(EOO) Chapter 3

Entering the manor, I caught Blaine coming down the stairs. He glared at me as he made his way downward and seemed to be processing what he was about to say.

"Where were you?" He asked when he reached the bottom stair.

I pointed to the door with my thumb, "Durril took me out on his rounds. I needed to get out of the manor." He continued to stare at me, "He showed me those berry bushes that the two of you planted. Why? Was there something you needed from me?"

"Why didn't you tell anyone that you were leaving?"

"I told Kerani where I was going. I didn't think I had to tell anyone else." I cocked my head to the side. He was acting strange as if he thought something had happened between Durril and me.

The harsh look on his face evaporated, "No, I don't suppose there was anyone else to tell." He sighed, "Come speak to me in my office." His finger pointed to the door to my right at the end of the stairs.

The study was rather dark but Blaine fixed that by lighting some oil lamps. The walls to my left and right were covered in bookshelves. Two chairs were on either side of the door and two more in front of the fireplace on the right wall. His desk was seated at the end of the room in front of the large picture frame window with two more chairs in front of it.

"Sit down, please." He pointed to the chair in front of the desk and took a seat behind it.

I did as I was told and waited for him to begin speaking. He seemed to be having a difficult time trying to decide where he wanted to start.

"Is this about this morning?" I asked.

He nodded, "Yes and more." He tapped his fingers on the desk and sighed.

"Just say what is on your mind. You do not have to sugar coat your words with me." I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms.

Blaine looked up at me, "Very well. Who the hell do you think you are to speak to me in the manner you did this morning? I am Duke Blaine Stavros and though you may one day be, you are not my wife nor the duchess yet. I have never had someone insult me so fully in all my life. Do you honestly believe that I would wed you and then send you away? Or 'plant my seeds' as you put it and have bastard children?"

"You were certainly risking it with your lover." I snapped back, though I knew I should of kept silent.

I could see Blaine's face turning red and his hands tightened, "How dare you! You have no say in what I do until the day we are wed. I have a past just like you do and I will not spend my life having you throw my faults in my face."

"Then don't expect to have any say in what I do until then either. I can share my bed with all the guards…"

"Silence! You will do no such thing!" He stood up and slammed his fist down and then seemed to remember himself. Sitting back down, he took several deep breathes. "I am beginning to wonder if you are doing this just so I will break our engagement, Valora. Let me explain this to you. My father blessed our union and therefore I have no choice but to wed you. I want us, no I need us to become friends." He rubbed the bridge of his nose, "We will be wed. You will live here on the estate. You will be the mother of my children. You will not be returning to Requanar. Do you understand?"

"I never suspected otherwise. It is you that seems to be the one who is trying to sabotage our engagement. I tried to be friendly and open with you and you called me a gold digger."

Blaine nodded, "I did and I apologize for saying such an offense thing."

"Then I, too, apologize. I was just aiming to hurt and insult you with what I said. There are things in this life that are better left unspoken, and what I said after you insulted me was one of them." I had folded my hands in my lap and was looking down at them.

When I looked up, Blaine held half a grin on his face. "Thank you, Valora. That is all."

I bowed my head and stood from my chair. I almost turned to leave, but stopped myself and turned back to him. He was writing on a piece of paper and the words 'Dear Sweet Maita' caught my eye briefly. I ignored them and decided to speak my mind, "You don't have to love me."

Blaine stopped writing and looked up at me. He wasn't even trying to hide the letter from me. "Excuse me?"

"You love someone else and you are heartbroken that you couldn't be with her. I understand that. Don't believe that I think one day you will fall in love with me. I am not a naïve, stupid little girl with grand dreams of an undying love from my husband. I understand how the real world works even if this is my first visit to it." I shrugged my shoulders gently, "So, do not think I will be waiting to hear you say that to me or even feel that towards me."

I didn't give him time to reply just flipped around and headed out of the study and up to my room. I felt better now that we had apologized and even more so that I had explained my feelings on his love. I think I had always known that Blaine would never be the love of my life or vice versa. It was important to me that he knew I wasn't going to be waiting around for him to say that I was.

Kerani entered my bedroom and smiled at me. "I saw you leave Lord Blaine's office. Did you apologize?"

"Yes, we did." I sighed loudly.

"What is wrong?" She rushed over to my bedside and sat down.

"He was writing a letter to his lover. He didn't attempt to hide it from me at all." I sat up on my bed.

"Perhaps, he is still friends with her. She is far away after all, there is nothing that he can do." Kerani patted my leg, "Endre wants to take me out to the lake for dinner again. May I? I probably will not be back to help you into your sleeping gown."

