Alanna FanFic

Francis ran as fast as she could, far into the woods and the rain. "Why?" she asked herself aloud. "Why did I do that?" She took to the side of the path, and leaned against the tree. In the rain, Francis began to cry. She cried for the first time in years, letting all the cynicism and sarcasm and hate and anger work its way out. "Adric," she murmered, as tears ran down her face. "Adric." The camp bells struck four times. A hand covered Francis's mouth and pulled her deep into the woods.

When whoever was carrying her finally put her down and removed the hand covering her mouth, Francis saw that she was in a make shift camp at the edge of the woods. There were an assorted number of people there, all of them staring at her. A few of them grinned. A woman with long hair and a comanding air about her sat in the center of them. "Thank you, Falc," she said. "You found her pretty quickly for a rainy night." She looked questioningly at the man behind Francis. "Ach, Em," he said. "Sh' w's o't i' th' open. Leani' 'gains' a tree." He grinned mischieviously.
"Ra' awa' fro' camp, I thin'." Francis stared at him, one eyebrow raised. What had he said? He winked at her, and took his place among the others.
Puzzled, Francis turned her attention back to the woman in the center. She looked strangely familiar, somehow, yet who could she be? The woman put out her hand. "Francis of Pirate's Swoop," she said. "I am Emily, Queen of the Rogue."
Francis took her hand. She remembered something, a night sometime back at the Dancing Dove, a girl had challenged Keane, and...
"Oh I remember you," Francis said. "You're the one who killed Keane."
Relieved all of Tortall from a traitor, ye mean," someone muttered. Francis stared at the speaker, and was surprised to find that she was a girl, probably not more than twelve.
"Hush, Mere," a woman said to the girl. This woman had green eyes and astounding red-black hair. "Let Em get on with her business. When we want your opinion, we'll ask for it." The woman patted a glaive at her waist.
"But I-" the girl called Mere protested, but was silenced by a meaningful glare from a woman with gold eyes and flame red hair.
"Now that that's taken care of," Queen Emily said loudly, "Plese sit down Francis." She gestured to the ground. Francis sat, and Queen Emily sat next to her. Francis was then handed a blanket by a smiling young man with blue gray eyes and short brown hair. Francis thanked him, and wrapped the blanket around her. "Do you know anything of the laws of the Rogue, Francis?" Queen Emily asked.
"I know that they have a lot more honor than most people think they have," Francis said, making many in the group chuckle. The Queen grinned, and then turned seious again. "When Keane betrayed and endangered Tortall, he also betrayed and endangered the Rogue. What's more, he shamed the Rogue when he did this, and if the Rogue wishes to have any honor again, we must set that right. We must fight in this war to reclaim the honor and protect the well-being of the Rogue."
Francis stared at her. "I understand all that," Francis said hurriedly. "But why tell me? How am I invovlved with your plan? And how did you know I was here at the border?"
"I keep messenger birds at the palace," the Rogue Queen replied cooly. "And as for where you come in to the plan, you're one of the most important parts. We need you to arrange things so that no one will know who we are. If they do, and the information of the Rogue being here gets into the wrong hands..." She stared at Francis, the warmth in her eyes turned to ice. "It will be the end," the Queen finished.
"Adric's going to be commanding a few forces," Francis murmured, deep in thought. "With the right connections, it probably wouldn't be too impossible to arrange-" She stopped short. "I'm sorry," she said.
"I feel that I should help you with this, but I can't go back. Not yet."
In the short time that she had been with the Rogue, Francis had sensed that she would be able to trust them. Besides, she owed these people an explanation. "I can't go back yet," she explained. "I got in a fight with Adric, and I need to work out my temper before I go back and make things worse." She scowled."He'd probably rather not see me right now, anyway. I've been an idiot," she expained.
"Ye should return," Francis heard a rough voice say from above her. She looked up into the face of a woman with black hair and aquamarine eyes. "No matter what made ye leave, ye'll miss it awfully. Ye're friends and family, the home itself, whoever it is ye love," her eyes twinkled at Francis. "The longer ye stay away, the harder it gets to return. Trust me. I know." She returned to her place among the others.
Francis sighed. All of the Rogue were watching her, and she knew what was expected. She knew what had to be done. Francis stood up."I'll go," she said, handing the blanket to Queen Emily. "But I'm kind of lost. Could you take me back to the edge of camp?"

