If love makes me a criminal

Then I'll take what I am given

But I hope that when the time is come

That I will be forgiven

If love be a crime

Then guilty am I

And I'll happily do my time, my time

I'll happily do my time

– Renais folk song

Epilogue: Exoneration

As he crossed the courtyard, Seth drew in a deep breath, inhaling the scents of hay and horses mingled now with lilac. With the late spring sun brightening the Renais countryside and a warm breeze hinting at summer months to come, it was a fine day for travel. He was glad his comrades had such good weather on the day they were due to depart. It would make things easier for Knoll.

On the castle walkway overhead he spotted Lute and Artur walking together arm in arm, and winced inwardly. Seth hoped Artur would hold her attention for until he was done here. The last time Seth had seen Lute it had been to thank her for her discovery of the loophole. She had then, with great gravity, suggested to him that a traditional manner of thanking someone for such assistance was to name their first child after that person. He was hoping she would forget the matter entirely. Or that Eirika would bear sons.

Ahead, Cormag was tightening the girth of his wyvern's saddle. The wyvern swivelled its head to snort at Cormag, who only gave the great beast's nose a shove and returned his attention to securing his saddle. He paused, though, when he saw Seth approaching.

"Came to wish me farewell, did you, Prince Seth?"

Seth grimaced. "Please, do not address me as such. It's only a technicality, one which everyone has agreed to overlook."

The grin Cormag sported was very lopsided indeed. "Don't be so modest. You are, after all, going to marry the Princess of Renais. Just think... if– Gods forbid it– anything were to happen to King Ephraim, you would be the King of Renais."

Bristling, Seth, straightened and made a particular effort to keep his tone even. "I certainly would not. Eirika would be the Queen of Renais while my title would be that of royal consort."

"Is that so?" Cormag said, patting his wyvern's flank and looking a little crestfallen. "Well that's disappointing. And here I thought I was friends with an almost-king." He shrugged and slapped Seth on back. "Still, that was one hell of show you two put on. You're certainly not a loyal dullard."

"Thank you, Cormag," Seth replied flatly.

"I'll try to make it to the wedding." His brows creased. "Depending on how things stand back home." They turned as the clatter of footfalls, several in number, rang through the courtyard. "Ah, there's the rest of my little band."

While Knoll had remained confined to the infirmary, recovering from his burns, the other dark mages had continued their research. As they moved to join Cormag, they walked around Knoll like an honour guard, matching their pace to his slow steps. Natasha broke away from them, moving to speak to Seth as the grooms came with the horses. "General Seth," she greeted him, with a dip of her head that suspiciously resembled a bow.

"Good day, Sister Natasha. I've not seen you in some time." She had barely left the infirmary since Knoll had been injured, tasking herself with his care. Seth had stopped by on a few occasions, but always she had been working a complex healing spell, or sound asleep.

"Yes, I've been very busy with Knoll. But he's through the worst now. I–" She wrung her hands for a moment and then, seeming to notice the gesture, stopped abruptly and hid her hands in her robes. "I've meant to congratulate you on your betrothal. I wish you both every happiness."

"Thank you. I–" But then, as he glanced towards the castle, Eirika was there, the breeze tossing her long hair about her shoulders, the sunlight making her seem almost to glow–and he forgot to speak.

Eirika noticed him looking at her, and the smile that graced her features made his heart soar. That she should smile because of him, because of nothing more than his gaze, his regard... It was too much, too wondrous, too fortunate.

"Is Princess Eirika coming to see us off as well?"

Seth shook himself, embarrassed by his lapse in attention. "I apologise, Sister. Yes, she is."

A flurry of respectful greetings followed as the Eirika joined them. "I was told you've completed your research," she said, addressing Knoll.

Half his face was bandaged, while the other half showed pinkish skin that peeled and flaked as if he'd had a bad sunburn. It was difficult to read his expression for his eyebrows and even his eyelashes had been burned away and were only now beginning to regrow. He leaned heavily against his horse as he spoke. "Not I, but my colleagues."

Kelri, her dark curls poking out from under her hood, stepped forward. "But you set us on the right path. We would never have found the spells we needed without your guidance."

Eirika tilted her head and regarded her for a moment. "You seem very hopeful."

Kelri tugged at her hood. "We have the spells we need to seal away the remnants of Prince Lyon's research. I..." She ducked her head. "I did once have my doubts about the wisdom of our endeavour, but after seeing what happened to Vengar–what he did to himself..." She shook herself and then, as she looked up again into Eirika's face, she drew back her hood. Some of her hair was still growing in where it had been singed off by Vengar's flames. "Vengar was angry about the war–we all were–but I don't wish to be consumed by it as he was." She turned then to look towards Natasha. "I will try to have faith that we can heal Grado."

Knoll's voice was as brittle as firewood. "Some things can never heal."

Natasha rounded on him. "But you, Master Knoll, will." She pushed her way through the circle of dark mages and squeezed the hand that had remained uninjured. "You have important work to do in Grado and I will see to it that you're fit enough to accomplish it."

"Renais will continue to offer all the help that we're able," Eirika said.

"Thank you, princess," Knoll croaked.

It was with obviously difficulty that he clambered into his saddle, and Natasha kept a close eye on him all the while. When she was satisfied that he was well settled, she moved to mount her own horse, but paused when Eirika called out to her.

"Sister Natasha?"

She turned, bowing her head. "Yes, Princess?"

Eirika glanced over to Knoll. "Will he heal?" she asked in a low tone.

A few paces away, Knoll sat hunched on his horse, his face and hands invisible in his robes, as if he were no more than a pile of rags tossed into the saddle. But Natasha nodded, her voice full of assurance, her gaze never wavering. "Yes. He will. He does not believe it at present–he still suffers greatly–but he will heal."

Eirika put a hand to her heart and sighed with relief. "I am glad to hear it. I'm sorry we've been such poor hosts."

"No," Natasha replied, shaking her head, "the fault is ours. We brought trouble to your doorstep, just as during the war."

"And we worked together to end it, just as during the war. It will be so for Grado. My brother and I will not abandon your nation." In that moment Seth wanted to wrap his arms around Eirika, to tell her how proud he was to serve one such as her. In spite of the losses she herself had suffered during the war, she was as gentle now as she ever had been. The war had tempered her spirit like a blacksmith did a blade, and like the blade she was stronger for it. Strong enough to let her own wounds heal and to tend to those still wounded.

This time Natasha bowed her head very low. "Thank you, Princess." Her eyes flitted to Seth's face for a moment before returning to Eirika. "And I wish joy in your betrothal."

"Thank you and safe travels, Sister."

As the Grado party set out, walking their horses through the castle gates, Eirika took Seth's hand, intertwining her fingers with his. He glanced at her, smiling, filled with the knowledge that they could do so without censure. No longer need he concern himself with gossip and the snide comments of Myrna and her lot. If he had to bear a false title and endure a few jibes then that was a small price to pay for their happiness.

He squeezed her fingers.

Looking into Eirika's smiling face, he knew she would do as she'd said. She would restore Renais and heal their nation's wounds. And he would be proud to stand always at her side.

The End