AN:

Alright, last chapter. I hope you've enjoyed this story as much I enjoyed writing it, and that I succeeded in making the plot entertaining for you! Hopefully the rewrite is also working out, as there was some huge gaps between the editing sessions, and I cannot say to be sure about the overall look of it when it comes to the formatting of the text. But I think it to have taken at least a step into better direction, and I'm much more satisfied with the fic than I was previously. It depends on you however...

Like in the first author's note, I once more want to thank all of you who have commented and marked this story into favorites, as well as you readers who may do so in the future! Don't hesitate to leave some constructive criticism of any kind, I take it all. As I'm developing as a writer, and your opinions are gold for the dragon inside me :P

And remember, I have published a couple of chapters of the sequel, and now this project out of the way I can start to write some more of it little by little...

You're awesome, thank you so much for reading this story!

With love and respect,

~Linda

Phrases written in bold; Arabic

Phrases written in italics; thoughts, memories, quotes

Sofia walked past the backyard of Ibelin residence, eyeing at the plantations and the palm trees. Noticing that even the people who'd stayed behind at the manor had done their best, the lands had still dried out a bit and left uncared for as majority of Balian's knights who usually helped everyday chores had naturally left to defend Jerusalem with heir lord. But nevertheless Sofia felt herself happy only to be back at Ibelin, a thought occurring to her that only seven months ago or so she'd arrived to this wonderful place for the first time. A place where she'd finally been happy.

"Latif said that Zuleika took the children to swim", Balian's voice said then from the distance, waking Sofia from her thoughts and she turned around. Seeing him stand on top of a nearby hill, peering against the bright sunlight. "They left about an hour ago and propably won't return until late afternoon."

Sofia made a small smile, slightly disappointed that she still had to wait some hours to see her daughter again. But she let it go, closing her eyes as turned her back to Balian and enjoyed the as familiar scent of sweet flowers in the air as it blew against her, hot and dry like always at that time of day. Only during nights was it gentle and cool… She heard Balian's footsteps as he now walked down the hill, soon Sofia feeling his hand to take her wrist, starting to lead her away from the yard.

"I have to give you something", he said, Sofia opening her eyes and allowing him to take her inside the house and to the second floor, straight into his quarters. Balian not stopping until they entered his bedroom, finally letting go of Sofia's hand who directed an amused gaze towards the bed.

"You want to give me something?" she stated questionably, her tone innocent but Balian did note the playfulness in it. Him smiling and closing the lid of the small trunk he'd opened.

"Yes", he answered, facing Sofia and walking to her. Her now watching him to pull the chain that hold his father's ring from under his shirt, the coat of arms ring which belonged to the baron of Ibelin, yanking it off. Glancing at it.

"I cannot give you this, as I promised it to Almaric as the new master of this house", Balian continued, placing the ring with the red crest on the writing desk. But he then he took another ring in his hand, thinner one with a dark stone decorating it, Sofia now letting him grasp her hand again and thread the ring on her finger.

"I found it from my father's things", he told her, meeting Sofia's questionable eyes. "I recall my mother to have had a locket, which had the similar stone on it as this ring has. She probably gave it to my father before he left to Holy Land…"

"And you're giving it to me?" Sofia questioned, Balian smiling.

"It matches your eyes. Dark blue, almost black…It's all I can give you for now."

Sofia gazed at Balian thankfully, her eyes full of warmth until she let out a sigh, touching the ring. "You do know that you cannot even marry me?"

It was the truth they both knew to be a verity that by time could possibly complicate their relationship. But at that moment Balian didn't seem to care about this fact and only leant closer, lifting her chin up to look directly into her eyes.

"I just did", he remarked simply, actually surprising Sofia a bit until she broke into another amused smile, wrapping her arms around his shoulders loosely.

"Yes. I was already your wife the night before I was abducted", she said, Balian's smile widening before he crazed her lips with his.

"We still have at least couple of hours before Kalilah comes back", he stated, Sofia sighing with a concurring nod, not caring or even wanting to argue as then felt herself to be pushed into the bed, pulling Balian with her as they then spend their quick honeymoon in Balian's quarters. Laying under the sheets, making most of the short time they had alone in the house, until about four hours later Sofia suddenly heard a familiar laughter from outside, coming in from the always open balcony doors.

