Only You.

Second Epilogue: You're my destiny

It was well known that the Black Woods Palace's gardens were the perfect place for romance, especially when it came in the form of young love.

Well, that's what Bry thought, Gregory, on the other hand, was far too much mindful of his duty like to let himself convince by Bry's distracting little games. Or that's what he told himself anyway.

"Brianna, please." He said as she tried to kiss him... Again. "I'm on duty."

"But, no one's watching!" Bry said, pushing her bottom lip out in a little pout, usually Gregory loved when she did that, she had, after all, very kissable lips, he knew that only too well.

This time, however, he wasn't going to fall for it. "Bry, don' say it like that. It was YOUR idea we waited to tell your father about us."

"But, Greg, you know my dad. Didn't he specifically order you not to let any boy or man near me? You know he doesn't think I should pledge myself to a man before I'm twenty and that's eighteen months away."

"I know, Bry. But your father put his trust in me that I would keep you safe, but each time we are left alone we end up drifting out back here," Greg said, looking around that secret part of the gardens where almost no one ever went. It was Bry's special place; her dad had showed it to her when she was a girl and Bry had showed it to Greg once they had become friends.

But they had only started to frequent it together when they realized it was a prime make out spot.

"Greg, I know you don't like lying to my father but is the only way I can think of right now. I would love to tell him but he's so stressed out with this and that and planning my brother's coronations."

Jesse was taking the Black Woods' throne, Dean the throne of the Wolf Lands, Jacen and Darla thought it was time. "I don't want to be another burden to him right now. I too would love we could tell him." Bry finished. Her thoughts trailing off…

After her brother's coronations, Bry wasn't so sure what would be of her. She assumed she would continue living with her parents, but neither Jacen nor Darla had told her if they would remain in the Black Woods or go back to Wolf Lands or what…

There was also the fact that she didn't know what Gregory's planes were. Before they got together, when she was sixteen and he nineteen, Bry had asked Greg what he was going to do after she married-when he would no longer be required to be her guard.

Greg had told her that he had bought a State in the Wolf Lands, and planned to live his life there once he retired from the Army; Greg had said he had discovered he didn't have the knack for the military life after all.

Now that they were together, she didn't dare to ask what his plans were… if he would go to his house without her.

"Hey, everything is going to be fine. I won't go anywhere" Greg said as if he had been reading her mind and reaching to cup her face with his hand.

"You promise?" Bry asked, leaning into his touch.

"I promise." And to seal the deal, Greg kissed her.

In that warm August afternoon it was easy to get a little bit carried away, so neither of them really noticed when Jacen approached them.

"Bry, Gregory, I need to speak with both of you. Now." Jacen called, his shadow looming over them.

Uh-hu, they were in trouble.

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Bry

Dad led us all the way back to his den.

He had caught Greg and me kissing and I knew good and well what my father's thoughts were on the subject of me and boys. Greg held my hand all the way to my dad's den and, even after we sat down, he still didn't let go. I was glad. At times like those I was glad to have him.

"This morning I got letter from King Stefan." I so did not like how this conversation started, King Stefan was the Crow king… so not one of my favorite people. "He has requested your hand on marriage for his heir."

"What?" I yelled. But that went on as if I hadn't spoken.

"I however, told him that you were already spoken for."

"What?" was Greg's time to yell.

"You know, Brianna that not much slips pass me. I've noticed you two sneaking around the palace, rumor has it that you two are in a relationship…" At this point, dad came around his desk and was looking very sternly at Greg and me, "For what I saw in the garden just now I would say that is true. Is it¡?"

"Of course." Gregory said with vehemence. "I love Bry, and my intentions are totally honorable. I want to marry her and…"

Though I was a little bit scared for my dad's reaction, I was also very happy to hear Greg speak these words. And, surprisingly so, so was my dad. "Well then," Dad said. "Though I firmly thought Bry shouldn't marry till she turned twenty, for you two I'm willing to make an exception."

"Daddy?"

"Jesse's and Dean's coronations are in September, I was thinking you two should marry after. Perhaps October? Well, you'll se the details later. What I need to know is if you two are going to do it. Marry, I mean. So I won't look like a big fat liar in front of Stefan."

"If Bry takes me…"

"Of course I take you," I said, squeezing Greg's hand, really, as if there had ever been a doubt I would.

"Perfect then, go and work the details with your mother." Dad said suddenly, as a dismissal. His voice was toneless but I could tell by the expression in his eyes that he wasn't mad at me or anything. Actually, he seemed quite pleased.

"Thanks, dad." I said, getting to my feet and hugging my dad. He kissed the top my head.

"Bry, I told you, almost never slips by pass me. The fact that from a few months to the date you look happier than what I had ever seen you before didn't. I believe Gregory a good man, and if he makes you happy, baby, that's all I can ask for."

I hugged him again. And yeah, I was about to cry. But hell be dammed! You would have cried too if your dad had told you something like that.

"Now, off with you two, I'm busy." Dad said, using his King Jacen-voice. I let go of him and exited the room next to Greg, who, as soon as the door to my dad's den closed, picked me up and kissed me.

We were getting married.

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Darla

I must say that Gregory's house is rather nice. It's a lovely little state, half way between the Stone State in the Wolf Lands and the Black Wood's palace. I know my daughter and I know she will be very happy living here. It was decided that they would marry here instead in either the Wolfs' castle or the Bears' Palace; it was going to be their new home anyway.

Bry was pacing around the master bedroom, already in full on wedding regalia. She looked so lovely, wearing my old wedding dress, a tiara Jacen had gotten made for her when she turned fifteen and was officially presented to the court, and my mom's wedding veil. Her red curls falling softly over the white material of the gown and her blue eyes shinning… Bry was everything a bride was supposed to be.

"Mom, I'm so nervous." She confided to me as we waited for Jacen to come and get her so the ceremony could begin. "What if I don't make him happy?"

I smiled. "Bry, I've seen you and Gregory, you make him very happy."

Bry hugged me tight, not caring that our dresses were getting all wrinkled. "I hope so." She said to my hair. We were within an inch of each other's heights. "I just want Greg and me to be as happy as you and dad are."

My daughter never knew of the strange circumstances in which her father and I got married, she knew nothing of the war and why it had been so shocking to everyone when Jacen and I married, almost thirty years ago, as complete strangers.

So many years have passed since that day, almost as many years since I realized I love Jacen, and our love is still bright as ever. I love my husband more every day. And now that we are saying goodbye to our last child, we are sad and all but we are also excited because our world will be once again just about the two of us.

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Jacen

Bry's wedding was the end of an era for Darla and me, we were parents no longer. I just had placed my last child in the hands of the man who will take care of her from now on and into forever. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

True, I liked Gregory but…

"I believe you're the only person besides me who finds all this incredible." Hector said as he sat down next to me, we were watching Bry and Gregory cut their wedding cake.

"I believe so." I answered, still not looking at him, instead I watched Bry offer a bit of the cake to her husband, and I remembered Darla, so many years ago, doing the very same thing, the day our story started.

Hector and I stayed in silence for a long while till he spoke again. "We are old men, Jacen Sharade." He said. "We should let go of the past, now that the future is here."

I looked at my daughter's happy face, dancing with her husband: my oldest enemy's son. Only that there was no more hate between us anymore.

It was pointless.

So I nodded slowly, looking over to where Darla stood, talking to Jared and his wife, looking every bit as beautiful as she had that winter morning when I had lifter her wedding veil to find those big gray eyes looking at me; and I finally let everything go.

Life had been good to me…. And under such circumstances, there was no room for old hates.

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THE END

I finally got around writtin this..

Thanks for reading.

Clavie