Epilogue--
"I suppose, then, that you and Vera will settle down in Trebond," Bowen said at last when Elijah was quiet. Thrice now, Elijah-Thom-was blessed with what he'd never had. Family. Always with their parents, Elijah was loved more; always it had been so with Vera. And now Elijah had found yet more family, more to love him. Bowen expected the emotions of bitterness and jealousy to arise, stabbing him once again, but strangely, he felt none of those.
As if he could hear his thoughts, Elijah said softly, "You are still brother to me in my heart, and I'm sure Alanna would think herself your sister. she likes you well."
"I want not your pity," Bowen said, knowing he sounded sharp. Perhaps he was a little bitter, after all.
"Ah, but you've never needed it," Elijah chuckled. "But push me not away, brother. I'm not taking anything away from you. I don't intend on living in Trebond-Alanna's earned it, twice over. It's hers by all rights."
Bowen dragged a hand through his hair. "I feel the fool for not having realized it earlier."
"So do we all," laughed Elijah. "But Vera knew, I think, or at least suspected." He bit his lip. "I think, somewhere in me, that I'd always known. and now that it's come to light, I can hardly believe it-I dare not, lest it vanish like a dream. It feels so. It's still so strange to think of her as not only blood kin, but my twin, no less! I feel I should give her some gift, something formal to acknowledge.?"
Bowen shook his head. "I don't think that that's necessary."
"But surely there is something she wants that I can give her!" Elijah protested. "Think. You know her well-what is it that she's always wanted? Whatever it is, I can give it to her-and if I cannot purchase it, or get it by magecraft, you must remember that once the prince promised me anything I wanted in repayment for his life-I can always call upon that!"
"Alanna? Ai, brother, there is nothing she is lacking. I don't think she cares overmuch for riches or finery. As far as I know, or as much as she'd tell me, all she's ever from life was knighthood, and then to go questing and find you, her lost brother."
A queer expression came over Elijah's face. "Did you say knighthood? What do you mean by that, brother?"
Bowen laughed. "Like to the old tales of lady knights, female warriors of ancient Tortall who fought alongside the men to protect their realm."
"Why do you laugh?" Elijah said quietly. "It is not so hard to arrange."
"What do you mean to do?" Bowen shifted uneasily. "Oh, nothing that isn't completely proper protocol and courtly," his smaller brother reassured him, a smug cat-smile curving his lips. "Though, it might not be politically correct."
"This would cause an uproar-"
"More than she's caused already?" Again, the sly smile of a cat. "Now, what I have in mind is not so difficult-in comparison to what happened a few days ago, it's childishly simple. A few preparations must be made, however."
"If there's any danger." Bowen warned.
"Why would there be any?" Elijah asked, genuinely surprised. "All I'm going to do is claim a debt, nothing out of the ordinary, and all very legal. Ah, there is that bothersome little law forbidding females knighthood, but-" Elijah waved his hand impatiently, "there are ways to force the king's hand. And for me, the healer who saved his son's life, and Alanna, the one who saved the queen's, I'm certain exceptions can be made."
"There'll be hell to come," Bowen muttered. Then he sighed and said aloud, "Alright, then brother. If you're certain this is possible, I will help you."
------------------------------------------------------------------
"What's this?" Alanna demanded. She looked around at all of them. "W-what? Somebody please explain this!" Alanna stomped a foot and looked very much like a young page. She was dressed in the crimson tunic and a fresh white shirt, her entire attire down to the golden hose and slippers fitting her perfectly.
"Now, don't you like it?"
"Well, what's it for? Why did you all make me wear this? Who bought-"
"Open it!" Gary interrupted, grinning and thrusting the first package into her arms. "Hurry up, we all want to see them."
Still laughing, Alanna tore open the box and gasped. The afternoon light caught the gold and made it shine in her hands like solid fire. She raised her eyes, not understanding.
"We thought it time you had your own," Jonathan said quietly.
