Is It Enough? -Chapter Nine
Author's Note: I know, I know, I should have updated sooner. I'm very sorry. Will you, my wonderful, loyal, fantastic readers, please forgive me? Lol you guys really are wonderful. I'm gonna try to update at LEAST once a week from now on, now that school begins in a week for me::shudders:: where did the summer go? I'll let you people get to the story in a minute, but first, quick question-how do u do italics or underline stuff? I can't figure it out. Oh yes, and review please. You have no idea how happy they make me. So until next time, here it is. Enjoy.
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"You?!" Alanna exclaimed, her amethyst eyes widening in shock. "But how??"
Raoul stepped closer to Alanna, concern etched into his face, as curious onlookers began to gather around the pair.
"What's wrong? You look like you've just seen a ghost. And lower your voice please. We're attracting a lot of attention."
"I know this man, Raoul. I've seen him before. In fact, I do believe, Lord Brownyn Nulseth, if that's what he's calling himself, has gone by a decidedly different name. In fact," Alanna said hoarsely, turning her steely gaze to the now uncomfortable looking Lord, "if I'm correct, you, sir, are nothing more than a fraud. Scanran Lord indeed! Half Carthaki raider scum is more like it!"
"Carthaki?" Gary questioned, one of the many onlookers who had been drawn to Alanna's cry.
"He looks completely Scanran."
"Half Carthaki, Gary," Alanna corrected, not taking her eyes off the man. "The other half's Scanran."
George looked at the man carefully, putting his hand on Alanna's shoulder, trying to calm her.
"Well, well, well, I'd recognize YOU laddy anywhere. I believe I owe this scar," George drawled, rolling up his shirtsleeve to show a nasty looking cut, still not quite healed, on his bicep, "to you. You and a friend, wasn't it? Nasty looking one, him, wasn't as lucky as you though, was he?"
"Alanna knifed him in the back before he could escape," George said, answering the unspoken question.
A fussy looking noblewoman shuddered in horror. Alanna ignored her. "So he was part of the raiders who attacked Port Caynn a few month's back. Fine. What's he doing in Corus now?"
"I don't know. Why don't we ask him," Alanna suggested, her eyes flashing dangerously.
The Provost stepped forward eagerly, smiling wolfishly.
"I didn't like you from the second I laid my eyes on you. And now I get to do somethin' about it. If ye are, in fact, who the lass here says ye are, and she's never let me down yet, ye're answerin' to charges of murder, assault, pillaging, rape, and fraud. So long as ye know. Now move it. I'm sure His Highness will be wantin' to speak with ye."
Smirking, the Provost marched a furious looking Nulseth over to Jon and Thayet for further interrogations.
Gary arched his brows at Buri, who arched hers back.
"Still think we should hear him out," Gary asked impishly.
Buri shook her head, and went to go find Raoul, who had wandered off with the Provost.
Gary grinned at his retreating friend's back, and searched the considerably less crowded room for Crylina. He wondered what she would make of this scene. Something was bothering him about her, and her family, but he wasn't sure what it was. Knowing it would come to him sooner or later, he didn't think any more of it. Jon's paranoid conspiracy theory was just that, paranoid. There was nothing going on in Corus. Gary was sure of that.
George looked at Alanna with concern. She was extremely pale and wasn't saying anything. Her eyes seemed locked on Nulseth.
"Alanna?" he ventured, panic creeping into his voice.
"Alanna! Alanna look at me will you? Alanna!" Grasping her arms he shook her gently, peering into her emotionless eyes.
"George!" she cried, pushing his arms off her. "What in the name of the Goddess do you think you were doing??"
George sighed with relief, thankful that Alanna had snapped out of whatever trance like state she was in, and crossed his arms over his muscular chest.
"What happened to you love? Didn't you hear me callin' your name?"
"I can't believe he's here. In this Palace. In this room!" Alanna whispered, voice wavering. George stared at her, not sure of what to do.
"What's the matter, love? Why is this affectin' you so much? My Lord Provost and the King's Own will make sure that bastard gets what he deserves. A nice hangin' on Traitor's Hill."
Alanna slowly shook her head, his easy words not settling her mind.
