Author's Note: In an attempt to dive back in to The Rose of Conte, here is a one-shot glance into the childhood friendship of Alan and Lianne. It's shory and sweet. Review 

Playtime

"Drink your tea Alan or I'm going to tell your mama."

"There's nothing in the cup Lee, how am I supposed to drink it?"

"That's the whole point of playing pretend. Now drink!"

7 year old Alan of Pirate's Swoop and Olau sighed and dutifully pretended to drink his pretend tea. He knew that if his mama could see him right now she would be absolutely furious. He was wearing one of Lianne's pink dresses that was far too small for him, and had a tiara in his messy blonde curls. He also had rouge on his cheeks and bright red lipstick. That was the last time he would bet against his best friend's little sister. How was he supposed to know that she was that good at archery? The bow was almost as big as her!

Lianne smiled and pretended to eat a pretend scone. Alan was her favorite playmate although she would never admit it to anyone. He made her laugh, and she knew that he secretly loved playing dress-up with her…no matter what he said.

At that moment, Lianne's little brother Jasson toddled into the room. His eyes lit up when he saw her. "Lee!" he cried, and immediately attached his tiny arms around her leg.

"Time to play house!" she announced to Alan with a huge grin on her face.

"Oh goody," he replied. "My favorite game of all."

"Ok now I'm the mommy, you're the daddy, and Jasson is our baby." She tried to pick Jasson up and ended up flat on her back.

"Lee, fun fun fun!" He clapped his hands in glee.

"Now come here Jasson, it's time to feed you," Alan said in a grown up voice. Picking him up, he eyed his tousle-haired friend on the floor. "Mommy needs a rest. Now do you want frog legs or chicken feet?"

"Eww gross. I don't like!" Jasson wrinkled his nose in distaste.

After explaining to the youngest prince how to perfect the art of "pretend eating," he left him at the table and walked over to where Lianne sat cross-legged on the ground, watching her baby brother.

"He's gotten so big," she sighed. "It feels like yesterday he was just a tiny baby, all red-faced and ugly and crying."

"Lee, I think all babies look like that. You probably looked like that too!"

"You aren't allowed to say that!" she exclaimed indignantly. "You're my husband!"

"Aw, Lee I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it. I was just saying that you were ugly too once."

"Once?"

"Well yeah. I mean you're beautiful now!"

A big smile lit up her face. "Really? You promise?"

"I promise Lee. I would never ever lie to you."

"And you really are sorry you called me ugly?" Her lower lip went out as she pouted.

"Very very sorry," he replied.

"Good!" She grabbed both his cheeks and kissed him right on the lips. "Mommy and daddy do that all the time after they fight. Now we've kissed and made up." Her hands were still on his face when they heard someone clear their throat from the doorframe. It was Alan's mother, more commonly known in Tortall as Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau, the Lioness and King's Champion.

"Aunt Alanna!" Lianne cried as she and Jasson ran to give her a huge hug.

Alan blushed a deep crimson. His mother raised an eyebrow at him over the heads of Lianne and Jasson. He was going to have a lot of explaining to do…