I nodded, "Of course, one of us should be happy here."

She frowned, "Don't say such things. Tomorrow is another day. If that doesn't bring a friendship between you then you have a whole lifetime of tomorrows."

"I want to live for today, Kerani."

"Today is overly glorified." She laughed.

I smiled, "Except when you are meeting a handsome Gyosian at the lake for dinner."

Kerani hit my leg playfully, "Do not tease me. You'll make me think on it too much and then I will be embarrassed the entire evening." Her frown returned, "Was Durril gentlemanly the entire day?"

"Yes, he was." I rolled my eyes, "He only wanted to tell me stories of his brother. I think he wants me to feel pity for Blaine so that I may one day love him."

She grinned rather sadly, "You two seemed to be compatible this morning in the dining hall. I think if you both tried, you could find that you are very much alike."

"I find that I am more like Durril then Blaine."

"Don't say that either. Thoughts like that will make you develop feelings for Durril and you aren't marrying him. Now," She grabbed my book, "you read and I'll finish that dress."

---***---

Blaine left the next day to return to the castle. The king had once again summoned him and we had to postpone our wedding until his return. I was rather relieved that it would be a while longer, but I also wanted to get this over with. I knew that as soon as I was Blaine's wife that he would have to start accepting me or at least I hoped.

Durril kept to himself after the day of our ride. He had probably caught himself thinking the same thoughts that I had been ordered by Kerani not to have. I found different ways to run into him though I knew that I would never do anything to harm my engagement or marriage to Blaine. I suppose I just wanted his companionship and Blaine didn't seem willing to want to offer it.

A month past before Blaine returned to the manor and again he had done so in the middle of the night. This time, however, he didn't come to my room. The next morning, he had locked himself up in his study. My suspicious mind assumed he was writing letters to the love of his life.

I told myself to give Blaine time to mend his heart and then perhaps he would be more friendly towards me. Though I don't know if I could ever forgive the person that kept me from my love.

Walking down the stairs, Durril entered the house and saw me staring at the study door. He waved his head in a gesture that told me to go inside, but I simply shook my own and headed into the dining hall. He followed me in and took my hand to stop me from going into the kitchen where the servants were.

"You should initiate conversation with him first. He is too stubborn." He told me, but all I could concentrate on was his thumb rubbing my knuckles as he spoke.

When I didn't say anything, he walked me over to the study door and knocked gently. "Come in." I heard Blaine say and it shocked me back into reality.

I shook my head again at Durril and he nodded. Leaning forward, he gently opened the door and then ran up the stairs. I was going to get him for this later. I stepped inside the study and noticed Blaine's exhausted glare. He was too tired to argue with me, I could see it in his eyes.

"Yes?" He asked when I just stood there.

I cleared my throat, "Durril has told me that you haven't been out to the berry bushes for a while. I thought we could…"

"No." He snapped and looked back down to the book he was reading.

"May I ask why not?"

He didn't respond. His behavior was starting to make me annoyed, but I had told myself that I would be my own mediator and not start arguments.

Walking over to his desk, I sat down in the chair that I had occupied a month before. "Leora said she could bake a pie if we brought her enough and Durril said there should be a lot more…"

"I said no." He looked back up at me.

Leaning back in the chair, I watched him read. It bothered him or so I thought. He would clear his throat and rub the back of his neck. "You don't have to like me, but you can, at least, be hospitable. I have to live here with you the rest of my life."

"How is telling you that I don't want to ride a horse, after spending four days on one, being inhospitable?" He continued to read or probably pretended to.

"Because you didn't say that, you said no with no explanation." I sighed, "We could walk."

"No." He mumbled again.

I stood up and he probably thought that I was leaving, but I walked around the desk to stand beside him. Grabbing his upper arm, I felt the soft fabric of his shirt and his taut muscles underneath. My touch made him jerk a little, but he tried to act as if he were unaffected. I began to yank his arm towards me, "Come, grumpy. Come out and play with me."

I saw that he was fighting a grin and so I continued my childish behavior.

"Let's go be friends or pretend to be if that suits you better." I continued to yank on his arm and he shut his book before looking at my hands on his arm.

"Friends, you say?"

"Yes, like we were starting to do before we argued. That was good and berries are good… and berry pies are better."

"Berry pies are better than friendship?"

I stopped pulling on his arm and rose an eyebrow as if I were thinking on his question.

Blaine smiled at this behavior.

"Depends on the berries, I suppose."

