To say goodbye to these characters, I wanted to give you a few glimpses into the beginning of their HEA. The sequel will be during the next Collection, but it will be an EPOV. So we'll see plenty of our lovebirds while their children find their place in the world.

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Epilogue

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. I had a long day ahead of me, and it wouldn't do any good to panic now.

I wasn't worried about the wedding. Iit was finally being the queen after six months of preparation that had me jittery.

"Lady Tanya, I think we need that drink in here," Ren called from behind me.

I turned to see Tanya walk in with a drink in her hand and a smile on her face.

"Do not get her drunk. Edward will kill us all," Alice said.

We all laughed, but I did take a sip of the offered drink. They helped me get ready; my maids aiding them as needed. It was a lot of work to put all of the pieces together: the elegant ball gown with its lace flowers and jeweled belt across my waist, the sapphire necklace and earrings that Edward had given me, makeup, and an updo that would support my crown when it was placed on my head.

Tanya winked at me when I was ready. "Well, I'm going to take my seat; there are plenty of eligible men out there tonight."

We laughed, but soon, Carlisle walked in and I knew it was time.

All I'd ever dreamed of when I thought of my wedding was my father walking me down the aisle; but I knew he loved Edward like a son, and in his stead I was happy to have Carlisle.

Ren and Alice picked up their bouquets and stepped out of the room, giving Carlisle and I a moment.

"How is he doing?"

"His Majesty is the picture of calm. All he needs is for us to get up to the front of the church."

"In an hour that will be my title too. I'll never be Lady Isabella again."

"You're ready for this, Isabella."

I took another deep breath. "I'm ready to be Mrs. Edward Masen. The rest will come in time."

"Well, let's head out there and make it happen."

I grabbed my own bouquet and we made our way to the doors of the sanctuary. The doors opened and Ren walked into the church first. Her and Alice were in gauzy blue gowns that swished when they walked. After a moment, Alice followed her down and with a nod from the guard at the door we stepped through the doorway.

The church was packed to the rafters. There were royals from France and Swenday on Edward's side of the church, and the Italians were on my side. My family was seated up front, minus Tyler, and the Collection girls were split between us. There were other influential people, but my eyes were only for Edward.

He stood at the altar with a bright smile on his face. The walk down the aisle felt like it was far too long, but finally Carlisle put my hand into Edward's.

The ceremony itself seemed to fly by. One moment I was stepping up to the priest with Edward and the next he was pulling me in for our first kiss as husband and wife.

Once we were married, Edward turned to the priest and nodded. A padded seat was brought out and I sat up straight for the ceremony.

Edward draped the sash across my body and then stood beside me.

"Do you swear to rule in the best interest of our people? To act justly and support your king?" he asked.

"Yes," I responded.

Edward took my crown from the priest and sat it on my head. He turned back to the congregation and spoke.

"Here I present a daughter of Volterra, Lady Isabella Marie Masen, my wife and your queen."

The crowd erupted into cheers and chants of 'Long live the queen'.

Edward took my hand and we walked up the aisle. It was a short trip back to the palace, but once we were there he pulled me up the stairs and to his office. I was laughing as he pulled me into his arms and kissed me soundly.

When he broke the kiss so we could breathe, I had to laugh at his enthusiasm.

"Don't laugh at me. I'm so happy that you're finally mine. And it seems that there have been quite a few marriages in the last six months."

"Really?" I asked. "Who got married?"

"The better question might be who didn't get married. I think Tanya is the only one of the Collection who didn't get married. Even Rosalie married a professor, Royce King?"

"That's surprising, I thought she would have waited a little longer after being dismissed."

"Most of the girls who were dismissed married quickly, so I'm not too surprised."

"Tanya's on the prowl, so we should warn the male population," I joked and Edward laughed.

After a few more minutes alone, my maids came in and touched up my makeup. We walked into the Great Hall and were announced to our guests.

The Great Hall had been completely redone after the attack, so those who had been here wouldn't be triggered by the sight of the room. It had been done up in an elegant style with Esme and Alice planning all of those things for me. It was nice to have them narrow down the choices and then let me make the final calls.

The room grew quiet as Edward pulled me close for our first dance as husband and wife.

When some of the other couples began to join us, I laughed at how quickly Ren swooped in to steal a dance with Edward. Emmett took over with me and he seemed happier.

Partners were traded as our guests took their moment to congratulate us. It was during a dance with the younger brother of one of the Swendish dukes that I felt a smile creep across my face. While he was respectful and proper, he had quite a few questions about my single friend. I finished the dance and then stepped out to use the restroom, gesturing to Tanya that she should follow.

