Disclaimer - The characters and places mentioned belong to Sherwood Smith,
not me. Please don't sue.
____________________________________________________________________________ ________
The Bluewood Tree
Vidanric, Renna, Trishe, Tamara, Geral and Nimiar, and the young Duke of Savona stood near the tall bluewood tree in the palace gardens at Athanarel. The remains of a picnic were left by cushions on the grass nearby. Soon a servant would arrive to tidy it away.
"I have a new necklace." Announced Tamara proudly. "And mama says I can be heir of Chamadis!"
"I have a pony...called Hazelnut." Said Renna, without thinking. "And I'm going to ride to Sartor and back!"
"Ha ha ha. You won't." Russav of Savona was grinning.
Renna glared at him. "Will too!"
"Will not!"
"Will too!"
"Will - "
"Be quiet both of you!" Trishe, sensible as ever, interrupted.
Renna promptly stuck her tongue out at Savona. He grinned and looked away.
"Life!" Trishe turned to Nee, Geral and Danric, who was plainly bored. "Does anybody have anything to say?"
Nee gave a slight cough. She flicked open her fan. It was painted beautifully with silver starliss flowers.
"Elenet made it for me." She said, pleased. "Before she left for Grumareth."
"Pretty." Agreed Vidanric. "But doesn't starliss symbolise something..."
Trishe shot him an alarmed look, worried that the twelve year old marquis would actually indicate the flower represented ambition.
"He was going to say your fan was so beautifully painted, it looked like the starliss flowers in Princess Yustneveas Landis's gardens in Sartor." Geral finished his friend's sentence, knowing very well Danric liked to worry Trishe.
Him and Savona both. They regarded it as a game.
Trishe sighed. She should have known Vidanric knew how to keep his mouth shut when he wanted.
"And it's called Queensblossom in Sartor!"
Renna giggled. "Geral has swallowed an archive...or..." She added in a wondering voice. "Have you really been to Sartor?"
Geral shook his head.
"Well," diplomatically, Trishe took the conversation back to its previous subject. "My favourite possession is my hair." She smiled, shyly.
"That isn't a possession!" Laughed Savona.
"Cousin," rebuked Vidanric, "if you keep interrupting we'll be here all day. Trishe..."
"Thank you. I like my hair because it doesn't need jewels or ribbons to make it look pretty."
"I have bea-u-tiful hair too, Marquis Vidanric." Said Tamara in a sickly sweet voice.
"Like a bird's nest!" Whispered Renna to Nee, who tried not to giggle. Tamara was her cousin.
And she had heard them. She screeched. "You're just jealous because you'll never inherit anything and I'm going to be a princess and rule over court and everyone will have to bow down to me!"
"Look," said Savona, imitating a courtier's voice. "We really are going to be here all day. Geral? Vidanric?"
Geral sighed. "I have a pony, like Renna. Danric?"
"Probably my palace in Shevraeth." He said blandly.
"Probably?" Muttered Renna, to herself. "If I had a palace, I live there all the time."
"That's never going to happen, is it - "
Savona glared at Tamara.
Suddenly, someone else spoke. Someone, they had not invited to their picnic.
"I'm afraid, my friends, that my favourite possession will outshine all of them." It was Flauvic Merindar, King Galdran's nephew. They had all assumed he would soon be a page in Sles Adran and would have no time for picnics. Besides, it seemed the only one who actually spoke with him was Tamara.
Tamara flirts with anyone, thought Russav, sighing inwardly.
Flauvic Merindar had a bow and arrows in his hand. Things banned by the Code of War. Wood banned by the Covenant. Flauvic read what they were thinking, and said, almost carelessly. "That's ok. Uncle Galdran says so."
Trishe politely bobbed a curtsey. "A bow and arrows!" She exclaimed, perplexed.
The group of friends held their collective breath. Would Trishe dare tell Flauvic they were forbidden? The words: Uncle Galdran says so, were haunting.
At last, he answered. "No, skill." He said airily. "I can bet you that I will hit any target, almost, from this point here."
