I Wish Things Were Different

Epilogue 2

Thank you to everyone who has read this fanfic and supported me by reading, voting, and commenting on it. It's been a long time coming to finish this and honestly I'm relieved to finish it. I finished the epilogue before this last October when I was in the Outer Banks and here we are almost nine months later and I just now finished this. A lot has happened since I started this. I got a boyfriend I'm getting my permit next week and I've lived thru a global pandemic😂 Thank you so much for sticking with me as long as you have and please please vote on this chapter!!

Cals Eulogy

"As most of you know Maven Calore was my brother. I can forgive him for many of his sins against my better judgment but I will never forgive him for killing the woman I loved more than any other. His mother twisted him up and yet he still loved Mare Barrow in his sick way. But even his demented love for her couldn't change his hate for me. He shot her in the head so I couldn't be with her."

"If he couldn't have her no one could."

"His sick jealously was eventually his demise. But even as he was a hateful sinful person he still got everything he wanted. He took Mare Barrow with him to whatever afterlife they were destined for and he held the crown till his last breath."

"Even when he had everything he ever wanted he was never happy with just that. Now even as Mare isn't among us we must try to move on and be happy if only to spite the devil that is Maven Calore."

"But today isn't about him. It's about her."

"Mare Barrow was the single greatest person I've ever known. She went through more than any sane person should ever have to and yet she was so strong. I'm not here to lie to you she wasn't an exceptionally good person and at times she was no better than my brother but unlike him, she had the strength to defy the monster in her. She could've been a queen hell she could've been anything she wanted but she wouldn't give up on her people."

"Even when we wanted her to."

"She deserved much more than what she got. She deserved better than Maven and I. It's my fault that she was brought into this life and selfishly many parts of me are happy that I did. She was my epic love and she gave me everything that I have. When Elara and Maven killed my father she was there. She was always there for me. And I loved her for it."

"The girl I knew in that river village morphed into a beautiful young woman. She was incredibly strong and powerful and she paved the way for millions to be accepted and loved instead of tossed aside and I speak for Norta when I say that I'm grateful."

"Thank you for being here and thank you for honoring her. I hope that you will remember her not for her death but for her beautiful life. I only wish she had more years to live it out."

After

"MAVEN CALORE YOU BASTARD!" "I love the warm welcomes you give me Mare." "YOU KILLED ME!" "And?" "And? Maven, I'm dead. You're dead." "I enjoy death." "Of course you do. But unlike you, I was hoping for a little more time alive." "It was nothing personal darling." "I'm really sick of being a pon in your revenge schemes."

"No more my love no revenge in the afterlife." "I'm not your love Maven. Even you dying can't change that."

"Oh oh yes I recall you telling me you loved me. Ah, good times." "I see that not even death takes away cockiness. And why are we not in hell?" "I have no clue actually. I mean I can't imagine there is a hell if you and I weren't invited. I believe the term for us would be the scum of the earth around here."

"Certainly isn't too far off from you." "Oh, how you wound me."

"Will you two shut up? I'm already tired of listening to you bickering." "Shade?" "Hi, baby sis." "Hi." "Did you miss me?" I jumped into his arms for a hug. "So yes?" He starts laughing at me. "Shade are you ok?" "I'm great Mare." "Shade Claras getting so big now." "As much as I'd love to see my daughter I hope I don't see her for a very long time." "Don't worry Farley wouldn't dream of letting her die anytime soon."

"Of course not."

As I let go of Shade I see Maven hugging someone in my peripheral vision. "Is that?" "Queen Elara Merandus Calore? Yes." "Wow um wow. I guess I'm happy for him?" "There's one more person you should probably meet."

"Hello. Mare Barrow, I presume?" "Coriane
Jacos." She breaks out into a wide smile. "From what I understand you were nearly my daughter." "I'm sorry you didn't get to spend more time with Cal. He's everything you could want in a son." "And you're everything he wanted in a wife from what Tibe tells me. I look forward to my sons marriage. And I look forward to you being my daughter."