Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: Thanks to Chewie-Fan for the review.

I know this is a bit shorter than normal but the last few days have been filled with work. I hope to have a longer chapter next time.

Hope you all enjoy.

August 6th 1688, Evening

Sig stared blankly at the boy he kneeled at his feet. To his right he heard Edgar cough. Since Norman had set off he had done all he could not to let his other brother out of his sight. With a frown he turned his thoughts back to the matter at hand.

"I take it you got her letter." Jake bowed his head more.

"I did Your Majesty." In the back of the room Nick looked afraid for his son, not that Sig blamed him.

"Give me one reason why I should not convict you of treason." For a moment Jake said nothing. "Cannot think of any?" Sig asked with a sneer.

"I believe, Your Majesty, that if you wanted to do that then you would have already. I also believe that you would not have asked Aria to write to me if you wanted me dead. I have come to beg for forgiveness and accept the proposal, if that pleases Your Majesty." He stood.

"And who are you to talk about the workings of my mind?" If it was possible Jake seemed to bow lower.

"I-I-" Sig cut him off.

"You are a poor excuse of a man who comes here to beg off a charge of treason, to marry my eldest daughter, and all of this because the woman you love, a woman who herself is married, asks you to." From the corner of his eye he watched Nick wince. "Why should I believe you are good enough for my daughter, a Princess of Nohwelena?" The boy mumbled a response. "Speak up."

"I came to do my duty. I understand what will happen if I do not."

"There are many men at court who would die to have this honor. Why should it be you?" Sig held back a smirk when Jake glanced up at him.

"I will care for her. I cannot promise to love her but I will do all that is within my power to make sure she is as happy as she can be. I am better suited than most in this task for I know Her Highness better than they do. But if you disagree then you cannot kill me for treason since I could not commit that act." Sig raised an eyebrow. "If you convict me then it will show that even though I was willing to obey the command there was no real meaning behind it, it was an empty command, one done with false pretenses. The people would never allow that. "

"But it was heartfelt when it was issued, and then you failed to comply."

"Why then did you not apprehend me sooner?"

"Because I wanted to make sure you were good enough for my daughter." Sig looked away from the boy. "My Lord Nick, take your son and prepare him. Tomorrow night he weds a Princess."

August 7th 1688, Morning

Josh watched Aria pick at her food. She hadn't eaten much the day before either. His father had told him to be kind to her, that what was happening with her father was an issue to be handled gently. He sighed as she put her fork done dejectedly.

"You should eat." She glanced at him and gave him a half shrug. "Aria, please. Starving yourself isn't going to change things." She frowned at him.

"I want to go pray." Sighing Josh motioned for her Ladies to escort her to the chapel. He shared a glance with his father as she left the room, her black dress flowing out behind her.

"I wish she would wear light colors again." Jacob said to his right.

"It is depressing. Her father is going into battle, he isn't dead."

"How would you feel if dad went off to war?" He bowed his head.

"That is not what I meant. She is acting like it has all been decided and it hasn't been." He paused. "I am going to go join her." Josh noticed the quick smile that graced his father's face before disappearing behind a mask of indifference.

Upon arriving at the chapel he found Aria kneeling and muttering to herself. Walking past the others he fell to his knees next to her. Raising his arms he began to pray. At first it was for his father-in-law and then it was for the Nohwelena people, and finally it rested on Aria. He pleaded with God that should anything bad happen that she would make it through. He promised to do all that he could for her but there was only so much a lone mortal could do.

Josh stayed with her the entire time that she was in the chapel. As she stood she reached up and rested her hand on his cheek. "Thank you." He bowed his head. Her fingers lingered on his face a moment longer before she turned and left him. Leaving the chapel he went to rejoin his father and brother.