Epilogue

Eric sat on a blanket with Snow's head lying in his lap while they watched the sun starting to set over the lake and their picnic supper. It had taken them month's to find peace with each other, especially when after William's funeral Snow had informed Eric what she and Will had done just before his death. Eric had made promises in his heart to Will though, and he was a man of his word. Besides, no matter how mad Eric got at Snow or how hurt by it, there was just too much love underneath it to sustain a lot of anger for long. At least that is how he felt when it came to her and Will when there was just so many things that had bound them together, anyone else ever tried to touch her again, and he would be bloodying his battle axe thoroughly.

Snow lay quietly, she too thinking back on the events following Will's death. His funeral was attended by nearly every soul in the kingdom; he had been well loved by not only those closest to him, but by the people as well. She sometimes still thought back and wondered if she had done anything different if she could have saved him, but she tried not to dwell on that thought because it hurt too much. She still couldn't believe it had been over three years since that fateful day.

Ж

The castle soldiers had shown up just before dark and Snow had been ecstatic to see Malcolm, holding her daughter after he refused to give her up to any of the soldiers, among the ranks. The soldiers had picked them up halfway back to the castle but thought it best for Malcolm to show them where to go to find the rest of them.

Eric handed Will's son to a waiting soldier and finally approached Snow, whom still had not left William's side.

"Snow, it's time to let the soldiers take care of him." He spoke quietly, the sound of his voice seeming too loud and obtrusive with the pall of grief surrounding the woman he loved.

"Eric..." Snow looked up at him her eyes spilling with fresh tears, "How could this happen? His son…" her voice caught and she had to gather herself before she could finish the words, "his son will never know what a brave and brilliant man his father was…"

Eric had no words of comfort that could take her pain from her; he simply held his hand out to her offering his support.

Snow looked at his hand, that simple gesture promising a lifetime of many things to come and looked upon Will's face. She gently brushed a lock of hair from his forehead and then kissed his cheek one last time. She looked up and the soldiers who had been waiting nearby seemed to know it was time and they came and gently raised him from the ground and out of Snow's grasp. She watched as the six soldiers carried him away on their shoulders and out of site.

She took Eric's offered hand and he pulled her up and gently wrapped her gently in arms strong enough to crush her, and she broke down for real, sobs of grief wracked her body until she sagged against his chest and he lifted her from the ground and carried her to a waiting carriage.

Snow managed to lift her head long enough to call back, "Malcolm! Come along and bring my children," she stressed children hoping Malcolm would understand.

Malcolm only hesitated a second then went to the soldier who was standing awkwardly holding Will's son and who gratefully passed the squirming infant to the boy not caring if he was qualified to care for him or not. Just glad the responsibility was no longer his.

Malcolm managed carrying the two tiny newborn infants to the carriage. Snow was already settled inside with a blanket draped over her shoulders because she couldn't seem to stop shivering. The physical and emotional traumas of the day had finally caught up with her. She smiled warmly at Malcolm and bid him to enter. Eric took the opportunity to take Snow's child from Malcolm, so he could climb into the carriage, and studied the infant closely. She was frantically trying to get both fists to her mouth, obviously starving, but she still wasn't crying. He counted her fingers and toes, touched her round, soft as downy cheeks, and looked into her eyes. They were blue, blue as the sea eyes, the same color as his mother's, he had gotten the color of his own eyes from her and the babe's blonde hair was the same golden shade as his own. Eric's heart swelled and his eyes became moist because he wasn't just holding Snow's child, but his own.

He climbed up into the carriage cradling the baby, "I think someone is a little hungry." He handed the child to Snow who took her gratefully. She too counted fingers and toes and took time to really see the child she had born. She was precious and beautiful and perfect and Snow couldn't have imagined the heart had room for such a love to swell within it.

"Malcolm, hand me my son." She looked pointedly at both the boy and the man looking strangely at her but neither had the courage to naysay her choice of words.

Snow cradled both infants in her arms. Where her daughter was light and golden like Eric, the boy had dark hair and eyes that matched his father's and they both stared at her with intelligence and curiosity making her smile at the thought of the havoc these two were going to wreak in her life over the years to come.

"Eric… Malcolm… NO one is to know that these children are not both mine. Will's son will be raised as my own. As far as the kingdom and the rest of the world are concerned I gave birth to twins today. Is this understood?" Snow didn't bother to look up from the faces of her two perfect children.

"Snow, people know Ravenna was pregnant, they will surely figure it out." Eric thought Snow's grief may have affected her senses.

"They will suspect, gossip, and speculate. But we both know they are all aware that I had a relationship with you both." She looked pointedly Eric, then meaningfully at Malcolm ignoring the look of shock on his face.

"I know nothing my lady, and I'll tell the same to anyone who should ask." He looked her in the eyes as he spoke.

"Good lad, now see that just leaves you Eric the only other person who could dispute my words."

