Hey! This is my last chapter, I know, sudden, but I hope you enjoy it, I certainly did!

Enjoy!

Jerome's eyes widened slightly, he didn't know. Would he go back? If he failed? But…he wouldn't fail, would he? But then again…no, no it was a weird paradox of a question. "Of course I'll go back," he said loudly, stepping across the pathway, he reached out for the gem, and it fell into his hand. He let out a large sigh of relief. "Mara!" he cried "Mara we did it!"

But Mara was blocked by Amber "Liar!" she sang loudly and the gem was ripped from his hand, and the ground beneath him fell away…

Line Break

Mara's back hurt, that was the first thing she registered as she awoke, and the fact that she was moving, it made her nauseous. She opened her eyes wearily, still dressed in the fine gowns from Amber, she sat up, and was steadied by someone.

"Watch yourself, Princess." Jerome said sternly.

"Jerome?" she frowned, and then she remembered, she remembered what had happened, he had lied. He was a liar, they were both on horses, trotting parallel beside each other "Oh my god…" she whispered. "Jerome?"

"I know," he shook his head "I can't believe it, I really can't."

Mara frowned "But it doesn't make any sense….you said if you didn't get the gem, you wouldn't go back. But here you are…going back?"

"I honestly don't know. M-maybe, I chicken out last minute and don't go, maybe…I die before I make it, maybe it's just a weird paradox where I've sentenced my only real friend to death!" he was breathing heavily, and tried to control himself

"Or maybe…" Mara offered, eyes sparkling, her voice was gentle "You don't go back…because I stop you?" Jerome turned to her, as their horses trotted in unison. And he arched an eyebrow, waiting for her to elaborate. "I don't want you to die…come on, Huntsman, we've had this amazing journey together…I love you! I want to spend the rest of my life with you! Not die old and alone with someone I never really loved because I let you walk into deaths hand,"

Jerome swallowed "You…love me?" Mara nodded. He leaned over, and kissed her softly. And Jerome felt like a prince. Like in all of those story books he was read as a young child, here he was, leaning over a horse, to kiss a princess. And he didn't feel like a frog anymore. But he pulled away, a pained look on his face. And he tried not to cry "We can't….we can't let him die for us, Princess,"

Mara looked down at the moving grass "I know," she whispered, hating herself "Because she knew he was right. She was wrong…but she wanted it so badly. "I just…I don't want to live without you…I can't remember my life before you came along,"

Jerome was so happy, so so incredibly happy that Mara wanted to be with him. It was all he had ever wanted. But he would be happy, knowing he had died with her love. They trotted to the top of the kill, and stopped, both looking down. It was her Kingdom. Mara's kingdom. Where the high court was, where Mick was waiting. Where Jerome would be killed.

"But look beyond it," Mara whispered, her heart aching, as they both gazed up at the hills, the endless look of green hills, with a lilac and opal sky behind it. "We could be free….m-maybe…we can save Mick, help him escape, and then leave, just the two of us, set up our own world-" but she was gushing now, and she had to stop herself to let out a sob. Jerome wanted to cry, but he didn't. He listened to her.

He reached over and took her hand, he swallowed "We would go and live in the woods, build a little cottage, have two children, a girl and a boy, teach them horse riding, and archery, and sewing. Take them down to the village, get them an education. Be a family. And…live happily ever after,"

Mara looked out onto the hills, and she could almost see the life he was painting in front of her. It was beautiful. "This is it, Jerome," she sighed, and he turned to her their eyes met, and they held that position. "We either go down this hill, slowly, and meet your fate, and never get our happy ever after…or, we turn around, and gallop towards the hills, have everything you just described, and never look back,"

Jerome watched her, torn. But both of them decided at the same time

"We have to go down," they both whispered in unison, and their eyes watered, as the horses, who seemingly sensed their mood, trotted slowly down the hill.

Line Break

"Oh my god," Fabian breathed in shock. Everyone was gathered at the high court, Mick was on his knees, by the henchman who was going to chop of his head "I can't believe it! STOP! STOP! He's here! He's here Mick! You don't have to die!" All the Dwarves smiled happily, in disbelief, they had spent the whole morning crying, thinking that one of their dearest friends was going to be put to death.

