A Kind of Magic

Eighty-Two

Epilogue

"You kept quite a few secrets, wife," Peregrine murmured, the smile that Fiona could not see making his lips tremble, tickling the soft skin on the side of her neck. 

As usual, his closeness stole her breath away and made her feel weak in the knees.... She would never get enough of him, and he knew it. The thought curved her lips into a smile, mirroring his, her eyes closing as he pushed her hair over her left shoulder, his fingers running over her collarbone in a featherlight caress. 

When her legs seriously threatened to give way, she took a step away from the window of her London flat offering the view of The Hobbit to lean into her Highlander, the very same window through which she had once thrown the key of her flat to Peregrine, letting him into her heart... Botheration! It felt like a lifetime ago, and the old Fiona seemed to be someone else entirely...

So much had changed in the year and a few months since she had stood by this window last. But some things will never change. It will always rain in London in October, she mused, loving the sight of rain pelting the glass panes separating them from the world outside. 

"It wasn't really meant to be a secret," she whispered back, leaning her head to the side, giving his lips more space, her breath quickening as he, with a content chuckle, obliged. "I bought the flat because, well, I didn't quite know what to do with all the money my father keep giving me. You knew that I kept in touch with a few friends from the hospital, and Helen. She had been most useful; she even had the place cleaned when I wrote to her that we would be coming to visit. Oh, and should anyone ask you, I told them all that I fell in love with a stranger and moved abroad, just like that, on whim, following my heart." And it really was a simplified version of the truth, she thought, her smile widening. 

Peregrine laughed as he turned her in his arms to look into her eyes. "But I had no idea that you, Leodhais, and Helen teamed up to smuggle..."

Fiona pressed her fingers to his lips, barely containing a laughter, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Hush! You'll wake our future king and get your brother-in-law in trouble. It was you who introduced him to Coke as far as I know. He was always happy to carry the letters for my friends which I sent to The Gate through The Stones, and mail them from Minions or Liskeard to London, so when he asked a favour, I couldn't refuse. Helen is more than happy with their deal, she earns much more for the Coke and the wines she sells to him than to her own customers in The Hobbit and of course, Leodhais earns a great deal by selling them in Draconia." 

She shook her head, laughing softly. The elf had grown into a successful entrepreneur and a wonderful father of his first son in the last year. "It won't be little Pippin's birthday for months yet, but maybe we could buy him a present while we are here, seeing how his father appreciates the gizmos and gadgets from this world."

Peregrine sighed. "The best present I could give my nephew would be persuading all of you to stop calling him Pippin. I know that Peregrine is such a mouthful for a baby, but it was his parents' choice..."

"It's the most beautiful name they could have chosen," Fiona assured him, sealing her lips to his.

He pulled her closer, unable to resist, pushing his hands under the grey t-shirt she wore under her long black cardigan. He was about to sweep her off her feet and carry her into their bed when a soft cry, vaguely reminiscent of a frightened miaowing of a lost kitten reaching them from the children's bedroom, had Fiona vanishing from his arms before he could realise what had happened. 

She reappeared at his side a few moments later, Gollum at her heels, a little bundle in her arms. "This is the third time she wakes since we arrived," Fiona whispered, rocking the almost four months old baby gently. "She's not used to the new cot, she'll never sleep there alone tonight, daddy, she'll only wake Freddie too... " 

Fiona looked at Peregrine, her bright blue eyes pleading as if it was necessary. "Then she'll sleep with us, again," he said, smiling at his daughter, who had closed her silvery eyes already, her mother's warmth and scent lulling her back to sleep in moments.

"By the old gods, I swear that my baby daughter is as stubborn as her mother," he muttered, shaking his head dejectedly, following his two girls and the huge dog into the bedroom. 

"And we must definitely buy a wedding gift for Gilderoy and Aryana, we won't be returning here anytime soon, seeing how busy you are with your dragons and Highlanders," Fiona spoke in a whisper, her own thoughts louder than Peregrine's words making her miss what he had said entirely. "And mum asked me to bring her some clothes from her house in Saint Albans but I need to call the house sitter first and tell her that I'm coming, I don't have the keys, mum forgot to give them to me..."

"You are thinking of everyone else but yourself as always, Bella," Peregrine scolded. "I'll stay with Rhosyn," he added, taking the baby from her. "Go take a shower so you can lie down; it has been a long journey." He kissed her on her forehead, then turned her around and, with a playful pat on her bottom, sent her on her way towards the bathroom. 

"Your mother is the most wonderful woman in the world, just like you," he muttered as he lay down on the bed, nestling the little one in the crook of his elbow. "But she's so stubborn and selfless that if I did not interfere, you would be called Annwyn Aryana Helen or some monster mixture of those names, my little rose," he confessed to the sleeping girl.

He omitted to say that it had been the only occasion when he refused to agree with his wife so far, to fulfil his Bella's every wish.

"You'll thank me for that once, Rhosyn," he whispered, his words punctuated by what sounded like a low grunt of agreement coming from Gollum who settled for the night at the foot of the bed.