Fic: The Politics of Marriage (3/4)

[melyanna]

Meta and Part I
Part II


Since the announcement of his betrothal to Carolyn, Cameron's life had been filled with one lesson after another. The king and queen and princess were kind enough not to call it that, but Cameron recognized that they were teaching him. Carolyn had not made matters easy on herself by choosing him. Nearly any other nobleman in the country would have been more ready for this role than he was. Now there was a rush to prepare him, and Cameron spent nearly every waking moment in someone's company. When he could not accompany the king, he was often with Paul Davis. Cameron had found the man useful in Cheyenne, but in Redwater he was quickly becoming indispensable.

In light of all of this, Cameron was still considerably confused that Carolyn had chosen him in the first place. In a rush she had told him how humiliated she had been by his silence, then kissed him with great abandon - and then mere hours later told him that she did not love him. What he had told her that night had been true. In the months they'd been apart, he had guessed that her feelings were not as strong as his. But at the same time, he knew she had had a reason for her actions. It was that mystery which both bewildered and compelled him.

Part of him longed to return home already. In those moments, he often found himself thinking of his future mother-in-law, who had not returned to the land of her birth since the day she had married. Cameron would not have that sort of isolation from Sheppard, but the immense change forthcoming in his life was startling at times.

Now, though, he thought of his cousin. If John managed to marry Queen Elizabeth, he would be unlikely to come back to his homeland very often, if ever. Once Cameron had resented John for being so willing to give up so much for a woman. Now that Cameron was about to take on so much for a woman, he could understand.

Though he had a room of his own, not far from the royal residence, Cameron followed John to his chambers. "Surely they will not make the prince share lodging," John quipped as they walked into the room together.

"I am not prince yet, John," Cameron replied. "And neither are you."

The two guards stayed in the corridor while John shut the door. "How did they convince you to let a guard follow you?" he asked.

"I was not given a choice."

"Neither was I." John smiled ruefully. "Elizabeth can be very persuasive when she puts her mind to it."

Cameron nodded, and they moved to the chairs by the fireplace. "So you will marry her after all?"

"She has accepted my proposal, at any rate," John replied. "The wedding has been set for midsummer." There was a quiet moment, and then he added, "You will come and stand up with me, won't you?"

"Of course," Cameron said, a little surprised by the uncertainty in his cousin's voice. "Though I will not have been married long by then."

John's expression shifted to something mischievous. "You might bring your wife. I doubt she would object to such a journey."

"It will depend on the circumstances when the time comes." Cameron got up then and started to pace aimlessly. "Sometimes I still don't know what I have gotten myself into."

John frowned. "What do you mean?"

Cameron waved his hand absently. "All of this. I always assumed I would be your second, riding about the province to deal with problems on your behalf as I did for your father. If I married, it would be to a nice girl who did not mind my being gone now and then. I never thought I would leave Sheppard, let alone leave under such circumstances as these."

John smiled a little. "I always thought I would tire of traveling someday and settle down with a wife."

"Is that not what you intend to do?" Cameron interrupted.

John made a face then. "I thought perhaps we might farm for a living," he clarified. "Elizabeth tends the roses in her garden, but she does not have much time for growing other things."

Cameron tried for a moment to imagine the woman he had met as a farmer's wife, but could not reconcile the two ideas. "So what will you do when you have married her?" he asked. "Does Atalan have a place for the consort of the queen regnant?"

"That will depend on whether I am granted the title prince or prince consort," John replied. "That is the one thing the college has a say in, so once they have finished bickering over whether or not they like the idea of Elizabeth marrying me, they will turn their attention to what to call me."

"What is the difference between the two titles?" Cameron asked. As far as he knew, here in Caldora there was no such title as prince consort.

"Prince consort means I am simply her husband, and that our children would be legitimate and eligible to take the throne upon Elizabeth's death," John replied. "Prince means that I would have a place in the college of lords, and should Elizabeth die before her heir is of age, I would serve as regent."

