the_lioness | The palace, Corus

The palace, Corus

It's a long ride from Trebond to Corus, so it's really no surprise that Alanna and Adam return to Olau and then the bar for one night before arriving at the palace. Freshly showered and looking mostly at peace they step through the door and into...

Chaos?

The palace is in an uproar. With the royal wedding only two days away, pages and squires scurry about, and as they walk down a corridor gaping at everything, Alanna and Adam even catch sight of Gary sprinting in the other direction, trying to keep hold of the papers in his hands.

Alanna grins. This might be more entertaining than expected.

They can hear Jon long before they reach his council chambers.

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Jon manages to stop himself before he yells himself hoarse and clenches his hands together before looking up at the assembled nobles. As he does he catches sight of Alanna and Adam standing in the doorway. A look of immense relief crosses his face.

"As you can see, my Champion has arrived and it is imperative that I speak with her. Anything else can be dealt with later." No phrase was spoken more firmly and the look on his face should warn anyone who tries to question him.

The nobles shuffle out, not without irritated glances back towards their king. As the last of them leave, Jon hurries over and grabs Alanna, hugging her hard.

"I have never been so glad to see anyone in my life," he says into her hair.

More than a little surprised, she hugs him close, making a face at the retreating back of the last departing noble.

"Goddess, Jon! I've only been gone a few days. Are things really so bad?"

Alanna turns her head to wink at Adam.

Adam reaches out and pats the man on the shoulder, trying for some kind of comradery, trying to hide his nervousness (lessened, perhaps, but still there).

"Surely the meetings can't be that terrible."

He releases Alanna and makes a rueful face at both of them.

"They wouldn't be, if the damned morons wouldn't keep trying to add things to the ceremony, or take advantage of the general chaos by bringing up items they certainly would never try at any other time." He growls in frustration, then forces himself to smile.

"But now you are here. My perfect excuse to drive them away!"

Alanna takes a step back, stumbling a little when her foot gets tangled in a chair. She laughs.

"We are indeed here, but I hope that's not your only reason for wanting to see us. See? This is why Adam and I didn't want a large wedding."

There's something mischievous about her smile.

Adam's grin matches hers and he sits, much more gracefully than Alanna.

"They're far too much of a hassle."

He glares at both of them. "The day you become a monarch is the day I will laugh til I'm blue in the face." He turns the glare more towards Alanna. "And don't think that I don't know about your encouragements to Thayet to make things more elaborate. Sometimes I think the gods sent you here just to torment me."

"Perhaps that is why the Black God didn't put up too much of a fight," she says thoughtfully, putting her legs up on the table and crossing her ankles.

She continues to smirk.

"I'm simply pleased you both agree that I don't have to wear a dress."

"You? Not you alone, surely.

I'm not quite sure I agree with her assessment on the dresses, though."

"I don't either. She always looks lovely in dresses." He shakes his head.

"Sometimes I think she enjoys dressing like a boy a bit too much." He grins and winks at Adam. Egging Alanna on is far too much fun.

Alanna refuses to be egged.

"I enjoy dressing as a knight," she says pertly, examining her fingernails. Smiling, "besides, Adam doesn't mind. And I will likely have more than enough chances to wear dresses before the year is out."

Adam can't help but grin at that, and he squeezes her hand, laughing at Jon.

"I like her just fine, in or out of dresses."

Jon sighs dramatically. "Yes, I suppose she'll do."

He grins and gestures to the chairs. "Have a seat and make yourselves comfortable. What have been doing with yourselves since you arrived?"

"Oh, plotting ways to drive you mad before your wedding, naturally."

She smiles slowly, much like a cat about to trap a mouse.

"We have news."

Adam smile innocently.

Jon looks from one to the other. "Why am I suddenly terrified?"

Alanna giggles, waggling her eyebrows a bit.

"Say it isn't so! Fear your own Champion? Scandalous."

Idly, "oh, we got married. Officially."

Adam picks up her hand as well as his own to show off the rings on the left hands.

"Well it's about damn time." He grins widely. "Congratulations, you two."

Alanna stares at the rings with a small smile before lazily turning her attention to Jon.

"Thank you, and regardless of whether or not you think it was about damn time, I think it was perfect."

She grins.

"So obviously we get to give you advice on being married."

"Seeing as we're boring old married people now."

His eyes twinkle a bit as he says it, though.

He laughs. "Yes, the most boring I know. And I'll of course take any advice you give me most seriously." He attempts to make a serious face, but fails miserably.

Alanna adopts a serious expression.

"Lesson the first: be tolerant of icy feet."

"Lesson the second:"

As he mocks a glare in Alanna's direction.

"Buy plenty of blankets."

Jon laughs. "I remember those feet. And sweating all night because she was always freezing. Luckily, Thayet has a much higher tolerance for the cold."

Alanna mouths the word sorry to Adam, but somehow she doesn't look sorry at all.

"Well, hopefully she can deal with your snoring." She ducks. "I took Adam to Trebond."

That's okay, because Adam doesn't look at all annoyed. He shuffles back and forth on his feet and nods.

Jon looks interested. "How are things there? I'm afraid it's been a while since I've checked in."

"Well enough," she says, and she's not smiling nearly as much as she was before. "The people are leaner than they should be. I fear for them come winter."

After staring into space, she drags her gaze back to his.

"I'd like- If it's not too much to ask, I thought perhaps you could grant Trebond to Coram for his service. He deserves it, and I'll never live there again."

Jon nods. "It's not too much to ask. He has done more than his share for this kingdom. Trebond needs a good master and this land could use a few more nobles willing to get their hands dirty."

Relaxing, she gives him a brilliant smile.

"So I suppose that will make me Alanna... Young of Olau."

There's a smug grin on Adam's face.

"I can't wait to see the look on peoples' faces when they announce you as such."

"The really uppity nobles will raise their noses at you." He adopts a nasal, high-pitched accent. "Alanna Young? Only commoners have 2 names." He sniffs loudly and tosses his head away from them.

"Bah, tell that to Sir Gareth of Naxen. The Younger."

She smiles at Adam, pleased with his reaction.

Jon grins at them both.

"In any case, I'm glad you're both here. It should be quite the party tomorrow night - and we have much to celebrate."

"That we do," she says, rolling to her feet. "For now, we shall leave you to your dearly departed nobles."

She gives him another swift hug, winks and follows Adam out the door.

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The palace, Corus

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