The day of Hector and Victoria's wedding was deceptively beautiful and bright when the shadows of the final ball still lurked in everyone's minds. It had been over two weeks since that horrible night at the ball, but it was still fresh in everyone's minds. Soldiers were scrambling to discover how the mockery escaped in the first place. When they came to my sickroom to ask me questions, I told them exactly what had happened from the day Giselle and Garen had abducted me to that final battle. Everyone was amazed that the sweet unassuming Giselle would do such terrible things. The only person who seemed to not be so surprised was Victoria. When she had timidly knocked on the door of my sickroom, I was surprised to see her. When she came in and sat in the chair that was normally occupied by Christian, she apologized sincerely for everything. We talked for hours after that. It was the first time we had ever really had a conversation. We had both changed so much since we had arrived in Pharyss and now we were building up the relationship that all sisters should have. She even wanted me to be her maid of honor in her wedding.

I stood next to her as my stepfather gave his eldest daughter away to the prince. Mother was in the front row dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. They had rushed to Pharyss as soon as the letter arrived telling them of the wedding. It was not as extravagant as Joslynn's wedding had been, but no one could deny how radiant both Hector and Victoria looked when they were together. They were perfect for each other and I knew the new Victoria would make a wonderful queen someday. I was happy for them. My wounds were nothing more than light pink lines on my skin now thanks to the king's healers. After the treatment I had felt better physically than I ever had, but no treatment could fix the emotional damage.

After the wedding, everyone stayed in the gardens. Hector had a grand memorial raised in Sir Brockton's honor. A section of the garden had been leveled and remade into a sort of shrine. Ivory columns circled the grassy expanse that was now home to a massive spirit oak tree whose roots had already dug deep into the soil. Brockton's body had been sent back to Ghant to be buried near his home, but his spirit oak had grown from the love of his friends in Lantine. Hector had found a wizard to cultivate the magical tree until it flourished. It had grown quickly and strong. Victoria and Hector stayed near the oak after they were married under its branches. Pandia also stayed with them. She had been wounded by the mockery and half of her head was wrapped in white bandages that covered one golden eye. They both were mourning the loss of their close friend. So many people had been lost that day and there were many funerals.

Still, with all the more important things to focus on, many girls swarmed me asking about Prince Christian. I was the newest celebrity of the town after I had defeated the mockery and Christian proposed. The girls were all between the ages of thirteen and twenty and they all wanted to hear about the next upcoming wedding. It seemed everyone had heard about Christian's proposal and the rumors were running wild.

"Did he really save you from the mockery before you killed it?"

"How soon are you two getting married?"

"Isn't it all just a dream come true for you?"

"You are so lucky that you get to marry a handsome prince."

"Tell us about when he proposed."

"Where is the ring?"

It was an endless stream of questions from dozens of tireless court ladies who had no doubt fancied marrying the prince at some point. I could not even get a word in between their jabbering. Eventually, I tired of their incessant chatter and spoke loudly enough to quiet them. "Be quiet! If you want me to answer your questions you have to at least give me a chance to speak."

To my relief they all quieted. "This is neither the time nor place to talk about such things. My sister has just gotten married and today is her day, not mine. Her husband lost his best friend and all you can talk about is Christian. Yes, he did propose to me, but I am not engaged to him. We are not getting married ever. I said no."

All the girls gasped in shock and an entirely new line of questioning began about how crazy I was for saying no to the prince. I looked around, the only way I would be able to escape was if I knocked the girls out of the way forcefully, but I was done with fighting and violence. Luckily, Andrew came to my rescue and put one of his muscular arms around me. In his scary commander voice he addressed the annoying flock of gossips. "Now listen here, my sister does not want to be told she made the wrong decision and that she should go running back to Christian begging to be his wife. This was her choice so you all can just move on."

Many of the girls were scared of this big man who had addressed them so bluntly and scampered off; the rest glared at him before walking away. Once they were all gone we laughed. "I can't believe the shallowness of some people. I do not love Christian and I am not going to marry him just because he is royalty. What's even more unbelievable is that I used to think that I did love him." I stopped laughing and the smile was wiped from my face. I was so stupid to focus so much on Christian and miss something so much better.

"Hey, none of that now," Andrew said as he hugged me. "Be happy for Victoria today and let me see that pretty smile of yours before I have to leave again."

