"She will be fine, the bruises look worse than they actually are and nothing is wrong internally," Nostradamus confirmed with Bash.

Bash breathed a sigh of relief. Kenna had looked so small and frail crumpled on the ground, he was glad to know his father's blows hadn't caused the damage he originally had thought. But what of his words? When he and Francis found them, the King was yelling furiously at her. She was so vulnerable because of her past and he was concerned that her encounter with Henry had dug up painful memories they had been working on deeply burying during their trip. He chastised himself for bringing her back here. She trusted him to protect her and he had failed her not 24 hours after returning. They could have stayed somewhere else until the house was finished or-

Kenna's small hand reaching up to grab his arm broke him out of his thoughts, she had finally awoken. "Thank you," she whispered.

"For what? I brought you back here, I let you go off alone, even when we found you it was Francis who was able to talk the King down out of his rage. I failed you," Bash replied bitterly.

"Bash, you mustn't think that way. We needed to come back here you know that and I shouldn't need a bodyguard to walk down the hallway. You couldn't have known he would come for me then. And just because Francis was the one to get Henry to calm down today doesn't mean you are incapable of rescuing me. You did that day in the throne room, remember? Besides, you're here now with me and I'm safe," Kenna said, reassuring him.

Bash nodded, he knew she was right, but his anger still burned white hot towards his father. He thought for sure he had lost her when he saw her curled up on the ground. If there was any doubt in his heart of whether or not he loved her it was erased in that moment.

"Bash, do I have to stay here? I'd really rather go back to our room, I'm feeling fine, truly," Kenna asked, her eyes pleading with him. He knew Nostradamus would want her here where he could watch over her but Bash couldn't deny her one request.

"Nostradamus," he called for his attention, "do you think it would be possible for Kenna to be moved to our room?"

Nostradamus sighed, "Normally, I wouldn't advise moving her, but I'm not interested in quarreling with you two. You'll just disregard whatever I say."

Bash heard Kenna stifle a laugh as he grinned, "Of course, asking was just a formality."

"Are you ready to go now m'lady?" Bash asked.

Kenna nodded and smiled up at him as he scooped her up gently. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he started walking back to their room.

When they got to their room, Bash set her down on their bed lightly. He took her shoes off and began to rub her feet. He didn't press her for details on what happened right away and she was grateful for a few minutes to gather her thoughts.

Finally he asked, "Kenna, my father might be completely and utterly out of his mind, but something had to have provoked him to lash out at you like that. What happened? He wasn't trying to get you back in his bed was he?"

"Well first he asked where I had been, I suppose no one informed him that we had been away. I told him and he assumed that since I was back, it must be because I was -umm - dissatisfied with you," looking down at him she saw that his eyebrows had risen at that. Continuing, she said "He grabbed me then and I tried my best to resist him. He wasn't exactly pleased when I told him that I greatly preferred your company over his. I've seen him angry before, but this was pure rage. I think he finally realized that I would never willingly return to him and it was partially his own fault. If he hadn't forced me to marry you, I would probably still be going to him. He slapped me and the next thing I knew I was on the ground."

Tears started to fill her eyes as she thought about the memories that accompanied Henry's words and blows. Bash noticed her distress and got up to sit beside her on the bed. She told him about her last day with Carolyn. About the hurtful words her father had spoken to her. "Hearing those words being echoed by the King, made me wonder if my father was right about me, I pretty much have fulfilled his expectations for me so far," Kenna finished before breaking down into sobs.

"Kenna, look at me," Bash told her quietly, "who's opinion do you value more? A father who shut you out, never took the time to know you, and didn't even want to love you? The King's, a man who saw you as nothing but a means to his own selfish indulgences? Or mine?"

She looked up at him through her tear filled lashes and whispered, "Yours."

"Okay, and since you know that I think you are beautiful," he placed a kiss on her forehead, "And smart," one on the tip of her nose, "And kind," he caught her mouth and she pulled him in for a deep kiss before he broke away and continued, "I forbid you to think anything less of yourself."

Kenna was once again rendered speechless by him. How did he always know the exact words she needed to hear? There was three words she still wanted to hear so badly though, "Bash, I don't want you to say it unless you truly mean it and I understand if you aren't there yet or if Mary still holds your heart or if-"

"Kenna," Bash interrupted her, "You're my wife, I love you. I wish you weren't hurt so I could show you how much I love you, but I promise I'll make up for it when your bruises fade. We don't want to be scolded by Nostradamus any more." Kenna smiled at his words, she wanted to say something in response, but her tiredness overtook her and she buried her head into his chest before falling into a peaceful sleep.

Kenna awoke the next morning to Bash lightly tracing the bruises on her shoulder with his finger. When he noticed her eyes had opened he asked her how she was feeling.

"Sore, extremely sore. I feel like I've been run over by a carriage, but other than that I'm feeling quite lovely," she replied.

Bash laughed at her sarcasm and she smiled. She liked to hear his laugh, especially when it was her who was making him laugh.

"I doubt I'll be up for leaving bed today, but that doesn't mean you have to be cooped up here as well."

"But.."

"No buts, I'll be perfectly fine here and you get grumpy when you're stuck somewhere for too long," Kenna interrupted,"Besides, I'm sure my friends will come and see me at some point today so I won't be alone the whole time."

Bash finally agreed to get some fresh air, and after making sure she was comfortable, left in search of someone to spar with so he could release his anger.

After he left, Kenna thought back to their conversation last night. It had been a long time since someone told her they loved her. She probably hadn't heard the words since she was 9 years old and still under the care of Carolyn. Bash might have been right when he called her selfish those first few tumultuous days of their marriage. But only because if she didn't love herself, who would? Her selfishness was a layer of the armor she had constructed for herself to protect her heart from hardening completely and Bash was slowly pulling that armor away. She didn't need her armor when she had her knight.

Thank you so much for reading this chapter and for all your reviews on the last chapter :) I thought it was finally time for Bash to tell her he loved her, nothing reveals your true feelings for someone quite like the thought of losing that person.

Next chapter will include: Brotherly bonding, girl talk, and more! I have a busy day today but the next chapter will be up by Saturday morning at the latest.