Chapter 6: Epilogue: Peace At Last

Hello everyone! I wanted to write a little epilogue for this story to wrap it up, so without further ado, here it is! Enjoy!

It was as if Caesar had blinked and five years had gone by. Vincent was now running around the mansion and keeping their hands full, and Caesar wouldn't have it any other way. Their greatest adventure had become even more exciting, as Kara had just recently given him a daughter, Lena. Caesar had never felt so complete in his life than as with Kara and the family they made. He couldn't help thinking if his father were still here and could see them he would be proud, and he felt a small pang of sadness at the wish for the late Count to know the grandchildren he would never meet. He could swear, at times, like his and Kara's wedding and the births of their children, that he could feel his father's presence, as if he really was there with him, telling him how proud he was.

As usual, it was his beloved Kara who shook him from his reverie when he felt her arms wrap around his waist and heard her softly ask, "What's troubling that mind of yours, my love?" He could tell she knew he had been totally lost to his thoughts, as he hadn't even noticed her approach until he felt her arms around him. He slid his arms around her waist in return and pulled her closer before answering her question, "I was just thinking about Dad. I just…wish he could see me now. See all of this, you know?" Kara gave a hum of understanding in response, and Caesar knew she could probably tell what he was thinking. He had confided to her many times about how much he missed his father and how he regretted his aloof behavior toward him before his death. He wished he hadn't masked his feelings, had told his dad how he felt while there was still time. Still, he was forever grateful that the late Count had written him a letter telling Caesar how he felt, how he had always loved his son. A letter that Caesar still kept to this day.

After their first adventure, when Caesar came back alone to rule Greede, everyone noted with surprise how serious the young Count had become, and it hadn't escaped the notice of his friends when they reunited for their second adventure. True, he had dropped the aloof facade, but his father's death had only started that process. It was wanting to save Kara, and ultimately losing her that changed him; he was plunged into some dark depths after losing her, and he returned home alone to have a whole city in his hands now. It was no wonder he surprised everyone when he became ruler of Greede—he had quite an undertaking in trying to live up to his father's monumental legacy. In addition to shouldering this legacy, only those close to Caesar in the Drisdall household could tell that he was diving headfirst into his work running the city to distract from his crippling grief from the loss of Kara.

Now that he had Kara back by his side and as his wife, they got to rule Greede as a team, and he always had someone to confide in, someone to live his life with. Together, there was nothing they couldn't tackle; they had been making Greede prosper, building a family, building their own legacy in addition to his father's. He stared back into her stunning violet eyes and gave Kara a squeeze before adding, "I just hope he'd be proud of all we've done for Greede, what we've done to preserve his legacy. I wish we could see him get to know the grandkids he'll never meet." Kara brought a hand up to caress his cheek at this, and he nuzzled deeper into the comforting caress, kissing the palm of her hand. "I'm absolutely certain he would be proud of you. He always was. And I'm certain that he's still with you, watching you, beaming with pride." Caesar nodded, accompanied by a hum of assent.

"I wish I could have gotten to know him," Kara continued, "but I'm glad I got a chance to meet him. Although I regret I didn't appreciate it then because I had other things on my mind at the time like getting brainwashed and swearing to loathe you forever because of it." "And how did that declaration of eternal loathing work out for you, Mrs. Drisdall?" He smirked at her and raised an eyebrow, taking her hand that had been caressing his cheek into his, his fingers caressing her wedding ring, the symbol of their eternal bond. She looked down at their joined hands and her ring, and laughed. "As far as staying true to that goal, it totally failed. But I wouldn't have it any other way, because everything worked out perfectly in the end." She squeezed his hand and rested her forehead against his with a contented sigh. "I'd agree with that assessment," he concurred. "You know," he continued, "if you did have the opportunity to get to know Dad, he would have loved you." Kara lifted her head from his to look at him curiously. "Really?" "I'm sure of it. You are beautiful, brilliant, witty, kind-hearted, and most importantly you keep my ass in line." Kara laughed again before agreeing with him. "And you make me happier than anything I ever thought possible, which is what he would have wanted for me." Kara smiled at this, and planted a tender kiss on his cheek.

"What will always get me," he continued, "is that I will always feel like I didn't get enough time with Dad." "Caesar…" Kara started, but she didn't know what to say. "Time, as you and Dad have both shown me, is incredibly precious. Something I'll never take for granted again, especially with you." He held her tighter, wanting to freeze this moment in time, knowing what it was like to hold her and have to painfully let her go for the last time (or so he thought), never wanting to let her go again. He gazed into those violet eyes that have always bewitched him, and found them gazing at him with that look of pure affection reserved only for him. "Time…" she started, "a precious thing indeed. The greatest gift I was ever given was forever with you."

Caesar continued to take her in, in complete wonder at how he fell more in love with her with every passing day, how she was the most beautiful creature he had ever beheld, and he was in disbelief that he actually got to spend his life with her. But even the rest of their mortal lives together wouldn't be enough; he hoped that whatever afterlife there was that their souls could be perpetually bonded for eternity. He just wanted her, and had put all of these sentiments into the eternal vow he made her years ago when they were married. Giving her a squeeze, he said softly, "No amount of time with you will ever be enough." He saw Kara start at this sentiment and her tender expressive eyes were brimming with tears as he continued, "But forever is a great start." He brought a hand up to tenderly wipe away a tear that was falling on her cheek, before closing the gap between their lips and engulfing her in an all-encompassing kiss that conveyed everything he felt for her. He felt Kara bring her arms up around his neck, her hands resting at the back of his head, as if she was trying to pull him in as close as possible too; as if she too were wanting to preserve this moment in time, take in all of him.

