Epilogue

Soren kept staring at the ring on his finger. The ceremony was a blur, the people around were barely even there as far as he knew. But there was a ring on his finger. The bright red ribbon of the lover's knot on his wrist also took his attention when he wasn't looking at the ring.

He was married.

To Ike.

Finally.

Ten challenges and a kidnapping later.

He was sitting at the head of the grand table, with Ike to his left and Pelleas to his right. He was wearing his fanciest robes in purity-white, with onyx and emeralds woven into his hair to represent Daein and Goldoa. Ike looked dashing in white ceremonial armor. Almedha and Elena hadn't stopped crying happily literally since Soren and Ike had met at the front of the aisle, and they were still going strong. Ashnard wasn't here, which was a relief. Gawain was denying the obvious tears in his eyes.

"White isn't your color but I still like your robes," said Pelleas, his grin wide.

Mist had had her first taste of wine, and she draped herself on her brother's arm. "You need friends," she slurred, "so I can marry one. You're so happy it's so cute and I want that too."

Ike looked at her. "You're beautiful today. Just make sure you run anyone you're interested in by me. As far as friends… Ranulf's too old for you and Pelleas… is Pelleas. Sorry."

She giggled. "Yep. It just won't work. And I feel like I know Skrimir too well, there's no mystery there."

Titania chortled. "Sweetheart, you're too young to be considering Skrimir at all. Other fish in the sea and all that."

"I am Pelleas, I don't get what people mean by that," he muttered. Soren smiled a little. Poor Pelli.

Ike scowled as if he hadn't considered that. "Skrimir is definitely too old and not an option. Glad you agree."

Pelleas leaned over and smiled at Ike. "Hey, brother. You did well. I'm glad I didn't have to kill you."

Mist gasped. "Oh man, I never gave Soren a shovel talk. I fail. I'm sorry." Soren felt a little sad that she hadn't; he would have enjoyed laughing at her.

Ike grinned. "So do it now before we leave for the honeymoon!"

She glanced around Ike to Soren. "I can't do it. He's too cute."

"Darn. What about you, Titania?"

The paladin smiled. "Mist is right, he's too cute to threaten. Besides, we all know it's a moot point." Soren scoffed but didn't deign to respond.

"Oh well, I'm glad you didn't try to kill me, too, Pelleas. Or should I say Flopsy? Do I get to do that now?"

Pelleas opened his mouth to respond, then closed it. Then opened it, then closed it. Then finally he said, "You better be nice to me. Don't want me to bring up the old rite of the public marriage consummation, do you?"

That got Soren's attention. "Don't you dare."

Pelleas smiled innocently. Ike's eyes went wide, and Mist made a face. "Geez Pelleas, right for the throat. Way to finally prove you're Soren's brother."

Ike recovered and ruffled Pelleas' floppy hair. "I was just kidding, Pelli. And I would have to kill anyone who tried to watch, which wouldn't be a good start to being a prince…"

"But it might get you points with your in-laws!" Ranulf said with a grin as he sauntered up. It made Titania, Mist and Pelleas laugh, and Ike nod in agreement.

Pelleas beamed. "All is forgiven, Spikey, but Ranulf has a point. Our parents like that kind of thing."

"Too messy," Soren murmured, drinking his wine.

Mist started giggling and she pointed to the far corner of the hall, where Skrimir was showing off his strength by lifting up various women. "He's going to be okay, isn't he."

"That's a stretch, he was never 'okay,'" Soren drawled, because he would never miss an opportunity to insult Skrimir. It made Mist giggle more.

"Just keep him away from Mother and it'll all be okay," said Pelleas sagely.

Ranulf nodded. "Yeah, he'll be fine. He never pines for what he doesn't have and he isn't the brooding type. I really am happy for you two kids."

Ike nodded. "Thanks Ranulf. Have a seat. We saved you one."

As the cat man sat next to Titania, Soren raised his glass a little. "Yes, thank you for everything, Ranulf." He yawned. "In olden days we would have to sit here while all the presents were unwrapped for us and everyone would ooh and aww and it would take hours. That is one thing my father did right."

"So now you unwrap them at leisure?"

"I doubt there's anything we want," Ike mused, then amended, "save for whatever all of you got us, heh… sorry…"

"But yes, we don't have to open them now, since Begnion sent what looks to be their entire treasury as apology for Lekain. At least Empress Misaha continues to be somewhat sensible."

"That was the least she could do," Ranulf said with a shrug.

Mist pouted. "They should send me a boyfriend."

"So I have to ask, what was the whole thing about the icicle?" Titania asked. "I never realized it but this was my first Daeinite wedding."

