XI

Bitter Copper Love

Melody's heart raced. It pumped with something far keener than adrenalin, she was shaking with it. All atremble with it, her hands glistened with sweat as she put one fluorescent foot forward and puffed out her chest, drawing herself up like a dancer as she flourished the ceremonial sword in her hand.

Barry's eyes bored into her own as they stood each other down, the eyes of everyone else; Anora's, King Maric's, Fergus's and Prince Cailan's all meant nothing in that moment. Nothing mattered, but where she planted her foot. The moment her silken slipper touched the sun-warmed cobbles of the courtyard and Barry was on her, Melody barely had time to react as the finely-dressed fool made his attack.

His own sword was swishing through the air, slicing towards her at full speed; Melody was prepared and twirled, her steel glancing off Barry's with a ringing kiss. The fool grinned knowingly, he knew this girl, he knew where she would go, duck, parry – everything.

"Mon chéri is being very bold today, is she not?"

Melody ignored him. She would not be sucked into wordplay and flicked her wrist in answer with one of her brows cocked. Barry gave a throaty chuckle and added,

"But you are very beautiful."

It was almost like a lover's compliment and Melody saw the briefest of flashes in his eyes as they peered over towards the Princess who was observing this interplay very coolly; detached, almost.

With another lunge, Barry harried Melody and forced her into a more offensive stance; she was aware that she could not hold this position for very much longer, Barry was stronger and cunning, he had advantages where Melody did not; but she was smaller, more nimble and was in no short supply of her own brand of wit. Melody would not lose this spar – nay, she would win every spar with her fellow fool that were to come after this.

Maker, please...Help me win this...

It was irrational of her to believe that He would help her in this, but a fool had to hope. There was hardly any time for her to plan her next move, Barry had cut her off and was watching her closely, anticipating and planning; Melody swallowed a lump and did her best not to peer at their audience.

Closing her eyes, Melody tried to forget that the King was watching. She tried to forget the blue of his eyes, the kindness of his smile, his lips...those that had kissed her hand in the Chantry. Melody's eyes snapped open, she had pledged the blade she was wielding to him, and she would not fall before him to a fool. She gritted her teeth and sidestepped one of Barry's heavier blows, deceitfully light was the Orlesian, his foot cocked up to catch Melody's ankle and she faltered with a grunt.

Sweat was building up on her now, trickling down her back and she was beginning to feel fatigue. Barry looked radiant in his getup of lime green and apple red, the feathers of his hat made him look pompous and regal at the same time all the while still remaining devilishly handsome, charming if a little silly. Melody on the other hand felt all knees and elbows in her own foolery, fuchsia and tangerine made for an eyesore upon her back, but she wore what Anora deemed; her pink jerkin and orange breeches had made Fergus nearly bust a gut when he had first beheld the outfit. Melody wore no hat, but there was no way she could pull off one of those with the daring feathers, so she was thankful for it.

"Come on, my little fool-girl. Show them what we've learnt."

Barry whispered as their blades crossed closely, bringing them together. Melody trembled as the pressure between the blades mounted, her face was close enough to Barry's that she could see the curve of his mouth, the lines that bracketed his lips as he smiled at her mockingly. He thought he would win this, but Melody was prepared. With a dazzling smile, she growled, "You've lost."

The fool's grin died on his face as Melody ducked beneath the hilts of their blades and pushed herself between the fork of his legs, abandoning her sword in the process, she then vaulted the fool right off his silk shod feet and threw him to the cobbles with a dull thud and an exclaim of pure shock. There was a cheer from the audience, Melody was panting and threw her wild gaze towards them and jumped up in elation as he brother swept her up onto his shoulder and grinned,

"Look at that! My sister, the swordsman!"

There was some clapping and Melody thought her chest might explode from pride to see the three royals approach, over half of them looked happy about her victory. Melody sobered as the Princess bent to her heels and extended a hand towards Barry to help him up.

"It was well struck, fool, if a little underhanded."

King Maric turned to eye his daughter-to-be and one perfect brow rose; "Underhanded you say?" Anora was no fool and dipped her head and had the grace to pretend to be contrite, "I meant no offense to the victor, Sire. But should not the Noble Fool battle her opponents with more...nobility?" Melody felt her brother's shoulders tense at the veiled insult, she tapped his arm and he lowered her to the ground gently.

"So what are you saying then, my lady?" The Prince asked conversationally, his arms folded.

Anora shrugged delicately and spread her arms, "Well, I do not wish for our visitors to believe that we at our court condone trickery. We are Fereldens and we should present ourselves as such."

"Anora, please..." It was the King,

"It is only a simple mummer's play, Maker's breath." His tone had a finality to it that almost made Melody blanch; she found herself pressing into Fergus's flank. Barry was wiping himself down behind the Princess before he stepped forward before the King; he bowed very deeply and offered, "This is not the final piece of our performance. My lady's trickery," He eyed Anora slyly,

"...Is warranted; as you shall all see at the festivity, my king."