Sofia's hand stopped in middle of placing a slice of a pear in her mouth, that sound causing her heart to jump for joy as there was no mistaking it. Balian also gazing out of the window with a smile, exchanging a look with Sofia once she turned to him. Looking happiest he'd ever seen her.

"Go", he prompted, taking the piece of fruit from her and nodded toward the door. Sofia returning his smile equally delighted, placing a quick kiss on his lips until hurried out of bed. Lifting the plate of fruit from her stomach and placed it with the knife on the table before dressed herself, soon running out of the room, after a while Balian following suite and taking a new shirt from the closet. His ears soon picking up a scream of excitement from the yard, him walking to the balcony and leaning against the rail like many times before, new smile curving up his lips as he followed Sofia to spin Kalilah in the air. Both laughing for the joy of reunion before she closed the small girl into her motherly embrace, Balian hearing Kalilah to call out to her repeatedly, clear longing in her voice.

But as he then got absorbed into his thoughts, it didn't take long before he heard footsteps behind him. Sofia walking to the balcony smiling, holding Kalilah in her arms, immediately the girl's blue eyes litting up and her arms reached toward Balian.

"Balian! Balian!" Kalilah rejoiced, smiling widely. Her so blissfully glad expression filling Balian with that same gentleness he always got while around her, for the first time himself understanding how much he had come to miss this girl. And as Sofia came to him, he also placed a soft kiss on the child's forehead, only to have her hug him tightly, now repeating his name in joy. Both Sofia and him sharing a smile, before they locked gazes. Balian's right hand landing behind Kalilah's back as the other pulled Sofia closer, him now holding both of them in his arms. He hadn't remembered how wonderful it felt to be this euphoric, so contended to his life, all things as they should with the people he cared for most.

But then a loud bark burst their small bubble, all three of them watching as Darcy barched through the doors as elated, wagging his tail and jumping against both Balian and Sofia. Kalilah reaching down to the spaniel and Sofia put her down, smiling at the dog who licked her face after gaining scratching, the animal in turn looking up to Balian as if remarkably. Amusing him.

"You kept your word", he admitted. "You took care of Kalilah."

Sofia directed another questionable look at Balian where Darcy seemed but satisfied for the praise, releasing another bark and snuggled against Balian. Proving that he was a born softy after all…

"Balian?" Sofia's voice called, snapping Balian out of his thoughts.

He turned his gaze down from the charred beam of his workshop that had been saved from the fire, the Latin phrase descripted on the wooden surface still intact and readable. Actually he was surprised to notice how well the whole smithy had been preserved from prominent damage of the flames he'd left behind to ravage while running off after his father. And when he now walked about in his shop, gazing at his home and the familiar scenery, even it had been only few months Balian still felt like it would've happened years ago. That all of it, his old life in this village before leaving it had been only a bad dream. Him smiling at Sofia upon remembering how contrary to that terrible night everything had become the moment he'd returned not alone, but with her and the new chance in life she'd given him by joining him.

"It's nothing", he reassured, Sofia eyeing at him oddly where he shook his head indifferently. "It is nothing, truly. I just thought how things have changed since I left here."

Sofia nodded, then as well examining the phrase carved into the wood in interest. "What does it say?" she asked, like Odo had inquired all those months ago when Balian's father had arrived to his shop. Balian shifted his eyes back up.

"What man is a man who does not make the world better?" he read, meeting Sofia's eyes again. She turned thoughtful, until soon smiled at him gently.

"You don't have to worry about that. You've made the world better as you are, no matter what happened here before you left. So that phrase doesn't speak of you, I'm sure."

Balian returned her smile as watched Sofia then wander off, her starting to walk around the premises to have a better look at the place she would be calling her home from now on. Balian hearing Kalilah's laughter as she was running around with Darcy at the yard below, next to the blacksmith shop at the bottom of the hill, letting out a peaceful sigh. Yes, he'd been right. It had felt tremendously less unnerving to face this place and the past it hold Sofia and Kalilah with him. However expectedly earning quite dismayed stares while riding through the village, the people he knew also of course recognizing him, before directing wondering looks at Sofia and Kalilah along with the spaniel running after the black mare. Balian now shaking his head in amusement. Either he hadn't expected to come back with a family he for a while had believed to never have after his wife had died, for his joy realizing to have been fortunately wrong in that.

