*Epilogue*

It took nearly six months, but finally the royal family was more than comfortable with living with each other. They finally got to know each other through and through. At first it was hard to open up to people who were practically strangers to you, but with time it worked out.

Ella was definitely the one Kat could relate to the most, as they both had surprisingly lived very similar lives and she was the mother Kat had always dreamed to have, but never believed to be possible; loving, kind and supportive.

Kit was also there to offer his support in whatever was bothering Kat at the moment. He was the total opposite from what she had imagined her father to be. She had always thought that her father had left her mother because he was a drunk, jobless or something along those lines and hadn't known about Kat's existence. Growing up it had been easier to think that he hadn't known about her than to think that he was aware of being a father, but not caring.

Kit and Ella had also allowed Kat to get to know them and the new life she was about to live before they made the Royal announcement that the lost Princess Katherine had finally been found. Before that, the staff of the palace had thought Kat to be there because she was the one who danced with Aidan and was just living at the palace until the prince would leave, her with him.

And so with the help from Aidan and her parents, Kat slowly, but steadily learned how to be a princess and a daughter and how to love her new found family, who, despite everything she had told them, still loved her unquestionably.

At first when they finally began teaching her the royal ways she struggled as was expected as her life had turned completely upside down, but Ella, who also had to undergo the same lessons when she married Kit, was always there to offer support and much needed advice.

Kit was also a very understanding teacher, who didn't push too hard as he knew that while Kat was civilized and had had some education when growing up, her position as a servant ever since she was a child prevented her from having too much knowledge the Lady had considered a waste of time and money for her to have. Ella had had more education due to her being a rich merchant's daughter and when she had been demoted to be a servant she had already been in her late teenage years. But Kat was eager to know everything the Lady had denied her to know and Kit wasn't one to say no to an eager student.

And so after about a month Kat had the basic idea of what being a princess really meant and what was expected from her and so she was ready for Kit to make the announcement. And when the kingdom heard the princess' return they were all blown away. All of them had years ago lost the hope of her ever returning, yet here she was alive and happy.

After Kit had made the announcement he had secretly made the private announcement that the village priest, who had made his daughter's life very unpleasant due to his heavy drinking, was to be put on a retirement due to his old age and alcoholism. The Royal Priest, after hearing this, had offered that his oldest apprentice, who had studied under his tutelage for years, could take the old priest place at the village and Kit had agreed to that.

And so in a week the old priest had left the village and moved to the country side to live the rest of his life in peace and would hopefully try to cure himself from his fondness to alcohol. And so the rest of the villagers were left to live in the shame when they heard the old priest's alcoholism and that the woman who he, in his drunkenness, had claimed to be the Devil's daughter was actually the princess and a very nice young woman, who still didn't harbor any grudge against them even after years of mistreatment from them.

And so Kit hadn't placed any punishment on the villagers as he knew that Kat, who in his opinion had too big of a heart for this matter, wouldn't want that no matter how much he wanted to.

Kat had some time after that snuck away from the palace to go back to the village to meet the bookstore owner Mr. Chase, the one who had become her adopted grandfather and was the only one who, during her childhood, had ever supported her in any way.

Mr. Chase of course was not only glad to see her and to hear her much improved life, also cheekily noted how he always told her that there was more for her in life, but she had never believed him. And so Kat had no other choice but to hug the kind old man and to thank him for all his support and love he had showed her. And Mr. Chase of course gladly returned the hug, even if he joked how his old bones couldn't handle this much love and affection Kat was showing him.

And so before anyone would notice her absence, Kat had to return to the palace so that her parents, or Aidan, wouldn't get worried. But she promised to come to visit Mr. Chase whenever she could manage, but he just told her to spent time with her family as they had almost nineteen years' worth of time to catch up on. But before Kat left she was sure to remind Mr. Chase that family, for her, didn't end just in blood and that she considered him part of her family as well.

And so after she left the shop, she missed the small smile that Mr. Chase's face held and those emotional tears that ran down the old man's wrinkled face as his heart moved by the love the young woman so generously bestowed upon him.

XXX

But then after the announcement and everything, Aidan's trusty captain came to remind him that now that the trading contract had been signed it was time to return to their kingdom to inform the King. And so the evening before his return day Aidan had taken Kat to the garden they had walked in during the ball and had explained how he must return home.

Kat had obviously been very sad as she didn't know when she would see him again, if ever. But then Aidan had gotten down to one knee and had, this time without any distractions, asked Kat if she would marry him. And before Aidan could even get up from the ground, Kat had flung herself to him and was kissing him like never before. Of course she would want to marry him.

But they had made an agreement that they wouldn't get married just yet as Kat was still learning the royal ways and that she wanted to get to know her parents before leaving them to get married. And so they had agreed to get married when Aidan would get back.

So now, five months later, Aidan could finally return to the love of his life. The work he had back at home had built up during his absence and the extra time he had taken to be with Kat. So because of those his separation from Kat had gotten longer than they had expected, but they kept in touch through letters even if it didn't quite satisfy the need to physically see each other.

His father had of course been over joyed to hear that his son had finally chosen a bride and the story behind the meeting of the two just made the King more eager to meet the woman his son claimed to have stolen his heart and was dead set on marrying before the year was up.

And so now after a long journey Aidan was dismounting his horse and handing the reins to the stable boy and, after quick bow to the King Kit and Queen Ella, he had asked where he could find Kat and then he left his father to talk to the King and Queen while he went to look for Kat.

He found her in the garden, which had become her favorite place in the palace during her stay in there, and saw her sitting on a stone bench under a lush apple tree reading a book that was on her lap.

She was wearing a beautiful purple silk dress that had some delicate golden embroidery at the neckline. She also had a turquoise see-through robe with wide sleeves over the dress and it had been fastened around her waist with a gold belt.

Just then Aidan stepped on a dry twig and it cracked under his foot making Kat raise her head from the book. And just then when she saw who was in front of her, she immediately dropped the book and ran to hug Aidan, who gladly returned the hug.

''I missed you so much,'' she whispered to his ear while her arms were wrapped to his neck.

''I missed you too,'' Aidan said to her hair before kissing Kat on the lips. And like their first kiss, it held all the emotions they held for one another, friendship, passion and most importantly, love. Nothing could ever separate them, ever. Aidan loved Kat with everything he had from the moment he had laid eyes on her in the forest after she had saved his life and Kat loved him just as much. They would do anything for each other. Move the mountains or dive at the bottom of the ocean, it wouldn't matter, as long as they were together.

This, Aidan was sure, was their happily ever after that promised them a new adventure in the much more brighter future that was sure to await them.

The end!