Ruthless Beauty

Epilogue

"Mommy!" Six year old Katrina yelled as she ran to her mother, wrapping herself around Iris legs.

"What's wrong, my dear?" Iris smoothed her daughter's blonde/ brown hair back as Prince Tyler strutted over with a fake wooden sword at his hip. He looked like his father, but had the eyes of his mother.

"Tyler, what have I said about frightening Katrina?" Queen Thalia scolded her eight year old son.

"Sorry, Katrina." Tyler sighed as Katrina giggled, wrapping him in a hug. "Mom!"

"Calm down, Tyler, it's just a hug from a beautiful young lady." Soren stepped out into the garden, King Jeremiah beside him.

"Daddy!" Katrina released the prince and latched onto Soren, he scooped her up in his arms hugging her tight. Iris smiled as Soren kissed her lips lightly making their daughter scrunch her nose in disgust.

"How've you been feeling?" Soren asked just getting back from a long peace talk with another Kingdom. Iris was pregnant with their second child which was due any day now.

"I am fine, Soren. I can take care of myself." Iris smiled at her husbands concern.

"Trust me, I know." Soren chuckled keeping his family close.

------Preview: Katrina & Tyler

"Katrina, did you punch Tyler in the nose?" Iris asked her stubborn daughter as she read a book by the fireplace in the library. Matthew's eyes widened and he snuck out of the library.

"Maybe," Katrina shrugged and Iris took her book out of her hands. "What?" Just because they survived the journey didn't mean they had to be friends.

"I taught you how to protect yourself not how to inflict pain on Tyler." Iris scolded and Katrina rolled her eyes.

"He deserved it," Katrina said standing and walking over to a book shelf.

"How did he deserve that?" Iris asked following her daughter who wiped a tear away. "Katrina, I can not help you if you do not talk to me." Just before Katrina said anything Scrat walked into the library, making her smile.

"Uncle Scrat!" Katrina hugged him tight as Theorin and Trishelle walked in behind him. "Grandpa Theorin," Katrina hugged him the her grandmother.

"What's wrong, Kat?" Scrat asked and she shook her head.

"Nothing, just talking with mother. I got to show you the garden, I planted new roses since we've been back." She grasped Scrat's hand and led him to the garden making Iris sigh.

"Is it true she punched Prince Tyler?" Theorin asked with a smile.

"It's not funny, Theorin." Trishelle punched her brother in the gut and he sucked in a painful breath.

"Well, she definitely takes after her mother." Soren appeared next to Theorin with a smile.

"What did Tyler say?" Iris asked walking over to her family, Soren wrapping her in a hug.

"He was... 'talking' to Serena when Katrina walked out of the stables. She had gone riding, considering she was in pants and not a dress, when she saw Serena she tried to turn and leave but of course that girl had to say something. Katrina, being your daughter, said some sarcastic remark back which got Tyler and Katrina fighting then she punched him. From what he said she was talking about something totally different then what he was." Soren shook his head in disbelief. "They are acting like Thalia and Jeremiah." Trishelle sighed and Theorin groaned.

"She's only nineteen," Theorin said running a hand through his hair.

"Don't start, Theorin, you too, Soren." Iris stated as she stepped out of Soren's embrace and linked arms with Trishelle. "Let's go talk, I missed you."

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Tyler approached Katrina as she sat by the small pond. Scrat had left to find Iris for some business that Katrina didn't know about. Tyler had his mother's grey eyes but acted like his father, he had a large bruise on his chin. "Mind telling me why you punched me?"

"Does it matter, you don't listen anyway?" Katrina said her tone just as anger as Tyler's. "Ever since that whore Serena came to stay at the castle all you do is smother her, not that she minds." Katrina stood and wiped the dirt off her hands onto her riding pants.

"I'm being friendly, Kat. We've been gone for a while." Tyler sighed crossing his arms over his chest.

"Really? Do you always kiss your friends?" Katrina asked sarcastically as she faced the prince. "What ever or who ever you do in your spare time is not my business but I miss my best friend. I miss you, Ty, but I must not matter to you anymore." Katrina tried to flee as a tear escaped and rolled down her cheek but Tyler grasped her wrist pulling her to him.

"How could you think that, Katrina?" Tyler whispered looking down at the one woman he wanted but knew he could never have. He could remember how her soft skin felt against his, how her lips tasted, she smelled like flowers and he found that she was becoming intoxicating to him. He tried to see if kissing Serena made him feel the same when he kissed Katrina, but there was no comparison.

"Because your actions speak louder than your words." Katrina looked down at the ground not daring to meet Tyler's grey eyes. "I'm done fighting, Tyler. Tell Serena I wish her the best." Katrina tried to get out of his grasp as she tried walking away but Tyler pulled her to him again except this time he brought his lips to hers, his hands holding her in place.

"I don't want Serena," he whispered against her soft lips, loving how they fit against his. "I never did. I want you, Katrina and I always will."