A/n: Oh boy. Here it is. My last chapter. This is hard to write, I've got a connection with these characters. I hope you readers feel the same way.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The next day, Jerrold and I announced our engagement to Roan and Iris.
We entered their sitting room, where the two of them were playing chess. They looked up at us, and their eyes immediately fell to our clasped hands.
"What is this?" Roan asked, standing up.
I looked and Jerrold and took a deep breath. "Roan, Jerrold and I are to be married," I said.
Iris began laughing. "You're joking, right?" she said.
"No," replied Jerrold.
"But you two hated each other!" she cried.
"I know," I explained. "But we've really grown close over the last few months."
Roan smiled. "So you're serious about marriage?"
"Yes," Jerrold said. "I love your sister, Roan."
He squeezed my hand. I almost laughed out loud. What he just said sounded so… planned. I bet he'd been saying that to himself forever.
Iris crossed the room and wrapped her arms around Roan's neck tenderly. "Well, we give you our blessings," she said. "Don't we?"
"Of course, congratulations," Roan said absentmindedly, his voice darkening. "Daria, you need to get Mother and Father's blessing if you wish to marry."
"Why?" said Jerrold. "She needs no dowry."
"No, but I don't think she should marry without her parent's consent," replied Roan.
"You did, why should she be any different?" retorted Jerrold.
I stamped my foot impatiently. "Hello!" I said loudly. "I'm still here!"
They looked at me. "Oh, yes. Sorry Daria," Roan said.
"What do you wish to do?" asked Jerrold.
I thought for a moment. "I don't want my parents at the wedding," I said. "but I do wish to let them meet the man I'm marrying."
"Okay," said Jerrold. "We'll go tomorrow."
I smiled. "That sounds fine," I replied. "But brace yourself. They're intense people."
The next day, I awoke early and dressed in one of my finest gowns. It was pink silk, and decorated in white braided trim. I wanted to make an impression on my family when I arrived. After all, I was to be queen. But more importantly I was to be Jerrold's wife. They needed to know that I had found him all by myself, and that I loved him more than anyone in the entire world.
Jerold was dressed finely, in a green velour tunic, sans crown. "No crown?" I asked him.
"No crown," he replied. "First of all, I haven't been coroneted yet. Secondly, I don't want to intimidate anyone."
I laughed bitterly. "Don't you worry about that last one."
The carriage pulled up to the manor, and I felt my temperature rise. I was getting angry already, and I hadn't even spoken to them. Jerrold clutched my hand, and I took a deep breath as I opened the door.
It opened, and my sister Helena peered out. Her jaw dropped. "Mother! Father! You need to see this," she cried. "Come in."
The manor looked the same, except dustier, because I wasn't there to clean it up. My mother and father entered the foyer. They looked haughtier than the last time I'd seen them. Helena stood next to them. She looked like me, except older. Her face was creased before her time. I heard thundering footsteps, and Cyrus and Alexei appeared at the foot of the stairs.
"Daria?" Alexei said.
I nodded. "Yes," I replied.
"Why have you come here?" my father said coldly. "Roan treating you poorly? He always was such a rude boy."
Jerrold's grip on my hand tightened. I swallowed, gaining confidence. "No, Roan is treating me wonderfully. He's married," I replied.
"To whom?" said Helena.
"Iris," Jerrold blurted. "Lady Iris of Jenn."
My mother looked at Jerrold, disgusted. "Daria, who is this boy?" she seethed.
I took a deep breath, quelling my anger. "This is Jerrold, my betrothed," I explained.
"Jerrold?" spat Cyrus. "Named after that bastard prince, I presume?"
Jerrold looked at him calmly. "No, actually," he replied. "I am that bastard prince."
Cyrus's eyes widened, and my family dropped into curtsies and bows. I couldn't help smiling. As they came up, I saw them smirking.
"When is the wedding?" Mother asked.
"In three weeks, the same day as the coronation," I replied.
"I suppose you want our blessings," Father said.
I nodded. "That's why I came," I said.
He sighed. "Very well," he said. "I suppose you want her dowered?"
"Oh no," said Jerrold. "That's not necessary."
"And you'll be wanting your mother and me to present you at the wedding?" he asked.
I sighed. "Well…" I began. "I actually asked Roan and Iris to do it."
My mother pursed her lips. "Why?" she cried in disgust.
"Well, to be honest, Roan and Iris have treated me like family. They're kind and understanding, and they act like they love me…" I trailed off.
"And we didn't?" Alexei asked.
I shifted, somewhat uncomfortable by the confrontation. "Well, no," I said simply.
My father seemed to glow in rage. "You ungrateful, lying, impudent wench!" he yelled. "After all we dealt with for you. Your constant questioning and attitude, all you did was rebel!"
He flew at me, but Jerrold jumped in front of me, pointing his sword at my father. Both of them were livid, and at my expense.
"Don't condemn your daughter's virtues," Jerrold said warily. "Daria's spunk makes her irresistible. She's smart, clever, and funny. No man wants to marry some effected house-maid."
Helena whimpered, obviously insulted. My father bowed. "I am sorry, your highness," he said.
I laughed. "No you're not. You're sorry that our hated daughter is to become queen and she wants nothing to do with you. Isn't that right, Mother? You were always telling me, 'marry rich, love comes later'? Well, who'd of thought that I'd marry for love and wealth would come later? I feel for all of you, for I will soon forget you. But you? You will think of me everyday for the rest of your lives," I said intensely. "Let's go, Jerrold. We need to leave."
I grabbed Jerrold's hand and left the house. Jerrold and I walked to the carriage, silent. Once inside, he pulled me onto his lap and kissed me.
"What I said in there was true," he said. "I love that you have a personality."
I laughed. "Me too," I replied. "But who would have really thought I'd marry a boy who I hated so!"
He laughed. "You weren't a bowl of cherries either," he replied.
And with that, the carriage jolted forward, taking us back to the castle and our new lives together.
"Presenting His Highness, Jerrold Ludwig Kiernan, Duke of Jenn, Earl of the Court Isles, and King of the most noble kingdom of Kyrria," announced the man.
I smiled as the ballroom erupted in cheers. "And his wife, Her Highness Daria Marianne Ophelia, Duchess of the L'Eau Isle, Countess of the Gnome Caverns, and Queen of the most noble kingdom of Kyrria," he proclaimed.
The ballroom cheered again. Jerrold and I began to descend the stairs, crowns weighing on our heads, dressed as formally as possible. We began to waltz about the room, alone, to Kyrria's national anthem. It was incredibly romantic. I'd never thought I'd ever end up as queen of Kyrria. In a place that I'd hated so much, surrounded by people I'd hated so much, who'd of thought I'd fight in a revolution to win the crown and rule Kyrria? Certainly not I. But almost a year after I'd met Jerrold, I knew that I was finally happy, and that everything was finally perfect for me.
A/n: Okay, I stole a bit of Daria's monologue from Ever After, one of my all time favorite movies. Anyway, this is it. Sniff. But wait… could there be a bit more? Some closure? We'll see… we will see.