Dancing with the Enemy?

-by Tutankhamun

It was quite dark, and a sleety rain was just starting to fall when the cavalcade rolled impressively into the courtyard of the Riverside Inn at Carad-on-Whitewater.

What seemed to be the entire staff of the place turned out, all bowing and scurrying, to make the debarkation as easy as possible. As Mel watched this from beneath the rain canopy that two eager young inn-helpers held over her head she couldn't help remembering last spring's sojourn at various innyards, as either a prisoner or a fugitive, and it was hard not to laugh at the comparison.

They all had a splendid dinner in a private room overlooking the river. From below came the merry sounds of music, about as different from the haunting rhythms of the Hill Folk's music as possible, yet Mel loved it too.

When everybody had finished, Nee said, "Come! Let's go dance."

"Not me," Bran said. He lolled back on his cushions and grabbed for his mulled wine. "In the saddle all day. I'll finish this, then I'm for bed."

"I'll go with you," Mel said to Nee, rising to her feet.

Nee turned to Shevraeth, who sat with both hands round his goblet. "Lord Vidanric? Will you come with us?"

Mel looked out the window, determined to say nothing. But she was still angry, convinced as she was that he had been spying on her. 'After all, how else could he know about the letter the Marquise sent me?' She thought, wrathfully.

There was a moment's pause, then, "Why not. It promises to be an...interesting experience."

'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!' Mel thought, extremely displeased at this turn of events. She quickly adverted her face so that nobody would see her distress, only turning back around when her face was once again composed and tranquil.

"Wonderful!" Nee said, happily, clapping her hands together. "Shall we go down now, then?"

"I hope you will excuse me for a moment while I find something a bit dryer?" Shevraeth said, spreading his arms slightly to show off the damp tunic that clung to his slender, yet muscular, chest.

Mel flushed slightly and looked down. 'That definitely isn't proper. But, I never knew he had such a good body... Ack! I didn't just think that...did I?'

With a secret little smile and a quick, assessing glance at Mel, Nee said, "Of course. You've been riding in the rain for several hours. Shall we wait for you to finish changing or should we go down now?"

Shevraeth smiled at Nee, but it was a bit wider than it should have been, and his eyes were gleaming with laugher and there was a spark of something that eluded Mel.

'I wonder what he's so happy about. He never smiles like that. Maybe he really likes dancing...' Mel thought, but she wasn't convinced.

"Please, don't wait for me. I'll be down in a moment," Shevraeth said magnanimously, giving them a small bow.

Nee, grinning, curtsied back, and Mel, after hesitating a moment, copied her. When she looked up again, she saw Shevraeth desperately trying to hide his grin, and Bran who wasn't even trying to hide his amusement. Slightly miffed, she took her leave of Bran, who raised his wine glasses back in salute with a strange smile playing on his lips, and then she and Nee went down the stairs to the common room where the dancing took place.

'Why did he have to come? Why did Nee have to ask him? I suppose it would have been bad manners not to ask, but why did he have to say yes? Am I being punished for something? Is this all some big trick the Gods are playing on me? Do they like seeing me, the little, ignorant Countess, make a fool of myself in front of him, the Marquis and possible future King? It's bad enough that I have to go to Court and see him in all his perfectness until Bran and Nee get married, but why do I have to spend time in the same room with him before then! And dancing no less! What if I have to dance with him? No, it's better if I don't even think about it. The very thought is just too horrifying.' Countess Meliara repressed a shudder, but Nee, who was at her side as they walked downstairs to the common room, still noticed.

"Come now, Mel. I thought you liked dancing. And you did say that you'd rather practice on strangers," Nee said, giving Mel a reassuring smile.

"I do like dancing. It's just..." Mel trailed off, looking for a kind way to express her reluctance to be in the same room as him. She glanced at Nee, who was looking at her expectantly. "It's just the company, Nee." She finished, wondering if Nee would understand her meaning. Then she laughed silently at herself. 'Nee spent her whole life at Court. Everything everybody says there has a hidden meaning.'

Much to her surprise, Nee looked surprised, and said, "But Mel, I thought you liked the common folk. What's wrong with th-" She broke off, mid-word, and a slight mark of irritation marked her brow. "Oh. I see." She looked down, and Mel felt bad for placing her in such an uncomfortable position. 'Why do I keep making her choose between him and me? I don't mean to put her in the middle. From now on, I'll put my own feelings aside and focus on being happy and ignoring Shevraeth altogether.' With that resolve, Mel, trying to lighten the rather troubled atmosphere, said, "But there's nothing that can be done about it now. Let's go and enjoy ourselves, shall we?"

