The young king came every day for nearly a month. For the first week or so, he came with hardly credible reason, then stopped offering any at all. Fern was lively, bright, and beautiful. Even more so, she was regal and intriguing. The king could not help but to be entranced by her; what mortal man would not? But the wild, kind Fern was equally drawn to the serious, quiet king. Both Mary and Samuel grieved to know that their child would leave them but admitted quietly to one another that they were glad to see her happy.
"I don't think I ever considered that she might fall in love," Mary said one evening. "It seems too tame for her." The room lapsed into silence.
"I always hoped her wildness couldn't get her into too much trouble. I never dreamed it would come to favor her." Samuel added.
"The stars certainly shine bright for her."
A few days later, Mary walked into the garden to find Fern enthusiastically embracing the King, who wore a smile. Fern spotted her mother quickly, and instead of releasing the embrace, transferred it to her mother. "Don't move! I must find Papa!" And with that fern traipsed off.
A moment later, a rather frazzled Samuel came hurrying out to the garden, quickly followed by a shutting door. Mary stepped to her husband's side and waited.
"Though we have all come to meet by unusual means, I have become very fond of your family. I would like to request the honor of joining our families. That is, I would like to become like a son to you."
Samuel and Mary were humbled by the honor he bestowed upon them and their daughter. Though they had already guessed his intentions, they had half expected him to hoist Fern onto his horse one evening and ride off with her. What could they do to stop him? Mary rushed forward and embraced the boy just as vigorously as her daughter had.
The wedding was grande; the bride was beautiful and the kingdom adored her as much as their King did; Mary and Samuel were overcome by the happiness of their daughter and new son. Then came the time for Mary and Samuel to return home. They did so, with Fern's promise to invite them back once they were settled. Thus the routine was established: Mary and Samuel would journey home, realize the house was bare without their daughter, grow accustomed to the silence, then journey off to visit their daughter and her husband.