Hi everyone! Well, it's been a tough few years, but I've finally arrived at the last chapter of What If! I'm going to chat with you properly at the end of this chapter Love you!

Oh, and the person who was extremely rude to me via PM. You know who you are, and it was completely unnecessary and hurtful. It's just a story.

I awakened, but didn't open my eyes yet, just listen. I heard that rustling, hooting sound of a forest at night that I've come to know so well, accompanied by someone else's steady breathing beside me.

I felt warm and comfortable, wrapped up in a coarse blanket that nonetheless felt like a feather duvet. A heavy arm was draped over me, pulling me closer to an inert body, tucking my head against a warm, broad chest.

I could smell a familiar, safe smell that fills up my senses and leaves me full and content. I sighed, and finally opened my eyes.

It was dark, so dark that this barely made any difference, especially with my sight obscured by a sleeping body. I lifted my head and could make out his shadowy silhouette. I smiled, completely happy, without worry or care, for the first time in my life.

Emlyn's tent had been erected around us, the shabby brown material creating a haven for us, even if only for the night. As my eyes adjust, Emlyn becomes clearer beside me; his eyelashes splayed against his high cheekbones, his mouth slightly open as he breathed steadily in and out.

Almost as if he could sense my watching him, his eyes blearily opened. For a moment, lost in a haze of sleep, he just smiled. "Ella," he murmured. Then he seemed to fully snap into consciousness, blinking rapidly to clear away his tiredness. "Ella!" He said again. "You're awake! How – how are you?"

Unsure, he withdrew his arm from beneath me.

"I'm fine." I said. "I feel … good. Free."

I think he smiled then, but it faded quickly. He sat up, nervous. "Would you maybe like to sleep some more?" He asked.

"No, I'm awake now." I said, confused by this new, cautious version of Emlyn.

"Well… What would you like to do?"

"What, like now, or just in general?"

I think he smiled again. "In general."

I laid my head back down, staring up at the tent's ceiling. "I don't know. Everything! I want to travel, I think. I'd like to go see new places, have adventures, meet new people. I want to visit places nobody has ever seen before, I want to learn all there is…" I laughed at myself. "Not much, then. Oh, Emlyn, I just want to be free."

There was a pause. "The Prince is probably waiting for you."

"The Pri – oh. Yes." Char. My true love. I remembered, as the gleeful smile slid off my face.

"Do you want to go to him?" Emlyn asked me, a hint of something else, something bright and sunny, behind his monotonous question. Something hopeful.

I pause, then. "Yes. I – I suppose I better had."

But we both lay there in the darkness for a few minutes longer, neither of us willing to move. Then Emlyn sighed deeply, and left the tent. Then, a few moments later, he let out a chilling animalistic howl that echoed into the night.

I scrambled out of the tent after him. "Emlyn, are you – oh!"

Two wolves, real, huge wolves were standing before Emlyn, who was looking almost smug. "I thought we'd at least travel in style. Which would you like?"

I gazed at the animals in something akin to reverence. One was midnight black, its intelligent dark eyes looking at me suspiciously. The other was a silvery grey, fearsome white teeth glinting in the moonlight. Its tongue was comically hanging out of its mouth, and it looked quite doggish.

"This one," I said. "Are they, you know, safe to ride?"

"Sure, so long as they don't think you're tasty."

He caught the look on my face and hastily added. "Joking, joking. You probably taste disgusting."

I laughed at that, and the wolves started, looking quizzical. "Do I just climb on, or what?"

"Yes." Emlyn could see that I was still nervous, and said the one thing he could have to make me climb onto a deadly carnivore. "Unless you're too scared, obviously."

I lifted my chin defiantly at him, and approached the silver wolf. It turned its flank towards me, which I took for consent. I climbed on side-saddle, burying my hands into its thick hair in substitute for reins. "Do they have names?" I asked Emlyn, who was busy putting the tent away.

"Not these ones, no." Emlyn said. "They're lone wolves, they have no need for them. Yours is a female, though, so you might as well name her if it makes you feel more comfortable."

My wolf turned her large head towards me, the moon glinting off her silver fur. "Arianne." I decided, on a whim. "It means silver in Aorthian."

