Author's note: Last chapter. And so it ends. Artistic inspiration has not struck yet, but I may yet write another story. Enjoy, and review!
That morning, Jane woke up to a dragon head in her room. "Jane, are you okay? Pepper wouldn't let me into the kitchen, she said I might wake you up, and why didn't you tell me before riding into battle-"
"Good morning to you too, you giant lizard," Jane threw her arms around his snout.
Dragon stopped his rambling. "Good Morning, Coppertop. Just how badly were you hurt? Did you hear that Magnus was behind it all..." Jane laughed and answered his barrage of questions until she had to attend the King. Jane readied herself, and made her appearance.
Jane found that Gunther and Magnus were both in attendance, both bound around the hands and feet. Chamberlain was presenting the written account of the questioning. The King looked very thoughtful during the account of Gunther's questioning, and afterwards pardoned him and apologized for having arrested a noble knight of the realm, at which point he was knighted. While Magnus' questioning was recounted, the King became angrier, and angrier, until finally, he halted the chamberlain. "This man is a villain, and a murderer. And so, with this in thought, I condemn him to death by beheading, to be done this afternoon." Gunther, now a knight, seemed disturbed, but he tried not to let it show.
That morning, after Gunther was released, he sold the house of Magnus, and donated all of his money to the poor. He took all of his belongings to the knight's quarters and took a cot. He did not attend his father's execution. He did not leave his quarters that day. He simply stayed in his rooms all day studying battle strategy.
Jester was also in his rooms all day, writing a ballad.
Jane stayed in her rooms to study care of weaponry.
In fact, everyone remained in their quarters except for Chamberlain and one of the knights who carried out the execution, that and the workers who buried Magnus and cleaned the area of execution. Afterwards, Gunther joined Jane, Pepper, Rake, Smithy, and Jester for dinner.
Jane felt extremely awkward. Both Jester and Gunther were smiling strangely. Then she recalled that when she had rejected Jester, her main reason had been the unsolved murder of Princess Lavinia. She silently mouthed a curse. As dinner ended, Pepper pulled Jane aside.
"It is…that time of the month." Pepper said quietly.
"And?"
"It has not come."
"Have you…?"
"Yes."
"Are you…?"
"Yes."
"That's wonderful!"
"Yes."
"When is the wedding?"
"Five months yet."
"So you'll be showing by then?"
"Yes."
"So you will…"
"Elope. Tonight. Be my maid of honor?"
"Of course."
They all left that night, Jane just for the night, Pepper and Rake for a week, then back to work. They arrived at a church, and it seemed they had an arrangement with the priest, as he performed the ceremony quickly. Jane went back to the castle, to tell the King what had become to his chef and gardener. And tomorrow she would have to make a decision, whether on a good friend or a loyal comrade.
She slowly explained to the king what had happened. Afterwards, she made her way to her bedchambers and fell asleep. Ah, the life of a knight!