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Discalimer: I own nothing.

Russav smiled, a hint of red on his cheeks as he took the "doll" from Meliara and examined it. "It" was actually a marionette with Russav's dark curls, robust build, and fashionably dressed in deep green and black.

"The girl that sold little Russ to me said that she saw you in the capital last year when you where returning to court and immediately started working on him so that she wouldn't forget the details. In my opinion she did too much of a good job because this one is extremely demanding," Meliara joked at Russav. "I've been trying my best to raise him to your standards but I can't dress him in such extravagant clothing or change the furniture in his rooms every year. It'll break me. He's not too happy about it but he'll survive, I'm sure."

Russav remarked that his style would be impossible to imitate regardless and pretty soon the smart jabs and laughs were flying back and forth, Russav aided by his fan and Meliara by little Russ.

It was interesting to watch the character of Mel and Savona's friendship rather than just read about it. From what I'd gathered in their letters I imagined it rather differently. They rarely wrote anything about each other's person that wasn't amiable but it appeared that teasing was a common practice between the two.

Alas the jeering ended and Meliara placed the puppet in her cabinet of figurines and ornaments.

"Aren't you too old to still be playing with dolls?" Russav asked trying to get the last word as she walked back to her seat.

"What are you talking about? That's my first one," she replied. "And I only bought it 'cause I knew it'd get you riled up. I think I'm going to stop and see if she has a Vidanric doll on my way home."

"Don't get me involved in this," I said warningly.

"Danric people are describing you as 'the finest looking young man anyone's ever seen'," she proclaimed puffing out her chest and extending her open palm upward. "Aren't you even a bit curious as to what that might look like?"

It would be interesting. I figured in my head but I just shrugged in reply.

The rest of the night went on filled with stories and debates, until drowsiness came upon us and we said our goodnights.

Early next morning I awoke feeling slightly displaced. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was somewhere I should be or something that I should be doing. But there wasn't any. I didn't have a set schedule or task or anything.

But the habit was hard to get out of. I decided to go to the practice yards and run my drills as well as observe the blues who I assumed should have been doing the same.

It was strange to walk through my home while most were still sleeping. It was eerily quiet and uncomfortable. It seemed too large and cold. Again I found myself asking for an identity and once more I could not seem to find and answer.

I comforted myself in the fact that at least I knew my purpose. Which began with training my blues. I would not let my mixed feelings deter me from what I had to do. Soon enough I would forget about Shevraeth in Marloven Hess and began a new story for myself.

I heard a dim sound from within the library. Everyone was theoretically resting, so who was in the library? I walked back and stepped through the open door to find Meliara in a nightdress and robe asleep on the window seat. So I was right. I congratulated myself. A book lay on the floor near her; most likely after falling out of her hands.

I took the book from the ground and placed back where it belonged among the thousands of other. It was amazing how I still remembered things like this.

I heard Mel stir behind me and I debated carrying her back to bed or waking her. Finally unwilling to risk an awkward moment between myself and her or worse Russav, I chose to rouse her. Tapping her gently on the shoulder I quietly called her name so not to startle her.

"Hmm?" she mumbled with her eyes closed, " Bran I think I figured it out last night but ,yawn, now I can't remember what I figured out."

I chuckle. Her glowing skin already flushed turned a slightly darker shade of crimson as she opened her large blue eyes. I have to admit that I found her extremely adorable in that moment with her eyes wide, roaming the room a bit confused, her red lips barely parted and her hair escaping her long loose braid to frame her face. She blinked twice and shook her head. "I forgot …" she explained motioning 'round the room and making space for me on the seat.

"A lot on your mind?" I asked.

She nodded. " and now I'll have a knot in my neck all day."

I caught her eyes flick to the sword hanging from my waist. "Thought I'd go run some drills," I clarified.

"Without Russav?"

"I figured he'd rather rest."

She shook her head quickly, "No, he'll want to learn as much as he can while your here. He mentioned he wanted to go with you so many times but I never knew why. I'll go wake him."

"What about you?"

She shrugged. "I'd like too but I think I'd be more of an inconvenience to Russav's learning. Don't worry though, I will torment you with my lack of skill upon you return."

"You really care for him. Don't you?

"Who, Russav? Yes, I love him like another more convoluted, headache of a brother."

She said the words so unquestionably and without any hesitance that it caught my off guard. While most I knew avoided any portrayal of emotions Meliara didn't spare half a thought about just laying them before her. Her innate honesty and charm was even more vivid in person and I now understood why she quickly gained the amity of others as well as spread her free-spirited thinking.

A prime example being Russav who seemed to relax and forget his suave persona whenever she was near. "Tell him to meet me out on the practice yards."

She slid of the seat and rushed out the door only to poke her head back in to caution me "I don't want to embarrass Russav so …"

"I won't" I assured her.