"Leave again?" Andrew had not told me anything about leaving again so soon. I did not want him to go. I had thought he would travel with me back to Lyscos since I would be travelling back with only Samuel and my mother now that Giselle had disappeared and Victoria was going to be living at the palace. Whenever I saw him, it never felt like long enough. Lyscos would be boring and bland after so much time in Pharyss. I almost didn't want to return, but I could not keep staying at the Gilded Leopard forever.

Andrew was smiling as he stopped and we faced each other. He looked terribly excited. "I met Empress Pandia a few days ago and she wants me to accompany her back to Mekt. Can you believe it? She found out I was your brother and wanted to meet me. She even asked Captain Rydell for me personally. Ebony, I am going to Mekt!"

I hugged Andrew. It had always been his dream to visit Mekt and now he got to go with Pandia herself. I was so happy for him. He would see all sorts of amazing wonders that Mekt was known for. "When are you leaving?"

"In three days. That is when she is returning home. I have even seen how we will be travelling. Ebony, she arrived in a ship, a flying ship. I will be flying to Mekt with the empress. I wish you could come with me. You would love it and we could explore Mekt together. Surely you don't want to return to Lyscos alone."

He was right. I was not looking forward to my trip back home. I didn't think it would feel like home anymore. Victoria and Giselle would both be gone and I did not know how well I could live with parents I hardly knew anymore. Pharyss had become my home and I did not want to leave even though so many bad things had happened here. I could not see myself living somewhere else. Still, going to Mekt with Andrew sounded preferable to returning to Lyscos so soon. "Would Pandia mind? I think it would be highly rude to just invite myself along."

Andrew shrugged. "You said you two had met before and gotten along. Maybe she won't mind if you come along. I mean it is a big ship and…"

His voice trailed off. He looked stunned into silence but then a slow smile crept over his face. "I don't think you will be coming with me to Mekt."

Andrew pointed to something behind me and I turned to look. A tall man with straight blonde hair hanging over black eyes was smiling impishly at me. My heart thudded in my chest and I almost didn't believe what I was seeing was real. Everything stopped when I saw him smiling at me. I thought I would never see that smile again. I thought he had died. No one could answer my questions about him after the battle. No one knew what had happened to him. Tears welled up in my eyes. It was Kol. He was slouched over on a crutch and his clothes hung loosely to his thin frame and I could see bandages peeking out from underneath his shirt, but it was my Kol. I picked up my skirt and ran to him. Without thinking I flung my arms around him. He free arm wrapped around me in an embrace I thought I would never have again.

"Careful, Ebb," he murmured into my hair. "I'm not quite as healed as you are."

"Oh, I'm sorry." I quickly pulled away from him and stepped back. He put his hand to his side tenderly and I remembered the terrible gash that had been there the last time she had seen him. "I thought you were dead."

Kol smiled. "It will take more than some mockery to get rid of me."

"I asked about you, but no one knew what had happened to you." I explained. I still could barely believe that he was alive and standing before me. I reached out to touch his face just to know that he was real and I was not dreaming.

"My father's men took me to the army physician. It was a close call though, for almost a day they didn't know if I was going to make it. The doctor said that if you had not given me that potion, I would not have lived. He made me stay with him while I recovered. I heard about you though. It's all anyone can talk about: the hero who saved the town. I have also heard another rumor about you and Prince Christian." Kol's voice sounded strange when he mentioned the prince. He had probably heard that I was engaged to Christian. There could be nothing else. Before I could set the record straight he continued. "Ebb, what I said before, in the garden. I meant it. I know that Christian is a prince and if you marry him you will be a princess and live in a palace, but you don't have to marry him. I love you and want to spend my life with you. Christian is not right for you. He is too arrogant and selfish to treat you like the wonder you are. I know that I can make you happier than Christian can and I will spend every day making you as happy as I can. You just aren't yourself when you are around him. Please, Ebb, I don't want to see you marry the prince."

I stopped his lips from talking with mine. Careful of his still healing wounds, I grabbed his face in my hands and kissed him like I should have done every day since he took me in after I escaped Garen. He was a prince and he was perfect and there was no one else I wanted to be with more. I broke our kiss and rested my forehead against his. His eyes were closed and his free hand was twined with the hair near my neck his fingertips were just barely caressing my skin. "I'm not marrying Christian. He proposed but I am in already deeply in love with someone else."