We were in the restroom for all of seven seconds when she clutched my hand. "I saw you speaking with Lord Oliver while you were dancing, what did you think?"

"He's quite taken with you. He wanted to know if you were unattached because he didn't want to offend you or your partner if you had one."

"I hope he isn't interested in me simply because I was a part of the Collection. I know it made us honored daughters of Volterra and everything, but I'd liked to be wanted for me."

"Well, I don't know exactly what his intentions are, but he did say that he was impressed by how close we seemed and how that must speak to your character that we remained friends even though the king was once between us. I think he's smitten, go talk to him."

The door to the bathroom opened and Rosalie walked in. "Your Majesty."

"Rosalie, it is so good to see you. I hear congratulations are in order."

"Yes, Royce and I married two months ago, we were quite swept up in the romance."

"I'm happy for you. It is good to see you smiling again," I told her.

"Pity Angela isn't here to celebrate with us," Rosalie said.

I looked at Tanya. She knew the crime Angela had committed and the fact that she would have been punished for it if she had survived.

Renata chose that moment to come in and claim me. We returned to the Hall and continued to enjoy the day. It was a beautiful celebration and it was so wonderful to have everyone there. It made me miss Queen Elizabeth and my dad, but I could feel them with us.

After a large banquet and more dancing, Edward and I left our guests so that we could have our wedding night. Tomorrow, we would be traveling to Carolina to show my husband my home province and then we would be continuing to Italy. Princess Domenica had insisted and we were too happy to oblige.

As it was, Edward got fed up with me trying to navigate the stairs with so much dress trailing behind me, so he scooped me up and carried me up the last flight of stairs. My maids circled around me as they prepared me for the night.

My dress and makeup were removed, but my bra and panties stayed on and I was wrapped in a lacy white robe that was similar to the design of my dress. We brushed out my hair, but Nettie put my crown back on. I wanted to laugh because it wouldn't be on for long, but her response was perfect.

"No, but how much of what you're wearing now will be."

I excused them for the night and knocked on the door that stood between our rooms. Edward called out for me to enter and I walked in locking the door behind me. I leaned against the back of the couch near his fireplace and waited for him to turn. When he did, the groan that rumbled in his chest went right through me.

"Jesus, Bella. Are you trying to kill me?"

"No, Teddy. I want to bring you to life."

"Well, My Queen, let me bow before you like the humble servant I am."

I watched him stalk over to me in nothing but his boxers. We were alone and the doors were locked. The guards were told not to enter for any reason. When Edward reached me, he dropped to his knees in front of me and lifted my left leg over his shoulder. I gripped the back of the couch and arched my back as he teased me, his lips dancing up my thigh, but not close enough for my liking.

His hot breath fanned over my sensitive flesh before his fingers reached for the waistband of my panties. "Are you partial to these?"

"Not particularly," I whispered.

As soon as I said the words he tore the delicate fabric and threw it behind him. His mouth descended on where I ached for him. My fingers threaded into his hair as he brought me to the brink and then retreated, only to return again. I gripped his hair tighter and moaned as my climax ripped through me. Teddy's grip on my left thigh kept me from falling backwards.

When the tremors subsided, Teddy lowered my leg and then stood up and kissed me hard. His fingers untied my robe and pushed it off my shoulders so it fell over the couch. He unhooked my bra and I pushed his boxers to the floor. I reached for my crown, but he shook his head.

"Keep it on. I want to make love to My Queen in nothing but her crown."

"Teddy, if you aren't inside of me in the next ninety second, I'm going to explode."

"Your wish is my command."

He scooped me up into his arms and laid me out on the bed, climbing on top of me. His movements were sure until he was exactly where I needed him. The gasp that escaped me as he slid home turned into a moan when his hips met mine.

We'd made love countless times since he'd proposed, but we'd also used protection because he wanted us to be married before we might become parents. The difference of loving him with no barrier was intense and I was happy to never use them again.

Edward knew where to touch and kiss and lick and I gripped his back and shoulders as he slowly riled me up. It was perfect, but I was ready when he began to pick up his pace. His thrusts were powerful and fast, driving me over the edge. A few stuttered thrusts and he stilled inside me, his weight heavy on top of me.

Edward stayed there for a few minutes before he climbed out of bed. He took my crown and sat it beside his on his dresser. He put on a shirt and his boxers, handing me a nightgown to change into. He unlocked the doors because come morning we would be interrupted and then joined me back in bed.

