I smiled and she smiled, but we both knew this was not what we wanted. Sure, seemed completely different, strangely so, from only yesterday, but it wasn't something I felt I could love for the rest of my life. but I had a duty to fulfill to my kingdom.

As the evening wore on I realized how easy it was to get along with her and how easily we understood the others undertones. I have to admit I began to enjoy her company. and I knew we were both dreading the night when we must be alone.

We departed our wedding reception to our chamber, holding hands. we walked through the hall in peace, enjoying the silence. When we reached our new chamber I released her hand and sat on the foot of the bed, taking off my cloak and boots, but she lingered in the doorway, clearly wondering what to do with herself.

"Helena, you can come in, this room is clean and no one would judge." She gingerly stepped inside as she spoke, "I've never been alone in a room with a man who was not my father, and frankly, I never thought I would be. Even father lost all hope for my union." She kicked off her shoes with the raised heels and sat at the table decorated with fruits and nuts, trying to look at anything but her newlywed husband.

All my ceremonial armor removed, I moved to join her at the table where she picked at a bowl of nuts and she stiffened though she tried to hide it.

"Fare the well, Princess?" I said as I sat beside her.

"Not seven days ago I was living on in my blissful singleness, expecting to do so for the rest of my life, and now here I am, the Lady Pendragon and future queen of Camelot." She sighed, resting her head against the table.

I found myself feeling sorry for her, "I do wish we could have known each other better before this night came." I sighed, copying her actions to find us face to face. she looked lovely. "I feel the same." She said, after much deliberation.

I sat up again to pour the wine set in the center on the table, and she followed my example, straightening her back as a proper lady is meant to do. I placed one filled goblet in her hand and took the other in mine, "May we live peacefully and happily and be honorable in all our doings." I toasted and we both drank to it. I left my goblet raised, waiting for her toast, but she was late in receiving my gesture and became very red as she sputtered, "And may all our children- an-and subjects be happy ones." She took another sip looking more embarrassed than I thought was possible and I, shamefully, laughed and received an angry, though still red, glare in return for it.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean that." I said, before hurrying to drink her toast as she rebuked me indignantly, "Do you not wish for children?"

"Of course I do, but from my understanding it is not something either would bring up on their wedding night."

She, stiff and hardly any bit embarrassed now said, "I can't imagine why not. Is it not a natural thing for marriages to produce children?"

"Yes it is and I'm sorry, pray forgive me."

She sniffed at me and looked out the glass window across the room as of longing to fly out of it.

"Helena? What would you wish for our children?"

She relaxed and studied the wooden table thoughtfully, "I... want... courage and compassion and I want intelligence." She looked back to the window as if in another time and continued, "I want... a daughter and I want to name her Constance after my mother and I want them to know true love." She looked to me, her eyes still set on the image she created in longing and said, "What about you?"

I thought carefully, forming my words so as to not seem insensitive, "I want a life of struggles to make them stronger, but not enough to break them." She nodded her approval and finished her wine, still wondering at her future.

"I may come to love this place." She said blatantly, surprising me, and continued, "I may even come to love being Lady Pendragon, and I feel that I will, in time, come to love you, from my heart rather than my duty." she looked at me expectantly.

This was more than I could have hoped for, "May I say, as we are confessing, that I will come to love you as the husband I should as I find myself already doing." She appeared pleased, though she began picking at grapes on the table.

I liked her manner and my thoughts wandered to the wedding ceremony that had taken place not twelve hours ago."Helena," I began, ruefully breaking the silence. Her fingers stopped fiddling with a grape holding stubbornly to the vine and answered, "Yes, my lord?"

"Will you kiss me?"

She looked up shyly, meeting my eyes, and seeing my complete seriousness stood up and went directly to the vanity where she sat and began, unsuccessfully, undoing her wedding gown.

I stood and watched her feeling rather embarrassed. "Helena?" I said as I approached her. She tilted her head toward me to show she was listening, though her hands were still occupied with the buttons only meant to be undone by her husband.

I knelt beside her, resting my hands on her knees, a surprising gesture to both of us. "I... I only want a kiss."

She hesitantly leaned down to me and kissed me, touching her lips to mine.

In that moment I released all misgivings I had. I knew I was falling in love and I could tell she was too.