Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The Empress of Writing Joy (Sherwood Smith) does.

Ever wanted to know what went on in Vidanric's mind after their kiss? Here's a totally random fic warping chapters twenty-two and twenty-three. R&R!! My first fic, so be nice. Mel/ Danric / Critique-ridden Reviews respected. :-D

I didn't ever want that kiss to ever stop and I never wanted to let Meliara go. Especially after I was so sure that I finally won her over.

We broke apart at the sound of hoof beats coming closer, me cursing silently that my one peaceful and joyous moment was ruined. I heard her ragged breathing and smiled at her, knowing all to well that it would never last.

Suddenly we heard a Guard yell, and the couriers response of, "But I have to report right away!"

I forcibly turned my attention to the tent flap when a muddy and gasping courier staggered in, nearly falling over.

"Kenric?" I said, raising a brow in inquiry.

He bowed shakily, nodding to Meliara. "You said to return if I found Keira, or if I saw anything amiss," he gasped, staggering sideways and catching himself with the tent poll, nearly knocking down the tent.

"And?" I asked, raising both my brows. He got the hint that if he didn't hurry, he'd be a trembling, mud covered heap in a second.

"Streets are empty," he said, rubbing his eyes and shaking his head to clear his mind. "Arrived…second-gold, Ought to have been full. No one out. Not a dog or cat. No sign of Keira either. Didn't try to speak to anyone. Turned around and rode back as fast as I could."

"Good. You did the right thing. Go to the cook tent and get something to eat. Your off duty," I said, motioning toward the tent flap. He seemed almost suddenly aware of his freedom and bobbed his head up and down, a ghost of a smile flashing across his mud covered features. He turned to leave when something hit me. "Kenric? One more question."

He turned around suddenly, standing at attention, his feet itching to get out of here. A pang of fire went through me when I heard Meliara laugh gently at the couriers persistence. It was not a mocking laugh, but a soft and gentle laugh that would make anyone smile, no matter how tense the situation. The courier seemed to acknowledge that and half smiled, a blush showing under the mud.

"My lord?"

"Yes…it's the matter of Athanarel. Could you see any potent reason for the disappearance of the locals? Any change in air waves? Wind currents?" I asked slowly, still unsure of why I was asking this. Some instinct inside of me told me that it was important.

Kenric hesitated, as if some unseen force would come and attack him from the shadows. "Umm…no," he said at last, in a slow and trembling voice. "Although, there was no wind. Only a layer of glimmer."

I sighed. Glimmer?

"Thank you. You are dismissed."

The courier nodded his head in thanks, a smile crawling across his face, and ran out.

"Ready for a ride?" I said grimly, turning to Meliara. I wanted ever so desperately to stuff the words back down my throat.

She nodded, her eyes flashing with a hint of challenge, fury, and love, and started for the tent flap. I followed behind, her emotions rattling up mine.

&

"Watch out for the mud banks m'lord," the stable hand said, saddling up my spotted gray. "There be many at this time."

I nodded, smiling at the boy until he blushed a deep red. "Will do."

"Are we ready or not?" a voice said from behind us, causing a lightning bolt of a shiver to run down my spine. I turned around and saw Meliara rear back on her horse, her figure silhouetted against the stormy gray clouds.

"Yes," I replied, not wanting to know what scolding I would get if I said "No."

With a coin and a nod for the stable-hand, we set out without any other conversation, galloping hard toward Remalna-City.

It was near impossible to have a conversation with the shards of rain and wind whistling in our ears, so we rode in silence. This gave me time to reflect on what happened days before, and what would happen in the near future.

I thought of our recent, and devastating, encounters and wondered if any light was being shed upon them. I knew that what had happened a few hours before was just the beginning of a delicate tapestry that I had to keep building. I was lucky enough to be on speaking terms with Meliara, maybe even friendly terms, but some untrained part of me wanted something more.

That just turned my thoughts on the goldenwood throne. I had wanted to start ruling as a partnership, so that meant I needed a Queen, much less a wife. After much thought, I had decided on waiting for the carving of another one, one to match the one that I'd take. I had no idea why I'd mentioned that in our fourteenth letter, but it seemed that my untrained side had won.

I realized right then that I had loved Meliara ever since I had started to amend our past with letters. Another thought occurred to me when vertigo took its toll...

&

We were back in the throne room, filled with false laughing courtiers. I walked in, having changed my anonymous traveling clothes into a long, black battle tunic that I was supposed to wear all along. I continued walking, carrying a plumed and coroneted helm in a gloved hand until I reached the wide, marble throne dais. I bowed low before King Galdran, who was seated on his goldenwood throne, masterly crafted by talented Renselaeus Master Artisans, might I add.

I made sure to put every trace of irony that I possessed into that bow, sending silent shudders of laughter from the Court. From the corner of my eye, I saw Meliara limp forward, probably trying to see the man she was to face any moment. My eye twitched when I saw four of her massive guards step aside and thrust her forward, causing a small squeak to escape her mouth as she landed on her injured foot.

"So you won your wager, Shevraeth, eh?" Galdran said, his voice full of nasty joy that I knew was directed toward Meliara.

"As well, Your Majesty," I drawled. "The dirt, the stretches of boredom...really, had it taken two days more, I could not have supported it, much as I regret the damage to my reputation for reneging on a bet."

Galdran turned and waved at Meliara, causing the Guards to thrust her forward again.

