Epilogue
The early autumn sun warmed Isabella's face as she tilted her head back. With her eyes closed, she soaked up what she could, knowing cooler days would lie ahead. She also reveled in the moment of solitude. It was something she did not get nearly often enough ... especially on a day like this. Tinkling laughter rang through the courtyard, and she knew her youngest son was up to mischief somewhere nearby. She inhaled deeply, and the scent of flowers nearly overpowered her senses. There were many flowers filling the halls of Masenthorne that day.
It was a wedding, after all.
As the sun shone down on her, Isabella reflected on the last twenty years of her life in Galon. So much had changed over time; she hardly recognized Masenthorne as the place she first came to live so long ago. Not only had the people she came to know and love changed, so too had the landscape.
The summer after Rhema's attack, the people of Galon began to pick up the pieces of their lives and rebuild. With the longer, warmer days, the village outside the walls of Masenthorne rose from the ashes. Homes were rebuilt, fields were replanted, and the lives of the villagers began to resemble what they were before Rhema's attack.
Reasons to smile had been everywhere.
Angela and Benjamin were married just before the first harvest that summer, giving the people of the land a much-needed reason to celebrate. It also gave Angela a new title. Married to a knight in the King's Guard, she was officially a Lady and no longer a mere handmaiden. Forever loyal, she refused to leave Isabella's service, instead staying on with the future queen as her lady-in-waiting and enjoying the privilege that came with her new position.
When the warmth of summer had waned and autumn approached, new beginnings of another sort had made themselves known.
Word of Rosalie carrying her late husband's child spread through the castle, causing both sadness and joy in its wake. And while she held her head high, everyone knew her heartbreak was great. The impending arrival was bittersweet. Even though the child was a blessing, Lord McCarty not being there to witness his second daughter, Claire, come into the world on a cold, dark day in winter was difficult for his widow.
Once out of her seclusion, though, the friendship she'd forged with Peter began to grow into something more. Their quiet conversations and secret smiles as the months passed were obvious to all who witnessed them, so it came as no surprise when they announced their own decision to marry.
Nearly a year after Emmett's passing, the small ceremony was held in the castle's chantry on a sunny spring day, with only family and a few close friends there to witness it. It was at the small feast held in the couple's honor afterward when Isabella was unable to keep her own secret to herself.
The warm room, coupled with being spun on the small dance floor, had not agreed with her delicate state, and she found herself fainting into her worried husband's arms.
"Isabella!" His panicked plea was met with silence. The brief moment between his wife's body going limp and her eyes opening felt like an eternity. As people began to crowd around them, he cradled her soft, flushed cheek in his hand, willing her eyes to open.
When they finally did, confusion at how she nearly ended up lying on the floor set in.
"Wha—" She licked her lips and swallowed, her throat suddenly dry and her vision spotted. "What happened?" she rasped.
"You collapsed in my arms, my love."
She moved to stand, Edward's protective hold not loosening as he steadied her. Isabella looked around the room, and all eyes were on her. Heat filled her cheeks when she realized she'd gained the attention of nearly everyone in the room.
"I think returning to our chambers might be a good idea," she whispered to her husband, attempting to draw less attention to themselves.
"I agree." He held on to her elbows as she swayed slightly on her feet. "Are you well enough to walk, or shall I carry you?"
She smiled softly at his offer, knowing he surely would carry her if he thought she was unable to make the trek. "No," she said, shaking her head, "I believe I can walk. Perhaps you could escort me?"
"As if I would allow you to go anywhere without me," he scoffed.
After saying their goodbyes and wishing the new couple well, they navigated the familiar halls of Masenthorne until they reached Isabella's chambers. Stepping inside, Edward led her to the bed, his wife smiling all the while.
"I will send for someone to bring you something to eat. You should rest." He leaned down to kiss her forehead and then stood, turning to walk toward the door.
