AN (READ THIS FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!): I love those fanfics where Alanna goes to the convent, but they always seem to be lacking something. 90% of the time, Thom's life is exactly like Alanna's, such as that Thom is friends with all the same people, but that's highly unlikely, isn't it? I mean, after all, their personalities are sooo different, so naturally they'd have different friends. And remember how in the actual series, when Thom didn't have any friends as he learned to be a sorcerrer, and he grew really bitter and all that because of it? Well then, wouldn't it be the same case if he was training to be a knight--he wouldn't have any friends? And almost all of the time, Alanna goes to Corus to find a husband and "just so happens" to meet her friends in her other life as the Lioness. Not only this, but she and Jon fall in love. But how could that be? And one final thought: if Alanna went to the Convent, wouldn't that have caused a chain reaction of stuff? Like, she couldn't have saved Jon from the Sweating Sickness, so who did? It would be like a domino affect. Like, say Alanna didn't save Jon from the Sweating Sickness. Then the entire story is warped! AND Just think: if Alex had never met Alanna, would he still have hooked up with Roger? And would the queen have lived, or would she have died? Would Gary, Raoul, and everyone else still have been friends with Jon? And since she didn't meet George because she was at the convent, how would that have affected the story?
However, since all of the issues are too deep and philosochial for me (and I haven't read the series in like, forever, so my memory is really hazy), I just took the easy way out by doing what everyone else did: making Alanna meet her friends in her life as the Lioness, including George and Jon, but with a twist: Thom doesn't exist. ALANNA HAS NO TWIN. Here's a new depth to the Alanna Goes To The Convent stories now! How would Alanna's PERSONALITY have changed if Thom was never a part of her life??
Chain Reaction
Chapter one--
Alanna of Trebond was sent to a convent at ten. She was a moody person who didn't socialize and didn't make any friends, most likely from being an only child. It was rumored that her father ordered her to be strapped to the carriage and sent to the convent with a guard, though it's never been proven. After attempting to run away from the convent several times, the priestesses places several spells on her ensuring that she could not leave without their permission. Life in the convent was made more bearable by the pranks she played on other girls, who soon grew to hate Alanna. At first she attended classes but soon her constant disruptions forced the priestesses into placing more spells on her, some for silence, and some to keep her from moving when she was extremely disruptive. This was life at the convent for Lady Alanna of Trebond, and it was a pitiful existence, as she had no dreams or ambitions, and thus no will to live.
Finally on her eighteenth birthday, the priestesses sent her to Corus, to find herself a noble husband. She went willingly enough, in a carriage along with three other girls by the names of Lara, Meganne, and Nelly. Eight years of fighting the priestesses had taken its toll on Alanna, draining her of energy so that she had no further purpose or strength to fight any longer. The convent had broken her spirit and finally turned Alanna into an obedient lady, which overjoyed her father.
*
"Lady Meganne of Highwaters."
Alanna watched as Meganne swept gracefully down the grand staircase, her golden dress illuminating her skin to a radiant glow. Alanna stepped forward, knowing that she could not even compare to any lady of the court. She was obviously plain; being announced last only added to this.
"Lady Alanna of Trebond."
Gathering her plain red gown, she moved slowly down the stairs, careful not to trip. Her curled red hair was pinned up with a red ribbon, though several locks were purposely left loose to cover part of her face. Through the loose strands, her violet eyes could be seen beneath gold face paint. An arm and smile were offered her, and Alanna accepted both with a weary smile.
"I suppose you'll want to see the prince."
Alanna answered him with a shrug. The man led her toward a black-haired man, surrounded by ladies. Her partner tapped the black-haired man on the shoulder.
"Jon! Lady Alanna of Trebond wishes to meet you. Lady Alanna, this is Prince Jonathan. I'm sure you've heard of him."
"Jon" smiled politely to Alanna and bowed. Alanna curtsied and smiled back, equally polite.
"I hope you enjoy Corus," Jon said dismissively, and redirected his attention back to his admirers.
"Well, I'm not the prince, but perhaps you'd dance with me? I'm Raoul."
"Perhaps later, Raoul," Alanna answered, offering no explanation. Raoul shrugged and left her. Alanna heaved a sigh of relief and sat on a nearby bench, staring at her hands. She sat for a long time before she remembered that she was supposed to find herself a noble husband. Glancing up, she saw a man--most likely a knight--cross her path. Alanna stood abruptly.