He stood from his chair, "Well, you can be charming. I did not know that."

I grinned, "Then you haven't been paying attention." I spun around and headed for the door. Pride built up in my chest from my victory, though I would never tell him that I had won this one.

I grabbed a basket from the kitchen for the berries and met Blaine at the front door. He opened it for me and we walked down the stairs towards the stables. He apparently had decided that he would rather ride a horse then walk. I was glad for this decision because even through the direct route it was a long walk.

"How was your journey?" I asked as the stable boy prepared our horses.

"It went as usual."

I arched an eyebrow, "I do not know what usual is."

Blaine explained what he did during his time spent at the castle. He mostly argued with the generals about the war and what tactics should be used during battles. He had the king's ear for the most part and normally the king would side with him. I discovered that he was schooled in battle tactics from a young age and so was his brother.

"I read that you are fluent in sword use?" Blaine asked me.

I nodded, "I wouldn't call it fluent, but I could get myself out of a tough situation if I had to."

"Why were you taught that?"

"My father wanted me to be able to defend my own if I had to. He said that a man may not always be around and that I had to learn how to protect myself." I shrugged, "Don't worry, with all your training you could win against me if it came to that."

Blaine smiled, "Good, you had me worried." He teased me and then stopped his horse as we had arrived. He helped me dismount and we began to pick berries from the bushes. "This is going to be a mixed berry pie, I assume."

"Looks to be that way, yes." I grinned and popped what was probably my sixth berry into my mouth.

"That is if we get them back before you eat them all." He dropped another handful in the basket that I was carrying.

"I make no promises."

He chuckled and then looked around the bushes briefly, "I believe I have gotten all the ripe berries off these bushes. What about your own?"

"I think I've eaten them all, yes." I placed a couple in the basket before closing it. "We should try to have another meal at the lake sometime. I'll be on my very best behavior and won't stomp away next time. I might hit you though if you are mean again."

Blaine grinned as we walked back to the horses, "Alright, we will do so for dinner."

"For dinner? It would be too dark then."

He took the basket from me and placed it on the ground before helping me onto my horse, "I'll have the servants set up torches around the area. I've done it before."

I didn't seem too keen on the idea and I think my face foretold that.

"Just trust me." His hands were still on my waist.

"Very well, but I must warn you. The last time a man in your family told me to trust him, I ended up with a mouthful of green berry."

He laughed, "He does that to me almost every year."

I was beginning to feel uncomfortable with his hands resting on my hips, "Well, we should head back. If we make it in time, we may have berry pie for dessert tonight."

He remained silent and unmoving for a time, "Did you mean what you said?"

"About berry pie tonight?"

There was a brief grin on his face followed by a serious stare, "That you would never love me."

"Why would that be important to you?"

"Just answer my question." His hands on my hips tightened briefly.

"I never said such a thing. I distinctly remember saying that you didn't have to love me. That I wouldn't disillusion myself with thoughts that one day you would."

He nodded his head and released my hips. Turning to the basket, he handed it to me and mounted his horse.

---***---

My evening meal with Blaine went well. We spoke on our childhood mostly and he explained his position with the king to me more thoroughly. I did not see him at all the next day, as Leora had chased him out of the house so that we wouldn't see each other. She told me that it was bad luck to see each other the day before the wedding. I spent most of the day with Durril, who took me fishing on a boat on the lake. He told me that it was his wedding gift to me and that I should not tell Blaine.

The next day, I was being prepared in my bedroom. My wedding dress was a family heirloom worn by Blaine's mother and grandmother at their weddings. The skirt stopped at my feet, but the back danced behind me for three feet. It had butterfly sleeves that released at my elbow and hung down to my mid-thigh. My hair was placed in a bun with loose curls and baby breath flowers as a crown.

The servant girls buzzed around me as if they were the one's getting married. Most of them were giggling and telling me how beautiful I looked. Kerani seemed to be the only one focused enough to ensure that I looked perfect. Though it hardly mattered, I wasn't excited and I couldn't wait for the day to end. I don't know what had brought this gloom upon me, but I felt a dark shadow.

When the other servant girls left the room, Kerani sighed. "Maita was invited. I have seen her."

"Why would he invite his lover to our wedding?" I tried to keep my annoyed tone down, this wasn't her fault.

"More importantly, why would she and her husband risk the long journey during wartime?" Kerani arranged the flowers in my hair more thoroughly.

"She will be the black cloud over my life for all eternity, won't she?" I sighed and sat down on my bed.