"Arianne?" Emlyn said, laughing. "You're sitting on a giant creature that spreads death and destruction and the best you can think of is Arianne?"

"Well, what would you call yours?" I asked defensively.

"Rufus." Said Emlyn with a straight face. "Rufey-bear for short." And he climbed on to the terrifying Rufus with the graceful ease of one who has done this at least once before. "Hold on," he advised me. Then he let out three successive barks, and the wolves wheeled around and shot into the darkness like shadows.

I cried out once, burying my head in Arianne's neck. Her gait was surprisingly smoother than I had expected, but her tactic of traversing the forest seemed to be 'don't go around anything unless you have to.'

We leapt over bushes, streams, and once or twice other animals, the wind yanking at my hair and clothes with greedy fingers. Adrenaline raced through me, making me feel wild and fearless. I lifted my head up high, and let go of Arianne with one hand, lifting it up, feeling the air slip past my fingers like sand.

I was laughing now, gleeful in the flight of these beautiful creatures, and I could hear Emlyn somewhere nearby, chuckling in response to my own laughter.

And then, all too soon, it was over. It had taken us days to walk here, either on foot or on Emma, and now we had arrived back at the outskirts of Kyrria.

Arianne drew to a halt, while Emlyn and, erm, Rufus, stopped beside us. Emlyn turned to look at me. "I can't go any further." He said quietly. "So I suppose this is goodbye." He let out a dry laugh. "Again."

"Let's not say goodbye, then." I replied. "Just until the next time." And with a heavy heart, I slid off Arianne's back.

"Ella, wait –"

I turned back. Emlyn was gazing at me desperately. "If you decide, maybe not to go through with being with the Prince." He began, biting his lip nervously. "I mean, he's the ideal person; good, kind, brave, but … but he couldn't give you the life you want. That freedom."

I stared at him, not speaking.

"Because," he stopped briefly, then continued in a rush. "Because if you didn't want to marry him, then maybe you could – well, you could come with me."

Still I didn't say anything, and he looked down at his boots. "Well, I should've known you wouldn't – I did know. I just had to show you … that there is another way you could go if you wanted. But you don't, and that's fine. Completely fine. Great. Wonderful, in fact. I – I'll go now. It was good to – good to meet you, Ella."

And he awkwardly retreated back into the shadows of the forest with Rufus. Arianne looked up at me, her gaze almost accusatory, before she too slunk back to whence she came.

I stayed there, stock still, for a long time. Then, shoulders slumped, I turned back to Kyrria. I needed to find Char.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

It was surprisingly easy. Before I'd even reached home, I saw Mandy. She was walking along the street, burdened by a wicker basket full of groceries. As soon as she saw me, she dropped them and ran towards me unashamedly, skirts flying, tears sparkling in her eyes like diamonds.

When she drew me into a tight hug, I couldn't control myself. I broke down and wept my broken heart out into her shoulder.

"Shhh there," she murmured after a time. "Hush now, child. Come now."

Eventually, I managed to stem the flow of tears, and Mandy wrapped her arm around my shoulders and led me off home, but not before I managed to convey, to her joyous amazement, that I was now free of the curse that had plagued me my whole life.

When Mandy led me through the door of the house, I sensed that something had changed. I looked around, confused, before realising, that it was me. I was not the same person I had been, last I was in these rooms. I was stronger, braver, wilder – better.

Hattie walked in, stopping dead at the sight of me. "Ella!" She shrieked.

"Hello, Hattie." I said pleasantly, revelling in the sight of my old nemesis, stripped of the power she had once had over me. "How goes the day?"

She opened her mouth several times, looking not unlike a fish, before speaking. "Why are you back?" She demanded furiously. "Answer me!"

"Oh, well, I missed your dulcet tones, and couldn't bear not seeing you for a day more." I said. "In fact, you are much changed since I last saw you. Is that a new makeup you are wearing? You do realise that the more you attempt to cover your boils with powder, the more break out?"

Hattie's jaw dropped. "Get … get out of here this instant!" She cried at last. "I never want to see your face again!"

"I want never gets, Hattie," I sang blithely. "I could want you to become a beautiful, kind princess, but I think that is even beyond the power of magic."

"And let's go into the kitchen," Mandy said hastily, as Hattie swelled with indignation.

