#Renselaeus

[meimoons-arts]

[who-do-i-know-this-man]

⚠️Vote for whomever YOU DO NOT KNOW⚠️‼️

[daily-rayless]

Anyone else remember the Crown Duel series by Sherwood Smith? Here's our disgruntedly kidnapped heroine Meliara and her kidnapper Shevraeth, who's unrepentantly enjoying some tea as they ride.

[aelin9]

meanwhile there's Mel

[charlenasaxen]

Vidanric Quotes

Vidanric passed Savona, whispering, “Plan B. Notice I was gone?”

“I’m not drunk. Not a-tall. Why, I can prove it! I’ll get a bottle and down it right here!”

“Tell me again about Meliara. How very like her mother she sounds!”

“when Vidanric and Russav were nearly murdered while traveling”

“I will make certain she does not get killed. I promise, mother.”

“why, she’ll fling herself in your arms for joy.” He saluted Vidanric.

“Vidanric ran across the conservatory and down the hall. He didn’t want her to arrive alone, he wanted her to be comfortable”

He had asked Bran on the ride, “Do you think she would like this? Like that?”

“how cute she looks in that overlarge Renselaeus tunic—-stop that!”

out came yet another inanity: “Would you like to sit down?”

“send someone for Branaric, who (blast his lazy soul) ought to have been there”

“The only way he could have been more wrong would be if she’d taken bow in hands and shot everyone”

“did not add that he liked that—when he wasn’t dodging lightning”

“Vidanric’s next surprise was Meliara in a gown. She did indeed have a figure—he looked away.”

“weakened the backs of his knees”

“He took a long soak in the hot bath while reading”

“Few people achieve so precious a luxury as an honest friend. For kings it is an especial rarity.”

“If you do gain—let us say—her friendship, you will know that it would be for you yourself”

“I believe this is all I need.”

“Ah,” said the prince. “Ah.”

“he couldn’t help an inward laugh at the way his Rider captains all leaned in to hear him”

“Vidanric sighed, enjoying then letting go the image of himself being perceived as a mighty sorcerer-king”

“Vidanric fought back a sneeze (they made his ears hurt)”

“He knew it was Meliara. He seemed to have developed a lamentable knack that way, sensing her proximity”

“Meliara. How Russav would laugh”

“he could give her jewels, and safety. He could give her friends. He could even give her a mother, by sharing his own”

“But the truth was, he knew that Meliara wouldn’t take any gift, no matter how much she might want, simply because he was the giver”

“That is, until last year, when a small, determined countess crashed her way into his carefully constructed existence”

“whack! Down she’d smash it again”

“Now he had to go through with it. Ah, well, what’s another candlestick thrown at his head?”

“Stake?”

Candlestick, meet heart. “A kiss.”

“Vidanric recognized with a deep sense of gratitude—that she didn’t see Nee clap her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing”

“Bran lost control and whooped in helpless hilarity. Nee promptly began scolding him”

“Between bands of rain he read through the dispatches—he’d learned the art of reading on the fly”

“to get her to just see him?”

“bone-deep conviction: she would never have accepted that wager from Galdran”

“You’re smitten.”

“Russav—” ��

“Smitten! Stars!”

“like you’re a midden pile waiting for a wand, and you almost walk into a door”

“Russav—”  

“Vidanric—” Savona mocked.

“Or what, smitten-boy?”

“you’re smitten with a scrap of a girl who has the fashion sense of a tree”

“He stopped to get in a good long gloat, and gloated even more loudly when he saw the telltale red along Danric’s fine cheekbones”

“that girl is just as smitten with you, but she doesn’t even know it.”

“Oh, ha ha, this is the funniest thing to happen to this sorry, sodden court for years”

“what I do, what I wear, she hates the ground where my shadow touches.”

“I have the edge on the female mind. That girl is smitten. She’s so smitten she doesn’t even see the rest of the boys”

“Russav glanced up—straight into the Renselaeus dead fish eye. He relented.”

“she was too busy sneaking peeks past my elbow in order to see where you were”

“I’ll eat my hat. I’ll eat your hat, which has more lace on it.”

“Russav had to turn his face away to hide his laughter when Meliara stuck out her hand”

“He smiled at her, trying to reassure her”

“her expressive face seemed to glow, that probably had first enchanted his sober cousin. Poor Danric”

“he not only knew it by heart, he could describe the swoop and swirl of the letters”

“He was dressed magnificently, his dark eyes wide with fury, lips white”

“imagining her small fingers brushing over the paper in the same place. Perhaps here she’d grinned”

“She saw only the words of an anonymous friend. A new beginning, an unexpected gift: let the courtship begin.”