"Hm," Anora purred, her blue eyes closed before snapping open;

"My fool has only to promise me it seems."

"My princess, you wound me. My promises to you are always sincere."

It was so intimate. Melody's mouth hung open from behind Fergus's shoulder; she peeped up and saw that her brother was frowning, his features mirroring her own confusion. Melody would have laughed if she had not noticed the King's dark expression; his happy, delightfully bright blue eyes had become shadowed as he eyed, not the fool as Melody would have thought, but his son.

Cailan had barely been following the interplay, his arms still folded in blasé negligence; he seemed more interested in the blade which Barry held in his hand more than the wily tongue which was wagging in his mouth, whispering earnest promises to his wife-to-be.

The demonstration was concluded with a curt nod from the King and the swoop of his heavy velvet cape as he departed in terrible humour. Melody gulped and shot a quick glance at Anora, whose eyes were downcast, but Melody saw the sharp rise and fall of the woman's chest. Anora almost had a hawkish presence in that moment as her eyes darted from her feet, her demure presence stripped away and her eyes blazed at Cailan eagerly.

Melody's own eyes narrowed; she thought that maybe it was not eagerness, but expectancy. Whatever it was that the Princess anticipated was unfounded, as the Prince left with a shrug and motion of his head for Fergus to join him and they left.

He did not invite anyone else to join them. Anora looked absolutely furious before she too swept off, leaving both Barry and Melody alone in the courtyard.

-ooo-

At dinner that evening, Melody openly stared at the King, not for his beauty, but his rage. His eyes were flinty and his temper short with everybody, even his favourite minstrel had been dismissed for the evening snappily, for he would hear no music. He drank deeply from his goblet of wine and Melody noticed that General Loghain was not present in the hall tonight. Anora sat rigidly amongst her ladies and maids, like a cipher of woe amidst the jollity, the giggling idiots were too excited about the banquet to notice their lady's distress. But Melody noticed.

She realised a great deal and felt for her. How cruel the Prince was to his betrothed confused Melody; how could he not like her? Yes, Anora was aloof, snooty and more than a touch spiteful, but she was beloved, beautiful and astute, all good qualities for a princess if not a queen to have.

She was adored by the small folk who would cheer and throw their caps in the air whenever her carriage filed past them. The children would throw poses and sing songs for her and cry out well wishes. Anora did so much for her country's orphaned children, Chantry and people, that Melody thought the boy-prince the real fool for his mistreatment of her...

However, Melody could understand where she was unbearable. Anora was calculating, always thinking, even when it was not required. She never seemed to do anything without purpose, even her little scene with Barry The Fool had been designed – Melody was sure. If not to get a rise out of her husband-to-be, why on the Maker's earth would the future queen of Ferelden flirt with a fool? An Orlesian fool at that?

Well, he is charming, good-looking and maybe that's all she needs...Maybe she just needs someone – anyone.

That thought made no sense to Melody. In the time that she had been in Anora's presence, she had shown no signs that she needed anybody. Least of all her fair-haired, sweet-faced boy-king. By the end of Melody's thought train, she was rubbing her head and groaning. After a while she gave herself a shake and realised that she was staring eye-to-eye with Anora. Melody froze dead and swallowed.

Anora's eyes were strange to Melody; they were not cold, nor hard. She seemed – to Melody – to be about to weep. She looked tired, deflated and sad and so because Melody did not know what to do, she gave the Princess a small smile. Straight away Anora's eyes departed from Melody and returned to her food and her ladies. Melody hoped that she had managed to cheer her at least a little. But she knew she wasn't a very good fool...

Not as good as Barry at any rate.

-ooo-

A knock on Melody's chamber door stirred her from her reading by the fire. The young lady had retired from dinner early, both her mother and father were still dining and Fergus had dashed off after he had escorted her back to their family quarters.

Melody got up with a heavy sigh and made her way to the door, throwing it open revealed a royal page. Melody frowned,

"Yes?"

"Her Majesty has requested your presence in her chambers, my lady."

Melody nearly choked. She was still dressed; of course, she could not bring herself to get changed out of her gown. The bruises Barry had inflicted upon her flesh the last few days had made getting changed nearly impossible and on one occasion Melody had slept in her bodice, her arms cried from too much pain to remove it. Shaking herself for a second time that evening, she bobbed her head; "Of course, take me to her." The page nodded and bowed before he led Melody along towards the Princess's chambers.

When they reached her antechamber, Melody was promptly left alone. The large solar was lavish, the good quality candles cast a golden hue around the entire room and made it feel homey and intimate – it almost reminded Melody of home and she felt a dull pang of homesickness which quickly faded. After five minutes, Melody began to shuffle her feet; why had she been summoned? What could Anora possibly want from her? Melody knew not and she felt threatened by it.

