The Queen set Victoria in Eric's path at the very start, knowing Eric's tastes in women from his sister. I'm assuming Eric's sister is probably in on it, too, since she would be bearing the prince's children, so what Eric wanted from his life means nothing to her. The Queen also implied that Victoria was in on the plan from the start, meaning that Eric's "rape" of Victoria was nothing more than a concealed seduction meant to establish a reason for him to become exactly what the Queen wanted for her son. Then the Queen proceeds to push Eric down the road to physical femininity, and as much as she protests that she wishes she had "Dawn's" consent, it doesn't really matter at all what the former knight really wants, in the end.

So the Queen, Victoria, and Eric's sister have no honor. Of course, neither does the apothecary who provides medicine to be used without the knight's consent. Wow! And let's not forget the prince, who only wants a she-male bride and doesn't care at all that he has to trick a fellow knight to get one. Oh, and last but not least, there's Sir Alexander, who really IS a rapist at heart with Eric as his primary target.

In some weird, twisted way, the only person in this entire affair who is at all honorable is Eric himself, who admits he did wrong, accepts his punishment, and actually apologizes to Victoria for what he did, completely unaware of her treachery and complicity in getting him to this point.

The fact that Eric is enjoying his newfound femininity is a lucky break for everyone else involved. After all, if Eric finds out just how much of a set-up this whole thing really was before he's hopelessly sold on the idea of being a princess, I'm pretty sure he still remembers how to wield a sword. *grin* It hasn't been THAT long since it began, after all.

Randa