Gorgo tried not to stare at herself in the bronzed mirror mounted on the wall within her chambers, but it was very difficult. She had never seen herself in such a way before. Attending servants moved about her, fixing a stray curl of hair or snipping at a loose string in her wedding robes, but Gorgo was lost to them.

It was her wedding day- the day she would become the wife of Leonidas and the queen of all Sparta.

She had never thought of herself as ugly; she had been told by her parents, her brothers and enough suitors in her calf-love years that she was pretty, even beautiful. Leonidas himself had told her so. But striking enough to be queen? Was she capable enough? Strong enough to rule when Leonidas would be away from the city?

Gorgo felt that it was a swarm of bees in her stomach- no delicate butterflies for her.

Then there were the other, more personal fears that claimed her mind.

The wedding night. She had seen Leonidas that day in the pool beside the river; when he'd taken her into his arms, she had felt him.

He was...

Gorgo shook her head, banishing the image of her king. She didn't want to think of their coupling and the pain she knew would come of it. There were other consequences that the night may bring. Would she birth him a healthy babe? Would she be a good mother? What would happen if none of their children were male heirs to the throne of Sparta? What if none of their children passed the inspection after birth and were thrown off the mountain cliff to die in the valley below?!

Gorgo felt the ground tilt beneath her feet.

I cannot think this way...the queen of Sparta must be stoic, confident in her city and herself...Leonidas will not wed a frightened girl...

Gorgo closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The time for worry would come later. She urged herself to think of the festivities to come. A royal wedding! A coronation! Feasts and dancing, a city-wide celebration!

Again, she looked at herself in the bronzed mirror. The servants had dressed her in robes of pale blue and the brightest of white. There was gold stitching along the hem of her skirts to match the necklace at her throat. It had been her mother's. Gorgo remembered how it was Leonidas that had held her when she'd finally cried for Ancantha.

He had told her to be strong, and that her mother would bless her from the afterlife.

It could be thanks to her mother then, that Leonidas had chosen her as his queen and fought the Ephors to have her.

Gorgo thought of the Ephors that had "inspected" her for purity and shuddered. Would it be that way with Leonidas when they were finally alone together?

She sent a silent plea to Aphrodite for courage and for the knowledge of how best to please the man that would, before the day was through, be her husband.

Leonidas smiled as he saw Gorgo enter the wedding temple.

In all their time together, he had seen her in beautiful garments of all colors and styles. Red for the visiting Trojans, gold for the Athenians, she had worn green for the leader of Corinth and deep violet for the prince of Olympia. As a young noblewoman, it was only proper that she be dressed to fit the occasion.

Never before had he thought to see her in wedding robes.

He could feel his pulse quicken slightly at the sight of her. The palace servants had painted her face, but unlike the creature of the Ephors, she looked more beautiful than ever before with gold dusting her cheeks and lining about her eyes.

My queen...my wife...my love...

Leonidas took her hands into his and nodded for the priest to begin reciting the wedding rites.

He barely heard the words spoken by the old man's raspy voice, and Leonidas wouldn't have care if he did. His eyes and mind were focused on the young woman before him. Gorgo was not looking into his eyes, rather she was staring directly at his chest. He wondered if she was nervous or worse, fearful of him and what they both knew was to come.

The priest declared that the wedding was complete, and blessed them as King Leonidas and Queen Gorgo of Sparta.

What followed was a blur to both of them. They were congratulated by the kings and leaders of other cities invited for the feasts, by King Androcles and the members of the Senate. The next hours were a whirlwind of greeting the people by riding through the city in a flowered parade, giving blessings to the gods and holding court to their guests.

Leonidas sat on one side of his father, while Gorgo sat on the other, and he could see that she appeared happy, even if very tired. He leaned over to the king, "Father, would you mind taking over for a time? I wish to see Gorgo alone."

Androcles nodded. "Yes, I suppose this has been a busy day- too busy even to speak to your new wife! Go, Leonidas, I will handle the rest of the festivities for tonight. Go now, but remember that you will take the crown tomorrow, as well as your queen."

Leonidas nodded his thanks and moved to Gorgo. "Will you walk with me?"

Her face brightened with relief, "Oh, yes Leonidas, I would love to."

