Epilogue
“I’m sorry you have to wait because of me,” Rose said to Natalie, looking at the other girl’s reflection. The two girls stood side by side in front of the enormous full-length mirror that stood in Rose’s new and equally enormous royal suite.
As Leo had predicted, the council couldn’t give their approval fast enough, and her new suite had only been one indication of their pleasure at Leo’s choice.
Rose had appreciated the gesture since it allowed Natalie to keep the room she had been using since her arrival.
But as she looked at their reflections, she felt a stab of guilt.
Only one of them was wearing a wedding gown.
Natalie looked stunning in one of the purple dresses being worn by Rose’s attendants, but Rose knew how much her friend was looking forward to her own wedding.
If it had been up to Leo and Rose, they would have happily had a double wedding with Luca and Natalie, but being crown prince came with certain expectations.
King Frederic had insisted that Leo be married first and with all possible pomp, so Natalie and Luca had been forced to wait.
“Don’t be sorry,” Natalie told her. “You have to squeeze every drop of happiness out of today! I don’t mind waiting. Luca and I will get our turn soon enough.”
“Goodness,” said a new voice, in tones of astonishment. “Whatever have you done to Natalie? I think you’ve wrought a miracle.”
Rose laughed as she turned to greet her sister-in-law. “It wasn’t me. Unless you count agreeing to swap places with her. The rest she did herself.”
“I’d heard rumors,” Charlotte said gravely. “Mostly from Natalie herself. But I didn’t entirely believe them.” She laughed. “Not the swapping places bit—that I believed easily.” She raised her eyebrows. “Although I was a little surprised to hear you’d agreed, Rose.”
Rose tried to look guilty and failed. She was too happy at the outcome to regret her foolish prank.
“Good on you,” Charlotte whispered as she drew close, one hand resting protectively on the slight bulge of her belly.
“It always worried me that you were so consumed by your role. You were so helpful to me when I first arrived in Arcadia, teaching me how to be a princess. I appreciated it enormously, but I felt sad that it was the only life you’d ever gotten to know. ”
Rose smiled. “I’ve come to terms with that now. Being a princess is too much a part of me for me to separate myself from it. I don’t even want to now.” She snuck another glance at herself in the mirror. Soon she would be Leo’s wife.
“I’m very sorry you’re staying here permanently, though,” Charlotte said wistfully. “And just as you were going to become an aunt.”
Rose embraced her. “I’ll visit as often as I can. I promise.”
“You’d better,” a deeper voice said, and Rose turned to see her father enter the room, her mother at his side. Both of them were smiling at her, but there were also tears in her mother’s eyes.
“Of course I will!” Rose threw herself into her father’s arms, embracing him tightly, not worrying about wrinkling her dress. Her parents had arrived two weeks ago, but it still hadn’t been enough time with them.
She turned to her mother next, whispering, “Don’t cry, or you’ll start me off. I’m going to miss you so much.”
“Not as much as we’ll miss you.” Alyssa hugged her daughter fiercely before pulling back and dabbing at her eyes. “I knew you didn’t like it when we suggested this match to you—although I didn’t realize how much you disliked it.” She gave her daughter a rueful look.
Rose laughed. “I couldn’t bear to tell you. I didn’t want to disappoint you.”
Alyssa sighed and pulled her daughter into another hug. “You can always tell me anything. Even when you’re a mother yourself and surrounded by your own children. I’ll always be your mother, no matter how old you get.”
“Are you trying to make me cry?” Rose scolded, and Alyssa pulled away again, chuckling.
“I just want you to know that I didn’t suggest Leo because of the potential alliance,” she said. “We met him on our last visit here, and I thought he’d be an ideal match for you personally.” She grinned. “He’s a very appealing young man, after all.”
“Mother!” Rose cried, and Alyssa laughed again.
“It wasn’t just his personal qualities either,” Alyssa continued. “I always knew you’d make an excellent queen. You’ll be able to use your gifts and make a true difference to the people of Lanover.” She beamed at her daughter. “We heard you already have.”
Rose flushed with pleasure at her mother’s praise.
