Hey! Last chapter!
Enjoy!
The two years had gone far too slowly for Mara, the letters Jerome had sent her hadn't been enough. She loved him. "Come on father!" Mara called, all her belongings were in the carriage, and she was eager to get going. King Jack frowned, unsure where this new attitude had come from, for he and Queen Clara had no idea that the two had shared a kiss "Let's go!" absence certainly made the heart grow fonder.
"I'm coming," he chuckled to himself, the two of them sat in the carriage "So, you're looking forward to seeing Jerome?"
Mara smiled, a blush spreading across her cheeks "Maybe,"
Line break
"Jerome Clarke, you are 25 years old! Get out of that tree!" Queen Clara called. Jerome smiled at her, swinging down, and landing perfectly. "Princess Mara will be here soon,"
"I know!" Jerome could barely contain his glee, he shot his arrow high into the sky and watched it come sailing down "I've been waiting for two years!"
"The two of you are good friends now?" Queen Clara asked "I knew you had become close…"
Jerome smiled "Wait and see mother,"
Line Break
"Mara," Jerome whispered, as soon as he saw her, he was rushing towards her. Mara leapt from the carriage, and into his awaiting arms, he hugged her tightly, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around "I've missed you," he whispered into her hair. She pulled back, and kissed him.
Queen Clara and King Jack almost fainted.
Jerome let his eyes close, and moved one hand to hold her waist gently. The whole world seemed to disappear and Mara never wanted the feeling to stop. And when they did pull away, their parents were hugging them tightly, as if they'd done something fabulous. "I love you," Jerome whispered "I…I loved you when we were 17 and-"
Mara pulled him by his shoulders down to her again.
Line Break
"Stop it," Mara whispered, clearing her throat "You're making me stutter." Jerome grinned wolfishly. They were in the library, he was sat in the armchair, and Mara was sat on his knee, her legs hanging off one of the arms, her back resting comfortably against the other one, and she had been reading aloud to him. But his hands, one kept tracing up her leg, and the other her neck. Making her stutter and choke on her words.
"I'm not doing anything," he teased, innocently, their faces mere millimetres away. Mara shot him an accusing look
"Fine," she said simply, handing him the book, "You read to me,"
"Fine," Jerome accepted the challenge, he brought the hand that had been resting Mara's leg up, and held the book. Beginning to read. "The sailor looked off the stern of the ship and spotted l-l-land," Jerome stuttered badly on the last word, as one of Mara's hands gently tangled itself in his hair near his neck. It sent bolts of electricity running through him. She smiled at him
"What's wrong Jerome? I'm not doing anything."
He fought the tingling sensation, "As the waves encouraged the boat closer to the little island, Rod-" Jerome gasped, he was actually lost for breath, Mara had leaned forward, and kissed the base of his neck, so very lightly. She looked up at him innocently
"What happened next? What did Rodney do Jerome?"
Jerome blinked furiously, trying to focus on the words "Rodney, m-managed to convince the captain to let him of the bo-oh!" His held fell back, resting on the soft cushion of the chair as Mara kissed just under his jaw. Mara pulled away, smiling victoriously "You always have to win, don't you?" he said huskily, his hand on the back of her neck, pulling her closer to him, their lips met and it was as if they had never been away from each other, for they felt home.
"Come on guys! This is a place of reading!" Alfie exclaimed loudly as he walked into the library, Mara pulled away in embarrassment, attempting to stand up, but Jerome wouldn't let her.
"Alfie, I'm a little busy," he raised his eye brows, blue orbs flickering to Mara. Alfie waved him off
"You've been busy with her for four hours," Alfie stated with a grin. Mara blushed furiously. She stood up, brushing down her pretty dress
"He's right," she smiled, "I'm going to speak with my father," she waved goodbye, leaving the library quickly. Jerome groaned in annoyance, not standing up.
"This had better be good Alfie,"
"It is." Alfie clapped his hands "You're 25, right?" Jerome stated at him, bored. "Right. Well…I think you should ask her to marry you,"
Jerome arched an eyebrow "I know," he stood with a smile on his face, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a box "I bought this two years ago, Alfie,"
Alfie jumped clapping his hands, and he hugged his best friend tightly, yelling in his ear "I knew you liked her!" he screeched, Jerome laughed, hugging him back.
"Let's hope she says yes," he whispered, taking a deep breath
"Hey, anyone who spent four hours with you, willingly must like you," Alfie persuaded.
Line Break
"I don't want to go back," Mara sighed. It was the middle of summer, and the two had taken a long horse ride into the forest. Mara's long cloak hung down her bag and partly shielded the horse from some of the thick branches. As did Jerome's.
"Don't," Jerome said simply "You're 25, stay here, with me," Mara turned to him, her eyes slightly wide
"You want me to stay?"
Jerome blinked, staring at her as if it was the most obvious thing in the world "Mara, I never want you to leave," he jumped off his black horse, and it wandered off to graze in the sunlight. Mara watched him from her white horse, and she gripped the reigns tightly when he knelt onto one knee. "Mara Jaffray, I love you." He said bluntly, staring into her eyes, and he looked as though he had just dropped off a cat walk, "I am…completely breath taken whenever you speak, in your company I feel…like a chuckling fool, and quite frankly Mara, I never want that feeling to end. Marry me, please, I love you, more than anyone in the world has ever loved before,"
"You've got hair like a boy." Jerome said, quite rudely. Mara's eyes widened at the insult. They had both been shoved into the garden, and at least she was making the best of it. Noting down the different flowers.
"Well you've got hair like a girl." She turned, heading for the other side of the garden, away from him.
