And he walked away, into his study.

Good gods, she loved that man. She was going to kick his ass to be sure. But in the most loving way. She moved over and started scrubbing the spot she had missed.

THE wedding vows between James and Mary had Isabel almost crying. They were so true and heartfelt and Mary was a beautiful bride.

Gwen had truly outdone herself. The hal was spectacular with candles and flowers everywhere. In Isabel's day, Gwen would probably be the most successful party planner in the entire state of Oklahoma.

The results were truly breathtaking.

Isabel, obviously, had never witnessed such a ceremony. It wasn't religious, but so very spiritual.

"I do thee vow," James said.

And as his second man, Arthur stepped before them. "You wil honor your wife."

"I wil ."

"Protect her and keep her at al costs."

"I wil ."

"Isabel?" he said.

She moved in front of the two and twined their hands, as was the custom.

"You wil honor your husband?"

"I wil ."

"Protect and keep him at al costs?"

That was way off script. The wife was supposed to honor his wishes and obey his demands. But she could not have possibly choked that out of her mouth.

"She wil ," James chimed in before protests could begin.

"I wil ," Mary said.

"Excel ent," Isabel said. "You are so going to live happily together." She bent and kissed Mary's cheek. "He is a lucky man, m'lady," she whispered.

Mary looked up at her and grinned. "Yes, he is."

Arthur closed the ceremony and then cal ed for al to celebrate.

"WHAT in Hades was that?" Arthur asked Isabel, when he final y managed to corner her.

"What?"

"'Twas not as ceremonies go. You-"

"Went off script, yes, I know. But it was so much more truthful."

"Truthful?"

"Arthur, had you and I ever married-"

"You must mean when we marry."

"Okay, dream on. When we marry, there is no way in hel I'm promising to obey you. And there was no way I was going to ask Mary to vow to do such a thing. So I improvised."

He stared for a moment, then broke out laughing. "Oh, Isabel, you are a puzzle. And a constant delight."

"I'm taking that as a compliment. I think."

"Take it as a compliment. I think."

"Then we're good to go. Now let's go celebrate."

THE reception lasted wel into the night. The food, wine and mead disappearing as fast as it was produced. To the credit of al who had to work the party, they seemed genuinely happy for Mary and James. If not, they put up a real y good front. And Isabel had the feeling she knew who to thank for that.

She walked over to Gwen, who seemed to be giving Jenny a pep talk. Jenny was ringing her hands and nodding.

"Your voice is beautiful, Jenny. You wil do just fine," she heard Gwen say. "Just sing it like you did this morning."

Jenny nodded a final time, then ran off.

"I must say, Lady Guinevere, your throw one hel of a party," Isabel said.

Gwen smiled at her. "We throw one hel of a party. I could not have done this without you."

"Or without a gazil ion people helping."

Gwen laughed. "That, too."

They both looked as Jenny began singing. Oh, it was so beautiful. Isabel didn't know the song, but she knew a voice like no other when she heard it. Al clapped at the end, as wel they should have.

Wow! Impressive didn't even begin to describe it.

"She's good!"

"In many ways. She sings to me during bathing."

"Wow, lucky you!"

"Indeed."

"Speaking of which, just what did you say to the staff?" Isabel asked.

"I am certain I know not what you mean," Gwen said, swirling the wine in her goblet.

"I am certain you do."

Gwen smiled, then sipped at her wine. "I merely mentioned how thril ed I was for Mary and James, and would it not be shameful if others did not share in their joy this night."

Isabel nodded. "Very tactful. And effective. That was such a nice thing to do."

"'Twas the very least I could do."

"This is not the wine talking, this is me." Isabel said. "I real y enjoy and admire you, Gwen. When you step up, you real y step up."

Gwen's eyes wel ed. She glanced around. "This is not the wine talking," she said softly, "this is me. I understand, completely, why Arthur is so taken with you."

Okay, it was Isabel's turn to blink back tears. "No matter what the future holds, I hope we wil always be friends, Gwen."

"That is my hope as wel . Perhaps even one day pinky-finger friends."

Isabel nearly coughed up a mouthful of wine. When she final y managed to swal ow, she said, "How do you like Lance's hair?"

