Third chapter up! I decided that I really liked Vidanric's horse, the gray gelding that Mel always describes as extremely fast (plus, it beat her that day back when Vidanric wagered a kiss!) so I've written a bit about. Sorry if it bores you…but thanks for all the reviews! I really enjoy them. And if you're looking for another Sherwood Smith, I recommend 'Flauvic: Friend or Foe?' It's on this page somewhere, I read it, and enjoyed our good old Flauvic with his polite villainnesses. (If that makes ANY sense!) So, enough with my ramblings, read on, good reader.

The next morning at breakfast, Elenet's empty space was conspicuous. Nee handed me a delicate silk fan.

"It's from Elen," she said. "She gave me one for the wedding, and she wanted you to have this one."

          I flicked it open and gasped. Painted on the stiff white silk was a depiction of the woods at sunset, every minute leaf a vibrant green. And through the branches and trunks, I could see glimpses of what looked like the Hill Folk. It was amazingly realistic.

"Life, it's gorgeous," I breathed. Nee just laughed.

"That's what I thought of mine too," she said. "I'll wear it for the wedding."

          She walked over to her bureau and showed me hers, a delicate pale yellow lily painted in intricate detail. If anything, it was more beautiful than mine. After admiring both of our precious fans, we walked leisurely through the gardens. We happened upon Derric and a few others, who appeared to be talking about the races. After inquiring, I learned that one was to be held next week, and I quickly decided to participate.

"What horse?" Derric asked, grinning. "This time you'll have to beat Vidanric, and of course, he has his gray lightning-fast horse."
"I'll use Snap," I decided, thinking of the ornery and fast horse. "He's won for me before."
Derric just ruefully shook his head. "I'd like to see you beat Vidanric, but I think it's impossible," he said.

"That's nice," I protested lightly. "I appreciate your faith in me!"

          Derric just laughed, as did the rest of the group. It was common knowledge that Vidanric and his horse were unbeatable, the last time bested by Savona, about two years back. No one had beaten him since, and Savona's horse came down with colic soon after the race. I had about as much chance at beating him as I did winning a sword duel.

          After a walk, I escaped to the Renseleuses(sp?) library. Looking at a few books, I finally pulled the tapestry to the alcove open impatiently. Vidanric was there, as usual, and when he saw me, he grinned.

"I'm set to race you this afternoon," I declared, sitting in my usual window seat.

"Really?" Danric said, laughing. "Good luck."

"That's so unfair," I complained. "Just because you have the best horse money can buy, and you're good at riding." I realized how ridiculous my last complaint was and laughed.
"Actually, Grayer was abused as a colt," Vidanric said, once I had stopped laughing at my idiocy. "I got him extremely cheap at a measly inn."

"Really?" I gaped. Then I scowled prettily. "Now I have nothing to complain about."

"So you can prepare to be beaten this afternoon," Vidanric replied.

"I'm not going down with a fight," I retorted.

"Of course," Vidanric said, looking at his paper and scribbling a note. "I wouldn't expect any less of you."

"What are you working on?" I asked, curious.

"One of the Petitioner's petition," he said. "It's quite a pickle. He claims that since Denlieff has put a tariff on their woven cloths, it's become extremely expensive for milliners' to make dresses. He wishes that a tax be imposed in turn on Remalna's cloth that goes out."

"But that would make a tariff war," I objected. "No side gains from that. And we're already on unsteady terms with Denlieff."
"Exactly. But when cloth prices go up, the merchants who get cloths raise their prices, so milliners can't afford the cost."
I mulled over this. "So why don't the people who employ milliners' work pay an extra tax. If they use milliners to sew their clothing, they can afford it. And the extra tax milliners get can go towards paying for the expensive cloth. Or milliners can have their employers pay for the cloth instead of them, and they're only paid for the sewing. Then we wouldn't have as many Ladies complaining about the ugly cloth their dressmakers bought."

The corners of Danric's eyes crinkled in amusement. "Only a Lady could have thought of that," he said, and wrote the idea down. "You'll make an excellent queen."

I blushed. "I'll have half the Court mad at me because of the comments I make," I muttered.

"All the better," he said, getting up and kissing me softly. A pleasant shiver ran all the down my spine from his touch.

"I've missed you," he said.

"You see me everyday," I pointed out.

"Ah, but we can't talk about things like we did before," he explained. "Court customs dictate our conversation."
"So let's just break them as we go along," I suggested, grinning.

"Hmm," he said thoughtfully. "Not a bad idea. Let's start after I beat you this afternoon."

He did beat me, despite me and Snap trying our hardest. We were in the lead for the first half, but then Grayer and Danric smoothly drew up to us, and passed us effortlessly. However, I was proud of the fact that Snap and I were only one length behind him- he had beaten people more thoroughly and by longer distances before.

"We didn't do too badly," I said, riding up alongside him.

"The key word in that sentence is 'too'," Danric joked. We rode back to the awaiting crowd, eating dainty little treats Lady Trishe had brought along.

"You gave quite a struggle there," Tamara said to me. I was flattered that she had complimented me.

"Vidanric had to work for that one," Savona added.

"No, he didn't," I snorted ungracefully. "Me and Snap are tired like we just galloped for a whole day, not a short race. Grayer isn't even that tired!"

          Dismounting, we gratefully accepted the food Trishe proffered. We sat and ate for a while, then left to tend to our mounts. As we left the group, we heard them start talking about horse racing, and how much skill a rider needed.

"Where did you get Grayer?" I joked. "I should go there and get a horse." Snap tried biting my arm, as if he heard me. I avoided his bite; I had gotten used to his crankiness.

Vidanric's eyes showed his amusement. "If you can find the dealer who sold me Grayer, then I will give you all the gold in the kingdom," he said. "The man probably stole Grayer, then wanted to sell it off before he was caught. Who knows where he is now?"

"Oh," I said somewhat dejectedly. "Oh well, Snap is good enough for now." Snap chose that exact moment to start trotting, tripping me and almost making me fall if it hadn't been for Vidanric's reflexes. I glared up at my crabby horse.

"Or maybe not," I said, miffed. Vidanric just laughed.

-Alqualyne

Okay, I promise, next chapter, more interesting! I think you'll find out what Vidanric means by 'breaking all the rules'- there was a mention of it in the epilogue, and since I'm trying to stay true to the book, I'll write it in. Also staying true to the Epilogue, isn't there a wedding coming up soon? At Midsummer, as I recall? If you have no clue what I'm talking about, go read the epilogue again! *cough* Bran and Nee! *cough* So, that will be coming up in a few chapters too! REVIEW!