“He dashed past her, knocking her and the cup out of the way”

“Guards,” Vidanric called as he lunged through to the front and swiped the wine.

“rode a short figure swathed in Vidanric’s old military cloak”

“he had never seen any sight more dear”

“betrayed how much she had been studying the shapes and shades of his own voice”

“You had it made. But now it’s mine.”

“he closed his arms around her, enfolding her rumpled, rain-dampened form”

“she flung her arms around his neck and yanked him down”

“The high windows glimmered with light filtered through a lacery of leaves”

“He reached her in three steps, and they clung together”

“leaving the two staring up at a goldenwood tree, silent and beautiful, in the shattered throne room”

[versus-verses]

And I will ship my old, obscure Sherwood Smith ship ALL BY MYSELF IN THE CORNER since there are a total of like 3 posts on this blue hellsite about Crown Duel

[1221bookworm]

A look into Mel and Vidanric’s relationship after the fighting is done and the battle for their future has begun.

[bearholdingashark]

Dear Chocolate Box Creator 2022

Hi! Thank you for creating something for me! I’m excited to see what you create! :D

General info

I adore tropes, the more ridiculous the better, and really what I love about ridiculous tropes is how it gives the creator an opportunity to explore the characters and their dynamics and motivations. Fun plots are great, but the characters and what the plot reveals about them is what I really love.

I also really love AUs (especially modern/historical AUs) or crossover fusions, and love how much changes and how much doesn’t. But straight up canon stuff is really good too. Really, character focused stuff is what I love most. I do also think canon divergence AUs can be really great, so feel free to play around with canon as well.

Please no smut. Romance is great, but nothing more than kissing/fade to black for the physical stuff.

While I’m a big fan of romantic ships, I also love relationships in general, romantic or not. Just characters being there for each other is great. I love fluff, but more serious/angsty/dramatic stuff is just as good too. :D And unless specifically stated otherwise, I have no problem with characters other than I requested in the story, but I want the requested characters to be a main focus.

Aside from the no smut request, my other DNWs (also listed on my sign up) are:  

explicit gore

violence and injury are fine, but nothing super graphic, generally I would say canon typical violence/gore or less is a good way to go

permanent character death of requested characters

angst without a happy (or at least hopeful) ending

I do tend to like fluffier stuff, but angst is great too, as long as there’s some hope or happiness there by the end.

I hope this helps! I’m including my general prompts below, but feel free to go where the inspiration takes you. Happy creating! :D (Length of prompts is not an indication of my feelings for a fandom. I steal prompts from my previous letters because I’m lazy and those tend to be shorter than newer prompts as I get better at these letters. :D)

Request 1

Fandom: Crown Duel - Sherwood Smith

Relationships: Meliara Astiar/Vidanric Renselaeus

Prompts: I would love to see something after the end of the story where they’re merging their lives together while also focusing on fixing all the damage done in the kingdom. It would also be cool to see pieces of the story from Vidanric’s POV. But I’m just excited to read whatever you write. :D

Request 2

Fandom: The Scarlet Pimpernel - Baroness Orczy 

Relationships: Marguerite Blakeney/Percy Blakeney

Prompts: I would love anything where Marguerite is helping Percy and the League with their stuff and being all around awesome, but domestic, peaceful fluff is good too. I just love them being partners, whether in their marriage or in other aspects. I also love stories where they’re in public post reveal and he has his mask on, and she’s poking fun at him like she used to, but since they’re both in on it, it’s different (if that’s vague enough to work :D) I haven’t read many full on AUs (not just canon divergence) for this ship, but that could be really interesting too.  

Request 3

Fandom: DC Extended Universe

Relationships: Clark Kent/Lois Lane 

Prompts: I love this ship so much, and especially this version of them. I love how much trust and respect they have for each other from the word go. This version of them is a little quieter and more serious than other iterations and I’m happy with keeping a similar tone to Man of Steel/Batman V Superman, but lighter fare would be great too. We see Clark and Lois investigating stories separately as reporters, but not really together as a team, whether for the Planet or the League or both, and I’d love to see that. I would also love to see them dealing with the aftermath of Justice League and how they come back together after being apart for so long. I have seen all the current movies (although I’m less familiar with 2017 Justice League as it wasn’t my favorite), and am happy to see other characters show up as well if you would like.

