Post by Rosie on Nov 15, 2016 1:14:01 GMT 10
Title: Kiss Your Past Goodbye
Rating: PG
Word Count: 788
Summary: A teenage Alanna finds her way to a slightly different Court of the Rogue.
Notes: Lisa is, as ever, my favourite. Also, apologies for my relatively poor Rogue accent.
--
Alanna glanced up at the Dancing Dove, judging that, at this time, it might be best to make her way through the back. Evening was setting in by that point, and the King liked his court to assemble before him in advance of any night-time undertakings.
She was late, and it was too much to hope that her absence had been overlooked entirely, but she might at least pretend she hadn't been gone quite so long.
"Missin' again, is it?"
The King's cousin stood before her, and Alanna felt her lip curl up in response. She didn't trust this man, couldn't explain how her dislike went deep into her bones. Until he stepped out of line, it was best to stuff the feeling down, else she'd end up with her throat slit or worse. Sometimes, though, she couldn't help herself. "What's it t'ye?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest and planting her feet firmly in case he rushed her. Roger wasn't a born fighter, but displays of strength were commonplace here, she'd learned.
"Makin' sure me cousin's lady's all in one piece," Roger said lazily, his eyes tracking over her. "Think it'd be a terrible shame if, well..."
A cold shiver ran up her spine; Alanna resisted the urge to react. He always referred to her with mocking deference - my lady - almost as if he knew, but this veiled threat was an unwelcome addition. Not willing to pursue the conversation further, she pushed past him, letting her shoulder knock into his arm.
"Annie!"
Alanna allowed herself to be pulled into a card game, though she refused to be dealt a hand. Alex never played fairly, and she was too unsettled by Roger to be sure she wouldn't lose her entire purse to him.
"Thought ye were lost," Raoul said, eyes crinkling above his cards in a way that suggested he was teasing, however steady his tone. She often thought Raoul had something of her own story, that he was also of noble birth, but she was reticent to discuss it for fear of laying bare her own past.
"Seems to me everyone could do with keepin' their noses in their own business," Alanna said sourly.
A now-familiar tug on her braid had her twisting in her seat to find Johnny grinning down at her. "Seems to me you should come when I ask."
"Should've got yerself a dog if tha' was yer aim," Alanna retorted, though she let him kiss away the insolence. It wouldn't do to start rumours of dissent in the King's bedchambers. She wouldn't give Roger any ammunition if she could help it.
"What if I ask very nicely?" Johnny murmured, so quiet she was certain she was the only one who heard.
Her face was aflame, and she wrapped her fingers in his collar, making sure he wouldn't pull away. "Got to make a report, haven't I?"
He planted a kiss on the tip of her nose, his palms landing on the top of the barrel behind her, effectively pinning her in place. "Five minutes, upstairs. Wait 'til their attention is elsewhere. What a fuss you make about enterin', every time."
Alanna scowled at him as he straightened, smirking, dominance asserted. As she turned around, Raoul was oddly intent on his cards, but Alex held her gaze for a moment, one brow raised, before he lay down the cards that, inevitably, crushed Raoul. If Raoul had been raised noble, the stream of swearing he let loose subsequently was not befitting of his birthright. She clapped a hand to his back, and rose, heading straight for the stairs.
Johnny hadn't yet made his escape, but she sat down on his bed anyway, pulling her hair free of its ties. It gave her the chance to look over his wall of trophies, over what Johnny took from the people who crossed him.
She shuddered now, in the privacy of the Rogue's bedroom. He had asked her, more than once, to be his queen. She loved him - of course she did. It was so easy to love Johnny, with his wicked grin, and habit of spinning stories for all the girls. She just wasn't ready to be Queen of the Rogue. It wasn't a life that promised longevity, not with the threat of Roger looming large, even though Johnny pressed hot promises of forever into her skin.
Roger wouldn't let Johnny go, not even if Johnny gave it all up and went respectable.
