The Queen's Garden Mage

Epilogue

Renka, Adri and I sat around a table in the center of Lialey’s Inn, Eden was entertaining a group of small children with Rhea’s help. I smiled as she weaved magic in the air for the children to see. She was a natural at it, Servali and Lasil sat off to the side entertaining themselves with a few seeds I’d given them when we’d arrived. Leaf watched as always fascinated by even the hint of magic. The girls looked exactly like their mothers’. Servali with her earth and sand hair and her striking twilight eyes. Lasil with my dark hair and features but Renka’s ringed irises, I watched her ears flicker curiously as the seeds grew into different flowers one even sprouting a faerie while they watched. I could hear their oohing and ahhing from here. “They’re beautiful, just like their mothers’.” Lialey murmured pressing a kiss to my cheek, before winking playfully at Adri and Renka to show she meant no harm. She was gone as quick as she came, always busy.

“Who do you think will succeed whom?” Renka asked watching our children play, Rhea included in that question.

Adri stroked her cheek, “It seems a bit too obvious for me to really tell. I want to say that surely Rhea will follow in Rhyme’s footsteps, but she has a passion for performing and I would not put it past her to become a bard. Servali has my features and so one would think perhaps she’d be the next Queen…but she has a gentle nature and enjoys the green nearly as much as if not more than Rhyme does.” I chuckled thinking of all the messes we’d gotten into together. “And Lasil is of the Horse People obviously, she could go either way, she might wish to travel and then perhaps come back pass her trials and one day be Queen… and so perhaps it’s not as obvious as one might think.” Adri finished with a sigh. “Though we have sun cycles yet to figure it out, they’ve just reached their sixth summer and Rhea her tenth. No need to rush them into anything.”

“I was simply curious is all Majesty, you’re the one plotting it all out.” Adri stuck her tongue out at Renka’s teasing while I watched our children play.

“You’re speaking as if it isn’t possible for us to have more children,” I countered as Lasil got tired of seeds and came racing towards us. She reached for the Queen, murmuring up in her mind unaware that unlike when she was in the womb, Adri could no longer hear her. “Use your words Sweetling,” I offered gently stilling Adri’s hands before she could pick her up. “She has to learn to speak…” I said in answer to Adri’s questioning look. “Instead of using her thoughts.”

Lasil went to flare her nostrils in frustration when Renka snapped her teeth like thunder in warning, not about to tolerate any sass. “Up Mama?” Lasil asked meekly.

“You’re a bit old for this love,” Adri said with a grunt of effort as she pulled our child onto her lap.

Servali came next offering me the flowers she’d gotten to bloom smiling softly. I stroked my fingers through her hair gently. “They look lovely Servali, would you like me to braid them into a crown on your head?” She nodded vigorously too delighted to speak. I turned her around and gently weaved the flowers into her hair, a skill I’d learned from watching Renka do it every day before we went to work.

“You’re here!” Sorel rushed forward hugging his sister tightly. I stood accepting a hug of my own. The Prince that wasn’t, had become more of a man than I’d ever thought he’d been so many sun cycles ago.

“How was Dangilere?” Renka asked accepting a hug of her own as Eden finished his story telling and came to greet his husband with a kiss.

Rhea nudge me with her shoulder opening her palm to reveal an Alia rose, “Not bad Sprout not bad at all.” I said in admiration. “Of course, I could do better.”

Rhea scoffed, eyes sparkling with mirth, “Not a chance.” Servali giggled at our usual banter. I snapped my fingers for effect nothing more and sat back as the seeds I’d placed earlier came to life and like on the day I’d first met my royal wife. Twilight peonies floated gently from above.

Adri shook her head catching one in her palm smiling softly as her face warmed, “Show off.”

“One day I’m going to beat you.” Rhea shook her head holding one of the peonies in her hand before bringing it to her face to breathe in its scent. “That day just isn’t today.”

