Epilogue
QUEEN EMELINE
Wessex isn’t as I remember it.
I made sure it wasn’t.
The old monarchies died with Aethelbald, only to be reborn.
My death was the only thing that set us free. We would always lose the war unless we cheated.
Skarth was furious at me for doing what I did, but when I confided in Abbot Maxwell, I knew that faking my death was the one upper hand we had. We didn’t have the manpower. Nor did we have time.
So I had to think about how Skarth taught me.
And although it hurt for a little while, the result was worth it because some order has been restored to England.
Aedan is now king of Mercia and Benedict of Northumbria.
The way life comes full circle confirms that there is a higher deity looking down on us, because I shouldn’t be alive. The blow Aethelbald delivered should have killed me, but here I am alive and well and with a new addition on the way.
“How fares my daughter?” Skarth says, his ear on my growing belly.
Through death comes life, the circle of life, as they say.
“She is as stubborn as her father, it appears,” I reply with a smile.
The castle where we live once belonged to King Egbert; the castle where I was imprisoned and, was once upon a time, my hell.
But this was my final fuck-you to Aethelbald in a sense, ruling the kingdom he wanted and desecrating every room with my beloved in his family’s home.
Looking over the mountains and into the sea, I see Viking ships sailing toward the docks. With my ruling, we accept the Danes on the proviso that they live in harmony.
I am sick of war.
The church sees that under my rule, England prospers, and war is quiet—for now.
But Skarth and I are not stupid. I know that appointing a Viking to an English throne will eventually lead to warfare. And when that time comes, we’ll be ready.
The kingdoms are stronger than ever before because on the thrones sit powerful, loyal, and honorable men.
Loki sits in a tree, his legs swinging in the wind. Skarth rubs my arm. “He will be all right, my love. The gods have chosen him for a reason.”
“And that is what frightens me.”
“Time will tell what they have planned, but Sune and Loki, once they become men, will change history…just as you have.”
“I wish to protect them for the past we had.”
“We cannot protect them from life. All we can do is guide them and hope they make the right choices.”
Skarth places his lips to my belly and whispers in Norse to our unborn child.
His hair has grown long and is now peppered with gray. I suppose we both have aged, but I still feel like a youngster whenever in his arms.
Life is somewhat perfect, which troubles me as I am continuously waiting for the other shoe to drop. But perhaps after all the hardships we’ve endured, this is our happily ever after.
Our baby kicks, cementing my thoughts.
Skarth shoots up, eyes wide in astonishment. “She understands me.”
“Of course she does, my love. You are her father. Your blood is hers.”
“And yours,” he counters, interlocking our fingers.
He turns nostalgic.
“What’s the matter?”
He skims his thumb over the back of my knuckles. “I’m not used to being this happy. I feel like I need to stab someone.”
I burst into laughter because that is simply hilarious. “Do not question it. We deserve it.”
“Aye, you are right. But I would still like to stab someone.”
King or no king, Skarth is still a Viking at heart.
During his reign over Wessex, he tries to unite the Vikings, but some remain resistant, and we both know that a war with both Christians and Vikings is likely.
We will always be seen as traitors to some, and someone will always attempt to challenge my throne.
But we’ll be ready when that happens because for the first time, Skarth sits on the throne beside me.
All seems well, but there is one missing factor.
Ulf.
In typical Ulf fashion, he fled the moment things settled. He doesn’t do happily ever afters, it seems. But that’s all right. He will always have a home here.
I do miss him.
And I still love him deeply.
But he was never my forever.
But that doesn’t lessen the experiences we’ve shared. Or does it diminish the place he holds in my heart?
Ulf will never be tamed.
Because he was born to run free.
I know our paths will cross again.
But until then, I hold on to the memories of being loved by a man who didn’t give his heart away to any.
So for now, Skarth and I govern England, making it just and prosperous for all.
We are accepting and hope that through education and example, wars will be no more.
But if there are…I am ready.
“Our love has withstood the test of time,” Skarth says, snapping me from my thoughts.
I look at him, brow raised. “This sounds like a ‘breaking up with me’ talk.”
He laughs. “On the contrary.”
Before I know what’s happening, he gets onto one knee and opens a box. Inside is a simple gold ring with a blue stone. It’s beautiful.
“Marry me.”
I stare at the ring, then back at Skarth, speechless.
He takes my silence as a refusal.
“I understand you are an independent woman, and I would never take that away from you. But I love you and want you to be my wife.”
I still cannot talk.
“But only if you want.” He blows out a deep breath, his hair fanning off his gorgeous face as he quickly stands. “This was a stupid idea.”
He goes to close the box, but I jump up and place my hand over his. “Yes.”
“Yes? Yes, it’s a stupid idea. Or yes…yes?”
“Yes, yes,” I reply, unable to hide my smile.
A string of Norse leaves him before he picks me up and twirls me in the air. An elated chuckle bursts from me because I am so happy.
He places me on my feet and slides the ring onto my finger.
“A Saxon queen and a Viking king,” I say, eyes welling with tears because many years ago I asked this very question and he said no.
It wasn’t the right time, but now, it is.
Loki and Sune come running over, and Skarth picks up both boys in his arms. “She said yes!”
“Of course she did!” Loki replies, whilst Sune rolls his eyes playfully.
Our little daughter kicks, wishing to be a part of this perfect moment.
“I love you,” I say, pressing my lips to Skarth and kissing him with passion.
“Ewww,” Sune gags, struggling to get down.
He and Loki run off, whilst I remain in the arms of the man I love with every beat of my heart.
Everything is perfect.
Everything is where it’s meant to be…
But when we see Sigrith quickly walk toward us, I realize I may have spoken too soon.
“She said yes,” Skarth says, as I hold up my finger.
“Did everyone know but me?”
Silence.
“I am so happy for you both, but I must speak freely.”
Skarth hugs me close, protecting me as he always does. “Since when do you need permission?”
She nods. “I do not wish to spoil this happy moment, but I—”
“Sigrith, what is it?”
She sighs heavily, and I know, I just know, because she, too, loves the same man as I do.
“It’s Ulf.”
Skarth groans and shakes his head. “What now?”
Three ravens circle above us, and the sky soon gives way to the tempest beast. “He’s been taken.”
“By whom?”
“The Isolde Crew.”
“Pirates?” I question, astonished, because this isn’t likely.
But it seems very probable, and when Ulf is involved, anything is possible.
“What did he do?”
When Sigrith doesn’t reply, Skarth rolls his eyes. “That means a woman, or several, are involved. What do you wish for, Sister?”
“We cannot leave him to fend for himself.”
“Yes, we can,” Skarth interjects, but is ignored.
“I ask for a team of men to go on a rescue mission. I know it’s an ask—”
“Of course, Sigrith. Compile who you want and who wishes to help.”
“Thank you, Emeline.” Sigrith kisses me on the cheek.
“Oh, and congratulations, Brother.” She hugs him before running off to gather a group of men to rescue Ulf.
“He will be fine,” Skarth says, sensing my worry.
“I know he will be. But now England has pirates. What else do we face? What other dangers now linger?”
Skarth cups my face in his large palms. “Whatever comes our way, we face together. You captured the heart of a Viking when he never believed he had a heart, so you are capable of anything. I love you, hugrekki.”
In my beloved arms, we stare into the sunset because for the first time in a long time, the future is bright…and I cannot wait to dance in the sunshine after being captured in the darkness for so long.