She picked up my white bouquet then sat down beside me and patted my knee, "It is not as if she is here everyday, Valora. She is hundreds of miles away and I believe this is the last time she will visit him. How many reasons can she come up with to make the long journey until her husband becomes suspicious? Lord Blaine is a smart man and he will eventually see that she is but a memory and you are a woman of flesh and blood before him."

"I don't want the household feeling sorry for me, because I am wed to a man that desires another." I took the bouquet from her and walked over to the bedroom door.

"Trust me, Valora. I know it looks like hard times are ahead and they are, but everything shall work out the way it was meant to."

A knock came to the door and I opened it to find Durril. He would be walking me down the isle as my father and family were not able to make the trip. Another problem that bothered me. Maita made the long journey but my family could not.

"You look gorgeous!" Durril smiled at me and offered his arms, "They are prepared and waiting for you downstairs."

I looked over at Kerani, "Do not worry about me today. Spend your time with Endre and enjoy your happiness. I want, at least, one of us to be with the man they love and whom loves them." I knew that Durril didn't speak Gyose, so I was not candid in my statement.

She frowned, "Don't say such things."

I turned to face Durril and took the arm that he had offered to me and we began to make our way towards the lake. I could see the large white tent that had been constructed and the flowers that had been placed around it as soon as we stepped out of the manor.

"I heard that Blaine's lover is here." I said to Durril.

He sighed, "I begged him not to invite her. It angers me that he has disrespected you like this, but do not worry. She is here with her husband and he is of the jealous nature. Her father had left him with hints of her time spent with Blaine. Nothing should occur between them."

"That hardly comforts me." I tried not to roll my eyes as I knew how unladylike it was.

"Do not worry yourself. A lady only has one wedding, Valora. You should enjoy this day." He patted my hand that was on his arm. When he approached the tent, he surprised me by kissing me on the cheek. "I wanted to kiss you before my brother did." He winked at me and I grinned.

A servant heard us and stuck his head out between the tent flaps. He bowed his head at Durril and then returned inside. He must of told them that we had arrived because I heard a piano begin to play the ceremonial wedding song. Two male servants opened the tent flaps to reveal the full tent. There had to be at least sixty people who had come to the wedding, and none of them were familiar to me.

Durril began to walk forward and with my arm being attached to him, I went with him. He must of felt the tension in my body because he patted my hand again before squeezing it gently. I felt some reassurance from knowing that he was there.

Blaine stood with the priest at the front of the tent. His eyes were not on me, but instead on the woman in the third row. I assumed that this had to be Maita. Her hair was a dark brown and she had a beautifully exotic face. The man holding her arm had to be around fifty years old. He was either her father or her husband. I only got a glimpse of her face as I passed her and she turned her eyes to me. She was probably as curious about what I looked like as I was about her.

I didn't wear a veil so Durril didn't have to lift it for me. He took my bouquet and handed them to a servant girl who was acting as my maid of honor. Blaine stepped forward and offered me his arm, which I took. I was surprised that he was coherent enough to even realize that he needed to do so.

The priest, dressed in a long white robe with gold trim, began his speech on love and marriage. I didn't listen to anything he said and I had serious doubts that Blaine did as well. He was too concerned with the woman behind us, though he kept his eyes forward.

"Please turn to face each other." The priest said and made a hand motion to turn us around.

Blaine and I faced each other and with his right hand, my soon-to-be husband took my left hand.

"Do you, Duke Blaine Stavros, take Lady Valora Issaria whom you hold by the left hand to be your lawful and wedded wife?"

"I do." Blaine replied. He was staring at my hand.

The priest continued, "Please repeat your vows."

He swallowed deeply before speaking, "With deepest joy I receive you into my life that together we may be one. I will be to you a loving and faithful husband. Always will I perform my headship over you even as the gods do over me, knowing that their lordship is one of the holiest desires for my life. I promise you my deepest love, my fullest devotion, my tenderest care. I promise I will live first for you. I promise that I will lead our lives into prosperity to the best of my abilities. And so throughout life, no matter what may lie ahead of us, I pledge to you my life as a loving and faithful husband."

The priest's eyes turned to me, "Do you, Valora Issaria, take Duke Blaine Stavros to be your lawful and wedded husband?"

"I do." I responded.

"Please repeat your vows." The priest ordered me.