Cameron did not miss the tightening of John's voice as he spoke of his betrothed dying. "Her mother died young," he remarked.

John nodded. "She had difficulty bearing children."

He was leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, and Cameron sought to lighten his mood. "I suppose that is as good a reason as any for you to marry her," he remarked, and John looked at him sharply. "Bearing children was not a problem your parents had."

John sat back in his chair and groaned. "Peace, cousin! I thought I would get away from such talk in coming here."

Cameron merely laughed. "I am simply glad that I am not the only one who has been talked of like a horse put out to stud," he said. "What kind of world is it where our worth is counted by the number of siblings we did or did not have?"

"A royal one," John replied. "We have been foolish enough to fall in love with women high above our station. Such reckoning of ourselves is inevitable, I think."

Cameron would have answered, but his cousin yawned. "I will let you rest," he said, heading for the door. "But I would be remiss if I did not say this. I am glad you have come, even though the task before us is not the most pleasant in the world."

"Do not think of it that way, cousin," John replied, getting up to escort him out. "The task before us both is marriage. This is simply an irritating detour."

They were up early in the morning. John told Cameron about the political situation in Atalan and what progress had been made, at least until John's departure. Cameron felt a little guilty about that. They had never discussed what they would do about Sheppard, but Cameron had always assumed that they could resolve the issue with a few letters. He had not meant to drag John back when he was busy in Atlantis.

There was a quorum in the assembly, and now that John and Lord Stephen had arrived King Henry had little excuse not to call them together. Cameron, about to become prince, had a place now on the floor, and he walked into the hall at John's side. They diverged, John going to his seat amid the others while Cameron strode to the front of the hall. Up above, in the tiny screened booth, he caught a glimpse of his betrothed and the queen and Lady Juliana, set to watch the proceedings. He bowed his head to them, and he thought he saw Carolyn lift her hand in salutation.

Henry entered and called the assembly to order. After two trivial matters were dispensed with, the king looked to John. "We now call upon the Marquis of Sheppard," he said, "who we understand is set to marry a foreign queen."

There was murmuring and grumbling, but John stood anyway, a stern look on his face. "Elizabeth Weir, Queen of Atalan, has accepted my proposal, and we are to be married this summer," he announced. This was obviously no shock to the collected noblemen. "I understand there has been some concern over the disposition of my ancestral lands."

Before the king could respond, the Marquis of Medinah rose from across the hall. "You have already shown little regard for your ancestral lands, sir," he sneered. "After the way you carved up your province to make way for a band of mercenaries -"

"A band of mercenaries who saved our lives," John interrupted, turning away from the throne to face Medinah. "You have no right to question my decisions in that regard, for you would not deign to join us at the front!"

"Peace," the king thundered, before Lord Thomas could respond. "We will not hear this bickering again. Lord John's actions with regard to the Sodan are above reproach."

John nodded to the king in recognition of his support. "My loyalty is to Queen Elizabeth," he said. "But Sheppard and her people are Caldoran. This is not a royal marriage of a few centuries ago, the marriages which changed the borders of our continent. Elizabeth of Atalan has not chosen a husband in order to reshape her kingdom."

If Cameron was not mistaken, King Henry's face betrayed his relief at John's words. But such relief was short-lived, for another stood to challenge John. "You will forgive my disbelief, sir," said Maybourne. "You are the last of your house. Your cousin, your only living kinsman, is set to marry Princess Carolyn. What else would become of your province, if you are not to take the land and its people as a token of affection for your bride?"

Maybourne's last words were so snidely delivered that John actually took a step forward before he checked himself. He took a deep breath and stared at the floor for a moment before responding. "A steward will be appointed, once my cousin and I have had the time to consult on the matter," he said. "But I imagine that will not satisfy you, Maybourne."

"It is not reassurance of anything, my lord," Maybourne replied.