Looking up at Mel, Nee said, "Are you sure, Mel? I know you won't enjoy it as much if Vidanric's here, too..." She let the sentence trail off delicately.

Mel smiled. "Who cares? From now on I'm not going to focus on anything other than having as much fun as possible tonight. I will not focuson him and how pathetically uneducated I am compared to him. Or how pathetically poor I am in man-to-man combat compared to him. Or how pathetically unsophisticated I am compared to him. Or-"

"I'm glad to see that you're not focusing on him, Mel," Nee remarked, interrupting Mel's tirade with a barely concealed smile.

"Oh. Sorry about that," Mel said, feeling chagrined. "From now on, I won't think or say anything about the Marquis of Shevraeth at all! And that's that!" She said with great finality, a wide smile on her face.

"Then I suppose now would be a bad time to ask you to a dance, Lady Meliara?" Mel heard a smooth voice say from behind her. She immediately recognized the now-familiar and annoying court drawl, and she involuntarily made a face, making Nee giggle.

Taking a deep breath to brace herself, Mel turned around to face the Marquis of Shevraeth, who looked faintly amused, and also a little... What was it that other emotion in his face? Disappointment? Sorrow? She banished those thoughts. 'Shevraeth is just a Court Decoration who doesn't care about anything other than what the latest fashion is.' But as soon as she thought it, Mel knew it was a lie. She cursed silently. 'Why does he have to be so perfect? And noble. And brave. And handsome.' Mel abruptly stopped her train of thought. 'Did I just think of Shevraeth as brave and noble and handsome! Where did that come from? What am I thinking?' Mel looked up at Shevraeth only to meet his gray eyes, which were focused on her intensely. She looked down quickly, furious at the faint blush she felt staining her cheeks. 'Gah! Why is he looking at me like that? Should I say something? Probably. What should I say? Think, Mel! Think!'

Mel willed the blush from her cheeks, and, meeting his eyes again, said, "Do you think you could keep up with me? These town dances are very different from the formal Court ones you're used to."

Mel saw the humor lines around his mouth deepen. "Is that a challenge, Lady Meliara?" He asked her, watching her intently.

'Was it?' Mel thought. 'Dare I challenge him? After all, he's beat me in swordplay and everything else. But dancing is different, especially town dances. They're based on emotions, something Shevraeth seems to be lacking at times. Actually, I think I actually have a chance to beat him this time!' Out loud, Mel said, "Of course! There has to be something I can beat you at. And until I find what that something is, I'll just keep trying!"

Shevraeth looked at her sadly. "Is that how you feel? That you need to be better than me?"

Mel was confused. "No! Wait..yes. No. No I don't," Mel stuttered, frustrated at her lack of understanding her own emotions and motivations. "Maybe. I don't know."

Shevraeth smiled wryly. "I seem to be getting that answer from you a lot lately."

Mel started. 'Of course! I said that to him back home, when we were talking the library...'

FLASHBACK

"Can you tell me," Shevraeth said slowly, "why you seem still to harbor your original resentment against me?"

Several images of spies and lying courtiers flowed through Mel's mind, to be instantly dismissed. She had no proof of any of it. So Mel looked out the window as she struggled for an answer. After the silence grew protracted, Mel glanced back to see if he was still there. He hadn't moved. His attitude was not impatient, and his gaze was on her hands, which were tightly laced in her lap. His expression was again reflective.

"I don't know," Mel said finally. "I don't know."

There was a pause, then he said, "I appreciate you honesty." He gave Mel a polite bow, a brief smile, and left.

END FLASHBACK

Mel flushed and said a bit defensively, "I don't mean to be so vague. It's just that..." She stopped. 'I still can't answer his question. I don't know what the answer is myself!' With a sigh, Mel said, "It's just that I honestly don't know. I'm sorry. But," she said with a smile. "When I find out, you'll be the first to know! I promise!"

Vidanric smiled, but it was still touched with sadness. "Very well, I will hold you to that promise, Lady Meliara. But in the meantime, shall we discuss the stake of our little wager?

"Stake? I don't know," Mel said. "What kind of stakes do courtiers usually make?"

She looked up at him, only to find him watching her with that same intense gaze as before. "How about a dance? Winner gets to choose when and where," He suggested. Then, he added as an afterthought, "You do know that you need not collect if you win."

"I know," Mel said. "And I agree. A dance is a good stake." She thought, 'A dance for a dance. Hmmm... It sounds rather romantic. I think I'm going to like this wager...'

