(A/N: Finally, I finished this! I've been working on it forever! It's sort of what happened the day after Alanna agreed to marry George. I've always thought they would have more to say, that George would wonder whether Alanna could get used to life like his. This is the result! And I added the song The Way I are, by Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson, which I think suits them very well. Enjoy!)

Alanna's room was dark, even though the world outside was ablaze with light from the sun. The heavy, dark curtains, for which the room had been specially picked out, made sure not a single ray of light disturbed the eyes of the sleeping redheaded knight. Alanna of Olau was deep in slumber, resting, her body recovering from the various injuries she had received in that desperate battle during King Jonathan's coronation.

Stealthily, the door to the room creaked open, and a figure more shadow than substance creeped in, softly, as only the King of the Rogue could. George went up to the sleeping Alanna, watching how her body rose and fell with every breath, admiring the soft smile and tender expression her face had while sleeping.

He sighed. Alanna had said she would marry him – she had said so to him only yesterday – less than twenty-four hours ago. But after agonizing hours of trying to go to sleep, George didn't know whether she had meant it or not – if she wouldn't change her mind. After all, Alanna was a noblewoman, and although that meant nothing to him, it meant a lot to other folks. If this caused Alanna to change her mind, he would much prefer to know it right now, to stave off the pain.

Abruptly, he reached out and shook her shoulder. "Alanna, honey", he murmured in her ear. She stirred restlessly, an annoyed frown appearing on her face. "Alanna, wake up – it's George, and I want to talk to you."

Suddenly, Alanna's hand shot out, aiming a punch at the source of the distraction. George, expecting it, dodged it easily, and chuckling, kept shaking Alanna. Groaning, the lady knight sat up.

"This had better be urgent, George, or I will chop you up into pieces with my bare hands," Alanna threatened, rubbing at her eyes.

George paid no attention. "Lass," he began, "Do you remember what you told me yesterday?"

Alanna's eyes narrowed. "I said lots of things to you yesterday – perhaps I could remember better if I had a little more sleep!"

George took that as a yes. "You said you loved me. You said you would marry me. Do you remember that?"

Mystified by George's tone, Alanna forgot about sleep for the moment. "Yes. I do." Why was he asking these questions? Was something wrong? "What happened, George? Is something – "

"Everything's fine, Lioness," George interrupted placatingly, a teasing grin curling up momentarily on his face. "It's just – " And at that, his face became serious. "Alanna, do you realize what this means? You turned down the King of Tortall's hand in marriage!"

"Yes, but Thayet's much more suited to Jon than I ever will be. And besides, I don't love Jon!" Like it or not, Alanna was awake now – much more awake than she wanted to be.

A gleam of light flashed in George's hazel eyes at her last words, but he doggedly pursued what he was trying to say. "Yes, but you have to understand – even if I become the Baron of Pirate's Swoop, I can't ever begin to compare with what wealth and prestige you have."

Furiously, Alanna opened her mouth to interrupt, but George held up his hand insistently."No, let me finish. Let me just say this, and then you can talk. I know my worth as well as anyone, and I know I can keep care of you – you just need to know that if you marry me, your life will be very different from other noblewomen, and if you don't want that life, I - I can't blame you - and I'd understand."

I ain't got no money
I ain't got no car to take you on a date
I can't even buy you flowers
But together we could be the perfect soulmates
Talk to me, girl

He drew in a long breath, and looked at the redhead. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and an unsettled expression sat on her face. Slowly, a dark cloud seemed to roll over her face, and an exaggeratedly ominous feeling of doom came over George.

"You woke me up. From the best dream ever. For THIS?" her temper flared on the last word, purple eyes blazing like amethysts on fire.

Lesser men would have cowered. George prided himself on merely wincing at her expression. "I just want things to be clear between us, from the start. I don't want a naggy, whiny, complaining wife who keeps reminding me how things could have gone," George calmly explained. "You know the type, 'The Emperor of Carthak asked for my hand, and I turned him down for this?'" he imitated in a nasally voice.

"You know, I think I had an aunt like that once," Alanna commented thoughtfully, her annoyance forgotten for the moment. "I can't remember too clearly anymore, but everytime she visited, I'd hear her whining away at my poor uncle about how her father was so much richer than he was, how she'd lowered herself to marry him, etc."

"Let's hope it doesn't run in the family," George teased her, and she gave him a reluctant, sleepy grin.

"George," she asked, her voice still slightly thick and disgruntled, "Do you think I'd say I'd marry you if I didn't mean it?"

"No…but I'm not going to have people say I tricked you into this life with my wily charms and winsome ways."

Alanna snorted, then yawned. "As if I ever cared about a life like that! George, I don't need jewels and money and things like that. Sure, they're pretty, but stones like that get mighty heavy when they're all you have left."

She hesitated a second, then continued, her eyes widening slightly in her effort to sound as sincere as possible. "George, I'd – I'd be perfectly happy if it were just you and me with nothing but the open sky above our heads."

He raised his eyebrows skeptically at her, and she groaned in frustration. "Come on, George, you know I never was like those other girls!"

It was his turn to snort. "Yes, I have known for quite a long time that you are one of a kind. You wouldn't believe it, but not many girls go around wanting to become knights – and even less actually make it as a knight."

"Yes! Exactly!" Alanna tried to explain. "And part of the reason I wanted to become a knight was to avoid ever getting married to some pompous, stuffed fish who didn't let me have any fun. Now do you see?" she asked, trying to widen her eyes even more.