"With deepest joy I come into my new life with you. As you have pledged to me your life and love, so I too happily give you my life, and in confidence submit myself to your headship. As is the temples in their relationship to the gods, so I will be to you. I will live first only for you, loving you, obeying you, caring for you and ever seeking to please you. The gods have prepared me for you and so I will ever strengthen, help, comfort, and encourage you. Therefore, throughout life, no matter what may be ahead of us, I pledge to you my life as an obedient and faithful wife." It had taken me a week to learn those vows and I didn't have any intention to keep them. I doubted that Blaine did either.

The priest continued, "Duke Blaine Stavros, what token do you give to show that you will faithfully perform these vows?"

"A ring." He answered when Durril handed the gold loop to him.

"The circle which forms this ring is the emblem of eternity, and the beautiful metal out of which it is wrought is the type of that which is least tarnished and most enduring. It is to show how lasting and imperishable, the faith now mutually pledged. You will place this ring on Lady Valora Issaria's finger and repeat the vow of the ring."

"With this ring…" He held it up for me and others to see. "I pledge myself to thee with all the affections of my heart, so long as we both shall live." He placed the ring on my third finger on my left hand.

The priest continued, "And, Lady Valora Issaria, what token do you give to show that you will faithfully perform these vows?

"A ring." I announced when the servant girl offered it to me. Blaine and I switched hands so that I was now holding his left.

"Please place your ring on your Groom's finger and repeat the vow of the ring."

"With this ring…" I held it up. "I pledge myself to thee with all the affections of my heart, so long as we both shall live." I slid the ring on his finger.

The priest began to speak again, "The scripture declares love is forbearing and kind; love knows no jealously, love does not brag, is not conceited. She is not unmannerly, nor selfish, nor irritable, nor mindful of wrongs. She does not rejoice in injustice, but joyfully sides with the truth. She can overlook faults. She is full of trust; full of hope; full of endurance. Love never fails."

He paused briefly before continuing to speak, "Having heard the pledges of your affection, and the vows of your fidelity, I do therefore by virtue of the authority invested in me by the laws of Seria, before the gods, whose grace to you is unmeasured, and before these witnesses, pronounce you husband and wife, and what the gods hath joined together, let no man put asunder."

At this point Blaine was suppose to kiss me, which he did. He leaned forward and gently kissed the corner of my lips. The priest seemed satisfied with this, "Lord and Ladies of the audience; May I present Duke Blaine Stavros and his new bride, Duchess Valora Stavros."

My servant girl offered my bouquet as we turned to face the audience. The piano began to play again and Blaine walked me out of the tent. Immediately afterwards, the party followed us out as the servants began to set up the food and meal. I was abandoned by Blaine as he went to look for Maita, though that wasn't what he said he was doing.

---***---

"It was a lovely wedding." I heard Durril's voice say before he sat down beside me at the lake.

I had escaped the wedding party with a piece of cake and a blanket. I slowly ate my cake and tried to ignore the sound of the celebration at the tents across the lake from me. I smiled at Durril when I noticed that he had brought me another piece of cake.

"We missed you during the meal." He told me as he set the piece of cake in front of me and noticed my own cake, "I see you are the one that stole the chunk from the wedding cake. Blaine had wondered about that."

I shrugged, "I didn't think he would mind. He would probably prefer that I wasn't there." Blaine had been speaking with Maita for nearly an hour before I just disappeared from the tent. I wasn't going to stand there on my wedding day and watch my new husband lust after another woman.

Durril nodded, "She'll be gone in a week."

"A week?" I turned my eyes to him.

"She and her husband are going to stay at the manor and rest after their long journey. I apologize, I thought you knew."

I sighed, "No." I answered then took a bite of my cake. "So, how long do you think that vow of being faithful to me will last with her around? Until nightfall?" I was only making a jest, but when Durril's eyes dropped in shame, I knew that I had found a truth. "Oh, lovely. That's just lovely!" I tossed my plate and cake into the lake.

We sat in silence for a moment as I tried to calm myself down. "How long do you believe you'll follow that honor and obey vow?" Durril jested.

I laughed.

"Now, I am glad I brought you that slice of cake. Unless you enjoy cake after it's had a swimming lesson."

I picked up my new plate and sighed, "I did not have a choice in this matter."

"I think you always have a choice to throw or not throw your cake."

I grinned, "I meant marrying him."

Durril nodded, "I know. I am sorry that this has happened. As I said before I tried to convince him not to invite her, but he would not listen to reason. He knew this would be the last time he would be able to see her."

We could hear the sounds of music playing across the lake and Durril put down his plate. "The bride should dance on her wedding day." He stood up and offered his hand out to me. "If my brother is too much a fool to ask his new wife to, then I shall recover his loss."

