Epilogue: Happiness Forevermore
THE day we celebrated our second-year graduation was in the middle of a beautiful autumn. There wasn’t so much as a cloud in the sky, to the point that the heavens seemed open to us. It was as bright as Elizabeth and my future together, and it felt as though I could soar.
As my mind wandered, the carriage completed its short course along the cobbled roads to the la Montlivere Mansion, Elizabeth’s home. Harold ushered me to the front gates, where my fiancée was already waiting with one of her maids.
“Thank you very much for visiting, Your Royal Highness.”
Her words were standard and formal as always, but her smile seemed especially gentle. She led me through the gate and into the atrium, revealing the duke’s mansion in all its grandeur. The vaulted ceilings reached as high as the heavens themselves.
Finally, we arrived in the front foyer, where I found the duke and duchess—both of whom seemed nervous—as well as Elizabeth’s two older brothers awaiting us. I knew that the brothers were often busy maintaining the realm. If even they were here, His Grace clearly meant business. My palms began to sweat.
“Thank you for receiving me so cordially,” I managed to say.
“Of course!” His Grace said with an equally nervous smile. “I consider it a pleasure and a privilege to see you.”
“I brought you a gift,” I said, reaching for the parcel in Harold’s hands. “The palace pâtissier put a great deal of effort into—”
I cut myself short as I realized my critical error. The package contained a custom variety of sweets and confections, including cakes, macarons, chocolate truffles, and more. It was an assortment of all Elizabeth’s favorite things, carefully chosen from the desserts she enjoyed most during her visits to the palace. In other words, it was a perfect gift for Elizabeth, whereas courtesy dictated I bring a gift for the whole House la Montlivere.
Harold, noticing my troubled look, narrowed his eyes.
“I had assumed you chose this willingly,” he whispered. “Was it not your intent?”
“It wasn’t,” I whispered back.
“I see.”
Despite our low voices, Elizabeth’s entire family could likely hear our every word. Elizabeth herself blushed and averted her gaze. She was pleased by my gift, but more than that, she was embarrassed by my blunder.
It’s not that bad, is it? I hope it’s not.
I was there to formally ask for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage as well as to codify our engagement anew. I’d been planning to do so ever since the morning of Lars’ first appearance.
With a gift like this, I was off to the worst start imaginable. Ignoring her family so pointedly was like openly declaring that I loved Elizabeth to the point that I’d lost my mind, and most self-respecting families would show a suitor like that to the door.
To be fair, I do love her to the point of insanity and beyond.
“Today is truly perfect weather for—”
“You must be thirsty! We’ve prepared some light refreshments for you.”
I tried to change the topic, but the duke had the same idea, and we ended up interrupting each other. The duke seemed bothered that he had interrupted me when I was trying to get straight to the point, but it wasn’t the time or place for that. Manners dictated that we move to a parlor first.
“Let me show you the way,” His Grace finally said, standing to lead the way out of the room. He seemed as composed as before, but I knew that he was still as flustered as I was.
Oh, how am I such a mess?! I’ve been engaged to her for nine whole years now. How am I this nervous?!
Fortunately, I’d recomposed myself by the time we relocated and started a bit of small talk with Elizabeth’s brothers with my dignity intact. The table the drinks were on was a tad too far away from the seats for us to sit and talk, but the room was arranged so that we could stand and chat without difficulty. The duke knew I would be too tense to sit down during our conversation.
I fixed my eyes on His Grace at Elizabeth’s side, the man who would soon become my father-in-law. On her other side was the duchess, and behind them, her brothers. Elizabeth’s posture was as flawless as always, but her cheeks were more flushed than usual, and her smile was strained enough to suggest she was nervous.
Her eyes met mine, and she gave me courage. I wasn’t the smitten little boy who cried himself to sleep over her beauty anymore. There was only one thing I had to say.
“I swear I will make Lady Elizabeth—your fair daughter—happy. Rest assured, I’ll care for her with all my heart and soul.”
The kingdom had been stable for years. Our political influence was slowly on the rise, but that was no excuse for me to grow complacent. I had to work all the harder for her.
The duke’s face reddened slightly, and I caught a hint of a tear in the duchess’ eye. Letting their daughter marry had to be a herculean feat, even if it aligned with her own will. If she happened to give birth to a daughter, we would surely—
No, I can’t. I swear I’m about to cry.
I bit my lip as the duke nodded readily.
“I was always so proud of the letters she would write you as a child,” he said. “I know well that you’ve likewise treasured her for many years.”
Between his wording and the look he was giving me, the subtext was clear. He knew my affections for her had been purely one-sided until recently, and he pitied me greatly for it.
This is far more painful than I thought it’d be. Her parents understood all those love poems I wrote her, then, but she didn’t? That stings.
He cast a sidelong glance at his daughter. She was blushing embarrassedly, but I could tell from the smile on her face that she was genuinely happy. He then made eye contact with me and pointedly cleared his throat.
Suddenly, it clicked.
What if, between the many years I took to confess my love to her and Elizabeth’s failure to sort out her own feelings for me, her parents were also troubled?
It was a passing thought, but the duke and duchess both seemed genuinely happy. Her father turned to me and said the same thing he told me when I was a young boy.
“Please take good care of Elizabeth, Your Royal Highness.”
The duchess pressed a kerchief into the corners of her eyes, overcome by emotion. Elizabeth smiled at both of her parents in turn before looking at me.
“Just being by your side is all the happiness I’ll need, Prince Vincent.”
“Likewise, Elizabeth.”
Our future stretched infinitely before us as the light of the setting sun cast its rosy spell. The refreshing breeze that drifted in from the open window carried with it a hundred hopes and dreams.
Oh, I wish I could marry her tomorrow, I thought before composing myself and taking her hands in mine.