<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#99ff99">"As I love you, Gwendolyn Amauri."  He deliberately left off her title -- this was no place for crowns.  Instead, he returned her kisses with sweet tenderness, stroking her face.  "Well?" he asked, good humor in his face.  "Did I conform to your expectations?  Or those of your handmaidens?  I doubt this is what they had in mind for your first coupling but -- did it meet your fantasies, bright heart?"<br/>
<br/>
As awareness filtered back in, so too did responsibility.  He should leave her now, escape to his rooms.  Should gather up the soiled bedsheets and take them with him -- but -- he wanted to lie here in her arms.  He wanted to greet the dawn with her.  Every dawn.  It would be wise for them to find an ally among her body servants -- someone who would not look askance at finding the Queen's Champion very much in the Queen's bed.</span></span>