When all seems well...
Wow, I really didn't think that that last chapter would have so many fans, thanks to everyone who reviewed! By the way, I know, it's really OOC, isn't it? I tried to keep it sanely so, but I don't think it worked... and I'm sorry for the delay in getting this posted... I have a new baby brother and he's taking up all of my time lately.
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When Flauvic grabbed Mel's arm, she was still so surprised by recent events that she hardly noticed at all. But then the force of his grip kept her from walking and she looked behind her to see who was keeping her back, her expression turning quickly from bewilderment to a mixture of shock and fear that she tried to hide as best as she could.
"Let go of me, Flauvic."
"Where are you off to in such a hurry?"
"No where. I'm just thinking."
"About what?"
"The party tomorrow night for Bran and Nee."
"Ah. That. But there are such sweeter things to think of, Mel."
"And what could you want me to think?"
"You aren't THAT dense, Meliara."
She tried to back away, but he only pulled her closer, his hands clamped hard around her arms so she couldn't run away. Mel looked up at him, somewhat surprised that she didn't feel that same attraction for him she had felt before, just that she wanted to get away somehow and run... run to Danric. The thought surprised and soothed her. He would protect her.
Flauvic didn't let her go, despite the fact that she was struggling hard to get free. "Mel, you didn't object near as much the last time... why now?"
"I can't... Flauvic let me go!"
His eyes narrowed. "Something's changed... who is it?"
She blinked once or twice. "What?"
"Who is it that you have found that makes it so you won't let me hold you again?"
"No one."
"And I'm ugly. Now really, tell me the truth." His hands tightened on her arms, bruising them. Mel bit her lip to keep from crying out and kneed him (you all know where). He let out a surprised yell and let her go. Before he could catch her again, she ran back to her rooms, only wanting to be alone. Flauvic watched her run away, a thoughtful gleam in his eye, then looked at the dim light shining from Shevraeth's room.
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Danric sat talking with Bran and Russav. None of them mentioned Mel, but both Russav and Bran traded amused glances whenever Danric would go off into his own world again, musing, no doubt, on recent events.
Danric let his mind wander from their conversation, and the two pretty much let him. It was odd, Danric thought, that Mel had said anything to him at all. It wasn't like her to just up and say anything like what she had just told him, especially to someone that she had been so upset with before. And yet... he couldn't help but be happy that she had said what she did and that finally he could tell her how he felt and know for sure that she wouldn't throw a book at him or something.
Bran and Russav retired, claiming to need their rest for the next day, and Danric was just getting up to prepare for bed when he heard a quiet knock. He went to the door and opened it, and even his court mask could hardly keep his surprise from showing on his face when Flauvic came into the room.
"Cousin." Danric's tone was cautious.
"Shevraeth. How have you been?"
"Well. And you?"
"As well as one can be in solitude."
"And what brings you here?"
"I warned you, cousin. She's too good for you."
"And I suppose you're a better candidate for her heart?"
"You had best be careful, Shevraeth. Meliara is mine."
"Over my dead body."
"If it must be so. But she will be mine. I would kill her before I let her go with you. Remember that, cousin. By staying with her, you risk her life."
"You'd never kill her."
"Wouldn't I? Perhaps you don't know me as well as you think you do." Flauvic bowed, a mocking smile on his lips, and then left Danric alone in his rooms. Danric watched him go, wanting nothing in the world other than the sweet privilege of seeing his cousin's life ebb away.
Flauvic couldn't hurt Meliara, not now that she had finally said that she loved him. But how had Flauvic known...? Anger filled Danric once more. The bastard must have cornered her just now and tried to get information out of her. Well, he wasn't the next king of for nothing. He would find a way to stop Flauvic and his family if it was the last thing he did.
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Nee and Bran's party was one of the hardest things for Mel to get through. Danric watched her dance. She knew because she watched him watch her. And avoiding Flauvic was rather difficult, as well, but she managed it. Barely. She had seen Danric's barely concealed anger at Flauvic, and silently keeping the two of them from tearing each other apart without anyone else noticing was not exactly a walk in the park, either.
