How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"Perhaps Alan will tell me something. And remember—we have to do it his way. He'd be ashamed if he thought we were fighting his battles." (3.116)
Jonathan sees the bigger picture. When Alanna is saying that she "fell down" instead of telling the truth about Ralon beating her up, it's become a matter of honor and principles. The honorable thing for Alanna to do in this situation is fight her own battles, not ask her bigger and older friends to interfere.
Quote #8
The next afternoon Raoul beat Ralon thoroughly. Ralon broke the code and informed Duke Gareth. (3.132)
How ironic. Alanna refuses to tattle on Ralon in her effort to uphold the Code of Chivalry and live according to a set of principles that say she must fight her own battles, but Ralon doesn't seem to have the same scruples.
Quote #9
Fighting a fellow noble in the palace was breaking the rules, and Gareth had to teach her that. Yet the rules governing what a noble could take in the way of insults said that Alanna had to fight Ralon, and Duke Gareth was proud of her because she had protected her honor as a noble. (4.2)
So wait, the rules forbid nobles from fighting in the palace, but they also say that nobles must protect their honor… by fighting? Someone pass the ibuprofen; all this chivalry stuff is giving us a headache.