Alanna groaned as she got out of bed. She had been so tired lately, never hungry and always felt sick. George, her husband was terribly worried about her constantly, keeping his eagle eyes pinned on her. She just couldn�t understand. Her healing magic wasn�t picking up on anything wrong with her body. As she got out of her rumpled bed at Pirate�s Swoop where she and George lived, her head started pounding with such a ferocity that she had to lie down again. The contents of her stomach threatened to come up, giving Alanna the urge to run for the privy. She forced it down, but barely. Her husband opened his eyes ever so slightly and peered at his wife holding her head.

�What�s wrong Alanna?� His voice showed his concern for his beloved wife.

Alanna sighed and then rolled over. �Same old, same old. I don�t know what�s wrong. I always seem to feel sick, especially in the morning. However, nothing seems to be wrong that my magic will pick up. If I�m wounded I can usually tell, but whatever this is, I can�t pick it up. It feels as though a thousand bears are dancing on my head.� Alanna thought back several weeks and grimaced. Her monthly bleeding had been late, then hadn�t come at all. She hadn�t told George, thinking that it was only late. When it hadn�t come at all, Alanna had panicked and sent a letter to her best friend, Queen Thayet. Thayet still hadn�t answered and Alanna kept waiting. She had decided that she would only tell George if anything else went wrong. Now, she thought that maybe she ought to. She took a deep breath and spoke.

�George, I didn�t really plan on telling you this, but now, well, anyway, this month, at first, my bleeding was late, but then it became apparent that it wasn�t going to come at all. I don�t know why, and I thought that maybe it was just going to skip this month, but I�ve never felt so strange and I thought maybe I should have told you.� She hadn�t been facing him when she had told him, but know she turned and looked at him. His hazel eyes brightened with what looked at first like surprise, then realization. He put his callused hand lighted with the brown fire that was his Sight up. Alanna looked at him quizzically, and then put her purple flamed palm up against his. He slowly brought their intertwined hands down towards her lower abdomen. Hazel eyes met Alanna�s stunning purple eyes and caught them. He grinned lightly as Alanna looked slightly dazed. She guessed she was ready for children, but she wasn�t sure. Then she smiled back, her eyes lighting up.

She turned George�s face towards hers and kissed him lightly. He brought her back and kissed her longer. She smiled when they broke apart and went to get dressed. She teetered in front of the privy but regained her balance and pulled on green breeches and a sky blue shirt. She left the shirt unlaced, only because she didn�t have the energy to tie the strings. *I should save my energy, what small amount there is for more important things.* She went back to her room where George was lacing his own shirt. He looked at her as she came out and smiled quietly. She went over to where her brush was and started yanking it through her copper colored hair.

�Alanna?� George asked her quietly. �I was wondering how you were feeling about this. I mean I know that you don�t know a lot about children and Mother told me that you didn�t really want kids. If you aren�t ready, that is okay with me. Really.�

Alanna watched his eyes carefully and saw how much it cost him to tell her this. It was true that in her girlhood she had not wanted children but now�

�George, I feel fine. Maybe when I was twelve I did not want children, but it�s different now. And I do know something about baby care. Thayet and Buri taught me when we were helping them and their charges flee from Sarain. I will not dishonor the child that the Mother has sent to me by getting rid of it. I can love it. Really.� She went over to him and he embraced her in his arms. She breathed in his smell of linen and paperwork then looked up at him. His eyes caught hers for the second time that day and the degree of love there warmed her heart. George kissed her lightly and then left.

Alanna was pulling on her boots when there was a soft knock on the door. Outside the door was a young boy, barely more than seven years old. Alanna sagged against the door and listened to what he had to say.

�The Imperial Lady, Young woman of Sarain, Her Highness of the Tortallan Court, Queen Thayet would like to inform you of her third child bearing. Her child is due May 24, the year 440. She would like you, Lady Alanna, King�s Champion, the Lioness, the one and only Lady Knight to be there at the christening.� The servant slumped against the wall, gasping for breath. Alanna nodded, silently thinking. She was very glad that Thayet was finally bearing her third child. That would take a huge weight off Jon�s and her shoulders. Conte families were never big and having three children rather than one was always a good sign.

