Epilogue
Months later
Returning to Ceilte after so much time felt strange.
The forest of Marukoksha, once wild and intimidating, now felt more like home than the castle, filled with the familiar scent of pine and damp earth.
The time I had spent in Oksha had changed me: the scent of jasmine had given way to something more earthy, and the braids Malek made in my hair made me feel stronger and more connected to my new people.
The castle, with its impeccably manicured gardens and white marble walls, seemed almost cold, too sterile to shelter the life I had learned to love.
Despite my complaints and Malek's insistence that the ceremony should be held in Oksha, my parents remained unwavering.
They insisted on a "public reconciliation" and a celebration that would seal the alliance in a way no one could question.
That was why I was there: in my room, getting ready for another marriage.
This time, my heart pounded as if it might tear free from my chest. My mother and Kristan chattered nonstop about the preparations, which didn’t help my nervousness at all.
"Fionnuala, stop moving," Laurelin scolded impatiently. "Alyssandre’s trying to fasten your dress."
I had chosen the dress myself; I could have worn the traditional attire of an Okshai wedding, but instead, I opted for something that honored my High Fae heritage as well.
The bodice fit my body like a glove, neither suffocating nor restricting my movements.
Its off-the-shoulder neckline unveiled my green-tinged skin and the newly etched protective runes along my shoulders and arms. The skirt cascaded in long, flowing layers that caught the light with every movement, tiny stones sparkling as if the dress itself were enchanted.
The rose-gold color, my favorite, reminded me of the Oksha sky at dusk and the quiet, stolen moments I had shared with Malek in our clearing, lost in each other.
My long blonde hair tumbled down my back in a cascade of braids, threaded with tiny beads of polished bone and rose quartz, a birthday gift from my mate. Atop my head rested my favorite circlet, crowning me as both a Princess of Ceilte and krash’uk of Oksha.
"You look beautiful, Fiona," Kristan murmured, her eyes misty. She stepped closer, adjusting a stray braid in my hair.
"You're next," I teased, watching her flush instantly. "Whenever Drak stops being a brusak."
"Malek and Drak are very different," Laurelin said. “Your mate, my dear, is a devoted and protective male who would never take a step without ensuring you were safe. Kristan’s, however, hides behind a mask."
"He isn’t mine…" Kristan protested, but the affection in her voice could not disguise her true feelings.
Laurelin chuckled but, thankfully, didn’t say anything else.
I admired my reflection. The female staring back at me was the same one who had fled on that fateful day of my first wedding, yet she was so very different.
I had new curves, more toned muscles, and leaf-green skin.
Even my blue eyes now shone with the determination and serenity I had discovered only in the forest, at my orc’s side.
"Kristan, dear, may I speak with my daughter alone?"
My friend nodded and, with one last smile in my direction, left the room.
Laurelin approached me, her blue silk dress fluttering with the movement. Her warm hand on my arm made my tense muscles relax almost immediately.
"Are you happy?" she asked, her voice serious.
"Very."
"Malek is a good male. I see the way he looks at you. It is how your father looked at me before our wedding."
"I know," I smiled. "He loves me."
My mother sighed and took my side, looking at our reflection.
"Your choice reminds me of mine." Her smile was tender. "I could have married anyone, lived a life without so many responsibilities, but as soon as I laid eyes on your father, I fell in love."
Her gaze shone with the same intensity as when I was a child, and she would tell me that story. Even after millennia together, my parents had never stopped loving each other.
“When your father told me about your marriage to Jameson, I was furious with him.” That took me by surprise. “I never wanted you and Leone to endure the misery of a marriage of convenience. Honestly, it was a blessing that Merith ruined everything.”
We shared a knowing laugh. After the battle in Grìosach, Merith had returned to her refuge in the mountains. Still, she and my mother continued to exchange letters. Laurelin never revealed what she had done to persuade Merith to help us, but honestly, I had no desire to find out.
The bells announcing the start of the ceremony rang. My mother smiled and hugged me before standing up.
