Disclaimer: Richelle Mead owns Vampire Academy.

Epilogue

3 Years Later

Rose Belikov placed an open palm onto the bed of dewy grass.

Over the years, it had grown long and wild. She ruffled her fingers through the strands much like she used to do to her red-haired friend when they were younger, long before everything had happened.

She took in a deep breath, filling her lungs with the crisp morning air. The wind billowed around her, picking up the loose tendrils of her hair, whipping them around her face. She laughed and tucked them behind her ear, grateful that she'd had half a mind to braid her hair this morning or else she'd be a tangled mess by now.

"I know it's been a while. I'm sorry."

She sat back so she lay comfortably on the cloak she already had spread out, turning onto her side so she could continue to play with the earth's tidings.

After a pause, she eyed the large rock just beside her head and then moved her hand to that next, resting it on the cold surface. The rock had been in that same spot for years. It served as a marker for Mason's burial site.

It had been there since before everyone decided it was okay to move back into town.

While she'd been held captive, his body had been laid to rest there, just on the outskirts of her old village. It was abandoned now. His body underneath the earth, along with those of the other fallen men, were the only remaining signs that they'd ever been there at all.

When their people migrated back into town, it was suggested that they move the bodies, but in the end, it was decided not to. For one, they didn't want to desecrate their final resting spots. Secondly, if Mason had been given the choice, Rose had bet he'd prefer to stay there, near the place he called home.

So every year on this day, Rose would make the long ride to see him, to spend a few hours talking to him. It wasn't the only day out of the year that she'd come, but this day was one she made absolutely sure she did. It was his birthday. She made it a habit to come every few weeks or so, but hadn't been able to for the better part of a year.

She'd only given birth a month ago but she wasn't going to miss this for anything.

Dimitri could handle their son for a couple of hours. Besides, he had help. Rose knew her mother or Olena would step in if need be, not that Dimitri would need it. He was a great father already.

"He's perfect," she told him, doodling aimlessly on the rock, making swirls with her pointer finger as she spoke. "He's got the tiniest little fingers. You would've loved him and he would've loved you."

A few tears slipped from her eyes and she let them go without bothering to brush them away. It wasn't often that she cried for him anymore. Time had healed the constant pain she used to feel. Now it was a dull ache that only showed up every once in a while, but when it did, she let herself feel. She'd let the tears fall freely.

"I haven't even told you the best part yet," she laughed, smiling through the pain. "He's got your name. Abe fought me on that, said his grandson should be named after him, but my mother shut him up pretty quickly."

She shook her head exasperatingly as she recalled the day she had announced her pregnancy to her family. It was almost two years after the war, one year after Rose and Dimitri wed.

Everyone was already living in town by that point.

Dimitri had been reinstated and, with a lot of convincing from her father to King Adrian, their men who had survived the war became the crown's new soldiers — Eddie included. Watching him take orders from Dimitri had been quite interesting at the beginning.

Everyone was mending their wounds, making peace with the sacrifices they had made to get to the point they were at now. Nothing was perfect but at least everyone was trying their best.

The announcement of a baby coming in a couple of months sped things along quite nicely. Everyone knew they would need to get along by the time the little newborn arrived and so they had.

Eddie and Dimitri were amicable these days, which had been a harder bond to forge than Rose had originally expected. While Eddie had seen Dimitri's devotion to Rose, he still struggled with forgiveness. On Dimitri's end, he despised that his sister Viktoria had chosen Eddie of all people to court. But Dimitri knew from his own experience that love worked in mysterious ways.

With both sides coming together, the rebels and the royals (and royal followers), any conflict between Dimitri and Marcus worked itself out naturally. A few conversations assisted that and it wasn't long before Marcus forgave his friend for keeping his romance a secret. As of now, relationships between those who were supportive subjects and those who were rebels weren't a problem any more. With both sides living together now, couples like Rose and Dimitri didn't stick out. It had never occured to Rose before, but if it had been considered an issue, Lissa and Christian were susceptible to face discrimination as well, with Lissa being from the Square and Christian being a rebel.

Lissa and Christian were married now. It happened before Rose and Dimitri had their chance. It was sweet to see Lissa finally feeling like she had a family again. She had found some of that with Rose's family and friends when had she originally decided to move to the village, but now she had it for real, sworn into law and everything. They were good for each other. Complete opposites, they completed each other and complemented one another perfectly, much like Lissa and Rose did as friends.

The citizens of the Square were astounded by the drama that ensued when Adrian took the title as ruler of the kingdom, his father banished, but as it turned out, they accepted the change with ease. Well, once the former soldiers were eliminated. As it turned out, they had their own misgivings with the King and Queen, but dealt with it close mouthed out of fear of being cast out like Abe had been.