Kol's lips turned up in the curling smile that I loved. I kissed him again so I could feel his smile meet mine. I had never been happier and I felt my heart might burst from my chest at any moment. I was surprised when Kol pushed me away. "No, this has to be done properly. I know I'm supposed to kneel or something but…" Kol pulled a small ring from his pocket. I laughed; it was the ring he had pulled from the fish's mouth so long ago. "Ebony, my Ebb, my love, will you do me the spectacular honor of being my wife?"

I touched my nose to his and enjoyed just being close to him as I gave my answer. "Yes, of course - Mrs. Ebony Rydell, I like the sound of it."

"I do hope you are marrying me for a bit more than a good name," He joked as he slid the ring onto my finger. I smiled. The tiny thing didn't fit and couldn't fit over my second knuckle. That could be sorted later; right now I had more important things to deal with.

"There are just a few more reasons," I kissed him as I listed all the reasons to marry him. "First, there's Caligo and Umbra. I think I would miss them terribly. There's the perks of having a husband who knows about fishing ponds and bell towers. Then there is excitement. Never have I been put in so much danger as I have been since I met you, but you are always there to save me. Not to mention I will be the envy of everyone with such a handsome man to call my own. And then of course the small matter of how much I love you."

Kol closed his eyes as if he was savoring my declaration. "You have no idea how long I have waited to hear those words from you." He whispered. His free arm had pulled me closer while I was talking and now we were pressed together. I didn't think I would mind much if I never left the circle of his arms again.

"I love you," I repeated with another kiss. I had to make up for lost time and all the opportunities I missed to tell him. "I love you."

"What's this I hear?" Victoria and Hector came over to us arm in arm.

Kol and I pulled apart enough for me to smile at Victoria. "I suppose you should be the first to know." I took my left hand from around Kol and held it out to Victoria.

With a shriek she grabbed it and examined the tiny bauble. "Oh no, this will not do. This is not an engagement band; this is a child's toy. Really, is this the best you could find?"

Kol looked surprised at her unexpected response and tried to explain the significance of the ring before Hector gently interrupted. "Darling, I don't think the ring is what is important right now. I think congratulations are in order."

"Yes, of course," Victoria's face turned red in embarrassment. She pulled me away from Kol so she could hug me tightly. "I am so happy for you, little sister. I want you to tell me everything about him and your plans for the wedding. Oh, there is so much to do. You two will make such a beautiful couple. Of course I will have to get to know Nikolaus better and make sure that he is good enough for you. Just wait until you tell mother and father. We should make an announcement to everyone."

I looked pleadingly at Hector. Victoria seemed about ready to make a kingdom wide proclamation when the engagement had only happened a few minutes ago. Hector calmed down his wife and talked her out of the more extravagant of her plans. She still insisted that we go tell our parents and I agreed. They had not met Kol yet. When I told my mother, her reaction was similar to Victoria as she started planning wedding details on the spot. Samuel was more reserved but I could tell he was proud of me. They were all impressed when I told them about all the things Kol had done for me.

In the middle of our conversation, Victoria saw Bert and Addison standing on the far side of the spirit oak. "Oh, look, aren't those two friends of yours? They probably want to know the happy news too and your parents as well, Nikolaus."

Abruptly, she was herding Kol and me across the grass.

"Really, I almost think she is more excited than you are," Kol murmured to me out of the side of his mouth so Victoria wouldn't hear. Not that she would have anyway; she was already calling to Bert and Addie.

"Don't worry, next time we get engaged I will be sure to drag you all over the city and tell everyone I see. I may even make a banner to fly."

Kol winced. "Oh, please don't or I might not ever propose to you again."

I sighed dramatically, "Then I suppose we will just have to skip the second proposal and go straight to the wedding."

"Perfect," Kol tried to lean over his crutch to kiss me, but Bert and Addie had spotted us and we were both caught up in an enthusiastic hug.

"You finally got it all sorted, you big idiot." Bert teased. She mussed Kol's hair playfully.

"Hey," I reprimanded. "That's my future husband you are talking to."

Addison was bouncing up and down. "Oh, you two are getting married!"

"Have you told the captain yet?" Bert asked. She now looked concerned and I worried that his parents wouldn't like me.

Kol shook his head. Bert immediately turned him in the direction of where his parents were talking to a group of people. "You had better go tell them right now. Your father will not be pleased if he is the last to know about his son's engagement." She caught sight of my nervous expression and placed her hand comfortingly on my shoulder. "Don't worry, Ebb. I'm sure they will love you."