"I want you to have a very happy and full life, my flower." She kissed the top of my head. "And give me many grandchildren."
My entire face flushed. "Mama!"
Her laughter echoed through the corridors.
? ? ?
Unlike my non-wedding with Jameson, Malek and I chose to hold our ceremony at the edge of the forest, near the ancient gardens.
The improvised altar was a tapestry of vibrant colors: fine silk carpets brought from the castle rested on the ground, decorated with Fae flowers and ashe gathered from Oksha.
A garland of oak leaves and holly, intertwined with wind chimes of polished bone, framed the space, blending the luxury of Ceilte with the simplicity of Oksha.
The guests sat on rustic benches made of logs, divided in a very obvious way.
On one side was the Court of Ceilte—my parents, Leone, Kristan, Lord Alaric, and the nobles who, out of curiosity or respect, had come to honor the union.
They wore silks and jewels, their vibrant colors subtly clashing with the natural setting.
On the other side, the Okshai in leather garments and earth-toned fabrics stood out just as distinctly.
Malek waited for me at the altar, standing beside Kroshak, who would perform the blessing ritual for our union.
His posture radiated strength and pride.
He wore an Okshai wedding outfit of soft, dark-toned deer leather, with protective runes embroidered in silver thread.
His long dark hair fell over his shoulders, accented with thin braids along the sides.
His war axe, his most treasured possession, was planted firmly in the ground beside him.
When our eyes met, the world seemed to fall away.
His smile became the only light I needed to guide me, not just in that moment, but for all the years to come.
Malek reached for my hands, gently taking them in his.
Kroshak, with a deep and solemn voice, began the ceremony in Okshakai, the language that had become my own.
“We are gathered here today before the Great Mother, Marukoksha, to witness the union of Ruk’hai Malek and his krash’uk, Fionnuala. Their love stands as proof that fate can weave paths where hatred once kept us apart.”
The Okshai ritual was simple, centered on nature, loyalty, and the union of the kuturo.
Kroshak offered us a bowl of tea brewed from aphrodisiac herbs meant to aid fertility, as though we needed any help in that regard.
Malek took the first sip, and I watched, unable to hide my desire, as his throat rose and fell.
“Malek, do you accept Fionnuala as your partner, guide, protector, and companion for all eternity, until the Great Mother calls you from this world to the next?”
“Yes,” Malek answered, his voice steady and certain. My heart leaped, my stomach fluttering with love for the male.
“Fionnuala, do you accept Malek as your partner, guide, protector, and companion for all eternity, until the Great Mother calls you from this world to the next?”
“Yes!” I replied, unable to contain my excitement, drawing soft laughter from the guests.
I drank the tea as well, the warmth spreading through me from within. The ritual continued with the exchange of vows, not formal recitations, but promises spoken from the heart.
“I give you my heart, my strength, and my loyalty,” Malek vowed, his eyes locked on mine, the sincerity in his voice breaking me into a thousand pieces. “I’m yours, and you’re mine, now and always.”
Tears streamed down my face, not from sorrow, but from a happiness so overwhelming it stole my breath.
“I give you my soul, my heart, and my loyalty,” I vowed, my voice thick with emotion. “I’m yours, and you’re mine, now and always.”
The final step was the kiss, the sealing of our union before all. Malek drew me to him with a sudden urgency that stole my breath. Our lips met in a deep kiss that made my fingers curl and heat coil low in my core.
When we finally pulled apart, the clearing erupted into applause and jubilant shouts. The orcs struck their axes against the ground, while the Fae of Ceilte clapped in celebration. Our worlds had, at last, become one.
"Krishn orok ‘n hkai," I said.
"Krishn orok ‘n hkai, Fionnuala Kerridan."
Our union was celebrated under the blessing of the Great Mother, of Danu and Nemain, and with the certainty that our love was the strength that would weave peace between our peoples. Fate might have united us through a curse and a blood bargain, but it was love that would keep us together.
THE END