Epilogue

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I look up to see the afternoon sun shining brightly down at me. The warmth and light it provides is a representation of the happy present and future with my family and the ones I love.

I look down to see our son, Adrianus, cradling in my arm and playing with the ends of my hair. He was born a season ago and possessed similar looks as Nathaniel, even as a bairn.

A little girl's laugh and screams catch my attention and a smile forms at the vision of my husband playfully chasing our daughter. Amaris surpassed two winters now and I couldn't be more grateful.

I was scared of losing her like a few mothers lose young bairns due to the harsh winter of Nordfjord, but Amaris proved that she and strong Nordfjord blood running through her veins.

"Papa no!"

Despite her protests, Nathaniel continued tickling her. She laughed hysterically and I couldn't stop my own ones, Nathaniel lifted his head up and looked at me, giving a wide smile.

I motioned at our son lying in our arms and he faked a saddened expression. Amaris used that moment and escaped his hold, running towards me as Nahtnaiel slowly chased her.

Her tiny body crashed on one side of me and I looked down to see Adrianus has finally fallen asleep. Deciding to not awaken him by any chance, I laid him down on a blanket and wrapped my arms around Amaris.

"Why don't we become the hunter and your father becomes the prey?"

I gave a look of mischief at Amaris and she did the same before we began slowly stalking towards Nathaniel. I should have known, even for a game Nathaniel would never be a prey running from the hunter.

He continued to stalk towards us and then suddenly ran at full speed, surprising me. Before we knew it Amaris and I were carried onto each other on his shoulder, as he gave out a laugh in victory.

I began pounding on his shoulder to let me go, but he refused. Amaris was still laughing at her father's playfulness when I heard footsteps near us. Both Nathaniel and my body tensed for a moment, until we looked in the direction of the noise to see that it was none other than Killian, Alina, and their son Max.

Max, just a season older than Amaris charged towards Nathaniel and punched his tiny fists against Nathan's leg. Although I was upside down, the sight itself made not only me but Killian and Alina burst out in laughter.

Max has always cherished and been protective over Amris, despite their small age and they both had a special connection. Alina and I have always dreamt of their future weddings, while Nathaniel grumbled at the thought of giving his daughter away to another man, although it's his godson.

After all this time Nathaniel still stubbornly held onto Amaris, taunting Max further. Deciding he teased the young boy enough, I plummeted my first in Nathaniel's back and he finally let our daughter down.

She laughed and ran towards Max, giving him a hug. Nathaniel was about to break the hug, when I slyly kissed his neck, breaking his concentration.

"They are only children."

"They are now, but you can't say that in a few years."

Nathaniel's hold on me tightened when he turned me around and looked at my face. By then, the two children began playing among themselves and we walked, well Nathaniel walked and I was carried towards the other two adults.

"You know that I can walk on my own right?"

"Yes, I do know."

That was his reply and I huffed in annoyance, as Nathaniel continued to carry me. He finally placed me beside Alina and sat next to me, wrapping his arm around my waist. I laid my head on his shoulder and taking a look at Adrianus to see that he is still fast asleep.

"Have you heard from Thomas?"

"Yes, everything seems to be going fine in Alasia."

After capturing Alasia, Nathaniel gave Killian the choice to rule it over his name, but Killina refused as Alina had a traumatizing past there and they were more than content in Alasia. As soon as Tommy came of age and was a proper soldier, he was given the same option as Killian.

Being a young, adventurous man Tommy accepted the offer. Despite being saddened by the fact that he leaves his home and the people he knew and loved all his life, he took the responsibility and until the present day has been doing very well.

Nathaniel and Killian continued talking about the Kingdom and other information and Aline looked at me, giving a knowing smile. Her arm lay on her swollen stomach and I scooted over to her.

"Is my godson still kicking?"

"It's worse than when I was with Max, and let me tell you, he was a kicker."

"My sons' are active from the womb."

Killian rebutted and Aline lightly punched his shoulder.

"Don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop and it may be a girl."

Killian whispered something into Alina's ears, which made her blush furiously. I first spotted Amaris, but soon Max was behind her, carrying a few wildflowers in his hands. They walked towards us, with Amaris snuggling between her father and me.

Max walked to his mother giving her a single flower out of the bunch, as she hugged and kissed him a thank you. He then walked towards me and gave me a single flower.

I thanked him and he blushed before giving the handful of flowers left in his hands to Amaris. She smiled wildly, before showing her flower off to each one of us.

"Are you trying to woo my wife and daughter in front of me?"

Nathaniel sternly told Max, yet he couldn't stop the corners of his lips from rising.

"Only Amaris for me and I brought you something too."

Max rummaged through his pocket before handing Nathaniel a handful of his favourite berries. Nathan ruffled Max's hair before thanking him.

I heard a slight gurgling noise from Adrianus and smiled to see him awake. Nathan offered to carry him over, and seeing our small son in his father's large arms, made me fill with utter love and happiness.

Nathaniel once again settled beside me, with Adrianus cradling in his arms and Amaris on my lap, as I ran my fingers through her soft, brown hair. Max was with his parents, happily talking to them about his latest adventure in the forest.

Watching these people, my family, the ones I love most near me, I couldn't help but be utterly content. Looking up at the sky, I smile at the thought of my parents happily watching over us.

THE END

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So this book has officially come to an end. Thank you to all who have supported this book and me with your votes and kind words. I do have plans on writing a sequel in the near future and I'm hoping for your support.

I also have another book, "His Warbride", which is a wartime romance story that takes place in the mid 1900s. Please feel free to check it out and show your love for that story too :)

Until then, stay safe and happy,

- amateur_anonymous

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