Dragon's Dismay with Absent Family

Chapter 15

Epilogue

Artemis sighed as she spun the champagne in her glass. She looked up and smiled at her daughter as she danced in the middle of the ballroom. The white dress that Artemis herself wore to her own wedding flowed around Peyton as she twirled around her own husband. Her little girl had grown into a beautiful young lady, her blonde hair flowing down to the middle of her back as her green eyes sparkled along with her glistening white smile. The brunette laughed as Peyton's little brother Denzel ran out into the middle of her dancing sticking his tongue out at her. Even after telling Sting no this still ended up with another kid, a little boy that Artemis would never regret having. Denzel had Artemis hair and Sting's eyes, the oppiste of what Peyton had. The blonde female laughed and shoved her brother gently before hugging her husband. Hearing a heavy sigh behind her Artemis turned and rolled her eyes at her husband. After all of these years he still managed to have that handsome look to him. He looked more like father now though, his hair a slightly lighter shade and slight stubble formed around his chin. Sadly though it was a shame that Weisslogia had passed on not too long ago too and was no longer with them.

"Knock it off already Sting. Can't you see how happy she is?" Artemis whispered.

"I know but still . . . my little girl grew up too fast." He pouted and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Besides I can see you being one of those mothers crying at her son's wedding complaining how her little boy grew up to fast."

"No I won't, you're just trying to turn it on me." Artemis sighed rolling her eyes.

"Well still he just . . . erm, something just feels off about him . . . I told her to pick someone-"

"Sting why is it you were allowed to marry a commoner but it's so bad because your daughter does it? She's in love and he's not going to hurt her. He's a sweet boy so stop." Artemis sighed and sipped her champagne before walking away from her husband.

Sting grumbled and slowly followed after her. He still kept glancing over to his daughter and her husband in the middle of the dance floor. Of course once Peyton began to date boys Sting became one of those protective fathers that didn't like half the boys she brought home even if they were actually sweet. Artemis always had to be the one to keep her daughter from being embarrassed. They were basically like the normal stereotypical parents, the only difference being that they were royalty and that was about it. The day Peyton came home and told them that she was engaged Artemis could see how badly Sting was struggling to hold in all of his questions and just congratulate her. She of course lectured him for still knowing what he wanted to do after Peyton left the room. Artemis rolled her eyes remembering such a thing and looked back at her daughter quickly who had stopped dancing with her husband and was now talking with Xander. After everything he did for them Artemis had to do something so she offered Xander a job as her advisor and allowed his son and wife to stay in a guest room at the palace where they still currently lived.

"You know if you really think about it this wedding is just like ours way back when." Artemis hummed placing her glass down onto one of the banquet tables.

"I guess so." Sting shrugged and took his wife's hand.

"Dance with me, like we did at our wedding." Artemis asked turning around to face him pulling him towards the dance floor.

Sting blinked but still followed his wife out into the middle of the floor. He spun her around before placing one hand onto her waist and the other into one of her own hands. Her feet followed and stayed in sync with Sting's as they slowly danced to the music and Artemis couldn't help but to laugh quietly as she remembered that this too was the exact song they danced to together at their wedding. Slowly Artemis let her eyes trial up to look at Sting and for a brief second she could picture him, looking exactly the way he did on their wedding day. It somehow brought tears to her eyes but she smiled softly.

"Hey are you ok?" Sting asked quickly removing his hand from hers and cupping her cheek.

"Yeah . . . I'm . . . I'm perfectly fine." She whispered and leaned her head upon his chest.

She moved and wrapped her arms around his neck as he wrapped his around her waist. Sure it may not have been the right way to be dancing at that moment but neither of them cared. Both of them felt like they had slipped away and became their old selves again, young and happy. For Artemis she never thought anything like this would happen for her. To go from a girl living in Magnolia struggling to take care of her father when her mother died when she was young, to becoming the queen of Sabertooth with two children and a wonderful husband. For someone like Artemis this was a dream come true, a beautiful miracle she would never want to let go off and she never had too. All of it was hers and she was sure that her own parents were happy that she got a life they thought she deserved. Slowly Artemis opened her eyes and stared at a vase filled with those rare rainbow lilies, just like the one she had found in her garden or the ones that were in her wedding bouquet. For that brief moment she thought she could see her mother and father looking out at her, smiling at her, happy that she had all of this around her. Artemis leaned her head away from Sting and smiled back but as she got spun around both of them seemed to disappear. She smiled wider and hugged Sting tightly not wanting to let go. The blonde blinked and sighed holding her tightly in return.

"I love you Sting."

"I love you too Artemis."

End - November 13th 2014 5:53 P.M.