Epilogue
Six months Later
“Codie! Nae so close to the water!”
Iris’ voice carried across the riverbank where they’d spread their picnic blanket on this crisp autumn afternoon.
The same spot where Elijah had first kissed her properly, where they’d had their disastrous swimming lesson that had ended in confusion and hurt feelings.
Now it felt like reclaiming something, making new, happier memories in a place that held complicated ones.
“But I want to see if there are fish!” Codie called back, crouched at the water’s edge with a stick in hand.
“Ye can see fish from here just fine. The water’s too cold now; ye’ll catch yer death if ye fall in.” She turned to Elijah, who was lounging on the blanket with an amused expression. “Tell yer son to be careful.”
“He’s only me son when he’s bein’ reckless? The rest of the time he’s ours?” But Elijah was already standing, moving toward where Codie was leaning dangerously far over the water. “Come on, lad. Yer maither’s right. It’s too cold for swimmin’, and ye’ve only just recovered from that cough.”
“I wasnae going to swim,” Codie protested, but he stepped back from the edge. “I was just lookin’.”
“Then look from back here where it’s safe.” Elijah ruffled his son’s hair. “Besides, I think Cook packed those honey cakes ye like. If ye come back to the blanket now, ye might get one before I eat them all.”
“Faither! Ye wouldnae!” Codie took off running back toward where Iris sat, and she couldn’t help but smile at how much he’d changed over the past months.
The frightened, careful boy who’d been so desperate for approval had gradually transformed into a more confident child. He laughed more freely now, asked questions without fear of being scolded, and had started calling her “Maither” without the hesitation that used to color the word.
“Too late!” Elijah called, jogging after him. “I’m already eatin’ the first one!”
“Daenae ye dare!”
Iris watched them play-wrestle over the basket, both of them grinning, and felt warmth bloom in her chest. This, this easy affection, this playfulness between father and son, was what they’d both needed. What they’d fought so hard to achieve.
“Here, Maither!” Codie thrust a honey cake at her triumphantly. “I saved ye one before Faither could eat them all.”
“Me hero.” She accepted it with a smile. “Though I think yer faither was only pretendin’ to steal them all.”
“Was nae,” Elijah said, settling back onto the blanket with his own cake. “I’m a growin’ man. I need me sustenance.”
“Ye’re nae growin’. Ye’re already huge.” Codie giggled at his own joke. “Can I go look for interestin’ rocks now? I promise I’ll stay away from the water.”
“Aye, but daenae wander too far. And if ye hear me call, ye come right back.”
“I will!” He was off like a shot, already scanning the ground for treasures.
"He's become quite the horseman," Iris observed, watching Codie dart across the meadow with the confidence of a boy who'd conquered his fears. "I saw him racin' Thunder across the paddock yesterday with Henry. Laughin' the entire time."
"Aye." Pride warmed Elijah's voice. "Took him a few weeks after the incident to get back on, but once he did, there was nae stoppin' him. Now he rides better than some of me new guards." He smiled. "Last week he asked if he could start learnin' to jump. I told him we'd start with small logs first."
"Jumpin'? Already?" Iris shook her head with amusement. "That boy has nay fear anymore."
"He has plenty of fear. He just doesnae let it stop him now." Elijah's expression softened. "Ye taught him that. Taught both of us that bein' afraid doesnae mean ye cannae be brave."
"Speaking of security," Iris said, "whatever happened with the raiders? Ye mentioned them when we first married—said yer protection was all that kept me parents safe from them."
Elijah's expression darkened slightly. "They tested our borders twice the first month of our marriage.
Henry and I rode out with fifty men each time and sent them runnin' back to their own lands with their tails between their legs.
" His voice held grim satisfaction. "After the second defeat, their laird sent word requestin' a peace treaty.
We signed it six months ago. They willnae trouble us again. "
"Good," Iris said firmly. "I'd rather nae have to worry about raiders while raisin' our children."
"Ye'll never have to worry about that. I've made certain of it." His hand moved to rest protectively on her shoulder. "This clan is safe, our borders are secure, and our alliances are stronger than ever."
Iris took a bite of her honey cake, savoring the sweetness while watching Codie explore. Beside her, she felt Elijah’s gaze on her profile.
“What?” she asked without looking at him.
“Just watchin’ ye.”
“That’s nae creepy at all.”
“I like watchin’ ye be a maither to him.
” His voice was soft, genuine. “The way ye worry about him bein’ too cold or wanderin’ too far or eatin’ enough vegetables at supper.
The way ye tuck him in at night and listen to all his stories about dragons and knights.
