Alanna of Trebond (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
the_lioness) wrote2004-11-06 08:44 pm
the_lioness) wrote2004-11-06 08:44 pm
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( Continued from here.)
Alanna thundered through the palace gates in the middle of the night. She had been riding for two days straight, pausing only to water and feed her horse. Her own stomach protested the lack of sustenance, but she steadfastly ignored it in favor of reaching Jon's side as soon as possible. The palace courtyard was completely deserted, and she could hear Stefan snoring from his room right inside the Royal Stables. Face pinched with exhaustion and suspense, Alanna eyed the shadows suspiciously and began cooling down her horse. She hurried through the grooming process, hastily wiping the horse down and tossing an extra ration of feed in its bucket. After all, it wasn't the horse's fault that she'd neglected her duty for so long. He didn't deserve to suffer the consequences of her mistakes. Chores complete, she inhaled sharply and raced for the palace.
A lone watchman ordered her to stop in her tracks, but quickly ascertained her identity and waved her on her way. Alanna's loud footsteps echoed through the corridors as she wound her way toward the royal suite. It never ceased to amaze her that she now knew every inch of the palace. The size of the kitchen alone had given her pause when she first arrived from Trebond. Snarling as she flew past Duke Roger's former quarters, she slipped on a stray piece of parchment and fell into a wall. Alanna quickly righted herself and continued her furious pace down a hidden stairwell. Flushed and out of breath, she arrived at Jon's door. With a nod to the three guards hovering nearby, Sir Alanna of Trebond, King's Champion and Lioness of Tortall, threw open the chamber door and nearly scared her country's ruler into an early grave.
"What is the meaning of this?" Jon boomed, flailing about in an attempt to free himself from the bed covers.
Alanna, still breathing heavily, couldn't resist a smirk. "You're getting soft in your old age, my friend. Still can't find your sword? I believe it's over there.. on the right."
Jon leapt out of bed and yanked a dagger from his bedside table. The next thing Alanna knew, it was embedded in the bedpost to her immediate left. "I find the dagger less cumbersome for late night scuffles." He stalked toward her, eventually hauling her up to his eye level. "Where have you been? Do you know what we all thought happened to you? We still haven't rounded up all of the Coronation Day rebels. George is beside himself with worry and guilt."
"Guilt?" Alanna winced, belatedly remembering that George had volunteered to help ferret out the remaining traitors. "Believe me, my absence was not intentional." An odd look flickered across her face, and she smiled wryly. "It's hard to explain, Jon. An account of my adventures will have to wait. I need to know what has happened."
Jon looked at her askance. He nodded and silently grabbed his night robe. Averting her eyes, Alanna suddenly became very interested in her dirty fingernails. Jon tapped her on the shoulder and quirked an eyebrow as she turned around. "It's not anything you haven't seen before. Come on. We'll go to the battlements to talk."
All of her courage seemed to flee her at that moment like a rat abandoning a sinking ship. Squaring her shoulders, Alanna marched after Jon. She would have to get it over with eventually, and could only hope that her friendship with Jon was strong enough for him to believe her bizarre tale. Bar at the end of the universe, indeed. He's going to banish me to Sarain for my obvious insanity.
Jon led her out on the palace wall and took a deep breath of the crisp night air. Alanna shivered and longed for the brightly striped sweater the bar had given her all those weeks ago. For a moment, they simply stared at each other with similarly defiant expressions. Eventually, Jon gave her one last searching look and stared over the wall at the city beyond the palace gates. Corus appeared to be slumbering peacefully, the sacred fires of the Temple District flickering in the gentle breeze. Alanna wished she could appreciate the tranquility of the scene.
Taking a deep breath, Jon began to explain. "Moonlight returned to the Palace four days after you left, alone and in miserable condition. Naturally, people suspected the worst. Rebels were sighted as far south as Persopolis mere days before Moonlight wandered home. Myles, Gary, Raoul and I managed to convince the council to forgo naming an immediate replacement for King's Champion. We figured something had happened, and you would get word to us as soon as possible." Jon folded his arms across his chest and watched her with an inscrutable expression.
