Epilogue

6 Months later

Amberly

'Do you think they'll find us here?' I murmured, leaning my head back against Anthony's shoulder. Instinctively, his arm wound around my waist as our legs became entangled before us. Anthony was leant back against the pillows we had both snuck up onto the rooftop after dinner, as well as the blankets and supplies for the night.

'We're safe love,' he smirked, pressing a gentle kiss against my temple as we both looked up at the stars shining brightly in the sky above. Beneath us, I knew, the castle was abuzz with activity. My own family had arrived just this afternoon, and I knew the Italian royals would be here in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

Aisling had been staying with Nicoletta and Tony for the past six months, even after Adam and her honeymoon was over. Aisling had somehow convinced Adam that the best place for them to get away was with the Italian Royals and Adam being as smitten as he was had agreed with his dreamer. I had suffered many phone calls from my brother about how Tony would not let the two be alone in the same room together despite them being married. Aisling was still young at only seventeen and as far as I knew Tony and Nicoletta were keen to have her remain a child for as long as possible. Aisling may not have been the child they had been hoping for all these years, but it was obvious to anyone from the outside that she was the one they needed.

After Adam had been called back to Illea to resume his duties as prince, Aisling had stayed to continue her education. Adam had argued at first even threatening to force her home, but eventually, he conceded. One look from his wife usually sent him grovelling at her feet or declaring that he could move mountains for her. However, it was never the extravagant things that girl wanted, and I guess that's why she was such a good match for my brother.

'Anthony?' I started, absently entwining our hands together before pulling them apart and starting all over again.

'Hmm,' he mumbled, and I couldn't help but wonder how much longer he would last before he passed out. He had been working long hours with his father going over strategies to neutralise the New Asia threat. It was predicted that the war would end within the year. New Asia had been woefully underprepared to take on Illea and its many allies. 'Do you think they're happy?'

'Who love?' His voice was thick with sleep, and I couldn't stop the tug of a smile. I loved this man.

'My brother and Aisling, do you think they're happy?'

'I'm not sure your brother is too happy jetting back and forth across the Atlantic every other weekend simply to spend time with his new wife,' he muttered, shifting underneath me.

'Would you do it?'

'In a heartbeat, I always want to be wherever you are.'

'Good,' I nodded, bringing his hand to my lips and placing a gentle kiss against his knuckles. I could feel his breathing start to even out beneath me but my mind was racing with a million thoughts, and I wasn't ready to be alone with them. 'Anthony?'

'Hmm,' he mumbled, shifting beneath me again as if a new position would keep his eyes open longer.

'Do you think Michael was a little sad at dinner tonight?'

'Maybe he was just missing that Alice girl,' he grumbled, pressing a kiss against my hair.

'But, she's so odd,' I groaned, rolling over, so we were facing each other. His eyes were closed, but that didn't stop his arms from tightening around my waist once I was settled.

'Love is strange,' he answered nonchalantly.

'Not nearly as strange as Alice.'

'Maybe he's just upset that his demonic other half is halfway around the world being charmed by the Outback Prince.'

'Did you hear she put an alligator in his room?' I asked, twisting in his hold, so my chin was resting on his chest. His eyes were half closed now, but I didn't want to sleep yet. There was too much to discuss.

'I think it's a crocodile in Australia, love, and yes, I did. David called me straight after it was removed, more in love with the girl than ever.'

'They said they were coming, didn't they?' I frowned, running through my mental checklist of all the guests.

'They are arriving late tomorrow afternoon. They had a celebration of some kind to attend before they left.'

'I hope they make it,' I worried. I felt Anthony's fingers in my hair and instantly felt myself begin to relax.

'They'll make it.' He assured me, his eyes falling all the way shut. I didn't know how he could sleep when I felt as if there was electricity coursing through my veins. There was so much to be done and tomorrow was just a detour from more important things. We should have postponed the celebration another year and waited until the New Asia threat was neutralised.

'Love, stop thinking,' he scolded his voice heavy with sleep.

'There's just so much to do.' I sighed, zigzagging my finger through the buttons on his shirt. He popped one eye open to look at me, and I already knew what he was going to say next. He'd been saying it for the past three months since we set the date.

