Brenda turned her cheek into the warmth of Jax's hands and then leaned forward and up to brush her soft, eager lips with slow provocation over his.

      "I will show you," she said, kissing him again and again until they were both breathless and longing for deeper intimacy.

     Jax's blue eyes smoldered with passion as he gazed down at her, his breathing as erratic as hers. Then he whistled, and his stallion came up to the gates of the Enchanted Forest, awaiting its master.

     Jax took Brenda's hand, leading her to the gates. Seeing the Prince coming, the Knight Glenn, who'd been guarding the gate, opened it to let the Prince and his new princess exit. Jax paused to speak privately with Glenn, and Brenda began to head towards the palace, but Jax stopped her, finished speaking with Glenn, and then turned back to Brenda, lifting her high atop his stallion and then climbing up behind her, holding her sideways in his lap, securely against his body.

     They waited there for but a few minutes, until four knights on horseback were there around them and they were all leaving the palace.

     Brenda had not said a word, but now she gazed up at Jax. "We are leaving?"

      "Yes," he said.

     Brenda was a trifle disappointed. Hadn't Jax wanted her to show him how much she loved him? And she certainly had been ready to do just that! She had been quite prepared to race into the palace and up to the bedchamber and give herself completely to him, but now here they were leaving.

      "I don't understand," Brenda said, trying not to feel hurt.

      "You don't understand that I want to take you home?" Jax said.

     Home? Home!

     She smiled then. "Windsor Castle? We're going to your castle?"

      "Our castle."

     She gazed up at him. "And then are we going to…"

      "Yes," he said, giving her a look that set her very blood on fire.

     She suddenly found it difficult to breathe normally, and her eyes could not seem to stop staring at his mouth.

      "Jax?" she said, her voice appealingly breathless.

      "Yes?"

      "Can we possibly go… faster?" she asked.

     Jax laughed, a soft sensual sound that made her melt inside. He ran his hand along her cheek. "Don't you know that good things are supposed to come to those who wait for them?"

     Brenda captured his hand and brought it to her lips. "I can't wait," she confessed. "I want to be with you, Jax. Now."

     Jax's eyes remained riveted on her for a long time. It was all he could do not to ravish her right here atop this horse. Did she have no idea what her words did to him? What that look she was giving him did to him?

     They reached Windsor Castle several minutes later. Jax had a few words with his knights, and then he slid Brenda off his horse and into his arms. She wanted to kiss him in the worst way and was vexed by that ridiculous royal rule about not kissing him in public without asking permission. Jax saw the mutiny in her eyes and knew he was about to be kissed. He didn't care. He didn't admonish her or stop her. In fact, he met her halfway and gave her a kiss that stole her very senses. The knights watched in astonishment, as their new princess passionately kissed their prince right in front of them. And never having asked Prince Jasper for permission, at that.

     The Knight Steven shook his head. "She's going to change everything around here," he predicted. And although he grumbled the words in annoyance, there was a slight smile on his lips.

      "Every bloody thing," the Knight Owen agreed, an out-and-out grin on his face.

     Brenda was finally able to tear her sizzling lips away from Jax's, realizing it was impolite to be displaying such unbridled passion in front of the knights, not to mention it was rude to not at least bid the knights a good evening.

      "Goodnight, Steven, Owen, Connor and Ian," she said in the quickest goodnight there ever was, and then she was tugging on Jax's hand, eager to get inside. Jax, just as eager, was right behind her. In fact, soon it was Brenda who had to nearly run to keep up with Jax's long, quick strides. Finally, as he propelled her into the grand castle and up the curving gold-and-marble staircase, she had to stop and catch her breath, laughing all the while. "Jax, wait just a moment!" she said breathlessly.

     Jax halted in his tracks and cupped her face in his hands, his eyes a wonderful mixture of passionate intensity and glints of humor at her breathlessness. "Now it is I who can't wait, Brenda," he said.

     Brenda let out a little yelp as Jax scooped her up into his arms and carried her the rest of the way to their bedroom. "Welcome home," Jax said to her, as he dramatically kicked the bedroom door shut so that he would not have to release her from his arms. "This is your new bedroom, Your Highness," he said, indicating the elegant, yet decidedly masculine surroundings of the enormous bedroom they stood in. "You can redecorate it if you'd like," Jax told her. "Nothing too… er…pink… I hope though."

     Brenda grinned and kissed him.

      "There is an adjoining room, which is officially the princess's chamber, but I'd rather you spend most of your time here."

