Disclaimer: I am not Cornelia Funke!

"Guards. . . get this imposter out of here. . . !" three guards ran into the room and drug Meggie out of the room and threw her into the woods, conviniently where Farid was hiding with Alahn, waiting for night.

Meggie looked up from where she had been thrown. Farid stood before her, hand held out. She quickly took his hand and he helped her up. Then she noticed the small carrier, where Alahn lay sleeping, made of wood. "Where did this come from?" she asked, pointing to the carrier.

"I made it. I couldn't hold him all of the time so I fashioned that. I wasn't planning on seeing you again. At least not for awhile when I made it. What are you doing here anyway?" he asked, motioning for her to sit.

"Well, I was thrown out of the castle because William thought that I was Cosimo's lost daughter, or something like that." she put her head on his lap and started drifting off to sleep. He smoothed her hair down.

She had been asleep for hours when Farid woke her. "Time to move." he said, pulling her up. He picked up the carrier and grabbed her hand. He lead them through the woods. They were walking for a long time when they came to a large tree. They rested there before continuing.

It was past midnight when Farid knocked on Dustfinger's door. He was met by a small ball of fire. He quickly extinguished it, then saw Dustfinger. "Do you know what time it is boy?" he asked. He looked around and saw a sleepy Meggie. "Get in here before you both catch a cold. I won't have Roxanne chiding me about it." He ushered them in and glanced at the carrier that Alahn was in. He put a loaf of bread and a bowl of olive oil in front of them. The two greedily ate, while Roxanne walked out to the well to fetch water. "Who's this little guy?" Dustfinger asked, picking up Alahn.

"That's our son." Farid said, finishing his bread. "His name's Alahn."

"He's so adorable!" Roxanne cooed. Just then Alahn chose to wake up. "Shh..." Roxanne soothed him while Meggie finished eating.

"Your house is still up, if you want to live in there." Dustfinger said, standing. Farid nodded and lead Meggie, who was now holding Alahn, out to the house. Roxanne waved to the group.

Farid and Meggie settled into their small house, that was equipped with a nursery for Alahn, easily. They put Alahn to bed, after Meggie fed him, and crashed on their bed. They slept until Dustfinger threw a bucket of water onto their heads. They noticed that there were new clothes on the chairs, and no sign of Alah. "Roxanne's got him. Don't worry, we wouldn't let anyone come here without our permission." Dustfinger said, noticing 'the look' in Meggie's eyes. She nodded and he left.

Meggie and Farid dressed quickly and met Roxanne in her garden. Alahn was laying on a blanket, trying to catch the butterflies that fluttered around the plants. "He's just like his daddy." Roxanne said, laughing. "Soon he'll want to play with fire." As if it were a cue, Jehan ran out of the house.

"Farid!! 'Member you promised to teach me to be a fire-eater?" Farid groaned, which caused Jehan to laugh.

"After I eat." Farid said, walking toward the house.

Meggie stayed out with Alahn and Roxanne. "Everything is going to turn out." Roxanne said, looking at the younger woman. "Motherhood is everything that is wonderful, and sometimes it's things that aren't. You'll get used to it." the two women laughed. Meggie followed the older woman, after picking her son up, into the house.

Ten Years Later

Meggie and Alahn, and a baby girl, were at the market, where the motley folk performed for the villagers and pesants. "Momma, are we gonna see daddy perform?" Alahn asked, picking up his sister's toy.

"I don't know. Here, take your sister," Meggie handed a little girl to Alahn. "I want you to watch her, alright?" He nodded his head. "I'm going to visit grandpa Dusty." Meggie walked off toward a small band of peasants, who were gathered around an aging fire-eater. "Dustfinger." she said to the old man.

"Hello Meggie. How's my grandkids doing?" he asked.

"Alahn's watching Keara while I talk to you. Alahn wants to see Farid perform, but I can't find him. Do you know where he is?"

"No...I don't." Meggie stared at the old man. She could tell that he was lying.

"Please, Dustfinger. Alahn hardly ever gets to see his father, and if you know where he is, please tell me."

"Meggie, you'll never be able to see him again. Your father read him back into his own book. That's why you haven't seen him these past few months."

Meggie fell to the ground.

Alahn saw his mother drop to the ground. He put Keara down, inches away from their mother and helped her up. He turned to pick his sister up again, only to find her gone. He ran around looking for her, but didn't see her. Not until he reached the gate did he see the masked rider, on a chesnut horse, riding off into the Wayless Wood with Keara. He vowed to find her and bring her back home. He would keep up the search until he died doing it.

A/N: Okay, this is the ending to the story. Now if you caught the cliffie at the end, I might do a sequal. Key word 'might.' PLease review. the little button is right there. -points to button.- lol.