The gold chain mail was heavy in her hands, but even as she caressed it, Alanna protested, "But I'll not need this!"
"Sure you do," Gary said gaily. "You can't keep wearing Alex's old squire uniforms! You deserve better!"
"And that's not all," Alex said, smiling as well as he brought forth all the armor that would befit a very rich and well-equipped knight.
"B-but!!" Alanna stuttered.
"And you'll need a horse," George said kindly, placing papers into her frozen hands. "And I think this one will suit you well."
"And you can't just have a horse," grinned Jonathan, placing next to the armor all that she could possibly need for a good-sized warhorse.
"Y-you're kidding me!!! I-I'm never even going to use any of this.!!"
'Stop gawking and just accept your good fortune,' Faithful said, flicking his tail in a bemused manner.
"This. this must have cost." Alanna's head began spinning at the thought of how much gold was needed to buy all of this.
"We pooled a bit of money we could spare," Gary said, "and of course, as one of us is a prince, and another a king-" here Gary gave a George pointed look-"it was more than enough for all of this. It helps, too, that you've already got a sword."
Alanna could only gape. "W-why?" she whispered at last, trembling.
"Because it wouldn't do for a knight of great importance to not have any of this, now would it?" Elijah said sensibly. Alanna stared dumbly back at her newfound brother. Taking her hands, he said gently, "Come this way."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"A knight of the realm is sworn to protect those weaker than him, to obey his overlord, to live in a way that honors his kingdom and his gods. To wear a shield of a knight is an important thing. It means that he may not ignore a cry for help. It means that rich and poor, young and old, male and female may look to him for rescue, and he cannot deny them."
"A knight must uphold the law. He cannot look away from wrongdoing. He may not help any one to break the law of the land, and he must prevent the breaking of the law at all times, in all cases."
"He is bound to his honor and his word. He must act in such a way that when he meets the Dark God, he is not ashamed."
Alanna shivered, the hairs on the back of her neck pricking. WHAT, in the Gods' name, did all this have to do with her?
King Roald looked at her sternly. "It has been a long time since a knight of this land was made so, and honored, because of the valor and goodness of his deeds. Those were ancient days of great feats and legend. As peace has come to the land, so have such chances for greatness grown less, and we test our young men for such aptitude by other trials. Most often, it is the test of the Chamber, but there can be other trials by which the rights of a shield might be won."
A small inkling of what was happening began to dawn on Alanna's numb mind. 'But no!' she thought. 'It couldn't be.?'
"Countess Alanna of Trebond and Meekwater! A fortnight ago you defended your country and your king from treachery. You fought for Tortall and defeated a dark force that threatened to destroy her. You sacrificed yourself and your life for all those of the realm. As witnessed by all present, yours was a selfless deed. You showed strength and valor as has not been seen since those ancient times of legend!"
"M-my liege," Alanna began to protest.
"Know you the codes of Chivalry?" asked King Roald.
"I-I do." She knew them by heart. There was little she loved more than her laws of Chivalry.
"Keep them in your heart," commanded the king. "Use them as your guides when things are their darkest. They will not fail you if you interpret them with humanity and kindness. A knight is gentle. A knight's first duty is to understand." Then his face softened. "Kneel, Alanna."
Obediently, Alanna bent onto one knee, quivering from fear and excitement and disbelief-she felt as if she were to burst from all the emotions shaking inside of her!
"Swear you fealty to your lord and king? Swear you to defend the crown and Tortall all your life? Swear you to uphold and follow those laws of chivalry?"
"I-I swear," Alanna whispered. Then, clearing her throat, she repeated loudly, "I so swear!"
The king struck each of her shoulders with the flat of his sword, hard enough to bruise, then gently tapped her crown. "You are dubbed Lady Knight, Alanna of Trebond and Meekwater," he announced solemnly as his court watched. "Once we had Lady Knights all across this realm, and now we have one again. Remember your vows and service to this Crown. Remember your promise of chivalry."