Balian walked through the shop until finally arrived by the wide open view toward the small house, the warm wind blowing against him as he once more gazed at that same scenery he remembered by heart, seeing the same vast lands to spread far to the distance behind the trees that edged the croft and the unattended garden, the sky above filled with tattered clouds that let little light through. But it was then when Kalilah's bright, laughing voice woke his attention again and his eyes dropped to the yard. To follow how she ran after Darcy a full circle before then stopped to stare at a lone, small young tree Balian suddenly remembered to have been planted in middle of it by his late wife. But it had indeed grown from that sapling to an actual tree by now, covered in blossoms, as a clear sign of the spring.

He thought about the tree for a moment, until his eyes were then drawn to Sofia who at that same moment arrived to the yard, stopping to measure the small, fragile flowers growing from the as fragile noticing Balian soon breaking into a smile as watched first Sofia to lean forward, to smell the flowers until then gave in to Kalilah's pleading and took her in her arms, also lifting her to have a closer look at the pretty tree. Darcy barking at the background and running around the yard, also examining this new environment, as the mother and daughter kept on staring at the tree. Kalilah extending her small hand to touch the flowers, Balian hearing Sofia's voice to tell her to be careful.

He leant against the beam that supported the roof, like he'd many times before taken a break from his work to gaze at his wife in the garden. And it was odd, but as he now watched Sofia and Kalilah standing at the same spot, he felt similar serenity to spread in his chest with each heartbeat as all those times in the past. Like during that fleeting, exact moment everything would've fallen into place, in his life and in the whole world. But it was all due to the fact that he was simply happy again. Happy to see them down there, right here in France with him.

To have them here to form a family he after all had been given by some miracle made Balian think that maybe there truly was a God in this world, indeed watching over people. And maybe against all former beliefs of Balian's, the reason why He had bestowed him such misery and sent him to Holy Land was for him to only find his lost faith and happiness again. To find peace, his very own kingdom of heaven not farther but simply from within himself, like Sofia had once said. Him smiling again to himself due to the apparent succession of God's will, loud and incoming sound of galloping horses however then causing Balian to shift his attention to the road. To see two armored riders to approach his workshop, Balian blinking for confusion as he noticed a legion of soldiers to continue their journey in calm pace past the village, where another battalion trailed after these two men Balian deemed as their commanders, soon stopping to some distance away. Sofia as well hearing the noise and turning around, putting Kalilah back on the ground as looked to Balian after eyeing at the abruptly arrived troops in equal bafflement to his, exchanging a brief look with him until he vanished. Only to return back to her sight outside the blacksmith shop as the riders came to a halt in front of it, one of them riding forward.

After a few seconds of examination Sofia froze as looked at the man farther away, taking notice of the crown like helmet he wore and his overall rather dignified bearing that notably differed from his comrade's. Her instantly having a bad feeling about those crusaders coming to Balian's door, Kalilah instead getting excited and attempting to run to Balian, but Sofia stopped her.

"Stay there", she commanded, placing deterring hands on Kalilah's shoulders as then only followed the spokesman to start to speak, addressing Balian.

"We crusade to recover the kingdom of Jerusalem", the man said, meeting Balian's gaze who wasn't at all fazed by this significant annoucement, looking down. Small smile however visible at the corners of his lips as he replied.

"You go to where the men speak Italian…and then continue until they speak something else", he instructed, lifting his gaze to the man and relieving Sofia a little as his words reached her ears, convincing her that there wasn't even the tiniest part in him anymore that wanted to follow them, had they exclusively come for him or not. Balian exchanging a brief look with the crusader, until then the other person of consideranly higher status rode forth, examining the man who had received them. His expression highly authoritative as he confronted Balian's serious stare, Sofia frowning at the distance as his horse stopped in front of Balian and he verified her hunch as correct.

"We come by this road to find Balian, who was defender of Jerusalem", he supposed patrician specified. Sofia releasing a breath as Kalilah looked up to her confused, Sofia offering her a reassuring smile and smoothed her locks. Balian saying nothing at first, until both his voice and face turned ssertive when he finally spoke without hesitation.

"I am the blacksmith", he said with a humble bend of his head. Sofia seeing the nobe man to direct even more prestigious look into Balian's eyes, lifting his jaw.

