A/N: Last chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own "Do I love you because you're beautiful". That's Rodgers and Hammerstein's.

Ch. 20: Your Love is Magic

Annabel was about to approach Aidan until three guards seized him, forcing him onto his knees. One pointed his weapon before she ordered loudly, "Let him go." The guards gave curious look while she ordered it again, "Let him go." Nicholas watched as the guards slowly backed away, releasing Aidan causing him to stay on his knees but rested his hands on the ground.

He took steady deep breaths before he felt two hands touching his cheeks. He looked up to see two sky blue eyes looking down at him. A smile slowly formed on his face as he softly whispered, "Hello."

Annabel smiled back at him with tears running down her cheeks. She felt Aidan touch her cheek, wiping the tears away. She turned her head slightly kissing his palm before she quickly hugged him causing Aidan to fall backwards onto the ground. He held her tightly as she whispered to him, "I thought I lost you."

"I'm right here."

"They said you were dead. I felt my heart shattered because I thought I wouldn't be able to tell you how I feel."

Aidan pulled back, looking at her. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear while she ran her hands along his shoulders. "How do you feel," he inquired softly.

Annabel pulled Aidan back to her. Her forehead touching his with her closing her eyes as she whispered to him, "I'm in love with you, Aidan." A smile formed on Aidan's face as she smiled, continuing to whisper to him, "I loved you the moment you became my friend. My heart has always been yours."

Aidan could feel his heart pounding against his chest. He gave a small laugh, holding her close until he realized that they were still in the courtyard with the king and everyone else watching them. He sat up, still holding her before he whispered against her ear, "Anna…" She looked at him, running her fingers along his cheek while taking in his scent to assure her that he was alive, that he was still there.

She finally stood up with him, turning to her father. Nicholas' gaze went toward Aidan who held Annabel close to him. He glanced over at his wife who was smiling at the couple then looked over at Dmitri and Jon who were frowning. "Let's take this inside," he told them.

F&S

They all stood inside the main hall with Aidan standing in the center of it all. Dmitri and Jon were on the sidelines while Annabel sat next to Nicholas and Isabelle. "Annabel, I understand you care for this young man but I have made an agreement that he must be the one you were with at the ball," Nicholas informed his daughter.

"It doesn't matter anymore because I'm in love with him. The Duke even claimed that Aidan was the masked man at the ball," she argued.

Nicholas shook his head, "He also claimed that this young man was dead. How do I know that this is not another lie?"

"My Lord, I did believe he was dead," Dmitri tried to argue.

"Silence!" Dmitri backed away while Nicholas frowned, "You will be stripped of your title immediately."

"Your Majesty-"

"You are lucky that I will not do anymore at the moment, Dmitri."

The main doors opened slowly with Lionel saying softly, "My Lord…"

"What?!"

"The Duke's other son is here to speak for Aidan."

Before Nicholas could decline any more people in his audience, he heard a quiet but strong voice plead to him, "Let him inside sir." Nicholas glanced over at the source of the voice, seeing dark brown eyes looking up at him. He glanced from Aidan to Annabel who intently looked at the young man before he nodded to Lionel, "Bring him in."

Lionel bowed quickly before he opened the door widely with William entering the room. He looked over at Aidan, giving him a smile before he bowed deeply to Nicholas, "Your Majesty."

"What brings you here, young William?"

William looked up at the king then at Aidan then finally, at his own father and brother. "Aidan was indeed sold by my father," William started. He began to walk over toward Aidan, touching his shoulder then looked at Dmitri and Jon.

Dmitri looked back at William with confusion on his face, at first. It didn't dawn on Dmitri for a moment until he noticed the serious tone in his son's face. "Don't," Dmitri pointed at Will, "do not betray me! I am your blood!"

"However, Aidan acted more like my brother and my family."

"William!"

Will shook his head, looking at Aidan then at Nicholas. "Aidan was sold to Lord Baxton. It was all for profit and to get Aidan away," Will stated.

"YOU LIAR," Dmitri yelled as he pulled out his sword. Out of pure rage, he charged at William and Aidan with the sword raised high for an attack. Before soldiers could even react, Aidan pulled Will's sword from its sheath then pushed his stepbrother aside. He blocked the attack and pulled Dmitri closer by yanking his shirt with the sword clashing. "The crown and power were supposed to be all mine," he hissed to Aidan.

"In your dreams," Aidan retorted. He pushed Dmitri aside causing the sword to fall as well Dmitri. He was about to lunge at the sword until he felt something against his neck. Dmitri hesitantly looked up to see Aidan looking down at him, "I don't think so."

Nicholas stood up and pointed to the guards. "Seize him," he ordered them.

The guards charged toward Dmitri while Aidan backed away. They picked Dmitri up who struggled against their grip, "Release me."