It had all worked out in the end for him though. Now he was in a position where he could speak his thoughts, could fight for the citizens when Adrian was being inconsiderate. And in his personal life, he was thriving as well. Now that Rose and Janine had relocated to town, he was able to be at their sides in a moment's notice, and always made it home for dinner. Their relationship had mended and they easily fell back into their roles as a family, albeit one that was closer and more compassionate.

Dimitri still had tough days, days where he thought of the pain he brought upon Rose for helping imprison her, days where he felt overwhelming guilt for killing her friend and then slaughtering all of his men for her sake, but the sight of his son had fixed a lot of it. Babies were powerful like that. They brought hope, joy, the promise of a better tomorrow.

Rose knew it firsthand. When she heard her child's first cry, and then held him in her arms for the first time, every negative emotion drifted away like it never even existed.

The guilt she carried, the cross she bared, all gone. Not forever, but they just didn't seem to matter as much anymore. Not when there was a new life she needed to take care of, to mold, to nurture.

For the first time in a long time, she was happy.

Life was good. She was safe. She was in love. She only wished Mason was here to see it.

After getting him up to date on Eddie and Viktoria and saying goodbye with the promise of coming back soon, she stood and then retrieved her cloak. She joined her horse, Cobalt, where she was tied to a nearby tree. Rose was relieved that her horse had survived the battle. When she saw her for the first time after being able to walk again, she realized how grateful she was that her father had taken her. They had both taken good care of each other while Rose was unable.

A while later, she was back into town. She came to a stop outside of her home and then walked inside after tying Cobalt to a post so she could rest beside Dimitri's horse, Betta.

"Roza," Dimitri greeted exhaustedly.

She grinned when she saw how disheveled he was. It wasn't normal for him to be so…not put together. His shirt was wrinkled, one of his sleeves rolled up, the other not. She found it adorable.

He kissed her and then pulled her into his arms, leaning a lot of his weight into her. He was dead on his feet, tired from taking care of the baby all day.

"Where's the baby?"

"Asleep." He yawned, pointing over to the little cot where Mason was sleeping. The sight of it made Rose feel warm. "Finally. I was wondering when you'd be home. I've started dinner."

She eyed the boiling pot above the fire. It smelled like her favorite soup.

"It smells delicious. I'm starving."

"I expected as much. How was it?"

Dimitri released her from his arms and then went to check the pot. His eyes didn't leave her for long though, concerned that she was sad after visiting her friend.

She hung her cloak up beside the door and then dropped into a chair tiredly, relishing in the comfort of being home with the man she loved.

"It was good. It's been a long time since I was there, so we had a lot to catch up on." She smiled. "How's Olena?"

"Still overjoyed with the baby. Your mother too, but she isn't as overbearing, which I like. If I'm doing something wrong, she'll tell me, but she lets me try to figure it out myself first. Not like my mother, she'll get on me right away."

Rose laughed. "I'm sure it was fun having the both of them over at the same time."

She meant it sarcastically, but couldn't refrain from smiling at how well their parents got along, as well as how involved they were with helping raise the baby when they wanted it.

He returned to her side. "Not as fun as we're about to have."

She arched an eyebrow, curious to know where his sleepiness had run off to. "Is that so?"

"Yes, my beautiful wife. The baby is asleep. I don't have to work tomorrow because Eddie is stepping in for me. And you, you deserve some release." He grabbed her leg, pushing up the skirt of her dress, and started to rub the sore muscles of her calves.

She frowned, worried about Eddie. He worked himself to death this time of year so he wouldn't have time to think of Mason. Rose hadn't tried to step in yet, but she was thinking she needed to do something soon. Maybe the two of them could go see Mason's grave together. He hadn't been and maybe it would bring him the peace he needed.

Dimitri moved on to her feet next and she moaned, her thoughts back on him and his hands. The easiest way to a pregnant or new mother's heart was a foot massage.

"I know what you're trying to do," she teased when his hands discarded her feet to move higher up her leg.

He shot her a knowing look. "I wasn't trying to hide my intentions, Roza. I've already alluded to what I plan on doing." His hands moved to her hips, his thumbs circling the skin above her clothing.

"Not in great detail."

He arched an eyebrow. "Oh?" He began untying the laces at her chest. "Would you like me to?"

The fabric fell open a moment later. Her nipples prickled in arousal as his hands dipped underneath and his lips moved so he was just a breath away from kissing her.

"It couldn't hurt."

He laughed, throwing his head back with amusement. When he returned, his lips were on hers in an instant.

He lifted her from the chair and quietly carried her over to their bed. He shushed her when her moans got too loud, not wanting to wake the sleeping infant.

When it was over, he pulled her close and basked in the moment until he'd have to get up to take the food off the heat.

He kissed her temple, considering himself lucky that he was able to love her freely now that they were no longer enemies.

"I love you, Roza."

She sighed happily and played with the plain silver band around her finger.

"And I love you."

A/N: And there you have it. The End. Thank you again to everyone. I hope you had as much fun as I did. Till next time ;)