He smiled and took her hand to lead her from the noise and spectacle of the dancers brought in from Delphi- if pressed, Leonidas would openly admit that he preferred the quiet twilight alone with Gorgo to the raucous parties a king was often obligated to provide. He knew that he could adjust just as his father and grandfather had before him, but for now he was content to walk with her as it felt they had hundreds of times in the past.

Leonidas took her small hand into his own as they walked the garden paths. "Gorgo, are you happy?"

He felt concerned for her happiness- it was a husband's duty, was it not?

She hesitated slightly. "I am not...unhappy." She said uneasily. Leonidas was reminded of his own words to his father, years ago.

"I understand. One day a young healer, the next you are the Ephors' Oracle and then days after that you are wife to the king of all Sparta. It is a heavy burden to bear." He mused, more to himself than to her.

Gorgo stopped walking and Leonidas stopped as well, turning to face her. "Becoming your wife is no burden to me, Leonidas." She declared. "For months I had longed for your eyes to see me as more than simply Gorgo your friend, but I have never thought that...that my wish would be granted and that you would choose me. I fear your disappointment." Gorgo confessed.

Leonidas shook his head. "No, Gorgo. Do not fear disappointing me. I chose you."

"But what if-?"

Leonidas moved to bring her into his arms. "Gorgo, do not think of the worst things. Today we are wed, tomorrow we shall rule. Smile for me," he urged her, stroking her arms.

Gorgo took a deep breath, smiling slightly. She wanted to please him, she wanted nothing more than to be his wife, it was just difficult to remember that Leonidas was her friend as well as her king.

I have known this man for years and he has my heart- I fear that he would crush it should I disappoint him.

Leonidas lead Gorgo into the royal bedchambers, newly furnished and made to please all the senses. Incense perfumed the air and moonlight slipped in through the curtained windows. He wanted Gorgo to be comfortable in what was to come. He would take her body, but if her heart was not with him...it would not be right.

He kissed her, thrilling to feel her respond to him. His arms curled about her waist, holding her to him as he had wanted for weeks. How could he have ever thought of the women bidded to him in the scrolls? He would burn them all in the morning!

In the dim light of only five candles, Gorgo allowed him to undress her and she watched as he then shed his own clothes. Her heart began to pound in both fear and anticipation, but Leonidas made no rough move against her. He only held her in his arms for a time in a stong embrace.

"I have something for you, wife." He whispered against her temple, pausing in between kisses.

Gorgo felt herself relaxing slightly, both from the wine she'd taken at dinner and the gentle pressure of his hands resting on the small of her back. She kissed his throat. "What, another gift?"

He nodded. "Of a sort."

Leonidas pulled back from her and fetched a small carved box off of a low table against the wall. He brought it to her and withdrew a leather cord threaded through a large pointed fang. Gorgo gasped at him, "Leonidas, is this...?"

"Yes, the wolf's tooth. Will you wear it for me?"

Gorgo nodded and bent her head forward, her answer plain. Leonidas looped it over her head, lifting her hair to secure it about her neck. "Now you are truly my wife." He smiled. "Please, wear it when I am away from Sparta."

Gorgo shook her head. "I will wear it even when you are here, husband."

Leonidas leaned forward and kissed her once more, happy that Gorgo no longer seemed uneasy with being his woman. There would be trials before them, he knew this, but for once Leonidas wanted to leave Sparta and his responsibilities behind.

He didn't want to be a king. For tonight, he wanted to be a man.

He lifted Gorgo and laid her down on the bed they would share. When she cried out at their first joining, Leonidas felt that he had been pierced as well. His heart ached for her pain, but he could only soothe her with words and gentle touches as he moved against her.

When it was over, Leonidas moved to lay on his back and brought Gorgo against him, almost so that she was lying atop him. Her long body molded to fit the shape of his own. He touched her face and found the wetness of tears there. "I am sorry, Gorgo."

She said nothing, but burried her face against the side of his throat. Her breathing was slightly ragged, as was his own. He stroked her back in an effort to comfort her; Leonidas was pleased that it seemed to work. After a few moments, her breathing did become even, and eventually she fell asleep.

It took much longer, but in time Leonidas fell asleep as well.