So, here Adrian was. A masquerade ball. Why? The King's Coronation, of course! Naturally, he only came here to boost his and Serenity's reputations. However, now, once again, he could be close to his wife. The dance between them was soon, they planned to dance at Midnight. So, that's what left him here, waiting. His cloak was draped over the chair, his rings and chain glinting in the candle light. Indeed, the only thing that distinguished him was the scar peeking out of the left side of his hawk mask. So, that's how he found himself, waiting for his wife to appear.

As the clock neared midnight and the people in attendance prepared to reveal them to the secret love they had been spending their evening with, Serenity Smith walked though the throng of people with another more pleasant purpose in mind. After seeing Alden obviously forgetting her for the Duke’s niece this evening left Serenity in a strange mood. She was hurt, angry, and God forbid…jealous. Of course, she had no reason to be, she had a husband who loved her more than life itself and who she cared deeply for. And that therein laid the problem. In the month she had spent with Adrian before their marriage was magical, wonderful. For the first time in her life, Serenity felt truly loved, a feeling she hadn’t had since her time with Alden. She had no right to feel envy for Victoria when she had everything she ever wanted.


…except Alden…


But Alden had his chance to follow his heart and he didn’t, and now Serenity was with Adrian and was trying her hardest to feel the passionate love for him that she had once felt for the Duke of Marcheford who was the father of the child she carried within her. She was determined to do it, and it was those thoughts she possessed as she crossed the dance floor, dressed from head to toe in a beautiful red and gold gown with matching slippers and a radiant robin’s mask to hide her face from every person…every person but one. And that one she found waiting for her near a chair in the ballroom of Sapphire Palace. Instantly, all thoughts of Alden and envy were washed away, and Serenity had eyes only for the man who was her husband.


The man she was slowly beginning to love deeply.


“Excuse me Marquess Smith,” Serenity teased softly with a smile. “Forgive me for intruding, but have you seen my husband. We are to dance at midnight and I long to see him again.”

"No m'lady, I suppose I haven't. That is, if you were reffering to someone except myself."


He said, standing up, the rings he had on glinting in the chandeleir light. He gazed at his wife, whom he had been consumed by like wildfire during a drought. He stood there for a moment, reflecting on the events that had led to this particular moment in time. He embraced his wife as a husband should and lifted her up for a half moment.


"It is very hard for a man to wait for his wife, knowing she is dancing with other men."


He whispered into into her ear, jokingly. He held he there for another moment in his strong, gentle hands. He sighed and pulled back as the music began to play again, in full stride.


"M'lady, I'd be greatly honored if you'd allow me to share this dance with you."


He said, placing his right arm around his wifes waist, the left hand on her left hand. That is how the dance started. The dance neither would forget. A dance that sealed the passion shared between those bonded through God and holy rite.


"Know this, I will love you for as long as there is a single whisp of air left in me...and much longer than that."


He whsipered to her, his head close to hers.

Hearing Adrian say those words, those honest heartfelt words ripped Serenity’s heart to shreds. After all that had happened, all the positive changes her life had experienced by this wonderful man who was holding her in his loving arms…Serenity could not give her whole heart to him! She could not give him her entire self because part of her heart and the physical being that was growing inside of her had ties to Alden that could not be broken. Ties that Serenity for some reason wanted to remain, and this was the reason her heart and her head were in conflict. One was telling the young woman to move on and let her be loved by the man who had given her everything Alden didn’t. While the other pined for the love that was made and grew those many months ago in Marcheford while at the same time slowly falling in love with the Marquess who loved her without cause or prejudice.


Both men were a permanent part of her life, and Serenity could not reject either of them. But she wanted to love her husband most and stop thinking of Alden every other minute of the day. She wanted to look in to Adrian’s beautiful eyes and love him the same way he did her. Serenity wanted most of all to return the words he had just whispered to her on the dance floor, a promise she knew he would keep. Why couldn’t she do it? How did Serenity gain so much happiness…only to live in torment?


“Why,” Her words came out softly as she was trying to hold back tears. “Why do you love me as passionately as you do? Adrian I carry another man’s child, I think of him almost as much as I think of you…and I can’t give you my whole heart because of him. But yet you still love me, and are patient and kind and talk to my child as if it were yours. Why…tell me why you don’t resent me, why you don’t hate me…I deserve your scorn and your hurt but instead you give me a passionate love more than I have ever known. You know I can’t return your words but you say them anyway and I can see in your eyes…that they come from the deepest corners of your heart…and it rips mine to shreds at the thought of hurting you so….”


Serenity finally stopped, her voice cracking and fresh tears streaming down her face beneath her mask. “Why are you the most wonderful thing to come out of my horrible life?”