"George, you don't understand. That-that pitiful excuse for a human being, he almost killed you! If that knife he threw had hit anything else, if I hadn't got to the other attacker in time...you would have died, George! There was so much death, so much destruction. I've been a knight for a long time, seen death before that. Never seen anything like that! Never! So much.." Her voice faltered as her eyes filled up. Shaking her head once more, she ran blindly out of the room, not caring where she was going, only knowing that she had to get out.
"Alanna!!" George shouted after her.
"By the Gods!" George slammed his fist against a nearby oak table, just to have something to hit. He would have liked to kill Bronwyn Nulseth, or whatever his name was, for what he had done to Alanna, to all of them. Unconsciously, he traced a finger over his scar, thinking back to that fight..
It had been hot, so hot, he remembered. And a thick fog had covered everything. They hadn't seen the ships until the fog had lifted. And by then it had been too late. Too late to do anything but fight desperately and passionately, trying to prevent any more deaths. Alanna was right about that, for sure. There had been so much violence that day. And nothing they could have done.
He saw that. But did Alanna?
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Alanna stared moodily out at the dark, storming sky, from a balcony overlooking the lush Royal Gardens.
A man walked softly up to her, watching her look out across the land. Gently, he touched her arm.
Alanna jumped about a foot into the air and spun around.
"Jon!" she snapped. "You scared me half to death! Couldn't you at least have said something? Mithros."
Jonathan smiled softly, but in the almost pitch darkness of the gloomy corridor Alanna didn't see it.
Neither one of them said anything for quite awhile. Just stared out at the sky, watching the lightning illuminate the ground below.
Jon broke the silence first.
"You were right, Alanna. The man is definitely a fraud. A Carthaki raider, of all things! I might have signed a disastrous treaty because of him."
Alanna merely nodded.
Jon tried again.
"You made quite a scene, you know, when you up and ran out of the Ballroom like that. People might talk." He had meant it to be light and funny, but it came out harsh. Inwardly, Jon flinched.
"Good. Something they can count on. One thing the Lioness always delivers is a good scandal, right Jon?" Alanna commented sarcastically.
Alanna turned to him then, surprising him with the intensity he read in her face.
"Do you know what I see, every time I close my eyes? Well, at least what I saw up until a few weeks ago. That raid. Every night after it, I'd relive it in my dreams. And seeing him, today, it brought it all back." Alanna's voice trailed off, and Jon realized she was done.
"I don't know what to say," he said quietly. "What happened was horrible, yes, and Nulseth will pay for what he did. But you can't blame yourself, Alanna. It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have done anything!"
Alanna smiled sardonically.
"I suppose you're right, Jon. We did all we possibly could. But it wasn't enough. Is it ever?"
Jon looked at her, and for the first time, he saw how much things had changed, and how much they had stayed the same, would always be the same.
"Goodnight, Alanna. Dream sweet things tonight."
He walked away, slowly down the hall, back to the Ballroom, and his royal duties. A brief detour from the path he knew he must take.
Don't torture yourself too much longer, he thought to himself. ************************************************************************
Lady Rianna of Thornebrook rode through the streets of Corus silently, taking the sights of the great city in. but there was only one thing she was truly interested in, and that would be the building she was rapidly approaching. The Palace. She almost couldn't believe she was actually here, that she would actually get the chance to carry out her plan.
A member of the Palace Guard stopped her as she tried to enter the gates.
Seeing the woman, obviously a member of the noble class, and a quite beautiful one at that, scowl in displeasure, he blushed ever so slightly, and apologized.
"It's our orders, Lady. We're to question anyone enterin' or leavin' the Palace. Just can't risk it, now, what with the Lioness's posionin' and now treason. Yer name please?"
"Lady Daphne of Ellinwood," Rianna lied smoothly.
"And yer business here at the Palace?"
"My cousin, the Lady Crylina of Thornebrook, was to be presented at Court tonight. I came to see her, of course."
"Thank you, Lady. You can ride in now. Someone will assist you and your mount inside the gates."
Rianna nodded icily, and tossing her hair, entered the Palace Walls.
Too easy, she thought. That was just too easy.
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A/N: Yes, I realize that this chapter might be labeled depressing, but it was necessary for the story to proceed. Don't worry, Alanna will snap out of it soon. In the meantime, R/R please!!