"What do you think cousin?" Drawled Vidanric. "I'd say Chovilun at least. Wouldn't you?"
Flauvic's eyes narrowed, with anger and amusement.
"But you can't use bows!" Cried Nee. "The Hill Folk! The Code of War. Everyone knows it isn't allowed!"
Flauvic smiled mockingly at the little girl. For a moment, Savona wanted to hit him. But this was the king's nephew, and they were already in some trouble.
"He won't hurt the Hill Folk." Said Trishe soothingly.
Meanwhile, Geral and Renna were thinking.
"Ok." Renna decided. "I'll mark a target on the lattice wall at the end of this garden. Geral, what do you think of the distance?"
He glanced at Flauvic. "Err...good."
Renna tied her handkerchief to the lattice. She checked no one else was wandering the area - aristocrat or servant, then waved to her friends, who stepped out the way as Flauvic Merindar put an arrow to his bow.
"Wait!" Trishe intervened. "That fireflower bush is in the way."
Flauvic let the arrow fall, then walked till the fireflower bush was just behind him. Renna was standing next to him.
"I would move." Flauvic suggested.
Renna ignored him. "You could stand on the right of that bluewood tree, but go backwards...stop!" She skipped back to join the others.
"Will he, won't he?" Nee twisted a strand of her light brown hair.
"Of course he'll win that bet." Replied Tamara confidently.
Flauvic aimed the arrow at the blob of white - Renna's handkerchief. He took a few steps back, just to make sure that -
"Watch out!" Yelled Geral.
"Eeek!" squealed Nee.
Tamara winced.
Trishe had finally lost her patience with Flauvic Merindar. "Are you crazy?!" She demanded. "We'll be in so much trouble if anything is damaged!"
Flauvic lifted his head from the picnic things. His bow lay on the grass beside him. The arrow was nowhere to be seen.
They were reluctant to help Flauvic to his feet. Savona was grinning.
"Anything broken?" He asked.
"A couple of plates." Retorted Flauvic. "And I've got sugar in my hair!"
"I like sugar." Said Nee composedly.
Then, a sudden thought hit Vidanric. "Where's the arrow?"
A few minutes later, there was a shout - "Found it!" Renna stood at the trunk of the bluewood tree, staring up at the leaves.
"It's in the tree!" She chanted. "It's in the tree, tree, tree, tree!"
"I like trees." Said Nee, automatically. She went pale. "The Hill Folk!" She gasped. "We've hurt a tree! We must make it better again!"
"We will." Trishe tried to calm her down.
"In the tree?!" Geral exclaimed. "You asked for distance. That is pretty high up!"
"How are we going to get it out?" Trishe wondered.
"We could shoot it out of the tree." Suggested Savona.
"I know!" Cried Renna. "I'll climb the tree!"
Vidanric raised his eyebrows. "In that gown?"
She blushed. "I'll go change."
"No." Trishe's voice was quiet, but decided. "No one is going to climb the tree."
"But - "Nee began.
"It's too dangerous."
"An arrow in a tree." Thought Geral aloud. "It could be some kind of monument - a work of art maybe."
"Yes." Agreed Vidanric. "Shall we go inside, wait - where's Flauvic?"
"Gone." Said Savona.
"But the Hill Folk - "Nee began.
"I'm sure they'll punish those truly responsible one day." Said Trishe. Flauvic's name hovered in the air.
That evening, Nimiar Argaliar returned to the garden. She watched the arrow embedded at the top of the tree trunk.
"I wish I could meet the Hill Folk." She whispered. "One day..."
She didn't realise that it was a strange wish for a girl growing up at court. She could have wished for Tamara's beauty, Savona's confidence, Trishe's diplomacy, or Geral's knowledge. Or Vidanric's - the way he didn't seem to say anything wrong.
Nee closed her eyes. She almost thought she heard a reed pipe. When she looked up, she smiled.
The arrow was gone. ____________________________________________________________________________ ________
Yeah, that's my first fanfic. I always wondered what Danric, Flauvic etc were like as children. Please review! I guess Flauvic paid for hurting the tree in the end! Lol!
