Llew had been both looking forward to and dreading this confrontation since the day he said "I do" and married the only woman who had ever touched his heart. Not because he was worried Tessa's father would disapprove, though.

He swept his deer horns from his head, then grasped the older man's hand. But instead of shaking it, he dropped to one knee and pressed his forehead to the ring of leadership Kromwulf wore on his left hand, "M'liege." It was a muffled benediction, but a heart-felt one. And one obviously practiced over the years.

"Ye did it, m'boy! I don't know how, I don't care how, but ye did it! But ye didn't have ta marry her," Krom's voice boomed as he pulled the taller man to his feet. Embracing, each thumping the other on the back as Llew chortled huskily, "I married her a'cause she's one helluva woman, M'liege, not ta get her home."

The lord of the keep bustled them both through the portcullis as Llew managed to take hold of Tessa's hand and squeeze it gently with a whipsered, "I'll explain everything." He was pretty sure the confusion in his wife's beautiful golden eyes was going to turn stormy, secrets always had a way of making people angry like that.