'Love, this is a good time for this. The war is well in hand, the country is rebuilding after the Russian attacks, and the people are ready for something to give them hope.'

'I just don't think we should be wasting time and money on this celebration.'

'Love, this is more than a celebration,' he frowned, opening both his eyes now. 'This is our wedding day.'

'I know, I just think it can wait.' I shrugged, biting hard on my lip. When he stayed silent, I knew I had said the wrong thing. He was always so touchy about these things.

'Do…you not want to marry me?' He asked, his body stiffening beneath me.

'I just don't see the point right now. I mean what's it going to prove? What's going to change about us? I already sleep in the same bed as you. We've already…you know.' I blushed deeply, remembering all the nights we had spent tangled in his sheets. I heard Anthony mutter something under his breath before he shifted beneath me, pushing me from his body so he could sit up.

'What do you think marriage is?' He asked, his tone neutral.

'What are you talking about?' I scoffed. Everyone knew what marriage was.

'What is it to you?' He pushed.

'It's a legal binding between two people, recognising them as partners in a relationship.' I shrugged.

'I don't need a vocabulary lesson, love. I want to know what it means to you. I want to know what is in your heart not what is in your head.' He implored, nodding at my chest.

'I don't understand.' I frowned.

'Let's start with something simpler,' he sighed. 'Do you love me?'

'What kind of question is that?'

'Just answer the question, love,' he smirked, shaking his head at me.

'Of course, I love you.'

'Good,' he smiled earning him a dangerous glare from me. 'When I asked you to marry me, why did you say yes?'

'I always knew you were going to ask me. We were already engaged before you gave me that ring.'

'You're being difficult, Amberly,' he groaned. 'Did you only say yes out of obligation?'

'No, I wanted to be with you.'

'Why?'

'Because I love you.'

'And?'

'And…' I started, looking expectantly at him for direction.

'And, why else?'

'Well, you're handsome?'

'Whilst I admit I am somewhat proud of my looks. I would hope my future wife has looked a little deeper than the superficial.'

'You're funny.'

'A given in this family. If you wanted funny, you could have married my brother. What else have you got?'

'I-I like that you never gave up on me,' I stuttered, watching as he began to lean in closer.

'Hmm,' he hummed, and I felt nervous butterflies start to take flight in my stomach.

'I like that you love me because of my flaws.'

'Not flaws, love,' he murmured, his eyes falling to my lips.

'I like that you care so much for your people and are a strong and decisive ruler. I like that you always know how to make me feel better. I like that you embrace my stubbornness and always know how to talk me down.'

'I'd say I'm getting pretty creative in my methods,' he smirked, running a burning hand up my exposed skin.

'I like that you never fall asleep unless I have and I love that you always know what I'm thinking. I love that, even when I might be wrong, you always support me, 100%.'

'Do you think that's reason enough to get married?' He prodded, running his free hand over my lip, sparking tingles in anticipation.

'I suppose.' I whispered, my attention fully focused on his lips and the amount of space that still lay between us.

'Do you want to know why I want to marry you?' I nodded weakly, not even sure if my mind was processing his words anymore.

'I love you. I love everything about you, and when I look at my future, it only ever has you in it. If I think about you not being there, then I can't breathe. A life without you is a life I could never live. I want to marry you because I want us to be one heart. I want our every breath and our every heartbeat to be shared. I want to know that nothing and no one will ever take you from me. I want to proclaim to the world that you are my princess, my Amberly. I want them to know that I am the only one that deserves your love and your anger. I want to be the one you smile for and the one you search for in a crowd. I want to be your rock when you're feeling lost, and I want to be your shelter when you're vulnerable. I want to see and feel every part of you. I want to share all that I am with you.' His eyes were fierce as he finished, his hands tight on my waist. Tears were already falling from my eyes and dripping from my chin into my lap. Before I had a moment to breathe his lips possessed mine, fierce and determining. He gently laid me back against the blankets, never once breaking our kiss.

Suddenly, it felt like there was too much clothing between us but when I reached for the buttons of his shirt, I felt a chuckle rumble through his chest.

'I've heard you have this law in Illea, about no sex before marriage.' He teased, placing one last gentle kiss on my lips before he pulled away completely.

