DISCLAIMER - Most of the characters, places, etc belong to Tamora Pierce.

This is the second to last chapter, all that is left if the epilogue. I have to get my story to over 40,000 words so that it will show up on the search engine more. Please review so that I know if you guys liked the ending, b/c if you didn't, I will rewrite it. Also, I don't know what kind of stuff to put in the epilogue, so any questions about anything, I will answer there.

CHAPTER 12

Around midnight, Kodi left the chair by Kel's bed, where she had half-slept so that Kel wouldn't leave. She wrote a quick note, mainly telling them that she loved them all. Trotting quickly to the Chamber as if she was drawn to it by some alien power, Kodi wasn't feeling anything. She walked inside the Chamber without thought, barely noticing Captus's presence at her side.

I knew that you would be back. The Chamber spoke smugly.

"Well I'm glad that you won your bet with the gods." Kodi said sarcastically. "I need to ask you what to do. They all want the Scanren princess. They'll find out eventually. I can't lie to them anymore."

I told you that you had a task to complete and only by making friends and loving would you get the training you needed to be a princess. Do what you were meant to do.

"I'll tell them, then. I'll go now." After hearing about all the pain that the Chamber caused squires, Kodi was beginning to think that she got off easy.

Not so fast. Scanra's throne has long been called the Bloody Throne and for good reason. You will break this cycle. While you traveled Scanra, you observed the people and what they need. Look at this as furthering your education.

Sudden pain grasped Kodi as she went through what Scanra's people had gone through throughout the reign of the Bloody Throne. She had known about their hunger, sickness, and grievances, but now she felt them. Kodi also saw the reigns of previous Warlords. Without knowing how she knew it, Kodi knew that Captus was also experiencing what she was. Hours later, the excruciating pain ended and Kodi lay on the Chamber floor semiconscious. The Chamber door opened upon Kodi's stiff body.

Although her eyes were open, Kodi only heard the voices talking about her. Even then, they weaved in and out of her mind. Exerting every amount of willpower she possessed, Kodi forced her eyes open. She was being carried out of the Chamber and there were faces, people in the chapel outside. Out of the crowd, she picked out faces that she knew. Towards the front was a white faced Kel, and over there was a crying Daine. Near the back of the crowd was a stony-faced, terror-stricken Burch. Kodi felt guilty; she remembered that his brother had died in the Chamber.

Her hand dropped and hung from her carried body. Captus started to lick it. She could hear his padding paws on the floor. How had he recovered so quickly, fool dog? With that last thought, Kodi passed out again.

When Kodi awoke, she was alone on her cot in her room. Stretching her stiff limbs, Kodi tried to get some moisture back into her mouth. She heaved herself off of her cot and stood quietly. She knew that she had to tell everyone who she was, even though she would rather stay their friends.

Captus was the only one in Daine's rooms. Kodi briefly wondered where they were, and even felt hurt that no one had been with her, but she quickly pushed that aside. They had their own problems to worry about. Kodi changed into a gold beaded blue tunic and spotless cream breeches. After pulling on knee-length boots, cleaning her teeth, and brushing through her hair, Kodi felt ready for anything. Well, almost anything.

Captus seemed to know where he was going and Kodi followed him, knowing that her dog would take her where she wanted to go. She tried to calm her nervousness as she walked through the near-empty hallways. After a couple minutes of walking, Kodi stood blankly in front of a door. She could hear voices coming from inside. Guessing on what she could hear, they were having a meeting on Scanra's throne. Knowing what needed to be done, Kodi Shifted her form into the princess one. Taking a breath, Katoryn Rathhausak prepared herself to enter the room. Inside the room, they still argued.

The king was loudest in his frustration. "Why can't we find this princess? Our sources say that she isn't dead, but more than that, they don't know. What I wouldn't give to find her, if not just to end our problems!"

"Then see me now." Upon hearing the cold voice, everyone whipped around and froze in shock. Standing with her hands on her hips, was the missing princess. She was tall, with long white hair, and the coldest green eyes any of them had ever seen. "I am Katoryn Rathhausak, daughter of Maggur Rathhausak, Princess of Scanra's Bloody Throne." King Jonathon was the first to recover from shock.

"Welcome, cousin." He said with a slight bow. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you get here without our spies saying anything?"

"There are ways, cousin. I find your spy system seriously lacking, if you wouldn't mind me saying." She was always heavily sarcastic when she was Katoryn.

"Is that Captus?" Numair asked. Captus moved into everyone's view. "Mithros, Mynnos, and Shakith, Kodi?"

"I'm glad to hear one of my names spoken amidst some of the greatest gods." Katoryn snarled.

"You're Kodi?" asked King Jonathon, eyes even wider than before.

"I thought that we already had that established." The girl smirked. "To be specific I'm not Kodi. Kodi is Katoryn and Katoryn is Kodi."

"Kodi?" Daine's voice was full of pain that Kodi felt pained at, but Katoryn laughed at. "Why didn't you tell us?" This was a question that Katoryn would have given a cruel answer to, so she changed back into Kodi's dark blond hair and soft green eyes

"Because I was scared." Kodi gulped, eyes overflowing. "I was trying to hide. I was planning on retaking the throne, but the Chamber told me things."

"I wish you had told us sooner." Queen Thayet spoke kindly.

"Alanna told me that your dog Captus has been trapped in that form for ten years." George had taken the surprise of finding the princess rather well. "If I remember correctly, your brother Captus died ten years ago."

