Epilogue
Adeline cradled their newborn daughter, taking in her tiny face, tiny nose, tiny fingers. “She’s perfect.”
Lorne wrapped one arm around her shoulders as he stretched out on the bed beside her. In his other arm, he held their newborn son. “And so is our son.”
“Twins.” Adeline shook her head before she rested it against his shoulder. “The midwife guessed as much, but I still can hardly believe it. An heir for both Kelverny and Lalsacia. Both kingdoms will be pleased.”
After some initial argument over being assigned a female heir in the treaty, the nobles had, eventually, come to terms with it.
As she’d earned their overall support, if not their loyalty, the Kelvernese nobles—and most importantly the common people—had embraced having a queen.
They’d embrace their new princess just as much, and probably feel a sense of pride that they were the ones who would have Adeline’s and Lorne’s firstborn child for their heir.
Kelverny’s new crown princess had beaten her brother to being the firstborn by a mere three minutes.
“Forget the kingdoms for a moment.” Lorne pressed a kiss to her temple. “Today is for us and our family.”
“Yes.” Adeline snuggled closer to Lorne, even as their daughter slept peacefully in her arms.
They’d come to Lalsacia for the baby’s birth—better to have more than one fleech dragon on hand—and they were currently residing in one of the royal family’s country estates, away from the prying eyes of both kingdoms.
Chitter, the fleech dragon who had bonded to her, currently slept at the end of the bed.
The little dragon had been a faithful companion in the past two years, calming her during intense meetings with the council and during public appearances.
The dragon’s presence had done much in helping her heal from her grandfather’s years of control and manipulation.
Although, Lorne certainly had played a large part as well.
There came a knock on the door before it cracked open. “May we come in?”
Lorne shared a look with her, and she gave him a nod. He raised his voice. “Yes, of course.”
King Philip stepped inside, his gaze sweeping over them as he smiled. He sat in the chair beside the bed, his eyes wide with wonder.
Thaddeus trailed after him, halting in the doorway as if he didn’t dare fully step into the room.
But he’d been more a father to her than anyone else in the past few years, and it had seemed only right to invite him to visit as family in the wake of their children’s births.
After all, he was the reason she and Lorne had married.
“Meet your granddaughter, Princess Soraine of Kelverny.” Lorne’s voice held such pride that Adeline’s chest filled with it.
“And your grandson, Prince Sorran of Lalsacia.” Adeline sat up straighter as she nodded to the babe Lorne held. “Would you like to hold them? Or, well, one of them?”
King Philip mutely nodded, and Lorne eased the newborn Sorran into his arms. Cradling his grandson, King Philip looked at the baby with such love that something in Adeline’s chest both ached and healed all at once.
Her children wouldn’t have a grandfather like she had.
They would be well loved, not just by their parents, but also by their grandfather.
Given the adoring look Thaddeus was sending the babies, they’d be loved by their adopted grandfather as well.
They wouldn’t be valued only because they were in line for the thrones but loved because of who they were.
“And you too, Thaddeus.” Lorne gestured the steward closer. “Come hold your new princess.”
Once Thaddeus had perched in the other chair, Adeline passed Soraine to him. It seemed right that Thaddeus should be one of the first to hold her.
When Lorne wrapped his arm around her once again, Adeline leaned into him, even as he pressed a light kiss to her temple.
She had a husband who loved her. Twins to pour their shared love into. A kingdom to rule in a far better manner than it had been before.
It was more than Adeline could have imagined on that desperate night when she’d taken the chance to marry the Lalsacian in the dungeon. But she wouldn’t have it any other way.