“Dangilere was interesting, not as green that’s for sure. Of course, I missed my family the entire time, but finally got a few things straightened out. They’re willing to work with us to push out the freedom for all law that encompasses mythical creatures and magical beings.” Renka whooped softly clapping her hands together before butting her head against Sorel’s in excitement.

He stumbled backwards in a daze, not expecting it. Thankfully Eden caught him before he could fall. The girls laughed softly, us adults covered it a bit better but we were all thoroughly amused by the display. “Did we miss it?” Libeth, Emery, Rosen and Mariel came rushing into Inn gazing at us as if we’d announced big news. Rhea gazed at me curiously a question tickling at my mind. I shook my head; she’d have to wait like everyone else.

Sorel shared his news again and of course there was more cheering, we all shared a glass of tea conscious of the children and not wanting them to feel left out of the festivities. Reason strolled in a little later with Taeli in tow and our table had grown from one, to two, to three before we knew it. People were gawking at so much royalty in one place, acting well, normal. I was sure it was probably a fascinating sight to behold. What happened next would probably stick in their minds for the rest of their lives. I enjoyed that thought immensely. “Seriously you guys, it’s not a big deal and I’d not have done it without Taeli. Regardless I have no real weight and so the negations must be passed along to someone better able to represent the Queendom.”

“So, humble…” I murmured as I stood, everyone becoming silent. “A little over six sun cycles ago, I never thought you would come this far. I never thought that you’d push past the bitterness of what you didn’t have and finally appreciate all the things you did. You were stripped of your title and I thought it fitting because you didn’t deserve it. I didn’t even see you as a man…I saw you as less than.” I smiled brightly. “I am happy to finally say you’ve proved me wrong. With our busy schedules, none of us able to make ending the slavery of mythical creatures in different nations a priority and so you did. You went beyond our borders and met with foreign monarchs and ambassadors alike, you did what none of us could do. You dedicated your time and effort to a just cause and finally, you’re seeing the fruits of your labor. The first nation willing to agree to an end to slavery and one of the big seven, no less. It’s no small accomplishment and now you’re saying that you’re willing to pass the torch so to speak because you don’t carry the weight you need to really get things done.”

I glanced briefly at Adri asking permission with my eyes, she bowed her head in a sign of approval, smiling behind the cover of her hand. “I don’t think anyone can go forward and keep pushing this quite as firmly as you have with such sheer determination and a passion that never seems to die. Which is why your Queen is willing to bestow upon you the title Prince, and all the lands and money that comes with it to aid you in your endeavor.” I raised my glass to him and everyone raised there’s with me while the man that had once more become a Prince gazed at me in shock. “Congratulations Prince Sorel,” I bowed slightly. “You’ve finally earned your title, and with it my respect.”

Mariel came from behind him placing a circlet crafted from silver upon his brow, a flower from the plains where Renka had grown up was most prominent in the piece. It signified the freedom he would bring about while representing the Queen of Angileri. “You’ve done well brother.” She placed a kiss to his cheek after settling the crown properly on his head.

Everyone cheered, even those surrounding us, seeing history in the making. Sorel stood as I took my seat, everyone quieted again. Rhea hugged me from behind smiling against my cheek, Servali stood leaning on the table beside me and Lasil had drifted off against Adri’s chest. We waited for him to speak. “I don’t know what to say…thank you just doesn’t seem to be enough, but thank you none the less. I have so many thoughts racing through my mind, but chief among them being that I wouldn’t be here without you Head Gardener. It all began when you disrespected me, ready and willing to prove that a title meant nothing without actions to uphold the honor of it. You broke me, but you were not cruel, and you gave me the love of my life who I didn’t even know I was searching for.” Eden smiled softly as Sorel tipped his glass in his honor.

“Everything I have, is because of you…” He raised his glass high and we joined him in a toast. “To titles well-earned and beatings that are never forgotten.”

Everyone laughed before we drank our juice, I glanced up at the single were lily sprouting from a beam overhead. The spirit of the former Queen gazed down at us face lit joyously. She winked at me and I winked back before enjoying the rest of the evening spent with family. Life had never been so good.