Alanna stood. It was strange. She didn't feel any different, but now she was a knight. Her entire body thrummed with excitement and joy.
Elijah stepped out of the crowd, carrying something awkwardly in his arms. He grinned at his startled twin. "Your Majesties," he said politely, bowing to the king and queen, "I am Elijah, Master of the Mithran Light, and also Thom of Trebond. I beg leave, by right of my kinship to the lady knight, to present her with her shield."
Unveiling it, Elijah passed it to her, the symbol of her knighthood, even more than her sword and her title. It was red, the red field of Trebond, and a rearing golden figure was in its center. Raising her eyes to meet Elijah's, Alanna knew what it was, and what it symbolized.
A lioness rampant.
------------------------------------
I'm DONE I'm DONE!!!!! Finished! Over! YES!!!
Now, I must go back and rewrite, and edit. Of course, there's the easy fixing of typos, and grammatical errors, but more importantly, I have to flesh out my rather underdeveloped characters, and fill in my many plot holes, plant red herrings, and then brush up and improve my already existing scenes. I might have to rewrite entire chapters and rebash out the plotline.
THIS IS YOUR TIME TO BE BRUTAL IN YOUR REVIEWS!!! Since I'm going back and rewriting the story, I want to know everything that you loved and hated about this story! (emphasis on the "hate"). BE BLUNT. What annoyed you? What seemed poorly planned to you? What did I miss or leave out? TELL ME! Any TINY bit of constructive criticism you can offer is GOOD!!!! Be THOROUGH be LONG!!!!!! You can also include ideas for a sequel.
To everyone who read my story, and everyone who reviewed: THANK YOU SO MUCH. If it wasn't for you, this story would've died after the first few chapters!!!!! I love you all so much, you made me laugh (and sometimes cry from the pressure of having to update!) I hope you'll stick around and bear with me through all of this!
And the final thing. Will there be a sequel?
Oh, yes.
"I suppose, then, that you and Vera will settle down in Trebond," Bowen said at last when Elijah was quiet. Thrice now, Elijah-Thom-was blessed with what he'd never had. Family. Always with their parents, Elijah was loved more; always it had been so with Vera. And now Elijah had found yet more family, more to love him. Bowen expected the emotions of bitterness and jealousy to arise, stabbing him once again, but strangely, he felt none of those.
As if he could hear his thoughts, Elijah said softly, "You are still brother to me in my heart, and I'm sure Alanna would think herself your sister. she likes you well."
"I want not your pity," Bowen said, knowing he sounded sharp. Perhaps he was a little bitter, after all.
"Ah, but you've never needed it," Elijah chuckled. "But push me not away, brother. I'm not taking anything away from you. I don't intend on living in Trebond-Alanna's earned it, twice over. It's hers by all rights."
Bowen dragged a hand through his hair. "I feel the fool for not having realized it earlier."
"So do we all," laughed Elijah. "But Vera knew, I think, or at least suspected." He bit his lip. "I think, somewhere in me, that I'd always known. and now that it's come to light, I can hardly believe it-I dare not, lest it vanish like a dream. It feels so. It's still so strange to think of her as not only blood kin, but my twin, no less! I feel I should give her some gift, something formal to acknowledge.?"
Bowen shook his head. "I don't think that that's necessary."
"But surely there is something she wants that I can give her!" Elijah protested. "Think. You know her well-what is it that she's always wanted? Whatever it is, I can give it to her-and if I cannot purchase it, or get it by magecraft, you must remember that once the prince promised me anything I wanted in repayment for his life-I can always call upon that!"
"Alanna? Ai, brother, there is nothing she is lacking. I don't think she cares overmuch for riches or finery. As far as I know, or as much as she'd tell me, all she's ever from life was knighthood, and then to go questing and find you, her lost brother."
A queer expression came over Elijah's face. "Did you say knighthood? What do you mean by that, brother?"