"Shut up, Yngve, please. I held my dead brother's hand when he lay there in his coffin. He was also Giftless and the dog Captus has a red gift." Kodi's heart broke as she crushed her own hopes. "There was a mage." Kodi didn't know that tears were freely flowing down her face and others' as her tormented voice spoke. "Elijah was his name and he was little more than a boy himself. He lived with my brother in the tower before Captus died. My father tried to have him executed, but the mage had disappeared."
"I'll work on rescuing this Elijah then." Numair promised.

"Meanwhile, we've got a coronation to plan." Jonathon told Kodi.

- - - Three Months Later in Hamrkeng - - -

Kodi waited outside the coronation chamber, breathing back the lump that clogged her throat. She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall. Feeling a shadow cross her vision, she jumped up quickly. Once Kodi saw who it was, she gasped and uttered a cry.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" A wary guard ran into her vision.

"Yes, Soldier." That simple phrase was all that Kodi could get out. The guard left the pair alone again.

Kodi backed up slowly, craning her neck to look at the tall figure. The young man was tall, with brown curls. He had the same sky blue eyes that Kodi remembered.

"Captus?" She breathed, throat tight.

"Kodi." Captus hugged her fiercely. "I'm so sorry for everything."

"Where were you?" Kodi whispered in a yelling fashion, knowing that if she raised her voice, the guards would be back again.

"I was the dog all along and I was stuck. I got unstuck when you were going to take the throne for sure." The nineteen year old wrapped his arms around Kodi and she returned the embrace. They rocked there for a moment.

"Kodi?" Liam interrupted their hug. "Who is he?"

"Are you jealous?" Kodi joked. She felt on top of the world, light and happy, much more than even when Kel's baby boy had been born. Liam just scowled and glared at Captus. "Don't worry, I don't usually fall in love with my brothers."

"It's nice to meet you." Captus grinned at the younger and very much startled prince. "Although I suppose I've already met you." Captus turned to look at Kodi. "Listen, I've been around you for the past year or so. Do you want to rule?"

"Do you want to?" Kodi asked hopefully. "If you do, I'd really like that."

"They're ready for your coronation." Liam reminded them. "They're waiting for you."

"Let's surprise them." Kodi giggled. "Kill off those old Scanren conservatives who I don't want to deal with." Liam and Captus exchanged a rolling eyed glance.

In a couple minutes, Katoryn walked onto the fancy platform where the Tortallen monarchs, the Mithran priests, the priestesses of the Goddess, and Scanren nobles waited for her. Smoothing her gown, Kato held back a smile.

"Good evening, good friends. There has been a change in the plans for tonight." Everyone in the room looked at her startled and shocked. "I am fully aware that the heir to the throne was my brother, Prince Captus. I really would not feel right taking the throne that was intended for another. Let me introduce, His Highness, Prince Captus, heir to the Throne of Scanra!"

Captus walked out in a red cape, looking like the king that he was. Liam stood a couple of paces behind him.

"Greetings, my people." Captus' voice was strong and commanding. "When my father imprisoned me in the tower, he made but one mistake. Maggur placed a sorcerer to protect me. When it became clear to all that Maggur wasn't going to let me live, the sorcerer protected me with his life. He imprisoned me inside a husky's form and took upon himself my form. The sorcerer gave me his magic so that he would not weaken and save his life. His was the greatest sacrifice anyone can offer to another. Let all of our people remember the name of Elijah the Matchless!"

After, followed such a silence that mankind has never heard. Breaking it, Captus led the people in such a rousing cheer that shook the rafters of the Great Hall. Not one tear was dry as the people saluted their king and cheered for the memory of such a noble man.

"Whatever anyone may say," Kodi leaned against Liam in the empty hallway. "I'm glad that's over." She was exhausted after the lengthy ball.

"I'm glad too." Liam admitted. "Well, now you're the princess, your brother is king, and the realm is saved. Are you happy?"

"I don't know. I'm relieved, in any case, that the Bloody Throne has been broken."

"An alliance between Tortall and Scanra would be much approved." Liam said carefully.

Kodi froze. Liam was right; an alliance would be useful for both countries. She did like Liam a lot, maybe even love him. Kodi had certainly thought about him a lot. She had kissed Tobe once, almost half a year ago, but it seemed so long ago. She didn't have any feelings for him anymore, and Daine had told her that he was spending a lot of time with another girl. Kodi was glad and relieved that she didn't have to hurt Tobe.

Liam was different than Tobe. For one thing, he was more mature. Many people looked up to Kodi, but really, she wanted someone to take care of her, to some extent anyway. Realizing that Liam was still waiting for an answer, she broke out of her thoughts.

"Such an alliance would be interesting also, fun even." Kodi said mischievously. Liam's answer was to kiss her strongly.

Lost in passion, Kodi leaned into his kiss. As he put her hands around her waist, she wrapped her fingers in his coal-black hair. Their bodies seemed to melt into one, and they might have gotten carried away. Both of them broke apart when they heard the strangled sound coming from the other end of the hallway.

Jasson stood there, his face contorted into a grimace of horror. Fianola and Hanna, newly made squires, were holding in barely contained laughter. To make matters even worse, Alan had his arms folded across his chest, not even bothering to quiet his guffaws.

Kodi looked at Liam, who was grinning with a flushed face. 'Is this my future than?' she asked herself. 'If it is, I rather like it.'