"Take him to the dungeons until I find another king who needs a new servant." He then looked over at Jon who was standing still. He swallowed the lump in his throat, feeling Nicholas' eyes on him. "Do you wish to leave Jon or do you wish to join your father," he inquired.

Jon looked at William who took his sword back from Aidan. He then looked down then at Nicholas as he whispered softly, "I'll leave." Nicholas nodded while Jon began to walk away to the giant doors.

As Jon walked away, Nicholas sat back down in his chair with his hand on his face. "How can I be so blind," he mumbled.

"They tricked us all, Nick," Isabelle comforted her husband then she looked at Aidan. "I believe we still have one more thing to handle though."

Nicholas nodded then looked at Annabel, "I need to know he's sincere, Anna. His family name has been tarnish and I do not know him.

"Papa," Annabel sighed before looking over at Aidan who held a sad look in his eyes. She looked back at her father and whispered, "I love him because he sees me for me. Didn't you fall in love with Mama because of that too?"

"Nick," Nicholas looked at his wife. Isabelle looked over at Aidan and said softly, "Let him prove himself to you."

Nicholas nodded then looked at Aidan, "Step forward, Aidan."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Aidan stepped forward, looking up at Annabel then looked at Nicholas.

Nicholas sighed, running his hand along his hair before he stated, "Prove to me that you mean it when you say you love my daughter."

Aidan looked down for a moment then back at Annabel. She was smiling at him and it seemed that in that smile, he felt that he was the only person in the room. Just be you, Aidan, he remembered what Dorthea told him. He gave a small smile at the thought before he spoke, "Your daughter has brought a light in my eyes that I thought I would never gain back after my mother died. You see she gave me a medallion that you split in half and you give the other half to your soul mate."

Annabel touched the medallion around her neck before she smiled widely. Nicholas noticed this smile but shook his head slightly and demanded, "More."

Aidan bit his lower lip then a thought came to him. He looked at Annabel and asked her, "The man you were with at the ball, Anna, you took him to the garden?" She nodded as he began to walk over to her. Nicholas frowned slightly at Aidan before looking at Annabel who stood up from her chair with the mask in her hand. They met half way and Annabel gently handed the mask. Aidan took it in his hand, looking at it before he chuckled, "I don't need a mask to prove to you that I love you, do I?"

"No," Annabel answered.

Aidan took her hands into his as he whispered to her, "What do I have to do to prove to you?"

Nicholas' eyebrows shot up in surprise before he looked over at his wife. She was smiling widely, squeezing her husband's hand. He squeezed back Isabelle's hand before he looked back at them.

Annabel looked down at their entwined hands. She then looked back up to see the look in his eyes; it was the look of pure adornment and love. "Finish what you've been trying to say to me from the beginning," she whispered to him.

Aidan smiled; removing his hands from Annabel's to cup her cheek. He closed his eyes, taking in the softness of her skin before opening his eyes back up to look at her. "Do I love you because you're beautiful or are you beautiful because I love you? Am I making believe I see in you, a girl too lovely to be really true? Do I want you because you're wonderful or are you wonderful because I want you," he noticed tears forming in Annabel's eyes. He pressed his forehead against her forehead, "Are you the sweetest invention of a lover's dream or are you really as wonderful as you seem?"

"Say it, please," she begged him.

Aidan pulled back with blue eyes gazing lovingly at brown eyes. "I'm forever yours, Annabel. I'm in love with you," he poured his heart fully to her.

"I love you, Aidan."

They heard movement and glanced up to see Nicholas standing from his chair with Isabelle next to him. He descended to the couple before looking at Aidan then at Annabel. "I see a love I haven't seen since your mother and me," he explained to Annabel. He looked at his wife, touching her cheek before whispering, "I doubted a bit that the love your mother and I have existed afterwards but seeing the way he looks at you. Annabel, I know he loves you and I give my blessing."

Annabel gasped before she looked back at Aidan, hugging him tightly. He spun them around before placing her on the ground. "Stay with me," Annabel asked him.

"I thought you wouldn't ask," he answered before cupping her cheeks and bringing their lips together in a soft and loving kiss.

"Do you take Aidan to be your husband," the priest asked Annabel.

She watched as Annabel answered, "I do."

"Do you take Annabel to be your-"

"I do," Aidan immediately cut off. Annabel released a small laugh while Aidan gave a goofy but loving smile.

Dorthea released a small chuckle, watching the wedding in the rafters. She shook her head at the young man who pulled Annabel close to him and sealed their vows with a kiss. "I told you, Aidan. Everybody's life is a fairy tale someway and you didn't magic to earn her love. Your love is the magic."

The End

Okay, I will not cry but I would love to say thank you to everyone for reviewing, favoriting, and following this story. If it weren't for you, this story would never move. Please review, PM, comment, etc! Also, if you have another fairy tale idea, let me know!

Until next time

- Marx