When they pulled away after a moment, Kara smiled up at Caesar and was leaning totally against him for support; he realized he had made her weak in the knees with that kiss and was still highly amused that even after years of marriage he still had that effect on her. When he teased her about it she laughed and replied that he would always have that effect on her no matter what. Her hands were playing with the strands of hair pulled up behind his head as he rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes and just taking in the cadence of her breaths, which was still his favorite thing.

The couple savored the moment together before they were interrupted by the door bursting open, causing Caesar and Kara both to start and break apart from their embrace. Vincent was awake from his afternoon nap, full of energy as he ran in followed by the steward. "Mommy! Daddy!" He exclaimed, as he ran into Caesar's arms. Caesar caught him and spinned him around, while Vincent giggled happily. "What's up, little guy?" he asked his son. "I wanna play a game!" he replied eagerly. "A game, huh? Let's see what Mom thinks, you know she's the boss around here," he said, as he looked at Kara with a wink. Kara chuckled and replied, "A game sounds fun! Whatever you wish, my darling." Vincent lit up, and unsurprisingly suggested hide-and-seek. It was his favorite game, and who could blame him? Growing up in the massive Drisdall Mansion was a child's play haven, he hadn't even discovered half the spots Caesar loved to stump his father with as a child. Vincent really took after his father after all, as Caesar couldn't help but note he had the same rambunctious energy he himself possessed as a kid. Vincent had always asked when Lena would be able to play with them. They had to explain once more that she was only three months old, but someday soon she would be able to join the fun. Ever since they found out Kara was pregnant again and they told Vincent he would get a sibling, he was over the moon. Now that Lena was here, he couldn't wait for her to get bigger so they could play together. Caesar found Vincent's love for his sister very endearing, and he knew Kara did as well. As usual, Vincent insisted that he alone hide and that Caesar and Kara look for him together, to which his parents had no objections. "Okay, we're going to start counting now, you better run and find a really good hiding place because we're gonna getcha," Caesar said playfully. He tickled Vincent as he released him from his arms, and Vincent squealed as he ran off giggling to find a hiding place in the sprawling manor, the steward following behind him to make sure he didn't go into any areas he wasn't supposed to.

Caesar turned to Kara and smiled brightly. "You know," he started, "I'm glad Vincent suggested hide-and-seek, and that he has us looking together." "Why's that?" She questioned. "Because instead of counting," he answered, "We can just do this." Caesar pulled her in close once more and brought his lips to hers again in a deep kiss. After they pulled away, Kara smiled that beautiful smile he always told her that her beautiful face deserved, and said, "You're right, that's way more fun." She pulled him back in and kissed him softly and slowly. Caesar was so utterly mesmerized by the feeling of her lips on his that he almost forgot everything else, even the important task at hand. When they pulled away, he could tell Kara was caught up in the moment as well. He grinned his trademark grin and offered her his hand. "I do believe our son is eagerly waiting for us to find him. Let's get to it, shall we?" Kara gladly took his hand and agreed.

Hand in hand, they ran through their manor, laughing as they searched for Vincent, hearing his delighted squeals as they got closer and eventually found him hiding behind the statue of his father the late Count Drisdall in the garden courtyard. "Got you!" Kara exclaimed, scooping him up as he giggled and hugged her. Caesar just took a moment to sit back and watch them, admiring his wife being the great mother he always knew she would be. He also felt Vincent's chosen hiding spot was very fitting given his own reflections earlier that day, and this was another one of those moments where Caesar swore he felt his father's presence with them, smiling and laughing with his family.

Caesar stood there in front of his father's statue noting that he never felt so at peace before. Years ago, Caesar would have thought his forever would look quite different, that he had lost Kara forever and would be forced to endure a life without her. If someone had come from the future and told him then that this would be his life now, he would have thought they were absolutely crazy. But Caesar remembered the words of his father's final letter, and was so glad he had taken his father's advice to forge his own path no matter how difficult. It was definitely a long and difficult path getting here, but it was so worth it. Caesar knew no amount of time with Kara would ever be enough, but he also knew that their forever was just starting and they still had plenty of adventures and the rest of their lives ahead of them. And Caesar was never going to take a second of it for granted; he was going to cherish her forever. He was shaken from his thoughts by the sound of Vincent calling out to him from the few feet of distance there was between them in the garden, and he looked over to see Vincent waving at him while Kara was still holding him, her hip supporting his weight. She was smiling at him with that knowing smile that was so damn beautiful it made him melt every time, drawing him towards her. Kara carefully put Vincent back down on the ground, and he took her hand. As he approached, Caesar took Vincent's other hand and they walked back into the mansion, back to their forever, to all the adventures they would have together. Caesar didn't need Dragon Sight or any magical powers to know it was going to be good.

And that's it! To anyone who has followed along with this little story that helped me get back into writing, I want to truly thank you for humoring me! It has meant so much and I really appreciate it!