      "Oh, really?" she teased, kissing him again.

      "I'd rather you spend all of your time here, actually, and never use that other room for the purpose it was intended. We could turn it into a sitting room for you, or a music room, or anything else you'd like," Jax offered earnestly.

      "You'll be getting rid of the bed in there then?" she asked innocently.

      "Yes," he said.

      "Why?" she asked, putting on a face of disappointment.

     Now it was Jax's turn to look disappointed. "You won't need it, Brenda."

     She laughed at the insistence in his tone, and he realized she had only been teasing him. He kissed her several times. "I'm so happy that you're finally mine," he said softly.

      "And I am happy that you are mine, Your Highness."

      "Do you like your new home?" Jax asked her.

      "Home," Brenda said with a smile. "I love my new home."

     Jax kissed her. "I love my new wife."

      "I love my new husband, but shouldn't he really be divesting me of this cumbersome wedding attire?" she asked.

     Jax slid her to the ground, but kept his arms around her, keeping her close to him as his eyes raked over her. "He certainly should. But he's wanting to know if his new wife is nervous?"

     Brenda bit her lip. "She's wanting him to know she is. But just a little. And only because she loves him so very much and doesn't want to - for anything in the world - disappoint him," she said, sliding her arms up around his neck.

      "He'd like her to know she could never disappoint him."

      "She'd like him to remember, however, that she's never…uumm…done this, and…"

      "He should hope not," Jax said with a smile. "He wants her to stop worrying this instant. She should know that he loves her, and it's going to be absolutely perfect." His lips touched down softly on her temple.

     Brenda gazed up into his eyes, her fingers stroking his face. "It will be, won't it, Jax?" she asked quietly.

      "Yes," he whispered. "I promise." Then he pulled her even closer to him. "Now let's see what we can do about getting that gorgeous wedding dress off of you, Your Highness." Jax reached his arms around her and started to undo the tiny buttons that marched down the back of her magnificent wedding gown. His fingers moved with a deliberate, agonizing slowness, sending hot desire down Brenda's spine with each touch. And his lips trailed down the side of her neck, as his fingers trailed down the buttons at her back.

     A soft moan spilled from Brenda's lips, as she placed her hands on his shoulders to steady herself. The entire room seemed to be spinning in a sensual haze.

      "I adore you," Jax murmured, as he kissed her hair and then her ear, his tongue swirling along her ear lobe, as his hands continued to undo her gown. "Have I ever told you that I want a little girl with hair just like yours?"

     Wordlessly, Brenda shook her head. They had never discussed children. She had assumed he wanted an heir, a son - all men did. And as the Prince it was imperative he have one, of course. But she had never dreamed that he would want a daughter - a little girl, just like her, no less. "I myself had been thinking about a little boy with your golden hair and blue eyes…and that little dimple in his chin," she said in the softest voice.

     Jax undid the remaining buttons of her wedding gown with great speed now. "Well," he said, "we'll just have to keep working on it until we both get what we want, won't we?"

     Within seconds the wedding dress fell to the floor, leaving Brenda clad only in her thin, silky chemise. He started to push the sheer garment from her shoulders, but Brenda stopped him. "Wait," she said, wanting to undress him as he had her. And Jax allowed her to, knowing it would help ease any remaining wedding-night nervousness she was experiencing.

     She reached for his cravat and slowly pulled apart it's intricate folds. And when she was done, she moved to his royal jacket, and then his white shirt, savoring each inch of flesh that was revealed as she undid each button. Jax could only withstand that sweet torture for a few moments and with a groan, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the huge, four-poster bed.

     He lowered her onto the bed. "Oh god, you are so beautiful," he said reverently touching her. "Brenda, I'm going to have to kiss you now." And he did, his tongue slipping into her mouth, caressing her deeply. Kissing her with a passionate hunger and urgent need. It was a kiss that thrilled and seduced and let her know he intended to fulfill his promise of perfection to the letter.

     Brenda abandoned herself to the passion of the moment, wrapping her arms eagerly around Jax as he came to join her on the bed. Even as he was ridding himself of his clothing, he couldn't stop touching her or kissing her, and the heat of his hands, combined with the sensual feel of silk rubbing against skin, was nearly enough to send her over the edge. She was filled with such need, such longing, such desire. Never had she felt such things with such intensity as she did at this moment. She wanted something, although she knew not what. Needed something; again she knew not what. But she knew that Jax would know what it was and would give it to her, would show her, would fill this aching need inside of her. She moaned his name softly, over and over again, barely aware that she was even doing that.

