Over the course of the weeks that passed, since he took on the role as the Princess Marlene's protector, Sirius had grown accustomed to the way his heart leapt when she took his arm after dinner. Her smile beaming up at him became a familiar sight, as he walked her through the halls and corridors to wherever she was needed on any particular evening.

The ache in his chest that she elicited became almost comfortable. He thought that was probably the best that he could hope for. This feeling did not seem likely to subside. He wasn't even sure that he wanted it to, if he was being honest with himself.

"Will you be joining Lady McGonagall in her offices this evening, Your Grace?"

The Princess shook her head.

"Sir, you wouldn't happen to know why the King's Chief Minister, the brightest mind in the kingdom, seems to have been thoroughly unable to continue our work today after the topic of hogs came up at the end of our meeting prior to supper? I gathered it was something to do with his majesty's youth, but not much more. I have to admit that I'm dreadful curious." Her teasing smile made everything in the world seem to go out of focus. There were moments where it felt like they were the only people on earth. Those were the moments they were allowed to be young and in love. Even if it was just a fantasy, those little moments were enough. He lived for those moments.

"Ah, the famed swine incident."

"Would you really go so far as to call it 'famed'?" The way she bit down on her lower lip nearly knocked him out of breath. She knew exactly what she was doing to him and by the looks of it, she was really enjoying it.

"Perhaps more so in my own mind. But that was one of our better ones, the king and I."

"So you claim equal accountability in Lady McGonagall's uncharacteristic distraction today?"

"Perhaps not equal. Let me explain in earnest. The King and I were freshly out of our squireship under Lord Dumbledore. I'd come to live here at court with his Majesty. We were about 15, I'd say. Lady McGonagall was tasked with tutoring his majesty in matters political but he took this to mean he was being tasked with getting the good Lady to lose her cool. He'd found it a difficult task, to say the least. The chief minister is quite even-tempered, I'm sure you've observed."

"Yes, I'd say she'd be a tough nut to crack. But hearing about the pair of you at that age… oh do get on with it, what nonsense did you inflict on this poor woman?"

"So somehow we became privy to the knowledge that Lady McGonagall is terrified of swine. She has been ever since girlhood, you see. So… being the truly horrendous youths we were…"

"Oh no…"

"We took three great hogs from the yards. Before setting the beasts loose inside the castle, we took care to paint numbers upon their skins; one, two and four."

Princess Marlene, at that point, gave up all pretense of disapproval and collapsed into a fit of giggles as they reached the doorway to her rooms.

Then they were inside, the door shut behind them and her hands were wrapping around his shoulders. He didn't have the strength to feel conflicted as he closed the space between them and kissed her without any excuse for doing so.

There was a split second in that heated moment with her hands in his hair and his mouth moving down her graceful neck, that different choices might have been made. But like a coin spinning on its edge before landing heads or tails, the moment was brief and clarity came back to him as she sighed out his name. She didn't… She couldn't...know his surname. He wasn't meant to have one. This could never be anything but a stain on her honor.

He took half a step back and brushed a gentle hand over her flushed cheek. Her blue eyes, darkened with desire, were almost enough to pull him back in. He knew he had to start speaking now lest he forget himself entirely.

"My Princess…I shan't dishonor you."

"Would it be dishonorable if I asked it of you?" Her tone was playful as she pulled him back in towards her. "You wouldn't deny a noble lady's request now would you Sir Knight?" He indulged himself in a quick brush of his lips against hers before he gathered his resolve and dropped to his knees in front of her.

"Your Grace, my heart is yours. You must know that. I love you, more than I thought it possible for a man like me to love anyone. I… had only ever meant to love my King and country. But you've laid claim to my heart and I want to be sure that you know it, even though I can never be worthy of yours."

Her eyes watered but her smile seemed to break through. "Your words have managed to both warm and break my heart. I do return your love, in kind. Should you find yourself missing the heart you've given me, take comfort that you are in full possession of mine." It was nearly painful for him to look up at her beautiful face as tears started to escape down her cheeks.

He took her hand and kissed her fingers before he could go on.

"My Princess, in a different world I would be kneeling to ask for your hand in marriage, but as I am unsuitable as a husband, I can only ask that you let me love you honorably. Like the knights in stories of courtly love. When I go off to lead the King's army, it will be your favor I wear. Every victory we win will be because of the strength that loving you gives me. Please, Your Grace. I shan't dishonor you. You deserve so much more…"

"Sirius…" she pulled on his hand still wrapped around hers, "please stand up. That was all very dramatic and beautiful ...but I would like very much to continue our activities from earlier. Kiss me, Sirius."

"But," he stood and her arms returned around his neck, "honor… virtue…other concepts such as those?" This was like the pull that Sir Lancelot felt to Guinevere. In some stories, he maintained her honor, but in all of them, it was his ruination. Sirius felt his resolve slipping away as he inched close enough that he could feel Marlene's breath on his neck.

"I think the knights in the Chivalric Romances would allow a little leeway in the realm of kissing," she was just a mere inch from his lips as she spoke, "do you not agree?"

The spark in her eyes as she toyed with him was going to be the death of him, he was sure of it. Powerless to her charms, he could only nod affirmatively before releasing the hold he had over himself and kissing her perfect mouth with an intensity of emotion that could never in a thousand years be matched with words.