August watched his wife sleep next to him under the zebra striped sheets of her overtly glitzy bedroom. Late last night she snuck out of bed to remove her makeup, and early this morning she repeated the action to put it all back on. He laughed inwardly. He found her vanity endearing and a little sad.

Her two toned hair fanned out on the pillow as if she arranged it that way. He knew she wasn't really asleep, and didn't put such an orchestrated show out of her ability. August was content just to watch her. The curve of her red lips, and the white skin of her bear shoulder peeking just out over the sheets filled him with pride. She was his. Committed to him now and forever. He never knew such responsibility or such joy. He was determined to make their lives rich and full in everything but the monetary. That he would leave to her.

"Are you going to wish me good morning, darling, or are you just going to stare?"

August grinned. Dorothy did not open her eyes.

"Good morning." He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Her lips curved the slightest fraction at the movement.

"How does it feel to have spent one whole day as Mrs. August W. Booth?"

"The same as any other day, with the exception of a few new accessories."

Dorothy pulled her hand free of the sheets and opened her eyes. She let the morning sunlight catch the diamond of her engagement ring. August brought his hand up next to hers. The matching wedding bands were plain solid silver. Dorothy insisted on silver. The color went better with her diamonds and furs she informed him.

They leaned together until their foreheads touched. August closed his eyes and inhaled her sent. Cool mint with a hint of black licorice.

"So, now that we're married, can I ask you a personal question?" August drew back and looked down at her. She met his eyes, and he was surprised to find unabashed love staring back at him.

"You can ask, darling, but I guarantee no answer."

August let go of her hand and reached up to brush a white strand of hair over to the side that was black.

"I've seen your stylist cut your hair, but I've never seen him add highlights. This can't be natural, can it?"

She broke her gaze.

"It's always been that way, as long as I can remember. I suppose I could go one solid color but it felt too much like hiding who I really am." She gave him a clandestine glance, as if she expected some kind of crazy reaction from him. He felt the smooth texture of her hair between his fingers.

"I like it. It makes you kind of magical."

Her eyes glanced up to him. He took his attention from her hair at looked down into her eyes. She blinked a few times and then her tightly pulled expression relaxed into a sly smile.

"Don't tell me you still believe in magic. That's very immature."

August rolled onto his back and put his hands behind his head so his elbows landed on each side of his pillow.

"I am immature. It's fun. You should try. Let's say, hypothetically, that magic is real and you could be anyone in the En… the land of magic. Who would you pick?"

August felt Dorothy's hand find its way to his chest. Soon her head rested in the crook of his neck.

"If you ever tell anyone I admitted this I will kill you."

August half believe her threat from the tone she used. Her cold words did not match the feel of her body in the bed next to him.

"I would like to be Re-uh-the Evil Queen."

August took one arm from behind his head and wrapped it around her shoulder.

"The Evil Queen?" He remembered Regina from the Enchanted Forest and a shiver found its way down his back.

"She's rich and powerful, and the wardrobe, darling, the wardrobe."

He should have laughed, but his past got the better of him.

"But she has a lonely, empty life filled only with plans of revenge."

Dorothy lifted her head up to look at him.

"You talk like you know her personally."

August felt like he had been caught in a lie. His body tensed and he hoped she couldn't feel it.

"No, not… Not personally." He tried but he could formulate no lie. He touched his hand to the tip of his nose, just to make sure.

"What about you? Who would you be?"

August opened his mouth to reply, glad she changed the subject. She propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at him.

"No, wait, let me guess." The glint of mischief in her ice blue eyes made him smile.

"Prince Charming. You have the chin for it, darling." She touched her index finger to the cleft in his chin and laughed. He tried to catch her finger between his teeth but she moved to quickly. She laughed again. He moved up to rest on his elbow and faced her.

"Nah, that's too noble for me. Unless, of course, you'd be my Snow White."

"Absolutely not!" Dorothy's vehemence startled him.

"That melatonin deficient brat is not the heroic damsel everyone thinks she is."

August stared at her. She seemed to realize how she sounded and suddenly looked embarrassed.

"Now who's talking like they know a fairytale persona?"

Dorothy shook her head and fell back onto the pillow in a pout.

"This is a stupid game, darling, and I don't like it."

August used his index finger to trace a line down her long neck and to the edge of the sheets.

"Then what would you like to play?" August grinned at her, and her sour mood seemed to dissipate.

"The marriage game, for as long as you'll have me."

August suspected Dorothy planned for the comment to come out with the same biting sarcasm and wit that normally accompanied her tone. She succeeded at first, but she could not hide the deep emotion rooted in the meaning of the words.

"Happily ever after."

Dorothy stiffened and August turned his head to the side. Most women would have, and did, like when he talked romantically to them.

"Say what you will about our future, darling, but don't ever ever say that again."

August leaned down close to her. He thought if he neared her he might gain more insight into her strange reaction.

"What? Afraid I will jinx it?" He chuckled to himself. He saw in her eyes what looked like brimming tears. She wrapped her fingers around his neck.

"You have no idea," she said just before her mouth captured his.

For a brief moment he thought about asking her to clarify her meaning, but the wicked ways of his new wife banished all other thoughts from his mind.