"Moonlight is here?" Alanna asked eagerly.
"No," Jon murmured. "She is at Pirate's Swoop with George. He couldn't stand to leave her here." Jon moved closer, approaching her like one of the stable cats stalking a fat mouse. "That is all I'm telling you until you reveal your whereabouts for the last several weeks. You've caused us all a great deal of trouble."
Alanna glared at him mutinously. She steeled her nerves and decided to get the explanation over with. "I stumbled through some sort of cosmic loophole... a portal to another world. One minute I was pushing for the nearest Bazhir oasis, and the next I was standing in front of what appeared to be a roadside tavern." Alanna stopped, preparing to suffer Jon's ridicule over her tale. Jon tilted his head and indicated that she should continue.
"This is going to sound absolutely insane," Alanna forewarned Jon. "The tavern wasn't along a road at all, but instead exists at the end of the Universe. It's frequented by gods, goddesses, demons, mages and beings from different worlds, times and realities. The bar, Milliways, also houses a large collection of the deceased." At this, Alanna bit her lip and felt her eyes tear up. Sighing, she gave Jon a watery smile and carried on. "Thom is there, Jon! But he's not alone. I'll admit that I initially stayed to be with him, but the situation changed dramatically. Roger is also a patron, as is Delia." Finishing in a rush, Alanna looked at Jon with a tortured expression and awaited his laughter.
The King rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a minute as he watched a guard pace in the castle courtyard. "If you were anyone else, Alanna, anyone else, I would be tempted to throw you into the horse trough." Jon turned to face her, his eyes conveying a deep skepticism. "I have no choice but to trust you. Besides, after the Black City and Thom's little stunt, I refuse to discount that such a thing is possible."
Alanna looked incredibly relieved. Nodding, she gave Jon a grateful smile. "Thank you, Jon." Alanna cleared her throat. "There's more. A man named Lochiel used his magic, a magic similar to our Gift I believe, to show me what was happening in Tortall. I saw many confusing images, of you with the Dominion Jewel in the War Chamber, George apparently drunk and a strange green Gift light covering the Council. I rushed home as soon as I could." Gulping, Alanna grabbed his arm. "Am I too late?" she asked earnestly.
Jon's eyebrows shot up toward his hairline. Stunned, he regarded her warily. "It depends how you define 'too late.' Do you remember a certain Sir William of Alden?"
Alanna thought about the name for a moment, but couldn't place it. "No. I'm not even familiar with Alden. Where is it?"
"It's a small holding along the Coastal Way, not far from Port Legann." He waved his hand in the air dismissively. "That's irrelevant. Sir William took it upon himself to publicly denounce your fitness as King's Champion shortly after Moonlight returned. He called for your immediate dismissal whether you turned up or not. Apparently, he took umbrage at my appointment of a female King's Champion, loudly proclaiming you 'unnatural' and 'dangerous.' I believe he hinted at your immorality more than once. As I previously stated, we were able to hold the Council off on a vote for several weeks. Sir William, a council member himself, didn't like this at all."
Seething, Alanna sputtered in response. "Unnatural? This has to be a joke. I could understand citizens having such thoughts prior to your Coronation, but after all that happened? What else must I do to prove myself to Tortall?"
Jon shrugged. "It's not a matter of proving yourself. Do not assume Sir William's villainy was directed solely at you. Gary and I suspected that Sir William had ties to Tusaine, and thus had a vested interest in ensuring that my rule be as weak and ineffective as possible. Indeed, Raoul discovered that he was involved in a fruitful smuggling ring and had successfully hidden his Gift for years. I gathered the Council one afternoon, ostensibly to discuss the taxation of our rural farm lands, and used the Dominion Jewel to expose Sir William." Jon paused and gave Alanna a meaningful look. "His emerald Gift polluted the council chamber. He was using it in an attempt to sway the prevailing opinion his way."
Alanna snarled, "Where is this traitor now? I'd like to have a few words with him."