Author's Note: I know, I know, I should have updated sooner. I'm very sorry. Will you, my wonderful, loyal, fantastic readers, please forgive me? Lol you guys really are wonderful. I'm gonna try to update at LEAST once a week from now on, now that school begins in a week for me::shudders:: where did the summer go? I'll let you people get to the story in a minute, but first, quick question-how do u do italics or underline stuff? I can't figure it out. Oh yes, and review please. You have no idea how happy they make me. So until next time, here it is. Enjoy.
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"You?!" Alanna exclaimed, her amethyst eyes widening in shock. "But how??"
Raoul stepped closer to Alanna, concern etched into his face, as curious onlookers began to gather around the pair.
"What's wrong? You look like you've just seen a ghost. And lower your voice please. We're attracting a lot of attention."
"I know this man, Raoul. I've seen him before. In fact, I do believe, Lord Brownyn Nulseth, if that's what he's calling himself, has gone by a decidedly different name. In fact," Alanna said hoarsely, turning her steely gaze to the now uncomfortable looking Lord, "if I'm correct, you, sir, are nothing more than a fraud. Scanran Lord indeed! Half Carthaki raider scum is more like it!"
"Carthaki?" Gary questioned, one of the many onlookers who had been drawn to Alanna's cry.
"He looks completely Scanran."
"Half Carthaki, Gary," Alanna corrected, not taking her eyes off the man. "The other half's Scanran."
George looked at the man carefully, putting his hand on Alanna's shoulder, trying to calm her.
"Well, well, well, I'd recognize YOU laddy anywhere. I believe I owe this scar," George drawled, rolling up his shirtsleeve to show a nasty looking cut, still not quite healed, on his bicep, "to you. You and a friend, wasn't it? Nasty looking one, him, wasn't as lucky as you though, was he?"
"Alanna knifed him in the back before he could escape," George said, answering the unspoken question.
A fussy looking noblewoman shuddered in horror. Alanna ignored her. "So he was part of the raiders who attacked Port Caynn a few month's back. Fine. What's he doing in Corus now?"
"I don't know. Why don't we ask him," Alanna suggested, her eyes flashing dangerously.
The Provost stepped forward eagerly, smiling wolfishly.
"I didn't like you from the second I laid my eyes on you. And now I get to do somethin' about it. If ye are, in fact, who the lass here says ye are, and she's never let me down yet, ye're answerin' to charges of murder, assault, pillaging, rape, and fraud. So long as ye know. Now move it. I'm sure His Highness will be wantin' to speak with ye."
Smirking, the Provost marched a furious looking Nulseth over to Jon and Thayet for further interrogations.
Gary arched his brows at Buri, who arched hers back.
"Still think we should hear him out," Gary asked impishly.
Buri shook her head, and went to go find Raoul, who had wandered off with the Provost.
Gary grinned at his retreating friend's back, and searched the considerably less crowded room for Crylina. He wondered what she would make of this scene. Something was bothering him about her, and her family, but he wasn't sure what it was. Knowing it would come to him sooner or later, he didn't think any more of it. Jon's paranoid conspiracy theory was just that, paranoid. There was nothing going on in Corus. Gary was sure of that.
George looked at Alanna with concern. She was extremely pale and wasn't saying anything. Her eyes seemed locked on Nulseth.
"Alanna?" he ventured, panic creeping into his voice.
"Alanna! Alanna look at me will you? Alanna!" Grasping her arms he shook her gently, peering into her emotionless eyes.
"George!" she cried, pushing his arms off her. "What in the name of the Goddess do you think you were doing??"
George sighed with relief, thankful that Alanna had snapped out of whatever trance like state she was in, and crossed his arms over his muscular chest.
"What happened to you love? Didn't you hear me callin' your name?"
"I can't believe he's here. In this Palace. In this room!" Alanna whispered, voice wavering. George stared at her, not sure of what to do.
"What's the matter, love? Why is this affectin' you so much? My Lord Provost and the King's Own will make sure that bastard gets what he deserves. A nice hangin' on Traitor's Hill."
Alanna slowly shook her head, his easy words not settling her mind.