An hour later, Francis found herself near the edge of camp. She watched Falc (the man who had brought her) leave. Mustering up her courage, she made her way silently to Adric's tent, and pulled back the tent flap.
Adric was pacing the floor. Francis let out a sigh of relief. Adric's eyes flicked to the door, and before Francis knew what was happening, he was holding her tightly in his arms, and kissing her tenderly. "Francis," he whispered. "I was afraid you wouldn't come back." She grinned. "I couldn't stay away for to long," she admitted. He kissed her again. When he stopped, she stood on tiptoes and whispered in his ear. "Adric," she breathed, "The Rogue are here to defend Tortall. And they need our help."
Astrid Lance

Adric nodded, "What do they need our help with? And in the Gods name, why?"
Francis sighed, "They need our help to convince your father that they can help. The why is because Keane destroyed the honor the Rogue had.
They want to salvage that honor. In some way, I guess you can say they're nobles who like to stay on the bad side of the law."
"Very perceptive of you. The problem I guess right now is Papa. He won't help willingly. At least I don't think," Adric said.
Francis thought for a moment. Then a wild idea hit her, "We could tell Ma, she could get your father to agree." Francis grinned, "I also bet she would like to make him do something that she wanted him to do, instead of the other way around. Ma hates how he orders her around, she would welcome the chance to turn the tables."
"Your right, she might. Then let's try it, what's there to lose?" "Tortall," Francis said quietly. Adric nodded and they left the tent.

Alanna looked from Adric to Francis and back again, "The rogues…what? I don't understand. They want to help us? Why in the Mother's name should they want to help us?"
"To regain honor, at least that's what they told me," Francis said.
"What do you mean?" Alanna asked sharply. "Told you? Who and where?"
"Um, here and the Queen of the Rogue," Francis said quietly
"This is insane. I'm losing my mind," Alanna muttered. "Bring the Queen here. I'll see what sort of plan I can work out."
Francis nodded, and left the tent with Adric in tow. They went to the edge of the camp where Falcon was waiting.
"Ma says that she'll help. The problem is the king. She says that maybe if she and Queen Emily put their thoughts together, they could come up with a plan," Francis said.
" 'ait 'er," Falcon said, and left. A few minutes he returned with a bewildered Queen.
"What's this?" Queen Emily asked.
"Lady Alanna said she'd help you in trying to convince Father. I wish you good luck, Father is in one of his moods," Adric said.
"Well, then. Let's be off," Emily said. Francis nodded, and lead the way back to camp. But when they got there, the camp was deserted. No one was there...
~*~*~*~* DestinyC18 & Club

Francis gazed around the camp with utter disbelief and bafflement, feeling. A knot form in the pit of her stomach."What's going on?" "They've gone to war," Adric said slowly. She looked at him sharply when she heard the tone of his voice and saw that his face had gone white-lipped and drawn. Francis put a hand on his arm for comfort, feeling the stiffness of it, then said,"Are you going, too?"
"I have to," he answered in a strained voice." It's my duty as a Tortallan prince fo the realm."
"I have to," he answered in a strained voice." It's my duty as a Tortallan prince fo the realm."
The corner of Francis's lip tugged slightly,"Yeah, right here." She patted her breast pocket under the tunic.
Adric, you don't have to do this you know," the Lioness said gently." When I go out there I'll tell Jon that we thought you shouldn't go, or at least, I thought that you shouldn't go. That certainly would irk the life out of him," she added on a lighter note.
The prince sighed and looked Alanna in the eye."No, I have to do this. Francis, can you wait here for us until we get back? And I promise you we'll return when all of this is done. The people of the Rogue will take care of you, hopefully."
Francis wondered at him since he knew that she trusted the thieves and then noticed that he was eyeing a tall broad shouldered man with a very finely made face and body. She smiled at him lovingly, kissed him on the cheek and said,"Don't worry about me, I just wish that I could be out there with you."
"Trust me, you don't."
The others, who had been waiting patiently beside them during their intimate exchange, finally spoke.
"If we are done?" Alanna asked wickedly.
Francis looked at her mother reproachfully."Oh be quiet ma, you didn't have to wait for King Jon to come back from battle, not knowing may I add if he even was coming back."
Her mother glared with snapping violet eyes.
"You will never let me forget about that will you? But yes, I did have to wait for his father during battle, but that was when I came to the River Drell as a squire and him a knight. So watch your mouth young lady."
Francis had the decency to blush and look down mumbling an apology.
"Mm, we'll have a long talk about this all after the war but now, Adric, get your gear and we'll ride out immediately."
"Excuse me, Lioness. But a few of my court have offered to come with you. They may not be trained as a proper knight should be but,"there was a pause."Our ways are just as effective."
That was Queen Emily, her eyes had a somewhat impish quality to them as she gazed levely at the three Tortallans. Forgotten while they were all talking, the leader of the Rogues gestured for a band of men and women to come forward for inspection. Alanna looked each over carefully, seeing each one's potential in battle and automatically sorting out positions for them to assume on the field.
"Thank you Queen Emily, your help is greatly appreciated. Tell them that they are to all protect the blue and silver colors."
Tell them yourself, they're right there,"the other woman said frankly.
The lady knight seemed slightly shocked at her informality but smiled at the Queen with respect.
"Alright court of the Rogue, we are on the blue and silver side, keep your guard up to the front, back and sides of the group when we go and do not leave your post," Alanna bellowed to them.
Francis was not at all surprised at the commanding voice for she had heard it many times before when she wouldn't go to bed on the third order back at the 'Swoop. Her eyes suddenly watered when she thought of her home and family, and to her dismay, Adric noticed. He kissed her on the forehead and squeezed her around the shoulders saying," C'mon Francis, there's no need to cry. I'll be back. Here," he offered her his handkerchief and she obediently wiped her eyes with it then handed it back to him.
"No, you keep it,"he said, stroking hair back from her face.
The group went their own way and waited for the two knights to dress and prepare. On her way to her own tent, Alanna nudged them both and said,"You'd better get ready, Adric." The prince set his face to a grim resolute mask, nodded, then went to his tent to change.

