My Forever (Rowaelin Fanfiction)

Epilogue

ANOTHER REMINDER that I started this fanfic BEFORE QUEEN OF SHADOWS WAS RELEASED.  Therefore, PLEASE stop commenting about how I don't know what happened in Queen of Shadows and Empire of Storms, or how my story ignores that.

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Rowan Whitethorn ran his hands through his silver hair, staring down at three pairs of Ashryver eyes, and a fourth pair of pine green ones. Two silver-haired, two golden-haired. All a pain in his backside.

"So who burned the curtains off exactly?" he scrutinised his four children. Only two of them had fire magic, something they inherited from their mother. However, the other two always sided with one sibling, and it was impossible to find out who the culprit actually was.

"Rosa," the second eldest, Lyraesel, stood up straight and nodded, as if confirming that what she claimed was the absolute truth. Lyraesel had inherited Rowan's wind-powers, and often sided with her little brother, Samuel.

"No, Papa, it was Sammy! I swear it on all my books! I would never burn those pretty red curtains," Rosanna, the eldest, looked up at him with big green eyes. He almost fell for it. Rosa's ally, the youngest one, Antonia, nodded her head repeatedly.

"Right, both you and Sammy are doing laps later today," Rowan said gruffly. "And you two," he narrowed his eyes at Lyraesel and Antonia. "Stop making life harder for me."

Antonia giggled, and Rowan's eyes softened. He couldn't keep angry or annoyed at them for very long.

Rosa went off grumbling and shooting daggers at her younger brother, who shrugged and went to play with his toys, Lyraesel loyally accompanying him. Rowan concluded that he probably did it.

"Up!" Antonia lifted her arms towards her father, who lifted her and kissed her chubby cheeks. "Go to Mama!"

Rowan smiled and headed out to the hallways, using the bond to seek out Aelin. She was most likely finishing up the meeting she had with the court officials, since it was nearly lunchtime.

Indeed, he found her lounging in the library, her feet propped up on cushions, her pregnant stomach growing larger every day. She looked up as he came with their daughter in his arms, smiling at the sight.

Somehow, she never got tired of it. Never. Not the way he looked at her, not the way he caressed her, touched her, made love to her, and held their children. She never got bored of the arguments either, and cleaning children's vomit, caring for them when they're sick, being woken up in an ungodly hour because of their cries. She suspected she never would get tired.

"Hungry? It's time for lunch," Rowan told her, using his free hand to help her up. His arm slipped around her waist, and they walked to the dining hall together, and the rest of their children were called to eat.

"Mama," Rosa said between mouthfuls of food. "Tell Papa that I did not burn the pretty red curtains in the music room."

Aelin's eyes twinkled as she looked between Rosa and Samuel. "And how would I know that you're telling the truth, Rosa?"

"Because I swore on my books!"

Aelin grinned. "Indeed. Did one of you really burn those red curtains? They came all the way from Melisande, you know."

Samuel began fidgeting in his seat, chewing his food slowly and not swallowing, and Aelin could clearly read the guilt written on his face.

"Yes, Samuel?"