Disclaimer:
Yeah none of these characters are mine, they're all Tamora Pierce's. I use some direct quotes at times.
This is just my romantic wishful thinking. I'll just re-write bits of Lioness Rampant, the parts I leave out you can fill in for yourself.
In Myles's house, late at night, the library. THE BIG REUNION!!
"You should've waited." Alanna recognised George's lilt. "She fell asleep in her chair, poor thing. She's weary. They all are."
"And there's little rest for my lady knight here." Jonathon sighed.
"Does he know she's back?"
"He knows, I just don't - what?"
George came out and bowed to Alanna, indicating that she should go into the library. Pushing her inside he closed the door, leaving her alone with Jon.
He stood before the hearth, cradling Faithful. She's forgotten he was a head taller than she. His black clothes emphasised his sapphire eyes; his moustache and hair were blacker than his velvet tunic. She looked at his elegantly carved mouth and straight nose thinking, "Jon's still the most handsome man I've ever seen - and that includes Roger!" He'd changed since their angry parting. His face had stubborn lines, and there was a seriousness about him she liked.
"Alanna!" he breathed, stepping away from the fire. "You don't know what it means to see you home again!" His eyes filled suddenly. "He killed himself Alanna. He made it look like a hunting accident but I wasn't. oh, gods. Why did I have to lose both of them?" he covered his face with his hands and cried.
Deeply moved she wrapped her arms around his neck and let him hold her tight, weeping herself.
"I've missed you so much!" she whispered once his breathing had steadied again. He sighed.
"I have to know: do you really have the jewel?" he made no effort to pull away from her.
"I can get it if you want." She offered, her head tucked neatly under his chin.
"Not yet, alright? This is so comfortable. It's been almost a year since I held you remember?" he sighed and sat, drawing her onto his lap. She curled up contentedly. He kissed the top of her glossy hair.
"Keep it safe for now. I need to think of a way to present it suitably. You don't know how much it means to be able to tell people we have the Dominion Jewel. Perhaps it will stop the rumours of a curse."
She turned her head up and smiled. He grinned back and poked her in the side, making her squirm. "Easy enough for you to laugh!" he chided.
A short time later George rejoined them. "All's well then?" Alanna and Jon smiled at each other. "At last" George sighed. "It never felt right when you two were on the outs with each other." He served up tea for all three.
Jon raised his Copper Isle Red Griffen in a toast. "To old friends, the best friends!"
"So mote it be." Alanna replied.
"Hear hear," George added.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" a low female voice exclaimed.
Jon's attention focused over Alanna's shoulder at Thayet. He glanced back at Alanna and she found herself wondering if the comparison was favourable.
George drew the sleep-tousled Princess into the room. "Come in, we're just having tea," he told her, closing the door. "Take a seat."
The King-to-be stood and raised Thayet's hand to his lips.
"Thayet jian Wilima," George said, eyeing Alanna's amusement "May I present Jonathan of Conte."
The Warlord's daughter curtsied just to the degree proper for a princess to greet a King - not an inch more. The gravity of the situation was spoiled when she wobbled slightly. With a giggle she sat on a nearby chair.
"Too late at night!" she proclaimed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A few weeks later Jonathan called a meeting of his most trusted advisors. Myles, Gary, the Provost, Duke Gareth, Duke Baird, Raoul and Alanna. Feeling uneasy Alanna went. She was unsure of her place in such a gathering. She was a knight; all the others had great responsibilities or wisdom. She didn't even hold a large fief.
She arrived late, and they were already deep in discussion.
"Ah, the woman of the hour!" Jon stood and led her to her seat. "Now," he addressed the whole room, "I know the sixty days to the coronation seems like a long time, but we much to do." He glanced at Duke Gareth. "I've given some thought to the appointment of a new king's champion. Uncle Gareth no longer wants it. We feel someone young should be champion. A proven warrior of course. One who is known to our people and our neighbours."
"Jonathan." She whispered, knowing it was useless.
"Say 'thankyou', Alanna." Myles said gently.
She met Jon's eyes and he would give no quarter. She had earned this honour. Did she really want to refuse?
"You said yourself you wanted to be useful." Jon pointed out.
Alanna had to grin. Trapped by her own tongue. "Thankyou Jonathan." She whispered.
He smiled. "You won't regret it. Or at least, I won't."
After the meeting drew to a close Jon signalled Alanna to stay behind. He sat across from her at the table. "Please don't feel that being champion traps you in some way." He said, somewhat concerned. "I imagine you'll have all the time in the world to continue roaming."
Alanna smiled at him. "That's good. It's not that I don't like being at home, it's just that I'll always know there are places I've never seen. I'll always be here when you need me though."
An awkward silence descended until she asked abruptly. "Are you still courting that Princess I heard about?"
Jonathan coughed and shook his head, somewhat embarrassed. "Josianne likes being a Princess too much. And she's cruel. She hides it well but she is." He fiddled with the papers in front of him. "Are you jealous?" he asked sharply. "I noticed you didn't waste time finding somebody to replace me. Two somebodies if you count George and Liam Ironarm."