Gwen's eyes went straight to her lover. "He does look exceedingly handsome, does he not?"

If you preferred the young pretty-boy types. Isabel figured that tastes differed drastical y. She thought Arthur, with his rugged and oh-so-handsome good looks, was so much sexier. But at the moment she was thril ed that her idea of attractive and Gwen's were from completely different planets.

"He does, indeed," she said, diplomacy being the better part of not getting her hair pul ed out.

"And how about James?" she added.

"Who knew?" Gwen said.

"Mary did. She saw past al of that to his heart. But truly, he's a very attractive giant."

Gwen giggled. Then she said, "Even Mordred appears more handsome."

"He needs a few years to grow into his looks, but he real y lucked out in the gene department. I look at him and see Arthur at his age."

"What did you do, Isabel?"

"What do you mean?"

"Something happened. Until recently he seemed to live to torture his father. But suddenly they are laughing and embracing. I saw them even exercising in the sword sport together just this morn. I just have this feeling that you had something to do with this transformation." She paused, sipped. "And perhaps something to do with that knee injury."

"Perhaps," Isabel said.

They glanced at each other and both started giggling. Isabel raised a fist, pinky finger out. Gwen stared for a moment, then mimicked with her own. Then they hooked up.

"This means the world to me, Isabel."

"And to me." Isabel laughed. "Is this the strangest friendship ever?"

"Very possible," Gwen said. "But rather fun, do you not think?"

"No one would ever believe it."

"Which is why it is fun."

A banging sound had them both nearly jumping out of their slippers. They looked over, and Arthur was standing on one of the long tables, getting attention by clanging a utensil against his stein.

"Please, may the happy couple step forward?" he boomed.

Isabel looked up at him and her heart nearly exploded. He was such a larger-than-life presence, so big and strong and, good gods, handsome.

And he loved her. He desired her. He wanted to hold and protect her.

Maybe over time she'd be able to get him to be just a little less chauvinistic, but it real y did, at this moment, strike her to the core al that he was, al he represented. He was a king, yet he was no dictator. He treated al equal y. He valued every person at Camelot, treated them as family. And al here, as far as she had seen so far, adored him and admired him in return. Wonder of wonders, he loved her. She had no idea why, but then again she was not about to question it.

She could barely breathe just staring up at him.

"Please, have al of the servants come join us," he said. "They have worked so hard to make this night a success."

There was a moment of silence as Mary and James stepped up to the table and the staff filed in from al parts of the castle.

Arthur glanced around, his eyes squinting. "Wel , I know that they are here, but at the moment, I cannot find them. But, James and Mary, you very likely have been too excited and busy to take note, but the queen and the countess worked as hard as al to make this night as memorable for you as is possible."

Cheers nearly broke Isabel's ear drums. She grabbed Gwen's hand and they squeezed. What a strange al iance.

James rumbled up atop the table as wel , and Isabel thought al held a col ective breath, wondering if there was a table on earth that could hold him. Kudos to the carpenter, this one held under his weight.

"I, too, would care to thank everyone," James said. "And I, too, thank the queen and the countess for their hard work to make my new life with my beautiful wife, Mary, start with such great joy. Our king may not ken that I saw al that you did, but I indeed was witness to it. And Mary and I cannot even begin to show our gratitude." Big, large, no, gigantic James had to wipe his eyes. "Our everlasting appreciation. Is Camelot not the greatest kingdom of al ?"

Again, the cheers nearly shook the rafters. Actual y, Isabel thought, did castles have rafters? Exactly what were rafters, anyway?

"And should there be a greater king to serve than Sir Arthur?"

Again, deafening cheers.

Arthur looked like he wanted to pound his stein over James's head.

"James, you are my best mate," he said, "but I fear if you do not climb down from this table, the both of us wil crumble in a sea of splintered wood."

"To King Arthur!" James said, before he not so elegantly began to climb down.

"To our king!" the entire hal cheered.

"Criminey!" Arthur said. "This is about our newlywed couple! Let us keep the eye on the prize, everyone."

"What?" Gwen said.

Isabel looked down. Arthur was picking up way too many phrases she happened to blurt out at any given moment.

"Mary and James," Arthur said, "here are the door keys to your cottage. A very, very happy night for you both."