A/N: This is the last chapter besides the epilogue, which will be extremely short. Please review and tell me (if you haven't already) if you would read a sequel about Ravyn, but with a bit more of the fantasy element. Thanks guys!
Disclaimer: don't own, don't sue
Chapter 15: Over
Marcus stared incomprehensibly at Kestral, weeping inconsolably over Xavier's body. Erika had crossed the room by this time, and pressed herself into Marcus's arms, shock making her eyes wide and her face even paler than normal. Endainme En'Dae sheathed her sais, and strode over to them, pushing them towards the door.
"Out," she commanded softly. Powerless in the face of Kestral's grief, they went without protest, exiting through a small side door which Endainme En'Dae shut firmly behind them. She went back to Kestral, and put her arms around her friend.
Kestral turned away from Xavier and sobbed into Endainme En'Dae's shirt. Endainme En'Dae stroked Kestral's red curls gently, murmuring incomprehensibly to her. It was not the words that mattered, she knew, but the comfort.
After several minutes, Kestral lifted her head and whispered, "I loved him. And I didn't even know until..." She trailed off, a fresh bout of tears making their inexorable path down her cheeks, which were already red with crying. Her green eyes were puffy and swollen from the strength of her grief.
"I know," Endainme En'Dae said softly. "I know."
It took Kestral a long time to stop crying, but when she finally did, she looked at Endainme En'Dae and asked in a rough whisper, "What do we do now?"
"You must be strong, my friend," Endainme En'Dae told her. "The war is over. And now we must talk of peace with Marcus."
Kestral's eyes hardened at Marcus's name, but she nodded. "I can do it. But, I'd like to clean up first." She gestured vaguely at her face, red and blotchy, and at her dress, which was damp with tears.
"Of course." Endainme En'Dae smiled gently at Kestral, and she smiled weakly back.
Endainme En'Dae helped Kestral to her feet, leading her towards the door, and hoping that Marcus and Erika had enough sense to be gone by the time they got there.
Apparantly, they did, because the long, cold hallway was quite empty. Kestral and Endainme En'Dae walked slowly through Ordoghaz's halls to Endainme En'Dae's room. Once they got there, Kestral took a shower while Endainme En'Dae changed clothes.
Kestral emerged from the bathroom looking sad, but refreshed. Wordlessly, Endainme En'Dae offered her a clean dress, and Kestral took it with a smile. She dressed quickly and then started towards the door, but Endainme En'Dae motioned for her to sit down on a couch in her sitting room.
"I've asked Marcus to come here in one hour," Endainme En'Dae told her. "So that we'll have time to decide what we want to ask him."
Kestral nodded.
"Do you want anything from him?" Endainme En'Dae prompted.
Kestral leaned her head back against the couch. She thought of revenge, of killing Marcus with her bare hands, but knew, even as she wished for it, that she could never ask that. While Marcus, who undoubtedly felt guilty about Xavier's death, would probably grant her anything she asked, even his own death, she could never do that to Endainme En'Dae. Kestral knew that her friend had once been Marcus's lover, and still cared about him greatly. Now that she knew what it felt like to lose the man you loved, she could never inflict that pain on her friend. At last, she looked Endainme En'Dae straight in the eye, and said, "I want a full pardon for all the renegades. I want to join the renegades and the Coven, so that we are as we were before the war. Most of us left because of Sonja. Some, who were alive when my daughter was killed, and some who found out the truth by accident. I want Marcus to tell the Coven the truth, about everything, and then I want him to marry Erika, if she wishes. And I want him to make you an Elder."
Endainme En'Dae gaped at her. She had expected—and been prepared to head off—any desires for revenge, or for Kestral's own death. This was not at all what she had expected. When she finally found her voice, she said, "And the lycans?"
"I want Marcus to met with Michael and create a peace treaty with the lycans. I want the fighting to end. Permanently."
"And what about you? If the renegades are to join the Coven, then they will need someone they know, and respect, to help lead the Coven if you want the joining to be smooth."
"Fine."
When Marcus arrived an hour later, he had several blank sheets of paper in his hand. Kestral was in Endainme En'Dae's bedroom, asleep. Endainme En'Dae had given her several glasses of blood, with a bit of a sleeping draught mixed in, that had put her right to sleep.
Marcus looked around nervously as he entered Endainme En'Dae's sitting room.
"She's asleep," Endainme En'Dae informed him sharply.
"Oh."
"Oh is right, you damned bastard!" Marcus winced. "Did you have to bloody kill him?"
"I didn't mean to."