'You can't be serious,' I groaned, reaching for him, intent on continuing what he had started.

'It is our wedding tomorrow, love. Maybe we should try and restrain ourselves. Unless you're still thinking about not going through with it.'

'No.' I answered instantly. After all of that, I wanted to marry him right now, at this very moment.

'That's what I thought.'

Anthony

I had never been so nervous in my life. My pulse felt as if it were vibrating through my veins while sweat beaded unattractively on my forehead and it wasn't because of the heat of English summer. In mere movements, the love of my life, my entire world, was going to walk down that aisle and marry me. I felt like I had been waiting an eternity for this moment and now that it was finally here I couldn't believe it. She was all I ever wanted.

Both our families were in the front rows. My parents were on the left and Amberly's family on the right. My two brothers stood by my side in matching suits. Although, even from here I could see the sword strapped to my brother's waist. He hadn't grown out of his pirate stage yet, and that meant that Dad was running out of things to bury from Jarred's room.

Amberly had insisted I include her younger brother in our celebration, so he stood beside Elliot; his eyes glued to the back of the gardens in anticipation of his wife's arrival. While the two of us hadn't mended any fences, we had grown to tolerate each other. At least I had if only to make Amberly happy. Despite being her brother, he was never going to be high on my list of favourite people. Although, we were both destined to be leaders of our respective countries. So it was going to be essential that we could form some semblance of a working relationship. No matter how much I wanted to sock him in the jaw for how he had acted the last time he was here.

At the first strains of music, my heart faltered to an ungraceful stop. All thoughts escaped my mind, and my entire body grew stiff. This was it.

Slowly, I turned to face the approaching bridal procession. Harmonia, the youngest was first. Her smile was wide and bright. Her bright blue eyes perfectly complimented by the powder blue bridesmaids dresses. She almost bounced down the aisle, but her focus always returned to the boy in the row behind where her parents would sit.

Behind her was one of the twins. Marinda. She had her own brand of mischief, and her mastermind was far greater than anything my brother and I could come up with. If they were handing out crowns for mischief-making she would win, hands down. I felt sorry for my Australian friend. He was in for one colourful life with her as his chosen partner. Shooting a look at my smitten friend, I saw him watching her unabashedly. He adored her, and he didn't care who knew. Marinda didn't look his way once as she glided down the aisle but from the smirk on her face she knew he was watching.

Finally, came Aisling, the smallest of them all. She first looked at the sky and then at the man standing to my left. Her smile was radiant. The Italian Royals, I saw, watched her closely. She was theirs and judging from some of the looks I had seen Tony shooting Adam, they weren't willing to see her go anytime soon. Not to mention the Italian people who have been captivated by their adopted princess. I've never seen a person pick up on a language so quickly or with such fluency. Every day her people fall more and more in love with her. When it is finally time for her to rule beside Adam, the people will mourn her loss.

As Aisling passed me, she gave me a polite nod before taking her place beside her sisters. Then the music changed, and my world began to spin on a new axis. She was there. Standing at the end of the aisle, more beautiful than I had ever seen her before. I couldn't help but smile as I took in her dress. It was so quintessentially Amberly it couldn't have been any more perfect. It was simple but held an elegance that, much like its wearer, only a few possessed. It was floor length and form fitting, accentuating each and every one of my bride's curves. Her shoulders were capped in a no frills lace, and the skirt moved like water, smooth and gentle.

Before I knew it, Amberly was stood beside me, and both of her parents were kissing her goodbye. I hadn't even noticed them both walk her down the aisle.

Her hair was pulled back into an elegant mess of curls and pinned down with a ruby tiara. It was the first one her mother ever wore as Princess of Illea and while she would have a new one commissioned for her new title she wanted to remember her homeland, especially on a day like today.

'Anthony,' she smirked, taking my limp hand and walking herself in front of the priest. She never was one for waiting.

'My love,' I recovered but judging from the snicker at my back, my brother didn't think I had done a very good job.

'Ready?'

'I'm having second thoughts,' I began, loving the way her eyes narrowed. 'Maybe you were right.'

'Highnesses?' The ageing priest questioned, and I felt a well-placed jab to my ribs.