…
"Up for a game?" he sighed, hoping she'd say no, but knowing better than that.
"Don't have much of a choice." She muttered under her breath, shooting a look at her father. "Black or white?"
"I honestly couldn't care less."
…
"I'm in,"
"Me too," Mara smiled cheekily. He glared at her, before proudly dropping his cards
"Two sevens and a ten,"
"I think I've won again," Mara teased, setting down her cards to reveal three aces. Jerome slumped back in his chair hopelessly
"Alfie!" he complained "You said she had a two and a nine," Mara whirled around in shock that they were trying to cheat. Alfie raised his hands in innocence
"I meant she had 29!"
…
"Hey Mara," Jerome tried again the next day "Would you like to go horse riding with me?"
"No," she sighed, not bothering to look up from her book, Jerome sighed
"Why not?"
Mara looked up at him, almost in shock "Jerome- the last time we went horse riding, you pushed me off my horse and into the lake," her eyes widened, as if this was something he really should remember
"I was a child," he said quietly
…
Jerome smiled gratefully, closing the door behind him, he saw her eyeing the food "Don't worry," he said with a smile "It's not poisoned or anything,"
Mara let out a relieved laugh "Never know," he sat beside her hesitantly
"I'm really sorry about…" he trailed off, unsure how to continue. Mara took a bite of lettuce and watched him carefully. He sighed "I don't know. About everything? Is that an acceptable answer?" he let out a small laugh of relief at her smile "About pushing you in the pond, although to be fair, you did get even. About teasing you, ignoring you, practically bullying you, making your summer's hell. And especially about…your mothers book."
…
She blushed "We're friends now, right Jerome?"
"Yeah," Jerome nodded "Yeah I think we are,"
Mara beamed.
The memories were rushing through Mara's head and merging together. And she let out a strangled gasp, looking at Jerome, looking at the ring. When had he bought that? He really wanted to marry her? "Jerome of cou-" she stopped short. Marriage? No…it couldn't be. This couldn't be!
But it was.
It all clicked in Mara's mind, every second summer, she had been sent here…it had been a plan, a trap, "Jerome…" she met his eyes, and he was looking at her in confusion "Marriage, it why I was sent here in every summer, they wanted us to-"
"Get married," Jerome whispered, he stood up, frowning "They wanted to join our Kingdoms….they used us," he said accusingly. Shaking his head, in anger that he should have realised before hand, and annoyance that it had worked. "We're just pawns in their game, and they never told us,"
"My dad lied to me," Mara whispered, covered her mouth with her hand "He lied to me about why we came here, Jerome!" she looked up at the sky. Jerome took hold of her horses reign in one hand and hooked one foot into the side of the saddle, hoisting himself up. He was face to face with Mara now
"Mara, there is one upside to all this," he whispered "I could have married you,"
"Could have?" Mara whispered. She shook her head, almost laughing "Jerome Henry Clarke, of course I'll marry you," Jerome's eyes widened in shock, and she hooked an arm around his neck, and kissed him on the lips.
Jerome stumbled, losing his balance and tumbling back, Mara came with him, falling off the horse, they landed on a soft pile of leaves, but never broke away from each other. Mara's horse whined happily.
Line break
"I've never danced with you," Mara whispered, her wedding dress, white and sleeveless draped beautifully across the floor, her long veil trailed behind her from her pretty crown. But of course, Jerome didn't care about the dress, just who was in it.
"So this really is our first dance then?" Jerome whispered, he was in black trousers, a white shirt, and a black cloak. "Wonderful," he leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers, looking around at the other dancing couples. "Amber and Alfie are dancing," he whispered into her ear. Mara smiled in his neck
"I knew they'd hit it off,"
Jerome closed his eyes, resting his cheek on Mara's hair "I so hope I'm not dreaming," he whispered.
Mara clutched his shoulders tightly, pulling away to look up at him "It's completely real," Mara smiled, he leaned down, to kiss her, and the people around them cheered.
Line Break
King Jack and Queen Clara went to live in Mara's old palace, while Jerome and Mara stayed in Jerome's. The Kingdoms were united, and everyone was richer than they had ever been.
"Mara darling…" Jerome sighed as he walked into the huge palace hall. It was empty, well, apart from Mara, she was holding his sword, grinning. "Let's put the sword down,"
"Afraid to get beaten by a girl?" she teased, Jerome rolled his eyes, the 27 year old picked a sword from the display on the wall. He faced her with a smile
"Ready?" Their swords clashed, both skilled with the sword. Mara ducked a high sweep and Jerome dodged her return. Their swords met again, and neither gave in. Their faces mere millimetres away "You fight like a girl," Jerome laughed
"What's your excuse?" Mara said cheekily. Jerome drew his sword back, dropping it loudly to the floor, Mara followed suit. Jerome took hold of her waist, drawing her to him.
"I'm fighting a beautiful girl," he whispered, sweeping her hair back, he smiled victoriously at her blush. "I'm still making you blush?"
"Did you think it would stop?" Mara whispered. She sighed, placing her hands on his chest softly "Can we not be King and Queen today?"
Jerome pulled the crown off his head and placed it on the desk, then he did the same with Mara's crown. "Let's be Jerome and Mara, yeah?"
She slid her arms up his shoulders and looked them around his neck, "Mr and Mrs Jaffray,"
"I don't think it works like that," Jerome chuckled, letting their lips meet.
The End.
Shorter story, I know, but I enjoyed writing it! I did consider to continue with their kids and what not, but I think it's best to finish this story and perhaps try to make a start on the next chapter of the Clarkes…
Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed!
xxx