It hadn't necessarily been easy, the time that had followed their spoken admittance of the love they felt for one another. Marlene was far more willing to be free in her affections when they were alone. Sirius didn't seem to feel the same way, but she didn't have to work too hard to extract kisses from Sirius on occasion before retiring for the night, though other nights he made her settle for a gentle brush of his lips across her fingers as he bowed before her. She wished for a world where he needn't bow before her. The forced distance between them, created by the chance circumstances of birth, was nothing compared to the pull she felt to be with him in earnest.

Marlene's initial acceptance that she was trapped in a tragic romantic tale of courtly love slowly began to wither like the cut rose left out in the sun. So much of her life had been stripped from her. She'd lost her parents, her home, everything familiar. She no longer had the freedom to do as she pleased. For love of King and Country, she had thought she'd be willing to sacrifice, but her heart could not stand and one day be forced to lose any opportunity at happiness, at a life with Sirius.

The Knight didn't even have a surname, but it didn't matter. Marlene realized, deep down, that nothing about him mattered except the nature of his heart. Her titles and her lands, their respective social rankings; none of it could compete with the way she felt about him. If she hadn't so loved James she would have thrown propriety to the hounds and lived her life loving Sirius as she wished.

Marlene had family only in the King himself at this point. And while she loved her cousin dearly, the thought of living her life without the love she'd grown so accustomed to with her parents, and then found again with Sirius, was enough to make her consider falling from her window.

Worse than the pain of bidding Sirius goodnight with only a kiss was the reality that her position meant that eventually she'd be required to marry someone else. The thought of any other man touching her in the ways that she craved with Sirius made her physically ill. He may have been the very image of Sir Lancelot but she refused to cast herself in the role of Queen Guinevere. She could not bring herself to imagine pledging her life to another. The thought of it brought on a panic akin to learning her parents were dead. It opened up a hole in her heart that chasmed in comparison to her parents' graves. The emptiness in her heart when her parents and been ripped from her had just begun to heal in Sirius' gentle care. She refused to return to that place of loneliness and despair, let alone something worse. It had nearly killed her then, she would not give it a second chance to finish her off.

As Marlene spent her nights considering what options she could possibly have in this tragic story, an idea formed. The idea that was forming would most likely have her parents turning in their graves, but once the seed had planted itself, she could not ignore it, nor it's perfection. Her land and her title could not hold her the way Sirius' arms could. She had no need for them.

It took her a full fortnight after the idea formed to find the right moment, but when she saw her chance, she swept in and claimed it.

"Your Majesty," Marlene stopped him as they adjourned the meeting in his council room. "I wonder if you would be so kind as to grant me a private audience?"

Marlene avoided Sirius gaze as he tried to catch her eye. He'd stop her. She knew he would. He could see her soul through her eyes and if she let him he would save her honor right there. He would find a way, and it would probably be some way that would separate them more than their standings already had. That was simply out of the question.

"Of course, Cousin," James opened the door to his office. "Come," he motioned her in.

"What troubles you, Marly?" James asked as he pulled a chair out for her.

"Your Majesty," she tried to quiet her beating heart. "I know that for now, my position is necessary. But I have a boon to ask of you once Queen Lily has provided the kingdom with an heir."

James eyed her, "What is your request, Your Grace?"

Marlene leaned forward in her seat, "Once you have your heir, allow me to gift you my lands and my title."

James stared at her dumbfounded, "What?"

"Allow me the privilege of freedom from the status of my birth," she pleaded. She was tempted to drop to her knees.

"Marlene, explain yourself, please," James ran a hand into his hair. "Why on Earth would you want to lower your station?"

She had hoped he wouldn't ask that. "For love, James." She deliberately addressed him by his given name. This man was her cousin before he was her King. She had to believe he would feel that kinship deeply enough to grant her this

James eyes softened, "Marly…"

"Please," she pleaded, seeing the sympathy in his eyes. "Please James, I beg of you. I will do my duty to King and Country until you have a proper heir, but let my reward be my heart!"

James came to kneel next to her chair, taking her hand in his. "Tell me the name of the man who holds your heart, Cousin."

She gripped his hand, "The rumors I created I fear have simply been the foretelling of what was to come. Your Man at Arms and my protector does hold my heart dearly, James. And our love story is doomed to be a tale of tragedy unless you can grant me this sacrifice."

James raised an eyebrow at her, "What did my Man tell you when you professed your love to him?"

Marlene smiled, he was listening to her, he was understanding. She knew he would, he was completely gone for his Queen, his love for her shown like the morning sun. She knew he'd feel for her, she knew he would gift her own happiness.

"He first professed it, Cousin. But he will not stain my honor, he is a true Knight, he does maintain all propriety in our dealings. He professed that if he had been able to make himself a proper husband he'd beg my hand. And as he can not, he pledged to love me honorably. But honorable love does require I move forward, and James, my heart cannot bear to move forward without him."

James smiled, "Take heed, Cousin, for I can not grant you your sacrifice."

Marlene's face fell with her heart. She had been sure he'd understand! She had been certain he would have compassion on her!

"I can not grant it to you, Cousin," James brought her face up to look into his, "But I may be able to help yet. Give me time, Marly, I promise to do all that I can."

He wiped the lone tear that Marlene hadn't managed to hold back from her cheek, "Don't lose hope, little Marly."

She nodded as he helped her to stand and walked her to the door where Sirius stood patiently waiting in the corridor.

"Goodnight, Cousin," James kissed her cheek and smiled down at her.

"Goodnight," Marlene nodded and forced a small smile before taking Sirius' arm.

Sirius caught her eye as they walked to her chambers. "I trust all is well Your Grace?"

She could hear the concern in his voice and she looked up into his face, praying he wouldn't see what she had just attempted. His face told her that he knew something, and the haunted look seemed to return to his eyes.

Marlene sighed before averting her gaze, "All is as it was."