“Exiled and stripped of his land and title forthwith.” Smiling, Jon gave Alanna a knowing glance. "You don't like the fact that we managed without you, do you?"
Alanna frowned, prepared to blast Jon for saying such an awful thing. She glared at him mulishly as she forced herself to admit the truth in his words. It irritated her that he sometimes knew her better than she did herself. "It's possible that the thought crossed my mind, yes." She eyed him sheepishly. "I was rather convinced that Tortall needed me."
"Tortall does need you, Lioness," Jon stated matter-of-factly.
Smiling, Alanna gave Jon an impetuous hug and laughed joyfully. "Mithros, I'm so thankful. The images were horrifying. I was certain we were at war."
Chuckling, Jon squeezed her shoulders. "No war, thank the Goddess. So Roger is living in this tavern? Milliways?"
Alanna grimaced. "Yes, and it's clear that he's up to something. I've heard several rumors that he's plotting to return to Tortall one way or another. I really don't feel comfortable leaving him there alone."
Jon's eyes gleamed. "Then maybe we shouldn't leave him alone." He grinned at Alanna's shocked expression. He began to pace, his smile mischievous. "What would shock my smiling cousin more than seeing me arrive on his doorstep to spoil his afterlife?"
A slow smile spread across Alanna's face as she caught on. "Indeed." Her eyes grew bright. "You do not mind if I return?"
Jon smiled. "Are you happy there?"
Nodding, Alanna gazed wistfully at the awakening city. "Very. It reminds me a lot of the Dancing Dove. I've made exceptional friends, and wouldn't trade my time with Thom for all the glory in the world."
"Then we are agreed. You shall return and keep a watchful eye on Roger until I can make my way to this Milliways of yours." Winking, Jon steered her toward the stairs. "Now, why don't we go wake up Gary and Raoul. Perhaps we can impress upon Cook the need to make us a royal feast for breakfast. All this adventure and intrigue has made me quite hungry. You can tell me how to get to Milliways while we drag our friends out of bed."
Alanna laughed uproariously. "That's the thing, Jon. I'm fairly certain it involves falling off your horse."
Alanna thundered through the palace gates in the middle of the night. She had been riding for two days straight, pausing only to water and feed her horse. Her own stomach protested the lack of sustenance, but she steadfastly ignored it in favor of reaching Jon's side as soon as possible. The palace courtyard was completely deserted, and she could hear Stefan snoring from his room right inside the Royal Stables. Face pinched with exhaustion and suspense, Alanna eyed the shadows suspiciously and began cooling down her horse. She hurried through the grooming process, hastily wiping the horse down and tossing an extra ration of feed in its bucket. After all, it wasn't the horse's fault that she'd neglected her duty for so long. He didn't deserve to suffer the consequences of her mistakes. Chores complete, she inhaled sharply and raced for the palace.
A lone watchman ordered her to stop in her tracks, but quickly ascertained her identity and waved her on her way. Alanna's loud footsteps echoed through the corridors as she wound her way toward the royal suite. It never ceased to amaze her that she now knew every inch of the palace. The size of the kitchen alone had given her pause when she first arrived from Trebond. Snarling as she flew past Duke Roger's former quarters, she slipped on a stray piece of parchment and fell into a wall. Alanna quickly righted herself and continued her furious pace down a hidden stairwell. Flushed and out of breath, she arrived at Jon's door. With a nod to the three guards hovering nearby, Sir Alanna of Trebond, King's Champion and Lioness of Tortall, threw open the chamber door and nearly scared her country's ruler into an early grave.
"What is the meaning of this?" Jon boomed, flailing about in an attempt to free himself from the bed covers.
Alanna, still breathing heavily, couldn't resist a smirk. "You're getting soft in your old age, my friend. Still can't find your sword? I believe it's over there.. on the right."
Jon leapt out of bed and yanked a dagger from his bedside table. The next thing Alanna knew, it was embedded in the bedpost to her immediate left. "I find the dagger less cumbersome for late night scuffles." He stalked toward her, eventually hauling her up to his eye level. "Where have you been? Do you know what we all thought happened to you? We still haven't rounded up all of the Coronation Day rebels. George is beside himself with worry and guilt."
