Twitch of the Love Nerve

Chapter 1

"Mel, are we ever going to tell anyone that we are engaged?" Vidanric pleaded.

"Why?" She asked, as she sat up in 'Danric's large bed and wrapped the sheets around her body. "What's the point?"

"Well," answered Vidanric as he scratched his head in mock-thought. "For one, we could stop sneaking around the palace during the night."

"I like that. It adds mystery to our relationship. And air of the forbidden." Mel smiled, ducking her head under the covers to avoid his playful whacks.

Vidanric sighed. It had been almost a year since the defeat of Flauvic and Vidanric's crowning. During that year, Vidanric had repeatedly been dodging the obvious questions from his advisors. Wasn't it time to take a wife? And didn't the lovely Dowager Countess of Tlanth seem like a perfect consort?

Yes, she does, Vidanric reasoned. He didn't understand why she refused to just marry him already. He had already informed that if he ever saw her with another man he would arrange a commoner's execution for them both.

She had just laughed at him. She didn't seem to understand the gravity of his situation. Vidanric had originally thought if her hesitation to come clean about their relationship was simply because of her inexperience in love. But now, almost a year later, Vidanric was beginning to have second thoughts about his theory.

Vidanric lifted up the sheets to find to search for the little Countess. "Mel, everyone knows that we have…" He broke off, blushing a little.

"Have what?" Mel asked, slipping her hand on his knee. "Great sex? Excellent fornication?"

Vidanric stared at her for a moment. "I was going to go with true love, but excellent fornication… yes. We have that too, I suppose."

Mel sighed as slipped out of the warm and crossed the room in search for her clothing. "Sometimes, you can be such a woman," she scolded him, throwing on her stockings.

He sat up in the bed. "Why? Because I want you just to marry me already? I don't think you realize how serious this is, Mel." Vidanric began, becoming quite agitated. His gray eyes blazed. "I'm the king. The KING. And in case you haven't noticed, marriage is considered an excellent way to bind an important treaty."

Mel blinked, not grasping his implication. "Tlanth swore loyalty at your coronation, just like every other region. What are you getting at?"

"What I'm getting at!" exclaimed Vidanric, struggling to keep his voice down as his anger grew. "What I'm getting at is that you don't seem to understand that my hand in marriage might be necessary sometimes soon. If you shut up and allowed us to get married already, we wouldn't have that threat looming over our throne now, would we?"

His words were spoken before he realized what he was saying.

"Oh, 'Danric!" Mel said, blushing a little at her lose for words. She placed her ungloved hand on his cheek. "Our throne? That is so…so…" A tear welled up in her eye and she turned away from her confused fiancé.

"Don't cry," he admonished, dismissing her emotions. "I cannot tolerate weepy women."

"You want me to be Queen."

"Mel, didn't we discuss this about a year ago?"

"I hoped you weren't serious," she mumbled, straightening her hair.

"I am serious. And you need to get serious too." He stood up and reached for his pants. "What are you waiting for? Half the court is aware of our relationship already as well as the entire staff of servants. Everyone knows, my family is not going to stand in the way, your brother is not very likely to challenge me to a duel for taking your virtue…"

Mel snorted in a very unladylike fashion and began giggling uncontrollably. "'Taking my virtue?'" she repeated. She began giggling again and doubled over.

"It's not funny," said Vidanric shortly. "Even if I was not king, it would still be my duty to marry you and make you an honest woman." He smiled and threw on a shirt.

"Things are done differently in Tlanth," muttered Mel. "The Hill Folk and people of that region are a bit more…capricious in their love lives." She blushed.

"What do you mean?" asked Vidanric, his usually affable voice cold and stony. He narrowed his eyes.

"It's nothing," amended Mel, finishing dressing. "I've got to get back to my chambers now before anyone gets up. Nearly sunrise!" She leaned towards Vidanric and kissed him quickly. "Goodbye."

He gave her a quick peck on the top of her nose. "I love you." She smiled, nodded and left the room.

