Shevraeth also asks to be called by name once he and Meliara resolve their differences. First-Name Basis: Savona asks Mel to call him by his first name after their first dance, which almost no one else at Court uses.Fascists' Bed Time: The army imposes this on the towns they pass through while hunting for Mel.Evil Is Petty: This is what brings down Galdran, who insisted on fighting the rebels himself after Mel made Debegri look the fool.Every Proper Lady Should Curtsy: The first few chapters of part two involve Nee teaching Mel about Court etiquette.Dead Guy on Display: What would happen to the Astairs if Galdran got to them.He surprises everyone by being incredibly competent The Dandy: Shevraeth has this reputation.Book Dumb: Meliara, at first, as her father had burned their library when she was young.Big Damn Heroes: Nessaren and her riding show up just when the wagon drivers are about to kill Mel.Barefoot Poverty: Though a noble, Meliara only ever wore cast-off clothes and only bothered with too-large shoes in winter.The whole continent has a pact against using archers If she is to survive, Meliara must learn a whole new way of fighting-with wits and words and secret alliances.

In Court Duel, Meliara is summoned to live at the royal palace, where friends and enemies look alike, and intrigue fills the dance halls and the drawing rooms. That promise leads them into a war for which they are ill-prepared, which threatens the very people they are trying to protect. In Crown Duel, Countess Meliara Astair of Tlanth swears to her dying father that she and her brother will defend their people from the growing greed of the king. The story is set in the kingdom of Remalna, where the people's agreement with the Hill Folk to not cut down trees or burn wood has altered the standard Medieval European Fantasy setting. A High Fantasy novel by Sherwood Smith consisting of two parts, Crown Duel and Court Duel.

Court duel sherwood smith