      "Shh, sweetheart, I'm here," he murmured.

     And he was, Brenda assured herself. They were facing each other, on their knees on the bed, and every glorious, naked inch of him was suddenly pressed up against her. But her chemise still lay in the way and Brenda tore at the garment in her haste to suddenly get it off and feel Jax fully against her with no barriers at all.

      "Shh," Jax said again, stilling her hands. "Let me." Placing his hands on her silk-covered hips, he started to push the chemise up along her body, leaving twin trails of fire along her sides. Jax felt as if he were unwrapping a delicate treasure; Brenda felt as if heaven was contained in Jax's hands. As it slid upward, his hands snaking the garment off of her with delicious slowness, Brenda felt as if her entire body was aflame, burning up with unfulfilled need. Oh, she loved him; she wanted him. She needed him.

     Jax finally pulled the silk chemise up over her head, tossing it aside somewhere on the other side of the room. He sucked in his breath as her naked body was at last completely revealed to him. She was breathtaking. His heart raced wildly inside of him. His already aroused body became even more aroused at the sight of her.

     Brenda flushed beneath the delicious intensity of his gaze, her skin tingling in anticipation and just the slightest bit of nerves. When his hand settled around her breast, she gasped, barely able to comprehend the sensations that shot down to her abdomen. And then his fingers stroked and she knew she was lost. "Oh, Jax," she moaned, awash in pleasure. "Kiss me. Please, kiss me."

     Jax's smile was the most sensual thing Brenda had ever seen. "Splendid idea, love," he murmured. He leaned down and kissed the dark, rosy peak of one breast, as his hand continued to massage the other.

     Brenda nearly screamed. "Oh, my god!" she burst out. "That wasn't what I meant."

      "Mmm, I know. But it's what you want now, isn't it?"

     Brenda could hardly deny that. "Yes," she whispered, closing her eyes, as her head rolled back and she sank her hands into his golden hair, pulling him tightly against her. If she held him close enough, she decided wildly, he could never stop all these wonderful things he was doing to her.

     Jax smiled at his wife's responses, as his lips trailed a hot path down her stomach, pausing to run his tongue around the edge of her navel, while his hands ran over her hips, down along her thighs.

     Her fingers slid sensually in his hair as she squirmed in pleasure. "Jax, I want to touch you," she said.

      "Then why aren't you?" he responded.

     Brenda hesitated. "I didn't know if I… should… or…"

     Jax took her hands and placed them on his naked chest. "Touch me," he said in a husky voice that sent shivers of pleasure crashing through her.

     Brenda slowly slid her palms down his chest, thrilling to the feel of his warm skin and hard muscles flexing beneath her fingers. Then she walked her fingers up his chest, slid her arms around to his back and stroked the warm skin there, still unsure of what to do, but deciding Jax would tell her if she were doing anything wrong.

      "Jax? Do you like this?" she asked, not sure if his accelerated breathing was a good or a bad thing.

      "Yes," he whispered into her ear.

     Emboldened by his husky whisper, Brenda then did something else she wanted to do and pressed her body against his as she kissed him. She gasped out loud at the feel of his naked body against hers. Her soft breasts pressed to the hardness of his chest, her legs pressed against the muscular power of his, the evidence of his powerful desire for her also making itself very much known.

      "Oh, my!" Brenda said, feeling dizzy as strange waves of pleasure made her bones start to feel like jelly. This felt so good! But she wondered if it felt good to Jax, too. "Jax? Do you like this?" she asked him.

     His response was a deep groan, as he covered her mouth with scorching kisses and lay her down beneath him on the bed. It was taking all of his control not to take her right this very moment and lose himself to the bliss of this destined union. But he loved her with all of his heart, and he was determined to make this first experience of love perfect for her. And he took his time in making her ready for him. He kissed her with tenderness and then with passionate hunger. He stroked her body everywhere, creating a burning fever in her.

     Brenda felt her body arch, as hot sensations of pleasure streaked through her now that Jax's body was lying atop hers, covering her from head to toe, his arousal pressed against her, his mouth covering hers in wanton kisses that were so incredibly good they threatened to render her senseless. Her body ached for him, needed something from him that she felt he was holding back. "Jax, please," she murmured against his lips. "Please. I love you, I need…" She didn't know what she needed, but she literally ached for it. "You," she decided. " I need you."