Then her old spy (Asthmus? I don't have a copy of CCD with me...) came and told her of the danger to the kinthus, and really all she could do was what she had done. So now she was riding hard for the home of the Hill Folk. She would have liked to have talked to Danric before she had left, but he was already gone somewhere and the servants wouldn't tell her where. And to top it all off, another rider was ahead of her and it was raining again. Now all she needed was... life, now her ankle was sore because it still hadn't finished healing.
When she reached the inn, she asked the innkeeper about the other rider and he directed her to one of the rooms. (Being vague because we all know the normal details and like I said, I don't have a copy of CCD here). Mel was partly surprised and partly not when Danric looked up at her, his black cloak on a chair. He put his hot chocolate down and hugged her, ordering food from the innkeeper and someone to bring her a towel or something.
"Mel, why are you here?"
"I have to warn the Hill Folk... the kinthus is in danger."
"They wouldn't dare harm the Hill Folk, would they? Were did you get your information?"
"(Insert name of spy person here). He came just after the party and I wanted to tell you then, but you weren't there."
"That's because I'm trying to stop whatever it is that Flauvic and his family is planning. I just received information that armies are moving against us earlier than we expected."
"Oh... but won't that be dangerous?"
"It will be just like fighting Galdran again, only someone smarter. But don't worry, I'll be careful."
"You had better be."
"I must ask something in return, my love."
"Anything."
"You must be careful, as well. If you get yourself killed, I will be most displeased."
"Of course, it's all about you, isn't it?" She sighed. "All right, I will be careful."
He held her closer when she began shivering. "You're freezing..."
"Yes, I suppose I am... my cloak got wet and I didn't want to stop until I got here or I may be too late to stop them from breaking the covenant."
He nodded and said nothing, just held her.
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Danric had a hard time leaving the next morning without Mel, but if he didn't do it then he may have never gotten out of there without making a scene. He just hoped that she would be all right and that he would see her again. Perhaps his water-proof cloak may not have been much to leave her with, but at least it would keep her from freezing to death and breaking her promise to him inadvertently. Oh, my dear sweet Meliara... stay safe, my love.
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More is to come in hopefully the near future. Keep reviewing and tell me any mistakes I make, please.
Wow, I really didn't think that that last chapter would have so many fans, thanks to everyone who reviewed! By the way, I know, it's really OOC, isn't it? I tried to keep it sanely so, but I don't think it worked... and I'm sorry for the delay in getting this posted... I have a new baby brother and he's taking up all of my time lately.
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When Flauvic grabbed Mel's arm, she was still so surprised by recent events that she hardly noticed at all. But then the force of his grip kept her from walking and she looked behind her to see who was keeping her back, her expression turning quickly from bewilderment to a mixture of shock and fear that she tried to hide as best as she could.
"Let go of me, Flauvic."
"Where are you off to in such a hurry?"
"No where. I'm just thinking."
"About what?"
"The party tomorrow night for Bran and Nee."
"Ah. That. But there are such sweeter things to think of, Mel."
"And what could you want me to think?"
"You aren't THAT dense, Meliara."
She tried to back away, but he only pulled her closer, his hands clamped hard around her arms so she couldn't run away. Mel looked up at him, somewhat surprised that she didn't feel that same attraction for him she had felt before, just that she wanted to get away somehow and run... run to Danric. The thought surprised and soothed her. He would protect her.
Flauvic didn't let her go, despite the fact that she was struggling hard to get free. "Mel, you didn't object near as much the last time... why now?"
"I can't... Flauvic let me go!"
His eyes narrowed. "Something's changed... who is it?"
She blinked once or twice. "What?"
"Who is it that you have found that makes it so you won't let me hold you again?"
"No one."
"And I'm ugly. Now really, tell me the truth." His hands tightened on her arms, bruising them. Mel bit her lip to keep from crying out and kneed him (you all know where). He let out a surprised yell and let her go. Before he could catch her again, she ran back to her rooms, only wanting to be alone. Flauvic watched her run away, a thoughtful gleam in his eye, then looked at the dim light shining from Shevraeth's room.
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Danric sat talking with Bran and Russav. None of them mentioned Mel, but both Russav and Bran traded amused glances whenever Danric would go off into his own world again, musing, no doubt, on recent events.