Request 4

Fandom: The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982)

Relationships: Marguerite Blakeney/Percy Blakeney

Prompt: I would love anything where Marguerite is helping Percy and the League with their stuff and being all around awesome, but domestic, peaceful fluff is good too. I just love them being partners, whether in their marriage or in other aspects. I also love stories where they’re in public post reveal and he has his mask on, and she’s poking fun at him like she used to, but since they’re both in on it, it’s different (if that’s vague enough to work :D) I haven’t read many full on AUs (not just canon divergence) for this ship, but that could be really interesting too.  I have read the book, if you want to include details from that, but of course, that is not necessary.

Request 5

Fandom: Knives Out

Relationships: Benoit Blanc/Marta Cabrera

Prompts: If you look at my posted stories, you know I’m a fan of Marta/Benoit. It kind of snuck up on me, and I was obsessed in 2020/early 2021. There’s just something about them that works so well. I love AUs where Harlan lives or the murder attempt never happened and the three of them met some other way. I also like anything post movie where they work through the aftermath of the movie together. I love Marta and Harlan’s dynamic and would love something exploring their friendship. I love Marta/Benoit being partners, romantically, but also professionally if you want to go that direction. I don’t mind having the Thrombey’s involved, but don’t want them to be the focus. (This goes especially for Ransom. I really don’t want any hint of Marta/Ransom.) I do love both Lieutenant Elliott and Trooper Wagner if you go the more case fic route. I have no problem with vomiting if you want to include Marta’s “condition”, although I would request avoiding any really graphic description of vomit/vomiting.

Request 6

Fandom: A Discovery of Witches 

Relationships: Diana Bishop/Matthew Clairmont

Prompts: This is for the tv show, but I have read all the books, so if you want to bring in book stuff, I’d love that too. I’m currently caught up on the show, and will be watching the 3rd season when it airs on 1/8. I would love to see more scenes of them at Sarah and Em’s or learning about each other at Sept-Tours. I would love to see things following the end of the series (show or books) with their family and what they might be doing. 

Request 7

Fandom: Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

Relationships: Clark Kent/Lois Lane

Prompts: I love anything where Lois and Clark are working together as a team at the Planet or elsewhere, especially with the great banter they can get going, or anything adorable or fluffy. I also love them fighting Tempus, because he’s such a ham. My favorite version of their relationship is post reveal/marriage, but earlier versions of their relationship are great too.

Request 8

Fandom: Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries

Relationships: Jack Robinson/Phryne Fisher

Prompts: One of my favorite things about this show is the found family aspect, so even with Phryne/Jack as the focus, I would love to have the other characters in it as well if you want. I love Phryne/Jack’s chemistry and how they are partners and support each other, even when seemingly at odds. I would love something to do with a case, or Phryne being her glorious self and dragging (but really, he’d follow her anywhere) Jack along with her schemes. I have seen Crypt of Tears and I would love to see something set after that where they are figuring out what a relationship between them looks like. 

Request 9

Fandom: Shadow and Bone

Relationships: Alina Starkov/Aleksander Morozova, Aleksander Morozova/Alexei/Alina Starkov, Alina Starkov/Luda/Aleksander Morozova, Mal Oretsev/Aleksander Morozova, Jesper Fehey/Mal Oretsev

Prompts: I didn’t request the following pairings because I didn’t want to match on only them, but I like these ships and would be very happy with them being side ships if you want! (Fedyor/Ivan, Genya/David, Nina/Matthias, Kaz/Inej)

I haven’t read the books although I know the broad strokes. 

I’m listing the prompts by relationship:

Alina Starkov/Aleksander Morozova

I would like the Darkling to have a redemption arc. This can be handwaved in the past, where you skip to the cute established relationship stuff, but I’d rather have him redeem himself than just handwaving what he’s done. The one exception to this is Dark (or at least morally gray) Darklina Power Couple. I love fluff and happiness, but also this would be really fun. 

I love soft!Aleksander either canonverse or a more modern setting. I love them being partners, whether ruling Ravka together or fighting for grisha rights or just having a sweet moment together. 

Aleksander Morozova/Alexei/Alina Starkov

Alexei deserved better and this is a ship I would love to see more of! I love the idea of Alexei not leaving the skiff and surviving if you decide to go with canonverse and as much as I love Darklina (and I love them A LOT), Aleksander and Alina are often not the ones holding the braincell so I can see a third person balancing that out. 