     Brenda's sweet declaration proved to be Jax's undoing and he quickly positioned himself to unite them bodily as husband and wife. He kissed her sweet lips. "Brenda," he said, "you do know about the…"

      "Yes," she said, knowing he was trying to prepare her for the pain that accompanied this pleasure. Her mother hadn't told her much about what went on between a man and a woman in the marriage bed, but she had mentioned that there might be pain the first time.

      "Are you ready?" Jax asked, his voice hoarse with passion; his blue eyes lit with love, sparking with desire. At her feverish nod, he grinned.

     She wasn't even a little afraid of this. Her only fear was not fulfilling his desires; something she needn't have feared at all.

     Jax took it slowly, which consumed every ounce of his control to do so. Brenda gasped as she felt the connection of their bodies beginning. How she didn't scream in pleasure, she didn't know, for it felt incredible! And then she let out a soft cry as Jax breached the barriers of her virginity and was now completely a part of her. Yes, her mother was right about there being pain, she realized. But Brenda had prepared herself for much worse and found that the pain was quite minimal and was soon replaced by the luxurious pleasure of Jax's skillful lovemaking. A wonderful pressure began to build inside of her, and each time Jax pulled away, she began to literally wrap her legs around him to keep him back down, for she didn't think she could take more of this wonderful pressure raging in her body. "Please," she moaned, tossing her head from side to side. "I want - I need…" she shuddered as the pleasure built and built inside. "Oh god, Jax, what do I want? I don't know what it is," she said, her fingers curling into his hair as she arched her body towards his, seeking this thing she wanted and needed.

      "I do," Jax said as his self-control deserted him and he showed Brenda exactly what it was that she wanted. He linked their fingers together and filled her with what she wanted, and she felt the most urgent warmth shoot through her until it just all became too much and her entire body tensed, almost frozen, as if in some magical, timeless state of being. She couldn't move; she couldn't breathe; but - my god - she could feel! And what she felt made her mind reel with indescribable pleasure… Jax… Jax was doing this to her; Jax was giving this to her. She wanted to thank him for this wondrous gift, to tell him how much she loved him, how much she loved what was happening between them. But her words were lost to the most sensuous, ravenous kisses she had ever known. And then her entire world exploded, and she was lost on a shattering wave of pleasure, like nothing she had ever conceived existed.

     Her eyes, which had been closed in ecstasy, flew open. "Oh, yes!" she said. "That was definitely it! Oh my god!" she murmured, "Oh, my god…"

     Jax couldn't have said it better himself.

     She was vaguely aware of Jax calling out her name in a near-shout, telling her that he loved her so much, and seeming as out of his mind with pleasure as she was. His movements above her grew fast and frenzied and utterly wonderful, and then he erupted with ecstasy as he poured his love, his passion, and the seed of their future children into her.

     Brenda collapsed, purely and utterly spent. She felt Jax collapse on top of her a few moments after, and as she drifted down from her own climax, she thought that she had never in her life felt so… perfect. She did wonder if her breathing would ever get back to normal, if her heartbeat would ever slow down, if this wonderful feeling flowing through her body would ever leave her.

      "That was a truly amazing thing we just did, Jax! It felt so good - I feel so good," she said with a grin of wonder.

     Jax chuckled as he rolled off her and then scooped her up against him. "So do I, sweetheart, so do I."

     She smiled over the crazy, racing beat of his heart. "We have to do this every day," Brenda decided, thrilled by the prospect.

     Jax laughed and kissed her. "If you say so."

     Brenda shot him a look. "Unless - is that unheard of to do it every day?" she whispered in embarrassment. "I only thought… well, it's such a wonderful thing… surely people would do this as often as they…" she faltered off, seeing Jax's devilish grin and raised brow.

     She was blushing with uncertainty, and Jax thought she looked adorable.

      "I love you, Brenda," he said, tracing her face with his fingertips.

     Her embarrassment left her. "I love you, too." They shared a long kiss, and then he closed his eyes. Brenda gazed at him for several moments. "Can we do this every day, Jax?" she asked, since he had never answered her question.

     He laughed.

     She glared at him for laughing.

     Jax kissed her glare away. "Yes, we can," he promised. "And twice on Sundays, if you're a good girl."

      "Only on Sundays?" she said.

     Jax laughed into her hair.

      "I don't see what's funny," she insisted. "You did say that making love is showing how much I love you, didn't you? And I happen to love you a lot, Jax."