'We're ready,' and so it began.

America

'Two down, three to go.'

'Maxon,' I laughed, slapping him lightly on his arm as we both watched our children on the dance floor. Anthony hadn't allowed Amberly out of his arms since they had entered over an hour ago. Harmonia and Justin had disappeared sometime after that and I hadn't seen them since. If I knew those two at all, they were probably exploring the garden with Justin following dutifully behind an over exuberant Nia.

'Have you seen our darling Marinda lately?' Maxon questioned, glancing around the gathered partygoers for our wayward girl. Chances were we would never find her until she wanted to be found.

'I'm sure she'll turn up.'

'I'm just worried what she'll turn up with,' Maxon grumbled. 'I thought David would be a calming influence on her.'

'The boy would follow her over a cliff just so he could break her fall. I'm not sure there is a man alive who could kerb her mischievousness and David would never allow it if they tried.' I shrugged and my husband's only reply was a gruff 'humph'.

Rolling my eyes, I looked back out at my remaining children to see Alice floating across the dance floor with a worried looking Michael on her tail. It seemed the whimsical Alice had my youngest son in a spin and I couldn't help but smile at the two. My poor boy was in for one hell of a ride with Alice. He was as straight and narrow as they came and she was so wild and free it was going to be impossible to pin her down for a moment. I just hoped my Michael opened himself up to her brand of life. He needed to live a little.

'Darling will you honour me with a turn on the danc-.'

'Mom, he's being impossible,' Adam huffed, flopping in the chair beside me in a most un-princely manner.

'Hello Adam,' Maxon smirked, shooting me a conspiringly look. He revelled in our eldest son's pain over his daydreamer. No matter how many times I had told Maxon to be supportive he just couldn't help but rile his son up.

'He won't let me dance with her,' Adam ploughed on, ignoring his father. It's what I usually did when he was in this mood.

'Who sweetheart?'

'Tony.' I should have known. The man barely lets her out of his sight. Honestly, I'm not sure he's come to terms with her marriage to my son. 'He said the last time I danced with her my hands were too low. She's my wife.'

'Then get over there and demand her attention,' Maxon encourage. 'You are to be the future king of Illea, and you are letting an old man dictate how you should dance with your wife.'

I shot Maxon a warning look, but the gleam in his eye reminded me far too much of the one I was constantly finding in Marinda's eye.

'She's dancing with Santo now,' Adam fumed, pushing up from his chair and storming over to his wife and I already knew how well this confrontation was going to go.

'You have the worst advice.'

'He's fun to mess with. This is the first time he's seen her in a month. I've had to listen to him whine. I deserve some fun.' He smiled. 'Now about that dance?'

'Lead the way, husband dear.'

'Have I told you how beautiful you are today?'

'Not in so many words,' I pouted, falling easily into his familiar arms as a slow tune played out through the gardens.

'You are the most breathtaking woman here, my darling.' He smiled, leaning down and placing a kiss against the corner of my lips.

'You aren't nearly as handsome as you think you are.'

'I must have had some redeeming qualities,' he smirked. 'We did make five beautiful children.'

'They are beautiful,' I smiled, seeing Adam finally prying a giggling Aisling from her cousin's grip and wrapping her up tightly in his own. Anthony and Amberly spun by completely lost in their own little world as Alice danced wildly beside a rigid Michael, but his small smile said more than any action could. Harmonia came racing through the garden's slamming into Adam's side with news of her latest adventure. Justin stumbling behind her, out of breath and completely dishevelled. The only one missing was the one you really wanted to find. By the time we know where she is it's already too late.

'We did pretty well at this whole parent thing, didn't we darling?' I was just about to reply when there were screams heard from several tables on the other side of the gardens. Maxon and I both knew who was behind the mayhem.

'Four out of five isn't bad.'

So, I don't even know how long it's been but I have finally uploaded the Epilogue to this story. I'm sorry it took me such a long time and I really have no excuses other than life, in general, getting in the way. Hope you enjoyed a little light fun from Amberly and Anthony's wedding day :) THese characters and this story will always be my all time favourites even as I move on to new things. So thank you for allowing me to share the with you over the years :)

Thank you for your support beautiful readers. Happy Reading :)