Vidanric woke first to morning light shining through the curtains. His left arm was numb from Mel sleeping on it, so he gently slid a pillow beneath her head as he moved his arm and sat up. Vidanric knew he was late for sword practice, but he didn't want to go. Not this time. Not when he had Mel asleep beside him and no clothes to change into. Vidanric smiled pensively as he ran Meliara's braid through his fingers, remembering all the times when he had wanted to do exactly that when he had finally rescued her from the clutches of Galdran and his cousin, Debegri.
A sudden clatter in the parlor and a tap at the door startled Vidanric, and he went for a knife he didn't have. Meliara woke to the tapping and stared at the tapestry blearily.
"One moment, Mora," Meliara mumbled as the bells for second gold rang out. Two candles before court would begin and neither of them had begun to prepare. Meliara sat bolt upright and stared horrified at Vidanric.
"We're never going to be on time!" she cried.
"My lady?" Mora called from the parlor.
"It's alright Mora, I just overslept," Meliara called back.
"Your breakfast is ready, my lady."
"Thank you, Mora," Meliara said, standing and shrugging into her dressing gown. Vidanric followed suit, though he pulled on his trousers and shirt before he put on the robe and slippers.
"His Grace's manservant brought over some clothes for him as well, my lady," Mora said.
Meliara's face burned red, and Vidanric made a choking sound, his cheeks also showing signs of pink.
"I hope she brought enough breakfast for two," he murmured before she could say anything, slipping past Meliara, Vidanric took the tray from the waiting maid beyond the tapestry. He returned with a tray of fruit and breakfast pastries with coffee and hot chocolate which he set on the bed, pouring out coffee for himself and hot chocolate for Meliara. She sat across from him, and they ate quickly, knowing that they had to be on time, if only because Vidanric was announcing the upcoming coronation and their wedding.
They parted after breakfast for the baths, and returned refreshed. Meliara's maid, Mora, had sent word to Vidanric's manservant, and they were soon dressed and ready for court, Vidanric in a black velvet embroidered with gold and Meliara in her rose Court gown. Arm in arm they made their way to the Throne Room, arriving just before the first green bells tolled. Meliara's silence told Vidanric just how nervous she was.
He leaned down and murmured in her ear, "Remember that you know most of the courtiers who will be attending today. And your brother will be there, as well as Nee and Russav." Then he kissed her cheek gently, Meliara's face turning the color of her gown, and they entered the Throne Room. He led her to a place beside Russav and Nee, then took his place just below the dais before the chairs which were occupied by his parents, the Prince and Princess of Renselaeus. Instead of kneeling, as was the custom, Vidanric remained standing, and after the bells signaling first green died away, he spoke.
"Before we begin holding court for the day, I have two announcements to make."
He waited for the inevitable speculative chatter to die down. Beside Mel, Nee gasped and squeezed Mel's arm.
"First, I know that all of you have been wondering why I have not yet set a date for the coronation," Vidanric began. "And I will now respond to your queries. The coronation will be held on New Year's Day."
At this announcement, the room erupted into applause and some cheered. The din took a few minutes to die down, and Vidanric waited patiently for the last of the clapping to fade away.
"My second announcement," Vidanric said, "is that Lady Meliara Astiar and I will be married, and she will be crowned as my queen the same day."
Instead of applause, this time the room buzzed with confused whispers.
Meliara frowned even as Nee hugged her tightly, followed by Bran and Savona. She had known the reaction to that announcement would be different from the news of a coronation, but she hadn't expected the number of eyes turned her way or the accusatory gazes she received from certain social climbers.
Realizing that Meliara was becoming uncomfortable, Russav spoke, "Perhaps an explanation is in order. We all thought she hated you."
"I can assure you, lady Meliara and I have worked through our differences and misunderstandings. I would rather not give you all the details, but I can assure you that the decision, ultimately, was her choice. She accepted my offer, and we are both very happy," Vidanric said.
His statement elicited some polite clapping from the courtiers and murmured congratulations to Meliara from those around her. Elenet, who stood beside Nee, was struggling to keep her mask from slipping, but Meliara could see that she was upset. She couldn't say anything in the middle of the Throne Room that wouldn't embarrass them both, so Mel decided to wait until she could speak to her more privately.
As it was, there were very few petitioners that day, so tables were brought out and the Court enjoyed a morning of cards and music. As soon as the last petitioner left, Vidanric had drawn Meliara to his side and put to rest any remaining doubts anyone had about their courtship by kissing her quite soundly.
"Well done, cousin," Russav said, interrupting their kiss with a sound thump on Vidanric's back.
Vidanric broke away and glared at Russav for a moment before he gritted out a stiff, "Thank you."
Meliara's eyes dropped to her feet and remained there until Russav spoke to her in a hushed voice, "I heard you and Danric spent the night together."
"Russav! That is none of your concern!" Meliara growled.