Alina Starkov/Luda/Aleksander Morozova

Similarly to the braincell comment above, I really think Luda could stop Alina and/or Aleksander from making some maybe not so great decisions. I love how soft Aleksander is in the flashback with Luda. I think it would be fun if Luda survived and somehow was as long lived as Aleksander, so that when Alina is discovered, Luda and Aleksander both take an interest in her. I would also love a story where Alina either time traveled back to before the fold or was born then, or something modern could be fun too!

Mal Oretsev/Aleksander Morozova

I blame Ben Barnes and Archie Renaux’s chemistry for this one. I love the enemies to lovers potential here. I like the idea of Alina dating herself after everything’s resolved which could leave Mal and Aleksander to gradually change how they feel about each other as they’ve had to work together (I would love this to be post redemption arc (especially if it’s Zuko-esque) for Aleksander). I love the idea of Alina being maybe a little surprised at first but supportive of the two. 

Jesper Fehey/Mal Oretsev

Someone made a comment somewhere about how different things would be if Jesper slept with Mal instead of Dima and I love that prompt so much. In general, I think they would be such a fun couple, especially since they’re both prone to being rash and impulsive, although not for the same reasons. I would also love Milo to make an appearance. :D

[b-reads-books]

YA Ladies – Meliara Astiar | Crown Duel

I muttered defensively, “I don’t really like battles, you know.”

“Of course I know,” he returned, still in that soft voice. “But you’re used to them.”

[meimoons]

Re-reading Crown Duel which I really liked enough to draw Vidanric but I wish there were more fanart of Sherwood Smith’s characters.

[aelin9]

Shevraeth fun fact from A Stranger to Command:

bb Vidanric had glow in the dark stars painted on his bedroom ceiling ✨

[meimoons-arts]

The Handsome Court-Bred Fop

Vidanric from the novel Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith

[meimoons-arts]

If Meliara and Vidanric were keychains, their signature item would be hot chocolate. ❤️😌

[meimoons-arts]

It was at that moment, Meliara finally noticed her feelings for Vidanric.

(I went back to my older mini fan comic of Meliara and Vidanric and re-drew it! Here is my older fan comic.)

© Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith.

[charlenasaxen]

A Stranger to Command - Favorite Quotes

“lace edges at cuffs and neck. You heard about people wearing lace, but this was the first time he’d actually seen it.”

Vidanric stumbled to a halt. “What now? Did I do something wrong?”

Vidanric was alone.

“To someone raised to cherish wood this room seemed crude”

“Don’t sit in the road like a horse apple.”

“reluctant to explain that to this boy with the toff clothes and manner”

“that Shevraeth’s mother had overseen the making of, with loving care”

“the others looking on critically—Shevraeth had to strip to his underclothes then dress fast”

“Vidanric Renselaeus, fifteen-year-old Marquis of Shevraeth, was really here, in the kingdom with the most military influence of any”

“no one pretended he was anything but what he was: foreign.”

“The animals brought out were stunningly beautiful, small of head, gold and tan, paling to cream-colored coats”

“well-formed feet and long beautiful legs, glossy manes and tails.”

“horses far more obedient than his. Shevraeth’s face burned with humiliation.”

“hands behind him (gripped tightly, but no one saw that)”

“Janold saw in his stiff posture the stolid blankness of someone who thoroughly hated himself”

“he realized with dismay that even these swords were heavier than the dueling rapiers”

The boy said, “That is the best example of Sartoran dueling style I’ve ever seen.” Shevraeth realized he’d seen the Marloven king.

“I hate this place. Shevraeth closed his eyes and tried to pretend he was home. But comfortable memories did not come”

“why couldn’t Russav Savona come, his cousin? They had been like brothers”

“nothing else to do except think about home, and you did make me promise to write”

“couldn’t defend myself against a blind snake. An aged blind snake.”

“but when they cross from the lower school to the upper, they add arrogance to their worthlessness”

“yes you said it would be useful some day. So go ahead and gloat.”

“this is very important, worth crossing the continent for—I do know how to make a bed under the count of twenty”

“he was to go with the next level above his own barracks for knife work. That netted some exchanged looks.”

“flexed his inner thigh, squeezing his knee”

“Shevraeth decided to adapt that same circle to his knife throwing. He rarely missed dead center.”

“Whop! Pain—someone yanked his hair.”

His heart thumped. “What’s it to you?” “Your presence,” came the retort, “is an insult.”

“married into the Calahanras family. Her daughter thus married the Renselaeus heir.”