Shevraeth bowed and held out his arm. She lightly took it, just as Nee had instructed her. They walked to the dance floor just as a song was ending. With only the briefest of pauses, the four musicians in the corner of the room immediately launched into the next song.

It was a fast paced song that always left her gasping for breath at the end. 'Hah!' Mel thought, obscurely pleased. 'Let's see if the Marquis can keep up with me on this dance!' Turning to her partner, Mel put her left hand on his broad shoulder as he took her right hand in his own and held it up and away from them. His other arm rested lightly on the small of her back. Mel felt a shiver of... What could it be? Anticipation? Or was it some other emotion? 'Nonsense,' She told herself firmly. 'It's just the excitement of a wager, that's all!' However, that didn't stop her from blushing hotly, much to her annoyance. If Shevraeth noticed, he didn't say anything.

Shevraeth looked at her, eyebrows raised in question, and she nodded that she was ready to begin. Then they were off! Twirling and spinning and lightly skimming the polished wooden floor as gracefully as a silk ribbon. The faces encircling the dancers became a blur and the only face that stayed in focus had beautiful gray eyes that bore into her own with such passion that Mel felt giddy. The two dancers moved in perfect harmony with the music and with each other, and soon the other dancers stopped and stepped off to join the circle of people watching the mismatched pair dance.

He was a marvelous dancer, she had to admit. His strong arms holding her as gently as if she were an illusion, his quick feet performing the most arduous and complicated steps with ease, and his eyes... She shivered just thinking about his eyes.

She knew that she had never danced better, nor had as much fun while dancing. Her beautiful new gown flared out from her with every turn and twist, and for the first time in her life, Mel felt like she was free from everything. There would be no more wars; everything was as it should be. It was time to release all the burdens she had been charged with since her mother died. She gave a sigh of content and utter satisfaction, and let all her tension, stress, fears, worries, and confusion flow out of her, where they would wither in the face of the music. 'It's the music,' Mel thought happily as she spun and stepped. 'Music is truly like magic.'

As the dance wore on, the gray eyes never moved from her face, and Mel felt flushed, however she contributed that to the taxing steps of the dance.

A final turn, a graceful dip, and the dance ended. But Mel didn't notice, and it seemed that the owner of those gray eyes didn't, either. Suddenly, the sound of clapping and whistling and other sounds of appreciation penetrated the fog of happiness that surrounded her, and she blinked as reality came rushing back.

Blushing hotly, she stepped out of Shevraeth's protective embrace. 'No! Not protective! He was just holding me like that because it's part of the dance!' She thought furiously, trying to fight down the embarrassing blush.

Perhaps Shevraeth perceived her conflicting emotions, because he bowed to her, to which she automatically curtsied back and gave her time to regain control of her emotions. Then Shevraeth spoke, and everything spiraled out of control again.

"I thank you, Lady Meliara, for the most invigorating and enjoyable dance I have ever had. I will never forget this night."

"It was nothing Shev-" Mel caught herself and said instead, "Lord Vidanric." She choked only slightly upon calling him by his true name. 'Why does it feel so strange to call him that?'

'Could it be that it's because he's not the enemy anymore? As Shevraeth, he was Galdran's lackey, but now...'

'Perhaps I wasn't dancing with the enemy I've always known as Shevraeth. Perhaps I was dancing with a man. A very handsome and intellectually stimulating man, who doesn't want to be my enemy.'

'I didn't just think that. There's no way that I just thought that. But yet...I can't deny that I did. Oh dear, this is becoming confusing.'

'Maybe I should stop all this foolishness and start saying what I think instead of always wondering if he'd laugh at me, or scorn my ideas... It's worth a try. After all, he's never done anything to deserve my contempt. In fact, it's quite the contrary. He's made several attempts to gain my trust and friendship, but I'm the one who kept pushing him away.'

'But is it too late to change? What if he thinks that I'm angling for the crown? He would hate me for being so shallow and deceptive. So what should I do?'

'Every journey must start with a single step. Maybe if I start off small and slow, everything will work out...'

Out loud, Mel said, "I agree whole-heartedly," She omitted any reference to his name, still unsure about how she felt about him as Vidanric and not as Shevraeth. "That was the best best dance I have ever experienced. Thank you."

He bowed again. "You honor me too greatly, my Lady. I have never had a dancing partner as accomplished a dancer as you, and I fear that no man could ever hope to be equal, much less excel, your skill in dance."

For some odd, unexplainable reason, Mel felt a surge of disappointment. Then, something she couldn't define pushed her to say, "I don't think so, my Lord," It was getting easier to not think of him as Shevraeth, but as another human being. A man. "But if you truly believe that, then you must know that are the one man who I would be happy to call my equal. In dance." Mel added, after the shortest of pauses. 'What was I thinking? Why did I pause? I just don't understand myself anymore.'

