Part 7: Epilogue
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
After some magically assisted clean-up, Camryn's house was back to normal and the group was able to return to Coventry.
The next morning, Camryn and Alex woke up late and walked down to the kitchen, "Where is everyone?"
A servant bowed to them on his way to the outdoors, "Everyone is taking breakfast outside today."
"Okay, thanks!" The girls echoed each other before running out into the courtyard.
Aron noticed the girls first and he waved them over, "We've been waiting for you two to wake up."
"Well we kinda needed the rest, after yesterday." Alex sighed, picking up a piece of toast.
Ileana and Karsh exchanged a glance, and as if on cue, the baby yawned audibly.
Smiling sheepishly at one another, the twins laughed and leaned over to get a look at him, "Sorry Ileana."
"It's okay." She grinned at them, rocking her son very softly.
Camryn couldn't wait any longer, "So, have you guys decided on a name yet?"
Ileana nudged her husband and he grinned, "We're calling him Jorion."
Everyone considered the name for a moment before nodding.
"May I hold him?" Asked Miranda.
"Of course." The guardians would never have denied her that chance, and the queen got up and walked over to where Ileana sat.
Taking the little boy in her arms, she tenderly touched the tip of Jorion's nose and watched as his eyes crossed to observe her. There was a gentle and loving laugh from the queen of Coventry and Aron watched his wife walked around. When the softened eyes of the wife caught those of the husband, the king could no longer deny how he felt.
Miranda walked over and gave the child to Aron to hold. At first, the king looked uncertain as to the best way to keep Jorion in his arms.
"Support his head." This time it was Karsh and Ileana speaking together and they looked at each other in shock.
Karsh spoke first, "You agree with me?"
"Well of course I agree with you, it was the right thing to say."
"Huh." They breathed out in unison and looked over at the twins.
Alex and Camryn looked at each other and shook their heads, "We don't know."
The queen whispered something in her husband's ear and the king smiled, "How would you two feel about having a sibling?"
The twins looked at their parents, "Eh?"
"Your mother and I were considering having another child while we're still able to."
They looked at each other and back at their parents, and for a moment all was quiet.
Camryn grinned, "I would actually like to have a brother or sister."
Alex, "Yeah, it'd be kinda nice to have a sibling to grow up with."
"Well we are kinda grown up."
"I know that, but you know what I mean. We missed getting to be sisters and mom and dad missed out on getting to raise us."
Miranda sighed with relief, "I'm so glad you both feel that way. We were worried that you would think we were trying to replace you."
"Which we could never do." Assured their father, "We just had always planned on having more children."
"Look, you guys don't have to worry about us being jealous."
"We would totally love it."
They looked back at each other and nodded.
Alex grinned, "I love babies."
"I love babies too." Camryn was grinning widely, "Speaking of which, can I hold Jorion again?"
Aron handed Karsh and Ileana's son over to his daughters who appropriately fussed over the adorable day old infant. The little boy already appeared to have his father's stoic personality.
Across the table, Ileana and Karsh watched the scene and sighed.
"You know, I still have cravings for chicken wings."
Karsh actually gave a small chuckle but didn't take his eyes off his son, "Do you think we'll ever get him back?"
Ileana thought about it for a moment, her head tilted ever so slightly, "Not until Aron and Miranda have theirs."
"Oh," Her husband looked at her and she gave him her best 'doe' eyes.
"Fine, I'll get the chicken wings if you get the baby."
"Deal."
8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
So it was that a year after the birth of Jorion, Aron and Miranda welcomed a third daughter to their family.
Unlike her sisters, one born under the sun and one under the moon, the new little one could not decide which celestial body to make her own. So at the very break of dawn, and named for the Goddess of the daily event, Aurora entered the world.
Any fear that the king and queen might have had over their older daughters' opinion of the new baby disappeared when Camryn quickly christened the child, "Princess Aurora," and Alex decided that she found the name intriguing, if not oddly familiar somehow. The elder sisters had even insisted that as Aurora gained her ability to speak, that she call them Artemis and Apolla, something they rarely let others do. A symbol of their sisterly bond.
About two years after Jorion and one year after Aurora, Ileana surprised Karsh and the others with the announcement of her second pregnancy. Before the year was out, there were two little girls in the castle with the addition of Lorea.
While many nights were interrupted by crying and the singing of parents walking their children, everyone could agree that it was nice to have youth in the castle again. The statues were even sworn to silence so as to not disturb a single game of hide and seek.
From that point on, the years passed very quickly. Alex and Camryn married, both to warlocks, and started their own families. And the younger kids grew up.
Aurora at 18 resembled her sisters greatly. With long black hair and dark eyes that sparkled with the sun and had a haunting aura under the moonlight, she was a beauty of the kingdom.
Jorion at 19 was nearly a carbon copy of his father with Karsh's strong jaw line, light blue-green eyes and tall build. His nose was more of Ileana's, along with her hair color. While he did tend to be more serious, he was given to laughter and occasional food obsessive-ness.
Lorea at 17 looked more like Ileana. Nearly the opposite of her brother, she had her father's strong nose and brown hair, but her mother's build and eyes. Personality wise, she and her brother were the same. It was almost as if Ileana and Karsh's one sided mannerisms became perfect blends in their offspring.
Luckily for the families, none of the children were unfortunate, and it took no prodding to get Jorion to be Aurora's formal escort to a party in honor of her eighteenth birthday. The three who had grown up together spent the entire night dancing and partying in the tradition of Aurora's older sisters.
There was no indication of anything out of the ordinary. Aron and Karsh went walking the next morning in the garden, discussing some of the business of Coventry when all the castle secrets came out. Aron had to admit that he trusted his friend and advisor with his life, but felt a strange sense of protectiveness for his youngest daughter when he found her in his best friend's son's arms.
The two fathers stopped short when they caught Jorion and Aurora kissing one another in a more secluded area of the garden. After a few seconds of shock, Aron unintentionally cleared his throat and brought two pairs of wide, embarrassed eyes to him.
Aurora grinned sheepishly, "Hi daddy."
Jorion and Aurora were fortunate however, because neither set of parents could find reason to discourage them. It also gave Jorion a lot of comfort when he went to see his king and his father's best friend over a very sensitive subject three years later.
Just like the weddings of the twin witches before them, Jorion and Aurora's elaborate affair was a celebration for the ages.
For now at least, all was well in Coventry.