Mare's Pov- Epilogue

Four Years Later

"Stop running and take your beating like men."

Kilorn and Mal casually jog in front of me laughing, knowing I can't catch them like this. Oh but just wait, when they stop, I'm going to get them.

Stupid boys, I knew they would get along fine with their antics.

They jog into the library with me right behind them.

Maven and Gisa look up from what they were doing and I guess Maven was teaching Gisa something new again. The two surprisingly enjoy spending time together but I also believe Maven is using her for the practice that he thinks he needs.

"Mare, what are you doing run around? You should be resting," Maven says, putting down the book.

He stands up and offers his seat to me. Well, it's more like subtly telling me to take a seat. I give the two boys I was chasing a glare but take a seat anyway.

"What's going on?" Gisa asks.

"Those two said I'm going soft and said soon I'll be doing things like embroidery and dressmaking like you and Mom. They said I lost all the fight in me so I'm going to show them a fight," I reply.

The two snicker as I tell Gisa what they did.

"Don't be mad Princess, who knows you may just like making cute little dresses," Mal says.

I mumble curses under my breath and threats that even I know that I can't fulfill.

Maven kneels down and places his hands on my lap.

"Ignore them Mare, they just like to tease you. You're still as feisty as ever," Maven says.

I rest my hands on top of his with a soft smile. Though I won't say it to those trouble-making boys, maybe I am getting softer as I suspected years ago when I started crying much easier. That doesn't mean I can't fight though. I also refuse to make dresses. I never had any skill with a needle and I don't think I'm going to gain any now.

"He's just saying that because he doesn't want to have to deal with an angry pregnant Mare," Kilorn says.

This time Maven gives him a quick glare, one that tells him to be quiet before he gets him in trouble.

"I am not. Mare is still very much a fighter. I would never say those words just to please her. I can handle my pregnant wife for your information," Maven replies.

Half-truth really. Even Maven doesn't know how to deal with the craziness of me being pregnant. He handles it better than most though. I think Mom still tears up when she sees my stomach, Dad and the boys still freak out if I even breathe too heavy, and the general population of Norta is going insane at the fact that there will be a royal baby on the way. I think many just want to know what blood the child will have.

So Maven does handle me better, even if he does seem to worry a lot. He hides it well but when he does things like offering me his seat, sending Mal everywhere with me, even though Mal is the head of the guards and I'm sure he has much to do, or giving me every single food I ask for, it's clear that he's nervous too. It's funny to see the ever cool and confident Maven freak out over becoming a father.

"You all are terrible but I couldn't have it any other way," I say with a mock sigh.

Gisa and I laugh though when we see the three boys' false offended and wounded looks. Boys are so dramatic.

"What did I do? I'm defending you," Maven says.

I hide my smile behind my hand and Maven gives me a small pout.

I appreciate that over the years, Maven himself has become softer. It's taking a bit and he still has his crazy, cruel moments that I don't know if we'll ever be able to fix but we're stripping away his mother's poison and teaching him new. It's a breath of fresh air when I don't have to constantly worry if he's going to suddenly switch and throw me into a cell anymore.

Maven puts his hand on my stomach and rubs it gently.

"Your mother is being mean little one. I give her love, food, massages, and warm baths and she still treats me mean. What am I supposed to do?" He says softly to my stomach.

Now I blame being pregnant for this but every time Maven does something like speak to my stomach as if the child is already in his arms, I want to tear up. Though he's really nervous, he takes being a father seriously and that's the greatest thing I can ask for. If you would have asked me a few years ago if I was ever going to have kids, I would have laughed at you and called you crazy because I'm fighting a war, I don't have time for kids. Heck, even when I found out I was pregnant, I was bordering between a fear-inducing shock and petty anger at Maven for causing it.

Of course though, when he found out I was pregnant, his face lost any color he could have possibly had and he had to sit down because the wind was knocked out him. It made the anger I had subside.

Either way, when I found out I was pregnant, though I didn't and don't believe I can be a great mother, I still want nothing but the best for this child. So Maven being this excited and caring for our unborn child is really a blessing.