Alanna grinned thinking of the King�s reaction. He would be overjoyed, amazed, and proud. Yes, his arrogance and pride had a way of getting to him. She paid the servant a silver noble and set off for the hall where the healers worked still thinking.

When she stepped into the clean, meticulous room, she instantly seemed to feel better. She went over to her old nursemaids side. Pearly green magic washed over the patient�s body. When she turned around she greeted Alanna.

�How do you fare my lady?�

�Maude, you needn�t call me lady! I am no more lady now than I was when I was still in diapers. If anything, now I am less. However, to debate with you is not why I came. George discovered for us this morning that I am pregnant. However, I feel horrible almost every day and I cannot detect with my own magic why. Can you please help me?� Maude nodded her head and led Alanna to a small room that had several chairs with many cushions.

Maude smiled quietly and handed her a bag of herbs.

�These will help with your morning sickness. If you have cramps, I can supply herbs for that too. In a few months, your belly will start showing. You must be careful what you do now. Come back in two weeks.�

�But wait, I�m still wearing the charm Eleni gave me to protect against me having children. How could this happen? I wear that every night. I have never once taken it off.�

�May I see that my child?� Alanna took off the charm silently and handed it to Maude. �Ah, I see why you�re confused. See these symbols, here and here? They mean that this charm only works when the bearer wants it to. When you were just a little younger, you still had no want or need for children. Your charm still worked during those circumstances. Now your love of George may cause the charm to malfunction. He does want children. Some small treacherous part of you probably does too. It was that part that told you to be a knight. Your child will be beautiful. If you do not want it, than someone in the village may want it. It is your decision.�

She and George had already decided that they would not do anything of that sort and that Alanna wanted to keep the child. She would learn to love it, even if at first she wasn�t thrilled with the idea. She and Thayet would have something in common. She grinned inwardly and spoke.

�Of course I will keep my child.�

Maude smiled and Alanna grinned back. She went up to her room and took the charm. Alanna summoned a magical fire to burn the charm in. Then she sat at a desk and composed a letter to Thayet. This is how it read:

Dear Thayet,

So, how did Jon take the news that you are bearing another child? I am sure he was thrilled. If he wasn�t, I think I�d eat my mail helmet. (No, I wouldn�t really.) How are the Riders? I haven�t gotten over to the Palace cause I haven�t been feeling well myself. With what, you�ll probably ask. Let me give you a hint. It involves nine months of pain and no sword fighting (rats for me.) Yes Thayet, you�ve guessed correctly, I am pregnant. It wasn�t planned, but all the same, I am happy. Our babies will be due around the same time. I think your baby of this time will be another girl. If it is, what will you name her? I really miss you and Buri. I will be coming to the palace in about a month, so look for me. Say hi to all the Rider ponies for me. Say hi to Jon, Gary, Raoul, you know, the important people. Love you guys, write me soon.

Alanna the Lioness of Pirate�s Swoop, Olau, and Trebond, the King�s Champion

Alanna looked at her horrible signature and grinned. She couldn�t wait to go to the Palace in a month and see all her friends. She got a servant, an older one and told him to get a horse and take the letter to the Royal Palace.

Then she went down to the stable. Her favorite mare, Moonlight, was in foal right now to Jon�s stallion, Darkness. When she got to her stall, Moonlight was lying down. Every now and then, her hide would ripple and she would groan. Alanna leaped over her stall door and landed next to her mare. Moonlight was giving birth!! She lay next to her and watched as the palomino colored foal emerged into the world. It had dark legs, almost black, and a short black mane and tail. When he was fully out, Moonlight turned and looked at him. Then she got right to her task of licking him thoroughly. When she was done, she looked very pleased with herself. Alanna laughed, and laughed again as the colt tried to lift himself. She went forward and gently laid her hand on his body. She ran her hand all the way down his withers and then up to his face. When her hand reached his nose, he butted it playfully. Alanna grinned.

