Now, here is one chapter of MacBear's again.
And here comes a little reading music;

Aerosmith – I don't wanna miss a thing

The Bangles – Eternal Flame

***

But even if they had walked slow, they were deemed to be too fast to sleeping chamber door. They entered, and each was frightened at first, when something crashed into the open door directly to Erik's neck. They calmed down when they saw that the surges was Mary.

"Erik, I was worried", Maria rebuked Erik, blushed and then take a step further away from the man, when she saw the King with him. "Excuse me, Highness." She said embarrassed and made a court curtsey.

"Maybe I'll leave you two alone", King said, amused and retreated back to the door.
"I'm sorry for my behavior", Maria apologized.
"You don't have to apologize", King chuckled and twinkle had returned to his eyes it, which it hadn't seen since the birth of his son, "well, it is just that you take care of him", he went on smiled broadly.
"Thank you, Highness", Maria said, curtseyed again and pressed her head into a small bow.
"I'll leave him now into your hands, Maria", King said, and left, leaving young people togeather Erik's sleeping chamber.

"I'm so sorry, Erik", Maria said as soon as the King had gone.
"It's all right", Erik said, felt a deep affection for the maiden to produce. He realized that she would always remain by his side, and never go away. Erik pulled Mary close and kissed her tenderly, "I love you", he whispered softly, when they diverged from each other.
"I love you too", Maria said, still holding Erik's hand to her own.
Erik felt how soft and warm and slender maiden hands where to compaired to his own work hardening hands.

After a while they were just close to each other, to feel each other's touch. Erik finally sat down on the edge of the bed, Maria continues to put on hold chores. He was followed by Maria view and felt involves mixed emotions of her. Erik loved deeply to that maiden who answered his emotions so mindedly, and didn't fled screaming in the horror when seeing a nasty burning mark on his arm.

However, he did not want to judge the girl at the same hell, where he himself had lived his life. His heart was overwhelmed by these conflicting feelings, hopes and the bitter disappointment which he had experienced more than he wanted to.

"Erik, are you okay?" Asked Maria, who had seen the varying emotions of his melancholy and pale face.
"I am. I ... I'm just wondering whether this will work even then", Erik said at last, and sighed heavily, "I mean, I'm happy now and I want to spend my life with you, but I'm afraid that I condemn you as well to the same hell, where I have been all my life", he finally said, and pressed his eyes on the floor in shame.
"Erik, if that happens, I'll be there with you", Maria said, and sat down next to Erik, "you've been alone for so long, and I want to help you by sharing your burden, if it is my destiny", she went and stroked gendly Erik's thin arm.
"But ... I could not forgive myself if you put to shame because of me. I can't do that to you", Erik said unhappily.
He understood, how strong young woman, Maria, was, and that she'll be standing behind her words, but, after all, he wanted to save that innocent creature against all evils of the world, which he had already encountered.

"I understand you, and I'll say it again, that I stay by your side at all times, no matter what happens." Maria said, and pressed a gentle kiss to Erik's cheek. Erik felt Maria's warm breath tickle to his skin. How soft and gendle her lips felt like. . "I love you, not your crown, not noble ancestry, but you. And only you", she went and looked at Erik's eyes.
"But what your family would say if they knew", Erik said, worried and put his hand on top of his left upper arm.
"Oh, they don't say anything, because my parents died when I was just a litle girl. I have no siblings and my my grandmother, who raised me, died before last winter", Maria said, and felt sad, because she understood Erik well and because of this she love him so deeply. She wanted to be close to Erik, make him happy because for so long he had been without it.
"Forgive me, I'm so sorry, I should have realized", Erik said, embarrassed, and looked at his toes tips.

"Don't be", Maria said softly, "you've been without family and I, if no one, knows how it feels." She went.
"You will still have always been a support and security", Erik said, "in my life, there have been only a handful of people, to whom I'm ever indebted to, and you are one of them", he went and smiled sadly.
"Now you been silly." Maria said, cheeks glowing in red and smiled shyly.
"I'm serious." Erik said, and finally his lips curved to a small smile, "I owe you, because you kept me alive in that hell hole, even though I didn't see you that often", he continued.

"Oh, Erik." Maria said, blushing stronger.
"I love you, Maria." Erik said, looking directly into to her gendle eyes.
"I love you too." Maria answered his and looked at Erik's dark brown eyes, which she could see the sorrow that had been left into the dark depths of his eyes.

Deep silence fell in the room, both of them just watching each other. Unnoticed as their hands roamed over the body anothers. Lips find on anothers lips. They startled when the door opens and jumped apart, when they hear a light amused cough at the door.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness." Maria slur and looked at the Queen, face glowing in red.
"Perhaps we should have the wedding as soon as possible, otherwise the two of you are doing something irreversible", Queen said with a smile and looked at both of them.
"Yes, a wedding", Erik muttered confused.
"Erik, your father wants to have a party on your honor", Queen said, and looked at her son happy that he had been back to her.
"Party", Erik said, and went more and more confused, "I don't know. Not really set the party.", he added, embarrassed. He wasn't just never celebrated anything. Only once in the monastery he was celebrated his birthday, when he reached the age of majority.
"But your father would want”, Queen said, looking lovingly at his son. She well understood reluctance. For him it was only now that so many things to become clear and acclimatization to a new life would still have time.
"Well, alright", Erik reluctantly agreed and asked that the party doesn't render very large for him.