"I'm excited to be with you outside the palace. We never would have been able to do this a year ago," he said.

"Having the Southern rebels defeated means the nation as a whole is safer."

"And once we return, the real work can begin."

They say the first year of marriage is the hardest, and in some ways that was true. Not within Edward and my relationship, but outside of it.

After a beautiful honeymoon, we'd returned to get to work.

We began our journey to eliminating the castes by incorporating the Eights into the Sevens. There was so much construction work out there after the battles and attacks from the Southern rebels that it wasn't taking away from the natural Sevens work.

In the coming months, we were planning to go a step further and get rid of the barrier between the Sixes and Sevens, giving all of those people the freedom to choose within the jobs available. Edward knew he had to be careful with the pacing of this as we were already getting pushback.

But tonight wasn't about political moves or agenda. Tonight, we were celebrating Edward's birthday. It was far from the first event I'd hosted in my year as queen, but it was not the normal gathering.

A small party with our closest friends and family, but there were still over thirty people mingling in the large parlor I'd become fond of using for smaller parties.

Alice and Jasper were taking turns showing off Brayden, who had just turned six months and was the spitting image of Jasper.

Vicky and James had the twins with them, so there was no shortage of children's laughter. I smiled at the two couples when Edward came up behind me. "Thinking about the future?"

"That'll be us in six months," I whispered.

"I can't believe there are two babies in here." His hands rested on my stomach as he spoke.

"We're blessed, but I want to wait longer to tell anyone."

"Whenever you're ready, we'll announce it."

Ren and Emmett were talking to my mom, since they didn't live with her anymore. She'd been sad at first, but they were thriving here. Emmett was taking advantage of Carlisle's knowledge of science and medicine and was already preparing to work in the palace hospital under him when he was old enough. His caste would have held him back from this dream, and in my brother's eyes, Teddy saw why this was my dream as well as his.

"Jacob and Vanessa are married," Edward said as a maid brought us both drinks.

"What?"

"I guess the pressure of planning something and not offending his family or her father was weighing on them, so they asked me for a special license and I granted it. They were married two days ago."

"I could kill them both for keeping it a secret."

"Just be happy for them. Jacob is also about to get a promotion."

"Is that a wedding gift?" I asked.

"If it is, it isn't from me. General Harold is putting him in charge of the training of the guard. It is something he'll be able to oversee from Angeles."

"Isn't that position usually held by a Major?" I asked.

"It still will be; he'll be made a Major as part of the promotion."

"I'm so happy for them."

Tanya approached with a deep bow. "Your Majesties. May I borrow the queen for a moment?"

"Of course, Countess Tanya."

Edward teased her by using her newly acquired title, but she just rolled her eyes and led me towards the balcony. "I'm so glad to be back in Volterra."

"Do you not enjoy Swenday?" I asked.

"It is fine for a month or two at a time, but Oliver is much more comfortable with me here. He'll have to travel out there a few times a year to oversee things at our estate, but otherwise the people who have been doing it since he was a child are well suited for it and he trusts them. But there's something I wish to speak to you about."

"What is that?"

"I had an idea, and I wanted to try it. But my hope was to plan everything out so that we'd be able to do it once you reach that step in the caste elimination."

"Now you have my attention."

"I want to start a competition where various artists, either natural Fives or when we get to that point, elevated Fives, could compete for a chance to have representation like Twos have. They'd gain national exposure, maybe even make a show of it, but in the end it would elevate people who might never be seen beyond their local community."

"Would this continue once the caste system was completely dissolved?" I asked.

"If it was popular enough, yes. Even when the caste system is gone there will be people who won't have the ability or the financial backing to give their talent a fair shot the ways Twos have. This would level the playing field a little."

"What does Oliver think about this?"

"He loves the idea. They have an annual contest like this in Swenday, but it is just open to singers. This would be open to artists of all kind. Each competition could focus on a type of talent that way it would be changed up regularly."

"This is a wonderful idea. I'm sure Edward will be thrilled by it too."

"Thank you." Tanya blushed. "I love the idea of being able to look out for people and guide them so they know how to navigate the stage of their career when they aren't as sought after. That's where I was struggling two years ago. "

"So much has changed in that time. The rebels are a thing of the past, there's a new generation of royalty, and the first casteless child has been born. It is amazing," I said.

"And all of that happened because Teddy met His Darling," Tanya replied.