Crossed Hearts | h.s

Epilogue

Five years later

Giggles slipping through the mouths of children echoed throughout the corridors along with the pitter-patter of footsteps.

"Shhh, Morgana! Or you'll spoil the surprise," Gwendolyn said as she skidded to a stop to scold her younger sister for laughing too loud.

The little girl of but three years pushed out her lower lip as it began to tremble and tears stung her wide eyes. Gwendolyn rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest, annoyed with Morgana for pouting as she always did in an attempt to get her way.

"Now, children. Let's be nice to one another," Emilia said, taking each of their hands and giving them a tender squeeze. "Come along."

"Yes, Lady Em," the girls said in unison.

The little princesses walked alongside their governess, hand in hand, until they came upon their mother's study. They grinned as they dropped the hands of Emilia and retrieved the bouquet of flowers they had picked from the gardens and stored in the pockets of Emilia's gown. Taking the stems of the flowers in their chubby fingers, they pushed the door to their mother's study open, belting out, "Happy birthday!" upon entering.

Geneva's lips pulled into a wide smile as her eyes landed on her daughters in the threshold of the study. "Oh, girls," she said, standing up to meet them halfway. They shoved the small bouquets into their mother's hands and each gave her a hug. Geneva placed a kiss on each of their foreheads and smiled at them. "Thank you very much, they're lovely. Where did you find them?"

"The garden!" Morgana answered proudly.

Geneva brought the flowers to her nose and breathed in their scent, emitting a sigh of joy afterward. "They smell delightful. Shall I place them on my desk?"

"Yes!" they both shouted.

"I shall have to ring for Jessa to bring me a vase," she said, placing the flowers on the surface of her desk for the time being. When she looked back up, she found Emilia in the doorway, smiling. "Good morning, Em."

"Happy birthday, your majesty," Emilia replied. "Working already?"

"There is much to be done," Geneva said, walking toward her dear friend and embracing her in a hug. "Thank you."

"She won't listen to me when I say that she deserves to take a break on her birthday."

"Papa!" the girls cried, having not seen him yet that morning. They whirled around and ran to his legs, squeezing them as they hugged him.

Harry took turns greeting his daughters, lifting them up, one by one, to hug and kiss. When he placed them gently upon the ground, he took hold of their hands and looked up at Geneva, who was leaning against her desk. "Girls, don't you think your mama should join us for a morning walk?"

The girls squealed as they begged their mother to take a walk with them, but Geneva raised a single brow at Harry. "My love, there is much to attend to."

"Which can be addressed later. Your birthday only comes once a year. Won't you indulge yourself for one day?" Harry asked.

Geneva narrowed her eyes at her husband and finally relinquished a sigh. "Alright," she said. "But, you'll be to blame if I get too behind."