Disclaimer: Tammy Pierce owns all of the characters and all that good stuff.
Enter King and Queen
Ch. 1- Enter Jonathan of Conte
"Will you marry me?" I was kneeling on the cold floor of the beautiful pavilion as I proposed to the most beautiful woman in the world.
She smiled- no, beamed- ecstatically at me. "Your Majesty," she curtsied. "I will be honored to marry you."
I slid a ring, my mother's engagement ring, onto her beautiful, slender finger. "Thank you." I kissed it and rose, wincing slightly. Goddess, was I really getting that old?
"Jonathan," my betrothed was looking at me with eyes that were as close to starry as their beautiful hazel depths could get.
"Yes, love?" I was the luckiest man in the world.
"I love you," she breathed.
I twisted my finger into her ebony hair, messing up her neat braid. Leaning down, I let my mouth hover a centimeter away from her neck, just below her ear. "Your highness?" I breathed back.
It took her a moment to respond. When she did respond, her voice was calm and amused, though slightly ragged. "Yes, your majesty?"
I sighed. "Subjects call me 'Majesty,' acquaintances call me 'Jonathan,' close friends and family call me 'Jon.'" My lips brushed her neck as I spoke. She shivered. "You, my beautiful princess, are none of the above."
I could almost hear her answering smile. "Then what should I call you, O Great Majesty Jonathan, Jon of Conte and Tortall?"
I chuckled, deciding to tease her. "That works." I almost fell over laughing at her disbelieving silence, but no- it would not do for me to lose my composure like that.
"You do know I was kidding, right?" she asked dryly.
"Of course, my dear," I smiled, she was perfect. "Your highness?"
"Your majesty?" This time her answer was more pert, less respectful.
I grimaced and let it go… for now. If we were going to have a working relationship, I'd need to break her of that bothersome habit. All in good time, all in good time. I kissed a line down her neck. "I love you."
Thayet grinned. "I'm glad to hear it."