“Shevraeth also left the last hunk of cheese for someone else, when he would have liked it”

“he meant them as kindnesses, and he hoped no one saw him at it”

“But he would not cut it at the orders of a bully”

even and polite, he said, “You just go ahead and embrace that thought if it pleases you.”

His melodious accent was quite strong. “I am not going to cut my hair.”

“Right then and there, and see if he tells anyone he fell off a horse”

“Someone flung him against a wall. Stars flared across his vision, leaving him gasping.”

“Kneel. I’m going to cut your hair.”

“Shevraeth’s lips were too numb and he couldn’t speak”

“floating black spots. He staggered to his feet, though the world reeled so violently”

“But he made it to his feet. Smash! He didn’t even feel himself landing.”

“Still he fought, though his movements were little more than wriggles”

“One vicious hand yanked his head back by his ponytail, and the other sawed hard. The tail of hair gave and his chin struck the stones.”

“He felt hands on him again, but not cruel. He was sick, dizzy”

“trickling cold water between his bruised lips”

“most compelling of all, I want to go home”

He said, “Fell. Off. Horse.”

“those movements of his were impossible to interpret, but they were kind of pretty”

“Kept trying to break him, but he kept that face right to—”

“a few of its boys had tried a little too hard to get people to name them for one of the great predator cats.)”

“it was the sense of reward, and the sharing of it with fellows”

“He and Savona had scoffed. Who could be afraid of a ribbon?”

“that people would know who you were and look at you was a part of life, as unquestionable as having two eyes”

“what she’d gleaned from Shevraeth’s unguarded mind, the beloved older figure”

“crushing hug, laughter, riding across the plains that smelled of summer sage, safe in warm, strong arms”

“Shevraeth thought the whisper was in his dream. He said to Russav Savona”

“King’s coming!” they removed themselves in reverse order.

“They tied Zheirban up after he refused to join and locked him in our storage”

the king said, “We both know he’s worthless and you, I want you one day to command my army.”

“instantly recognizable as his father’s. Shevraeth flushed with surprise and delight.”

“some of his more observant peers had witnessed his silent acts of kindness”

“written in Russav Savona’s impatient, slashing hand with its brazen flourishes. Shevraeth grinned”

“if we cannot embrace you ourselves”

“Russav Savona pled most passionately to be sent to join you, but the king forbade him to leave”

“your mother and I both send with this letter our abiding love”

“Shevraeth felt his throat tighten. He turned his attention to Savona’s letter: Danric.”

“How was it possible to feel at once that home was so very far away, and yet its problems surrounded him”

Shevraeth had to swallow before he could speak again. “My father says I cannot return home.”

“The impulse to have those papers as keepsakes was strong”

“good things—rides, laughter, Russav’s sarcasm when he was teased”

“Think of home, what is Russav doing now”

“saw the shocking brightness of blood down that white shirt”

“My love to you and Mother, you are always in my heart—Vidanric”

“His heart constricted at the sight of his son’s dear, familiar hand”

“surged through Savona as he pitched Danric’s half-read letter into the heart of the fire”

He resolved that he would use “My hair!” as a cry at least once that week”

“Want a wager? By the time you come home, no fashionable young lord will be seen without his fans.”

“before his departure, as he kissed my fingers most properly”

“before his partner ripped his blade down, twisted, and Shevraeth lost his balance and tumbled”

“horse looked at him reproachfully, ears flat”

“Shevraeth remembered hearing his howls of rage turn into tears”

“stroke his head, and finally he climbed into her lap”

“the snowball fights, the ice sleighs, running through the gardens, running, running . . .”

“Silence.

He clapped the lights out.

Silence.”

“the three rads closed themselves in Shevraeth’s room”

Marec said quickly, “They don’t, where he comes from.” His tone was defensive.

“I am convinced, in fact, that it will be beneficial to your moral development”

“I think is actually a horse in human guise”

“What he didn’t sense was their interest in him”

“warm raindrops began to splotch their tunics as they ran across a street, dashing round a cart laden with cabbages”

From behind came a whisper, “Fenis, make him talk. I love the way he talks.”

“a dark little cake iced with hardened chocolate, his mother’s favorite”

“listening to his every word. She could see they found him attractive.”

“Fenis. Shevraeth smiled reflectively all the way”

“He was so nice and smiling, like a traveling player”

“Got any interest in him, Fen?”

“He reminds me of the king,”

“It took him four days to discover that her name was for a wild herb of the plains”

“He’d got it. He was understanding the entire battle.”