He wobbled over to his mother�s side and drank greedily. Alanna left the stall so they could bond. Outside, watching her and Moonlight, was George. He laughed at the look on her face. She looked so happy at the birth of her next warhorse.

�So, my lady knight, what will ye name him?�

Alanna grimaced. She was horrible at thinking up names, especially for horses. �I think I�ll name him Darkmoon. Dark from his sire, moon from his dam. He�s very cute isn�t he?� She looked lovingly at the colt standing innocently next to his mom. George laughed, not unkindly at the _expression on her face.

�Ye act as if he�s your own baby!�

�Well, maybe he is like a baby of my own! At least with him, I won�t have as many problems if I spoil him.� George went on to his horse, Beauty and saddled her.

�Where, precisely, my great sir, are you going? It better involve me or going back to the castle!� She was of course joking, knowing what the answer would be. Right now was the time when they both went riding together. Actually, Alanna thought, we hardly see each other except now, in the morning, and at night. She went and tacked up Queen of Siraan, or just Queen. She was her temporary warhorse. While she was good, nothing could quite match up to Moonlight.

Queen butted her playfully, looking for some kind of treat. Alanna absentmindedly fished a lump of sugar out of her pocket and fed it to the mare. She got the riding saddle onto Queen�s back then led her out. Her bridle was out and ready so Alanna could grab it in a hurry. Alanna gently slipped the bit in between Queen�s teeth and pulled the rest of the bridle on. Alanna tucked the dagger she always carried in her boot and mounted up. George and Beauty were waiting outside the stable looking out at the ocean. Queen trotted forward and George caught up shortly.

After dinner, Alanna and George went for a walk along the shore. Alanna always loved it because of the dolphins and whales on the shore.

She had worn what she was wearing the morning before, a silver gown that went straight down, not a common fashion anymore. Over that, she wore a sapphire dress that went right under her breasts. It too went straight down onto the sandy beach.

*She�s so beautiful, under the moonlight, with her hair cascading down her back and her normally fierce face transfixed by the star�s reflections. It�s a wonder that she is like this even sometimes. Normally, when she looks like this, something�s wrong!* George had studied his wife�s face under the moonlight many nights.

When they were done with their walk, it was around 10:00 and Alanna felt tired. She undressed, George doing the same thing. She stepped into the bed, feeling rather hot.

�I wrote this morning Thayet and told her that we were coming to Court in a month. That is ok, isn�t it?� Her eyes and voice were anxious. George grinned and nodded yes. Alanna rolled over and nodded off to sleep. George however stayed awake for a while longer. He thought that he would burst with pride at the fact that Alanna was so happy. He had always wondered if she had actually wanted children, and though she seemed happy he probably always would wonder. He sighed and curled around his wife�s frail form.

In the morning, Alanna woke up and added the herbs to some tea that she brewed. She drank the tea and grimaced, trying not to gag. She had almost never had anything worse except when Liam had tried to cure her wound from Claw�s henchmen. George heard her trying to down the tea and laughed quietly. Alanna�s sharp ears, however, picked up on the sound.

�George Cooper, do you find this absolutely hilarious? It seems to be so. I would like to see you try to drink this stuff with a straight face. Go on, try it!� Alanna was busy trying to shove the tea into George�s hands while George protested.

�Alanna, this tea is to stop morning sickness. It isn�t to be joked around with.� Suddenly, he caught a whiff of the foul tasting tea and turned a peculiar shade of green. Alanna grinned and tried to down the rest of her tea without throwing up. She dressed in a gray tunic and black breeches and went to groom Queen and Moonlight. When she reached the stable, she had to suppress her laughter. Darkmoon must have heard her coming because his tiny head was trying to see over the stall door. Alanna fished a sugar lump out of her pocket and fed it to Darkmoon.