"I am Lady Alanna of Trebond and I am here in Corus to find myself a husband."
The man stared at her in shock before laughing at the blunt statement.
"Most ladies are. Though they don't say it outright. I'm called Gary," he said kindly. "What kind of husband are you looking for? I know everyone here, so I think I could help you."
Alanna shrugged, and Gary raised his eyebrows.
"You don't know?"
"It wasn't my idea. My father and the priestesses want me to find a noble husband."
"And what do you want?"
"I don't know. I don't care."
Gary eyed Alanna carefully. She seemed to be telling the truth, which shocked him even more. Her tone was emotionless; her eyes were empty and cold.
"How could you not care? Do you always do what people tell you to?"
"Yes." Then, "No." A flicker of emotion crossed her face. "Once, I did what I wanted. But that was long ago." Gary was fascinated by this noble lady. She seemed to him to be a mystery waiting to be solved, like a puzzle. Gary took her hands and led her into the gardens, where it was quiter.
"Sit."
Alanna sat obediently. Gary sat down next to her and looked carefully at her face. It wasn't a very feminine face--in fact, it was rather boyish. Her skin was smooth and perfect--too perfect. There were no laugh lines, no lines from frowning, no lines from worrying. It seemed as if she'd never experienced an emotion her entire life.
"So, when was this time that you did what you wanted?"
"Before the convent."
"What did you do?"
"Whatever I wanted to do."
"And what was that?"
Alanna looked away for a long moment before meeting Gary's eyes. Her eyes were wistful and sad now, and the expression looked at home on her face.
"When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a Lady Knight. My father used to read to me, and he read to me about how Tortall had Lady Knights that did great deeds. I wanted to do that. Becoming a Lady Knight was my greatest dream. " Gary nodded encouragingly, but Alanna didn't continue. Her blank expression returned.
"So, you liked to read?"
"No," Alanna said with a bitter laugh. "Not really."
"What happened?"
"I grew up."
"And what does that mean?"
"It means that I realized that the world is cold and cruel," Alanna said, anger clouding her face. Gary raised an eybrow. Alanna glanced at him and sighed. "I learned the hard way that girls can't be knights. Not anymore."
"Sure they could. I'm sure you'd make a fine knight!" He didn't really mean it, but it seemed to strike a chord in Alanna. She held his eyes in an unwavering gaze.
"Really?"
"Well, yeah. Sure, why not?"
Alanna awarded him with a true smile, her first since she'd gone the convent. Throwing her arms around him, Alanna hugged Gary, something she hadn't done since she was six, before her father grew distant.
"Thanks, Gary. Do you think you could teach me?"
"Teach you?"
"How to swordfight. The staff. Knightly things."
"Uh...sure."
Alanna was grinning now, and the ice around her cold heart slowly began to melt reveal the true Alanna.
However, since all of the issues are too deep and philosochial for me (and I haven't read the series in like, forever, so my memory is really hazy), I just took the easy way out by doing what everyone else did: making Alanna meet her friends in her life as the Lioness, including George and Jon, but with a twist: Thom doesn't exist. ALANNA HAS NO TWIN. Here's a new depth to the Alanna Goes To The Convent stories now! How would Alanna's PERSONALITY have changed if Thom was never a part of her life??
Chain Reaction
Chapter one--
Alanna of Trebond was sent to a convent at ten. She was a moody person who didn't socialize and didn't make any friends, most likely from being an only child. It was rumored that her father ordered her to be strapped to the carriage and sent to the convent with a guard, though it's never been proven. After attempting to run away from the convent several times, the priestesses places several spells on her ensuring that she could not leave without their permission. Life in the convent was made more bearable by the pranks she played on other girls, who soon grew to hate Alanna. At first she attended classes but soon her constant disruptions forced the priestesses into placing more spells on her, some for silence, and some to keep her from moving when she was extremely disruptive. This was life at the convent for Lady Alanna of Trebond, and it was a pitiful existence, as she had no dreams or ambitions, and thus no will to live.
Finally on her eighteenth birthday, the priestesses sent her to Corus, to find herself a noble husband. She went willingly enough, in a carriage along with three other girls by the names of Lara, Meganne, and Nelly. Eight years of fighting the priestesses had taken its toll on Alanna, draining her of energy so that she had no further purpose or strength to fight any longer. The convent had broken her spirit and finally turned Alanna into an obedient lady, which overjoyed her father.
