My wedding gifts are yet unpacked,
My husband waits without,
The priest is here, my kin are near,
They tiptoe all about.

The women all look saddened,
The men all whisper, “Shame!”
The cry for me, or sigh for me,
But no one speaks my name.

Just yesterday I had their love,
They envied me, I know,
With warming kisses – with warning kisses,
They said they loved me so.

My one true love, or so I thought,
Stood beaming by my side,
I’d waited years – unsated years,
To be his virgin bride.

And when the priest said, “…man and wife,”
I saw my husband’s face,
The man I loved - I thought I loved,
Took me in strong embrace.

He whispered, “Now, at last you’re mine,
You’ll never leave my side,”
He could not know - we could not know,
How soon he’s lose his bride.

For then we heard the hoofbeats,
Of the Sheriff and is men,
Come urgently, so urgently,
Like thunder ‘cross the glen!

I knew, of course, why they had come,
My husband knew it, too:
To make a claim - to stake a claim,
To bring the King his due!

For we are all but vassals,
He owns us, one and all,
It is his right – his royal right,
To take a lass on her wedding night!

I fought, at first, his wicked touch,
But knew I could not win,
He is the King – he is my King,
I let myself give in!

And somewhere, in the dark of night,
The woman in me waked,
And wanted him, and taunted him,
Until my body ached!

So now I sit inside the home
We built with our own hands,
My husband’s house – poor husband’s house,
And pray he understands.

I cannot be his loving lass,
I cannot bear his ring,
Because my heart – my only heart,
Was given to the King!

There is but one solution now,
And, by this vow, I’m bound,
To pull apart this untrue heart,
And lay it in the ground.

So pray for me when I am gone,
But don’t betray my story,
They must not know – he must not know,
I died in lust, not glory.

Just dig my grave beyond the fence,
My secret never tell,
I’ll take my love – my cursed love,
To burn with me in Hell.