I walked down the aisle of the main hall, and all eyes were still on me. I could almost feel Eric and William's eyes bearing into the back of my skull, and I could hardly wait to be in private and to be done with the drama that was ahead of me. Once the doors were shut behind us, my entire body relaxed slightly, and I became more myself again.

It dawned on me once more how strange and unsettling it would be to be Queen in a kingdom of change. I would be its change… for the better, I hope.

Rolling my eyes at myself and sigh, Of course it will be for the better, I'm not Revenna. I smile at myself, The worst is behind me now.

It seemed like an eternity before we reached the study that I had been with Eric not even two hours ago, but everything was different now. He couldn't say goodbye to me now, could he? Suddenly my heart sank…

Have I been selfish? Turning to face the men, my expression of satisfied glory has been reduced to worry as I met eyes with Eric. "Oh dear…"

He didn't hold back as he raised his hands in the air like an exasperated baboon, "Yes, Your Highness, I would say 'Oh dear' as well! WHAT were you thinking?" His voice continued to rise, and my heart continued to fall.

But of course, William didn't give me a chance to speak as he stepped forward, glaring at me like a child who didn't get the candy. "My Queen, what reason would you possibly have to make this man a Knight? Because I just cannot see it."

I open my mouth to protest, but Eric beat me to it. "Woah now, boy. I'll have you remember that I am the one that rescued her from the dark forest and returned her safely."

"After you were sent to kill her! AND you returned her BODY, If I recall correctly!"

"Oh and you're so-" Eric began to exclaim, turning to face William head on before I finally cut in. My temper was beginning to rise, higher than I ever remember.

"ENOUGH!" I turn to William, surprising all, including me, "I do not believe I, as Queen, am required to share all my thoughts and ideas with you, Sir William. Was it written somewhere in my declaration, or am I still free to make my own thoughts?"

I instantly felt sorry for my outburst.

"Fine," and with that, William turned on his heal and walked out, slamming the door childishly behind him.

My eyes closed, and I took a deep breath, trying to regain some of my control. When I opened them again though, I see that Eric is staring at me in bewilderment. "Well, that was an outburst, wasn't it?"

I stared at him for a moment before surprising myself once more by bursting into a fit of giggles, which quickly turned into a bend-over-and-stop-breathing sort of laughing. Eventually I was able to look up and into his eyes, which only made it worse, as he looked so very confused.

Soon though, he was joining me in my laughter, and our hands reached out to hold each other up. "You-you're a Knight now!" This sentence only refueled our ridiculous laughing and soon we were in each other's arms.

Slowly, the laughter died down until I had hiccups remaining, which of course kept a smile on his face. He began to turn me, hand in hand until we were dancing in the middle of my study.

"Snow, honestly now, why did you do it?" he wasn't angry, just curious.

"I couldn't watch you leave," an innocent smile crept across my face as I try to suppress a hiccup. It doesn't work, but becomes some kind of burp-hiccup. If it were anyone else, I would be extremely self-conscious, but this is Eric… the one person I can be wholly myself around.

"I see," he says, ignoring my hiccups. Our eyes met again, and I found that I couldn't be released, and I oddly didn't want to be. This felt… right. It felt whole.

Before I could control myself, I was rising to my toes, making myself closer to his face and my eyes move to his lips. They look very… Mmm…

I have no idea what this feeling is, but I watch his eyes start to close and his lips move in on mine just as-

"HICC-URP," a strange hiccup-burp comes over my whole body and I clasp a hand to my mouth. His eyes flash open and his grin spreads wide and laughter prevails again.

Awkwardly, we step apart, and I feel my heart give a weak throb as well as… I'm not sure what the feeling is, somewhere deep in the pit of my stomach something else throbs. I choose to ignore it and look up at him, "Well, as I understand it, I believe you, as a new Knight, are meant to see about getting new garments." I smile at him.

Eric looks flustered for a moment before I see him straighten up and raise his chin, "I suppose you are right, my Queen." And before he turns and leaves, I catch a quick wink from him.

As the door closes, I almost fall into the poofy chair behind me, "Woah." I try to go over the recent couple of hours in my mind to find some reason to my actions, but all I find is a wide grin spreading across my face.