Disclaimer: Since this is fan fiction, I obviously do not own any of these characters, nor these places. :P However, I do own the plot, and hope you enjoy reading it. :)

So, starting from where Thayet set off for the deserts…

"Alanna."

Alanna's head snapped up as she looked at her friend. Thayet's hands wrung her handkerchief into tight ropes, only to have it spring apart the moment she released her tight grip. "What is it, Thayet?" Alanna asked patiently, although she was pretty sure she could guess what was bothering the hazel-eyed girl. She told herself over and over that this arrangement was for the best, and chided silently for her heart rate to slow down to normal. After all, Thayet was a princess – a perfect match for Jon.

"I – I…" Thayet started over several times, wringing her hands in her lap, a clear look of distress on her ivory smooth face. She bit her lower lip, worrying it in her teeth.

"Thayet", Alanna smiled a little wearily, not quite meeting Thayet's eyes, but staring out at the beautiful setting desert sun through the open flap of her tent. Its rays cast a myriad of golden colours, and softened the sharp edges of other tents in the Bloody Hawk Tribe. She pushed away the loneliness that seemed to be washing over her more and more frequently." Just say it. If you don't, I'll say it for you".

The other girl mouthed soundlessly, a pleading look in her eyes. She tried speaking again, but nothing came out. Alanna took her hands firmly, and looked Thayet straight in the eye. "You're in love with Jon, aren't you?" She asked softly. Alanna would have been horrified had she heard that bitter ring in her voice.

Thayet's large, hazel eyes widened, and Alanna heard her soft, but sharp intake of breath. "I – I – Alanna…It's just the opposite…" She finally managed to string together. "I DO love Jon, but not enough to marry him."

"That's great, its – what?!" Alanna, who had suddenly clued in, asked incredulously, pitch rising slightly in surprise. "But – I – Jon…" She trailed off in shock, unaware she sounded a lot like Thayet did a few minutes ago. "But I thought-" Alanna gave herself a mental kick, disgusted with herself. What is wrong with you?!?! "I thought you loved him."

"Everybody thinks that", Thayet sighed, getting up off the mats to pace restlessly around Alanna's tent.

"Well", Alanna snapped angrily, "You've certainly given us reasons to believe that". She couldn't quite place her finger on exactly what was bothering her. She also knew the anger was unworthy of her, but the knowledge just spited her further.

Thayet stopped in her tracks and looked at her friend beseechingly. "I DO love Jonathan", she started quietly, "but I'm not in love with him."

This caused the lady knight to blink in further surprise, her heart starting to race again. This really can't be too good for my health. "So you've just been toying with him! Making him dance to your music. In case you have forgotten, the 'him' we're talking about is the Ruler of Tortall!!" Alanna remembered how thin the tent walls were, and lowered her voice. "He thinks you love him", she hissed softly.

"I thought so too", Thayet whispered. "But then he asked me to be his Queen. And – and I knew then, that I could never do it." She stared un-seeingly at the colourful rug on the ground, tears gathering into the corners on her eyes.

Alanna sighed, softening slightly. After all, feelings can't be changed with force. How well she knew that. "I'm sorry", she said gruffly, patting the mat beside her, indicating Thayet should sit back down. "Sit. I'm getting dizzy watching you walk around in circles."

"No. I should be the one that's sorry. I disturbed you two. Your relationship would have blossomed out so well if I hadn't gotten between you." Thayet smiled shakily, plopping herself down beside Alanna in an un-princessly manner.

"Nonsense", the Lioness growled, but she could feel the heat creeping into her cheeks. "There's nothing like that between us!" She protested loudly.

Thayet arched her eyebrows in disbelief. Alanna's blush gave her away easily. She opened her mouth to say something, but Alanna spoke before she got her vocal cords into working condition. "So what are you going to do now?" The copper haired girl asked quickly, changing the topic.

"Going ahead with my plans for a school." Thayet shrugged delicately, and mustered another shaky smile, but her full lips were quivering.

Alanna opened her mouth to speak, but Buri and Kourrem burst into the tent, all talking at once. "Finally!" Buri threw up her hands. "Where have you been two been?!"

"I-"

"We-" Thayet and Alanna started in unison, before breaking out into helpless giggles, the tension vanishing immediately.

"What?" Kourrem asked curiously, scrutinizing the two of them, thick eyebrows gathered together.

"Nothing!" Alanna replied a little to quickly.

Buri rolled her eyes in mock despair. "Yeah right…" "Buri", Kourrem whispered, "the message."