I smirked and took his hand after I set down my plate. Durril walked us into the grass away from our cake and wrapped one hand around my waist. The other held tightly to my hand and I laid my head on his shoulder. The song that played was quick, but we danced slowly together as if not wanting to rush our contact.

"Thank you for being my friend, Durril." I said after several moments passed by.

I felt his head shake, "No, milady, thank you for being mine."

"Valora? Durril?" A man's voice said and we both turned to look at Blaine. "What are you two doing out here? It's your wedding day, woman, you should be with me and the others." He didn't seem bothered by the physical closeness that his brother and I had shared.

"Valora doesn't enjoy large parties. She likes more casual and secluded ones." Durril winked at me. "I came out here to ensure the bride got a piece of her wedding cake and danced on her wedding day. Which reminds me," He pointed at me, "she took that piece of cake."

I smacked Durril's arm, "You tattletale!" We both laughed.

Blaine nodded, "Thank you, Durril, I believe I can take it from here."

Durril bowed his head and headed back to the tents. I stood in front of Blaine waiting to hear what he had to say, but he seemed to be without words. So, I sat down on the blanket and picked up my piece of cake. He followed my lead.

"Is this piece, Durril's?" He asked and I nodded. Scooping the plate up in his hands, he grinned. "It belongs to me now."

I grinned and continued to eat my cake.

"Whose cake is that?" He pointed to the slice that was floating in the lake.

"I thought the fishes would like some. Since we had the wedding near the lake, it's only fair." I was joking, but my voice seemed to keep a serious tone. I was displeased with this situation and Blaine knew it.

"If you wanted a smaller wedding, you should have informed Leora. She told you to add any input you had, didn't she?"

I shrugged, "It's not the wedding size that bothers me."

He swallowed and nodded, "I know." He chewed on a bit of cake for a moment before speaking again. "I don't love you, Valora. Those wedding vows spoke of a love between us and there is none."

"You are correct."

"However, I have spoken vows before when I did not truly feel them. My oath into the Blessed Hearts Order had little meaning for me when I first spoke them in front of my comrades. Now, I read over them or listen to a squire repeat them and they fill my heart with pride and joy. I didn't truly understand them until I lived by them." He sighed, "I don't know what I am trying to say."

"You are saying that you will live by the vows that you have taken today, even if you do not feel them in your heart just yet." I began to smash my cake with my fork in a nervous fit.

Blaine nodded, "Yes." He continued to nod, "That's exactly it."

"Then why invite Maita?"

"Is that what has been bothering you?"

"No, what has been bothering me was that your eyes were fixated on her during the wedding ceremony. Not to mention that you were ignoring me directly afterwards and spending an hour speaking to her. She'll be here all week. I only get one wedding day. Hell, you probably only came out here to find me, because her husband took her away from you and you suddenly realized that I had gone missing." I had tried to sound like I was mature with the issue, but I knew some whine had gotten into my voice along the way.

He licked his lips briefly, "How… how do you know these things? My affairs, how long certain people will stay here… and that her husband took her from me. You seem to know every secret that I try to keep from you."

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, "I never reveal my sources. Besides it is my duty as the lady of the house to know the happenings of the household." I shrugged, "Failing that, I play the guessing game quite well and as a knight you cannot lie to me."

Blaine chuckled, "This will be the last time that she and I will see each other. Do try to be pleasant to her."

"She is not the one vowed to me. You memorized your vows just like I did. I have no reason to dislike her. It is your duty to uphold the words you have spoken and your failing if you do not."

"I am a man of my word if nothing else." He bowed his head and sighed. "Now then, Durril mentioned something about a bride dancing on her wedding day. Let's head back to the tent and have our own personal moment, shall we?"

"No, but thank you."

Blaine took the plate from my hand and placed it on the blanket. When he stood up, he brought me up with him. "Then let's have it here."

Like Durril, he moved me away from the cake presumably so we wouldn't step in it. His left arm wrapped around my waist and his right took my hand. I laid my right hand on his shoulder and remained taut in his arms.

"You do not look as comfortable as you did when Durril was dancing with you." Blaine said after a couple tense moments.

"Durril is my friend and I feel at ease in his presence." I informed him.

He looked offended for a moment. "Your blunt honesty is something that I will have to grow use to."

"I was always taught by my father that speaking the truth and my mind was always the best route." I felt his arm around my waist squeezed me closer until my arm was behind his back, but still holding his shoulder.

