The Shield of Gentem

Epilogue

The funeral was sober. There were very few people. The King. The Mage. The Protectors. And Flavia.

Standing in front of Irvin's grave, they remained silent for a long time, in the pouring rain. Dressed in black, they had insisted on coming. For whom, for what? Certainly not for the deceased.

But what was buried on this day was Lev's father from Clypeus. And the rebellious aspirations of all the nobles who thought the Protectors incapable and useless. Of all the parents who sought to use them, who cursed them for what they had and not them. For all those people who didn't understand the sacrifice of being a Protector.

When all had left, Flavia slipped her hand into her husband's.

In the rain, she plunged her gaze into his, a dark purple on this day.

-I'm so sorry, Lev...

-You don't have to apologize, my love, he breathed, placing a hand on her cheek. If you hadn't killed him, I would have.

She nodded, biting her lip.

-Flavia... He only had a father in name. You know that, don't you?

-Yes, but...

-My family is you, Flavia. My love... You did the right thing. You are alive. That's all that matters to me.

Taking her in his arms, he buried his face in her neck.

In the weeks that followed, the battles against the demons did not cease. Yet the couple managed to grow closer together, a little more each day. Flavia supported Lev in the loss of his father, in the arrest of his stepmother and in her trial.

As for Lev, he supported her in her father's. Just as he prevented Vera from killing him.

The latter was responsible for the kidnapping of Flavia. He had drugged her drink, before causing a general panic when she had fainted. He had taken advantage of the guards' brief absence to take her through a portal, with the help of the renegade mage.

Moreover, the latter was always punished by Eleazar. His soul, separated from his still living body, was used as a test subject by the apprentice magicians. A terrible fate for a man who thought he could stand up to the Mage of Gentem.

Freed from the burden of their parents, they could project themselves into the future. The nobles had learned their lesson from the four Dukes and the Magus.

The people, who had witnessed the outburst of their anger, and who had seen Lev save his wife at the risk of his life, were entirely on their side, as was the King. In fact, far from terrifying them, the situation had renewed the flame of passion for the Protectors. These citizens, who lived far from the wastelands, had momentarily forgotten the power of those who protected them.

In other words, there had not been as many volunteers to join their battalion as in the last few weeks.

Smiling, sitting in the northern spring sunshine, Flavia was enjoying a moment of calm. Dana and the children had left, presumably to go for a walk in the forest. Tamir was in great shape, back to his almost carefree little boy state.

As for Lev...

When she saw him arrive with a green letter in his hands, she froze. In the recent events, they had both forgotten the mail. Damn... Damn!

- Flavia of Clypeus! he thundered. Don't try to run away!

She winced, giving up any thought of escape. Lev put his hands on each arm of his seat, a big smile on his face. She turned red as a peony.

-Flavia?

-Y... Yes?

-I love you too.

His wife thought she was about to faint. He had read her letter well.

Leaning towards her, he took her lips in a soft and tender kiss.

In her letter, she had said many things. But she also mentioned the most important thing, which she didn't dare to tell him, but which she showed him every day by her actions.

"I love you." Simple words that meant so much.

-Tell me, he demanded.

-What...

-I want to hear you say it.

Red-faced, she thought her heart was about to explode when he dropped to one knee in front of her. With the sun shining on his silver hair and his violet eyes full of love, he was the epitome of a romance hero.

-I... I...

-Flavia?

-I...

-I love you, Flavia.

-I love you too, Lev...

They kissed again, their minds light, their hearts full of a shared feeling. Things would probably have ended up in a whirlwind in their new bed, if a coughing sound hadn't interrupted them.

Surprised, they discovered Rainier. Massaging the back of his neck, the colossus from Hastam dropped onto a chair not far away. Intrigued by his unusual behavior, the couple settled down.

-Rainier? What's going on? worried Lev.

-I wanted to tell you sooner, but... with everything that's happened, I couldn't.

They looked at each other, without understanding, before returning to him.

-I'm getting a divorce, he finally said, his jaws clenched.