Silver King

Epilogue - Mare

1 year later

I arrived too late for the elections that Friday night, but I was there to see Ada Wallace, one of the first newbloods I had recruited all those months ago, be announced she had won the elections. I was thrilled to see her elected, because I knew she would be a great asset to Norta.

After the elections, Cal had to move out of the palace that was no longer his, and he offered surprisingly no resistance. He moved in a big house near the palace... and, well, so did I. I didn't want to leave him alone with doctors, because I knew it would only drive him even more mad. So I stayed with him (but in a separate room). His state got better every day, embracing his new life. It's not as good as before, but it's a start.

A few weeks ago, as I was in the kitchen preparing breakfast, he had burst violently in the room.

" Mare! " he had said.

I had turned around, calm because I knew sometimes he remembered something - his father's death scene out of nowhere had been a particularly painful one for him - and had to tell me immediately to make sure it was true.

" What did you remember, Cal? " I had asked with a smile, wondering if it was Queenstrial this time because he still hadn't gotten that one.

" E- Everything. "

" Everything? " I had echoed in a small voice.

I had given up on that one long ago.

He had nodded, starting to grin.

I had thrown myself in his arms, tears streaming down my face, and he had embraced me, kissing the top of my head and we had both stayed there without moving for several long minutes. Then he had broken the silence.

" You lied to me, " he had whispered in my hair.

" What? " I had feebly asked, still shaking with my tears.

" You told me I hadn't hurt you, " he whispered even more silently.

I had simply gripped him tighter and sobbed more. He had raised my chin.

" I'm sorry, Mare. "

" You've already said that one, " I replied with a smile.

" I know. But it's worth saying another time. "

" You know what else is worth saying another time? "

" No. What? "

" I love you, Cal. "

" I love you, Mare. "

The End