As she led me away, I called over my shoulder. "But that is a lovely dress, Hattie. Who went to the fitting for it?"

Mandy shut the door on Hattie's wailing. "That was unkind, Ella."

I raised my eyebrows at her. She gave an unwilling giggle. "But, yes, I suppose worse things have happened." She conceded. "Pie?"

I nodded enthusiastically, and received with relish the warm meat pie she was offering me. Then, in between bites, I filled Mandy in on the incredible story that I'd lived in ever since leaving Frell. Her eyes grew wide as saucers during my tale, but she never interrupted, and as I drew the story to its close, her eyes filled with tears.

"So you'll need to see the Prince now, pet?"

I nodded.

She sighed. "I hope you'll be happy with your choice, Lady."

I smiled shakily. "Me too." As I turned to go, she called out after me.

"You know you don't owe the Prince anything, don't you, Lady?"

I left.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

I arrived at the palace dishevelled and dirty, still dressed in Emlyn's clothes. "Excuse me," I told the guard by the door. "I need to speak to the Prince."

The guard looked down at me and laughed dryly. "Lad, we don't generally let any old ragamuffin in to see Prince Charmont."

"He is expecting me." I said defiantly. "And my name is Ella."

The guard started. Clearly this name meant something to him. "Ah, well, in that case…" He stepped aside from the gates, and unlocked them. "Through there, and the second chamber on your left. Erm, Miss."

"Thank you," I said, and went where he had directed me. I paused at the door of the chamber, and then knocked.

I heard footsteps before the door opened to reveal Char, who gazed down at me in relief. "Ella!" He cried, leading me inside. "What happened? I can't remember, we were riding away, and then I was just here. It must have been magic."

"I'm free from my curse, Char." I told him, smiling despite myself.

"You… you are?" He was shocked, and I laughed softly at the look on his face. "Ella, that's – that's amazing! You're free – we're free! At last, after all this time!"

He took my hands fervently. "You will be the greatest queen Kyrria has ever known." He swore. "We will rule kindly and well over this Kingdom, making Kyrria the greatest country on this Earth. And we will be happy. Every day, with laughter and love, we will be happy."

"Dearest Char –" I began, but abruptly stopped, as I realised something. I was not happy, but miserable. The words that, just a few months ago, had sprung so joyfully to my lips, now refused to leave my mouth.

I gazed at Char, at his kind, earnest face, and realised that, all along, Emlyn had been right. I did not want to rule over Kyrria. I did not want to remain here for the rest of my days, I wanted to fly free, like a bird. I wanted to spend my days being constantly awed and surprised by mad, magical things. I wanted to have adventures, to live.

"Char," I began, my voice quiet. "I am so, so sorry, but I will not marry you."

Char stopped smiling, and his brows drew together. "What? Why not, if you love me?" There was a long pause, and then – "Oh," he whispered.

"There was a time when I loved you with all my heart." I told him passionately. "And I would have done anything, been anything, for you. But I have changed. I am not the same girl you saw feeding the centaur that day. I am different."

Char's hands were balled into fists. "And your loving heart now belongs to another?"

"Char, I –"

"Tell me."

"That has no weight upon my decision. I will not marry without love, Char, and in time you would have realised that I cannot be the queen you would want me to be."

Char's lips pressed hard together. "I could wait until you are ready." He said desperately. "Ella, I would wait for you."

But I shook my head. "It is not fair for you to wait for a happening that will not take place." I said. "When I loved you, I was chained. Now I am free, and I need to be free, Char."

He backed away. "You would not wish to give yourself to me?"

"To anyone." I said. "I want to live on my own terms. I know I'm being selfish, Char, but I need to do this for myself. I owe it to myself to win back those stolen years."

"With company?" He asked, jaw clenched.

I was silent for a few moments, then – "Yes. I am sorry, Char, but I am completely, impossibly, heart-breakingly in love with him. He is what I didn't realise I was looking for."

Char turned away from me, bracing his hands against the mantelpiece. "Then I wish you happy." He said through gritted teeth. "Go."

I reached out a hand, dropped it, and left the room, hearing something smash behind me. I single, solitary tear trailed down my cheek. I brushed it away, and ran towards my destiny.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

When I look back on those times now, they seem so much farther away than the mere five years it has been. It seems like someone else's life, someone who never knew there could be so much more.

