Several years later, in a small corner of Vanya, the valley famous for its ale…
Margaret moved determinedly through the small houses. It had been lovely seeing Gil again, seeing how his strong hands helped grow instead of destroy. Despite his protests that the town couldn't accommodate a princess, Margaret had felt nothing but at home among the hardworking men and women and was looking forward to spending the fortnight learning more domestic skills than she'd been taught growing up.
But she had a task to accomplish before truly settling in. A promise made long ago.
So it was that the first princess of Liones, heir incumbent to the throne of the strongest kingdom in Britannia, hurried along small cobbled streets in a travel-stained cloak until she reached a cosy cottage with line upon line of washing fluttering in the garden.
Margaret could hear laughter and shrieking inside. Then a deeper voice boomed something and someone replied in a sharp rebuke and more giggling ensued. Smiling at the sheer life she could hear, Margaret took a deep breath and knocked on the door before her courage faltered.
Frantic shushing noises ensued and a chair scraped on its feet. More laughter and giggling, only now it was fading away as if being coaxed into an inner room. A latch being pulled back. And then the door opened and frank, curious eyes looked out of a face framed in messy red hair.
Margaret smiled. "Hello, Grace. I thought maybe we could go shopping?"
Grace would forever maintain that the Princess hugged her first. By the time witnesses arrived (in the form of Grace's numerous nieces and nephews) the two old friends were crumpled on the ground in a hug so fierce that no one could tell where Grace titian locks began and where the princess' indigo ones ended.
A/N: This is absolutely fan-service - and that fan is me! I couldn't let Grace go, so after all this time, here's how this story ends. Hope you like it and please leave your thoughts below!