Francis sat with Falcon, Queen Emily, and a few others who's names she picked up as Nephlin, Lierne, and Cairn, discussing how they could approach the King and tell him of their need to fight.
"But he won't like it that he's excepting help from thieves you know," Francis told the Queen."I've known him for my whole 17 years and I don't know if he would go for something like this."
The Queen looked at the young woman patiently then said,"I've studied him for most of my 28 years and I think that with the right persuasion, he would agree."
Not unused to these situations of a stalemate, Francis took a different approach to the conversation,"I thought women weren't supposed to reveal their real age," she muttered.
Emily's lip turned up slightly in a smile and shook a finger at Francis."You're a cheeky one girlie. Some day that tongue of yours is going to get you in trouble."
\Francis recalled the earlier years of life and remembered all of the times that she had talked back to people with cynical statements and got herself, and Adric sometimes, a few weeks of castle confinement."I'm afraid that it's too late for warnings," she murmured to herself but was heard by Falcon who chuckled.
When asked by the Queen what he found was so amusing, the man was forced to share the joke. Soon they were all laughing and with Francis scowling at them and their joviality, the group didn't hear her muted,"Curse Falcon's big ears," or the approaching thud of men's footfalls on the solid turf. There was a shout and then suddenly they seemed to be surrounded by armed albeit weary soldiers in blue and silver uniforms.
A soldier with a bruising jaw and one arm in a make-shift sling held out a sword level to the Queen's face and said,"State your name and your origin and if you are with or against Tortall."
Emily got up and held her head as high as any royalty of a real kingdom would.
"I am Queen of the court of the Rogue. As it is, I am of the origin of theives and we are all on the same side." The soldier was in pain with his arm held against his chest showing in the minute trembling of his sword arm and his irritable temperament.
"I don't want to play any of your mind games lady," he snapped." Why are you here?"
Emily gazed calmly at him with her cool grey eyes, always steady and unrevealing of emotion.
"I want to speak with the King," she saw him laugh shortly and added firmly,"and only the King."
"Look here missy, no one's supposed to be here right now and with you being on the camp grounds of an army in battle, we have the upper hand on you so I suggest that you leave now or we will practice the right of execution."
The man's face was now tight with anger, the bruise on his face had swollen and it was the strangest color of yellowy-purple. Emily saw his peeved state but kept going on wth her twisted answers, infuriating him even more when she commented on his rising jaw.
"Alright now that is enough!" Francis yelled at them both. "Sir, please, we need to speak to Jon right now. She means no harm to anyone except the Scanrans and even you must've seen the band of thieves come with my mother Lady Alanna and the prince to help, didn't you?"
He shifted uncomfortably, wincing at the effort. Some one from his group hissed at him angrily,"Mithros, Paners, you really know how to pick 'em!"
Obviously he wasn't aware that Francis was the famed knight's daughter but knew that if she found out, then a lowly captain would not be very much of a debate against a noble, a knight, or the King's Champion. "Beggin' your pardon miss but i didn't know it was you. Y'see, I'm a new captain here and I didn't recognize the Lady Alanna's daughter."
Lady Alanna's daughter, the Lioness's daughter, the Champion's daughter; when would people ever see her for herself? She shook her head at the man and said,"It's nothing, go back to your post or wherever it is you were suppossed to be," she fumbled, hating herself for not knowing the correct stations of a foot soldier. Then a thought crossed her mind,"Wait, sir? A favor of you?"
The man bowed to her, saying from the position," Call me Paners, and anything for my mistake."
Francis scowled at his formal apology; she hated court protocol very much and wished that it could be done away with."Never mind all that, and stand up, you'll hurt your arm even more." He stood straight with a suprised look on his face." Now, can you tell me where Prince Adric's group is? And what happened during the fight?"
The man---Paners---wouldn't meet her eyes and Francis felt the pit of her stomach fall away at that single moment."The prince," he paused and looked up gravely."I'm sorry, my lady but the prince and the Lioness have been captured."