*
"Lady Meganne of Highwaters."
Alanna watched as Meganne swept gracefully down the grand staircase, her golden dress illuminating her skin to a radiant glow. Alanna stepped forward, knowing that she could not even compare to any lady of the court. She was obviously plain; being announced last only added to this.
"Lady Alanna of Trebond."
Gathering her plain red gown, she moved slowly down the stairs, careful not to trip. Her curled red hair was pinned up with a red ribbon, though several locks were purposely left loose to cover part of her face. Through the loose strands, her violet eyes could be seen beneath gold face paint. An arm and smile were offered her, and Alanna accepted both with a weary smile.
"I suppose you'll want to see the prince."
Alanna answered him with a shrug. The man led her toward a black-haired man, surrounded by ladies. Her partner tapped the black-haired man on the shoulder.
"Jon! Lady Alanna of Trebond wishes to meet you. Lady Alanna, this is Prince Jonathan. I'm sure you've heard of him."
"Jon" smiled politely to Alanna and bowed. Alanna curtsied and smiled back, equally polite.
"I hope you enjoy Corus," Jon said dismissively, and redirected his attention back to his admirers.
"Well, I'm not the prince, but perhaps you'd dance with me? I'm Raoul."
"Perhaps later, Raoul," Alanna answered, offering no explanation. Raoul shrugged and left her. Alanna heaved a sigh of relief and sat on a nearby bench, staring at her hands. She sat for a long time before she remembered that she was supposed to find herself a noble husband. Glancing up, she saw a man--most likely a knight--cross her path. Alanna stood abruptly.
"I am Lady Alanna of Trebond and I am here in Corus to find myself a husband."
The man stared at her in shock before laughing at the blunt statement.
"Most ladies are. Though they don't say it outright. I'm called Gary," he said kindly. "What kind of husband are you looking for? I know everyone here, so I think I could help you."
Alanna shrugged, and Gary raised his eyebrows.
"You don't know?"
"It wasn't my idea. My father and the priestesses want me to find a noble husband."
"And what do you want?"
"I don't know. I don't care."
Gary eyed Alanna carefully. She seemed to be telling the truth, which shocked him even more. Her tone was emotionless; her eyes were empty and cold.
"How could you not care? Do you always do what people tell you to?"
"Yes." Then, "No." A flicker of emotion crossed her face. "Once, I did what I wanted. But that was long ago." Gary was fascinated by this noble lady. She seemed to him to be a mystery waiting to be solved, like a puzzle. Gary took her hands and led her into the gardens, where it was quiter.
"Sit."
Alanna sat obediently. Gary sat down next to her and looked carefully at her face. It wasn't a very feminine face--in fact, it was rather boyish. Her skin was smooth and perfect--too perfect. There were no laugh lines, no lines from frowning, no lines from worrying. It seemed as if she'd never experienced an emotion her entire life.
"So, when was this time that you did what you wanted?"
"Before the convent."
"What did you do?"
"Whatever I wanted to do."
"And what was that?"
Alanna looked away for a long moment before meeting Gary's eyes. Her eyes were wistful and sad now, and the expression looked at home on her face.
"When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a Lady Knight. My father used to read to me, and he read to me about how Tortall had Lady Knights that did great deeds. I wanted to do that. Becoming a Lady Knight was my greatest dream. " Gary nodded encouragingly, but Alanna didn't continue. Her blank expression returned.
"So, you liked to read?"
"No," Alanna said with a bitter laugh. "Not really."
"What happened?"
"I grew up."
"And what does that mean?"
"It means that I realized that the world is cold and cruel," Alanna said, anger clouding her face. Gary raised an eybrow. Alanna glanced at him and sighed. "I learned the hard way that girls can't be knights. Not anymore."
"Sure they could. I'm sure you'd make a fine knight!" He didn't really mean it, but it seemed to strike a chord in Alanna. She held his eyes in an unwavering gaze.
"Really?"
"Well, yeah. Sure, why not?"
Alanna awarded him with a true smile, her first since she'd gone the convent. Throwing her arms around him, Alanna hugged Gary, something she hadn't done since she was six, before her father grew distant.
"Thanks, Gary. Do you think you could teach me?"
"Teach you?"
"How to swordfight. The staff. Knightly things."
"Uh...sure."
Alanna was grinning now, and the ice around her cold heart slowly began to melt reveal the true Alanna.