John stood silent for several moments, seeming to war within himself over something. Without intending to, Cameron leaned forward, deeply curious. Then, with great deliberateness, John turned to the king. "Your Majesty, it has been a blessing these last several months to return to the land of my birth, even after having been cast out of it, that I might see my father again before his death and that I might stand and fight in defense of my countrymen." There he paused, wiping his mouth quickly, and Cameron shot a glance at Henry, whose expression was carefully controlled. "But I can no longer pretend that I can remain divided as I have been. It is my intention in the coming weeks to relinquish all claim to the marquisate of Sheppard, and all authority in the province shall pass to my cousin, Lord Cameron Mitchell."

Cameron watched John, along with many others in the hall, in a stunned silence for a moment. It had occurred to him that this might happen, but he had not truly expected it, and certainly not now. He was aware, dimly, that a number of eyes were turning to him in the aftermath, but he was still startled when a great cry went up from the assembly.

"Silence!" King Henry ordered above the general shouting. As the lords quieted, albeit reluctantly, Henry looked at John. "You are certain of this, my lord?"

"I am," John replied, steel in his voice.

"Then so be it," said the king.

"Your Majesty," said a new voice, one of the lords whom Cameron did not yet know. "This gives Lord Mitchell an unprecedented amount of power when he is prince."

Caldwell rose then, turning a rather amused look at the young man. "Unprecedented? Greater than the king's?" he said. "Lord John is well within his rights to pass the authority on to his cousin. It would be more alarming by far if he passed the authority to anyone else."

Cameron looked back to John, who nodded his thanks to Caldwell before the duke sat down.

"But is it wise to allow his marriage to the princess to go forth?" another man asked, though his voice was more perplexed than angry. "Sheppard is critical to the defense of the nation, as we have lately seen, and as both prince and marquis his power would be considerable. Forgive me, Majesty, but Lord Mitchell is not an experienced man."

Cameron opened his mouth as though to reply to this assessment of his character and abilities, but then thought better of it. For now, it was best to let the king handle questions of the marriage. "The marriage contract is signed, and I shall not nullify it to smooth a few feathers," Henry replied irritably.

There was a little more bickering, but Cameron knew that the discussion was over. There was no solution to the situation they found themselves in, other than the passage of time to give Cameron the experience everyone agreed he needed. The afternoon waned, and finally they were all released from the hall. Cameron sought solace, a place where he could think about his cousin's action before he had to speak to John on the subject. He found himself near the stables, drawing a drink of cool water from the well and leaning back against the stone.

It was never supposed to happen like this. He'd meant what he'd told John the night before. He had always pictured his life as John's second, living quietly far away from the intrigue of court, helping his cousin manage the province, but with John firmly in charge. Even during the years of John's exile, this expectation of his life had not changed. It was jarring now to think that after the exile was over, John was deliberately and fully turning away from Sheppard, even after all these months of knowing that his loyalty lay elsewhere.

He was drawing more water from the well when he heard footsteps. Carolyn stood under the archway into the tiny courtyard, a guard and her maid following her. "My lord," she said softly.

He nodded to her, and she entered. He tried to pretend that they were alone. The constant presence of others was wearying. When he offered her water, she took it silently, though she still watched him. There was a great deal on her mind, but she said nothing. Instead, she cupped his cheek, then let her fingers trail down his neck. Unable to help himself, Cameron ducked his head and kissed her.

It had been several days since he had had a moment with her when they were even remotely alone, and he had been craving this, something more than a kiss on her hand. Her response told him she felt much the same, for she did not even object when he turned her and pressed her back against the high wooden frame above the stone of the well. It was maddening, this willingness to allow him such liberties with her. At least the wedding would be soon.

When she drew away, he stayed near, bringing his hands to rest near her waist and simply enjoying her closeness. "I came to bring you to supper with Mother and Father," she said lowly, a smile playing about her mouth. "This is not precisely what I intended."

Cameron brushed his lips against her cheek. "Forgive me, but we've hardly spoken in days."