Isabella spoke from her place on the bed, her voice soft but full of happiness. "Wait, Edward."
Hearing the waver in his wife's voice, Edward stopped.
"There is something I wish to speak to you about."
He paused, an unfamiliar prickle creeping up his spine at the tone of his wife's request. He slowly turned, meeting her shining eyes. Quiet stretched between them, and seeing the utter joy on his wife's face, the prickle turned to a warmth, spreading through his body. He patiently waited for her to speak, for how could anything bad accompany an expression filled with such happiness?
She'd thought many times how she would tell her husband, and she wanted to savor the moment. After all, she'd been unable to share her secret the first time. "And we just finished eating, Edward." She shook her head. "I am not hungry. I merely need to rest."
"You are sure?"
"I am sure." She smiled up at him. "But I am fairly certain I know why I fainted."
He stepped cautiously closer to her, a stern look on his face. "There are very few reasons for a woman to collapse in her husband's arms, and not one of them is good."
"I can think of one," she said, her smile widening. "I believe I am with child," she whispered.
For as long as she would live, Isabella would never forget the smile that overtook her husband's face or the cry of joy he made as he swept her into his embrace. It nearly matched the happiness she felt many months later when she was able to place their newborn daughter in his arms just moments after her birth.
Later, when Isabella watched young Emmett hold his infant sister for the first time, she came to realize how much her heart could grow. In fact, the entire castle was enamored of the young princess.
Elizabeth Reneé Cullen was the apple of her father's eye and the joy of her mother's heart. And as she grew, they all came to realize she was the very best parts of her parents. She had her mother's wit and tenacity, and also her father's drive and inner strength. Instead of playing with dolls and learning embroidery alongside Rosalie's daughters, she chose to trail alongside her older brother and cousin, Jameson, when his family visited from Thornbridge.
She learned archery at a very young age, despite the disapproval of her aunt and grandmother. But with her parents' blessing, as well as the approval of her grandfather, she became quite skilled before she was ever officially presented at court.
Along with Emmett and Elizabeth, three more Cullen sons were born to Edward and Isabella, guaranteeing the family line for generations. With the arrival of each Cullen son, Alice could breathe a sigh of relief. Even if her husband was still called upon to counsel her father and brother, knowing her own sons would never be called upon to sit on Galon's throne brought her peace. She was more than content to spend her days raising her family away from the politics of Galon.
When Carlisle collapsed during Edward's thirty-fifth summer, talk of his abdication, which would allow Edward to take over the throne, ran rampant through the castle. But it was all for naught. Carlisle never recovered from his illness and passed into the next life before the first frost that year, with his dutiful wife beside him until his final breath.
Days later, Edward was crowned king with his beloved Isabella at his side as their five children and his mother looked on.
Word was sent far and wide, their enemies and allies alike learning of Galon's new king. And while minor disputes in the far reaches of the kingdom kept his men busy, Edward did not face any true opposition when he took the throne.
It had been a relatively quiet ten years since he took his rightful place as king, leaving Edward and his queen time to enjoy their family and see to the growth of Galon and all her lands. Even Adwen, now under the rule of Galon, was flourishing. Peter served as Lord of Adwen, faithfully watching over the distant land with Rosalie and their four children at his side. And after today, Adwen would be under the watchful eye of Isabella's firstborn son ... just as it had been decided so many years before.
"What has you smiling, wife?"
Isabella's eyes fluttered open, and she turned to smile at her husband. "Just reminiscing."
"About?" Edward asked as he stepped closer.
Their youngest son, Michael, ran past them and into the corridor leading inside. His trill of laughter echoed off the stone walls as his older brother, Garrett, caught up with him, effectively bringing to an end his playtime. Edward and Isabella watched as their sons walked side by side toward the temple.
"How much life has changed for us," she finally answered, smiling, as he settled on the bench beside her.
"I suppose today would be an occasion to reflect." He grasped her hand and brought it to his lips. "It truly does feel like a lifetime ago that I made that deal with your father."