“Shevraeth’s light eyes widened, then narrowed”

“when I was recovering from Sindan’s loving attentions”

“but riding about on a grassy plain whacking and stabbing”

“No, lances were lances. Danric was lifting those things as a matter of course. Danric, his oldest and best friend, little Danric.”

“light-built little boy who’d needed his friend’s protection when they were small”

“for weren’t they like brothers? But now, it seemed, his little brother was training.”

“mentally composed letters to his parents and to Savona”

“Shevraeth thought, I am very glad I am not a king.”

“There he was between Marec and Stad, looking down, his expression remote”

“how beautifully proportioned he was getting to be. His posture was so straight, with a perfect line to his shoulders, his features were refined”

“If you’re wrong you won’t be taken out and shot.” A muffled laugh.

“he looks exactly like one of us now, moves like us, except when he’s doing his wood fence imitation”

“that weird fluttering thing with his hands, like a cymbal dancer—”

“Talk to him. And if you like talking, go ahead and kiss him.”

“he finished under his breath, flushing to the ears”

“His brows went up, his lips parted. She tried not to stare at his mouth, which was so entrancing a curve—”

“She glanced up into his face, thinking He’s so tall—are all his people like that?”

“She felt an inward shiver at the sound of her name on his lips, in his voice”

“Senelac wrenched her gaze away from his lips”

“tossing a piece of chalk on her palm, her black eyes wide and unseeing in the light of a single candle”

“same way we’ve heard the crazy Count of Tlanth ridded himself of his own library”

“The free play of emotions upon the stage apparently was so beguiling”

“He drawled, “I am amazed. You, presumably a thinking being.”

“drove his arm up and around so that the wood whistled”

“Hit with so loud a crack everyone in sight jumped”

“least there was the mercy of the Waste Spell, so he did not puke all over himself”

“the inane taunt of moral defeat, of personal weakness: I hit him. I hit him. I hit him.”

“Most were hoping you’d go berserk and lambaste him. Everyone except Pereth—only because he’d have to stop it”

“he’d declared (when he could trust himself to speak) that if That Rabbit Shevraeth could deal out welters for nothing, who knew what might happen if they were caught doing something?”

“he felt his ears redden, but his hair had grown so shaggy he hoped no one noticed”

“the widening of his gray eyes, signalled a hit. She felt a stab of remorse as he said soberly”

“the exact shade of his eyes—was it really gray, or a pale, pale blue? Was his hair as soft as it looked?”

“Mother, he thought, I betrayed my own honor in forgetting my vow.

The resulting pain made his knees buckle.”

“as the pain gradually began to fade away each day, he knew he would always remember”

“Tevac gave up trying to jolly the rads, who were totally incapable of understanding what was funny”

“Shevraeth asked, hopping over a startled cat”

“since he’s the only ready-to-hand foreigner we’ve got”

“they almost never use disguise. There’s too much, oh, historical terror attached to the sight of those gray uniforms.”

“Shevraeth whooshed out his breath. “A Norsundrian, am I?”

“managed to postpone carrying out a wholesale slaughter by a lot of unnecessary riding around”

“Shevraeth had accustomed himself to his job as Evil Invader”

“nearly stumbled, and then glared at Jarend as she sat down on the step”

“The castle was quiet—until the three kicked Senrid’s door open and charged”

“not knowing if he ought to tackle the king”

“Keth feinted. Senrid vaulted over his desk, sending his own papers up. Jarend launched over a chair and tackled him.”

“Let’s go report,” Jarend said. “Before Forthan kills off half the city.”

“before he could react, she grabbed his head, pulled it down”

“until there were a few of them left in the cold stone city under washing rain”

“In wonder he picked up the long, very fine-woven woolen cloak”

“It’s difficult to say how that fight would have resolved. Savona had not been all that angry when he began”

“he attacked again. Savona blocked, glancing past the blades at the king.”

“But your majesty, that’s no win! The fellow can’t even fight,”

“He looked up sharply. His stricken face caused her tight control to break.

He held out his arms.”

just the warmth of human comfort.

“My fault, my fault,” she cried into his shoulder.

“Mine.”

“He—he liked horses, he said, and—”

“There stood Tamara, her deep blue eyes wide, golden hair disheveled.

Tamara sat down on her other side.”

“Two is Comfort. Tamara gave him a curt little nod, and he passed quietly along the garden path.”

“Danric, it is that, and only that, which keeps me from throwing myself into the river”

“He wanted to be home with Savona—he didn’t want to be home”

“Shevraeth turned away. He missed Renselaeus—more each winter—but he did not miss court.”