"Snow, I just want you to be sure about this. You are from a royal line, what if the people decide they want the boy to be king over your daughter being queen in the future?" Eric argued although he knew it was pointless. He saw the way Snow was looking at the two children and there wasn't going to be anything that changed her mind.

"We will say the girl was born first, making her the first in line, and should something happen, God forbid, that would keep her from taking the throne, then my son is also of royal heritage, or have you forgotten, and I would be proud to have him take the throne as well. Besides, that is all stuff that we will have years to work out. Right now, this child needs a mother… and a father." Snow looked up deliberately at Eric.

Eric suddenly realized what Snow was asking of him… to raise William's son as his and Snow's. He opened his mouth to ask if she was crazy then stopped. He looked down at the hopeful look on her face not wanting to give her another reason to grieve. He looked at Malcolm seeking some kind of wisdom from a boy not even ten and Malcolm just looked off to the side determined not to be dragged into this discussion.

Eric flustered, ran his hands through his hair and gripping the roots. Then just as suddenly dropping them at his sides defeated. How could he deny a family to an innocent child? One that would need all the love and support he could get, just as his own daughter would rely on him, so too would this tiny boy.

Eric went and sat beside Snow and gazed at the two children who seemed to be staring at each other.

"We are going to have to get a wet nurse if you intend to keep them both, your bosom is ample enough but I don't think even you can nourish both these little heathens." Eric teased, making light of an otherwise dark subject.

Snow gasped at his audacity then couldn't help the smile that broke and suddenly they were laughing so hard they were almost hysterical. The laughter was a much needed balm to their wounded souls.

Malcolm sat on the bench opposite and thought to himself that he was glad he wasn't of royal blood, they might all be a little touched in the head. They led such complicated lives and all he wanted to do was his duty and someday marry a beautiful girl who would make him oatmeal cookies with walnuts and chocolate bits like the ones cook made for him in the castle kitchen right after he had been made a squire. Hmm, maybe he could just marry cook.

Ж

"Snow...?" Eric's voice brought her out of her reverie, "Where were you, you were a million miles away."

Snow looked up at the man she loved; he made her feel like the only woman alive sometimes the way he looked at her. "I was just thinking. I know I didn't give you much of a choice at the time, but are you ever sorry you had to take all three of us."

Eric looked to the shoreline of the lake where his two children were playing, trying to build a castle in the damp sand. They were laughing as the waves rolled up and filled their painstakingly dug mote around the gate. Nearly four, they both had the intelligence of children much older. Malcolm came up to them after sitting on a rock watching them play and they immediately tackled him to the ground in a tag team wrestling match. Malcolm had in his own way joined their family as well when his mother died two years ago. He also took his vow to Snow seriously and he was never far from his daughter's side. He was going to have to get over that this year though. Snow and he had decided to send Malcolm to be educated at the best schools and he would continue his training and education with top notch instructors. He would be gone most of the year except for two months, one in the spring and fall for planting and harvesting season. Watching the children maneuver to overcome Malcolm's defenses, he couldn't help but chuckle. Malcolm didn't stand a chance with those two. But then again, neither had he.

"I wouldn't give up either of those heathen's for my weight in gold, my queen. Come let's get these two back for their baths before Greta has a conniption. You know how she is about their schedule."

Snow laughed, "Yes, especially since she is due anytime. I don't know who is more anxious, her or Perry."

"I think Perry wins hands down. He nearly chopped his own foot off the other day in the yard because he was too preoccupied thinking about Greta giving birth than paying attention to where the axe was falling while he was cutting firewood for the great hall."

Snow laughed again, laughter came much easier to her now than it did in years past, "Well I certainly hope he has learned his lesson then."

Eric didn't think he would ever tire of hearing Snow laugh. It reminded him how blessed he was to have her in his life. Looking at her lovely face in the fading light he felt the all too familiar stirring in his pants. Dropping his voice to a husky whisper he said, "Maybe there are a few lessons I can still teach you my queen."

Snow shivered at the hidden promise his tone implied, "Really, well maybe your pupil can teach you a thing or two, Huntsman," and she turned her head and ran her lips enticingly over the bulge protruding obviously in his breeches.

Eric's mouth went dry and his voice cracked when he called out, "William… Willa… Time to go home," never taking his eyes off his wife's face.

"But Papa," they both whined at the same time, "we have to finish our castle!"

Malcolm seeing that look on Eric's face, the one he had seen and learned to recognize over the years, laughed and scooped the children up, one in each arm, at thirteen he was nearly six foot tall and already strong and muscular from putting in hours of sword and battle training, "Come along you rug-rats or Greta will have all our hides if you let your baths get cold. Besides I think cook was baking cookies when we left and I bet she saved some just for you."

He stopped giving the two making doe eyes at each other time to kiss the children's cheeks and say their goodnights before heading up to the waiting carriage.