Bowen laughed. "Like to the old tales of lady knights, female warriors of ancient Tortall who fought alongside the men to protect their realm."
"Why do you laugh?" Elijah said quietly. "It is not so hard to arrange."
"What do you mean to do?" Bowen shifted uneasily. "Oh, nothing that isn't completely proper protocol and courtly," his smaller brother reassured him, a smug cat-smile curving his lips. "Though, it might not be politically correct."
"This would cause an uproar-"
"More than she's caused already?" Again, the sly smile of a cat. "Now, what I have in mind is not so difficult-in comparison to what happened a few days ago, it's childishly simple. A few preparations must be made, however."
"If there's any danger." Bowen warned.
"Why would there be any?" Elijah asked, genuinely surprised. "All I'm going to do is claim a debt, nothing out of the ordinary, and all very legal. Ah, there is that bothersome little law forbidding females knighthood, but-" Elijah waved his hand impatiently, "there are ways to force the king's hand. And for me, the healer who saved his son's life, and Alanna, the one who saved the queen's, I'm certain exceptions can be made."
"There'll be hell to come," Bowen muttered. Then he sighed and said aloud, "Alright, then brother. If you're certain this is possible, I will help you."
------------------------------------------------------------------
"What's this?" Alanna demanded. She looked around at all of them. "W-what? Somebody please explain this!" Alanna stomped a foot and looked very much like a young page. She was dressed in the crimson tunic and a fresh white shirt, her entire attire down to the golden hose and slippers fitting her perfectly.
"Now, don't you like it?"
"Well, what's it for? Why did you all make me wear this? Who bought-"
"Open it!" Gary interrupted, grinning and thrusting the first package into her arms. "Hurry up, we all want to see them."
Still laughing, Alanna tore open the box and gasped. The afternoon light caught the gold and made it shine in her hands like solid fire. She raised her eyes, not understanding.
"We thought it time you had your own," Jonathan said quietly.
The gold chain mail was heavy in her hands, but even as she caressed it, Alanna protested, "But I'll not need this!"
"Sure you do," Gary said gaily. "You can't keep wearing Alex's old squire uniforms! You deserve better!"
"And that's not all," Alex said, smiling as well as he brought forth all the armor that would befit a very rich and well-equipped knight.
"B-but!!" Alanna stuttered.
"And you'll need a horse," George said kindly, placing papers into her frozen hands. "And I think this one will suit you well."
"And you can't just have a horse," grinned Jonathan, placing next to the armor all that she could possibly need for a good-sized warhorse.
"Y-you're kidding me!!! I-I'm never even going to use any of this.!!"
'Stop gawking and just accept your good fortune,' Faithful said, flicking his tail in a bemused manner.
"This. this must have cost." Alanna's head began spinning at the thought of how much gold was needed to buy all of this.
"We pooled a bit of money we could spare," Gary said, "and of course, as one of us is a prince, and another a king-" here Gary gave a George pointed look-"it was more than enough for all of this. It helps, too, that you've already got a sword."
Alanna could only gape. "W-why?" she whispered at last, trembling.
"Because it wouldn't do for a knight of great importance to not have any of this, now would it?" Elijah said sensibly. Alanna stared dumbly back at her newfound brother. Taking her hands, he said gently, "Come this way."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"A knight of the realm is sworn to protect those weaker than him, to obey his overlord, to live in a way that honors his kingdom and his gods. To wear a shield of a knight is an important thing. It means that he may not ignore a cry for help. It means that rich and poor, young and old, male and female may look to him for rescue, and he cannot deny them."
"A knight must uphold the law. He cannot look away from wrongdoing. He may not help any one to break the law of the land, and he must prevent the breaking of the law at all times, in all cases."
"He is bound to his honor and his word. He must act in such a way that when he meets the Dark God, he is not ashamed."
Alanna shivered, the hairs on the back of her neck pricking. WHAT, in the Gods' name, did all this have to do with her?