Alanna sneered elegantly. "I'm not jealous you idiot. I was concerned about your taste."
Jonathan stared at the table top. "My offer of marriage stands if you want."
Alanna's heart leapt, and her eyes filled with tears. Here it was again. That part of her that desperately, desperately, longed to say yes.
She stood and walked around to sit on the table in front of him. He looked at her face, his expression unreadable. She bit her lip.
"Jon, you and I lead very different lives. You were born for this kingship thing, but the very idea of it terrifies me. I love you. I love you with all my heart. But I hate your crown, and if I've learnt anything from being with Liam, it's that a relationship cannot survive if you hate an integral part of your other half. " She leaned forward and gently kissed his forehead. He reached up and grasped her hands where they rested on his shoulders.
"I suppose I knew that all along." He whispered.
"I can't change the way I feel." A tear trickled down her cheek. "You need a queen, and I cannot be it." She took a deep breath and plunged on. "Thayet would be a good choice. I like her, she's a royal so she won't be scared of it ... and she's beautiful ..."
Jonathan laughed. "Not half as lovely as you." He remonstrated. He pulled her off the table, and stood to kiss her. She sighed and wished things could have been different.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After the action, at the end of "Lioness Rampant" when Alanna has run away to stay with the Bazhir.
In the second week of October, Thayet and Buri came to the Bloody Hawk, escorted by a squad of the King's Own. Alanna thought she might know what had brought them there, but Thayet seemed in no hurry to come to the point.
One night, a week after she arrived, they were sitting by Alanna's tent. Alanna massaged the scars on her hands. "You aren't here because you wanted to give Buri a holiday, Thayet. And it's a long ride just to say hello."
The Princess knotted her handkerchief. "He wanted me to know everything about you. He said I should have the story straight." Her voice was soft. "he said you refused to marry him. Several times. But I have to wonder, since you and he are so close ..."
Alanna took the handkercief away before her friend could damage it. "We always were close, even before we were lovers. I imagine we'll always be close. But I couldn't be his queen."
"But everyone seems to think -- when you came back ..."
"Thayet ..." Alanna sighed.
"If I hadn't come to Tortall ... " she whispered.
Alanna drew a design in the sand. "Stop that. I brought you here! You're the perfect choice for queen."
"But you're my friend!" Thayet wailed. "I can't take your man!"
Alanna swallowed. "You aren't taking him, he's not mine." The two women smiled waterily at each other. "I'd rather it was you than someone like Delia of Eldorne!" Thayet gave a gasp of laughter, visualising the mussed lady as they had last seen her as queen.
Yeah none of these characters are mine, they're all Tamora Pierce's. I use some direct quotes at times.
This is just my romantic wishful thinking. I'll just re-write bits of Lioness Rampant, the parts I leave out you can fill in for yourself.
In Myles's house, late at night, the library. THE BIG REUNION!!
"You should've waited." Alanna recognised George's lilt. "She fell asleep in her chair, poor thing. She's weary. They all are."
"And there's little rest for my lady knight here." Jonathon sighed.
"Does he know she's back?"
"He knows, I just don't - what?"
George came out and bowed to Alanna, indicating that she should go into the library. Pushing her inside he closed the door, leaving her alone with Jon.
He stood before the hearth, cradling Faithful. She's forgotten he was a head taller than she. His black clothes emphasised his sapphire eyes; his moustache and hair were blacker than his velvet tunic. She looked at his elegantly carved mouth and straight nose thinking, "Jon's still the most handsome man I've ever seen - and that includes Roger!" He'd changed since their angry parting. His face had stubborn lines, and there was a seriousness about him she liked.
"Alanna!" he breathed, stepping away from the fire. "You don't know what it means to see you home again!" His eyes filled suddenly. "He killed himself Alanna. He made it look like a hunting accident but I wasn't. oh, gods. Why did I have to lose both of them?" he covered his face with his hands and cried.
Deeply moved she wrapped her arms around his neck and let him hold her tight, weeping herself.
"I've missed you so much!" she whispered once his breathing had steadied again. He sighed.
"I have to know: do you really have the jewel?" he made no effort to pull away from her.
"I can get it if you want." She offered, her head tucked neatly under his chin.
"Not yet, alright? This is so comfortable. It's been almost a year since I held you remember?" he sighed and sat, drawing her onto his lap. She curled up contentedly. He kissed the top of her glossy hair.
"Keep it safe for now. I need to think of a way to present it suitably. You don't know how much it means to be able to tell people we have the Dominion Jewel. Perhaps it will stop the rumours of a curse."
She turned her head up and smiled. He grinned back and poked her in the side, making her squirm. "Easy enough for you to laugh!" he chided.
A short time later George rejoined them. "All's well then?" Alanna and Jon smiled at each other. "At last" George sighed. "It never felt right when you two were on the outs with each other." He served up tea for all three.
Jon raised his Copper Isle Red Griffen in a toast. "To old friends, the best friends!"
"So mote it be." Alanna replied.
"Hear hear," George added.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" a low female voice exclaimed.