     How he didn't laugh again, he would never know. This was the damndest conversation!

     He cradled her face in his hands, knowing she would not sleep until he gave her a satisfactory answer. "You, my beautiful wife, can show me how much you love me any time you wish, any day of the week, any hour of the day."

     That answer made her smile.

      "Thank you," she said, pressing a fervent kiss to his lips and then resting her head on his chest. "And thank you for loving me, Jax."

      "You don't need to thank me for that," he told her. "I could never love anyone but you, Brenda. My heart would reject all others."

      "Mine, too," she told him, circling a fingertip around his chest. "Jax, it occurs to me that I don't have any clothes here," she said suddenly.

      "Oh, but you do," he said. "It was always my intention to take you home today, Brenda. I had your things moved from the palace and taken here. They're in the adjoining room, for now."

      "I really should have said proper good-byes to my family though. And yours, too. Wasn't it a little rude that we just left like that? They were probably looking for us."

      "I left instructions with my knights to let them know where we were and to alert us immediately if Kayla had any setbacks. And you'll be seeing your family tomorrow, Brenda. You'll actually be staying at the palace for a while."

     Brenda propped up on one elbow and gazed down at him with a tiny frown. "You mean we will be staying at the palace, don't you? Wherever you go, I go, Jax. I'm your wife now." Her eyes set in that adorable, mutinous look that let him know she was ready to argue with him endlessly over this if need be.

      "Where I have to go you cannot go with me, love," Jax said, and his eyes were as mutinous as hers were. He would grant her every wish in this world, but if her wish was to go with him into the Endless Forest, this was one wish he would have to deny her.

     Brenda felt a prick of fear in her heart. "Where are you going then?" she asked.

      "Where you cannot," he said.

      "Jax! That is not an answer," she said, her fear increasing. "This has to do with what happened to Kayla tonight, doesn't it? I heard rumors that some think it was deliberate treachery, and that someone was taken to the dungeons. Is that true, Jax?"

     He sighed. "Yes, it's true."

      "Who?"

      "Brenda…"

      "Who, Jax?"

      "Michael Carruthers," Jax said, watching her closely to see her reaction.

     Brenda gasped. "Jax, why would you imprison him? You have nothing to fear from him. I do not love him; I merely thought I did. My heart belongs only to you."

     Jax gazed up at the ceiling. "He was imprisoned because of what happened to your sister today, Brenda. Nothing else," Jax explained.

     Brenda gave him a puzzled frown. "What on earth would Michael have to do with that?"

      "I think he is the one who made her sick," Jax said.

     Brenda shook her head. "No, he would not do such a vile thing! We do not even know what made her sick, Jax. How can you accuse him of this?"

     Jax's eyes narrowed. "How can you defend him, Brenda? Were you not the one hiding from him by sleeping in the sitting room at the palace? You obviously feel he is capable of dishonor and violence."

      "Yes, but to intentionally hurt my baby sister? He would never do that. What would he accomplish by that? He would gain nothing and lose everything. It makes no sense that you think he did this."

      "We shall just have to disagree on this then," Jax decided, not wanting to get into an argument with her now, nor get into specifics on his theories of Carruthers trying to deliberately set up enmity between the kingdoms of Fahrlane and Kent - for what purpose, Jax had yet to figure out.

     Brenda was upset that she might now have made Jax angry. "Please do not be angry with me," she said softly, stroking his face.

      "I am not angry with you, Brenda. I simply do not wish to discuss this any further," Jax told her.

     She nodded in agreement. For now. Then snuggled into his embrace, she smiled when she felt his lingering kiss to her temple.

      "Jax?"

      "Go to sleep," he said, wrapping his arms around her.

      "I will. I only want you to know that I will always go wherever you go."

     Damn, but the woman was stubborn. "Brenda, you can't. Not this time."

      "Why not? Where are you going?"

      "It matters not, Brenda. You cannot go," Jax said firmly.

     She shrugged. "So you say, but I intend to go."

      "You aren't going."

      "So you continue to say."

      "Brenda!" he squeezed her.

     Her legs tangled seductively between his beneath the sheets. Her lips brushed his chin. "Go to sleep, Jax," she said.

      "You aren't going."

     She closed her eyes and gave him one more kiss. "I love you."

     He returned her kiss with one of his own. "You still aren't going."

Song Credit: "Storybook" written by Frank Wildhorn and Nan Knighton, available on the album entitled The Scarlet Pimpernel on Angel Records.