Danric let his mind wander from their conversation, and the two pretty much let him. It was odd, Danric thought, that Mel had said anything to him at all. It wasn't like her to just up and say anything like what she had just told him, especially to someone that she had been so upset with before. And yet... he couldn't help but be happy that she had said what she did and that finally he could tell her how he felt and know for sure that she wouldn't throw a book at him or something.
Bran and Russav retired, claiming to need their rest for the next day, and Danric was just getting up to prepare for bed when he heard a quiet knock. He went to the door and opened it, and even his court mask could hardly keep his surprise from showing on his face when Flauvic came into the room.
"Cousin." Danric's tone was cautious.
"Shevraeth. How have you been?"
"Well. And you?"
"As well as one can be in solitude."
"And what brings you here?"
"I warned you, cousin. She's too good for you."
"And I suppose you're a better candidate for her heart?"
"You had best be careful, Shevraeth. Meliara is mine."
"Over my dead body."
"If it must be so. But she will be mine. I would kill her before I let her go with you. Remember that, cousin. By staying with her, you risk her life."
"You'd never kill her."
"Wouldn't I? Perhaps you don't know me as well as you think you do." Flauvic bowed, a mocking smile on his lips, and then left Danric alone in his rooms. Danric watched him go, wanting nothing in the world other than the sweet privilege of seeing his cousin's life ebb away.
Flauvic couldn't hurt Meliara, not now that she had finally said that she loved him. But how had Flauvic known...? Anger filled Danric once more. The bastard must have cornered her just now and tried to get information out of her. Well, he wasn't the next king of for nothing. He would find a way to stop Flauvic and his family if it was the last thing he did.
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Nee and Bran's party was one of the hardest things for Mel to get through. Danric watched her dance. She knew because she watched him watch her. And avoiding Flauvic was rather difficult, as well, but she managed it. Barely. She had seen Danric's barely concealed anger at Flauvic, and silently keeping the two of them from tearing each other apart without anyone else noticing was not exactly a walk in the park, either.
Then her old spy (Asthmus? I don't have a copy of CCD with me...) came and told her of the danger to the kinthus, and really all she could do was what she had done. So now she was riding hard for the home of the Hill Folk. She would have liked to have talked to Danric before she had left, but he was already gone somewhere and the servants wouldn't tell her where. And to top it all off, another rider was ahead of her and it was raining again. Now all she needed was... life, now her ankle was sore because it still hadn't finished healing.
When she reached the inn, she asked the innkeeper about the other rider and he directed her to one of the rooms. (Being vague because we all know the normal details and like I said, I don't have a copy of CCD here). Mel was partly surprised and partly not when Danric looked up at her, his black cloak on a chair. He put his hot chocolate down and hugged her, ordering food from the innkeeper and someone to bring her a towel or something.
"Mel, why are you here?"
"I have to warn the Hill Folk... the kinthus is in danger."
"They wouldn't dare harm the Hill Folk, would they? Were did you get your information?"
"(Insert name of spy person here). He came just after the party and I wanted to tell you then, but you weren't there."
"That's because I'm trying to stop whatever it is that Flauvic and his family is planning. I just received information that armies are moving against us earlier than we expected."
"Oh... but won't that be dangerous?"
"It will be just like fighting Galdran again, only someone smarter. But don't worry, I'll be careful."
"You had better be."
"I must ask something in return, my love."
"Anything."
"You must be careful, as well. If you get yourself killed, I will be most displeased."
"Of course, it's all about you, isn't it?" She sighed. "All right, I will be careful."
He held her closer when she began shivering. "You're freezing..."
"Yes, I suppose I am... my cloak got wet and I didn't want to stop until I got here or I may be too late to stop them from breaking the covenant."
He nodded and said nothing, just held her.
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Danric had a hard time leaving the next morning without Mel, but if he didn't do it then he may have never gotten out of there without making a scene. He just hoped that she would be all right and that he would see her again. Perhaps his water-proof cloak may not have been much to leave her with, but at least it would keep her from freezing to death and breaking her promise to him inadvertently. Oh, my dear sweet Meliara... stay safe, my love.
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More is to come in hopefully the near future. Keep reviewing and tell me any mistakes I make, please.