"Wonderful." Queen said with a smile and pressed a light kiss on his son's cheek.
"Uh ... well ... Mother..." Erik started tangled, when he didn't know how he would be expressed his case, "well, as I would like, that we would have our wedding to a small scale. I don't like loud uproar because of it. When the ... when this is new to me", he went on to explain his case in snatches and twisted his fingers nervously.
"Anything you want, my dear son.", Queen said softly and gently touched his son's chin, "let's see what I can arrange."
"I would like that Brother Ignatius would marry us. He is authorized to do such a thing, and he's a good friend of mine", Erik continued and calmed down a little, when his request doesn't knocked out, "in fact, the only friend of mine, in cluded to to Maria", he continued and looked at his toes.
"It fits very well”, Queen said, stepping to the door, then turned, "Maria, would you come with me", she asked kindly.
"Yes, your gracious Highness", Maria said, and bowed in small ways, "bye then Erik. I'll see you again later", she said, and kissed Erik quickly, before almost ran after the queen.

Erik was left alone and sat down on the edge of the bed. There he sat for who knows how long, and stared front of him at the happy smile on his face . Still, he hesitated a little bit of that big case, but he knew in his heart what he wanted and he wanted to be alongside to Maria until his death.

A little later, Maria came back over to Erik, who stared at this, for the maiden was now a breathtakingly beautiful, on a derss suitable for a princess.

"You're beautiful." Erik gasped out without taking his eyes off Mary.
"Now you been silly again." Maria said with a smile and cheeks glowing red.
"I have never seen a maiden than you." Erik said, and felt how the heart banged hard in the chest.

He just wanted to be with Maria. Wanted to take care of that maiden and protect her like the fragile flower in his hand. His feelings towards to that beautiful maiden than you was strong. He felt what those feelings were ablaze in his chest like a fire. Those feelings were stronger, perhaps because for so long those feelings were banned from him.

"Erik, you speak so beautifully", Maria gasped and looked at him happily. She saw the sense of the fire in the eyes of the man and knew that one thing would lead soon to another, if they would stayed togeather, bit longer, "I just wanted to come and see you before I go to bed", she said.
"I thank you", Erik said stepped forward and gently took to Maria's hand to his own and kissed up on her cuddly hand, "good night, my love", He continued and pulled the woman closer to pressing a passionate kiss on her red lips.

"Good night, Erik my love", Maria said, and walked out of the room.

She was a little bit on other worlds, because she had seen how strongly Erik felt and wanted to be alongside with him. She wanted him to have to experience everything the other ordinary people. All the things that he had been missed out in his live.

***

A few days later celebrated to Erik's and Maria's wedding, but there was not for many people, because Erik didn't want to keep the noise, and he doesn't even know who to invite. Because none of the monks to the monastery, wouldn't come, except the abbot, and Ignatius was already in the castle. Erik thought that Luke would not have time to come, as he had a monastery to perform and Erik didn't want to interfere with this, so he sent him a letter and tell him everything that had happened to him.
 

However, the wedding went according to the formula by which it was to go into royal, even though the wedding was modest. After the wedding was a small-scale party, and after that Maria and Erik retreated from the room prepared for them. At last, they could be togeatger. At last they could now show feelings to others, without being unauthorized.

Erik pulled Maria's close to him and kissed her passionately.

He felt the woman's warm body against his own and felt her hands that curiosity roamed along her body. His own hands roamed along the woman's body, touching her gently and with care, like the this would have been the most fragile glass. It all happened by itself they had both affectionate to each other, because understood time was right for both the first. They were waiting for each other give each other time, touching each other affectionately mind hand lips. Until late at night they fell asleep to entwined each other and slept down until the morning.

Erik woke up first, but not the heart to wake a sleeping still Mary, her sleep looked very beautiful. He spent his time watching Maria's's face, which are reddish-blonde hair framed beautifully.

Erik did not know how long it had been looking at Mary, when she opened her eyes and looked back with a smile. There they rested close to each other watched each other, without getting enough of it.

Maria's soft fingers made excursions along Erik's body, and he gave it to happen. Woman's gaze glided along the arms, the chest and fingers brushed lightly his scarred back.

Maria felt how to Erik shuddered to her touch, and saw how he closed his eyes, like he was ashamed of his scars.

"Ssh. There is nothing to worry about", Maria said quietly pressed so close against Erik, that their lips touched each other.
"Forgive me", Erik said quietly, and gave his fingers brushed lightly Maria's smooth skin and explore to her soft shapes. "It takes a long time before I learned, if I ever learned", he continued and looked at Maria's face with a gentle, warm smile.