The Duke just winked at her and went to join a group of other men for cards. Meliara and Vidanric stood together for a few minutes accepting the congratulations of various courtiers who approached them. Tamara's was as insincere as her Court laugh, but Meliara responded as gracefully as she could. Elenet never approached them, and after a few minutes more, Meliara was claimed by Nimiar for a discussion about music, while Russav hailed Vidanric for a hand of cards.
When Court was over, Meliara went with Nimiar and Elenet for lunch in Nimiar's rooms, while Vidanric excused himself and went to deal with a never-ending mound of paperwork. Before they entered Nimiar's parlor, Meliara drew Elenet aside.
"Are you alright?" Meliara asked quietly.
"You noticed?" Elenet asked. "I am sorry. I should be happy for you and for Vidanric. It was never going to be, but I still feel the loss as if it were real."
"I am sorry," Meliara said. She really meant it. Elenet deserved someone wonderful.
"Do not be sorry," Elenet replied with a watery smile. "You will make a wonderful queen."
Meliara couldn't become accustomed to compliments, so she stumbled a little over her thank you as Nimiar stuck her head out and asked what they were up to.
"I am sorry Nee, I am afraid I am not feeling well," Elenet replied. "I must go." With that, she hurried off down the corridor.
"Poor thing," Nimiar said as Mel settled on a cushion. Meliara couldn't help but feel a little guilty to be the reason Elenet was not well.
"I am not going to ask how you spent your night because it is obvious from your face and your inability to take your eyes off of him during Court," Nee laughed.
Meliara blushed and didn't say anything.
"It was Vidanric who was writing you those letters, wasn't it?"
"Yes," Meliara said. She wouldn't lie to Nee. "At some point, I don't really know when, they became a courtship, but I didn't know it was him until after that ball I threw for you and Bran."
Nimiar looked like she was holding in something she wanted to say, and before Meliara could ask her what it was, Nimiar burst out laughing.
"You didn't give him much of a choice, did you?" she laughed.
Mel blushed even more, if that were possible. "I guess not."
"I really am happy for you," Nimiar said with a kind smile.
Mel smiled back. "Thank you."
Their conversation changed topics as they ate their lunch, not returning again to Meliara's new betrothal, or Elenet's indisposal.
Vidanric was joined in the library study by Russav about two minutes after he had arrived himself.
"Late night?" Russav asked as he plopped down in front of the desk where Vidanric worked.
"Not this time, no," Vidanric replied absently, shuffling the papers on the desk.
"You slept last night?" Russav asked incredulously.
"Yes," Vidanric said, looking up from the report he had been reading.
"I thought you spent the night with Mel?"
"I did," Vidanric said. He couldn't keep the color in his face from rising.
"And?"
"And we slept," Vidanric said. He refused to give in to Russav's prodding.
"You can't tell me you just slept," Russav said. "You practically burst into flaming passion at the ball last night."
"I'm sure you have already decided what my night after the ball was like, so I don't really have to share the details with you now, do I?" Vidanric said flatly.
"You didn't hurt her or anything?"
"Stars, no!" Vidanric replied.
"Well that's alright then," Russav said. "So how was it?"
"How was what?"
"Warrior boy, I refuse to believe that you have only muscle for brains. You know what I mean."
"Fine, Russav," Vidanric threw down his pen exasperatedly. "It was different."
"What?" Russav was suddenly intrigued. "Different how? Different from what?"
"From Colend."
"You mean because it actually meant something to Mel as well as you? Like she isn't just twoing with you for political reasons?"
"Yes," Vidanric replied.
"Was it good different?"
"Anything to do with Mel is good, Russav, you know that," Vidanric said.
"But she isn't experienced at all in dalliance or twoing or anything involving what happens when two people are in love with each other. Or even if they're not," Russav said. "I would have expected you to say something about it, though, tight-lipped as you are.
"She didn't need prior knowledge," Vidanric said. "I led, like in a dance, and she was happy to follow. If you must know, despite her lack of expertise, it was the best experience I have had. Also, unlike what she says, she does have a figure underneath all of those layers of clothing."
"So you made the right decision? Mel will be a great queen," Russav said.
"I do not believe there is any other decision I could have made. I love her, Russav. Really love her. Even if she would have been a terrible queen, I would still have chosen to marry her."
"It just so happens that the woman you're in love with has a head for politics?"
"Precisely."
"For what it's worth, I think she will be good for this kingdom," Russav said. "We could all use a little less of the court masks and more honesty."
"My father said something very similar to me when I told him that I intended to pursue her," Vidanric said. "My mother approved simply because she is Ranisia Calahanras's daughter."
"All good reasons," Russav said. "Now if only I had some good ones for being besotted with the thorniest woman in the entire Court."
"Ha!" Vidanric huffed. "One day you will figure it out."
"Someday," Russav sighed. "Say what do you think of the color blue?"
"Why?"
"I'm throwing a party for you and Meliara. I was thinking of robin's egg blue tapestries to match her eyes."
"Russav…"
"What!"
"Don't get carried away."
"Oh, I plan on it."
"Oh dear…"
Russav laughed heartily, and eventually Vidanric joined him.