Memoir of Life

Crown Duel Continued

A/N: How did Mel decide to write her memoirs? What happened after Flauvic was turned into a tree? A continuation of where Crown Duel left off, with plenty of Mel/Danric fluff that we didn't get to see in the books.

This is my first complete fanfic – Hope you enjoy!

Chapter One

All too soon, I realized Vidanric's attention was turning to the situation we were now in. With reluctance, I turned to survey the throne room once again. This time, I tried to think of the consequences of what I was seeing.

The clear stones that were the remains of the Duke of Grunmareth. His death would have to be explained to his family, and the title would pass to his next of kin. Did that mean the title would pass to Elenet? I glanced at Vidanric, but he didn't notice – his gave was still travelling over the shattered roof.

I turned my attention to the guard snoring at the door. "Do you think they've been under that spell since my party, or more recently?" I broke the quiet tentatively. The events of late had turned my mind into a rush a thoughts and images, so that I could barely remember how many time changes ago I had left my ball.

"Not immediately after, no." Vidanric replied slowly. "Although perhaps the following morning." Vidanric's gaze returned to me, and he touched the knife mark on my neck. "Come, we should take care of this before we progress any further."

I followed Vidanric back to our horses, who had wandered to a nearby patch of shrubbery. If they had been frightened by the Hill Folk, their fear seemed to have disappeared as speedily as the Hill Folk themselves.

Reaching into his saddlebag, Vidanric pulled out a canteen, following it with the spare shirt tucked inside. Before I realized what he was doing, he had torn a strip of it off the bottom, and began wetting it from the canteen.

"Hush, Meliara," he said soothingly, beginning to dab at my neck. He would not hear any of my protestations as he finished washing it, and then turned more strips of his shirt into a rudimentary bandage, complete with a knot at the side of my neck.

"I'm afraid it's not elegant," he drawled, surveying his handiwork.

I grimaced. "All the court ladies are snoring, so there's no one to care about fashion," I said, taking a swig from the proffered canteen.

He bowed gracefully, "I'm sure the latest fashion will be be-ribboned necklaces as soon as you step foot into the next party. I myself will be studiously hunting a similar decorative adornment."

I recognized his acerbic humor from his letters, and realized just how often I had taken it for mockery. "Hah" I replied.

He gave me a mock grimace of dismay at my disbelief, but I could see his attention turning toward Merindar house, hidden behind the trees. "There is still much to be done before there is peace," he murmured to himself. It sounded like a quote.

"Well, we best be on it, then," I said with as much enthusiasm as I could muster. "What next?"

"While this sleep lasts, we had better make use of it to search Merindar house. Evidence of their plans will be most helpful in the coming days, I think."