demands a release. Utilizing every last shred of patience at her disposal, Alanna resists the urge to deliver a well executed Shang punch to Delia's windpipe. With a quick, sadistic grin, she entertains the notion of killing the girl but quickly shoves the thought aside. Satisfying though it may be, obliterating Delia is not the answer. It wouldn't right her many wrongs and Alanna couldn't abide an unfair fight.*

*She starts to deny Delia's interpretation of her relationship with Jon. Her hackles rise at Delia's scorn for her loping gait and mode of dress. Both times, she resists meeting insult with insult. This is no different than a sword fight, she thinks. She's baiting you. Trying to trick you into making a mistake. Don't play the fool. The urge to throttle the lovely girl remains, but Alanna smirks at her own restraint. Perhaps I'm growing less impetuous in my old age.*

*Alanna waits until Delia finishes, absently rubbing her bottom lip with her thumb. Delia's breathing is a touch labored as she awaits a response. Alanna returns her cold stare and with a wry grin, begins to clap. Slowly at first, her hands meet with increased force and speed until the noise echoes throughout the room.*

Bravo. Well done, Delia. I imagine that you've been storing most of that venom inside you for years. It's no wonder your heart rotted.

*She moves around the table, drawing her dagger out of its scabbard and running her thumb along the bright blade. She circles Delia, her eyes stormy. Stopping directly in front of the girl, Alanna grips the dagger and forcefully stabs it into the table near Delia's fingers. Alanna quirks an eyebrow, reaches behind her to an adjoining table and retrieves a bottle of rum. She sits down and looks expectantly at Delia.*

Sit. *Takes a drink and passes the bottle to Delia.* I suggest you take a long, perfectly dainty sip, Delia. I'm not through with you yet. *Sits back and studies the girl*

I confess that I am intrigued. You were clearly disturbed by what you saw this evening. You admit to having no present ambition and say that you loved Roger for what he could offer you. Tell me, what can Roger possibly offer you now?

[stares at Alanna- eyes bright and two spots of red on her cheeks. She was almost shaking with the urge to slap Alanna, and it required ever lesson in self-restraint that she had learned not to. Delicate Delia may have been, the girl had her own temper and passions and Alanna was on the wrong side of them.]

[and Alanna mocking her was really not helping]

[glares at the rotten heart comment but draws her breath in sharply as the cool blade just touches her index finger. Slowly, she raises her eyes to Alanna's face.]

[quitely calmly, with a grace that never leaves her, the girl takes the bottle of rum from Alanna and takes a long drink from it, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Sitting down, spreading her skirts automatically though it obviously doesn't matter if they get crushed.]

Something that he pretended to give me once, and will never give me. [takes another long drink, and when she stops her eyes are bitter]

You are reputed to be clever...surely part of the fun would be for you to figure it out.

*Eyes narrowing, Alanna grabs the rum back from Delia. She rubs her forefinger around the bottle's mouth and smirks as she wipes her finger on her tunic. For some reason, the petty gesture makes her feel infinitely better. Fixing Delia with a scowl, she shoves the bottle back into Delia's hands.*

I could hazard a guess, but I do not care to further impugn your honor. I have not conducted myself in a manner becoming a knight this evening. I will not exchange verbal barbs with you into the wee hours of the morning. It will not change the fact that we each intensely dislike the other and I suspect we are proportionately stubborn.

We fight in different ways you and I, although the end result is often just as harmful. You excel in the sly, backstabbing doublespeak so popular at Court whereas I meet my opponents with a sword or a fist. *laughs patronizingly* I fear that in Milliways both methods are equally futile. There's a strange order in the chaos here.

*considers* You're foolish to think you have any hope of influencing him, you know. You were but one of many stepping stones. As was Thom.

*She's quiet for a moment, studying the almost empty bar. Her brain orders her to grab Delia and deliver her to Jon immediately. Her heart screams for her to stay. Sighing, she returns her gaze to Delia's flushed face.* As you pointed out, I am disinclined to leave as of yet. Since you and Roger so unkindly robbed me of my twin, I selfishly require some time with him before I leave without a guarantee that I can return. I suppose we must learn to co-exist without blooding up the bar each night with vicious words and violence. Therefore, it seems you've been granted a temporary reprieve. Temporary. Make no mistake. When I leave, you will leave with me or die.

[she doesn't answer most of what Alanna said- that would suggest a self-pity and a willingness to admit weakness, and that was something Delia would not do. If Alanna didn't, or couldn't, say what kept Delia from sticking by Roger though she knew she was only a stepping stone...well, she wasn't going to press the point.]

[shrugs and takes another long drink] Then I had best start enjoying myself if you are resolved to have me burnt at the stake. [raises the bottle to Alanna in a strange toast, and gets to her feet]

I shall you leave you now then, Alanna. Enjoy your twin. [curtseys with one hand, and then moves off into the bar]

*As Delia abruptly departs, Alanna sucks air through her teeth and stands up. Pursing her lips, she struggles to control the urge to march over and demand that Delia apologize for her many misdeeds. She watches Delia cross the room and disappear into a shadowed corner. Disgruntled, Alanna pushes away from the table and walks upstairs.*

That went well, she thinks. In fact, everything about tonight has been a resounding success. I should have stayed in bed.

*Sighing, she opens the door to her room.* Ah, but at least now I am prepared. Goddess willing, they will not catch me off guard again.

[OOC: Thanks, Ashie! This was fun. I also truly adored your entrance post. I would post a "squee!" over there, but Alanna is currently passed out on the bench, looking shaken and worn. :D]

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