From the way that our story has been told over the years, you would think that everything worked out right away. People love to say that we were married on the day of our knighting ceremony. A perfect ending to our quest.

The truth about rumors and legends is that they tend to skip the tough parts. It takes time and patience to build a life together, and after what we had just been through? We were not yet ready to admit what we had come to mean to each other in such a short amount of time.

We each had our reasons to be scared. Our scars, both visible and not, had just barely started to heal. After fighting for so long for a chance to prove myself, to be more than a simple farm girl, I finally had a seat at the round table. I had only dreamed about Camelot, being in the very center of the Kingdom and truly having a role in protecting our people.

And Garrett? He had literally been living in the shadows for years and now suddenly found himself back in the very place that had been so cruel to him. He was learning that this version of himself, without his sight, did have a place in Camelot. It was far different than the life he had imagined for himself.

I knew that we had strong feelings between us, but for Garrett, who was used to isolation and relying on himself, admitting to intense emotions was not easy. I didn't want to push him, and although there were jests made that we should be married by the King at the knighting ceremony, we laughed them off. It had only been one week since our return from the Forbidden Forest, and it felt too soon.

The day of the ceremony was both joyous and somber. We both felt the weight of my father's legacy as we joined the ranks of great men before us. We stood up, newly knighted, and I looked around at the knights surrounding us. They were all men, and all sighted.

I knew that Garrett felt he was somehow beneath them: less capable, less of a man, less of a Knight. I wanted to show him how wrong he was but didn't know where to begin. I took his hand and squeezed it before looping my arm through his. He exhaled audibly, and I knew that my familiar presence was reassuring amidst all of the change. There were still many things left unsaid between us, but I knew that now was not the time.

When the music started, I tugged at his arm excitedly. "Dance with me, Sir Garrett?"

He hesitated. "I...this is going to sound foolish, but I've truly never dance before. And not being able to see what I'm doing..." he trailed off, but I wouldn't take no for an answer.

"I'll guide you, and so will the music. Do you trust me?"

He smiled then, letting me lead him towards the circle of dancers. "Always."

As we swayed together, we both must have started to speak about a dozen times. Finally, he pulled me away from the crowd.

"Kayley, I wanted to thank you. Truly. I know I...I'm not good at expressing it, but I'm...grateful." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. It was strange to see Garrett at such a loss; he was usually very clear about what he thought and what he wanted. Did he want what I wanted?

I reached out to smooth the lines of worry between his brows. Always so serious, always on guard. I knew that came from the necessity of constant self-preservation in the forest.

"What are you thanking me for? You saved me more times than I can count." I trailed off, my hand tracing down his face. I felt the faded scars from when he was blinded, usually hidden by his hair, down to his strong jaw. He closed his eyes and leaned into my touch.

I took a deep breath and kissed him then, the barest brush of my lips over his. He had kissed me in the forest, but that felt like another lifetime. We had been secluded, in danger and unsure if we would even make it to this point.

I felt eyes on us and didn't protest when he didn't kiss me back.

"Can we find somewhere to talk, after the celebration?" He asked quietly. The worry lines were back.

I didn't have a chance to answer as I was pulled back into the dance. I looked over my shoulder to see Garrett find his walking stick and exit the gathering.