____________________________________________________________________________ ________
The Bluewood Tree
Vidanric, Renna, Trishe, Tamara, Geral and Nimiar, and the young Duke of Savona stood near the tall bluewood tree in the palace gardens at Athanarel. The remains of a picnic were left by cushions on the grass nearby. Soon a servant would arrive to tidy it away.
"I have a new necklace." Announced Tamara proudly. "And mama says I can be heir of Chamadis!"
"I have a pony...called Hazelnut." Said Renna, without thinking. "And I'm going to ride to Sartor and back!"
"Ha ha ha. You won't." Russav of Savona was grinning.
Renna glared at him. "Will too!"
"Will not!"
"Will too!"
"Will - "
"Be quiet both of you!" Trishe, sensible as ever, interrupted.
Renna promptly stuck her tongue out at Savona. He grinned and looked away.
"Life!" Trishe turned to Nee, Geral and Danric, who was plainly bored. "Does anybody have anything to say?"
Nee gave a slight cough. She flicked open her fan. It was painted beautifully with silver starliss flowers.
"Elenet made it for me." She said, pleased. "Before she left for Grumareth."
"Pretty." Agreed Vidanric. "But doesn't starliss symbolise something..."
Trishe shot him an alarmed look, worried that the twelve year old marquis would actually indicate the flower represented ambition.
"He was going to say your fan was so beautifully painted, it looked like the starliss flowers in Princess Yustneveas Landis's gardens in Sartor." Geral finished his friend's sentence, knowing very well Danric liked to worry Trishe.
Him and Savona both. They regarded it as a game.
Trishe sighed. She should have known Vidanric knew how to keep his mouth shut when he wanted.
"And it's called Queensblossom in Sartor!"
Renna giggled. "Geral has swallowed an archive...or..." She added in a wondering voice. "Have you really been to Sartor?"
Geral shook his head.
"Well," diplomatically, Trishe took the conversation back to its previous subject. "My favourite possession is my hair." She smiled, shyly.
"That isn't a possession!" Laughed Savona.
"Cousin," rebuked Vidanric, "if you keep interrupting we'll be here all day. Trishe..."
"Thank you. I like my hair because it doesn't need jewels or ribbons to make it look pretty."
"I have bea-u-tiful hair too, Marquis Vidanric." Said Tamara in a sickly sweet voice.
"Like a bird's nest!" Whispered Renna to Nee, who tried not to giggle. Tamara was her cousin.
And she had heard them. She screeched. "You're just jealous because you'll never inherit anything and I'm going to be a princess and rule over court and everyone will have to bow down to me!"
"Look," said Savona, imitating a courtier's voice. "We really are going to be here all day. Geral? Vidanric?"
Geral sighed. "I have a pony, like Renna. Danric?"
"Probably my palace in Shevraeth." He said blandly.
"Probably?" Muttered Renna, to herself. "If I had a palace, I live there all the time."
"That's never going to happen, is it - "
Savona glared at Tamara.
Suddenly, someone else spoke. Someone, they had not invited to their picnic.
"I'm afraid, my friends, that my favourite possession will outshine all of them." It was Flauvic Merindar, King Galdran's nephew. They had all assumed he would soon be a page in Sles Adran and would have no time for picnics. Besides, it seemed the only one who actually spoke with him was Tamara.
Tamara flirts with anyone, thought Russav, sighing inwardly.
Flauvic Merindar had a bow and arrows in his hand. Things banned by the Code of War. Wood banned by the Covenant. Flauvic read what they were thinking, and said, almost carelessly. "That's ok. Uncle Galdran says so."
Trishe politely bobbed a curtsey. "A bow and arrows!" She exclaimed, perplexed.
The group of friends held their collective breath. Would Trishe dare tell Flauvic they were forbidden? The words: Uncle Galdran says so, were haunting.
At last, he answered. "No, skill." He said airily. "I can bet you that I will hit any target, almost, from this point here."
"What do you think cousin?" Drawled Vidanric. "I'd say Chovilun at least. Wouldn't you?"
