A/N: Sorry I didn't update at all the past four days – I was away for Memorial Day weekend. I did manage to scrawl out seven pages in my notebook for this chapter. I couldn't get to ff.net at all though, because my mom might've said, "You came all this way to see your family and now you're on the Internet?" Besides, all my cousins were hogging the compy. *sighs*
Wow, there have been so many reviewers! Thanks, guys! I'm sorry if some people don't want to read my comments to each of them, but I think it's only decent to. Just scroll down to the story if you get bored. Here goes!
Saranha de Angelo: Does it really fit? I just made it up on the spur of the moment. You should definitely read Gone with the Wind; it's a really good book.
Sharazhad: Thanks! Here you go!
FelSong: Sorry, it took a few days, but here it is!
Kakachipchip: Yeah, I think I'll at least do it until the end of Court Duel. Maybe even up to Bran and Nee's wedding.
JennyT: It'll be soon, I promise! (Or I could just make you wait. They do have like six months to hook up. But I'm not that mean!)
charmgirl: Thanks!
Alqualyne: Oops, is Elenet supposed to be there? I wasn't quite sure. Thanks for telling me! I'll just make it so that she went to back to Grumareth for a short visit before Galdran's fall, and then had to stay a couple more weeks before returning (in the next chapter.) She'll stay for about a month or two (Mel won't be there for another six months) and then she'll leave again. Oh, and I'm Indian too – at least, my parents are. Every time we go to India my aunts put malipoo, or jasmine, in my hair. ; )
Danric-lover: Thank you. I was on a roll that day!
Stargirl98: Oh, it's okay. I'll probably be continuing the story for a while, but I'll have to think about it.
Disclaimer: Sherwood Smith owns the story and the characters as usual. I got the idea for the song that Nee sings from "Edelweiss", a song in Sound of Music. The flower sunilin is my own invention. (And for The Lord of the Rings fans, here's another fact. Nee's notion that some of the songs would be too "rustic" are the same as Pippin's thoughts in The Return of the King when Denethor asks him to sing in Minas Tirith. Heheheheh.)
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Flowers of Truth and Love
The next morning, I woke up cheerily with the glare of the sun on my face. As soon as I got up, Ilvet seemed to materialize near me in that way that servants have, and offered me a choice of morning gowns for the picnic. I began to hum a lively song about summertime. It was not one of my own compositions – they are generally sad. I am not sure why. Perhaps it was because I grew up rather lonely in my childhood, the only daughter and not the heir.
I was still humming when Trishe knocked at my tapestry. "Why are you in such a good mood, Nimiar?" she said innocently.
"Why not?" I replied as if I didn't understand her ulterior meaning. "I never knew that I need a reason to be happy."
Trishe just grinned. We had always been friends, but not extremely close. My old best friend had been Lady Elenet Kheraev of Grumareth, but as heir she was presently in her province for a few weeks, dealing with their troubles after Galdran Merindar's fall. Now Trishe had "adopted" me – partly to live up to her matchmaking hobbies, which were both a skill and delight for her. "Come, come," she hurried, "we wouldn't want to keep your precious Lord Branaric in a torment of waiting for you."
"He's not mine, or precious for that matter," I replied patiently as I arranged my hat on my head. "And besides, you heard him say to Vidanric that he's horrible at getting up in the morning. I doubt he will be there before us."
But when we reached the garden outside the stables, I found that Trishe was right – Vidanric, Bran, and Savona were already assembled there. Trishe flashed me an "I-told-you-so" look, which I ignored. Luckily, we were certainly not late or the last ones there. We chatted with the men for a few minutes until everyone else had arrived. Then we took our already-saddled mounts from the stable hands, and set off leisurely.
The ride was quite pleasant. My own horse, a gray gelding called Sea Mist, is much like me – quiet, calm, and not much into racing. Even Renna, Lans, and the horse-mad people seemed to be taking the opportunity to have a peaceful ride.
Finally, we reached a clearing in the woods, and the servants began to set out the food and blankets to sit on. Everyone settled into little groups. Bran and Vidanric came to sit with Trishe and me, and Savona and Tamara followed them. Usually Elenet would have been the one to accompany Vidanric, but Trishe seemed content to be my shadow and talk to him. Because of course, I was mainly chatting (and flirting, I must say) with Bran. I tried not to; I really did, if only so that Trishe wouldn't tease me. But he was so funny and interesting that I couldn't help it. And everyone else had decided that we were a pair already. Only Tamara seemed bitter about it. Perhaps she wished that Savona had fought so that he would have the glory of having been to war.