"I know," she replied. She opened her mouth to say more, but footsteps stayed her words. She looked past Cameron for a moment and drew away. Someone was approaching, and it was clear that she had no desire to be caught entangled with him in this secluded place, even though they both had attendants only a few yards away, albeit with their backs discreetly turned.

Cameron obliged her and stepped back. She moved away from the well. When he turned toward the entrance to the courtyard, he was a little surprised to see John there. "I trust I am not intruding," his cousin said, as though he knew that he was. "I had hoped to speak to you before supper, Cameron."

"I shall go on ahead," Carolyn said gently, and Cameron caught and kissed her hand before she departed.

With some effort, Cameron turned his eyes away from her departing form and focused his attention on his cousin. "I hardly know what to say, John," he began. "I can't believe you gave up everything so readily."

John hedged, clearly not sure of the subject either. "Your betrothal complicated matters for me, but whatever else I told myself, I have known, deep down, that this was coming." He reached out to run his hand along the stonework of the archway. "My home is far away. My children's home will be far away. Do not mistake me; my father's title does and always will mean a great deal to me. But I cannot be both a marquis here and a prince in the north. So Sheppard will be yours. I know you will be a fair ruler for our people."

Yet Cameron wanted to protest. John had been gone from home for so long, and he had only just regained his rightful place, first as son and heir and then as marquis. Cameron knew why John was willing to forfeit all of it, but it was difficult to hear. John was really leaving, and this departure would be more final than war and exile had been.

They left the little courtyard to join the royal family for supper, talking of whom they might appoint to rule the province once both John and Cameron were married. They had each come to the same conclusion, and they resolved immediately to pay a visit to Lady Gairwyn, and hoped that she would accept the position. Neither of them could think of a better steward for the people.

The king was waiting for them with a stern look. "Lord John, I should have liked some warning," he said as they all sat down.

John did not seem to react much to the Henry's irritation. "I had not thought my hand would be forced so early," he replied. "I did not commit to a time, however, as I thought that was something we should discuss before it is announced."

John looked to Cameron then, who hedged. "I have been traveling back to Sheppard as often as I can, cousin," he said, "but I doubt I have the time to take over the province's administration now, with so much going on here in Redwater."

"I know, but I doubt there will be a convenient time."

Carolyn, who had so far said nothing to Cameron on the subject, did not look up as she tore off a piece of bread and calmly passed the rest to her mother. "There is absolutely no reason to step aside before you and the queen are wed," she remarked.

"What?" John sounded startled.

"Let the title pass to Cameron when you marry Queen Elizabeth, my lord," she said. "There is no reason to do it sooner, and you might irritate a number of obnoxious noblemen in the process."

"Carolyn," her parents chided in unison.

She turned an innocent look to first her father and then her mother. "I do not say that is the reason he should wait," she replied. "Only that it is a windfall."

John startled chuckling, which made Cameron laugh in turn. The exchange, though, reminded him of how gifted his betrothed was. He still thought it unfair that she could not inherit the throne herself, and he could not help the feeling that the country would be better off with her as queen regnant than with him as king.

That night, after supper, he and John sat in Cameron's chambers, sharing a bottle and talking of old times, before the Ori, when they had been young boys in the hills of Sheppard. "I do not think our fathers would ever have believed the situation we find ourselves in now," John mused. "I am set to marry the Queen of Atalan, and someday you shall be king."

"I wonder which they would find more incredible," Cameron replied with a grin.

"That is an excellent question." John took a long drink and passed the bottle over. Cameron did not immediately drink from it. "I take it I did interrupt something between you and the princess earlier."

Cameron shrugged. "It was for the best, I suppose. It is not as though much more could have happened."

At that John sighed. "I know the feeling. Elizabeth's cousin actually berated the captain of her guard for allowing her to be alone with me. As though I could take such a risk, bedding her before we are married."

Cameron made a noncommittal noise, but the response caught John's attention instead of deflecting it. "Cameron," he said suspiciously, "surely you have not slept with the princess already."

