A/N: "We accept the love we think we deserve." -Stephen Chbosky

Disclaimer: I am not John Flanagan.

Epilogue: Ace

2 years later

Ace walked up the steps to Roscrea Castle with his brother fighting the flurries of snow. Araluen had sent a full company to Skandia to help their close allies defend their homeland from a Persian warlord and as it happened William and Ace had been part of that company, William at the helm and Ace as the lead field physician. Winter had turned on them quicker than expected and their ships had docked in Roscrea to wait out winter. As princes of Araluen they were to be guests of honor. They'd learned Sean and Kineta were traveling with their children at the moment for a much needed holiday so Scout was left in charge of royal affairs. Seeing Scout was their only reason for claiming their spots as guests of honor in the city. Had she traveled with her cousins they likely would have just set up camp outside the city and ran up an Araluen flag to let Hibernian guards know they were friends.

Scout had been alerted to them in advance. She waited at the top of the steps smiling with a small group of familiar faces. Tucker and Caitlyn, wearing Academy-marked clothing, stood near Julia who wore a simple dark dress and Daniel and Mason, wearing their usual Ranger uniforms. Daniel and Julia's wedding had taken place just weeks after Frey and Rosalina's. It'd been a much smaller affair with just what they considered family present for vows followed by a meal in Jenny's restaurant. Her guard Warden was nearby as well in his palace uniform while Kelly, Scout's lady-in-waiting, hovered nearby holding a tray of sandwiches.

Scout hugged each of the brothers tightly before speaking. "The sea turn on you?"

"Sadly," William sighed. "Now we have to spend a few weeks in this forsaken place."

"Careful, the natives tend to be hostile," Scout mocked him with a grin. "How's Anamaria? And Reese?"

"It's been almost seven months since I've seen them," William sighed. He missed his little family terribly. Reese was everything a young prince should be and then some. The bright, eager boy would become Araluen's crown heir when William returned. Horace and Cassandra had been talking about stepping down for months and finally they'd decided to carry through once this latest mission was complete. William had been glad for the warning. He needed time to calm his nerves and good old fashioned fighting helped that.

Kane joined the princes from behind. He slapped William and Ace's shoulders. "You two left without me."

"You aren't a guest of honor," William joked. "You're just some common Royal Scout."

"I married the woman who saved the queen and prince of this country, and I'm sure she saved Scout at some point. Doesn't that get me any credit?"

Scout stepped around the princes and hugged him tightly. "I got a letter from Gabby the other day. I still have it."

Scout had resumed writing the Araluens she loved on a regular basis. Ironically it was Gabby who kept up the most correspondence. One of the apprentices under her earned extra money by writing and reading for her.

"How's my family?" Kane asked eagerly.

"Anything from mine?" William asked.

Scout shook her head to William before continuing on. "She said that she wishes you would come home sooner. She said you were on some type of mission with William and Ace though she didn't give any details. Russ started learning Gaelic last month. Holt and Robin are driving her mad."

Caitlyn joined in the conversation and shortly after that Daniel, Mason, Julia, Tucker, and Warden followed. Kelly walked around with her tray, people taking a little at a time as she navigated them. Ace caught her arm and they rushed around the corner out of sight of the others. She set the tray on a bench fell into his embrace.

"Hello, Lady Kelly," he said with a smile.

"Hello, Prince Horace the Second," Kelly giggled.

He and Kelly were by far more modest than the other couples. Rosalina and Frey were by far the most rash while Daniel and Julia were simply not shy. Ace and Kelly were both meek by nature and didn't feel comfortable sharing passionate trysts around other people. Besides, a Hibernian lady-in-waiting could get into serious trouble if caught flirting with an Araluen prince. They had to keep their relationship low-key. All of Scout's mail went through Kelly during delivery so it had become almost too easy for them to share long letters in secret. Their method was simple. If Kelly picked up a letter on Ace's official stationary all she had to do was look at the seal. If it was in red wax, the official wax of Araluen correspondence, it was indeed meant for Scout. If the seal was in any color other than red it was for Kelly. Kelly used the same method to send Ace mail. Anything from Scout's official stationary wouldn't be questioned en route to Araluen and she had full access to Scout's desk.

Their relationship consisted mostly of letters but Scout often traveled to Araluen while Ace also traveled to Hibernia on official business. They'd noticed one another at Rosalina's wedding when each of them retreated to the same corner as the night wore on, Kelly obligated to stay as long as Scout and Ace obligated to stay as brother of the bride. What began as a shared area of withdrawal from the party ended in a long conversation followed by moving to the garden to speak privately. What began as a talk in private ended in watching the sunrise and then each of them trying to sneak back to their lives. Scout had questioned Kelly about her absence all night and seemingly bought the story that Kelly had been talking to a footman and lost track of time. When Ace's actions were questioned he lied about finding a girl who hurt her ankle dancing in heeled slippers and required observation all night.

Their stories had been weak but everyone had believed their lies about romantic encounters that lasted throughout the night and nobody put two and two together. It had been perfect. It was Kelly who came up with their letters. She'd stolen a sheet of Scout's stationary and written him a short message asking if he'd like to keep in touch, explaining how she was the last leg of Scout's mail delivery before the Hibernian princess herself. Ace kept all of her letters to him in a wooden box hidden beneath a loose floorboard in his bedroom. Kelly kept his tied up with twine underneath her mattress.

"Why don't you resign as Scout's lady-in-waiting?" Ace asked her in a low voice. "Just tell her you want to experience Araluen. Tell her you're tired of Hibernia. I'll see to it you're given a good position."

"Scout's kind to me. She's the reason I've made it this far up the ladder. I can't leave her to find someone new. It wouldn't be fair."

Ace sighed. "I guess it's just letters then."

"Unless you're willing to move to Hibernia, yes."

Ace shook his head. Though he wasn't the crown heir he couldn't leave Araluen. "I wish things were different."

"Me too."