"Our weddings have deviated quite a bit from the Begnion standard," Soren explained, "First, you likely noted we exchanged swords as well as rings; the blades are ancestral, signifying our families blending together." Soren would likely never touch the one he got again, no offense Ike. "We also tied the lovers' knot in addition to the ring exchange. Then we each picked an icicle, put them in the ceremonial bowl and drank from the water to symbolise our joining. Then technically speaking, the males of the wedding party should get drunk, engage in a competition to see who can withstand a naked snow bath for the longest, and then the loser needs to accompany the warrior groom to hunt a polar bear. But we're skipping that."

"Thanks," said Ike and Pelleas (who would undoubtedly lose and need to go) together.

"No need for a polar bear?" Titania asked, amused.

"I'd rather have a husband, yes."

"Interesting." Titania looked to Ranulf. "I've never been to a Gallian wedding either… I'm curious, what sort of marriage rites from Gallia are there?"

Ranulf grinned. "Well, Ike should have placed Lekain's dead body at Soren's feet. Or found a choice game animal. Enemy killing or food you've hunted yourself is a traditional gift."

Soren looked at Ike with a glint of amusement in his eyes. "I like that idea. Go find his corpse, would you?"

Ike laughed. "Hey, he was close to your feet and anyway that was a joint kill. Who else don't you like?"

"Excuses excuses... That girl who gave me food poisoning, perhaps." Sorry, random person. Food poisoning is his story and he's sticking to it.

"Really, one girl? That's your murder list?" Ike teased playfully.

Pelleas giggled. "Assault and kidnapping, and food poisoning. All are equal sins, all must die."

"Well usually I kill these people myself," Soren pointed out.

"But that doesn't count, I have to murder them. As for who you can kill… well there's that older lady who stalked me for awhile…"

Soren smiled. "Crazy Aimee? Consider it done."

Ike paused. "I hope you aren't serious…. I think… Uh, what else, Ranulf?"

"We also strip naked and dance under the full moon, which is where we consummate the marriage as part of a large no-limits orgy," Ranulf said casually.

Soren blinked, then got it was a joke. "Well then, our honeymoon in Gallia should be interesting. We'll have to get you some dancing lessons before we go, Ike."

Ike stared at Ranulf. "Ha ha."

"Maybe start in a bed first?" Pelleas suggested timidly.

Ranulf grinned. "I'm joking, of course. But the new couples do go see the next full moon after their marriage together as a couple, alone. Then they make what's called the new moon promise. Basically a private wedding, sort of. They exchange the vows that are only for each other and a small but meaningful gift. It's very romantic. And it gives them an excuse to flee the in laws and extend the honeymoon."

Soren nodded. His attention was fading, he needed a break. He stood up. "Interesting. I need a breath of fresh air. I'll be right back." He left to do just that.

Ike watched his husband walk out. He tried to pretend he wasn't staring at his butt, but he didn't try too hard. He was allowed to look now!

After all, he was married.

To Soren.

Finally.

Ranulf watched Soren walk out too, eyes suspiciously too low. "I am so glad it all worked out. You deserve a happy ending. Both the literal and the honeymoon kind."

"Did you seriously make that joke while staring at my new husband's ass?"

"Ew," said Pelleas.

Ranulf held up his hands. "Hey, you can't fault me for that. But no harm intended. And… well, sorry about you-know-who. I honestly should have anticipated his extreme interest but normally he dislikes dragons... But Soren is a pretty boy and apparently Skrimir likes snark, because if he didn't I would've been fired years ago. Anyway I owed you for that. But I want to say, I can help you now, too." He ran a hand through his hair, awkward, which was unusual for him.

"I'm not mad, I promise. But uh..." Ike looked to make sure Soren was out of the room. "What kind of help?"

"Soren adores you, so you have that, and Pelleas is Pelleas, but you just married into a very hardcore political family that could turn on you at any time. Your upbringing and the fact you're from here is okay, but you've never been exactly… political. I can give you advice and, if you're ever in trouble, call me. People owe me favors everywhere and I'm good at getting out of trouble. And if I wasn't good at getting other people out of trouble too, I wouldn't be Skrimir's keeper."

"I am Pelleas," grumbled Pelleas as he drank his own wine.

Ike sighed in relief. "Oh, phew. I was worried you were going to offer me 'the talk.' Last time that happened I hid in a closet and Soren got kidnapped, so, let's avoid it."

Ranulf snickered. "You thought… oh Goddess, that's good. No, no Ike, I am not going to give you 'the talk.' Geez. I don't even… I have no idea where I would even start with that!"

"But anyway I do keep planning on training so that if I have to - scratch that, when I have to kill Ashnard someday it won't be too hard," Ike finished.