Jerome and Mara got off the horses, and headed inside, hand in hand. Everyone turned to watch them, as the heavy oak doors closed behind them. "You're just in time!" Mick grinned standing up, he was smiling…so happy "Did you get the gem?" Jerome watched him for a moment, eyes glittering with unshed tears, and he shook his head stiffly. Mick's eyes widened in shock, he turned to Mara, and she only confirmed it. "No." Mick said simply, turning to everyone, he shrugged, as if it were that simple "No. I'm not letting this man die in my place. No. I'm gonna die,"

"Don't be stupid," Jerome snapped, but deep down he was touched. Really? He couldn't believe it. He had a friend. He had a princess who loved him, and a friend who would risk his life for him. "I came back so you wouldn't die, Mick. Please, let me have the honour,"

Everyone was silent, apart from Mara who sobbed uncontrollably into Mick's chest. Jerome got down onto his knees in silence, and rested his head over the stone block, his neck out in the open. The henchman turned to look over at the judge, who looked sad, and touched and moved by everything, but still nodded his head. It was a tense moment as the henchman lifted the axe high into the air.

And then slammed it down.

But he missed. He missed, it went too far left and hit the floor. Jerome had jumped, breathing heavily, but he regained himself. And the henchman lifted it high into the air once more, bringing it down, but this time he was too far forward. He tried again and again, each time only hitting the floor by Jerome's ears. Jerome sat up, terrified. "Jesus Christ! If you're going to kill me! Then just do it! You bringing that axe right down next to my ear is pure torture!" Mara stepped forward, noticing something odd.

Jerome had started to glow, a silver, it was all around him. He stood, staring down at his hands, then looked up at Mara, as if she had some explanation. But she looked just as shocked. And then out of nowhere, Amber appeared, floating in the air. She glowed angrily.

"Y-your highness!" the judge stuttered, and everyone stood and bowed. Amber paid them no attention.

"You made me cross my heart!" she screamed, the cross she had drawn on her chest glowed brightly, and it pained her "You stupid little boy! You have no idea!" but she could do nothing, she conjured up the gem, and handed it to him. She breathed a sigh of relief, as the pain drained from her. Suddenly a lot more calm and rational. She then took in the scene before her, and floated over to her sister. "Mara," she smiled slightly. "I've found another kingdom, far from here, and I am now moving there to be the new queen. So I am officially resigning. Congratulations, you're now the queen of the kingdom," she handed the crown over, and placed it on Mara's head, like was always done in the past.

"B-but Amber!" Mara cried, in shock "You can't! You're the queen here! I was never meant to be queen,"

Amber slumped her shoulders slightly "The ghost inside me is mean, but she does have a heart now. She has compassion. It was our dream! We're both going to be queen, and I'll visit. And now you're queen, you can change the arranged marriage law, I'm pretty sure Mick has his eye on someone else," they both turned to see Mick and Joy holding hands, smiling with glee. Knowing that everything was going to be okay. "And I know there are other people who would rather be your king, please…take it,"

"I'm going to miss you," Mara sniffed. Amber smiled, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

"Me too…on some level," and then she disappeared.

Everyone was silent, before a round of applause echoed loudly around the room, and everyone was cheering her name.

Line Break

Mara waited patiently on the balcony, looking out at her kingdom. Her kingdom, that would never get old. She wore the gold tiara on her head, in her new gown, with her new robes, and heels. She was Queen. She was actually queen. She gazed over at the kingdom, and she could just make out the mansion near the borders, where the Dwarves lived, happily. They had all been knighted. As they deserved to be. They earned money, and patrolled the kingdom voluntarily, no one was ever going to commit a crime here again. Not under their watch.

"Don't laugh," Came Jerome's voice. Mara spun around, her dress spinning beautifully around her. And her eye brows lifted slightly. Jerome was wearing the crown, pushed back so you could still see his hair. He wore a white shirt with a red waist coat and a red silk cloak. He…he looked like a king.

"I would never laugh," she whispered, eyes glued to him. He smiled, crossing the space between them in no time at all. And he kissed her. There was nothing to worry about, no arranged marriage, no Amber, no gem, no problems. Just the King and his Queen, just the Huntsman and the Princess, just Jerome and Mara. Stood on the marble balcony, the pink sky and the warm sun above them, and the whole kingdom behind them.

"It's kinda perfect," Jerome whispered in her ear as they hugged

"Happy ever after, after all,"

REVIEW!
X

I have loved this story, and I hope you don't feel the ending was rushed, I enjoyed writing it, and wow…your reviews and support has been amazing. I hope I did you proud!

x