A Knight's Princess

Epilogue

- years later -

Chapter 20:

(Clio POV)

I watched as James rode back to the manor. I always waited here for him to come home here from the balcony of our room. I watched him come closer and closer and ran down the stairs to meet with him. I opened the front door and went out into the front garden and threw my arms around his neck as he came closer, "You act like I've been gone for a month." "A week is too long," I mumbled into his shoulder. He set me down and looked into my eyes, "You know I'm always coming home. I can't leave you." I smiled up at him. "Want to go for a little ride?" He smirked, "Are you suggesting a little wager?" I smiled up at him, "What is the wager going to be this time Sir James?" I smirked. "Why don't we let our youngest competitor decide?" I turned and saw Andrew in the doorway, "Dad." He said running into James' arms.

We had Andrew about a year after we got married. When he was born I was still not sure what name to give him when James suggested Andrew after my oldest brother. His hair was brown but not curly like mine but rather straight like James', He was tanner than James but paler than me and he had James' eyes. The moment I saw him I saw James. I see so much of James in him. "Andy, how would you feel about a little race between the three of us?" James asked. "What do I get when I win?" He asked and we both let out a chuckle, "He gets this from you" I said. James just rolled his eyes, "Says the hustler." We then turned back to Andrew, "You choose." He brought his hand to his chin, "It's a surprise." He smiled revealing his missing front teeth. "Alright," I said, "Let's get the horses."

(James POV)

I couldn't believe that this was my life now. A while ago when Clio had gotten pregnant with our son I was terrified that something would happen to the both of them after what had happened to Sofia. As a knight I had plenty of enemies and all it took was one finding out about this and it could ruin everything. Clio took a break from the shows a few months along and we both didn't leave the manor for more time than we had to. When he was born all I could see was Clio. Her dark brown hair, her tan skin even her smile he had them all. When she looked at him with so much love and joy I knew that all her fears about becoming like Clarice vanished. "What are we going to name him?" She asked looking down at him. I already knew the perfect name, "Andrew. Andrew Caleb Winslow." She looked up at me and smiled, "I love you."

Now he was 6 years old and joining in on our little waggers. Clio came out with Andrew and they had both changed into their riding gear, "Andrew why don't you go saddle up your horse?" She said kneeling down pointing toward the stables. "Ok," he said running off. She stood up and turned towards me "Are you ready Sir James?" I asked. "I'm always ready Princess." She leaned towards me our lips only inches apart. She leaned in closer and closed her eyes. I followed in suit but she pressed a finger to my lips, "Let the games begin." She then ran off to the stables behind Andrew, "You're going to pay for that." I said running after them.

We were all saddled up and in the back garden, "So, where to?" Clio asked. "Around the manor and to the back forest you will all know when to stop," I said. She nodded her head and turned to Andrew, "You know where to go?" He nodded, "Yes, Dad showed me before he left for the mission." Clio turned to face me, "Did he now?" I smirked and snapped the reigns and soon they were both on my tail. We rode around the manor and now we were all neck and neck as we rode through the woods. I was pulling ahead and Andrew was slightly behind, "Andrew now." Clio said and suddenly he pulled ahead of both of us and stopped at the picnic blanket in the meadow in the center of the forest. Clio came in right behind him and I came in last. "Why do I feel like I was played?" "Because you were," Clio said high-fiving Andrew.

(Clio POV)

I looked around as we got off our horses, "When did you two find this place?" I asked. "About a month ago," Andrew said, "Dad wanted to keep it as a surprise." Andrew was smiling as he said all of this. "Well it was a very nice surprise." I then went over to Andrew, "Now what does our little winner want? You won the wager and can have whatever you want... within reason" I added at the end. He was 6 and I was not sure how much he knew to ask for my hope was that it would be for extra dessert. He brought a hand to his chin and thought for a moment. James came over and whispered in my ear, "Suddenly, I am nervous about what the surprise is." He finally smiled up at both of us, "I want a little sister." My jaw dropped and James just said, "Ok." I turned to face him, "Ok?" I asked.

- 10 months later -

I looked down at our little girl and all I could think was how did Andrew know. They both came into the room, "How are my two favorite girls doing?" James asked as Andrew ran to the bed. I turned to Andrew, "Want to see your little sister." He nodded his head and I tilted her down so he could see her face. She opened her eyes and looked over at her brother, "What's her name?" I looked over at James, "Any ideas?" He shrugged, "I choose Andrew, your turn." I looked down at her again her eyes looked up at me with such wonder and light, "Ella." I then turned to Andrew, "Would you like to pick her middle name?" He smiled an d looked down at her, "Grace. Ella Grace." I looked down at her, "Yeah Ella Grace Winslow." James crawled in on the other side of the bed and pulled Andrew up next to him. We stayed like that the rest of the day. Tomorrow we would tell everyone everything and both our families would be fighting for a visit and we would have hundreds of different voices trying to give us advice but today was for us.

Author's Note:

Please check out my other stories The Enchancian Curse, The Road to Coronation, Unspoken and The Gauntlet. All of the characters in these stories will come together as I write about the next generation in The Heirs.