King Roald looked at her sternly. "It has been a long time since a knight of this land was made so, and honored, because of the valor and goodness of his deeds. Those were ancient days of great feats and legend. As peace has come to the land, so have such chances for greatness grown less, and we test our young men for such aptitude by other trials. Most often, it is the test of the Chamber, but there can be other trials by which the rights of a shield might be won."
A small inkling of what was happening began to dawn on Alanna's numb mind. 'But no!' she thought. 'It couldn't be.?'
"Countess Alanna of Trebond and Meekwater! A fortnight ago you defended your country and your king from treachery. You fought for Tortall and defeated a dark force that threatened to destroy her. You sacrificed yourself and your life for all those of the realm. As witnessed by all present, yours was a selfless deed. You showed strength and valor as has not been seen since those ancient times of legend!"
"M-my liege," Alanna began to protest.
"Know you the codes of Chivalry?" asked King Roald.
"I-I do." She knew them by heart. There was little she loved more than her laws of Chivalry.
"Keep them in your heart," commanded the king. "Use them as your guides when things are their darkest. They will not fail you if you interpret them with humanity and kindness. A knight is gentle. A knight's first duty is to understand." Then his face softened. "Kneel, Alanna."
Obediently, Alanna bent onto one knee, quivering from fear and excitement and disbelief-she felt as if she were to burst from all the emotions shaking inside of her!
"Swear you fealty to your lord and king? Swear you to defend the crown and Tortall all your life? Swear you to uphold and follow those laws of chivalry?"
"I-I swear," Alanna whispered. Then, clearing her throat, she repeated loudly, "I so swear!"
The king struck each of her shoulders with the flat of his sword, hard enough to bruise, then gently tapped her crown. "You are dubbed Lady Knight, Alanna of Trebond and Meekwater," he announced solemnly as his court watched. "Once we had Lady Knights all across this realm, and now we have one again. Remember your vows and service to this Crown. Remember your promise of chivalry."
Alanna stood. It was strange. She didn't feel any different, but now she was a knight. Her entire body thrummed with excitement and joy.
Elijah stepped out of the crowd, carrying something awkwardly in his arms. He grinned at his startled twin. "Your Majesties," he said politely, bowing to the king and queen, "I am Elijah, Master of the Mithran Light, and also Thom of Trebond. I beg leave, by right of my kinship to the lady knight, to present her with her shield."
Unveiling it, Elijah passed it to her, the symbol of her knighthood, even more than her sword and her title. It was red, the red field of Trebond, and a rearing golden figure was in its center. Raising her eyes to meet Elijah's, Alanna knew what it was, and what it symbolized.
A lioness rampant.
------------------------------------
I'm DONE I'm DONE!!!!! Finished! Over! YES!!!
Now, I must go back and rewrite, and edit. Of course, there's the easy fixing of typos, and grammatical errors, but more importantly, I have to flesh out my rather underdeveloped characters, and fill in my many plot holes, plant red herrings, and then brush up and improve my already existing scenes. I might have to rewrite entire chapters and rebash out the plotline.
THIS IS YOUR TIME TO BE BRUTAL IN YOUR REVIEWS!!! Since I'm going back and rewriting the story, I want to know everything that you loved and hated about this story! (emphasis on the "hate"). BE BLUNT. What annoyed you? What seemed poorly planned to you? What did I miss or leave out? TELL ME! Any TINY bit of constructive criticism you can offer is GOOD!!!! Be THOROUGH be LONG!!!!!! You can also include ideas for a sequel.
To everyone who read my story, and everyone who reviewed: THANK YOU SO MUCH. If it wasn't for you, this story would've died after the first few chapters!!!!! I love you all so much, you made me laugh (and sometimes cry from the pressure of having to update!) I hope you'll stick around and bear with me through all of this!
And the final thing. Will there be a sequel?
Oh, yes.