My front side was compressed against his own and the heat from our bodies mixed. Though I should have been swooning at such close contact with my new husband, I felt unnerved. I knew that Blaine was determined in this and so I tried to loosen my body. This would only end if I acted as if I were pleased with it all. He was making an effort with me and I appreciated it. I took a deep breath which I hoped he didn't mistake for a sigh of contentment and laid my head down on his shoulder.

Our foot movement became slower and slower until we were just rocking back and forth. Blaine stepped back from me and my head popped up from his shoulder, I had nearly fallen asleep. The hand that held my own, released me and was on my face within seconds followed by his lips.

His kiss was needy and lustful, though he tried to be soft. The other hand that was around my waist had pulled me back into his body. I don't know if it was the tired state I was in or an actual desire to kiss the man, but I responded to him. As he continued to kiss me the hand on my face slid around the back of my neck and held my head close to him. My own hands rested on his chest as if prepared to push him away at any moment.

Something in my mind told me that he was only kissing me to dispel the built up passion he had gotten from seeing Maita. If he was a man of his word like he said, then I was the only person he could do this with. Kissing him had been on the forefront of my mind for a while as I too realized he would be the only one that I could do so with. Despite knowing his reasons, I allowed myself to be used in those moments out of curiosity and want. It wasn't him that I wanted, but knowing the love between my mother and father, I desired the same for myself.

Blaine stopped kissing me when I started to feel reluctant after my thoughts of Maita. His forehead rested on my own and he breathed in heavily. "I just wanted to know what it was like. To see if there was any affection that could be sparked between us."

I didn't ask him if there was because I didn't really want to know his answer. If he said no, then my thoughts of us ever being like my parents would die. And a yes would scare me into thinking his heart could change loves so easily.

The sounds of someone running caused us both to look behind him. Maita had apparently come to find him and caught us kissing. She had run away and I released Blaine believing that he would run after her to explain. Explain what I really didn't know, I was his wife after all.

He jerked towards her as if he were about to go to her, but then held himself back. His eyes turned to me, "When I was twelve, my father took us to a winery that his friend owned. Durril and I crushed our own grapes and he prepared and bottled it for us. I still have that bottle of wine and I wanted to share it with you tonight. I have been saving it for my wedding day."

My eyes were on Maita when I nodded, "Do you want to go speak to her?"

Blaine swallowed, "Do I want to? Yes."

Walking over to my blanket, I sat back down. "Then go."

I heard him walking but he came to sit on the blanket beside me. "We have already spoken and I have explained to her that I won't break my vows." He sighed as he watched her disappear into the crowd across the lake. "I am not suppose to love her anymore."

"Not suppose to, but you do."

"I do." He nodded, "Will you forgive me and give me time to mend my heart for you?"

"I told you that you didn't have to love me or even pretend to."

Blaine took my hand, "I want to, Valora. My parents loved each other and that is why I fought so hard to marry Maita. I love her and wanted us to be together."

"I am not jealous if that is what you think, Blaine. I do not love you either."

He gave a firm nod of his head, "Then we will learn to love each other."

"We shall see."

---***---

I do not know what happened between our moments by the lake side and bedtime. Blaine had ordered that I continue sleeping in the guest quarters and that he was not to be disturbed for the rest of the evening. I had seen Maita speaking with him once many of our guests had begun to leave. He looked slightly distressed and near tears. I had thought about going to him and finding out what the matter was, but Maita's presence kept me away.

As I laid in the guest room, I thought the situation over. Blaine had locked himself in his room and I had turned down dinner with Durril, Maita, and her husband, Lord Bernal. I had never spoken to Maita directly, but I didn't know if I could trust myself in her presence. I had a tendency to say what was on my mind whenever I got the urge, and it was better that I distanced myself from her.

Blaine's hurt face kept flashing in my mind and I didn't know if it was curiosity or that I actually cared that made me get out of bed. I wandered out into the hall and knocked at his door which was at the end of the long hallway. There was a mumbled answer that sounded like I was being ordered away. I ignored it and tested the doorknob to find it was unlocked.

Opening the door, I peeked into his dark room which I had never seen before. I couldn't tell many of the colors, but it was mostly light shades. Perhaps light blues, beiges, or some similar earth tones. He had a canopy bed in the center of the room with another bear rug. A small bench at the end of the bed and across from the bed was a fireplace with two chairs. There were two wardrobes in the room across from each other on opposite sides of the bed. A nightstand on both sides of the bed, two book shelves by the fireplace, and a small writing table near the window.

I saw Blaine's form laying in the center of the bed with the sheets over him. He wasn't moving and I didn't hear any sounds of crying either. "Blaine?" I said as I stepped into the bedroom.

