She came in in green. Emerald green. Velvet gathered at her bust, shoulders bare and aglow with candlelight, her dark hair tumbling tousled and luxurious.

The room turned. The whole room.

She did not wear the jewels of all the other ladies, would not accept the jewels I had procured for her. It was as she descended the stairs, eyes fixed nervously on mine, that I realised how superfluous jewels would have been. Gems glittered in her eyes as she glided t'ward me amidst the congregation. My goblet hand almost fell.

She swallowed as she stood right in front of me, smile quivering.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, as I stood transfixed, the lords and ladies of my audience gradually returning to conversations, musicians roused once more.

"Sorry?" I asked, lowly, eyes following the graceful curve of her neck, over the velvet, resisting her bust, where hidden flowers lay.

"I tried my best-" she looked down on herself- "but-"

"I am the proudest man in this room," I assured her. Her soft-pink lips parted as she stared up at me, beguiling. "Meg, my faery maiden."

"'Maiden' no longer," she whispered with a tantalising grin, eyes darting around as she turned her back to me but moved closer.

"Shh," I replied with a smirk, my fingers finding hers, her palms burning. "You are still a maiden in heaven's eyes..." I muttered, though the warmth between us indicated how close to supposed damnation we had come thus far into our engagement. How wicked we were.

He inhaled and I felt his chest against my back and shivered like a new sprout from the earth. His breath cascaded over my shoulders and I begged the fates to be alone with him, for him to teach and inspire me...

What sparkling, dark wonder I found with him, Guy, my guy.

I burned for his strength, yearned to release the awakened undulations of my body, the music of man and woman, the rhythm...

I was quite sure I was the most satisfied Lady in Locksley.

And I wasn't even married to the Sheriff yet.