I never forgot Char – I suppose you can't really forget your first love. He was the one who first lifted me from the dullness of my life, and showed me love. But I walked away from him without regret, and still now I have none.

A year after I left Kyrria that day, Char went out hunting, stumbling across Bomaire once more. There he met a sweet, beautiful, well-meaning girl haunted by the mistakes of her past, who he healed, and who fell in love with him, and he with her, after a time. I'm sure Willow makes a wonderful Princess – after all, the first thing she did as Princess was to convince the King and Queen to lift the bounty on Emlyn's head.

Emlyn and I are about to re-enter Kyrria, to celebrate Char and Willow's coronation. Apparently, the palace was only looking for him in order to tell him he was free! Although we could have returned years ago, we never did. We've been travelling, visiting far off places, seeing wonders I could never have dreamed of.

And still, even now, I have never been more in love.

"Ella!" Emlyn calls me from the other side of the bathroom door of this Kyrrian inn. "How long d'you need?"

"I'm just finished!" I call out to him.

I step out of the bathroom, grinning at Emlyn, seeing as we both know I've been taking far too long just to annoy him.

He looks … roguishly handsome. His dark hair is curling over his ears, while his dark blue coat is open to reveal a fitted beige waistcoat.

"What do you think?" He laughs, catching my look of blatant admiration. "Good enough for you?"

"You look … good." I finish lamely.

"So do you. More, actually, you look … you look beautiful." His eyes are soft, and then he laughs. "I knew you could scrub up well."

"Did you, now?" I shove him playfully in the chest.

"Oh, yes. Master of fashion, me. I think you've got potential, despite the fact that I think this is the first time you've worn clothing designed for women in a while."

"Why is it that the Master of Fashion has committed the outrageous oversight of doing his waistcoat buttons up askew? They could probably have you fined for that where we're going." I giggle when he looks to check his perfectly done up waistcoat.

"Shall we go?"

"Let's." I agree, pulling him to the door.

We walk the mile or so to the Palace in the moonlight over the cobblestones. My dark green dress whispers against my legs, threatening to reveal my boots, which I flatly refused to substitute for some heels. As I said to Emlyn, why suffer?

We finally arrive at the gates, and Emlyn pauses, almost nervously. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes." I say firmly.

"Ella…"

"What? Why have you got your guilty face on?"

"Oh… nothing. Just, er … I can't dance."

I let an involuntary giggle escape me. "Don't worry about it. I mean, I will make you dance, but it's probably best if you don't worry about it."

"Right. Thanks."

He shuffles his feet, looking down.

"It isn't about that bother in Lamstron, is it?" We were previously staying in Lamstron before coming back to Kyrria. It was ruled under a dictatorship, and frankly had some appalling human rights, but Emlyn had insisted going there a) because he wanted to show me the views and b) because he wanted to catch a glimpse of some famous, dragon-calling gem, which was being moved to another safe location.

We'd stood in the crowd to watch it go past, but Emlyn had gone mysteriously missing for a few minutes as it approached, then returned and told me he was bored already, and could we please go.

Now, I say. "Oh, goodness, Emlyn, please tell me you didn't take the gem."

He looks shocked. "Take the gem? Me? What possible purpose could I –"

"Emlyn…"

"No, I didn't take the gem."

"Promise?" I say sternly.

"Gee, look, let's go in, we're late!"

With that, he drags me through the crowd and straight past the queue to the front doors.

"Erm, Emlyn, we can't just skip the line, it's there for a reason."

"Yup. It's there so we can skip it."

We arrive at the doors alongside an old man and a younger, stocky woman with a heavy face. I pause to let them go before me, and as I do, I see the face of the woman more clearly. Olive!

I let out a delighted laugh to see her with who I now realise must be her husband. He must be rich, I muse, to convince Olive to marry him. What a strange way of finding happiness.

Emlyn wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me through the doors.

The hall is just as I remember it when I came here, so many years ago in the guise of Lela. The velveteen draperies are plush, and the hall is decorated here and there with large plinths overflowing with wildflowers.

And there, up on a raised dais, are the Prince and Princess. Willow glows in a long purple gown, her blonde hair cascading down her front like a golden waterfall. She is rocking her youngest child gently on her lap, when she looks up and saw Emlyn.

