In his name, there is respect.
She curtsies like everyone else as he passes by, the shadow from his large mount falling across her bowed head. He doesn't stop or even slow; she is no one of importance. When he has passed, she looks up. He is handsome on his horse, sitting tall in the saddle with an elegance she wishes she could have. Slowly, she turns away and back to her shopping.
In his name, there is surprise.
"Sir Lionel!"
Her escapade to pick fresh apples resulted in her falling from the branch. Part of it was still in her hand, she realized foolishly; but the thing to cause her blush was the intimate way he was holding her. He smiled down at her, pretending not to notice the way her face had gone red. Slowly, he set her down but still kept an arm around her waist to steady her.
In his name, there is promise.
He is waiting expectantly for an answer, and how can she deny him the only thing he has ever asked of her? His face is so hopeful, and there is a glint in his eye, although she believes it only to be the setting sun reflecting in them.
"I will be there, Sir Lionel," she says, bowing her head in a half-curtsy.
The smile he graces her with is enough to light up the world, and her heartbeat picks up a little.
In his name, there is agreement.
"Yes, I will marry you, Sir Lionel." She cannot believe she is saying these words to him. Him of all people! He has asked, and she has accepted. She never thought she would marry anyone; she was just three days shy of her eighteenth birthday. The threat of ending up a spinster was becoming a more frequent thought. But, he had proposed to her, and she had accepted him.
In his name, there is protection.
She will be his lady now, a woman worthy of respect. They won't have much; he isn't the richest man alive, but the townswomen will think twice before insulting her again. And, she will be safe with him. He loves her, and she loves him in return. He will protect her and care for her, and she will make his home a pleasant place.
In his name, there is awe.
"Lionel," she breathes, staring down at the angelic face peeping out of the blankets. The baby- her baby- blinks sleepily up at her, and her heart swells. She looks up at her husband, and the smile he gives her is so proud, her heart could burst.
In his name, there is sorrow.
He is leaving, and he doesn't know when he'll return. She grasps his shirt tightly, wishing him to stay with her. He gently kisses her mouth while prying her hands away, and she knows she is crying.
"Come home soon," she whispers as he rides away with a final wave.
In his name, there is heartbreak.
She runs her hand over her black skirt and forces herself to breathe evenly. Kayley is watching her, and her little daughter knows. He isn't coming home; not in the usual sense. He lies on a cart up the hill, ready for burial. She'll have to cry later when there is time. Why did he have to leave her?
In his name, there is treason.
Against her king and against her husband, she commits this act. She glances back at the cart where Ruber sits; her daughter is inside. If it were not for Kayley, she would spit in Ruber's face. But her daughter is at stake. She is welcome in Camelot; her husband sacrificed his life for the king. It is easy to get inside.
In his name, there is apology.
She watches as the castle burns. Kayley is somewhere inside, and only God knows if the king is alive or dead. It is because of her this is happening, but what was she to do? Ruber was crafty, and everyone was paying the price.
"Forgive me, Lionel," she whispers.
In his name, there is love.
She misses him now; they had their moments, of course. Fighting was uncommon in their home, but they were both so passionate. But she would do anything to have him stand next to her, his arm around her waist. She would do anything to hear his voice say her name, to hear him whisper sweet things to her in the dark. She would do anything for him just to be here.
"I miss you, Lionel."