"No," Cameron blurted out. "I've not even -"

Too late he realized that he had said more than he intended. John's expression turned somewhat amazed. "Never?"

After a moment of hesitation, Cameron shook his head. "I never thought it was something to take lightly," he replied, feeling his neck and face getting warm. "And then I had to fall in love with a princess, which makes such things difficult, as you have learned."

Admittedly, he sometimes wondered how far Carolyn would let him go if he tried. It was plain that she wanted him. That was strange to Cameron, who could not separate his desire from his feelings. Sometimes he reminded himself that it would be far worse if she felt no attraction to him, but he was frustrated. He knew not how he could win her love, for he wanted that at least as much as he wanted her.

There was a long silence, and Cameron risked a look at his cousin. Perhaps it was the heavy wine, but he thought John looked impressed by something. He was not certain why, but he would take that expression over the mocking John might have done if sober.

He was certain, though, that that would come in the morning.

John would be staying in Caldora until the wedding, so he and Cameron spent a great deal of their time together, as it would be the last time in the foreseeable future that John would be in Caldora. After a few days, they rode together to Cheyenne, where Gairwyn was persuaded to agree to be the steward of the province. While they were there, John was deeply relieved to see how well the city fared now that winter was nearing its close. Cameron had written him a few times on the subject, but he knew that sometimes letters did not suffice.

But still Cameron was thinking about the woman who was to be his wife. This was hardly a new occurrence, but to be thinking of her politically was. Upon their return to Redwater, Cameron sought her out, finding her with Lady Juliana and the lady's eldest daughter. "Cameron," Carolyn said, rather brightly. "We did not expect you for some days."

"The weather was poor in Sheppard," he explained. "We would have stayed longer, but the prospect of sunshine compelled us."

She rose, smiling, all the more when he kissed her hand. "May I have a moment with you, my lady?" he asked. "I would deprive you of your companions for only a little while."

"Of course," she replied, looking a little confused. Meanwhile, Lady Juliana was gently shooing her daughter out of the room, shutting the door behind them. "What is it?"

Cameron gestured for her to sit, and he paused for a moment to think of how to say this. "We have not known each other a year yet, but I have known for some time that you are head and shoulders above your peers," he said. "It is not a matter of your title. You are one of the most intelligent people I have ever met, man or woman. You have a gift for the politics of this place, and I know your father has taught you well."

By then Carolyn was starting to look alarmed, for he did not often praise her so. "Cameron, is something wrong?" she asked.

"You deserve more than this, Carolyn," he said quietly. "More than standing just behind and watching as men with half your intelligence stumble along."

Something in her expression changed, softened, as she realized what he meant. It seemed he had struck her speechless too. Cameron leaned forward and took her hands in his. "I want to speak with your father, at least, and I want to go to the assembly. Even I know that they would not accept you as heir to the throne, but surely something can be done."

When she still said nothing, he kissed her fingers and said that he would leave her in peace. "Co-regnant," she said, when he was nearly at the door. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. Carolyn seemed to be gathering her thoughts. "There is a precedent. The only time in Caldora's history when the country was ruled by a woman, more than two centuries ago. The king was too ill and the crown prince too young, so the queen was declared queen regnant, commanding the same authority as her husband the king. She reigned a little less than a year."

"What happened to her?" Cameron asked, now deeply curious, for he had never heard of this chapter of his country's history.

"She died," Carolyn explained. "Some of us think she was murdered."

He narrowed his eyes. "That does not bode well."

She nodded once, conceding the point, and rose to join him at the door. She took his hand firmly in hers, and when he squeezed back she met his gaze. "Thank you," she said. "To be honest with you, I doubt much will come of this, but thank you. It means a great deal to me to know that you value me in such a way."

"I do, Carolyn," he replied. "Do not ever doubt that."