"Guilt?" Alanna winced, belatedly remembering that George had volunteered to help ferret out the remaining traitors. "Believe me, my absence was not intentional." An odd look flickered across her face, and she smiled wryly. "It's hard to explain, Jon. An account of my adventures will have to wait. I need to know what has happened."
Jon looked at her askance. He nodded and silently grabbed his night robe. Averting her eyes, Alanna suddenly became very interested in her dirty fingernails. Jon tapped her on the shoulder and quirked an eyebrow as she turned around. "It's not anything you haven't seen before. Come on. We'll go to the battlements to talk."
All of her courage seemed to flee her at that moment like a rat abandoning a sinking ship. Squaring her shoulders, Alanna marched after Jon. She would have to get it over with eventually, and could only hope that her friendship with Jon was strong enough for him to believe her bizarre tale. Bar at the end of the universe, indeed. He's going to banish me to Sarain for my obvious insanity.
Jon led her out on the palace wall and took a deep breath of the crisp night air. Alanna shivered and longed for the brightly striped sweater the bar had given her all those weeks ago. For a moment, they simply stared at each other with similarly defiant expressions. Eventually, Jon gave her one last searching look and stared over the wall at the city beyond the palace gates. Corus appeared to be slumbering peacefully, the sacred fires of the Temple District flickering in the gentle breeze. Alanna wished she could appreciate the tranquility of the scene.
Taking a deep breath, Jon began to explain. "Moonlight returned to the Palace four days after you left, alone and in miserable condition. Naturally, people suspected the worst. Rebels were sighted as far south as Persopolis mere days before Moonlight wandered home. Myles, Gary, Raoul and I managed to convince the council to forgo naming an immediate replacement for King's Champion. We figured something had happened, and you would get word to us as soon as possible." Jon folded his arms across his chest and watched her with an inscrutable expression.
"Moonlight is here?" Alanna asked eagerly.
"No," Jon murmured. "She is at Pirate's Swoop with George. He couldn't stand to leave her here." Jon moved closer, approaching her like one of the stable cats stalking a fat mouse. "That is all I'm telling you until you reveal your whereabouts for the last several weeks. You've caused us all a great deal of trouble."
Alanna glared at him mutinously. She steeled her nerves and decided to get the explanation over with. "I stumbled through some sort of cosmic loophole... a portal to another world. One minute I was pushing for the nearest Bazhir oasis, and the next I was standing in front of what appeared to be a roadside tavern." Alanna stopped, preparing to suffer Jon's ridicule over her tale. Jon tilted his head and indicated that she should continue.
"This is going to sound absolutely insane," Alanna forewarned Jon. "The tavern wasn't along a road at all, but instead exists at the end of the Universe. It's frequented by gods, goddesses, demons, mages and beings from different worlds, times and realities. The bar, Milliways, also houses a large collection of the deceased." At this, Alanna bit her lip and felt her eyes tear up. Sighing, she gave Jon a watery smile and carried on. "Thom is there, Jon! But he's not alone. I'll admit that I initially stayed to be with him, but the situation changed dramatically. Roger is also a patron, as is Delia." Finishing in a rush, Alanna looked at Jon with a tortured expression and awaited his laughter.
The King rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a minute as he watched a guard pace in the castle courtyard. "If you were anyone else, Alanna, anyone else, I would be tempted to throw you into the horse trough." Jon turned to face her, his eyes conveying a deep skepticism. "I have no choice but to trust you. Besides, after the Black City and Thom's little stunt, I refuse to discount that such a thing is possible."
Alanna looked incredibly relieved. Nodding, she gave Jon a grateful smile. "Thank you, Jon." Alanna cleared her throat. "There's more. A man named Lochiel used his magic, a magic similar to our Gift I believe, to show me what was happening in Tortall. I saw many confusing images, of you with the Dominion Jewel in the War Chamber, George apparently drunk and a strange green Gift light covering the Council. I rushed home as soon as I could." Gulping, Alanna grabbed his arm. "Am I too late?" she asked earnestly.
