A/N: Well, folks, this is it! I still need plot ideas if you want a sequel or follow-up, but thanks to all of you who stayed with me during the course of this story and reviewed faithfully every chapter. My thanks to all of you, and enjoy the last chapter of Everything She Ever Wanted!
Disclaimer: None of this is mine.
Everything She Ever Wanted: Epilogue
A man of average height walked down the Street of Willows, purpose in his stride. Passing a house marked with a healer's sign, he waved to the woman who was plucking herbs from a garden, and after talking to her for a few minutes, continued on.
Three houses down, he opened the gate to a small and neat house. The front door flew open and a young girl about the age of three raced out, shrieking.
"Da!" She cried excitedly, and the man's face lit up. He scooped her up in his arms, a grin lighting up his handsome face.
"Hello Flower," he greeted her, carrying her into the house, "did you have a good day?"
The little girl nodded enthusiastically, her green eyes, so like his, alight with life. Her straight black hair was held back from her round face in a braid that was entwined with fresh flowers. She was tan, tanner than most when it was only early spring.
"Mama let me help her make a statue!" The girl told her father excitedly, bouncing in his arms, searching his face for approval. She wasn't disappointed.
"Did you?" The man asked. The girl nodded.
"Here it is!" She held up what she had been clutching. In her small hand rested a wooden statue. The wood was carved into an intricate model of a kudarung, and the man smiled. His wife certainly had a talent for carving, now that she was out of the thieving world, and her statues sold quite well. Each statue was carved and hand painted to the finest detail, and they seemed almost life-like.
Carrying the little girl upstairs, the man entered the main bedroom, where his wife sat perched on the open windowsill, her legs dangling in the breeze. Smiling at the picture she made, the man approached, touching his wife gently on the shoulder.
His wife looked up, and blue-black eyes met green with equal passion. Standing up, the woman welcomed her husband home with a passionate kiss. Returning the kiss, the man pulled away to rest his hand lightly on his wife's rounded stomach.
Nirav pulled away to find Yasmin staring at them, smiling. Nara sat down on the windowsill again, and Yasmin, confident as a monkey, clambered into her lap. Humming a soft tune, Nara braided her daughter's hair, twining it with fresh orchids she had bought that day. Released, Yasmin hugged her parents and scampered away to play with Kele.
Nara rested against her husband with a sigh. Yasmin was an energetic and intelligent three-year old, and that often got her into trouble. Nirav stroked her hair, one hand resting on his wife's belly in comfort as the baby kicked out.
"There's another raid tonight. Do you want to go, Lady Ice?" The soft question roused Nara, and she tipped her head up to stare at her husband, blue-black eyes brightening at the challenge.
"Perhaps, Shadow," she murmured, twining her fingers with his. Comfortable silence descended, until Nara murmured, "Who would watch Yasmin?"
Shadow gave her a crooked grin. "I'm sure Yasmin wouldn't mind staying at Grandma Althea's for a night while her parents had a little fun."
Turning around deftly, Nara captured his lips with her own softly. "All right," she agreed, "but only to show the Rogue that Lady Ice has not gone soft."
"Of course," Shadow agreed, smirking.
Leaning against him, Nara snuggled into his embrace, watching the sunset. She grinned. It was going to be an interesting night. Lady Ice was back in town.
A/N: Well, any thoughts? Tell me what you think by pressing that button down there!