"Go away." He hissed.

I shut the door behind me and made my way over to the bench at the end of the bed. "What is the matter?" I asked as I sat down. "You aren't going to have dinner with the others?"

"I ate during the wedding. I am quite full." His words were slightly muffled from the blankets.

"Why are you hiding in your room like a little girl?" I didn't mean to make it sound rude, but that's how the words came out.

"Leave me alone, Valora!" He barked.

I rested my left arm on the footboard of his bed and then reached over to shake his feet. They were sticking out from under the blankets. As I touched him, he jerked his feet upward and I giggled. "Are your feet ticklish?"

"Don't." He growled.

"Don't what? Tickle your feet?" I asked and stood up to brush my hand against his foot again.

This time he chuckled briefly before returning to his serious tone, "Get out."

Walking around to the side of the bed, I sat down close to where I knew his chest was. With my index finger and thumb, I pulled back the blankets to reveal his face. He looked furious with me and there was no hint that he had been crying.

"I found you." I teased.

He didn't grin, but I caught a brief look of amusement in his eyes. "What do you want?"

"A certain knight promised me a bottle of wine. And now I am curious as to why he had hidden himself in his room and under his blankets."

His eyes looked me over, "Are you wearing your sleeping gown? I said you weren't sleeping in here."

"I had gone to bed, but I was worried about you. I wanted to make sure you were alright."

He arched an eyebrow, "Worried about me? Why?"

"Doesn't seem to be in your character to run to your room and cry. I thought something must be terribly wrong."

"No, you are being nosy."

"Am I?" I stood from his bed, "Very well. I can see that you aren't dying. Good evening to you." I brushed down my night gown and began to walk away.

"Wait." He sat up and I noticed for the first time that he was still entirely dressed, except for his boots. "I did promise that wine, didn't I?"

"It's alright, another time."

He shook his head, "No, I've been saying it for fifteen years to have on my wedding night." Throwing off the blankets, he opened his wardrobe and pulled the bottle out of a secret compartment at the bottom under his boots. "Don't tell anyone about that."

I grinned, "Should I light the lamps?"

"No, I'll start a fire. Do you think you can get us some wine glasses?"

With a confident nod, I walked out into the hall and caught Kerani. It was just my luck that she and Endre were walking in the hall when I stepped out. "Could I trouble you for two wine glasses?"

She smiled and nodded, "Of course." Her eyes went to Endre, "I'll return shortly."

Endre nodded and turned his gaze to me. He must of noticed that I was in my sleeping gown then as he diverted his eyes from me. "Congratulations, milady."

"Thank you."

Kerani appeared and handed me the two glasses.

"That was quick."

She grinned, "As always. Good evening, milady." She and Endre bowed and headed up the stairs to the third floor.

I returned to the bedroom and smiled when I found Blaine building the fire. Shutting the door, he looked up at me to see if I brought the glasses. I held them up for him to see. "Did you run?"

I laughed, "No, but I think Kerani did."

When he finished building the fire, he told me to sit in the chair and opened the bottle of wine. For some reason or another, he had a corkscrew in his room. He offered me a glass of wine and sat down in the chair beside me with his own.

With both sipped it and turned up our noses. "That's terrible." He said then drank down the entire glass.

I shrugged and did the same, but stuck out my tongue when I was done.

Blaine laughed at me and took my wine glass. "I suppose I should have purchased a nice bottle of wine in case this didn't age well. Of course, I should of known it wouldn't since my twelve year old dirty feet smashed the grapes."

My tongue came back out again, "Some things are better left unsaid, remember."

He smiled before we fell into a silence that was slowly starting to become uncomfortable.

"I should go to bed now." I stood up and he did so as well.

"Wait one more moment." He set our empty glasses on the writing desk and walked over to his wardrobe. As he rummaged through his belongings, he began to explain what he was looking for. "It's a family tradition that when two newly weds share a bed together that they eat dried rose petals."

"Dried rose petals?"

He pulled out a small metal box and walked over to me, "The flower of love." Opening the box, he revealed that it held four rose petals.

"Why?"

"It's a private ceremony that we can have together. Just between the two of us. I wasn't going to do this, but since you didn't like the big wedding celebration. I thought you would like to do this."

I nodded, "Perhaps. When we share a bed together." Turning around, I opened the door, but Blaine shut it with his hand.

"We don't have to do this because we are sharing a bed. Just let it be a private ceremony between us." He spoke the words into my ears.

"When you are ready to be with me, then we will." I opened the door again and he allowed me to leave the bedroom.