The way ye’ve made him feel safe enough to just be a child. ”
Heat crept into her cheeks. “I’m only doing what any maither would do.”
“Nay. Ye’re doing what a good maither does. And that’s nae as common as it should be.” He reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I love seein’ this side of ye. Love knowin’ that our children will have the kind of mother ye never did.”
“Do ye want more children?” She kept her voice carefully neutral even as her heart began to race.
“Do ye nae want more?” He tilted his head, studying her face. “I thought... well, I’d hoped ye’d want to give Codie siblings eventually.”
“Eventually, aye.” She set down the remainder of her honey cake, her hands suddenly trembling. “Or perhaps... sooner than eventually.”
It took him a moment to process her words. She watched his expression shift from confusion to understanding to something that looked like hope mixed with disbelief.
“Iris.” His voice was rough. “Are ye sayin’ what I think ye’re sayin’?”
“That depends. What do ye think I’m sayin’?”
“Daenae play with me. Nae about this.” His hand came up to cup her face. “Are ye with child?”
She nodded, unable to speak past the sudden tightness in her throat. She’d known for a week now, had been trying to find the perfect moment to tell him. And this, here by the river where so much of their story had unfolded, felt right.
“Aye. I’m pregnant. We’re havin’ a baby.”
For a long moment, he just stared at her. Then, without warning, he pulled her into his arms with enough force to nearly knock the breath from her lungs. His face buried in her neck, his shoulders shaking slightly.
“Elijah? Are ye all right?”
“I’m... I’m more than all right.” When he pulled back, she was shocked to see tears in his eyes. “I’m elated. Overwhelmed. Terrified. But mostly elated.”
“Terrified?”
“Of messin’ it up. Of being the kind of faither to this child that me own faither was to me.” His hand moved to rest against her still-flat stomach. “But also determined nae to be. Determined to be better.”
“Ye will be better. Ye already are.” She covered his hand with hers. “Look at how ye are with Codie now. How ye play with him, listen to him, make him feel important and loved. That’s the kind of faither ye’ll be to this baby too.”
“Ye really think so?”
“I ken so.” She smiled. “Besides, ye’ll have me there to keep ye in line if ye start gettin’ too broodin’ and beastly.”
“I’m nae beastly anymore.”
“Ye’re a little beastly, but I like it.” She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his mouth. “I love ye, Elijah Craig. Even when ye’re impossible.”
“I love ye too.” He kissed her, his hand still pressed protectively against her stomach. “God, Iris, I love ye so much. Thank ye. Thank ye for givin’ me this. For givin’ us a family.”
“It’s what I wanted too.” She rested her forehead against his. “A real family. The kind I never had growin’ up. The kind where people actually care about each other.”
“We’ll give both our children that. Codie and this new little one.” His voice dropped lower, rougher. “And later, when we’re alone in our chambers, I’m going to show ye exactly how happy ye’ve made me.”
The promise in his words sent heat spiraling through her. “Is that so?”
“Aye. I’m goin’ to worship every inch of ye. Show ye with me hands and me mouth exactly how much I love ye, how grateful I am that ye’re mine.” His thumb traced along her jaw. “I’m goin’ to make ye scream me name so loud the entire castle kens how well I take care of me wife.”
“Elijah,” she breathed, her cheeks flushing. “Codie’s right there.”
“Then I suggest ye compose yerself before he comes back.” His grin was wicked. “Though I’m nae promisin’ to behave meself once we’re alone tonight.”
“Ye’re terrible.”
“Ye love it.”
She did. God help her, she absolutely did.
“Maither! Faither! Look what I found!” Codie came running back, his hands cupped around something. “It’s a perfect skippin’ stone! Can we try to skip it across the water?”
“The water’s too rough here for skippin’ stones, lad,” Elijah said, but he was already standing, offering Iris his hand to help her up. “But we can try at the pond near the castle. The surface is calmer there.”
“Really? Ye’ll teach me?”
“Aye. I’ll teach ye.” Elijah pulled Iris to her feet then surprised her by keeping her close, his arm around her waist. “But first, we need to tell ye somethin’. Somethin’ important.”
Codie’s eyes went wide. “What? Is somethin’ wrong?”
“Nay, nothin’s wrong. In fact, somethin’s very right.” Elijah looked at Iris, silently asking permission. She nodded. “How would ye feel about havin’ a little brother or sister?”
Codie blinked. Then blinked again. “What? Really? Ye mean... Maither’s havin’ a baby?”
“Aye. Next spring, if all goes well.”
“I’m goin’ to be a big brother?” The wonder in his voice made Iris’ eyes sting with tears. “Really and truly?”