Isabella's heart seized at the mention of her father, as it always did. Knowing what she did as a wife and mother, she was conflicted. Her love for her husband was so all-encompassing, so deep and consuming, she could not honestly say how she would feel if he were taken from her in death as her mother had been taken from her father. Would she be able to carry on, or would she grow bitter and cold as Charles had? She also knew she would die for any one of her children and would never make any of them feel less than worthy of love. The only thing she knew for sure was that she wished she'd had the chance to speak to him just one more time.
Edward squeezed her hand. "There was a time it felt as though this day would never be realized."
Isabella smiled. "Emmett tells me he is nervous," she said quietly. She looked up at her husband, the flecks of grey at his temples and the lines at the corners of his eyes reminding her of the years they had enjoyed together.
"He is no more nervous than when I was sent there to confront Charles."
"Yes, but this time it will be under happier circumstances that a Cullen will walk through the gates."
Edward smiled, remembering the joy he felt when Emmett sought his blessing to marry Peter's daughter, Claire. "That it will be. A wedding is a much more pleasant circumstance than the task my father gave me—being sent to take over your lands."
"I am merely glad you did not insist any of our children marry for the wrong reasons."
He brushed an errant curl from her face. "If our children can have only a small measure of the happiness we have had, they will be blessed by the gods. It is the only kind of life I want for any of them."
"Even Elizabeth?"
He chuckled, shaking his head. "If she can find any man who can appreciate her ... willfulness, she will receive my enthusiastic blessing."
Isabella joined him in his quiet laughter, resting her head on his shoulder. "It seems everything has come full circle, has it not?"
"It has." He kissed her temple, inhaling the sweetness of her hair.
She looked up at him then. "And you do not regret not aligning us with another kingdom through Emmett's marriage?"
"Never. Being able to choose for ourselves what our fate would be has been more than a blessing, and I would be a fool to not want that for my own children."
At the sound of the herald announcing the impending ceremony, Edward stood from the bench and offered his hand to his wife. "It would seem our presence is required."
Isabella steadied herself and carefully rose to her feet, her swollen middle a minor hinderance. "I will be happy once this one is born," she said, looking down. "My feet have long since disappeared from my sight."
"I can assure you they are still there," Edward said with a hint of amusement.
Isabella raised a brow. "Then I fully expect you to locate them when we finally retire to our chambers. I am sure they will be in need of a thorough rubbing once the festivities are through."
The low timbre of Edward's chuckle sent a delicious tingle down her spine as he placed another kiss upon her knuckles. "If that is your wish, my queen."
A/N: And they all lived happily ever after. I hope you've enjoyed this little tale, and I'd love to hear your thoughts. I've read and appreciate each and every review, even if I haven't had the time to reply to all of them. Every follow and favorite also put a smile on my face. It means the world to me to know there are so many out there who like the stories I write.
A giant hug and thank you to all my girls. April, Cece, Gail, and May, thank you for all your feedback on this one even when it looked like it was going off the tracks. ;p A special thank you to Fran for her help with the original AoE 2017 entry and the first few chapters of this one. And thank you to KJ for joining me a few chapters into this tale. There aren't enough nice things to say about all these lovely women. I heart you all! Xo
I do have outtakes planned for this story, so keep this one on alert. I have a few planned, but if there is something specific you'd like to see, PM me or leave it in a review. I do plan to work my way back through the reviews and at the very least answer the direct questions. I'll be back home at the end of the week, so I hope to get back to it soon.
I've also got several fics planned for the coming year. I have half a dozen or more bunnies fighting for attention, so look for something new (or continuing ;)) next month if all goes well. To see what's next, be sure to join me on Facebook in my fic group, Sunshine Fics, or on Twitter at CSunshine1220.
Have the happiest of holidays and a safe and happy new year! Xoxo
Lots of love
~ Sunshine