“the corresponding strengthening of his body required that he get new clothes”

“And who were they readying for Thanar Valdlav, the foot leader?”

“not a single glance. His insides flashed to snow cold.”

“fitted uniform along the line of his shoulders—Arrrrrgh.”

“He was like the king, if the king ever grew up. They were muscled like mountain cats.”

“with difficulty, as he was on top of the writhing pile”

“you share some of hers, and she likes that, but she doesn’t share any of yours”

“the deliberate rudeness was more shocking than any epithet”

“when the tightness in his throat and chest broke on a sob, he whirled about and raced. He tried to force himself through with the intention of running himself to death.”

“You didn’t bump princes, and princes ought not to let people thump them”

“Let’s go to the park.” She gripped the front of his tunic and gave him a smacking kiss.

“Danric, much as I embrace you as my brother”

“talking to Shevraeth, who, Mad was quite aware, had grown amazingly tall. His head bent courteously.”

Shem had squared off with Fath, both girls trying to outtalk the other.

Mad chuckled. “Why is it that everyone wants his attention? I mean, he’s easy on the eyes.”

“And every girl here considers it adorable. You did, too.”

“his light gray eyes, the pale drift of fine, silky hair across his brow”

“He hadn’t made any comment at all about home, or any of the things she got prickly over. So . . . what?”

“what you are going to need to consider when you become king of Remalna.”

“he’d have to get through Renselaeus first, wouldn’t he? So . . . what can you do to prevent that?”

“Exactly. Test all your ideas there. Not many rulers ever get that chance.”

“thoughts had gone straight to their neck-bending, back-breaking weight”

“Shevraeth never cared about how much the adults liked Savona’s looks. If anything, he felt brotherly pride.”

“The animal gazed over the fence after the others, who had been freed to run”

“If any family was, it was the Calahanras”

“Senelac gone from view.

She never looked back for me.”

“peering through the slats of the breeze-way to watch him run”

“they understood how difficult it was to find a hiding place when you cannot see”

“he and Savona had made a game of seeing how far they could travel through trees”

“body remembering quite well where he had so dangerously parked it”

“Today, in fact. The reason we weren’t is because you were ashamed of me.”

“. . . I didn’t think I’d done anything to be ashamed of.”

“to make your own life more convenient you want me to pick a fight and be the villain,”

“she was rejecting all that he was except for the most trivial of ephemera, his looks”

“Consider it done.”

And walk away.

“beyond those, the wind soughing through the grasses all the way to the sea.

He leaned his hot forehead against the cool stones of the wall, and wept.”

“Marlovair and another boy even did handstands”

“If you are dead, find a way to let me know.”

“You’ll note my generosity here in writing to a dead man. Never let it be said I forget my friends.”

“your father is now home from Sartor, darling boy”

“at that painting of you here in my room over the fireplace, and wonder how you have changed”

“If the game bell rings an unscheduled game, you will know that it is the real threat. You will then drop everything.”

“he stepped to the mark to demonstrate.He underestimated the effect of his skill.”

“the border between Savona and Shevraeth will not be watched”

“know waking and sleeping that I love you, as does your mother, and Russav sends his affection and wishes for your welfare”

“thinking that his trees (though rejected by absolutely everyone) could well provide a fallback, simply because they were so rejected”

“because some king or other said he’s too short to get on a horse without a ladder.”

“He ought to ask for his father to include some rain drops next time”

“They’re here,” he said, not even aware of speaking. His nerves tingled with cold.

“He lunged at the rack, slapping a knife into each boot and one into his sash”

furiously whispering (“He’s gone mad!”)

“Just once they heard rapid steps—small boys—but not a voice, and the steps vanished.”

“His trunk. All the books he’d so laboriously copied out. His letter case!

But he could not stop, and so, bitterly regretting everything he left behind, he cut to the stream and ran.”

“Let’s go,” Shevraeth said.

They were off again. Stop, run, check. Stop, run, check.

“blew them away in a day . . . and then began an ominous silence”

“Shut up! Find him! He’s the only one who knows what’s happening!”

“They whirled around and ran back, then stopped in a semi-circle, all semblance of order gone”

“The sight of him sauntering along branches two storeys off the ground heartened”

“Marlovair brushed two fingers against his shirt in a kind of salute”

“Shevraeth, you have to get out now. I’ll send your things when I can. Well done.”

“You are relieved.”

“You have the post.”