Oh, baby, it's alright now, you ain't gotta flaunt for me
If we go touch, you can still touch my love, it's free
We can work without the perks, just you and me
Thug it out 'til we get it right

Her expression was so comical, part sleepy, part earnest, and part irritated, that George couldn't help it. He had to laugh. But midway through a chuckle, he caught sight of her face and abruptly sobered up.

"Oh, trust me," George smiled. His mind wasn't totally at ease about the issue, but he figured he would deal with the rest later. "You will have fun. I guarantee it." And his smile was so mischievous, that Alanna immediately forgot all about sleep.

Baby if you strip, you can get a tip
'Cause I like you just the way you are
I'm about to strip and I'm well equipped
Can you handle me the way I are?
I don't need the G's or the car keys
Boy, I like you just the way you are
Let me see ya strip, you can get a tip
'Cause I like, I like, I like….

It was about noon, and outside, the streets were scorched from the dry sun. Alanna took two steps out the door, but then changed her mind, and ducked back into the house.

Turning around, she bumped into George. "Oh. Sorry! I didn't see you there." The look on his face made her blush uncomfortably.

"What?" she snapped.

"I'm just wondering", he replied casually, leaning against the wall. "Are you sure?"

She knew immediately what he was talking about, and she wished he wasn't. Dramatically, she rolled her eyes and heaved a sigh. "No, George," Alanna said, sarcasm heavy on every syllable. "I regret asking you to marry me. I want to go marry that old stuffed shirt what's-his-name Wyldon instead, and be his meek, mild little wife who loves to cook and dance and sew and what-not."

Rolling his eyes, George simply replied, "Too bad. He's married."

Repressing a groan with difficulty, Alanna strode into the other room. George followed her, trying to make his point. "So are you sure? Will you really marry me? And travel with me? And – " Alanna suddenly whirled around, interrupting George.

"Look, George, what are you trying to say? Don't you want me to marry you? Because if not, all you have to do is say so. I really don't like all this beating about the bush. I realize it's been a long time since you asked me to marry you – you've probably changed - "

"Sweet Mother," George whispered, face livid, cutting off Alanna. "That wasn't anything like what I meant! And you know that same as I do, Alanna. You know I want to marry you more than anything."

Alanna folded her arms across her chest, making her face hard. "Then why do you keep bringing it up?"

"Well, do you remember what you told me the first time I asked for you to marry me?" George crossed his arms as well.

I ain't got no VISA
I ain't got no Red American Express
We can't go nowhere exotic
It don't matter 'cause I'm the one that loves you best
Talk to me girl

A blush covered Alanna's face as she realized how this whole problem started. Looking at his boots, she mumbled a reply.

"Speak up, Lioness. What happened to all that courage?" he asked, a mischievous twinkle entering his eyes.

Rolling her eyes, Alanna looked up at him and forced herself to say, "I said, 'Like must marry like'"

"Exactly!" George grinned in response, but it didn't reach his eyes. Apparently, that careless remark of Alanna's had wounded him more than he let on.

"But I was different then!" Alanna quickly tried to reiterate. "I didn't want to marry anyone, not Jon, not you, not anyone! That's the only reason I said that! I never meant it!"

Oh, baby, it's alright now, you ain't gotta flaunt for me
If we go touch, you can still touch my love, it's free
We can work without the perks just you and me
Thug it out til we get it right

In her eagerness to set George straight, she had come so close to him, their noses were an inch apart. Solemnly looking into each other's eyes, George was the first to speak.

"So…"

"So…?" Alanna asked.

"You're willing to have me, even though I'm not of your rank."

"Yes."

"You're willing to disregard the 'like must marry like' rule, and marry me."

"More than willing. Besides, we are like – just not from the same class, is all."

"In that case…" Suddenly, George went down on one knee in front of a startled Lioness. "I was planning to do this some other way – maybe more romantic, and I forgot the rose, but now seems as good a time as any."

He cleared his throat, clutched Alanna's hand, and declared, "Lady Knight Alanna the Lioness of Trebond and Olau, I love you, have loved you, and will love you until the universe stops being. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Alanna stood dumbstruck for a few seconds. She had never really imagined anyone ever proposing to her. And when she'd agreed to marry George just yesterday, it had seemed like the end of the proposal. She'd forgotten all about the ring George held in his hands at that moment.

"Don't worry, I didn't steal the ring – legally obtained…I think," George added.

Alanna rolled her eyes, but the huge smile spreading across her face rather gave her away, she thought. "Good enough for me," she told him. "I would love to marry you."

Baby if you strip, you can get a tip
'Cause I like you just the way you are
I'm about to strip and I'm well equipped
Can you handle me the way I are?
I don't need the G's or the car keys
Boy, I like you just the way you are
Let me see you strip, you can get a tip
'Cause I like you just the way you are

Easily, George slipped the ring onto her finger, and groaning, got off his knee. "I thought you were never going to speak up. My knee was killing me!"

Laughing together, they came closer…and closer…and closer…and closer…until they couldn't tell where one began and the other ended, like two oddly-shaped puzzle pieces that simply wouldn't fit anywhere but with each other, no matter how different they looked at first sight.

Baby girl, (yeah, yeah) I don't got a huge ol' house,
I rent a room in a house
Listen baby girl, (yeah, yeah) I ain't got a motorboat,
But I can float your boat
So listen, baby girl, (yeah, yeah) once you get a dose of D.O.E
You gon' want some mo'
So listen, baby girl, (yeah, yeah) when I make it, I want you there,
Want you there, yeah.

(A/N: Tell me how it was! My first Tamora Pierce fic - tell me how you thought it was. You don't even have to be gentle, just tell me what you thought! Please? You know you want to!)