#Epilogue EPILOGUE.
Five years later...
It was a happy day in the palace of kingdom Avalon as Kamara and Declan celebrate the birth of their second child, Princess Ainaa.
A huge feast was held in the court, and many people attended. Sally and her family sat at one side of the round table, a huge smile on her face as she tried to feed solid food to her second, who was her youngest.
Baski, Remeta, and her best friend, Corna, sat at one side, laughing and talking. Beside them, Haydara, Corna’s mother, and her husband Gunther were trying to wipe the oil that Raira, Corna’s little sister, had poured on her clothes.
King Lucien had tried to hold Prince Nikolai repeatedly so he’d stay in his seat on the round table, but the prince wasn’t having any of that. Instead, he had snuck out again with Princess Auroria, his cousin. He was best of friends with the princess, Declan’s first daughter.
In the end, King Lucien gave up trying to bring them back to court. Instead, he focused on his heavily pregnant queen, whose smile hadn’t dimmed since the beginning of the feast. She placed her head on his shoulder, and he only hugged her closer to him, kissing her hair tenderly.
“Ana couldn’t come?” she asked, her voice held a hint of sadness.
King Lucien was able to hear her through the loud clatters and happy music because she was so close to him. He shook his head. “Unfortunately, Anarieveta couldn’t make it. One of her students fell sick, and she had to stay back and take care of her. Merrily Raskin.”
“Aaah.” Queen Danika nodded. That explained everything.
Anarieveta didn’t joke when she made the decision to take back her life. With the help of her best friend, Queen Danika, she got the best scholars in all the eleven kingdoms who educated her. They taught and schooled her for two years until she passed all the exams, even the most difficult ones. Anarieveta was one of the greatest scholars in all the eleven kingdoms now. She has a big school where she teaches little children, both slaves, lowborn and privileged.
Since the slave law was amended four years ago, a new slave law was passed. The slaves all over the kingdoms were no longer treated like animals without feelings but as humans with their own lives and feelings. They were one with the lowborn and the privileged.
Her school was turning out to be the most desired and the most sort-after in all the kingdoms. And when families from other kingdoms continued bringing their children to her school from their kingdoms so far away, she was forced to build a boardinghouse inside her school to accommodate all.
She was supposed to be in the palace today, but one of her students had fallen sick, and she couldn’t leave the girl—not even in the hands of her qualified scholars and nannies she had employed over the years.
Vetta loved all her ‘students’ greatly—that cannot be disputed—but everyone close to her knew that she had a special love for Merrily Raskin and Aiden Raskin, the children of the powerful nobleman, Gedoni Raskin. She denies it all the time, of course, but it is just hard not to see the love she has for those two children.
“Mama, when is my aunt Ana coming?” Prince Nikolai ’s small voice dragged the queen’s attention to her son. He stood in front of her with his blond curly hair, which Sally packed and styled in the morning, already disheveled because he wouldn’t stop running his hands on it.
“Your aunt couldn’t come today. She is very busy.” The queen smiled at her son.
“Can I go and see her? I miss Aunt Ana,” he pouted, looking sad.
She ran her hand through his wavy mass. “Don’t worry; your Aunt Sally will take you to meet your Aunt Ana one of these days.”
“Or my uncle Declan!?” he added. Declan, who had become Queen Danika’s very good friend over the years.
“Of course. Or your Aunt Kamara.”
He grinned up at her then. “Will do. Thank you, Mama!” Diving for her cheek, he gave her a big smooch. Then he dove for his father’s cheek and did the same thing before he ran out of court again, his guards following close behind him.
King Lucien and his queen laughed as they watched their hyperactive son. Just like his father when he was younger until the greatest tragedy befell him, robbed him of his smile and every single shining light he had, driving him straight to the arms of darkness and rage. Until Danika, King Lucien thought with his heart filled with love. This woman in his arms who was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
His arms clutched her tighter. He couldn’t wait for this party to be over so he could take his wife and unborn child back to his bed again.
Together, he and Danika would be the best thing that ever happened to their children. No one would ever rob their children of their happiness as Cone did to him.
Funny how the thought of that monster, Cone, no longer filled him with rage or anything at all. In fact, he no longer regrets anything, and the memories of his captivity were no longer a bad horror for him. Why?
Because if not for that, he wouldn’t have Danika now. He wouldn’t have his family now. Cone did him a favor.
He needed no mistresses because Danika was more than enough woman for him—more than enough woman than he ever deserved. He would not have his life any other way than it is now.
“I love you,” he whispered in Danika’s ear, his hand circling her waist.
She sighed and practically melted into him. “I love you too. So much. Forever.”