That wasn't even the worst of it anymore. As Johnny crept into the room, her smile trembled. He seemed not to notice as he climbed onto the bed, and kissed the last of Good King George from her lips.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 788
Summary: A teenage Alanna finds her way to a slightly different Court of the Rogue.
Notes: Lisa is, as ever, my favourite. Also, apologies for my relatively poor Rogue accent.
--
Alanna glanced up at the Dancing Dove, judging that, at this time, it might be best to make her way through the back. Evening was setting in by that point, and the King liked his court to assemble before him in advance of any night-time undertakings.
She was late, and it was too much to hope that her absence had been overlooked entirely, but she might at least pretend she hadn't been gone quite so long.
"Missin' again, is it?"
The King's cousin stood before her, and Alanna felt her lip curl up in response. She didn't trust this man, couldn't explain how her dislike went deep into her bones. Until he stepped out of line, it was best to stuff the feeling down, else she'd end up with her throat slit or worse. Sometimes, though, she couldn't help herself. "What's it t'ye?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest and planting her feet firmly in case he rushed her. Roger wasn't a born fighter, but displays of strength were commonplace here, she'd learned.
"Makin' sure me cousin's lady's all in one piece," Roger said lazily, his eyes tracking over her. "Think it'd be a terrible shame if, well..."
A cold shiver ran up her spine; Alanna resisted the urge to react. He always referred to her with mocking deference - my lady - almost as if he knew, but this veiled threat was an unwelcome addition. Not willing to pursue the conversation further, she pushed past him, letting her shoulder knock into his arm.
"Annie!"
Alanna allowed herself to be pulled into a card game, though she refused to be dealt a hand. Alex never played fairly, and she was too unsettled by Roger to be sure she wouldn't lose her entire purse to him.
"Thought ye were lost," Raoul said, eyes crinkling above his cards in a way that suggested he was teasing, however steady his tone. She often thought Raoul had something of her own story, that he was also of noble birth, but she was reticent to discuss it for fear of laying bare her own past.
"Seems to me everyone could do with keepin' their noses in their own business," Alanna said sourly.
A now-familiar tug on her braid had her twisting in her seat to find Johnny grinning down at her. "Seems to me you should come when I ask."
"Should've got yerself a dog if tha' was yer aim," Alanna retorted, though she let him kiss away the insolence. It wouldn't do to start rumours of dissent in the King's bedchambers. She wouldn't give Roger any ammunition if she could help it.
"What if I ask very nicely?" Johnny murmured, so quiet she was certain she was the only one who heard.
Her face was aflame, and she wrapped her fingers in his collar, making sure he wouldn't pull away. "Got to make a report, haven't I?"
He planted a kiss on the tip of her nose, his palms landing on the top of the barrel behind her, effectively pinning her in place. "Five minutes, upstairs. Wait 'til their attention is elsewhere. What a fuss you make about enterin', every time."
Alanna scowled at him as he straightened, smirking, dominance asserted. As she turned around, Raoul was oddly intent on his cards, but Alex held her gaze for a moment, one brow raised, before he lay down the cards that, inevitably, crushed Raoul. If Raoul had been raised noble, the stream of swearing he let loose subsequently was not befitting of his birthright. She clapped a hand to his back, and rose, heading straight for the stairs.
Johnny hadn't yet made his escape, but she sat down on his bed anyway, pulling her hair free of its ties. It gave her the chance to look over his wall of trophies, over what Johnny took from the people who crossed him.
She shuddered now, in the privacy of the Rogue's bedroom. He had asked her, more than once, to be his queen. She loved him - of course she did. It was so easy to love Johnny, with his wicked grin, and habit of spinning stories for all the girls. She just wasn't ready to be Queen of the Rogue. It wasn't a life that promised longevity, not with the threat of Roger looming large, even though Johnny pressed hot promises of forever into her skin.
Roger wouldn't let Johnny go, not even if Johnny gave it all up and went respectable.
That wasn't even the worst of it anymore. As Johnny crept into the room, her smile trembled. He seemed not to notice as he climbed onto the bed, and kissed the last of Good King George from her lips.
Maybe once we'd have seen it during Smackdown!