“last thing he saw before the world was wrenched away was Marlovair’s astonished face”

“I’m home,” Shevraeth whispered.

“sun was overhead—midday. I am in candle time again, not bell time.”

“his mind struggled to accept the fact that Senrid, Marlovair, the first-year seniors, and Marloven Hess were now four months’ sea journey away.”

“Home. Despite all the dire letters, happiness made him smile. He’d see his parents again. Savona. His old ponies, his room above the waterfall.”

“unaware of how people took one look at him and stayed out of his way”

“penned deliberately, Vidanric Renselaeus. But it felt like he was writing about someone else.”

“To his eye they were hard-mouthed, uncouth.”

“But the questions kept coming, more and more specific about history and training.”

“he thoroughly checked the horse over, liking its long legs, its intelligent response”

“striding off with a martial swing that caused heads to turn in his wake”

“The rider was Russav, Duke of Savona, who spotted Vidanric at roughly the same time”

that face—That familiar face—“Danric?”

“Russav!” Laughing, exclaiming—neither hearing the other—they flung themselves.

“they hugged, one massive squeeze”

Savona kept hold of Danric’s shoulders, staring into his face. “Life! How you have changed, Danric.”

“You’d better claim yours before he vanishes over the hills.”

Indeed the post horse was walking downhill.

“Vidanric whistled. His gray pranced up, head lifting. He vaulted into the saddle and trotted after.”

“Savona strode in, looking as out of place as, well, a duke in a countryside inn”

piping, “Papa! The warrior is back, and he’s got a lord with him!”

“dozen outriders in livery, their hair tied in big ribbons”

“Vidanric’s features: his gray eyes, his hair sunbleached to a paler shade. He was as lean as a knife, muscles straining against his sleeves when he lifted his arm.”

“Savona looked, well, not soft, exactly—there was no fat whatsoever to that flat stomach”

Danric looked up, and grinned. “Yes.”

“What? Life! Danric, you have gotten into some very bad habits.”

“Savona shouted—the men shouted—”

“Six. Two with knives in their chests, one with the knife in his throat, three of them sword-hacked.”

“dropped down to the ground with his head between his knees”

Vidanric looked up, his eyes dark with shock. His voice husky. “They had orders to kill us both.”

“Vidanric’s voice was flat, his body shivering”

“He wiped his hair off his brow with trembling fingers”

“You take out the leader first. Oh, Russav, I really think I’m going to faint.”

“He raised his face, and Savona saw the tear streaks”

“Oh, Norsunder take it, where is that horse?” He spun in a circle, and nearly tripped over the forgotten blade.

“Vidanric stood in the center of the road, sword held across his body”

“face pale but determined.

I do not know you, Savona thought bleakly. Do I want to?”

“The second day the snows melted somewhere inside him, and he did not stop talking”

“Danric wondered if any of the men he’d killed had liked starlight”

“They took orders to kill two fellows not even of age, Danric.”

“With the sharing of Savona’s clothes came the sharing of minds, and then hearts”

“they had recovered all their old understanding and then surpassed it. There was nothing, from strength to weakness, that either sought to hide”

“Wordlessly Vidanric extended his hands and pulled his father’s thin, frail body in”

“Vidanric began in Marloven, stuttering to a halt as he blushed crimson”

“Whoever wants to learn.” Vidanric thought of Senelac’s goals.

The prince’s smile was sardonic. “I will cherish her, for nothing is more useful than a known spy.”

“Can we fight a duel?” Savona asked. “Please, let me challenge him to a duel.”

“He used to be so twiggish.”

“Probably branchish now,”

“two serious young ladies, small, plain, brown-haired Nee”

“that watch is over. You now have the post. SM-A”

“shrug off a driving cloak (which was caught from behind before it could fall to the ground”

“they saw a criminally expensive hundred-facet diamond drop winking with glorious light in one ear”

“He wore a signet of cobalt blue on a forefinger, and another, even more enormous diamond on the other”

“he could indeed outride most of them—he was most dashing on horseback”

“stunning gown made all of lace, with cloth-of-gold beneath it, making a contrasting crown of her pearl-and-diamond braided hair”

“maybe this conversation ought to happen more rightly in five or ten years.”

“You’ll fall helpless at her booted feet and we will not be able to pry you away.”

“Because we cannot know what will happen, Savona thought. But at least you are here.”

“To the disgust of Vidanric Renselaeus, Marquis of Shevraeth, Savona laughed all the way back home”

[meimoons-arts]