"Do you realize what you sound like?" Endainme En'Dae demanded, her voice dangerously low. Marcus quavered under her withering glare. "You sound like a bloody six-year-old, who has just broken his little brother's toy!" The intensity of her glare increased, and her tone became softer, and more dangerous. "I asked her what she wanted of you, and do you know what she said? She said she wanted the renegades to be pardoned and allowed to join the Coven. She said she wanted you to tell the Coven the truth about this damned war, she wants to make me an Elder and she wants you to marry Erika!" Endainme En'Dae's voice had reached the ultimate level of dangerousness, and Marcus was practically shaking in his shoes from terror.
He swallowed hard. "Anything else?"
"She wants you to meet with Michael and end this damned war with the lycans. Permanently. And I demand that you make her an Elder."
Marcus swallowed again, setting the paper down on the table. "That's fine. I brought the paper so we could draw up a proper contract." He gave a heavy sigh of relief and collapsed into an arm chair. "I thought she was going to ask to kill me."
Endainme En'Dae sat down too. "So did I. I was ready to talk her out of it. She considered it. I saw it on her face. But she decided not to. She didn't even mention it. I don't know why." She picked up a pen and grabbed the sheaf of papers. "Now, about this contract..."
When everything had been written out, there was a peace treaty with the renegades, Michael had been summoned from the renegade manor and there was a peace treaty with the lycans, Erika had arrived and agreed to the marriage, and the agreements that would allow the renegades to join with the Coven had been drawn up. Kestral was still asleep in Endainme En'Dae's bedroom and Ravyn, who had come with Michael and Selene, was asleep next to her. Every hour, either Selene or Endainme En'Dae would get up to check on them.
The battle that resulted in Xavier's death had ended around midnight, Selene and Michael had been summoned around dawn, and it was now nearing dusk. Selene glanced at the clock, and stood. "We'd better get going. Ravyn will be waking up soon." Endainme En'Dae stood as well and embraced Selene.
"If you like, you can move back in. We'll keep your rooms for you."
"Thank you," Selene said, gratefully. "I'll think about it."
Michael and Selene made it to the renegade manor without incident. They went to Selene's rooms, where Selene put the baby into the crib a helpful servant had placed in her sitting room. Selene sat down on her bed and started to pull off her heavy boots. Michael stood staring out the window, gazing at the moon. The expression on his face was worried and nervous.
"Michael, what's wrong?" Selene asked, going to the window and standing next to him.
He turned to her, and smiled slightly, but nervousness and apprehension still filled his face. "I've been thinking," he started.
"Oh dear."
"No, I'm serious. I've been thinking. Once my divorce is finalized..." he trailed off, and Selene felt something begin to swell in her chest. Could he be asking her what she thought he was asking?
He pulled something out of his pocket and went down on one knee. "Selene will you marry me?" He opened the little velvet box in his hand, revealing a diamond set on a silver band.
Selene put a hand to her mouth, and felt a smile growing beneath her hand. "Yes," she said happily. "Yes!" She pulled him to his feet and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his face to hers. At first, his lips were stiff against hers, shock preventing him from responding to her touch. But he quickly softened against her, putting his arms around her waist and tightening his grip.
Several minutes later, they emerged from their kiss, breathless. Michael slipped the ring out of its box and slid it onto Selene's hand. She looked down, admiring the ring and it's fit on her pale hand.
"Do you like it?" Michael asked a trifle nervously.
"I love it," Selene told him firmly, and pulled him in for another kiss.
A/N: awwww, isn't that sweet? This is the last chapter. There's an epilogue, but that's going to be pretty short. Please review, and let me know if you'd like to read a sequel about Ravyn. It will have a bit more of the fantasy element, because it's sort of a cross-over with some of my original stuff. Those who have already voiced their opinions, thank you. I have several yeses, and one maybe, but that's from moose.
I would like to give a huge thanks to the following people for reviewing faithfully throughout this story:
Khayla-Even though you came in fairly late in the game, you were very supportive and reviewed every chapter! Thank you.
Lady K2- You have been a great encouragement throughout this story. Without you, a lot of the stuff that's in here probably wouldn't be. Thank you!
And the biggest thanks of all goes to vampirehuntr00, aka Moose and my muse. You introduced me to Underworld, got me started on this silly thing, let me borrow a character (sorry I can't give him back; he's kinda dead. sorry!), and let me bounce ideas off of you constantly! Thank you so much! Without you, there would be no fic. I hope you will continue to be my muse, even though you're mad about Xavier.
I will thank all of my reviewers individually in the epilogue, and answer all questions that we're asked, even if they have been answered during the course of this fic. Thank you all so much, and please review!