"Oh – yeah." The girl grinned sheepishly. She turned to Alanna and Thayet. "While you were attending to whatever business you were up to, there was a messenger asking for you." Buri's chocolate dark eyes twinkled.

"Really?" Alanna didn't look very interested. "From where?"

"He came from, oh…Corus?"

"Corus?" Both girls chorused together, surprise etched into their voices. They glanced at each other, before fixing their attention back on Buri. "What did he say?" Alanna queried.

"Now that I finally got your attention", Buri grinned, "It was from your King. He says that we might not know, but Scarnians are invading Tortall up north, and Tusaine is planning an attack on the Eastern border. He wants you back immediately."

Thayet turned away at the mention of going back to Corus. The Lioness frowned. Scarnians attacked every year, why was Jon so worried? I'm not ready to go back yet! "Don't they do that every year?" Alanna said out loud airily, pretending it was no big deal. She stretched, and got up from the mat, apparently not looking too worried about the safety of her country. The conversation with Thayet a few minutes ago had shaken her up more than it should have.

Now it was Buri's tone to frown. "Alanna, you're the King's Champion! The is no time to hide in your tent!"

"I'm not doing anything of that sort! I'm just-" Alanna broke off mid-sentence. How could she explain to this innocent girl about their present precarious situation with Jon?

"You know this is His Majesty's first year of rule", Kourrem said suddenly, in a soothing tone. "The Scarnians are taking advantage of that. Plus…the-" she hesitated. "The whole tragedy of the coronation – and…"

Alanna sighed heavily. She didn't want to go back and face Jon yet. She didn't want to face ANYONE yet. All she wanted was some time alone to herself, and deal with the aftermath of the event of the coronation in peace. Alanna didn't want to admit it, but she also wanted time to dull her once flaring feelings for Jon. But guilt tugged at her heartstrings. She knew her duty as a knight, not to mention the King's Champion. How would she live with herself if she didn't rise up to the need of her country and her king? "Buri? Send a message back with the messenger. I'll be back next week."

Buri and Kourrem grinned at each other triumphantly. "Finally! I told you she would come to her senses!" Buri said victoriously, doing a little victory dance.

"I knew she would all along!" Kourrem argued.

"Enough!" The Lady Knight growled, pretending not the see their relieved faces, or Thayet's slight frown.

"That's it then…" Alanna folded the last burnoose and tucked it into her bags. She looked across the room to Thayet, who was sprawled on the bed, gazing at Alanna through half-open eyes. "You sure you want to stay here alone?" She questioned, not for the first time.

A sad smile flitted across Thayet's soft, rose-red lips. "I'm not alone. Buri will be here for me." Seeing Alanna's rather guilty look, she added, "don't worry. I'll be fine. He needs you a lot more than I do."

Alanna's heart squeezed at that simple sentence. She knew, (or thought she knew), that Thayet was the one Jon needed by his side. Not her…But she had her duty, and by the Goddess, she was going to fulfill that if it took everything she had. Suddenly, she frowned as she heard the clip pity-clop of hoofs outside the tent.

"Who is it?" Thayet inquired curiously. No one knew Alanna was leaving so suddenly. The knight had insisted on riding back to the capital alone and unaccompanied. She insisted she was a knight and could take care of herself, but deep inside, Alanna really wanted to buy the time to sort out her muddled thoughts and more muddled feelings. Both girls looked up, and their mouths dropped open at the tall figure that walked inside.

"George?" Alanna asked disbelievingly. "What are you doing here?"

The thief (er…pardon me…once-thief…) grinned, flashing his pearly, white teeth. "What? Not happy to see me?" He stood casually in front of them, hazel eyes mocking, hair tousled by the fierce desert wind.

"Thrilled", Thayet grinned in response, and answered when the shocked Alanna stared at George speechlessly. She didn't need someone else to add to her complicated thoughts. George laughed lightly, and then noticed Alanna's less-than-happy look on her face. "Alanna?" He asked softly.

Thayet got up lazily, glancing at George. "Um…I think I'll go take a walk around the village – drop in at the temple to visit Kara, maybe." She winked at him. "I know you two have things to sort out."

"Thayet", Alanna protested. This was NOT a good time to be left alone with George. The raven-haired girl ignored this, and walked out of the tent, humming cheerfully to herself. She knew she should not have left Alanna in their alone with George, but his eyes said he wanted the time alone. Somehow, Thayet could not ignore the pleading in the depth of those hazel eyes…

A/N comments?