Her father put his hand on her mother’s arm. “We should find our places. The ceremony will be starting soon.”
Alyssa nodded, and Max put his arm around her as the two left the room.
“Your mother cried for half the journey here,” Charlotte said softly. “But she really is very happy for you. It’s been inspiring to see how unselfish she is in her dreams for you. I hope I can be half as good a mother one day.”
Rose smiled at her. “I know you will be.”
She looked around the room. “Are we ready? Does anyone know where Beatrice, Iris, and Violet are?”
Moving to Lanover meant leaving one sister-in-law, but she was gaining three more. Leo’s sister and two cousins had returned to Lanare to greet Leo’s betrothed with great enthusiasm. According to them, he had been needing someone to keep him in line for years.
And, of course, she would have Natalie as well. The other three might one day marry and move away themselves, but Natalie and Luca had sworn to stay in Lanare and support Leo and Rose when their turn to rule came.
“They’re going to meet us outside the throne room,” Natalie said.
“Are you nervous?” Charlotte asked, squeezing Rose’s arm.
“What does she have to be nervous about?” Natalie asked. “At least she won’t be expected to do laundry in that stunning gown.” She wrinkled her nose while Charlotte laughed.
Rose looked at Charlotte with wide eyes. “Is it true, then? Is that really a required part of wedding ceremonies in the mountain kingdom? I thought Natalie was teasing me.”
“I’m afraid to say it is,” Charlotte said. “Although I heard Gwen means to change that.”
“She’s always been a sensible sort,” Natalie said approvingly.
“Unlike you,” Charlotte laughed.
Natalie looked wounded. “What do you mean? I’ve always been very sensible.”
Charlotte kept laughing. “Like when you assured me you were going to become a queen.”
Natalie joined her laughter. “Maybe not, then. But you have to admit I was very helpful during the rebellion. I had some excellent ideas.”
Charlotte grinned. “I acknowledge it freely. And I’m sorry you were cut out afterward. Gwen told me about that.”
Natalie sighed. “I’ve done my best to let that go. I still don’t agree with what my parents did, but I think I understand it better now. Things aren’t always as black and white as I used to think. Sometimes there’s no easy answer.”
“So you aren’t holding on to any regret about not becoming a queen?” Charlotte asked. “If it was anyone else, I’d say you were uncommonly fortunate to manage marrying a prince at all, but you have always pulled off feats no one else could achieve.”
Natalie shuddered dramatically. “No regret whatsoever. I’m relieved I failed at that goal. If I learned anything in our swap, it’s that I would make a terrible queen. Rose will do an infinitely better job, and Luca and I can support her and Leo from the side lines. That will suit me much better.”
She hesitated, glancing at Charlotte before she continued. “I’ve even talked to Luca about searching for Baden.”
Charlotte’s eyebrows rose at the mention of Natalie’s brother. But Natalie had already talked it through with Rose, and she approved.
“That would be a big step,” Charlotte said cautiously. “I know you always had strong feelings about him.”
Natalie shrugged. “I still do. But I can see his situation in a different light now. He might have betrayed us, but he was two years younger than I am now at the time, and he was scared and wanted to protect his family. I think I’d like to hear his side of things.
” She sighed. “It’s not as if I always make the right choices myself. ”
Charlotte smiled. “I hope you do manage to find him. I heard no one’s had any news of him since his banishment.”
“Luca said he’ll help me search.” Natalie laughed. “I think he’s actually excited about the prospect—a legitimate reason to go off adventuring.”
“The challenge will be stopping Leo from joining him,” Rose said ruefully.
“We’d love to have you,” Natalie immediately declared. “Didn’t Leo say he intends to be both responsible and adventurous as crown prince?”
Rose laughed. “Something like that.”
“As long as you stop in Arcadia on your way to your adventure then I heartily approve,” Charlotte said. “But for now, there’s a different sort of adventure waiting for you, Rose. Are you ready for it?”
“Utterly and completely ready,” Rose said with her biggest smile. “There’s no adventure I want more than to spend a lifetime at Leo’s side.”