"George, you don't understand. That-that pitiful excuse for a human being, he almost killed you! If that knife he threw had hit anything else, if I hadn't got to the other attacker in time...you would have died, George! There was so much death, so much destruction. I've been a knight for a long time, seen death before that. Never seen anything like that! Never! So much.." Her voice faltered as her eyes filled up. Shaking her head once more, she ran blindly out of the room, not caring where she was going, only knowing that she had to get out.
"Alanna!!" George shouted after her.
"By the Gods!" George slammed his fist against a nearby oak table, just to have something to hit. He would have liked to kill Bronwyn Nulseth, or whatever his name was, for what he had done to Alanna, to all of them. Unconsciously, he traced a finger over his scar, thinking back to that fight..
It had been hot, so hot, he remembered. And a thick fog had covered everything. They hadn't seen the ships until the fog had lifted. And by then it had been too late. Too late to do anything but fight desperately and passionately, trying to prevent any more deaths. Alanna was right about that, for sure. There had been so much violence that day. And nothing they could have done.
He saw that. But did Alanna?
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Alanna stared moodily out at the dark, storming sky, from a balcony overlooking the lush Royal Gardens.
A man walked softly up to her, watching her look out across the land. Gently, he touched her arm.
Alanna jumped about a foot into the air and spun around.
"Jon!" she snapped. "You scared me half to death! Couldn't you at least have said something? Mithros."
Jonathan smiled softly, but in the almost pitch darkness of the gloomy corridor Alanna didn't see it.
Neither one of them said anything for quite awhile. Just stared out at the sky, watching the lightning illuminate the ground below.
Jon broke the silence first.
"You were right, Alanna. The man is definitely a fraud. A Carthaki raider, of all things! I might have signed a disastrous treaty because of him."
Alanna merely nodded.
Jon tried again.
"You made quite a scene, you know, when you up and ran out of the Ballroom like that. People might talk." He had meant it to be light and funny, but it came out harsh. Inwardly, Jon flinched.
"Good. Something they can count on. One thing the Lioness always delivers is a good scandal, right Jon?" Alanna commented sarcastically.
Alanna turned to him then, surprising him with the intensity he read in her face.
"Do you know what I see, every time I close my eyes? Well, at least what I saw up until a few weeks ago. That raid. Every night after it, I'd relive it in my dreams. And seeing him, today, it brought it all back." Alanna's voice trailed off, and Jon realized she was done.
"I don't know what to say," he said quietly. "What happened was horrible, yes, and Nulseth will pay for what he did. But you can't blame yourself, Alanna. It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have done anything!"
Alanna smiled sardonically.
"I suppose you're right, Jon. We did all we possibly could. But it wasn't enough. Is it ever?"
Jon looked at her, and for the first time, he saw how much things had changed, and how much they had stayed the same, would always be the same.
"Goodnight, Alanna. Dream sweet things tonight."
He walked away, slowly down the hall, back to the Ballroom, and his royal duties. A brief detour from the path he knew he must take.
Don't torture yourself too much longer, he thought to himself. ************************************************************************
Lady Rianna of Thornebrook rode through the streets of Corus silently, taking the sights of the great city in. but there was only one thing she was truly interested in, and that would be the building she was rapidly approaching. The Palace. She almost couldn't believe she was actually here, that she would actually get the chance to carry out her plan.
A member of the Palace Guard stopped her as she tried to enter the gates.
Seeing the woman, obviously a member of the noble class, and a quite beautiful one at that, scowl in displeasure, he blushed ever so slightly, and apologized.
"It's our orders, Lady. We're to question anyone enterin' or leavin' the Palace. Just can't risk it, now, what with the Lioness's posionin' and now treason. Yer name please?"
"Lady Daphne of Ellinwood," Rianna lied smoothly.
"And yer business here at the Palace?"
"My cousin, the Lady Crylina of Thornebrook, was to be presented at Court tonight. I came to see her, of course."
"Thank you, Lady. You can ride in now. Someone will assist you and your mount inside the gates."
Rianna nodded icily, and tossing her hair, entered the Palace Walls.
Too easy, she thought. That was just too easy.
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A/N: Yes, I realize that this chapter might be labeled depressing, but it was necessary for the story to proceed. Don't worry, Alanna will snap out of it soon. In the meantime, R/R please!!