"It's all right", Maria said, and pressed a gentle kiss on her fresh husband's lips, "I love you with all your scars", she added with smiling.
A room of silence descended and the both of them just enjoying each other's company and wanted to weigh every moment of mind, as this was one of the best moments of Erik's life.

"We should probably get up", Erik said at last and toyed gently with one light strand of hair, which finally brought gently to one side Maria's's beautiful face.
"Yeah, I guess", Maria admitted, though she didn't really want to get up from the bed yet.

She wanted to be Erik's company forever, but she knew that they could not be just lying on the bed the whole day. There was so much to do and Erik had still a lot to learn.
That serene moment lasted half an hour, until the servant came in and brought the breakfast tray on a table nearby.

"Your breakfast, your Excellency", ervant said, and bowed.
"But you didn't have to", Erik said, confused, "I had thought to come the kitchen for breakfast", He continued, as he really wasn't used to the fact that the food was brought to him.
"Why your Excellency would bother to come the kitchen?" The servant asked confused.
"Well, uh..." Erik stammered and embarrassed. This was another one of those things that he should learn, "the old way", he muttered at last and stared at the his fingers.
"Your Excellency is welcome in the kitchen, if you wish so, but I would advise to enjoy your breakfast in peace and quiet here", servant said, smiling and hinted eye, "and you don't need to bring a tray in the kitchen, one of us will get it later", he added, bowing and left, leaving the young couple to their own peace.

Erik was silent and just sat still. He was embarrassed, but it was new, and he was still not used to being served. When He was used to being the one who serves and does the work.

"Erik, are you all right?" Maria said and wrapped her arms around Erik.
"I am. I just... this all is so new to me and I don't know how to be properly served", Erik answered her at last and looked at Maria's gentle face.
"I understand, you're been through a lot and you know how brutal the lower caste life can be at its worst", Maria said gravely and pressed a gentle kiss to Erik's cheek, "but you are a noble and kind man and that's why I love you so much", she added, a small smile coming back to her lips.
"Thank you, Maria. I do not know how I would cope without you", Erik sighed and pulled himself closer to Maria. That he knew that if he would have to give up Maria sometimes, live doesn't longer be worth of living, "I'm sorry, I'm not a perfect dream prince", he sighed and wondered miserably again for the umpteenth time, that could he be the ruler after all.

"Erik, I've said that I don't care about the titles or the jewels in the crown. I love you just the way you are and how you met for the first time”, Maria answered him, wondering how much remains to be needed, before Erik evolved into exactly the kind of king than expected.

She wanted to be the man's aid, because that is what he was in need, especially now that his was to fall on the shoulders big burden of responsibility. Maria knew that the thing was a big deal for Erik and this felt that it was in a different way, as if he had lived his life in the castle as should have been if that disgusting man, Julian, had been in existed.

"But ..." Erik began, but received complete a sentence, when Maria put her slender fingers to his lips.
"Ssh, my dear, do not talk. I'll be with you always, and I'll never leave you. I want to be by your side at all times, wherever you go. I go with you", Maria said quietly and looked straight into Erik's dark brown, which had a melancholy look, "I love you, just as you are, because I can see how good and honest you are, even if you have to face so much injustice in your life", she continued and pressed a gentle kiss on his lips.
"What I'd do without you", Erik said with a rough voice, and response for his wife's gentle kiss.

For a long time, they didn't see anything else but each other and just felt each others light touch. Breakfast would have been forgotten from those two, if Erik's stomach would rumble loudly. Erik blushed and Mary got a small giggle, which she quickly tried to suppress.

"I'm sorry." Maria said, looking tenderly Erik.
"It's all right." Erik said quietly and added, "It is high time to eat."

So they enjoyed the castle chef conjured up from breakfast, which consisted of fruit, bread and wine. After breakfast, they laze around for a while, before they dressed on. However, Erik was accustomed to from an early age to work and take care of everything, so this kind of slacking off was new for him, and he still had not got used to it and hardly ever be come get used to.

Maria noticed Erik's uncertainty and occasional gloomy thoughts, who visited like shadows on his face. She saw the how low self-esteem his was pressed and knew that it would take a long time, until it could be fixed, if ever. After all, a man has been a slight change for the better, but would a long way to the front, and not the way it be come be easy.

Maria hoped that her love would help and she felt more strongly desire to be the man alongside with and support this. Because love, acceptance, warmth and kindness is what that man needed right now, because for so long he had been without it.

"What are you thinking about?" Erik asked, and looked searchingly Maria's face.
"You," Mary answered and smiled. Erik didn't say anything, but he smiled.

Both fell into silence again, because company of each other was enough for them.

Later in the evening they went to the great hall, where there was a sumptuous dinner.

It seemed like a tasty for everyone, but Erik ate very carefully, as always, for he was still not used to such a large quantity of food, having lived for so many years by a narrow and sometimes very one-sided diet.