Willow's eyes widen. Emlyn nods at her, and she smiles tentatively at him, before looking nervously at me. She reaches over and nudges her husband, whispering in his ear. Char looks up in surprise, his eyes raking the crowds before he sees Emlyn and I. He locks eyes with me, then smiles a content smile. I beam happily back at him.

Emlyn lets out a breath. "Well, that's good. I was nervous there was going to be tension."

I giggle. "Let's dance."

Emlyn smiles mischievously, and then led me out onto the dance floor. He puts one hand on my waist, the other in my own, and we begin to dance.

"Emlyn, you said you couldn't dance!" I gasp, as he spins me out elegantly before pulling me back into him.

"It's called modesty." He teases me.

"I'll show you modesty in a minute." I promise him darkly, to which he laughs.

We have just finished our first dance when the ballroom doors are flung viciously open to cries of fear and surprise.

Bursting through the ornate doors are a dozen armoured soldiers, with a brutal looking captain at the helm. My gaze drops to their breastplates, all of which bear the Lamstron coat of arms.

"You did take it!" I exclaim indignantly at Emlyn.

"Well…"

The captain of the troop storms towards Emlyn, while the guests scatter to the sides of the room. Char stands up, regally.

"May I ask," he says coldly. "What you are doing in my throne room?"

The captain turns to address Char. "We have come to seize a thief and a villain, your Majesty!"

"You will do no such thing in my palace!" Char thunders. "Remove yourselves, or my guards will remove you!"

The captain does not look keen on inciting a war with Kyrria. He glares menacingly at Emlyn. "Come outside, boy."

Emlyn squares his shoulders and strolls cheerfully towards the doors. "Nice night," he says recklessly. "Why not?"

I hurry along behind him after turning to Char. "I'm so so sorry about him." I say, mortified.

We step outside, and the guards surround us. "Miss," the captain says. "You may leave now, if you wish."

I sigh. "Sadly, I don't wish."

"You will die with him?" The captain asks.

"Oh, probably, yes." I say cheerfully. "But not today. Emlyn?"

"On it," he says, and reaches into his waistcoat, pulling out a beautiful, iridescent blue crystal.

"That's it," the captain breathes. "Men – kill them!"

Emlyn blows gently on the crystal. It lets out the most beautiful sound I had ever heard – a melodic, haunting sound that fills the air around us and sweeps over the hills. Then, from the distance, a beating, thumping noise grows louder and louder.

The soldiers hesitate, unsure of what to do, then let out shouts of fear as, out of the darkness, a gigantic beast reveals itself, beating the air around us so hard that I am nearly pushed to the ground. It settles in the courtyard, while the captain and his men run yelling for cover.

"You're beautiful," I murmur, gazing up at the dragon in awe.

"Why, thank you." Emlyn seizes my hand , and pulled me towards it, tossing me up onto the creature's blue, scaly back, where I settle between two spikes along the ridge of its spine, clinging tightly to the one in front of me as Emlyn scrambles up behind me.

"You idiot!" I shout at him, not wanting him to see how impressed I am. "We didn't even get to the buffet! I'm going to kill you when I get down from he-ARGH!"

The dragon takes flight. I scream in astonishment as the beast flies higher and higher, until the castle looks like an intricate doll's house.

It sweeps us far away from Kyrria, and Emlyn whoops as it carries us away to distant shores. There is still so much to see.

The End.

Before you go, please read this I have loved writing for you guys, and I'm so happy that you've loved reading it. In the end, the audience was split between Emlyn and Char. When I first began this, I said that Ella will absolutely definitely not fall in love with Emlyn. Erm, about that… the more I wrote Emlyn, the more he came alive, and the more I wondered if Ella could ever truly be happy as Queen, with so many responsibilities and so little freedom. I think that Emlyn can give her that adventure, that laughter and that love she needs.

Please review, and let me know what you thought, though be nice – what's done is done. If any of you are into Harry Potter (haha, of course you are!) please read my other stories; The Ravenclaw Marauder and Many Wrongs Make Right. I suggest you read them in that order, it'll make more sense.

Thank you so much for sticking with me.

I love you xx