"Well, if she's not going to make our relationship public, I'll do it for us," thought Vidanric angrily. He sat down at his desk and began to draft a letter.

Dear Bran (the letter read):

I'm certain that you must realize the extent of my relationship with Meliara. My status as friend acclimated to lover nearly a year ago after the demise of Flauvic. Before you draw conclusions, understand that I proposed to her before we became physical in any way. My intentions are most clearly honorable. Yet much to my chagrin, your pigheaded sister refuses to acknowledge our engagement to the court and insists on keeping it a secret. I don't understand this attitude and I am vexed to the point of agitation. Therefore, I've deemed it necessary to write you and explicate my intentions.

I want to marry Mel. I want to make her queen. I want to have the ceremony performed as quickly as possible.

Please don't challenge me to a duel for taking her virtue. As the king, I would have to execute you for plotting against the sovereign. The execution would have to be a commoner's death. As you are aware, it would last all day and draw public spectators.

I await your response and send my best wishes to your charming wife.

Sincerely,

Vidanric

PS: When is the next time we can have a little get together at Tlanth? Last night I visited Nee made that amazing little dish? You know the one she set on fire? I still need the recipe!

Oh yes, and I think Mel sends her love. She's obviously not here at the moment, but I'm sure she sends it.

Vidanric folded and placed it on his desk for the servants to send in the morning. Finally exhausted, he settled into bed for a few hours of sleep before sunrise

"I almost feel bad for the poor man," muttered Vidanric's valet as he plucked the letter from the king's desk. "Here he leaves this lovely, unsealed document labeled "personal" and he honestly expects his servants and subjects to respect that."

"That's cute," agreed Moira, grabbing the letter. "Ooh!" Her eyes widened. "Wait, this isn't juicy. We know they've been sleeping together for nearly ten months. We know he's been after her to finally sit on that beautiful unoccupied goldenwood throne."

"But what we didn't know," corrected the valet, snatching back the letter. "Is that Lord Branaric had no idea as to His Majesty's intentions with his trollop of a sister."

"She can't be much of a trollop if the king "stole her virtue" or how ever he worded it," said Moira absently as she reached for the parchment. She sealed and placed it in an envelope.

"Morning," greeted Marina, Lady Tamara's maid. "I just saw his royal mistress sneaking into her room, so Moira, you're safe to return."

"Thank you," answered Moira primly, handing the envelope to Vidanric's servant. "We just stumbled upon a personal correspondence between His Majesty and the Count of Tlanth," she said mischievously.

"And what news?"

"King Vidanric is going to announce their betrothal, whether Mel wants him to or not."

Marina sighed and leaned against the wall. "I wish Mel was more exciting."

"She led a rebel army against the former despotic king and was chased throughout the nation by two of the most gorgeous and daring men of our generation, one of which fell hopelessly in love with her and plans to make her his queen. How is that not interesting?" asked Moira sharply. She was a bit defensive of her mistress.

"I don't mean that," amended Marina quickly. "I only mean she used to be so entertaining, full of faux pas and mishaps. Now that she's adapted to court life and learned manners…she's not half as entertaining."

"It's true," agreed the only man present. "She used to keep us so occupied."

"Well," pondered Moira after a moment. "Let us release this letter to the post officer and send our own letter to Tlanth. Maybe something interesting will turn up."

"Hopefully," said Marina. "Now let's go into Vidanric's room and look for some incriminating evidence left over from their little tousle last night."

"I didn't hear anything," said Moira with a smile, as she left to go tend to her mistress.

(A/N: Hello Court Duel community. Please welcome us with open arms... and no eggs or projectile vomiting. We are fanfic veterans, our roots lie traditionally in Harry Potter, Buffy and many other fandoms. Hope you enjoy this, err... lovely beginning chapter to our first court duel fanfic. ever. We have another three chapters saved somewhere and with patience, love and a lot of reviews... you might get to see the end of this.

We are review whores!! ;)

-Thanks guys,

Lindsey & Zara)