Then she went into the tack room pulled out her grooming tools. She started currying Moonlight. Moonlight leaned into the currycomb while Darkmoon sniffed at the currycomb. He tried to bite it, but ended up sneezing instead. She laughed and leaned down to curry him a little. He jumped and bucked lightly when she found the spot near his flank.

�Ticklish huh?� Alanna murmured. He laid his ears back. She stopped currying there and moved to a different spot. He wriggled in delight as she found a new spot. Alanna giggled and fed him a sugar cube.

She went back to currying Moonlight. Darkmoon looked at her in absolute confusion. He didn�t know why she got more attention than he. Alanna looked at him and sighed. Teaching him would be hard. Already he was showing his arrogant side, his dominant side that Jon so valued. Darkness had once saved Jon�s life because of his training. It was the actual training that was hard.

�Havin� fun?� George�s wry drawl sounded over the door. Alanna grinned and looked up. His eyes winked in the dim light of the stable.

�As a matter of fact, yes. Why are you here anyway? We don�t go riding for another couple of hours.�

�We received a letter from the Queen. She wants us to come to court now. She didn�t reveal why, though. It sounded important though, or else I don�t think she�d ask. We�re going?� Alanna thought. Thayet was her best friend, and it might not be such a grand idea to travel later when she was feeling worse. But then again, George didn�t sound thrilled.

�What�s the catch?�

�Jon wants to put you to work with the Queen�s Riders. I don�t think that�s such a good idea but he sounds ecstatic about you teaching the trainees. I don� know why either, but it makes me a little uneasy. Could it be that something is wrong?�

Alanna looked at George. �I don�t know. It does sound as though something�s wrong doesn�t it? But I think we should go and find out what�s going on. Thayet and I will enjoy each other�s company. Tell her and Jon yes. Don�t worry. We�ll be fine.� Alanna patted her still flat stomach as she told George. But the worry was still present in George�s eyes when he turned away. She walked towards him and kissed him deeply, feeling every amount of love possible pour from her lips. He broke away, his eyes fine now. They grinned at each other and George left.

The next morning, Alanna and George began packing their things. They didn�t have to pack much because they had many clothes at the Palace in their rooms. They set out around ten o�clock and trotted Queen, Beauty, Moonlight and Darkmoon. Alanna had thought about leaving them there, but it didn�t seem like such a good idea considering that Darkmoon and she were still bonding. She had ended up tying them to Queen�s halter. The couple rode in silence until dark. They were only ten miles from the palace but Alanna and George were tired. They set up a camp and George cooked. After eating, both crawled under blankets in the tent.

In the morning George and Alanna rose with the sun. Alanna downed more of her disgusting tea and tried not to vomit. She ate no breakfast, the word making her choke down her tea that was threatening to come up. So, approximately three hours after dawn, George and Alanna set out. They reached the palace quickly. Once there, Alanna immediately looked for Thayet. The queen was in her study. Alanna saw that she was tired, even though she disguised it well.

�Thayet?� Alanna questioned softly. The queen turned when she heard her friends voice. �How are you?�

Thayet smiled, the weariness gone from her face for just a while. �I am very tired. I have a two- year-old to look after, a nine month old, and here I am again. But I am so pleased for you!! Are you excited?�

�Yes. Both George and I are very excited. But, both he and I want to know, why did you summon us so quickly? Is something wrong?� Thayet looked at her friend and sighed. �Yes. Something is wrong. You know how the drought occurred? Well, now we are out of that and while that seems fine, and we have crops, we do have a problem with the Copper Isles. You know how you had to murder Josiane? Well, they were angered by that and it looks as though we may be going to war. I am very against it, but Jon thinks that you will go over and talk to them. I told him that it was a very bad idea but he wouldn�t listen. If you do not want to go, you don�t have to. I will make him listen.�

Alanna looked at Thayet. As much as she did not want to anger her king, she could not travel now. She, like Thayet was too tired. �I am very sorry to put you in the middle Thayet, but tell him that I cannot go. I too am weary. I will go with you. We will convince him together. And I will help very much with the Riders. Now, lets talk of cheerful things.