Her father, when petitioned, was just as surprised as Carolyn, but he was extremely pleased with the suggestion. It had, evidently, occurred to him to propose the same thing, but he did not know how to suggest it to Cameron without risking offense. Cameron, on the other hand, wanted rather badly to point out that he knew he would need Carolyn's help every step of the way, no matter what her official role was.

Aurelia was equally pleased, and told Cameron the story that Carolyn had, only more colorfully and with a scandalous suggestion of how the queen had secured the support of the assembly, something which Carolyn privately assured him was nonsense.

There was no time before the wedding to set this plan in motion, but Cameron began to feel more confident of it and of himself, having the sanction of the king in this matter. He also began to speak discreetly to some members of the assembly, hoping to build support before the day he formally presented his petition to the noblemen of the land.

The next few weeks seemed to fly past. Cameron was to have new clothes for the wedding, of course, and he spent more time than he ever imagined possible with two tailors fussing over his appearance. He was only glad that John was not there to laugh at him most of the time, although he imagined that the scrutiny of John's apparel at his own wedding would be far worse. He mentioned it once to Carolyn, who got a look on her face like she was trying not to laugh.

And then the wedding was upon them. As was the custom among the men of Sheppard, John would be getting him drunk the night before and giving him all sorts of advice whether he was qualified on the subject or not, but Cameron first sought out his betrothed. She was with her mother and Lady Juliana, but consented to walk with him when he asked. They headed up to the top of the tower. The night was crisp, given that it was still winter, and when Carolyn stood close to him, he was far from objecting.

"Are you nervous?" he asked.

She leaned even closer, resting her head on his shoulder. "Yes," she replied. "Are you?"

"I am," he said, a little relieved to hear he was not alone.

"Of course, your role tomorrow will come under far less scrutiny than mine," Carolyn said, the teasing tone of her voice by now grown familiar. "Unless something drastic happens, I doubt anyone will be talking about what you were wearing years from now."

At that Cameron had to chuckle. "But you at least have practice with such things," he pointed out, turning to kiss the top of her head. Her hand tightened on his arm, and he smiled. "We will come through it well enough. Along with any other challenges that come."

They stayed up there until it was too cold to remain outside. Carolyn went back to her chambers while Cameron went to spend the rest of the evening with John, David Dixon, and Paul Davis. He managed not to drink as much as the others, not wanting to be horribly ill on his wedding day. As a result, he had less to dull his ears to some of the singing that went on as the port flowed more freely.

John in particular was looking a little worse for wear the next day, but he rallied himself to look appropriately stern as he and Cameron waited to enter the hall. Cameron was trying not to fidget with his clothes. "When you come to Atlantis for the wedding, you must keep me from drinking so much," John remarked.

"I'll try to keep that in mind," he replied dryly. "But since we're both sober now, I want to thank you for being here today."

John clapped his shoulder, then cupped the back of his head, as he had before battle. "I would not miss this for the world, cousin."

There was a knock on the door, and Dixon stuck his head in the room. "They're ready," he said.

John turned to Cameron, grinning. "Are you?"

He drew in a deep breath. "As much as I'll ever be."

He tried not to squirm while the other two laughed.

As the three came into the hall, Cameron strove to appear calm. There was a great number in attendance to witness the wedding of Caldora's princess. While he had seen the guest list himself, it was still somewhat nerve-wracking to see so many assembled and staring at him.

But soon the music began, the doors opened, and the bridal party entered in formal procession. While everyone had stood and turned to see the princess, John leaned toward him. "A far cry from the last wedding we attended," he murmured.

"Yes, as you have no speaking role in this one," Cameron reminded him, but he did not take his eyes away from his bride. She was breathtaking. Her white gown was trimmed in purple and her hair fell loose about her shoulders. Moreover, her gaze was fixed on him, and she looked so serene that Cameron could hardly believe this was truly happening.

The ceremony itself seemed to pass in a blur. They made their vows to each other in confident voices, the king gave his blessing to the union, and they kissed for the first time as husband and wife.

