TORY was seeing stars, stars in front of her and flashing in her eyes. She'd never ever get use to this.

Here she was on the red carpet in Hollywood.

The Oscars no less.

On the arm of a nominee, not just a nominee but her fiancé, the most important man in her life on the most important day of his (for the moment).

It was a strange experience.

Not the red carpet.

She'd done that before – mostly in her "princess" persona. But as the support person, arm candy, of a "movie star" not so much.

And they were big news.

Their engagement had just been announced a day earlier and now here she was in blue velvet. A dress he loved though the public had never seen it.

They'd been congratulated and she'd been asked – the big question – the question that the redcarpet reporters liked to ask "who are you wearing?"

It was a young British designer – that had been important – she was a British princess. She was one of the faces of Great Britain.

They both wore British designers.

Her engagement ring sparkled in the sunlight and under the bright lights of the photographers flashes.

She wished she had been asked proper questions.

Questions about his work, or hers or their work with Unicef.

But that didn't seem to be on the agenda much, she was in his world.

Ahead she spotted friendly faces.

Relief washed over her.

Sophie Hunter, an old girl from her school, embraced her. She was a veteran of this. Tory supposed she was too but this was the first time she'd stepped out as fiancé to Tom Hiddleston.

Benedict Cumberbatch came in for a hug too before moving on to pat Tom on the back. They'd spoken since the engagement but not seen each other so there was a lot to be said but on this red carpet surrounded by the world's media, not much time to say it.

"She looks born to this!" he said as they watched their partners chatting relaxed on the red carpet. Tory was holding her own, more than holding her own, she'd managed to turn being asked who she was wearing into a PR exercise for Britain, he'd even heard her mention child immunisation, Tom's work on stage and Unicef. She was working this crowd like a pro.

Tom laughed.

"I suppose she was!"

He looked over. She looked so much like her mother, the hair the dress. There had been comments from several commentators. She was breathtaking.

"No one seems to have eyes for anyone else when you two are about today – you're the man of the moment – it's great the pressure's off all of the rest of us Brits tonight," Ben laughed.

"Interesting move announcing your engagement two days out from Oscars!"

Tom ran his hand through his hair. For a couple that stayed out of the limelight as much as they could in their position he supposed it was.

"It was Granny's idea – rip the bandaid off all at once – get it all of the way so we can get back to our lives, my play, her new practice," he smiled.

Ben's eyes went wide.

"Tom Hiddleston did you just call the Queen – our sovereign "granny"," Ben said a grin sliding haphazardly across his face.

Tory was just Tory to him and Sophie these days. They'd always had an easy friendship so they often forgot that Tory was royality and Tom was about to be – if he chose to take a title.

Tom looked around to see who was around him.

"Oh hell I suppose I did," he laughed hand going through his hair again. It was a little long on top at the moment and he was beardy in preparation to play Benedick in Much Ado at the Garrick. They opened in a two weeks for previews.

"Probably shouldn't do that in public."

"Everything just seems to be happening at once!" he laughed and Ben patted him on the back.

"Happens like that sometimes. Nice to see you actually living your life and not just working all the time!"

If they were going to say more – it didn't happen – there would be plenty of time to talk later – right now getting inside was the imperative.

They were called over by a photographer – a British one and so they all smiled for the camera and were off – the end of the red carpet in sight and their seats beckoning.

The thing about being nominated for best actor was that you had to wait all night to see if you had won.

But it didn't matter. They were drinking in the experience of it Oscar virgins together. They'd been picked on by host Ellen but neither seemed to mind – all part of the experience.

Drinking it in.

The small movie she'd begged him to take on between his Marvel blockbusters had come up trumps for him. But then Ben said it was the small beautiful movies you had to watch. He was right. Tom was proud of this one and Tory was proud of Tom.

Ben won best support early in the night – he could relax now.

Tom felt the pressure build.

He gripped Tory's hand as the nominations were read.

And then he didn't win.

The camera swept over him – he didn't care.

Fingers tightened their grip on his. A warm smile – he was disappointed, sure. But winning wasn't everything. Work wasn't everything.

He'd taken a long time to work that one out.

It had been a big couple of days and now he just wanted to let his hair down for the night with his friends and his Tory.

The nervous moments were over. The nervous moments that started on Friday with the announcement by the palace – with added press release from Matt. Valentines day. A photo call at Buckingham palace a short interview with trusted friends. A pinch me moment (one of many that started with the nominations and wins at Bafta and the Golden Globes) and carried through to now.

He smiled again at his future wife and was lost in her eyes and the moment until.................

No individual academy award but..............

Best picture.

The little picture that could.

And there he was on stage with the cast, with the director.

He could see her smile from the stage. He could feel her love, her support. Her pride.

He'd wanted a chance to win just to tell the world how proud he was of her too – but the world didn't matter.

His world mattered.

And then they were off – three parties in four hours. He watched her dance with Matt (because he and Marcus were here – of course they were, he danced with her. More photos of the happy couple.

They smiled happily.

And then they went back to their room and he used his mouth for better uses and so did she as he slid his hands over the velvet of her dress and then of her body taking her, with just her heels on. Oh yeah he had a kink like that but that was okay, she had plenty of her own.

And in the morning they woke, wrapped in each other's arms and it mattered even less that he didn't win now.