Elizabeth smiled as she rested her cheek against Pavel's chest, a soft laugh bubbling up from her chest.  "You know me too well my love."  She teased, wrapping her arms around his waist to hold him tightly, the relief from seeing her husband return to her with all of his appendages still attached flooding through her.  She too knew what a volatile man Alexei could be and though deep down she knew that he probably wouldn't truly hurt Pavel, there was always that chance.<br/><br/>She lifted her head to look up at her husband through thick dark lashes.  Whiskey brown eyes twinkled with mischief as she prepared to tease him once again.  "Are you sure you didn't prepare the larger carriage for another reason?"  Her hand slipped around to  cup her husband's backside and give a firm squeeze, and pressed herself more fully against him, leaning up to kiss him on the nose with a saucy smile.<br/><br/>Laughing softly she shook her head and sighed heavily as the gravity of the situation settled back down on her, and her face grew serious once more.  "I did not think he would be happy about it, but there really is no other way."  Elizabeth moved away from Pavel slightly so that she could look up into his face, needing his reassurance that they had done the right thing.  "He will get used to it,"  She said softly with a smile, "Just as I have.  If he's truly lucky, he may even come to love her."<br/><br/>Liz couldn't help but feel a bit of pity for the young princess, having been in her place years before, and knew exactly what she was probably feeling.  "I hope she will accept me as a friend Pavel.  I can help her if she'll let me."   Liz looked down and smoothed her palms down his shirt, straightening out several of the buttons and reaching up to fix his collar and smooth his hair behind his ears and took a deep breath.  "I am ready whenever you are my love."