How Not to Poach a Unicorn

Epilogue

Prinin quickly became a popular king. His recent trials had replaced his youthful naivety with charm and patience and a level of worldliness not often found in the noble classes. His relationship with the Desidan throne proved to be a profitable one. He established trade and made deals so that the cycle of starvation and war would no longer threaten the peace.

Kish, battle-maiden of Dessidor and Queen of Haelund, was loved and feared in turn. She was strong and noble, but fierce and not at all one to be dismissed or ignored. She and Prinin balanced each other well and the battered country fell in line quickly under their rule.

Vestin was returned to Caneria, though with his mighty familiar dead, the shell of a man remaining was barely there. He was mostly a hollow body of remorse and guilt. With both the king and his only heir having lost most of their faculties, Caneria was in need of new leadership. Somehow, through the machinations of the guilds of Antiq and the work of a surprisingly influential Marquis, Shawn Delroix, Lord Pragmethion III ended up in the unhappy position of chief administrator of Caneria. It was a position which he was making obsolete as quickly as possible through the installation of a senate of scholars and nobles.

Juvai became the keeper of the Irsank lands and took the guise of Lord Cailo. To all but a few, the dreaded gaoler had never died. The deaths at the prison were attributed to a rampage of the angry Lord and his reputation for terror grew while he himself enjoyed a life of casual travel whenever he chose by discarding his mask and cloak and leaving the daily affairs to a friendly and competent lieutenant. He was happy, for the most part. There was something else that kept him travelling, though, a feeling that a small part of him was somewhere else—somewhere far away.

On a distant shore on a forgotten part of the continent, the boy climbed to freedom. It was a long, terrible ride and he was now quite lost. He had been eaten and that had made him more respectful of his future meals. But the monster had not bothered to chew him so he had kicked and punched and bit until he had drowned in blood in the monsters stomach. He didn't know how long he had been trapped in the goo but he imagined that it had been quite some time. He missed his friends and he thought they were probably very far away now. He wasn't very sad, though. They won, he thought,and now they would be happy and safe.He smiled and looked down at the body of the beast that had devoured him. Besides, he thought to himself, whereverhis friends were, he was sure that they weren't serving dragon for dinner.

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