"Training is a wise idea. And what you mentioned was part of the reason for my offer. You… I don't really have friends… you're it. Skrimir is like a kitten I'm raising. The point is, you can call on me. For that or anything else. "

Ike held out a fist. "Right back at you."

Ranulf bumped it, gave him a nod, then smirked. "I would only give you bedroom pointers if I thought you needed them… but I am sure you don't. Oh, on a serious note, you guys should do the new moon promise."

Ike flushed. "Thanks? But uh... say hypothetically you were to... uh offer advice for um, two men who'd never had sex before… You know, any pointers? Asking for a friend. The uh, the friend's dad tried to give advice, but… he did it really badly. Which scarred the friend for life, by the way. The friend's mom basically talked about how magical it would be. Nice but not helpful." Ike shrugged as if he wasn't simultaneously excited for and terrified of the wedding night and honeymoon period. He was pretty sure they could get in sync pretty quickly but, y'know, nerves.

Ranulf went with it and leaned in, talking very quietly. "Well, tell your friend to take it slow. He will need something to smooth the road… by which I mean lubrication."

Ranulf gave Ike sage advice 'for his friend,' the basics of what to know and how to make it pleasurable. Ike listened intently, taking notes in his mind. For his friend.

Ike then noticed that they were sitting alone. "Ah crud, I lost Mist. She's pulling an 'I'm going to die alone' act." Then he spotted her by Skrimir. "Double crud, thanks Ranulf!" He ran off.

Ranulf chuckled, got up, and went outside. He had a bad feeling about Soren, and so it was time to check on him. The whole area felt weird, but Ranulf ignored his tail puffing up.

Soren was alone, sitting curled up in the corner of a railing. The moment he heard someone come outside he stood up and brushed himself off quickly. "Oh, Ranulf. Hi."

"Hello, my liege." He gave a bow. "How are you holding up?" Ranulf could smell the bruises again. Apparently Ashnard had been pissed. His tail turned from puffed to spiked but otherwise he kept his cool.

Soren met his diplomatic talk. "Well enough, thank you Ambassador. We have enjoyed your presence on this day of celebration. How might we assist you?"

Ranulf finished his survey of the area; yep, they were alone, so he dropped the act. "We're definitely alone. Although if you prefer I continue in court speak I will, but Ike is a friend and thus so are you."

Soren shrugged. "I loathe it, frankly. Yes we are alone. I've become decent at barrier magic."

Ranulf grinned. "So that is what I sensed. It put me on my guard. Ike's trying to save Mist from my kitten so we have a minute to talk if you don't mind."

He chuckled. "Your kitten. I don't mind, no. The barrier was mostly geared toward the hundred or so nobles who appear during parties. And my mother."

Ranulf chuckled in turn. "Ike is madly in love with you and you are crazy strong together. You are also very good at 'the court game' so I do not worry from your quarter, but, I am good at diplomacy and secrecy so should you ever need help, I'm happy to offer it. I told Ike much the same thing."

Soren nodded. "I have warned him many times that marriage to me is a prison sentence of a sort, but he is very stubborn." He took a deep breath. "Ranulf, if he confides in you that he's miserable or that he's made a mistake, please tell me. I know he won't let me know."

Ranulf's typical cocky stance shifted and his expression softened. "Oh Soren, he loves you more than he loves food. He won't ever tell me such a thing… but if he did, I'd tell you, and try to help you figure it out."

Soren let out a pained breath. "Good. Good. That makes me feel better."

"He really does love you terribly much. You guys are lucky. Not everyone is." Ranulf remembered how defensive Soren had gotten last time they talked about his injuries, so he just said, "Take care of yourself, and don't punish yourself because you're happy." He looked back towards the party. "I had better make sure Skrimir isn't causing an international incident."

(Don't punish yourself because you're happy.

Soren didn't know how to respond to that, so he didn't. It hit too close to home. It made the aches he still felt intensify.)

"Yes. That would be a shame. Although given my father's absence and my mother's fondness, he should be all right. I'm kind of fond of him too, which is… just weird. Regardless, if you or he needs anything that I can help with, let me know."

Ranulf laughed. "He is oddly endearing, isn't he? He's basically like a kitten who means well but never thinks before he acts, speaks, or attacks. He's good at heart, though."

"Precisely. And he's forthright, which is a virtue… in small amounts..."

"Is it? Sometimes I wonder, with him." He smiled at Soren and felt semi-hopeful that Soren no longer despised him.

Soren curled back up where he'd been before. "Thank you again. I'll be in soon."

Ranulf nodded. "Remember, it's okay to be happy. You have that right." On that note, he fled, seeing he didn't have the right to give him in depth advice. They weren't yet good friends. And hey, maybe someday Soren would believe him.