Anora threatened Melody; she did not like to admit it, but Her Majesty made Melody feel two feet tall and just as stupid as anything that small. Anora in her beauty and nobility obliterated Melody into nothingness. It was saddening and gladdening at the same time; Melody had no qualms that Anora would find a way to destroy her if she was a threat to her in any way. However, Melody also wished she had the fire to be more striking than Anora, to be smarter than her, but Melody digressed; she would not be queen someday, so she did not matter. She would not even become Teyrna of Highever for Fergus was her Family's heir.

Her thoughts were severed as the sound of footsteps awakened her from her daydream. Melody looked up and her eyes met with Anora's. The golden-haired woman was dressed immaculately as ever, but there was something different – no one else was with her. No sneering Delilah Howe flanking her side, and no other of the giggling little twits.

Melody's brow furrowed and she was about to speak before Anora held up a white hand and silenced her rather rudely.

"You shall help me undress so that I may retire."

"I'm to...wait on you, Your Highness?"

Anora's eyes grew sharp, "Yes, does that not suit you?"

"No! No...No, of course, Your Majesty – whatever you wish." Melody managed and Anora nodded coolly, "Good, you are but a fool by day and a simpleton by night it seems."

Melody felt herself grow annoyed and she gritted her teeth,

"So it would seem, my lady." She reiterated before following Anora into her privy chamber.

Anora's inner sanctum was not what Melody would have suspected it to be: it was very practical. Melody had thought that there would have been a ton of silly things, like her own room; she thought there would be stupid girly things like ribbons, jewels and kittens, not scrolls, folded linens and quills. It was strange, Melody thought that if she were a princess she would be an utterly silly one, all dancing and playing but it seemed with Anora this was not the case. Melody actually spotted a ledger on the Princess's desk and blushed: she didn't even know how to read a ledger.

"Help me remove my gown, fool." Anora ordered and Melody complied.

Many times Melody had helped her mother undress after long dinners throughout her life, so she was not completely caught off guard and began to untie Anora's bodice, working from the bottom upwards. It was a tedious, devilishly finicky task and Melody's hands were already shaking from nerves. Anora stood just as rigidly as she sat at dinner, her eyes down, her breathing even; Melody could see her face in the long full-sized mirror and watched her from behind her eyelashes.

For nearly twenty minutes the only sound which pervaded the air was the zip of the ties as Melody pulled them free of their confinements and allowed them to fall away before reaching for another one and Anora remained silent. Before Melody knew it she was lulled into lethargy as the constant repetition sought to make her sleepy and her fingers became sluggish.

Finally she reached the top and undid the last tie and Anora let out a light sigh and hugged herself, her back still to Melody as the bodice slipped away from her, revealing the loose shift underneath. Melody made short work of that too and fetched Anora's nightgown, directed by the Princess to the armoire. Melody slipped the fine silken garment over Anora's head and stepped back, bending to her knees to adjust the hem of the long outfit.

"Thank you." Anora said shortly.

Before Melody could reply Anora had glided almost silently over to her vanity and swept herself down onto the stool before plucking a silver-handled brush from the desk and indicating to Melody,

"Now my hair."

Melody felt her breath come short, she had always wanted to touch Anora's hair; it was so lush and shiny, it really did look like spun gold to her and she nearly trembled as she took the brush from Anora's hand and began to unknot the loosely bound curls of radiance. Slowly, so as not to snag on any tugs, Melody ran the brush through Anora's gorgeous hair. It was astounding, flowing like a river of molten gold all the way down to her waist; Melody had to bend her knees to get to the bottom. When it was done, Melody leaned over Anora's shoulder and placed the brush back on the vanity and twisted the delightfully soft hair into a long pleat. When she was done, Anora nodded her head again but said nothing.

For a long while Melody stood, rocking on her heels, waiting to be dismissed by the Princess, but Anora's silence was ongoing and she simply continued to stare down at her hands which were folded on her lap. Just as Melody was about to comment, Anora offered,

"Cailan liked yours and Barry's display today..."

"Oh...?" Melody squeaked softly, her eyes were down. She knew Anora was watching her.

"He likes that kind of thing...sword-fighting and gallantry."

Melody's face was sober and her eyes came up to meet with Anora's. The Princess looked at her as though she were her only friend in the world and sighed so heavily her own voice scraped on the breath and Melody held hers.

"He never touches me...He never ever looks at me."

It was terrible. Her cheeks were as bright as two summer apples and Melody nearly felt a lump in her throat as Anora managed pitifully,

"I realise he does not love me, but I..."

Stirred by compassion, Melody gently reached out and touched Anora's shoulder. The Princess jerked but did not pull away. Instead, her proud golden head went down and Melody was aghast to hear a sob escape her and feel her shoulder tremble.

"My lady...?"

"Get out."

She ordered flatly and Melody nodded and left with no second glances.