Author's Notes: I originally wrote this very short piece as a stand-alone, but after thinking about it decided to tack it on Fiat Lux as an epilogue. (A year after I wrote the original story...yeah.. heh.) I think it works fine that way. It's not all that wonderful though.. I wrote this around midnight-ish, on three cups of coffee and little sleep the night before, so forgive any errors I didn't uncover after the proof-reading! ^_^;;

Fiat Lux Epilogue: Mairelon

"I take thee, Richard Merrill, as my husband..."

As she went on, Kim thought absentmindedly that he would always be Mairelon to her. It was the name she knew before the other, the singular moniker she had never bothered to replace in her mind. It was a name that had sounded quite magical when she'd first heard it, and when she'd first seen him in his hat and cape and flash togs. It had been only his stage name, and yet it was a name more real to her than any other.

Richard Merrill, despite being the name he was born with, didn't have half the magic in it as 'Mairelon.'

And Mairelon was hers exclusively. Richard Merrill, dutiful but exasperating, belonged to his mother, his aunt, Renée, Shoreham and whoever else knew him by association; Mairelon the Magician, who was just exasperating, belonged to Kim only. He was her mentor, her teacher, her savior, her protector... and her love. The man she would gladly die for, and for whom she nearly did. She was the only one besides Hunch who loved him for who he was, who trusted him without expecting things from him.

Others demanded things from Kim as well. Slowly, painstakingly, she learned to be proper for them, and learned to speak like a lady. She'd tried her hardest to adapt to an alien and complicated lifestyle so that she could be accepted. However, as kind as their intentions were, they'd wanted to shape her to what they wished to see, and not what she wished to be. Mrs. Lowe wanted propriety and wanted her to find a husband. Lady Wendell and Reneé d'Auber wanted her to make a splash. They all wanted a show. Society itself wanted a show, wanted to see if the guttersnipe would fail or fly among those who were born amongst the haut ton.

Mairelon had only wanted her to be what she wanted, and do what she wanted. Granted, the speaking lessons still went on. And though she did want to be a wizard, he did his best to guide her on that path because he wanted her to be one as well. However, he had also been concerned for her happiness, and her own wishes and desires. He wanted her to enjoy this new life he had gifted her. Perhaps this was a part of the reason why she loved him so much.

Whether she lived on the street or with the gentry, no one but Mairelon had ever cared about what Kim wanted.

When Kim learned he had also wanted her to marry him, she had felt even more gratified to him. For she knew then that she would no longer be toyed with, as one did with a piece of clay. She would be allowed to mold herself, to enjoy her own sort of freedom as Mairelon's wife and love. Best of all, she would forever be at his side, to support him and to be supported. What remaining shadows of uncertain futures and lingering pasts were banished forever in a fiery flash of light. A sunburst.

Fiat lux, Kim thought to herself, her eyes twinkling with their own light as she looked into his. Mairelon looked back, eyes alive and smoldering and crinkled in a smile.

The words were finally said — those words memorized and rehearsed meticulously for weeks — and then instantly forgotten after their long-awaited utterance. The rings were exchanged. The minister said a few of his own words, but they were unheard in the rush of euphoria claiming both bride and groom. Then they were pronounced man and wife, and Kim was suddenly bent back, enveloped in arms and lips, and the church rang out with claps, laughter, whistles and shouts.

As Mairelon — Mairelon, not Richard — pulled back, he asked her softly, "Are you happy?"

Kim allowed her lips to widen in a wicked smile. "Ain't never been happier," she whispered back. His own lips quirked up wryly, but for once he made no comment on her word choice.

And as one, the twain turned to face Society together.

~The End~


Author's end-note: Told you it wasn't all that wonderful. *sigh* If this were to be categorized, it would be in the 'Plot? What plot?' section. It's just... more fluffy fluff. There really isn't much to say, except I just typed this up one night and decided to post it up. I'm not especially proud of it, since nothing really happens. I tried to gloss over what was actually happening; I'm not exactly brushed up on Regency-and-Victorian-era weddings and such. I'm not sure how much Kim was in character though.. it's a little hard to write something introspective in third person, but writing Kim in first person would have been even more difficult. x_X;;; Ah well. It's not even all that organized.... meh, well, I just hope this worked out all right and you people actually liked it. R&R, but only if you want to.

Note: I'm going to be working on another Mairelon story, a longer one with an actual plot. ^^; I don't know anyone besides me who loves the Mairelon universe as much as I do, so I'm going to have to shout out to everyone out there who's read this fic. If anyone would like to beta-read for me, please please e-mail me at voice_of_the_mist@yahoo.com. If anyone doesn't want to beta-read and yet wouldn't mind to know what strange ideas I have so I can do some good idea-bouncing, please e-mail me too. ^^; And if you just want me to update... you know what to do. *grin* Thank ye kindly!