The Heir of the Fallen

Epilogue

Horseman of Famine, Adelaide

150 Years Later

"I have a surprise for you," Beelzebub grinned, almost bouncing out of bed. Adelaide groaned next to him, pulling the covers up higher.

Cerberus could feel Beelzebub's excitement as he pounded into the room and jumped on the bed, tossing Adelaide from the sheer force of the jump. A grumbled calico and orange tabby ran from the bed after Cerberus' presence disturbed them.

Not long after Joan's events unfolded, Adelaide's cats passed from the living world, and she was able to reunite with them in the afterlife. They do not spend much time away from her these days.

"What's that?" Adelaide said from under the covers as Beelzebub pulled them down enough to see her dark brown eyes. They still had sleepy's in the corner of them.

"Come on, get dressed. Someone's waiting for you in the living room," Beelzebub said with a smile and kissed her forehead.

After the events had unfolded in purgatory, Beelzebub and Adelaide had taken several years alone to be together, just the two of them. Adelaide had forgone her cottage and chosen to move in with Beelzebub. They had spent those years devouring each other. It had been a while before Letum or Ares saw the two of them. Beelzebub's pent-up need from being alone for so long was one he was eager to explore, and Adelaide was just as keen to help satisfy those needs.

"Fine," she mumbled, pushing the covers aside. She was naked underneath, and Beelzebub stopped to admire the lovely view. She looked up at him and giggled. "If you keep looking at me like that, I won't be getting dressed."

He held his hands up in surrender. "I get it! I'll be waiting for you as well in the living room." With that, he turned and left the bedroom. Cerberus was still lying on the bed, slobbering everywhere. His tongue lolled out, his face in what appeared to be a smile. Adelaide reached out, scratching behind the ear of the right head. The dog started shaking his leg, and Adelaide swore she felt the room vibrating.

She pulled on her sweatpants from last night and the tank top on the ground next to them. She also reached for a cardigan on the back of the bedroom door, pulling it on to complete the all-black ensemble.

Who could be waiting for her? She wondered.

Voices echoed from the living room as she approached. Beelzebub's, and a woman's... Oh my god, she recognized that voice anywhere.

"Sophie!" she exclaimed, running into the living room and directly into her best friend's arms. It had been so long. They clashed together, and both girls were crying and laughing as they sat on the couch, Adelaide's arm still wrapped around Sophie.

"I can't believe you died," Adelaide said. Her best friend didn't look much different than the last time she had seen her, but she had to be in her thirties now. "What happened?"

With a grin on her face, Sophie laughed. "My recklessness caught up with me. Skydiving, my chute didn't open."

Adelaide's eyes widened. "That sounds terrifying."

Sophie shrugged. "Eh, I'm okay now. Better than okay! I have you back!" She said before embracing her friend again.

Hours later, Adelaide had gotten Sophie acquainted with her old home across the square. Sophie and Adelaide always had very similar tastes. With promises to see her later, Adelaide closed the door, only to be met by loud music in the square.

"What in the hell?" Adelaide looked around, wondering where it was coming from.

Beelzebub was sitting on the bench by the fountain where they had first spoken. He waved her over. She still couldn't see where the music was coming from, but it was at least calming, almost alluring.

"What are you doing? And where is the music coming from?" She asked, sitting next to him.

Beelzebub stood and knelt in front of her on the ground instead of sitting beside her. He pulled a book out from behind him. "I'm the source of the music, my darling." He handed her the book. "Open it."

Adelaide grinned. She always loved it when he surprised her with new books. This one was leather bound, and the pages were yellowed, apparently from age. She opened the book, and her jaw dropped.

"Beelzebub..." Inside was a beautiful onyx ring encircled with diamonds. The book was false, with only one page of writing and a hole cut in the middle for the ring to rest on. On the one page, it read, 'Will you marry me?'

"Adelaide, from the moment I saw you on this bench, my heart was yours. I might not have known it yet, but you have exceeded my expectations. You are the only one I want to be with, to see every morning I wake up, the only one I want to hold when all else feels wrong in the world. You were my true beginning and are my future. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Of course," Adelaide said, sliding the ring on. The sky started to brighten above her, and when she looked up, she felt the rays of sunshine on her face.