Oh dear Goddess, he was going to make another beorc friend, wasn't he? Lethe would never let him hear the end of it.

Speaking of beorc friends, Ranulf went to find his new favorite beorc lady. He tagged out by telling Pelleas, who went to find his wayward brother.

Titania was standing back and chuckling as she watched Ike wrangle Mist. Ranulf sauntered up to her, trying to think of how he wanted to play this. Cats were a bit cagey when it came to commitment, but he hadn't been joking when he said Soren and Ike's shmoopiness made him consider it…

Turned out he worried over nothing. "Hey, will you be heading back to Gallia?" she asked him when he joined her.

Ranulf blinked in surprise. "Are you asking in sorrow or anticipation?" he finally asked.

Titania laughed. "Of those options, I suppose sorrow."

"Good," Ran said with a smile. "Because I can allay your sorrows. I will be returning here as the diplomat after getting Skrimir resettled."

Titania looked over the handsome cat and smiled. "Good. I don't know if I'd want to waste my time getting to know you if I'd never see you again."

"But now that I'll be around?"

"That depends on you," the red-haired woman replied.

"I would very much like to get to know you better, Titania," Ranulf said charmingly and he meant it.

She smiled. "Then I'd like to get to know you as well."

Ranulf purred.

When Pelleas found Soren, Soren neither looked nor stood up. Pelleas got on the floor with him for cuddles, putting pressure on Soren's ribcage and stomach. At length he started talking, just getting the words out of his head. "Thank you for everything. You've been my protector our whole lives, while Ike's tried so hard to be yours. The universe is repaying you for keeping me safe by giving you Ike. I'd tell you to see a healer but I know you won't. So we'll sit here until you're ready to go back inside where everyone is happy for you."

After a few more minutes, Soren sighed. "All right, let's finish this."

Pelleas smiled, stood, and helped him up. The two returned to the party as of they'd never left.

Ike was heading to the door, a worried look on his face and a protesting Mist being dragged behind him.

"I just want looooooove!"

"You may want to take her to your mother," Soren delicately suggested.

"You may want to take you to your mother," Mist replied, drunk as a skunk.

Ike looked embarrassed. "I was going to take her to Mom but I was worried about you…"

Soren shook his head. "Don't be. We'll be leaving soon anyway."

Unable to resist, Pelleas added the "OooooooOOOOOoooooo."

Ike sighed. "I'll be right back, love." He took his protesting sister to their mother.

"See, I could be a worse sibling. I already found the love of my life."

"Really, the fortune teller you met once? You say the dumbest things sometimes."

"You love me anyway."

Meanwhile, Ike hugged his sister and his mom as an apology for leaving them in snow-filled Daein and going to Gallia. Well he wasn't really sorry...

Elena pinched his cheek. "You're not really sorry."

Ike couldn't help but smile. "Well, no… but I will miss you, both of you. And you too, Dad."

She patted that cheek. Her own were still damp with tears. "Go on, lovelight. Enjoy the victory of love!"

Gawain gave him a nod and patted him on the back. "Congratulations. Now get going. You don't want him going on the honeymoon without you."

Ike headed for his… husband. He was married to Soren! Consequently he had a huge grin on his face. And he wasn't the only one - the people were cheering and waving to them, which made Soren flush and grab Ike as soon as he appeared to drag him out. The cheers grew louder.

Soren sighed as they got away. "We'll leave tomorrow for Gallia. Tonight we spend in our suite."

Ike tightened his arm around Soren's waist. "I don't care where we spend it so long as we're together."

Soren let out a pleased yet slightly exasperated sigh. "Would you stop that?"

"What?"

"The, you know... the sappiness."

"No," Ike said with a grin, "I don't think I can. I love my cuddlekins too much!"

"I will lock you out of our bedroom, don't think I won't!" And yet Ike could tell he wasn't all that upset. He opened the door to their new home with a wry smile on his face. This quickly turned to shock when it became apparent that the entire sitting room was filled with boxes, baskets, and cards. "Oh."

"Wow. Well, I'm just glad we can make it in the front door..."

After they slipped inside, Soren shut and locked the door behind them. "It might take months to go through all this. This is ridiculous."

"I'm going to make sure the balcony is locked… If I can get over there."

Soren actually smiled brightly. "It doesn't need to be unlocked anymore."

Ike smiled back at Soren. "No, it doesn't."

Soren and Ike lived happily ever after. They did not name their children after any variations of cacti. Or, sadly, Ranulf.

(Ranulf and Titania totally hooked up.)

(Pelleas did not abdicate or start a band called the Dreaded White Fluff. But he did end up marrying Micaiah.)

The end!

Thank you for reading!