Shevraeth didn't speak, but his burning eyes bore into her own. What was that in his eyes? A question, perhaps? Was it hope? Those things were present, but Mel's attention was captured by something else. Something that made her heart race and her mind to go blank. It was the spark she had seen before, only this time it was easier to see, like it couldn't be restrained. What was that spark was that glowed like an ember waiting to burst into flame? Would she ever find out? Mel shivered. Did she want to find out? The intensity of it frightened her, and yet, she felt that if she didn't find out what that spark was, her life would be incomplete. She only knew that she never wanted to live without that spark, and that it would kill her to look away.

"I say, Danric!" Mel hear a loud, familiar voice say. "That was amazing! Never knew you could dance so well."

Shevraeth looked towards Bran, and the spell was broken. Mel took a deep breath to steady herself for suddenly it felt like she had just lost something very treasured and valuable, but she knew not what.

"I accept no praise, Bran," Shevraeth was saying. "All the credit goes to Meliara. She is incredible."

Bran glanced at Mel. "Is she now? Well, I'll just let you in on a little family secret, Danric, my friend." Bran leaned closer to Shevraeth in mock secrecy. "No man has ever been able to match Mel step for step in a dance without looking like a fool or without tripping on his own feet. Until you. You two were simply perfect. Flawless. Outstanding."

Nee joined in as Mel started to blush again. "It's true. You two are perfectly matched. Dancing." Nee paused for only a second, just as Mel had done earlier, causing the statement to take on a very different meaning.

"Thank you. You are too kind," Mel said through gritted teeth, wondering when the embarrassment would be over. 'I have to change the subject. I can't take any more!' Mel thought. So, abruptly, she interrupted Bran as he was praising their dance some more by saying, "Well, which of us won?"

Bran and Nee looked at her surprised, and Shevraeth turned his head slightly to the side so that his face was hidden in shadows.

"Won?" Bran asked.

"Yes," Mel replied. "We had a wager on who is the better dancer. Who won?" 'That's a bit harsh, but I can't handle hearing more about how Lord Vidanric and I are perfect together.' She thought, mentally wincing.

"Well, uh..." Bran looked uncomfortable, glancing at Shevraeth. "I don't know, Mel. To be honest, I thought you guys were evenly matched."

Mel looked at Nee. "Nee, what do you think?"

Nee, too, looked uncomfortable, but also irritated and angry. "I say it was a draw. You both were wonderful. And, after all, you just said that you felt Danric to be your equal..." She let it trail off, the anger fading from her face as if she had just had an astonishing revelation. Determination filled her face, and Mel wondered what was causing Nee's wild mood swings.

"Well then, a draw it was! I suppose nobody gets to collect the stake now," Mel announced, much to the surprise of the other three who had expected a fight from her.

"Of course," Shevraeth said, cautiously. "But, be honest Lady Meliara, had you been declared the champion, would you have collected at all?"

Mel thought for a second, before saying, "Yes. I would have."

There was silence between the four, then Shevraeth cleared his throat said, "Bran, what are you doing down here? I thought you were going to bed."

Bran grinned. "I didn't want Nee to fall in love with some man she danced with while I was upstairs dreaming."

Nee laughed. "Oh dear! I suppose I'd better tell Orion not to meet me in the stables at dawn after all!" Everybody laughed at the absurd notion of Nee running off with another man, and the tension was broken.

They enjoyed several more hours of dancing and laughing, though Mel and Shevraeth didn't dance again. 'It's probably for the best.' Mel thought, remembering the glowing spark in Shevraeth's eyes. Finally, when Mel found herself yawning uncontrollably, she bade her friends goodnight and returned up the stairs to her room, where she carefully took off her gown and pulled on a feather soft sleeping gown. Then Mel sat down at the small vanity table and brushed her hair, which had always been something of a nightly ritual for her, without thinking of anything at all. But as soon as she slid beneath the sheets of the large bed, memories of Shevraeth and the dance came rushing back to hit her with a force that made her feel more lonely than she had ever felt before. 'Why am I feeling like this?' She wondered. 'Why was that dance so...different from anything I've ever experienced?' Mel sighed. 'I'm too tired to think straight. Maybe I'll understand everything better tomorrow after a good night's rest.' And with that, Mel drifted off to sleep, but not before thinking, 'I wonder what will tomorrow bring. More fan lessons from Nee? Another wager with Vidanric? Who can say?'

R&R!