Francis gazed around the camp with utter disbelief and bafflement, feeling. A knot form in the pit of her stomach."What's going on?" "They've gone to war," Adric said slowly. She looked at him sharply when she heard the tone of his voice and saw that his face had gone white-lipped and drawn. Francis put a hand on his arm for comfort, feeling the stiffness of it, then said,"Are you going, too?"
"I have to," he answered in a strained voice." It's my duty as a Tortallan prince fo the realm."
"I have to," he answered in a strained voice." It's my duty as a Tortallan prince fo the realm."
The corner of Francis's lip tugged slightly,"Yeah, right here." She patted her breast pocket under the tunic.
Adric, you don't have to do this you know," the Lioness said gently." When I go out there I'll tell Jon that we thought you shouldn't go, or at least, I thought that you shouldn't go. That certainly would irk the life out of him," she added on a lighter note.
The prince sighed and looked Alanna in the eye."No, I have to do this. Francis, can you wait here for us until we get back? And I promise you we'll return when all of this is done. The people of the Rogue will take care of you, hopefully."
Francis wondered at him since he knew that she trusted the thieves and then noticed that he was eyeing a tall broad shouldered man with a very finely made face and body. She smiled at him lovingly, kissed him on the cheek and said,"Don't worry about me, I just wish that I could be out there with you."
"Trust me, you don't."
The others, who had been waiting patiently beside them during their intimate exchange, finally spoke.
"If we are done?" Alanna asked wickedly.
Francis looked at her mother reproachfully."Oh be quiet ma, you didn't have to wait for King Jon to come back from battle, not knowing may I add if he even was coming back."
Her mother glared with snapping violet eyes.
"You will never let me forget about that will you? But yes, I did have to wait for his father during battle, but that was when I came to the River Drell as a squire and him a knight. So watch your mouth young lady."
Francis had the decency to blush and look down mumbling an apology.
"Mm, we'll have a long talk about this all after the war but now, Adric, get your gear and we'll ride out immediately."
"Excuse me, Lioness. But a few of my court have offered to come with you. They may not be trained as a proper knight should be but,"there was a pause."Our ways are just as effective."
That was Queen Emily, her eyes had a somewhat impish quality to them as she gazed levely at the three Tortallans. Forgotten while they were all talking, the leader of the Rogues gestured for a band of men and women to come forward for inspection. Alanna looked each over carefully, seeing each one's potential in battle and automatically sorting out positions for them to assume on the field.
"Thank you Queen Emily, your help is greatly appreciated. Tell them that they are to all protect the blue and silver colors."
Tell them yourself, they're right there,"the other woman said frankly.
The lady knight seemed slightly shocked at her informality but smiled at the Queen with respect.
"Alright court of the Rogue, we are on the blue and silver side, keep your guard up to the front, back and sides of the group when we go and do not leave your post," Alanna bellowed to them.
Francis was not at all surprised at the commanding voice for she had heard it many times before when she wouldn't go to bed on the third order back at the 'Swoop. Her eyes suddenly watered when she thought of her home and family, and to her dismay, Adric noticed. He kissed her on the forehead and squeezed her around the shoulders saOutside the tent, rain poured down from the late afternoon sky. Inside the tent, a worried Francis sat on the floor, holding a steaming cup of tea in her hands. Next to her sat Adric, a polishing cloth, and a pile of already over bright armor. He was cleaning his helmet for what must have been the fourth time. He had been silent for hours, and it was beginning to bother Francis.
"You've already done that," she snapped at him. "Why do you have to sit here like a lump of stone?"
He shrugged. "I have to do something when I'm nervous," he told her calmly, refusing to get angry.
"Well choose something else to do," Francis hissed, her temper rising. "You are far too quiet. All you men are. You just sit there, performing useless tasks, and pretend that all around you nothing is happenning!"
Adric took a few deep breaths, and closed his eyes. "Calm down, Francis," he murmured. "I know you're just as nervous as I am. But yelling won't help."
That was when Francis lost it. "Oh?" she asked, her eyes burning with anger."Oh? Am I an idiot child that needs to be taken care of? Is that what you think of me? Well perhaps if I'm a child, I shouldn't associate with one of the knighted princes of Tortall."
"I didn't say that, Francis." Adric was fighting to keep his temper under control. "Be practical, please. Just calm down. We can talk then, if you like."
Francis glared at him, and stood up. "Well I DON'T like," Francis spat. "And I resent your treating me this way. I don't need your protection, Adric. I can take care of myself, you know."
Burning with fury, Francis left the tent and rain outside into the pouring rain. Adric watched her go. He went over to the teacup she had left on the ground, and picked it up. He took the teacup and sat down, leaning against the bed. Then he swore fluently in all the languages he knew. His father had warned him that Francis had a quick temper. Adric only wished that she would come back.