Jon's eyebrows shot up toward his hairline. Stunned, he regarded her warily. "It depends how you define 'too late.' Do you remember a certain Sir William of Alden?"
Alanna thought about the name for a moment, but couldn't place it. "No. I'm not even familiar with Alden. Where is it?"
"It's a small holding along the Coastal Way, not far from Port Legann." He waved his hand in the air dismissively. "That's irrelevant. Sir William took it upon himself to publicly denounce your fitness as King's Champion shortly after Moonlight returned. He called for your immediate dismissal whether you turned up or not. Apparently, he took umbrage at my appointment of a female King's Champion, loudly proclaiming you 'unnatural' and 'dangerous.' I believe he hinted at your immorality more than once. As I previously stated, we were able to hold the Council off on a vote for several weeks. Sir William, a council member himself, didn't like this at all."
Seething, Alanna sputtered in response. "Unnatural? This has to be a joke. I could understand citizens having such thoughts prior to your Coronation, but after all that happened? What else must I do to prove myself to Tortall?"
Jon shrugged. "It's not a matter of proving yourself. Do not assume Sir William's villainy was directed solely at you. Gary and I suspected that Sir William had ties to Tusaine, and thus had a vested interest in ensuring that my rule be as weak and ineffective as possible. Indeed, Raoul discovered that he was involved in a fruitful smuggling ring and had successfully hidden his Gift for years. I gathered the Council one afternoon, ostensibly to discuss the taxation of our rural farm lands, and used the Dominion Jewel to expose Sir William." Jon paused and gave Alanna a meaningful look. "His emerald Gift polluted the council chamber. He was using it in an attempt to sway the prevailing opinion his way."
Alanna snarled, "Where is this traitor now? I'd like to have a few words with him."
“Exiled and stripped of his land and title forthwith.” Smiling, Jon gave Alanna a knowing glance. "You don't like the fact that we managed without you, do you?"
Alanna frowned, prepared to blast Jon for saying such an awful thing. She glared at him mulishly as she forced herself to admit the truth in his words. It irritated her that he sometimes knew her better than she did herself. "It's possible that the thought crossed my mind, yes." She eyed him sheepishly. "I was rather convinced that Tortall needed me."
"Tortall does need you, Lioness," Jon stated matter-of-factly.
Smiling, Alanna gave Jon an impetuous hug and laughed joyfully. "Mithros, I'm so thankful. The images were horrifying. I was certain we were at war."
Chuckling, Jon squeezed her shoulders. "No war, thank the Goddess. So Roger is living in this tavern? Milliways?"
Alanna grimaced. "Yes, and it's clear that he's up to something. I've heard several rumors that he's plotting to return to Tortall one way or another. I really don't feel comfortable leaving him there alone."
Jon's eyes gleamed. "Then maybe we shouldn't leave him alone." He grinned at Alanna's shocked expression. He began to pace, his smile mischievous. "What would shock my smiling cousin more than seeing me arrive on his doorstep to spoil his afterlife?"
A slow smile spread across Alanna's face as she caught on. "Indeed." Her eyes grew bright. "You do not mind if I return?"
Jon smiled. "Are you happy there?"
Nodding, Alanna gazed wistfully at the awakening city. "Very. It reminds me a lot of the Dancing Dove. I've made exceptional friends, and wouldn't trade my time with Thom for all the glory in the world."
"Then we are agreed. You shall return and keep a watchful eye on Roger until I can make my way to this Milliways of yours." Winking, Jon steered her toward the stairs. "Now, why don't we go wake up Gary and Raoul. Perhaps we can impress upon Cook the need to make us a royal feast for breakfast. All this adventure and intrigue has made me quite hungry. You can tell me how to get to Milliways while we drag our friends out of bed."
Alanna laughed uproariously. "That's the thing, Jon. I'm fairly certain it involves falling off your horse."