"Are you certain someone hasn't been making a game of you? That looks like a scullery wench."

"I assure you, Your Majesty, this is Meliara Astiar, Countess of Tlanth," I said in my best Court drawl, careful not to let any of my inner emotions to show.

My gaze followed Galdran as he walked off his throne dais and then to Meliara, standing only five paces away from her. He scanned her head to toe, making my insides flame up. Being trained in Court etiquette for my whole life had taught me just to stand and keep my face blank.

Suddenly, his cruel smile widened as he said, "I never expected much of that half-mad man, but this is really rich!" He let out a nasty laugh, causing a response of purely false laughter to echo up the deep rafters. I smirked slightly when I saw Galdran's face show triumph, clearly believing that we were laughing with him, not at him. When it had died down he said, "Cheer up, wench. You'll have your brother soon for company, and your heads will make a nice matched set over the palace gates."

Again the false laughter came from the Court, so loud and unrealistic that even a humble peasant would acknowledge it as false. I resisted the impulse to meet Meliara's gaze as she was dragged away, but I did catch a glimpse of her brave eyes, penetrating Galdran with all the gallantry that I'd come to admire in her.

&

I snapped out of my revere as I realized that we were almost to our first stop, Farjoon Anchor, the inn where we had our initial conversation. I glanced over at Meliara and a warm flood of affection swamped through me when I saw her eyes, half lidded, gazing forward, probably lost in daydreaming like me. She cast a glance over at me and winked, causing a very faint flush to appear on my face. I tried to hide it by turning, making myself look as blank as possible. I knew that my mask had slipped, for I heard her laughing softly, a twinkling sound that made my emotions fire up again. I'm acting like a sixteen year old boy in love. I thought to myself, chuckling softly.

Meliara gave me a glare, one that was as brave and unafraid as the one in the throne room, and I realized something even more intriguing. But I lost that train of thought when my horse jerked back, sending mud flying everywhere.

"Watch out for the mud banks m'lord," the boy had said. "There be many at this time."

"Sure are," I mumbled louder than expected as I slowed my horse down to a moderate gate. Years of training at Marloven Hesa had trained me enough to know: No matter how much, dry or wet the mud is, always take caution, for mud gullies often go unnoticed. Unfortunately, Meliara didn't realize that soon enough and went flying as her horse skidded to a sudden stop.

She landed in a large mud puddle, nearly sucking her in. She pulled herself out, staggering and falling again. I had no idea whether I should help her or not, but our newly made friendship and years of old habit told me otherwise. I dismounted my horse and made my way slowly to where she fell, careful to watch for deep spots. She had fallen very far, about four horses length's from her mare. I reached her and held out my hand, waiting any moment for her scowl and rage. But instead, she took it and hefted herself up, her cheeks red from embarrassment rather than anger.

"Thanks," she mumbled, her voice probably making my eyes intense. I smiled briefly at her and then realized that I was still holding onto her hand. I let it go suddenly, wishing I hadn't when I saw that forlorn look on her face. She blushed when she saw me looking at her and then made her way hastily to her mare, remounting quickly. I followed suit and without conversation, we were riding again to Remalna City.

&

We arrived at the Inn midst a pouring rainfall. We stepped into the Inn and down the hall; we walked outside the small room that I had found Meliara standing outside of. I cast a glance at Meliara as we passed it and saw her shutter. I myself never wanted to be reminded of that terrible debate I had to endeavor on whether or not she had betrayed Remalna. Now we had a bigger room, but not big enough to accommodate our wagon-load of emotions that followed us like a loyal dog to a Master.

We walked in and sank down into warm, yet simple, straw stuffed cushions. I threw off my cloak and gloves and then took a seat down across from Meliara. For a long period of time we were silent, allowing each other to sort out our thoughts. Then, I heard Meliara sigh, a sound that echoed like sweet music to my ears. I gazed at her form, my heart swelling with sheer bliss. I turned just as she did and I felt that she had caught my assessing glance. I smiled at her, putting every fiber of my being and heart into that smile.

"I knew it," I said, still smiling, "I knew that by now you would have managed to see everything as your own fault, and you'd be drooping under the weight." I watched her reaction turn from curiosity to mild embarrassment.

"Why did you do it?" she asked, her hands fumbling with her cloak. A maid set down a tray of chocolate, but I was too busy watching Meliara to really take notice. With an oblique, yet relieving sense of humor, she added, "Near as I can see I've been almost as pleasant to be around as an angry bee storm."

"At times," I said, thinking back at the time where she threw a candlestick at my head. "But I take our wretched beginning as my own fault. I merely wanted to intimidate you --and through you, your brother-- into withdrawing from the field. What a mess you made of my plans! Every single day I had to re-form them. I'd get everyone and everything set on a new course, and you'd smash it to shards again, all with the best of motives, and actions as gallant as ever I've seen, from man or woman." I smiled, hoping for one that invoked nonchalance, but all I got from that was a groan and a frown. "By the time I realized that I was going to have to figure you into the plans, you were having none of me, or them. At the same time, you managed to win everyone you encountered --save the Merindars-- to your side." I watched her again, assessing her counterance. It seemed tense, as if she had really felt it all her fault. I wanted to slap myself, mentally and physically, for ruining her moment with some aristocratic truth.

I guess that's where I'll stop for now. Tired for some unexplainable reason. Please, R&R!! Thanx!