Flauvic's eyes narrowed, with anger and amusement.
"But you can't use bows!" Cried Nee. "The Hill Folk! The Code of War. Everyone knows it isn't allowed!"
Flauvic smiled mockingly at the little girl. For a moment, Savona wanted to hit him. But this was the king's nephew, and they were already in some trouble.
"He won't hurt the Hill Folk." Said Trishe soothingly.
Meanwhile, Geral and Renna were thinking.
"Ok." Renna decided. "I'll mark a target on the lattice wall at the end of this garden. Geral, what do you think of the distance?"
He glanced at Flauvic. "Err...good."
Renna tied her handkerchief to the lattice. She checked no one else was wandering the area - aristocrat or servant, then waved to her friends, who stepped out the way as Flauvic Merindar put an arrow to his bow.
"Wait!" Trishe intervened. "That fireflower bush is in the way."
Flauvic let the arrow fall, then walked till the fireflower bush was just behind him. Renna was standing next to him.
"I would move." Flauvic suggested.
Renna ignored him. "You could stand on the right of that bluewood tree, but go backwards...stop!" She skipped back to join the others.
"Will he, won't he?" Nee twisted a strand of her light brown hair.
"Of course he'll win that bet." Replied Tamara confidently.
Flauvic aimed the arrow at the blob of white - Renna's handkerchief. He took a few steps back, just to make sure that -
"Watch out!" Yelled Geral.
"Eeek!" squealed Nee.
Tamara winced.
Trishe had finally lost her patience with Flauvic Merindar. "Are you crazy?!" She demanded. "We'll be in so much trouble if anything is damaged!"
Flauvic lifted his head from the picnic things. His bow lay on the grass beside him. The arrow was nowhere to be seen.
They were reluctant to help Flauvic to his feet. Savona was grinning.
"Anything broken?" He asked.
"A couple of plates." Retorted Flauvic. "And I've got sugar in my hair!"
"I like sugar." Said Nee composedly.
Then, a sudden thought hit Vidanric. "Where's the arrow?"
A few minutes later, there was a shout - "Found it!" Renna stood at the trunk of the bluewood tree, staring up at the leaves.
"It's in the tree!" She chanted. "It's in the tree, tree, tree, tree!"
"I like trees." Said Nee, automatically. She went pale. "The Hill Folk!" She gasped. "We've hurt a tree! We must make it better again!"
"We will." Trishe tried to calm her down.
"In the tree?!" Geral exclaimed. "You asked for distance. That is pretty high up!"
"How are we going to get it out?" Trishe wondered.
"We could shoot it out of the tree." Suggested Savona.
"I know!" Cried Renna. "I'll climb the tree!"
Vidanric raised his eyebrows. "In that gown?"
She blushed. "I'll go change."
"No." Trishe's voice was quiet, but decided. "No one is going to climb the tree."
"But - "Nee began.
"It's too dangerous."
"An arrow in a tree." Thought Geral aloud. "It could be some kind of monument - a work of art maybe."
"Yes." Agreed Vidanric. "Shall we go inside, wait - where's Flauvic?"
"Gone." Said Savona.
"But the Hill Folk - "Nee began.
"I'm sure they'll punish those truly responsible one day." Said Trishe. Flauvic's name hovered in the air.
That evening, Nimiar Argaliar returned to the garden. She watched the arrow embedded at the top of the tree trunk.
"I wish I could meet the Hill Folk." She whispered. "One day..."
She didn't realise that it was a strange wish for a girl growing up at court. She could have wished for Tamara's beauty, Savona's confidence, Trishe's diplomacy, or Geral's knowledge. Or Vidanric's - the way he didn't seem to say anything wrong.
Nee closed her eyes. She almost thought she heard a reed pipe. When she looked up, she smiled.
The arrow was gone. ____________________________________________________________________________ ________
Yeah, that's my first fanfic. I always wondered what Danric, Flauvic etc were like as children. Please review! I guess Flauvic paid for hurting the tree in the end! Lol!