Afterward, they found themselves alone in a little room adjacent to the ballroom, where the celebration would begin shortly. Unable to keep his hands to himself, Cameron stood behind his wife and traced his fingers along the neck of her gown. "Cameron," she said, her breath catching.

"Yes, my lady?" he innocently replied, lifting her hand to his lips.

"You are incorrigible." She pulled away and faced him, though he saw the glimpse of a smile. "You are shortly to be crowned prince and heir to the throne."

"As though they would not wait for us to arrive," he teased, rewarded by the blush that rose in her cheeks. It was far more pleasant to concentrate on her than on what he was about to do.

The coronation was deceptively simple, given the change it wrought. Cameron swore an oath and knelt before the king as the crown of gold was set upon his brow. His wife and her parents were all wearing crowns, as befit a function such as this, but Cameron found himself envying Carolyn's. Hers was light and graceful, while he wondered how he would keep his heavier one on while they danced. Inwardly he wondered if that was a suitable thought for a prince to have at such a moment.

He need not have worried, as the crown stayed firmly on his head, although he was helped somewhat that the dances of court were not so energetic as the peasant dances in Sheppard. But as the evening passed to night, he whispered to his wife, and they slipped away from the festivities.

He joined her in her bedchamber, each of them having discarded the formal clothes of the day. Cameron poured a glass of wine for each of them. He watched Carolyn sip at hers nervously, and he reached to smooth her hair away from her face. It had only been a year since they had met, a year that had changed so many things.

Carolyn set her wine aside, and Cameron followed suit. Then, she framed his face with her hands and smiled just before she leaned in to kiss him.

As he wrapped his arms around her, he could not keep a grin off his face.

Cameron woke very early the next morning. Carolyn was still asleep, her naked body pressed against his. It was an altogether pleasant situation, one he could grow accustomed to.

The previous night had been awkward, true. With neither of them experienced in bed, there had been some rather ungraceful and uncomfortable moments, though thankfully they both had found some amusement as well. But the night held some pleasant memories too. Cameron knew he would never forget the feel of her soft skin under his fingers, or the way her body arched the first time his hand drifted between her thighs, or the sound of his name on her lips, over and over.

In the eyes of their countrymen, this union was a matter of securing the succession to the throne. He hoped that to him and his wife, it would be more precious by far.

Carolyn stirred, and the shift of her body against his made Cameron let out a little satisfied noise. He kissed her bare skin, and her hand closed over his. "Cameron?" she whispered.

He nuzzled her neck, fascinated at the moment by the graceful curve to her shoulder. "I'm here, love," he replied.

The endearment slipped out without his intent, and he froze, suddenly nervous. She seemed not to notice. "I'm glad you stayed," she said quietly.

He wondered if she had any idea how much that meant to him. In the last three months, he had learned how much she desired him, but desire was not love, nor even affection. As they lay together in her bed, he was relieved to hear her say that he was welcome here.

She turned to lie on her back. He rose up on one elbow, watching her. She looked nervous, but her hand came up to touch his face, then closed behind his neck to pull him down for a kiss. He let her control it, offering no resistance when she coaxed his lips to part. When her tongue entered his mouth, he groaned. He was never going to tire of this.

They were caressing and kissing and moving together, and the morning proved to be less awkward than the night. They were both sated in short order, though it took Carolyn a little longer this time. They lay holding each other, Cameron trying to keep most of his weight off of her. The night before, he'd discovered that she could not keep still in the aftermath. This time too, she moved restlessly, and the way her body brushed against his was as pleasant as anything else they had done thus far in bed.

For his part, Cameron had trouble keeping silent. "I love you, Carolyn," he said, low in her ear, rewarded with a whimper. At that moment he resolved not to refrain from telling her that. She was his wife, and there was no shame in what he felt for her, even if she didn't yet feel that she could honestly say it in return.

Besides, he mused while Carolyn mentioned something about breakfast, winning her heart would be just as rewarding now as it would have been before they were wed. Perhaps even more so.