Well, Tamara, I thought with just a hint of spite, you'll never have a warrior to raise your prestige.
Bran and I talked of many things. He told me of how he and his sister had organized the rebellion on Galdran, and all their adventures. For a while they hadn't known that Vidanric and his parents, the Prince and Princess of Renselaeus, were on their side. But eventually they found out and succeeded. In return, I told him about my older brother Toran, at home learning to rule the county, and my younger brother Esdion who was off exploring the continent.
Trishe suddenly interrupted our conversation, an evil grin lurking on her face. I braced myself. "Nee dear, why don't you sing a song for us? I heard you humming a delightful tune this morning."
"Oh, I couldn't possibly," I said.
But Branaric's eyes had brightened. "Do you sing then? Oh, please do."
I glared at Trishe, and then said sweetly to Bran, "I couldn't, not now."
"Please?"
Blushing, I conceded, "How about after dinner tonight? I'm sure that would be a better atmosphere for the type of songs I sing."
They agreed, and as we packed up and set back for the palace, I resigned myself to singing that night.
~ * ~ * ~
Since there would be no dancing that night, Ilvet helped to don me in a dinner gown that was intricate in the top. But unlike the rest, this was also fancy in the skirt so that the whole gown would shine when I stood up to sing.
But what would I sing? I didn't particularly want to sing one of my usual, haunting pieces that I feared would lay a depression on my audience. But the happier songs I knew were too – well, too rustic and country-like for a court dinner. I needed some advice. I needed a confidant. As a friend, Trishe was fine, but she was too teasing to tell secrets too. Renna was too horse-mad; Dara too indifferent and aloof; Arasa to frivolous and gossipy; and Tamara, of course, too malicious, greedy, and everything in between. Previously Elenet and I were very close, but even besides her temporary (and ill-timed) absence, she was often too subdued and depressed. I needed someone a bit different – someone I could trust, but who would still be fun loving and humorous. I needed camaraderie with some girl, but there was no one around.
I sighed, and finally decided on a beautiful but not very sad song that I had written some time about. It was about sunilin, the flower of truth, which is also Remalna's prize flower. Then Ilvet braided my hair with dozens of sparkling gems threaded in and a pearly-white garland of my song's subject, crowning my head.
I was ready.
Towards the end of the meal, Trishe stood up and everyone looked at her. "Lady Nimiar Argaliar," she proclaimed with a dramatic flourish, "has agreed to grace us with a song, one of her own compositions."
Everyone watched politely as I rose and walked to the head of the room. I took a deep breath and began.
Sunilin, sunilinPrecious star of Remalna
Blossom and bloom, white as the moon
Light of our land, sunilin
Sunilin, sunilin
Budding gem of the earth
Petal and leaf, so far from grief
Flower of truth, sunilin
I flushed as thundering applause rained down.
~ * ~ * ~
The next morning, I awoke to see a letter on the table. Carefully I broke the seal to peruse an unfamiliar scrawled handwriting:
Dear Nee Nimiar,
I hope you don't find this letter presumptuous, but I wanted to compliment your singing at dinner last night. It was wonderful and enthralling. Your voice was more vivid than any music from a Mandrel or any instrument. I hope to here more melodies from your rapturous voice.
However, the primary reason for this note is different. I would be very happy if you would accept this invitation to accompany me to the ball on Saturday. Please let me know of your decision.
I also offer you a token of my appreciation and admiration. I hope you like it.
Yours truly,
Bran
I smiled at the crossed out "Nee". Although he was now calling me that, he probably thought that correspondence should be more formal. Then I looked at the "token", a flower that I had not previously noticed. But my heart seemed to stop when I saw it. Did he mean what the flower indicated?
Perhaps Branaric Astiar is not well acquainted with the language of flowers. But I think most people know the meaning of the red rose:
True love.
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A/N: Okay, okay, I realize that this is dripping with sap and unnecessary fluff. (Sorry!) But hopefully the next chapter will at least have some more plot – Elenet and Flauvic are both coming back to Athanarel. Bran and Nee won't actually hook up 'til at least Chapter 6 though, maybe even later. I'll try to update soon but I have to (ugh) go to school too. In the meantime, please review!
