Upon A Time

Chapter Twenty-Seven Part Two

"If you are certain I will make a good wife for you, and a fit queen for the people," Charlotte said, unable to deny her love for him any longer. "Then, yes, Your Highness. I will."

"Oh, Charlotte, how I love you," He kissed her again, and then smiled at her broadly. "No one is more certain you are fit to be queen than I am... and my mother is going to love you."

"I certainly like her already," Charlotte whispered, as Julien kissed up and down her neck, nuzzling her ivory skin. "Oh, my parents!" she exclaimed at last. "What will they say?"

"I've already asked your father's permission, in fact..." Julien admitted, color rising to his face.

"He gave it?" Charlotte exclaimed, shaking her head. "You two were busy while I was gone."

Julien laughed softly. "His exact words were that I could have your hand, and your heart, if I could catch them." There was one last question Julien had to be certain of the answer to before they could go on. "Have I, Charlotte?"

"Through all and in all, my darling," Charlotte whispered, taking his face tenderly into her hands. For the first time, she risked to brush the tips of her fingers over the scars on the left side.

Julien's emotions were plain as he realized this was the woman who would only ever look at him and see a whole man; not a remnant of the man he once had been.

This was the night of his life, and he knew how he wanted it to end.

"Help me, please, slip the ring off my hand?"

She took the signet ring off of him, huge though it was, and handed it to him. "Temporary," he whispered, as he slid the enormous thing onto her hand. They both laughed as it barely dangled there. She took it and placed it upon her thumb instead, and then she kissed him deeply.

"Charlotte... Charlotte... Charlotte..." he whispered. "Stay with me tonight. Don't leave."

"I must, Julien," she sighed in pleasure as his kisses upon her neck and shoulders deepened. She didn't want to leave at all. "We are not married yet."

"Then marry me tonight," he asked. "I cannot bear to sleep another night without your heart beating beside mine."

She backed up and looked at him in surprise. "You're not serious."

"Entirely. Was that not a Friar, traveling among the men with Etienne?"

"Yes, he is outside in the yard, enjoying a bottle of wine with my father."

"Then fetch the Friar, and let us be wed tonight, here, in secret, with only your family and Etienne as witness. Then, when all is arranged, I will stand upon my new leg and await you at the end of a cathedral aisle, to take you before our entire kingdom as my wife and rightful Queen."

"You are serious!" Charlotte glanced at the glass on the wall and appraised herself: her dirty face, stained dress, matted hair, and smelling of battle and horses...

"I am, and I won't stop asking until you say yes."

Her face fell, and for a moment she considered someone else's feelings. Someone she wished to cause no more pain than she already had, and would, in the days ahead.

"Thomas cannot know. Not until later."

"Thomas already knows, Charlotte. What matter is it when his heart breaks, sooner or later? If I were he, I would prefer for it to be sooner. He is a knight now; he will behave as one."

Charlotte looked at him and tears fell silently down her cheeks. "Then I suppose I shall fetch the Friar."

"Before you do, my bride," Julien caught hold of her hand and, as he had done before, pulled her gently back towards him. "Let us swear vows to each other now, in private, before anyone else in the world hears or sees. Then we will be wed in the eyes of Heaven, and all else is but legality."