"Oh don't speak lies to them. I am not mean," I say.

He looks up from my stomach with a smile and places a kiss on my hand that is still on my lap.

"Ugh, romance. Mare has gone soft; I never thought I'd see the day," Kilorn says with a teasing smirk.

I give him a look for once again ruining the moment and for calling me soft. He's playing, I know, but sometimes I have to try and make him squirm. Have to help keep that friendly fear going.

"Just you wait until I get my hands on you," I say.

"No offense Princess, but you can barely see your feet. I don't know how well you'll be able to do that. Besides, his highness may have a heart attack if you move too fast," Mal says.

A chuckle slips out of my mouth despite the glare I wanted to give him. It is true, Maven does get really worried whenever I do too much. He really is worried about me and the baby.

"Oh, you guys are so mean to Mare and Maven. They're just going through the normal first-time parents type of stuff. You guys need to stop before Mare does do something she probably shouldn't do," Gisa says.

Maven gives Gisa a proud look in thanks. He really has taken a liking to Gisa as if she was his own little sister. I didn't think it would be possible but whatever they do in their time together has really brought them closer.

Mal bends down to Gisa's height and messes up her hair playfully.

"You're right Flower, I'll leave them alone. I'd be out of a job if something happened because I teased the two lovebirds to death," Mal says with a smile.

Gisa blushes bright red at the action and Maven and I chuckle.

Gisa seems to have developed a small crush on Mal a while back and always turns red whenever he addresses her, especially when he calls her that nickname. He gave it to her because of something she once made for him that involved flowers. And Mal being Mal, calls her that instead of her real name just like how he calls me Princess still to this day.

Mal knows of her crush and finds it cute so he indulges her sometimes with extra affection. That and I threatened him to be nice to her about it or else I'd fry him. That made sure he didn't tease her or anything. But he does enjoy her company, even before she had a crush on him, so he was going to be nice to her no matter what.

Maven and I find the entire thing funny. My brothers like to tease Gisa that she's growing up and noticing boys. They say they're going to have to start threatening if a boy ever approaches her. Gisa one time turned to Maven and I to get the boys to not do that. I laughed and told her I'd help her out but Maven casually held up a flame and said he'd burn a boy who got too close to her unless he was good enough for her. Though Gisa thought the boys were all being too overprotective, Maven gained some extra points with my brothers.

"And I'd be out of a best friend. I don't want to have to find a new one just yet so I guess I'll slack off a bit until the baby is born," Kilorn says.

I roll my eyes but smile anyway.

"How thoughtful of you both. Now if you guys are done being annoying, I want to eat after all of that chasing. I'm taking Gisa so you guys can either join or be annoying elsewhere," I say.

Maven helps me up and I already knew that he's going to join me. As if he would let me have lunch without him when he actually has free time. Who would have thought that Maven could be so domestic?

Kilorn and Mal nod in response to my statement, never passing up a chance to have food and tease me. They grab hold of Gisa's hands saying something about how they have to protect their young girl at all times. Gisa protests saying she'd not a child anymore but doesn't fight it since she knows that they're both messing with her.

Maven holds my hand as we leave the library. He lightly strokes his thumb over the back of my hand and when I look at him at my side, I see a soft smile on his face. It seems as the years continue, he just becomes happier and happier. Every time I ask him about it, he just tells me that it's because he finally has the love of his life by his side. A bit sappy for him in my opinion but I guess he really means it. It's nice though to see him happy. It makes everything fall into place and gives a new sense of much-needed normalcy into my life.

I guess it wasn't so bad that I fell in love with a monster all those years ago.

~End~

I really hope you guys enjoyed this story. It was so fun writing it for you guys and I thank everyone for sticking with this story. I'm really going to miss you guys to be very honest.

I left what happened to Cal open-ended so you guys can choose whatever option you preferred.

Though I don't have any ideas for a new story yet for this wonderful fandom, I'm sure something will come eventually. So in meantime you can say hi or give ideas if ya want.

So this is it. See you guys another time. Thank you again!