Chapter 23:

Rain

Anna had been riding hard ever since she had woken Darrow from his slumber. She was heading toward her fiancé, to end it. It was unfair to Royce to marry him when she couldn't return his affections. It was unfair to her to stick around Kyrria where she would be, for the most part, unhappy. Her destiny was at Avalon and she should have recognized that from the start. She was the Lady of the Lake, and she had to go and protect her people. She could not abandon them just because she had grown restless on the island.

The clouds loomed overhead, looking ready to burst forth with the rain, of course it would rain, as soon as she ended her engagement to Royce she would be transported back to her rightful place at Avalon by the first drop of water that touched her skin. Her time here was up.

What had she hoped to accomplish by returning anyway? That Darrow would be waiting for her and that they would get married and live happily ever after? That was ridiculous; it was childish for her to have believed that. There would be no "happily ever after" for her. This was her ending, returning to where she was needed.

She sighed and dismounted her horse, taking the sweating beast into the stables; she unsaddled and rubbed him down carefully. Still wary to return back to the island so quickly. She was taking this time to say good bye to her former self. The part of her that had been unhappy on a beautiful island, a place where she had been granted every luxury.

Why had she come back? Who could safely say that she could ever be happy married to Darrow anyway? She paused and thought of those green eyes, the curling hair, that lopsided grin of his and sighed, yes, she could have been happy with Darrow.

She shook her head and started for the house, Royce was gone away for the day, but he should be returning before nightfall. So she entered the house and went to take her last bath in Kyrria, to change into a dark blue dress and fasten the buttons. She combed her hair in front of the fire until it was dry and sat to wait for her fiancé.

She stared into the fire of the parlor and allowed herself to spend the next few hours with Darrow. All of the memories playing out in her head, she went over each of them, remembering every curve of his face, every shade of green in those eyes. She had to remember everything, all of his different tones of speaking, his expressions, and the way his eyes would darken when he was angry. Thos strong, calloused, hands, and soft, dry lips…

When she ran out of memories she went over what might have been, images of the happily ever after that she could never experience. A life of sliding down banisters to be caught in his arms, a life of dancing together, a life of playful banter and pointless fights, a life of fighting off all of his admirers… she smiled faintly at the thought. What a life to be had. She missed it without ever having experienced it.

Anna hardly noticed when Royce entered the parlor, "Anna," he said softly and she looked up. She sighed and looked away again, "Royce, I believe I owe you an apology."

He sat and looked at her uncertainly, "For what, dare I ask?"

"I cannot marry you."

"I didn't think you could."

"That's cruel I didn't intend to harm you Royce."

"I know that Anna," he sighed, "I know that."

She watched him, "You're a wonderful man, any woman would be lucky to marry you." She noted and he smiled wryly, "I'm glad you think so. I just wished the girl I loved thought herself to be so lucky."

Anna laughed, "I deserved that I'm afraid. I wish you every happiness in the world."

Royce nodded, "And I you, so I take it you are to marry our King?"

"No Royce. I'm going back. I do not think our King would have me."

"Then he is a bloody fool and I will tell him so next time I see him. You return to Avalon then?"

"Yes." She looked at the fire and sighed as a clap of thunder sounded outside.

Royce chuckled, "I cannot imagine you staying in one place like that. You are too much of a free spirit. Your heart will not allow you to stay there."

Anna just smiled at him, there was no need to point out that her heart wasn't going anywhere near Avalon, that it was trailing after a boy with curly auburn hair and bright green eyes. It was following that lopsided smile that made women weak at the knees. She just sighed and they spoke no more, sitting for a while in silence.

After a while Anna stood and picked up her cloak, "I suppose it's time to leave. Thank you for all of your kindness my dear friend."

Royce stood and helped her put her cloak on, "You are always welcome here Anna. Good luck."

She nodded and left the house, she was just going to walk until the rain fell, and the clouds still had no let a drop fall yet. She started down the road slowly, collecting herself and forcing herself not to weep. She had walked for maybe an hour when there was a clap of thunder and the first drop of rain landed in the dirt next to her foot. She looked up and pushed back the hood of her cloak, waiting. Then she noticed the hoof beats.

Darrow was off of his horse before it was stopped, he raced to the door and knocked, Royce answered after only a moment, "Kind Darrow?"

Darrow gasped for air, hair windswept and eyes panicked, "Anna?"

Royce shook his head, "She's not engaged to me anymore, she just went off down the road not long ago. She'll disappear when she touches water."

Darrow was already mounting his horse again, "Thanks!" he managed to shout as he started to gallop in the direction Royce had indicated. After a few minutes of riding he felt a drop of rain hit his cheek and he gasped, urging his horse to go faster. He rounded a corner and saw her, standing with her face to the sky. He pulled back on the reins and slid from the saddle, hurrying toward her.

She turned and he stopped, still several meters from her, he saw the emotions flitting across her face. Curiosity, recognition, excitement, sadness, and confusion, "Darrow?" her lips wrapped around his name and he drew in a breath.

"Anna doesn't go."

"I don't understand…"

"I'm an idiot."

"You came all the way out here to tell me what I already knew?"

He laughed breathlessly, "Anna… marry me. I love you, just you."

"Is that a question or an order?"

Darrow made an exasperated sound, "Answer the question."

Anna bit her lip and thought for a moment, "Yes, I suppose I will marry you." A raindrop hit her cheek and she looked up at the sky, the clouds released all of the rain then.

Darrow smiled, and crossed the space between them, kissing her at last, relieved.

The years of Anna and Darrow's reign were the golden years of Kyrria. They had three children, two sons and one daughter, who was the youngest. They slid down the banisters almost every day, almost never stayed for an entire ball. Attended the wedding of Seraphina to Finn, traveled the world. They even visited Avalon. They had many perilous adventures as husband and wife, and their children would face many enemies and have many such adventures themselves.

What I am trying to say is, in so many words…

They all lived happily ever after.

THE END

I hope you guys liked it, I know it ended sort of quickly and was sort of short but… well sorry.