Chapter 15: Ever Ever After

Outside a lively town, along the fringes of the forest skimming the settlement, a small overgrown path formed its way along a bubbling river swelled by the autumn rains. A lone couple drifted down the trail; the lady carrying a basket in the crook of her elbow and occasionally pausing to pick fruit off the bustling branches of the hedges, while her companion chatted and laughed alongside her.

"And then, Muta pushed Toto – jacket and all – out of the boat!" Haru giggled to herself and plopped a few blackberries into the basket. "That'll be the last time Louise and Toto invite Muta along on a day cruise. To be honest, I was surprised that Muta had even been invited along, but then, he is like an uncle to little Hino."

"Hm, and Toto and Muta do get along. In their own sort of way." Baron appeared behind Haru and slung one hand around her waist, picking a few blackberries from higher up and dropped them into Haru's basket. "So, what relation exactly is Hino to you? What's the official term?"

"Well, Louise and I are cousins, so I think she's my... first cousin once removed." Haru shrugged her shoulders happily. "I think I'll just go by Auntie Haru though." She grinned at the thought. "Heh, Auntie Haru; sounds cute."

"It's a role I'm sure you'll live up to."

She poked him in the ribs. "Don't laugh; I'm pretty sure that'll make you Uncle Humbert."

Baron sighed dramatically. "Poor child. She probably won't be able to pronounce Humbert. I expect it'll be 'Uncle Humble-bert' for a while yet."

Haru laughed again and leant against the Baron, a handful of berries cradled in her palm. Sighing contently, she ate a couple before offering a few to him. A peaceful silence passed between them, filled with the playful burble of the river below. Haru picked a few more blackberries from the surrounding branches, leaning against the Baron for support.

"So have you decided?"

"Hm?" Haru looked up at him, licking a little of the berry juice off her fingers. "Decided what?"

Baron stole one of the blackberries from her basket. "Why, what you're going to do with all these berries. Are you having cravings?" he teased.

"Actually," she noted, rolling her eyes with an exaggerated sigh, "I was thinking about making blackberry crumble. Sound good?"

"Sounds delicious, my dear." As they moved further along the pathway, he placed a quick kiss on the brunette's cheek. "Although, with all your activity in the kitchen, you're beginning to worry the staff."

"Hm?" she murmured. His little signs of affection he peppered every day with often had a habit of melting her heart – and consequently reducing her ability to think calmly and clearly. "And why would that worry them?"

"Well, I believe it's making them fret that you're going to dismiss them." He raised his eyebrows. "I hope you're not going to dismiss the staff. Mrs Bell is a most excellent cook."

"But, of course, my cooking far excels Mrs Bell's," Haru teased.

"I think the correct response there is, 'Of course, my dear.'"

"Well, I can see I've taught you well." She patted his cheek endearingly, smoothly followed by the offering of another berry. "And don't worry. I have no plans of kicking out the staff. They're doing a fine job."

"So you're okay with them?"

Haru laughed. "Baron, if I had any problem with them, I would have brought up the issue a good twelve months ago." She patted his arm, but in a more assured manner this time. "No, I'm fine with them. I'm still getting accustomed to the idea of staff, but they do a good job. They're a nice lot." She paused, and added, "And very patient with my rather homey habits."

"You mean like taking over the kitchen to bake blackberry crumble?"

"If only half the staff's stories are true, then I don't meddle anywhere as near as much as you." A few more berries were plucked off a branch laden heavy with fruit, and dropped neatly into the basket cradled in the crook of her arm. "Your fondness of making your own blend of tea is somewhat infamous among the household staff."

He shrugged easily. "Which is why I have now installed a personal kitchen area away from them to make my blends. One learns to adapt."

"One can only hope." Haru paused to examine her collection, weighing up the basket in her hands. "Do you think we have enough?"

"You're the expert cook."

The brunette gave him a withering look. "You're not cuisine-illiterate."

"Uh-huh," Baron replied in a non-committal note. He stole a berry from the basket.

Haru slapped his wrist with her spare hand. "Paws off. There's no way we'll have enough if you keep eating them all."

"May I remind you that I am not the only individual snacking on the fruits of our harvest? I do believe you've been putting on a bit of weight recently."

She smiled wanly. "I know, dear. But since I am going to be cooking the pudding, I get the say."