"And you too Malcolm, she knows they're your favorite. Someday I'm going to have her show me how to make them just for you." Willa beamed up at him, picking up the conversation as though it had never been interrupted.

"You do that and I will just have to marry you ya' know." He teased her.

"You will have to get my papa's permission first of course." Willa said in all seriousness.

"Well… maybe we should just elope; I don't think I want to be the bloke brave enough to ask your papa to marry his only daughter, no matter how beautiful a temptation she may be." He tickled her under her chin as he placed the two inside the coach.

"Papa would give me permission to marry Willa." William informed Malcolm, "I'm a prince and she is the princess and only a prince can marry a princess."

"Your mama and papa are married and she was a princess and your papa isn't a prince."

"Yes, but they broke the rules. I don't break the rules; you get in trouble and have to miss supper when you do. So I'm going to marry Willa and we will get to eat all the oatmeal cookies we want." William said matter-of-factly.

"Well you got me there Will." Malcolm chuckled as he closed the carriage door then mounted his own steed that Eric had gifted him with just this last Christmas. He owed this family a lot and he loved them all dearly. Especially Willa, she had a way of just working her way into your heart that you just couldn't help but love and adore her. She got by with just about anything shy of murder with him.

Snow watched the carriage pull away trusting that no harm would come to the children so long as they had Malcolm to look after them.

"Are they gone?" Eric's low voice brought her attention back to him.

"Yes, quite." Snow gazed up into his face expectantly.

Eric growled in anticipation as he swung Snow up and they landed in a pile with her on top and him already pulling her skirts up as he nuzzled in her cleavage. Snow wrapped her arms around Eric's neck and brought his head up so that her mouth met his.

Eric sat up with Snow sitting astride him and pulled the ribbons holding the front of her sapphire gown together until he had enough slack he could yank the remaining material down exposing the flesh of her breasts. They were pushed up by the material bunched underneath them, giving him full access to all their glorious bounty. He buried his face between them while massaging the flesh and pinching the nipples until they hardened to pebbles in his fingers.

Snow was squirming in his lap, that familiar ache already beating a wild tempo between her legs in anticipation of what was to come. She would never tire of feeling Eric slide into her or her name whispered adoringly coming from his lips. She reached between them and stroked him until he moaned and then she unlaced the front of his pants quickly, giving her hands access to his hot velvety smoothness and she gripped him and stroked with her fingers.

Eric's head lolled back on his shoulders as the sensation of her holding him in her hand and pumping him began to build. He worked his hands up her thighs and when he found her center he caressed her with his thumb making her squirm even more causing her to pick up the pace as she stroked him. He grunted with need and suddenly Snow was lifting herself and he was amazed when she impaled herself on him. His cock sunk deep into her hot flesh, the two of them melting together into one being.

Snow clung to Eric as she rode him in wild abandon. Their mouths sought each other and mingled. Snow, desperate for more contact yanked Eric's shirt over his head so she could run her nails and hands over his taut smooth skin. Eric gripped her hips and forced himself harder up into her making Snow cry out and shudder as he pounded into her secret spot at her core. His face was buried in her neck in concentration as sweat broke out over his chest in the effort it took him not to release to early.

Snow felt her climax building, that sweet surrender of herself where she was no longer tethered to the earth but felt as if she was flying off into space with only Eric's love left to bring her back down. She came, her body clenching him to her and just in time as Eric grunted his release into her, wrapping his arms around her and grabbing her shoulders so he could push himself impossibly deeper into her.

She clung to his neck spent, her legs shaky and she felt disjointed and uncoordinated and it was wonderful. Their breathing slowed little by little to a more normal pattern. Eric was tracing light circles on her back with his fingertips causing gooseflesh to rise on her arms.

"Are you cold?" he asked her when he felt her shiver.

"No, there is no such thing as cold when I'm in your arms."

Eric laughed and rolled so that he was lying on top of her, her head cradled in his large hands. "I love you, you know."

"And I love you, always and forever."

"Forever and always, Snow… forever and always." Then he kissed her and she felt him stir inside her and before she knew it, he was taking her to see the stars again.

A/N~ I want to thank everyone for such an outpouring of support for this story. It truly was amazing the response it garnered and it humbles me to think about it still. LenaLove95 thank you for kicking my butt when it needed it to keep this story going! I had so many others that left me msgs to update I would have to write another chapter to thank you all but just know I appreciated each and every one of you. Also, I just had to add, I miss Will and he will always have a special place in my and Snow's heart but no woman would have ever filled the whole she left in his. I think I would have tried though! ;) I think I fell a little bit in love with him as I was writing this so I promise NO one shed more tears at his demise than I did. You really have no idea how hard it is to type when you cannot see the pc screen! We are well over 80,000 hits and I would love to see this story reach 100k views, so if you like this story please share it with anyone who you think would like it too.. :)

Much Love~ Davelle