Epilogue

Don't you all love my original title? I'm having enough trouble piecing together an epilogue, sorry. But it was requested and I felt like writing one anyway, so what the heck.

Thank you all very much for reading and reviewing, because I really don't think that this fiction would have been as popular as it was based on the reviews, so I figured good things come to those who wait, right?

Mel sat in her bed, reading one of the histories Danric had brought her. This may have seemed vaguely familiar were it not for the soft, satisfied smile that played on her lips.

"And how is my Queen this morning?" Danric came up to her and kissed her gently. He was dressed for riding and smelled exactly like the horses in the stables.

"I'm fine, dear, so stop fussing."

"On the contrary, Mel. It is a husband's job to fuss."

"It hardly befits a king."

"I must not always appear kingly, must I?" He looked at her with such a fake pained expression that she had to laugh. "It makes one so tired."

"Ah, now, we wouldn't want that, would we?" Mel grinned and put aside the history as he sat next to her, putting one hand on her stomach.

"No, a tired king you'd have to pamper would not be the best idea right now."

"Danric, being pregnant doesn't mean I'm suddenly made of glass. You do not have to hover over me like a hen over her chicks."

"One would hope that's not the fashion in which I hover." Dry amusement colored his tone.

"All right, smart one. Haven't we had this argument enough?"

"What can be done to prevent it? It always follows my fussing and there's nothing I can do to help that..."

"Sure there isn't." She kissed him lightly and started to get up before noticing the tiny hint of warning in his eyes. Mel sighed, trying not to lose her temper. "Do I need to throw another book at you, my love?"

"My dear Meliara, nothing would pain me more than being out of your favor. Please allow me to fetch what it is you require so that you may rest." Danric smiled, teasing yet not teasing.

"I require anything that gets me moving. I hate being cooped up... I want to go riding."

"Absolutely not."

"The healer said I could as long as I take it easy."

"Which I know you won't do."

"Danric..." She sighed. "Exercise is good for the baby."

"You're just trying to soften me up so you can go."

"And you've only just realized this?"

A soft laugh was her only response so she got up from the bed and started getting dressed for riding, ignoring Danric's silent offers to help as often as she could without being obvious about it.

This had happened every morning for the past three months now, ever since it was discovered that Mel was carrying the future Prince or Princess. The entire court was bustling with gossip and merriment as preparations for the heir were made, but things between Danric and Mel only seemed to get worse. Every morning Danric would want to fuss, and every morning Mel was close to finding something to chuck at him for it.

And it wasn't as though she didn't appreciate it, Mel thought. It's just that she had liked to fuss over him when they had first been married, and she loved her freedom. Now it seemed like she was never free to just get on a horse when she wanted to, she couldn't just go and practice swordplay, and Danric had done everything in his power to keep her from any stresses that Petitioner's Court may bring. And though Mel knew he only did this because he cared for her, there was a part of her that just wanted to be her own person again and still participate in his life.

After their mornings ride Danric and Mel went for a walk in the gardens. There was a brief argument over whether or not they should go to the maze before they simply came back to their rooms, Mel being more tired than she cared to admit.

Danric watched her as she fell asleep, smiling slightly. She never used to take naps, and though he knew that the knowledge that she needed them irked her, he also thought that she was almost more beautiful the way she was. Since she was six months into the pregnancy her belly was just starting to swell, so she always slept curled on her side, one arm draped along her ribcage while the other was underneath her head. Mel seemed so quiet and peaceful that he never wanted to wake her, especially since she would do everything in her stubborn power to get to overwork herself when she did so.

He shook his head slightly and got up, going out the door and to Petitioner's Court (after he changed, of course), and when he was almost there Russav caught up with him.

"Hello, dear King." Russav had taken a liking to addressing Danric formally and meaning it very informally, but that was just the other man's nature, Danric supposed.

"Hello, Russav. How are you?"

"Couldn't be better. I hear you and the lady Queen had another row this morning in the gardens."

"Did you really or did you simply assume we did since it happens so often?"

Russav at least had the grace to look sheepish. "A bit of both. But how is Mel doing?"

"Just as active as ever, unfortunately. And as outspoken and... well, I suppose I am being unfair. There are times when I think she knows she can do more than I want her to so she just does it to prove she can, and there are other times when I truly feel sorry for having to pen her up like this."

"Well, you can't just let her go free. She'd be off to swing a sword at somebody or something and they'd be too scared to fight back because they may harm your child."

"True. Life, that'd make her even worse."

Russav laughed. "That it would, my liege."

"Speaking of women..."

"Don't go down that path again, Danric. I thought you had enough of arguments."

"Remember when I was courting Mel and you kept saying it was for my own good?"

"So?"

"Am I, your king, not allowed to do the same?"

"That was different. In even the slightest manner we knew that she liked you back. Tamara does not have the same quality."

"And how do you know this?"

"Danric, it's not going to work."

"Why can't you just try it?"

"Because I don't want to drive her away! If she thought that I was courting her..."

Danric sighed. "I understand, Russav. More than you might think."

"Well, at least you had help."

A slow smile curled at Danric's lips. "You could have help. Nee would be more than happy to accommodate, I am sure."

"Oh, no. I saw how she 'helped' you."

"She was very helpful. And you were as well, if I recall."

"No."

"Why not? It's worth a shot."

"How do you know?"

They stopped and Danric looked at Russav for a long time before answering. "Because love is worth waiting for. You can't just settle for second best in a different girl, Russav. If you truly love her, let her know. Otherwise you may never know what her answer would have been and it would drive you mad."

A long silence, then Russav sighed. "I may get help, Danric. But I am not making any promises."

"Of course not." Russav kept walking ahead so he didn't see Danric's sly, calculating look at his friend's back. Perhaps it was time to send for Nee and Bran to come back to Court for the birth of the King's heir...

All right, that's all there is for now. If the plotline for where this is going (Russav getting to chase after Tamara this time with a little help from his friends and Tamara making some new ones) then I'll continue the story. So if you want a sequel, tell me, otherwise I won't write it. I was asked by some friends and some reviewers and am taking a stab in the dark for it.

So read and review please! I may not answer for a while because of finals, but its almost summer so that's a good time to start a new fiction if I am going to do so, I think.