A.N: Thank you for all the reviews (see notes at the bottom)! Here's the next chapter, a bit later than expected.
Maewen had never been happier. True, she was sitting on a dirty log, eating something that looked older than the aforementioned log, and it was rather cold out. But that really didn't matter. She was back home.
Mitt and Moril were filling her in on the things that she had missed. Not much apparently, but enough that it made for a good conversation.
"So, we're almost at Gardale, and we'll be dropping off Brid there in three days-she's missed start-of-term, but she did last year too, and it didn't matter much" Moril said, filling her in on their current location.
There were a lot of untold things that Maewen was picking up through the conversation.
First, Kialin had shared some of that adventure he and Moril had had with Brid too. There was some animosity between them, but they were obviously in love, though they both thought that no one else knew.
Second, Mitt was still dancing circles around Hildy whenever she was brought up in a conversation. Maewen knew that they had spent time on that boat together and had survived some dangerous adventure, but that was about all she knew. She wished she knew why Mitt still put up with her, and that was a mystery that might never be solved.
Third, Navis, for all his sarcasm, seemed to have real faith in Mitt. Though he could be damn cynical most- well, really all of the time, he beamed with pride whenever Mitt brought up a plan that sounded successful. Maewen knew that Navis had wanted Mitt to be king all along, and it seemed like he was getting his wish.
Fourth, Brid was still wary of all Southerners. Moril was still a bit uncomfortable with them, but with Brid, it wouldn't have surprised anyone if she killed all the Southern soldiers in one night.
She felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up into Mitt's face.
"We need to talk," He said. "Come on."
Maewen made her apologies and followed Mitt. He was walking toward a small valley. "You walk too slowly" he commented.
"I'm not six feet tall." She said back.
Mitt sighed, a loud fake sigh. "This is taking too long" He picked Maewen up and threw her over his shoulder. Ignoring her protests, he started running to the cup of the valley.
When they were finally in the bottom of the dell, he put her down. "You," she pointed out, "Are a safety hazard."
"Thank you m'lady" He said, making a mock bow.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Maewen asked, sitting down in the lush grass.
"I have no idea. You, me, people, the battles." Mitt said, lying down.
Maewen laid down too. She couldn't see Mitt, though he was only three feet over. The grass was high, up to her thighs when standing. Looking up, she could see bright stars, unspoiled by city light.
"So, you're going down to Holland?" Maewen asked, looking at the stars.
"Yes, that's what this is about." Mitt said, "You don't like fighting do you?"
Maewen's stomach churned at the thought of the battle at Kernsburgh. "Not really, but I could get used to it."
Mitt grabbed her hand in the dark, rustling through the tall stalks of grass. "No you can't. It's not something you get used to. And I don't want you getting hurt. I think we should send you to the Lawschool with Brid."
Maewen felt the blood rush out of her head. Send her away? She'd only just got here. The only reason she came back was to be with Mitt, and now he was sending her away. And it had only been three hours since she got here!
"I know you want to come, but you'd be horrified by it. You'll be much safer in the school. You'd hate the battles. And you'd hate me for bringing you along. And you just came back. I…we don't want you to be killed two days after you get here." Mitt said. Maewen didn't say anything. Sensing that she was angry, Mitt changed the subject. "We don't have to talk about it now. Let's talk about something else."
"Tell me about your family." Maewen said at once. This was the one thing she had always wanted to know. "Tell me about your past. Everything up until meeting me."
Mitt was silent for a moment, and then started talking. His life, living outside Holland, being kicked out of his home, Holland, his father, the New Hollanders, the bomb, the boat, the Holy Islands, and then the Countess and Keril.
It was a long story, but Maewen was content with hearing Mitt's voice sail over to her through the grass, finally knowing what happened in his life. She could tell he was skimming over some of the uglier parts, but she didn't care. He stopped when he got to meeting her before they set off.
"Could you tell it wasn't Noreth?" she asked.
"Well, kind of, your voice was different, but really you looked just like her." Mitt said. "I really hadn't thought about it until you told us."
"I did it though, didn't I?" Maewen mused. "I pretended I was her, and I convinced you. I still wonder though, what was Noreth like? Where she was coming from, and all that. What it felt like for her when she was killed."
They were silent for a few moments. "We'd better get back to camp." Mitt said quietly. "They're probably wondering where you've gone."
"And where you've gone, Your Majesty." Maewen said regally.
They walked silently up to the camp, not sure where the talk had gone. "You'll be in the tent with Brid." Mitt told her.
"Are you sure that's wise?" Maewen asked. "She doesn't seem to like me very much."
"She's just…wary." Mitt said. "Brid's been through a lot, she's jumpy. And that was a warm welcome compared to when she first met me. I think she would've killed me if Moril hadn't told her who I was. She really doesn't like Southerners."
Mitt may have been right, but Maewen decided that Brid didn't like anyone until knowing them for at least six hours.
When she had been told which tent was hers, she very cautiously went in, making sure that Brid knew she was there.
"Brid?" She asked loudly. "Hi, it's Maewen. Is it all right if I come in?"
"Sure!" Brid yelled out. She eyed Maewen when she came in. And her gaze never left her once as Maewen got ready for bed. The only time Brid looked away was when they had blown out their candle and were plunged into darkness.
"Good night." Brid said, almost pleasantly. "And we must have a chat tomorrow."
"Okay" Maewen said hesitantly, startled by the almost niceness in Brid's voice, and rolled over into an uneasy sleep.
It was like a dream all morning. Maewen sat in on everything Mitt was involved in, had a long talk with Brid in which she was deemed trustworthy, and felt happier than she ever had her entire life. She didn't care that she would be going to the Lawschool now, because she knew she would at least have one friend there.
She wasn't too happy about having to leave the next day, but still. Things were great. Well, that great until the first attack.
She'd been sitting on a rock, talking to Moril about music, maybe establishing a college, when they heard shouts from afar, and the shot of a gun. They looked at each other, and ran to the top of the hill, in the direction of where it had come from. At the top, they froze.
Horses, with riders on them, were streaming into a valley not a mile beyond where they were, arrows pointed right toward them.
A.N: Short chapter, I know. But I felt like I should get something out. And this will serve as an opening point for Chapter 3.
Also, I am obviously screwing around with EVERY historical side note DWJ came up with in the glossary of Crown. This will be even more evident in the next few chapters. I believe it said that The Uprising started around the same time Crown ended. Well, tough. I'm rewriting history here, folks, and if you want to complain, feel free.
And to my lovely, lovely, reviewers,
Les Yeux Violets (Français nom du plume, tres bon!); EvermoreElf (Of course it's true love, anyone here not agreeing on that?); meluriel; Dragon's Cat (I'm suspecting you've read Crown by now…); fairyofwallpaper; Of The Undying; crystaleyes; Heiress_of_Hufflepuff; ellemire; anonymous (you can be peaceful once more!); maltie (.:hangs head in shame:. I can't believe I got that wrong. Thanks for correcting me!); zella; Angel Street (Don't worry, she won't die); Moe; Taylor (who doesn't finish Crown not wanting more?)
Thank you for your generous reviews that made my day and left me wanting to write more! Expect chapter 3 by the end of the year!