It was growing late as Russav watched the dancers whirling around the ballroom. This dance was for couples, and since Tamara and he were fighting yet again, he was stuck lurking in the shadows, observing while Tamara spun and dipped with yet another minor lord, throwing the obvious insult in his face. It made him feel sick, so instead of enduring Tamara's revenge, Russav crossed his arms and turned his attention to another couple who, much to his surprise, appeared to be enjoying themselves.
Meliara and Vidanric were twirling and smiling just like the other couples in the dance, but Mel's smile was actually sincere as she laughed at something his cousin had said to her. Vidanric's expression, too, was one of sincere merriment. Something between the two of them had changed after the failed Merindar coup, but Vidanric wasn't talking, and Meliara, for some reason, would turn beet red and refused to say anything. Something was up, and Russav did not like being left out. Not. At. All.
"Look at them," Nimiar said with a smile as she and Mel's brother, Branaric, appeared out of the crowd to stand beside Russav. She was watching Vidanric twirl Meliara around with an expression of bemused excitement. She sipped from the glass of wine she was holding as Russav considered his response.
"Something is going on between the two of them," he said finally. "I mean, Vidanric was smitten with her since stars only know when, and somewhere between his visit to Tlanth and the tree sprouting from the throne, Meliara started to like him. But neither of them have said anything."
Bran, oblivious as always, glanced between Nimiar and Russav, then looked across the room at his sister and her dance partner. "I thought Mel hated him!"
"Apparently not," Russav replied. "And I, for one, would like an explanation."
"As would I," Bran said.
"Boys," Nimiar laid a hand on Bran's arm before he could charge off through ballroom. "I am sure there will be an explanation soon. Give them time."
"But Nee—."
"No," Nimiar said gently. "I spoke with Mel after we all woke from that enchanted sleep Lord Flauvic laid on us, and she told me things had changed. She did not want to give me details. Said we would find out soon enough."
"It's been weeks," Bran complained. "I want to know what is going on."
"Look!" Russav interrupted, nodding toward the dance floor.
The three of them watched as Vidanric broke the pattern of the dance and wrapped one arm around Meliara's waist and lifted her up to bring her face level with his. Then Vidanric, one hand on the back of her head, pulled Meliara's mouth to his. Meliara wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss in earnest. Instead of ending after a moment though, the kiss continued as Vidanric turned them in a slow circle to the last chords of the melody that floated down from the musician's balcony. Everyone around them finished the steps of the dance and turned to see what was happening. Some gasped, some smiled, and some scowled. Tamara was one of those who appeared most unhappy at the sight as the courtiers tittered or laughed politely.
Finally, they broke the kiss, but instead of allowing Meliara to regain her footing, Vidanric still held her against him, resting his forehead against hers with a boyish grin. Meliara was giggling, and for once, did not appear to notice or care how the other lords and ladies regarded her. Vidanric stole another little kiss from Mel before he allowed her to slide down his body to the floor, but he continued to hold her close beside him.
"Now now cousin!" Russav boomed jovially as he made his way across the floor to Vidanric. "We must have an explanation! The future king cannot just go about kissing whomever he wants whenever he wants."
"Dear cousin," Vidanric drawled, but he couldn't quite keep the laughter from his words or his eyes, "Surely you must have realized by now that I do not go about kissing whomever I want whenever I want."
"Then what was that, may I ask? I'm sure we would all like to know." He made sure the entire gathering could hear him.
"If you come to court tomorrow, cousin, you will gain the answer to this mystery," Vidanric countered.
"I am certain we will all be in attendance, for many of us wish to know how you went from lady Meliara's most despised fop to her favorite dance partner," Russav replied.
"I will look forward to seeing everyone there," Vidanric said, then turned to face the balcony where the musicians hid. "Another dance if you please," he said, and took Meliara's arm, leading her from the dance floor.
Together they went to the corner where Russav had been sulking and joined Branaric and Nimiar for a drink. Russav joined them once more.
"Thank you, Russav, for that distraction," Vidanric said, saluting him with his wine glass. "Tactful."
"I pride myself on my tact and wit, as you well know, Danric," Russav replied. "Though I did not think my act was going to follow such an act of passion."
"Meliara and I arranged it," Vidanric said, smiling down at Mel.
"I didn't think it was going to be that ridiculous," Meliara replied as she blushed straight up into her hairline.
"Wait," Branaric said. "You planned it?" He turned to Russav. "You knew?"
"Yes and yes," Russav replied.
"And if you go to court tomorrow, I promise we will explain everything," Meliara said earnestly.
"I'm your brother and you didn't tell me? Burn it, Mel, I thought you would have said something. Neither of us are good at hiding anything, but I thought you would have warned me somehow!"
"We didn't want it to come out until we were ready," Meliara said. "I promise, Bran if it wasn't going to be announced tomorrow, I would have told you already."
"And since when do you get along with him?" Branaric pointed at Vidanric. "I thought you had vowed to hate him for eternity."
Meliara blushed again. "You'll know tomorrow. I'm tired, and I want to go to bed." With that she turned and walked away. Russav watched Vidanric as Vidanric watched her go. When he finally turned back to the others his eyes were distant, focused on his thoughts instead of the people around him.
"What happened to that inscrutable court mask Meliara can see through?" Russav asked him.
Vidanric twitched, which was as close to a startled jump he could get. "Apologies," he murmured. "Meliara asked me to drop it for the evening."
"It didn't look like it was too difficult for you."
"No," Vidanric sighed. "It was not."
After a few minutes more of unexceptional conversation, Vidanric excused himself, and Russav left with him. His cousin did not speak much, and Russav sensed that Vidanric's thoughts had turned inward and focused solely on Meliara. Russav finally grew impatient as they neared the Royal Wing where Vidanric's rooms were.
"It has been weeks since the Merindar incident," Russav said. "And the two of you have really been courting for months by letter, so now I'm curious. Have you two spent any nights together?"
"What are you getting at Russav?" Vidanric pinched the bridge of his nose, which he did only when very tired or overworked. Russav would argue that his cousin was both.
"I think you know," Russav replied.
"No," Vidanric said. "You know I don't two with just anyone, not after Colend. And Mel isn't…I don't think she's…"
"You don't think anyone has ever really explained twoing to her."
"Yes."
"I could do it. Right now," Russav offered.
"I forbid you," Vidanric said. "My mother talked to her about it recently. She told me she did. My mother, not Mel. Apparently Mel had already figured it all out for herself but the details were fuzzy, which they always are until you have experience."
"Which you have," Russav said.
"I wish I didn't," Vidanric said bitterly.
"Live and learn," Russav replied. "Meliara is not like those women."
"I love her precisely because she is not like those women. She is not like any other courtier either. She is, well, Mel," Vidanric said.
"And she has a good head for politics," Russav said. "She will make a great queen."
"Thank you, Russav," Vidanric said with a weary smile. They had reached Vidanric's rooms, so they said good night, and Russav returned to his own, grinning to himself. He couldn't wait for tomorrow.