Shackled...yet again.

Epilogue to Shackles.

"And so Darius sends his greetings, and hopes that we will wish him luck in his endeavors to capture his latest sweetheart," Joshua summarized the long letter written in Darius' flowing script into one short sentence and dumped the letter aside. He tore open the next one. "Oh, L'Arachel wishes us congratulations, she complains that Oliver resembles the rogue in Rennac than the epic beauty in her and she wants to visit someday to thank you personally. She didn't mention about what though. Rennac asks if you can prepare a few trinkets for him to filch." He glared suspiciously at her. "What's that about?"

Marisa gave him an innocent, je-ne-sais-quoi look. "I don't know. Don't ask me."

"Fine, if you won't tell me, I'll ask Etain," he cooed. "Come on, little Etain, tell me what does Big Bad Wolfie Rennac want?"

She rubbed her bulging abdomen. "Ignore him, Etain. He's being annoying as usual. Don't learn from your daddy."

"Hey! That was mean!" He feigned a heartbroken look. "Etain, you must grow up and look like daddy and act like daddy too okay? Your mummy is off her rockers." After addressing his unborn daughter, he turned to her with narrowed eyes. "I demand compensation for your previous remark."

She gave him a smirk that rivaled his. "And what do you desire, O King Joshua of Jehanna?" She bit back a grin as she saw him shiver as a result of the sultry voice she had attempted.

"Okay, don't try that next time," he shuddered. "I don't like it."

She smacked him on his arm.

"I meant I don't like it if you use it on other people!" He protested vehemently. "Heck, I don't want you to use that tone on Rennac, that big bad wolfie would probably eat you up or something!"

She laughed. "Are you jealous?"

"Me?" He replied indignantly. "I'm the king of Jehanna! I'm never jealous of anybody!"

"Except your own son," she added slyly, laughing at his helpless expression.

"You give him more love than you give me," he pouted. "It's not fair."

"If the royal guards saw you, or your ministers, you do know that you'll never ever win their respect ever again, don't you?" she smiled.

"Ah, heck care about what they think," he continued pouting. "This face is for you and your eyes only. Come on, I've been doing it for so long, surely I deserve something as due reward."

"I'm not going to lean in just for you to claim your reward," she replied. "If you want it, come and get it."

"Alright!" Joshua leant in eagerly.

Just when he was about to steal a kiss from her lips, the door slammed open, revealing a red haired young boy of roughly four years old. A miniature silver crown was askew on his head, and he carried a large teddy bear, almost as large as he was, in his hands.

"Mummy! Daddy!" The boy leapt towards them and rested himself comfortably in Marisa's lap.

"Celansar!" She smiled. "Oof! You're getting a little heavy!"

Joshua sighed. "Why does this always happen?" He put on a stern fatherly face. "Celansar, what did I tell you about jumping on mummy? There is to be no jumping until your sister is born, didn't I tell you that yesterday?"

Celansar peered guiltily at his father's frown and then slid off Marisa's lap slowly, head lowered. "Sorry daddy. Sorry mummy."

Marisa waved Joshua aside. "Don't worry, Celansar. Come and sit here." She gestured at her lap. "You won't hurt me or Etain if you sit on my legs." She leant closer to his ear. "Your daddy's jealous that I am giving you so much of my love."

Celansar's magenta eyes sparkled. "Really?" he gave a snigger, which was a very good imitation of Joshua's.

Joshua looked ready to tear his hair out any minute. "Celansar, don't you have anything to do? Have you practiced sword fighting with Grandmama Ismaire yet?"

Celansar shook his head swiftly, and jumped off Marisa's lap. "Okay, daddy, I'll go practice sword fighting now. Bye daddy! Bye mommy!" He scampered off in a huff before Joshua could give him any more fatherly instructions. He turned back at the door. "Oh mummy? Quincy ate the leaves off the chrysanthemum plants again! I tried stopping him, but he didn't want to! Now Uncle Saleh won't have any flower in autumn!"

She arched an eyebrow. "It's okay, Celansar, that horse of yours eats everything, and it isn't as though this is the first time. We'll go and visit Uncle Saleh with a nice bunch of cherry blossoms tomorrow, okay? For autumn…we'll just have to ship a few more golden chrysanthemum buds from the royal nursery, don't we?"

"Okay!" Celansar looked pleased with himself. "Bye sissy!"

"He nicknamed Etain sissy?" Joshua cried incredulously. "Boy, that lad really…"

"Joshua," she scolded, wagging a finger at him. "You shouldn't be too strict with your kids. You always seem so stern around Celansar. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a little afraid of you."

He ignored her comment and leant in to kiss her soundly on the lips. "Neither did I think you were the kind to dote on your kids. You were so cold, so aloof, so distant and such a femme fatale. Until Celansar was born, and you practically melted like butter in an oven. Really, you spoil Celansar rotten sometimes." He sighed. "If you spoil them so much why can't you spoil me a bit too? You know, like indulge me a little as well." He smiled winsomely at her.

"How old are you, Joshua?" She returned the favour with a winsome smile of her own.

He looked confused. "Twenty-seven?"

"Exactly!" She responded swiftly. "Your kids are not even a quarter of your age, Joshua. To be jealous of them, for shame!"

He pouted again, folding his arms across his chest.

"Alright alright," she placated. "Now that Calensar is safely occupied in the East Wing with his grandmother, we can have some personal time together." She leant her head against his shoulder and gave him a quick peck along his jaw, avoiding the little stubbles that he had grown. "Haven't you been shaving?"

He nuzzled against her neck. "It's a little hard to shave when you're the king, you have tons of paperwork, you have a very attractive wife who is pregnant, and a little son who runs to you every second of the day." He grinned as she squirmed in his grasp, laughing breathily as his stubbles tickled her face. "Actually, I may be thinking of leaving them on permanently."

She glared at him. "Okay, if I help you shave your stubbles, will you agree to shaving?"

"Hmm…" He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Make that an everyday thing and throw in a few kisses here and there and I may just be more clean-shaven, just for your sake."
"Deal," she compromised, dragging his arm.

"Hey!" He complained. "I haven't admired the cherry blossoms enough yet! Where are you dragging me to?" He stood up reluctantly. "Man, you've grown stronger ever since I married you. Did you gain weight or something?"

She swung back with such speed that he was shocked. "What did you SAY?" she screeched in a manner that reminded him, not of his wife's usual demeanor, but of a harpy. She advanced towards him threateningly.

He backed away. "I meant you must have improved your skills with a sword." He broke out in cold sweat as she still advanced towards him menacingly, looking as though she had every intention to give him a nice bruise in the eye. "I mean that you are gorgeous, beautiful and no woman on earth can match up to you." She was still moving towards him. "You are the best wife ever! You make me weak in the kneecaps! I mean knees! You-Ouch!"

He doubled over as she gave him a solid kick to his shin. "Man, couldn't you hit lightly?"

She walked away as though nothing had happened. "I'll be waiting for you in the bedroom. A shave and a few kisses, you said?" She threw a sultry look at him, as though daring him to follow her.

He bit his lips as he watched his wife walk away steadily with a little sway in her stride which no doubt was all L'Arachel's fault.

Man, he did love being married.

Author's Note:

C'est fini! Finalement!

Haha, am very relieved indeed about completing this XD

Okay, am going to study hard soon, or rather, play hard IN SCHOOL.

Ciao!

Love, snowylavendermist