Kol tightly held my hand as we approached his parents. His mother was tall and stately with pale blonde hair and piercing black eyes like her son. His father was decorated with his medals and awards for his deeds as captain. The pair of them looked intimidating as they turned to greet us. I felt Kol's hand entwine with mine and felt better. Together we could survive anything.

"Nikolaus," His father greeted. I saw his eyes catch our entwined hands. "Who is this?"

Kol's hand squeezed mine. I didn't think I was the only one who was nervous. I tightened my grasp on Kol's hand and I saw him square his shoulders to speak. "Mother, Father, this is Ebony Valix. I have asked her to be my wife."

Kol's mother was inspecting me closely without saying anything. His father looked me up and down as well. "The Ebony Valix, the girl who defeated the mockery?"

"Yes, sir," I affirmed. I hoped that it wouldn't be a mark against me that I had fought the mockery. Maybe his parents wanted him to marry a girl like Paislee who hosted tea parties and wore lacy dresses.

When his mother smiled, I knew that this was not the case. "Well, then my son has managed to find himself a good wife. I was floored when I heard a woman had defeated the fearsome mockery. I told my wife that I would have to meet the warrior who had defeated such a beast, but the king said you were still recovering. Now I get to have you in my family. Perhaps you could teach my men a thing or two about fighting." Captain Rydell laughed.

I smiled in relief. They liked me, I was marrying the man I loved, and getting more than I could have ever imagined. Everything was more than perfect. Captain Rydell asked me everything about the battle with the mockery and where I had learned to fight like I had. As an army commander he had more questions about tactics and fighting maneuvers than I knew how to answer. Then his wife suggested that they meet my parents. The two couples were introduced and began getting to know each other. It turned out that the captain had done business with Samuel years ago. He also remembered that Andrew was my brother and congratulated my mother on being mother to two fierce fighters. Kol whispered in my ear and we left our parents to their conversation. Together we walked aimlessly around the great oak tree.

Andrew met us as we passed by a few tables with people sitting around them talking. "So was I right?" He asked.

I smiled happily. "Yes, you were. I am not going to Mekt with you. It turns out that I have a wedding to go to. I wish you could be there."

"Maybe if I spoke to Pandia…" Andrew mused. It would be wonderful to get married with all the people I loved present."

Kol took the opportunity to extend his hand to Andrew. "I don't think we have been properly introduced. I'm Kol and I am madly in love with your sister. I would like to marry her with your blessing. Even though I do not need it and will marry her anyway."

Andrew smiled and shook Kol's hand. "Then you should know that as her big brother I will kill you if you do anything to hurt her, but you have my blessing."

Kol smiled so broadly it almost matched my grin. I knew that Kol and Andrew would get along if they stopped hating each other. "Now, let's go see if we can get Pandia to hang around longer so you can attend the wedding."

We found Pandia talking with Pernyx and Hector. Even with one eye covered in bandages, she was the first one who saw our approach. Her white cat ears perked up and she turned to look at us with her good eye. "I thought you three might be coming to find me soon. You have a question for me."

Kol and I gaped at how she knew exactly why we had come over. Andrew smiled nervously and shuffled his feet. It seemed that he was still star-struck by Empress Pandia. She laughed at our reactions. "Hector told me the good news. Of course you want your brother there at your wedding. I wouldn't mind staying in Pharyss a bit longer, but only if I am invited to the wedding as well."

"Of course you are invited!" I exclaimed. I wanted to hug her for letting Andrew stay in town for my wedding, but she was an empress so I didn't think it would be appropriate. "If you are still in Pharyss at the time, you are also invited, Pernyx. How could I not invite my scavenger hunt team?"

"I love weddings." Pernyx said quietly.

I smiled. With Pandia and Pernyx attending, our wedding was going to be quite the event. Most, if not all, the royal family would be attending as well. Kol and I both would want Curtis and Clover there and of course Hector and Victoria were coming. I was planning to make Victoria my maid of honor after all. I wanted to start my new life with Kol as soon as possible. Victoria would probably make my wedding an extravagant one, no matter how soon it was. I looked to where Kol stood next to me. I pulled closer to him and laid my head on his shoulder as we all talked. It was a comfort just having him near. How could I have gotten so lucky as to be able to have him as my own?

Don't mind me, I'm just fixing the ending.