Five years passed without incident. At least, I think it was about five years; my memory fails me a little at this point.
We didn't often hear from Yekaterina, since her new husband lived in the back of beyond, practically. But from her letters, she was thriving - Matthew was seemingly the perfect husband, and she gave him many healthy sons.
Mathias and Belle secured their dynasty with a large family, each child bright and brilliant as their parents - but my personal favourite was always Luuk, with his soft face, his warm blue eyes, and his loyalty towards his cold godfather.
To keep our families happy, me and Natalya did eventually have one child, and though I love Hanne with all my heart, I will never lie with a woman again.
I wrote this as a way of collecting my thoughts and memories, of working out exactly how this whole affair played out, and I have to say it is just as melodramatic as any story I could have created. In fact, even more so, since the characters play their parts without the added nonsense a writer always has to give his characters: dirty secrets, hidden agendas, none of that will linger in the pages of Berwald and Tino's story. This may not be published until well after all the primary characters are dead, but I hope that at least one person - be it my Hanne, or Luuk, any of Mathias' childen, or Berwald's daughter herself - will read this and realise just what happened in the old days.
My final author's note with this tale is this: when you find love, real love, love that means so much that it physically hurts, you must stop at nothing to reach it.
Epilogue
"Erika!" Tino called across the gardens. His charge, his student and somewhat-stepdaughter, was playing at the far end of the long lawn; he could see the bright spot of her white dress.
On hearing his voice, the little girl to him, wrapping her arms tight around his waist.
"Isa!" She looked up through a thick fringe of bright blonde hair, gazing up at him adoringly with those eyes that were so like Berwald's. Her whole form, almost everything about her was like Berwald in Tino's eyes: her eyes, her regal features, her tall statue and long limbs. Even the way she walked reminded Tino of his lover. And that was why it was so lovely to hear her call him 'father' in his native language.
"Erika, I told you, you must only call me that when we are alone," Tino chuckled, smoothing her hair down fondly. "Otherwise you must call me 'Mr. Väinämöinen'."
"Pappa told me that he used to call you that," she said smartly, "and then you told him not to."
All Tino could do was pat her hair with a little smile – too bright for her own good, this one. "Come on, your Pappa sent for you. Your cousins have arrived."
He escorted her through the grass, long, fresh blades of green brushing their legs fondly, before they reached the stone patio where the table was laid out. Summer was waning, so there was no discomfort in the heat. Everything was white and clean, the tablecloth soft, the chatter friendly and playful.
On one side of the table sat Mathias' brood; they were six children in all, the youngest still sitting in his nursemaid's lap. With them was a solitary child, a little girl with long, pale hair and dark blue eyes, managing to look both faintly amused and mildly disinterested at the same time. This was Lukas and Natalya's only child, Hanne, and the only child they would ever have together. Erika ran to them, her beloved cousins, and Tino didn't need to entertain her any longer.
On the other side sat the adults: Mathias, Belle, Lukas, Natalya, and, of course, Berwald. Lord Oxenstierna sat at the head of the table, talking occasionally but seemingly not all there until his eyes fell upon his lover. A visible change came over him when Tino arrived – his eyes brightened, he sat up, his face softened into something reminiscent of a smile. His companions knew of his great love, but even if they hadn't previously, they would have known at that point.
But most curious of all was that Tino took a seat beside Berwald. Not behind him, as it was customary for a valet to do (if a valet ever took a seat, which was uncommon at such a gathering), but beside him.
"When is the wedding?" Lukas asked dryly, lightly nudging Mathias with his foot underneath the table. Tino laughed, thinking Lukas to be joking, but Berwald did not.
"Soon."
"What?" Tino turned with a look of complete shock on his face. "How can you say soon?"
"I want a ceremony," Berwald told him, looking as hopeful as a child on his birthday, as he waits for a present he longs for.
"But… it won't be a legal ceremony, will it? It's quite illegal –"
"Don't need it to be legal." Berwald's broad hand searched for it's smaller counterpart, Tino's work-calloused hand. "Just for us. That's enough."
"Rather a waste of time and money," Natalya remarked offhandedly.
"No, I think it's a wonderful idea!" Mathias exclaimed, his grin as bright as the warm sun above them. "Something a little more official to show just how bound together you two are!"
"I have my heir," Berwald said decisively. "She's strong. There's nothing to worry about with her. I've done what society expects."
"And now you are free to do as you wish," Lukas concluded, reaching for his notebook and pencil stub. "You and your… companion, Tino? Or will you be wife?" he chuckled.
"Never!" Tino laughed. "Companion suits me just fine, I think."
"'Wife' is sweet," mused Berwald quietly, giving Tino another clearly hopeful look. This time Tino didn't bend – he just laughed, almost nervously, and gave him a look in return which clearly said 'we will discuss this later!'.
"Companionship is a beautiful thing," Mathias was rambling, drinking wine and acting the philosopher. "It's all a man needs, really –"
"Or a woman," Lukas didn't hesitate to cut in with, writing quickly in his notebook, ideas pouring onto the page.
" – or a woman! Or anyone! Love is all you need!"
"So cliché," Berwald muttered, squeezing Tino's hand lovingly. Their fingers entwined together, and they stayed like that, two vines around a tree, growing up into beyond and never coming apart.
The End
Written by Lukas Bondevik
A/N: It's finally done! Thanks to everyone who favourited, reviewed, and followed - I couldn't have gotten it done without you guys! I hope that this epilogue lived up to your hopes! And now that I have these new characters - Erika, Luuk and Hanne - I was wondering if you guys would be interested in reading more about them? Or perhaps the DenNor side of this story? Either way, leave a review to tell me what you think!
I especially hope that you're in the mood for more SuFin, since that is what's next on the agenda! A slightly different setting, but same old OTP =3=
If you feel like finding me on tumblr, I go by: nirway . tumblr . com
and my writing tumblr is letterstohanne . tumblr . com!