Francis ran as fast as she could, far into the woods and the rain. "Why?" she asked herself aloud. "Why did I do that?" She took to the side of the path, and leaned against the tree. In the rain, Francis began to cry. She cried for the first time in years, letting all the cynicism and sarcasm and hate and anger work its way out. "Adric," she murmered, as tears ran down her face. "Adric." The camp bells struck four times. A hand covered Francis's mouth and pulled her deep into the woods.

When whoever was carrying her finally put her down and removed the hand covering her mouth, Francis saw that she was in a make shift camp at the edge of the woods. There were an assorted number of people there, all of them staring at her. A few of them grinned. A woman with long hair and a comanding air about her sat in the center of them. "Thank you, Falc," she said. "You found her pretty quickly for a rainy night." She looked questioningly at the man behind Francis. "Ach, Em," he said. "Sh' w's o't i' th' open. Leani' 'gains' a tree." He grinned mischieviously.
"Ra' awa' fro' camp, I thin'." Francis stared at him, one eyebrow raised. What had he said? He winked at her, and took his place among the others.
Puzzled, Francis turned her attention back to the woman in the center. She looked strangely familiar, somehow, yet who could she be? The woman put out her hand. "Francis of Pirate's Swoop," she said. "I am Emily, Queen of the Rogue."
Francis took her hand. She remembered something, a night sometime back at the Dancing Dove, a girl had challenged Keane, and...
"Oh I remember you," Francis said. "You're the one who killed Keane."
Relieved all of Tortall from a traitor, ye mean," someone muttered. Francis stared at the speaker, and was surprised to find that she was a girl, probably not more than twelve.
"Hush, Mere," a woman said to the girl. This woman had green eyes and astounding red-black hair. "Let Em get on with her business. When we want your opinion, we'll ask for it." The woman patted a glaive at her waist.
"But I-" the girl called Mere protested, but was silenced by a meaningful glare from a woman with gold eyes and flame red hair.
"Now that that's taken care of," Queen Emily said loudly, "Plese sit down Francis." She gestured to the ground. Francis sat, and Queen Emily sat next to her. Francis was then handed a blanket by a smiling young man with blue gray eyes and short brown hair. Francis thanked him, and wrapped the blanket around her. "Do you know anything of the laws of the Rogue, Francis?" Queen Emily asked.
"I know that they have a lot more honor than most people think they have," Francis said, making many in the group chuckle. The Queen grinned, and then turned seious again. "When Keane betrayed and endangered Tortall, he also betrayed and endangered the Rogue. What's more, he shamed the Rogue when he did this, and if the Rogue wishes to have any honor again, we must set that right. We must fight in this war to reclaim the honor and protect the well-being of the Rogue."
Francis stared at her. "I understand all that," Francis said hurriedly. "But why tell me? How am I invovlved with your plan? And how did you know I was here at the border?"
"I keep messenger birds at the palace," the Rogue Queen replied cooly. "And as for where you come in to the plan, you're one of the most important parts. We need you to arrange things so that no one will know who we are. If they do, and the information of the Rogue being here gets into the wrong hands..." She stared at Francis, the warmth in her eyes turned to ice. "It will be the end," the Queen finished.
"Adric's going to be commanding a few forces," Francis murmured, deep in thought. "With the right connections, it probably wouldn't be too impossible to arrange-" She stopped short. "I'm sorry," she said.
"I feel that I should help you with this, but I can't go back. Not yet."