Alanna

"I wish you wouldn't be so touchy all the time, Alan!" Jon burst out in frustration.

"Touchy am I? Well, at least I'm doing something, not just sitting around criticizing the first thing that moves within a hundred-foot radius because I'm an omniscient knight!" Alanna finally put Coram's heavy broadsword down. It was too hot to do any more.

Jon rolled his eyes at her. "Come on. Lets go get changed for dinner, fire-head."

Grudgingly, she followed him. She opened her mouth to make a remark that she would probably regret later, then closed it again with a snap. Instead, she contented herself with grumping "Don't call me that, or I'll start Your Majesty-ing you."

Jon laughed as they climbed a gently sloping stair case. "You wouldn't dare, Squire-of-mine."

She halted at the top, glaring at him from beneath her damp bangs. "Oh, wouldn't I, Your Majesty."

"Insubordination!" Jon cried, and playfully thumped Alanna on the shoulder. To the surprise of both, she teetered on the edge of the top step, then tumbled downward. He reached out reflexively to catch her, only to loose his footing as well and plummet down after her.

They both lay in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the stairs, stunned, then simultaneously began howling with laughter. They didn't stop when servants came and led them away to Duke Gareth's chambers. When the man himself entered, however, the pair managed to sober themselves slightly.

"What's all this I hear about you fighting?" The Duke asked suspiciously."The servants say they found you at the bottom of a staircase, covered in bruises." he eyed a magnificently purple one coming up on Alanna's cheek. "I must say, I never thought to hear of the two of you coming to blows."

Jon began chuckling again, so Alanna said, "Well, we were arguing, Your Grace, I'll admit. But then we –" She lapsed into giggles.

The Duke frowned, puzzled. Was it possible that the lads had punched each other insensible?

Jon picked up where his squire had left off. "Honest, Uncle, its the gods' own truth – we fell down."

Even the Duke had to smile.

Who should I do next? -- Lizzy