Jon's attention focused over Alanna's shoulder at Thayet. He glanced back at Alanna and she found herself wondering if the comparison was favourable.
George drew the sleep-tousled Princess into the room. "Come in, we're just having tea," he told her, closing the door. "Take a seat."
The King-to-be stood and raised Thayet's hand to his lips.
"Thayet jian Wilima," George said, eyeing Alanna's amusement "May I present Jonathan of Conte."
The Warlord's daughter curtsied just to the degree proper for a princess to greet a King - not an inch more. The gravity of the situation was spoiled when she wobbled slightly. With a giggle she sat on a nearby chair.
"Too late at night!" she proclaimed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A few weeks later Jonathan called a meeting of his most trusted advisors. Myles, Gary, the Provost, Duke Gareth, Duke Baird, Raoul and Alanna. Feeling uneasy Alanna went. She was unsure of her place in such a gathering. She was a knight; all the others had great responsibilities or wisdom. She didn't even hold a large fief.
She arrived late, and they were already deep in discussion.
"Ah, the woman of the hour!" Jon stood and led her to her seat. "Now," he addressed the whole room, "I know the sixty days to the coronation seems like a long time, but we much to do." He glanced at Duke Gareth. "I've given some thought to the appointment of a new king's champion. Uncle Gareth no longer wants it. We feel someone young should be champion. A proven warrior of course. One who is known to our people and our neighbours."
"Jonathan." She whispered, knowing it was useless.
"Say 'thankyou', Alanna." Myles said gently.
She met Jon's eyes and he would give no quarter. She had earned this honour. Did she really want to refuse?
"You said yourself you wanted to be useful." Jon pointed out.
Alanna had to grin. Trapped by her own tongue. "Thankyou Jonathan." She whispered.
He smiled. "You won't regret it. Or at least, I won't."
After the meeting drew to a close Jon signalled Alanna to stay behind. He sat across from her at the table. "Please don't feel that being champion traps you in some way." He said, somewhat concerned. "I imagine you'll have all the time in the world to continue roaming."
Alanna smiled at him. "That's good. It's not that I don't like being at home, it's just that I'll always know there are places I've never seen. I'll always be here when you need me though."
An awkward silence descended until she asked abruptly. "Are you still courting that Princess I heard about?"
Jonathan coughed and shook his head, somewhat embarrassed. "Josianne likes being a Princess too much. And she's cruel. She hides it well but she is." He fiddled with the papers in front of him. "Are you jealous?" he asked sharply. "I noticed you didn't waste time finding somebody to replace me. Two somebodies if you count George and Liam Ironarm."
Alanna sneered elegantly. "I'm not jealous you idiot. I was concerned about your taste."
Jonathan stared at the table top. "My offer of marriage stands if you want."
Alanna's heart leapt, and her eyes filled with tears. Here it was again. That part of her that desperately, desperately, longed to say yes.
She stood and walked around to sit on the table in front of him. He looked at her face, his expression unreadable. She bit her lip.
"Jon, you and I lead very different lives. You were born for this kingship thing, but the very idea of it terrifies me. I love you. I love you with all my heart. But I hate your crown, and if I've learnt anything from being with Liam, it's that a relationship cannot survive if you hate an integral part of your other half. " She leaned forward and gently kissed his forehead. He reached up and grasped her hands where they rested on his shoulders.
"I suppose I knew that all along." He whispered.
"I can't change the way I feel." A tear trickled down her cheek. "You need a queen, and I cannot be it." She took a deep breath and plunged on. "Thayet would be a good choice. I like her, she's a royal so she won't be scared of it ... and she's beautiful ..."
Jonathan laughed. "Not half as lovely as you." He remonstrated. He pulled her off the table, and stood to kiss her. She sighed and wished things could have been different.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After the action, at the end of "Lioness Rampant" when Alanna has run away to stay with the Bazhir.
In the second week of October, Thayet and Buri came to the Bloody Hawk, escorted by a squad of the King's Own. Alanna thought she might know what had brought them there, but Thayet seemed in no hurry to come to the point.
One night, a week after she arrived, they were sitting by Alanna's tent. Alanna massaged the scars on her hands. "You aren't here because you wanted to give Buri a holiday, Thayet. And it's a long ride just to say hello."
The Princess knotted her handkerchief. "He wanted me to know everything about you. He said I should have the story straight." Her voice was soft. "he said you refused to marry him. Several times. But I have to wonder, since you and he are so close ..."
Alanna took the handkercief away before her friend could damage it. "We always were close, even before we were lovers. I imagine we'll always be close. But I couldn't be his queen."
"But everyone seems to think -- when you came back ..."
"Thayet ..." Alanna sighed.
"If I hadn't come to Tortall ... " she whispered.
Alanna drew a design in the sand. "Stop that. I brought you here! You're the perfect choice for queen."
"But you're my friend!" Thayet wailed. "I can't take your man!"
Alanna swallowed. "You aren't taking him, he's not mine." The two women smiled waterily at each other. "I'd rather it was you than someone like Delia of Eldorne!" Thayet gave a gasp of laughter, visualising the mussed lady as they had last seen her as queen.