"And I am the king of England", he revealed, Sofia having a realization. That sure explained his helmet and his natural sublimity…

Balian was silent for a moment, gazing down as the esposed king waited for his answer, most definitely expecting the nature of his forthcoming answer to change att he face of his true identity. But Balian then looked up to him as composed, smiling a little again as lifted his eyebrows, his voice definite.

"I am the blacksmith."

The king was obviously displeased by this another unsatisfactory response, but he then only nodded, turning his horse around without a word more. Riding away along the road his squire right at his tail, Balian's expression turning back to serious as he watched them to leave, the rest of the troops following suite not far behind and after a few minutes disappearing at the other side of the village. It was a foolish business to go back to Holy Land and try to recapture Jerusalem. Because Balian was certain that once Sofia's father had finally successfully returned the city back to his people, he would not yield it back to Christians. But it wasn't something he had to spear a thought for any longer. Not anymore…

"Balian!" Kalilah's voice shouted then, Balian turning to see the girl run up the hill, finally released from Sofia's hold. Smiling after her daughter as Balian did so too, catching Kalilah in middle of the run and lifted her up, placing her to sit to the same spot at the bend of his arm. Kalilah smiled that sweet smile of hers as Balian eyed at her for awhile, noting her hair to have grown quite much again since the last time he took notice of it, Kalilah tugging his sleeve.

"Can we be together now?" she asked. "Can we stay here now, you me and momma?"

Balian didn't answer at first, but looked down to the yard at Sofia who still stood beside the tree. Him watching her hair to sway in the wind around her, examining her thoughtful looking features, as Sofia circled her arms around herself. But after a few seconds os simply staring Balian started to smile at Kalilah due to the peek of the ring he'd given to Sofia back at Ibelin.

"Yes", he agreed, smoothing Kalilah's curls in turn, which as well were tugged by the wind in every direction. "We'll be together now."

Sofia smiled at the sound of his words, but in the following moment felt suddenly dizzy, staggering once, the giddiness passing quickly but was soon replaced by nausea. Sofia closing her eyes in confusion, fighting against the sensation, placing her hand on her mouth for a brief moment. However not giving the strange episode much though as Balian then arrived and set Kalilah back on the ground, Sofia watching him to eye at the flowers too, lifting his hand to touch them himself with the tips of his fingers. Contemplative look on his face in turn he rounded the tree, Sofia examining him curiously. But soon Balian noticed her stare, returning it, them then standing there just staring for a while, until both of them started to smile. Balian letting out a sigh, glancing towards the blacksmith shop on top of the hill once more, until gave all his attention to Sofia. Pulling her to him and taming her hair by capturing it in his hand, looking at her tenderly.

"I love you", he said, meaning it. And Sofia knew it, being able to see the depth of his affection from him even without words needed to profess it. Her own eyes turning equally gentle as she returned his feelings by leaning higher, exchangng one of those longer, loving kisses with him, not separating from him until a long moment had passed. Keeping her eyes closed as answered, wearing a blissful smile.

"I love you more", she replied, Balian responding with another short kiss on his lips, until then straightened his posture. Taking her hand.

"Let's go", he urged, surprising Sofia. "Let's take a walk. I'll show you around the village."

Giddy Kalilah immediately ran after Balian with Darcy, Sofia directing a satisfied gaze after them, taking in her daughter's joy as she raced past Balian and measured the man she would now spend the rest of her life with. Feeling but elated her now about to follow them. But her intentions were interrupted by another brief vertigo, Sofia staggering once or twice, until she then happened to discover another odd change in her body. Her eyes widening for suspicion as she stared forward in deep ponders, her hand pressing to touch her stomach. Was it bulging out a bit or was it just her imagination? But as she thought back about the recent shifts in her physical stability, finding them familiar, and in the next few seconds realized not to be imagining things, Sofia let out a breath and broke into surprised smile. In disbelief turning to look at Balian, who was standing on top of the hill, holding Kalilah's hand who waved at her. Shouting at her to hurry.

Sofia gathered her stirring thoughts until released another, even more contended sigh, her own hand still smoothing her stomach as she then finally started to climb the hill herself, smiling happily at the sight before her. Yes. Her life was now exactly like she'd always dreamt it to be, and duing the last weeks she'd gradually come to realize that the dream she'd had during the battle of Jerusalem had come true after all. And like Balian she could only thank God to have given her such happiness she'd never believed to deserve, before that nothing but perfect moment.

Praise be to God. It is proper to praise him.