Russav was outside doing his best to run drills with me quickly after, despite the soreness he must have felt. The blues also joined us and it was then that I was able to observe them and choose who would accompany me to Colend. It wasn't difficult immediately I saw who was willing to work and who made minimum efforts. I told the head of the guard of my selection and to notify them to meet me after noon in the courtyards again, to see them ride and begin some training.

I rushed to my room to clean up for breakfast and found a dark blue tunic, white and black trouser waiting on my bed. I took the hint and retired my uniform for them and went to have breakfast.

I met Savona in the corridor and he accompanied me to the dining room where my parents were already waiting. Meliara arrived shortly afterwards, wearing a perplex expression along with her pale green morning dress.

A couple of servants brought fresh fruit, warm buns with honey and coffee. We served ourselves and engaged in superficial chatter. My father asked my opinion on the blues and I gave him my observations. Russav made comments on the drills and cracks about how stiff he was. My mother smiled and asked if she should inform her maid's daughter about the afternoon training. Meliara said nothing, her eyes glazed over, lost in a world apart oblivious to anything we had said.

The table went silent as everyone else noticed. "Meliara," my mother said trying to break her trance. "Meliara."

Finally her head snapped towards her, blushing as she noticed we all had nearly finished our meals while hers was still untouched.

"Something wrong?" asked my mother.

Mel shook her had and let out a nervous laugh. "No just tired. I think."

She was lying and we all knew it. My mother limited her self to a small nod before she changed subjects; "I've been meaning to talk to you about something."

"Yes?"

"How would you feel about learning to dance."

"Dance? Why do I need to learn dancing?"

"I thought you might find it a useful skill considering you're coming of age soon and you could start twoing if you so wish."

Meliara's face turned various shades of red as she looked from Russav to me hoping for an answer. She took a drink from her cup of coffee.

"When did you start drinking golden copper coffee?" She asked surprising us with the turn in topic.

"End of last year. The flavor is much more rich. It's hard to find but becoming quite popular how did you hear of it?"

"We make it. In Tlanth," she replied surprising us again. "It's a project I've been working on for a couple of years. Russav actually got me my first seedlings. I never expected it to expand as much it has. "

"Really? So you've become fond of horticulture then?"

"A little but I'm more fond of running the commercial aspects. Problems I can solve help me cope with the ones I can't. "

"The ones you can't. I see but back to the dancing …"

"I'm not ready for twoing. I've much to worry about to complicate my life more."

"Well even if you have no romantic inclinations now, dancing is still agreeable and there's no harm in learning."

Realizing there was no way out she nodded in agreement.

"Wonderful! We'll begin this evening," said my mother. "I'm sure with Russav and Vidanric here to teach you, you'll learn rather quickly."

"You mean after being slaughtered by Danric all day I'm going to have to suffer with Mel trying to dance in the evenings. Dear aunt have you no compassion."

Meliara twirled her fork in a mocking gesture. I didn't have to know fan language to know she was gloating.

Quickly we all fell into a routine. Russav and I would train with the blues in the morning have breakfast and liberty until noon then continue training with the blues. Sometimes my parents would watch and other times Meliara would too. I couldn't help but notice the young men seemed put in more effort when she watched. I mentioned this to her once and she waved me off saying I was imagining things. After dinner we'd help Mel with her dancing. She caught on but would deliberately step on our toes as retribution for not standing by her.

This went on until the seventh day. That day I cut the afternoon session with the blues early to have some personal time. Meliara happened to be there and suggested a picnic down at the base of the falls.

"You two go ahead. I'm going to sleep." Russav said walking stiffly towards his chambers. Mel and I laughed. He'd toughed it out all week without much complaining but we could tell he indeed needed his rest.

Mel and I changed into shirts and trouser and hiked down to large pond at the base of the falls. It had been our first time alone since the morning I found her in the library.

It was nice to just be able to relax for once and just talk about nothing and everything. We swam; we ate then kept talking by the waters edge as the sun began to set. I saw Meliara staring at a spot on the side of us. "Deck says he's going to Colend with you," she said in a conversational tone.

"He is," I replied.

"He won't let you down "she said confidently.

"I'm sure he won't," I agreed then couldn't help but nod at the place she kept looking over at and ask, "Do you regret it?"

"Not kissing him? No… But I wish I'd had the courage to just get it over with."

"It'll happen don't worry."

"What was your first kiss like?"

"Pleasant but painful."

"Painful?"

"We bumped noses. So just remember to tilt when you're going in."

This made her laugh and then she leaned to one side leading with her head. "Like that?"

"No," I said laughing as well. I slid closer to her and straightened her up cupping her chin and lightly tilting her head to one side. "He'll probably say something nice and move in. you do the same and just tilt your head slightly like this. Close your eyes and it'll just …"

I couldn't resist. My lips touched hers and hers unexpectedly pressed back. Light. Innocent. Her first kiss. Mine to keep.

Bet you didn't see that coming.