"You could always give the blackberries to Mrs Bell, and let her do the crumble."

Haru sighed, leaning back and looking up at Baron. "Yes, but I enjoy doing a little bit of cooking. Which reminds me, in a funny sort of roundabout way; you promised me a cup of your tea blend when we got back." She sighed again and moved away from him, starting back down the lane in the direction of the Gikkingen residence. Her home. "Oh, and the Morrigans are coming round tomorrow – you have warned Mrs Bell, haven't you?"

"Yes," assured Baron, shaking his head mock-tiredly. A few of his long strides ensured he had caught up with Haru quickly. "Honestly, don't you trust me? And I've warned the staff that Louise and Toto are bringing Hino along, so they'll be prepared for whatever fiascos the baby's presence brings."

The brunette shook her head good-naturedly and, with her free hand, took Baron's hand in her own. "You sound as if Hino is some fire-breathing dragon, not a three-month-old baby."

Baron chuckled. "No, I leave the fire-breathing dragon part to Lady DuBois."

"She'd win hands down."

The pair of them laughed and continued along the path, perfectly happily.

"Are you really so pessimistic about the idea of Hino coming?" Haru asked after a few casual moments had passed. "She's been round before."

"Yes, and the poor maid spent three hours scrubbing the sick off the dining room carpet."

"Babies aren't that bad," Haru defended. Again, she paused, and this time looked out across the river, her gaze becoming absorbed by the forest beyond. "Have you ever thought about it?" she suddenly asked.

Baron stepped up to her side, but didn't take her hand. "Thought about what?"

"You know. Starting up a family. That business."

He tilted his head in a half-shrug. "Thought about it. Why? Does the idea of motherhood appeal to you?"

Haru sighed and shook her head, abruptly starting once more down the path. "It was just a sudden thought. I expect Hino won't be getting a distant cousin for a while yet."

Baron smiled to himself as he watched the young woman drift back in the direction of home. "Maybe it'll be sooner than you think," he murmured, but only for his own ears to catch.

Haru must have heard something, because she turned back around to face him. "Sorry? What was that?"

Should he tell her? But, then again, it was only a vague hunch, a mild inkling. Perhaps he was wrong.

He shook his head, smiling. "Nothing. Come on, let's get home and have that tea. Before you eat all the blackberries and make us come out again to pick more."

Laughing, they set off along the familiar overgrown path, chatting, smiling, and occasionally flicking blackberries at one another. The evening was drawing close and the brisk autumnal wind whipped around the couple, tugging insistently at Haru's practically – but all the same, unladylike – tied hair, neatly kept together in a long ponytail falling down around her back. The brunette raised her left hand to keep her hair out of her face and the simple slim gold band of a ring caught the weak October sunlight. For a moment it sparkled like molten gold before settling back into a simmering honey hue.

She almost had to laugh at that moment.

Her; a baron's wife.

It was funny, really, how one lucky happenstance could change her life around.

x

"Love is like a mirror. When you love another you become his mirror and he becomes you... And reflecting each other's love you see infinity."

~ Unknown.

ooOoo

A/N: There was only really one main source of inspiration here – The Prince and the Pauper, by Mark Twain. Add in my usual dash of story manipulation, confusion and straight-up angst, and this happened.

Thanks to all you fantastic reviewers: Ebony Mitsu, Rowena BaronErikandSnapelover, Nanenna, SideshowJazz1, phantomoftheknight17, kaitouahiru, E-man-dy-S, neko girl, TomTheBoy, AnimeCrazed121, LxiaNi, XoXKeii-ChanXoX, The-Right-Girl, Waterpokemon, dundeegirl21, Jith, Raye of the Sunshine, isara-love, inujisan, Kanellia, Cecily Mitchell, Suki-Alanna, CatGirlFireFlare and Solar. As always, you guys are amazing and you keep us writers writing!

Next story's summary:

Ten years later, Haru finds herself dragged back into the world of Creations, catastrophes, and one dapper-looking cat.

This story will be posted on the 23rd August, due to scheduling issues concerning the Christmas Special, and the fact that I actually have a few chapters of the next story left to write. *sweatdrop* (And let's not even mention the unwritten Christmas Special...) I will say this though - the next story is something New. It's something I've never tried before and I'm relying on you lovely reviewers to tell me whether it works. So read, review, and enjoy.

Until then!

Cat.