The Prince's Gift

Epilogue.

I opened my eyes and I was suddenly staring out across the courtyard below as I watched the breeze blow through the trees of the forest, rustling the leaves softly. I felt Zane behind me and smiled as his arms wrapped around me, pulling my body into his. I let my head fall back against his chest as he kissed me softly at my temple.

"How did we manage to make it all happen Zane?" I said as the breeze blew around us effortlessly.

"Do what baby?" He hummed in my ear.

"Get everything we dreamed of. We even got things we didn't dare to dream of." I laced my fingers in his as I placed my hands over his palms.

I felt him lean his cheek against mine and pull me closer into his hold. "Because of you Ana. This was all possible because of you."

I leaned back slightly to meet his gaze over my shoulder and he smiled down with pride. "How so?" I asked.

"Baby, you saw me for who I was from the very beginning, even when you were young. You'd always radiated an inner strength and calm unlike any other and I felt drawn to you, but I never could have imagined what that meant. You loved me even when you or I weren't able to truly act on it. You helped restore peace to two lines of people whose relationship had been shattered beyond repair, and yet you did it. The Talentati are now out of the shadows and thriving with Amirah watching over them in your place beside your parents. You brought peace to two warring kingdoms who hated one another beyond reason and endured Hell in the process to get us both there."

He gently pulled away to guide my body around to face his before pulling me into his arms once again. "And more than anything...you showed me love in a time that was so dark and twisted for me, that I thought I'd never come back into the light. Ana, you gave me two beautiful children. Amirah and Cohen will be incredible indivuals and even stronger rulers one day, all because of you. You are the guiding force behind every moment of our happiness."

I felt myself trembling with emotion as he spoke such beautiful words down to me.

"It was a terrible road to get here, but I don't regret one second of it. And if the vision is true in the end and war does come again, we will fight with every ounce of power and strength we possess to protect our family and our life. We've changed the vision before and we will do it again if the time comes. Because I refuse to give this up. I will not let this dream end." I said, feeling my emotions begin to bubble up anxiously.

Zane's calming presence washed over me through the bond and I felt myself slowly settle once again as his hand cupped my cheek softly.

"We won't let anything happen to them baby." He said in a soothing tone.

At that moment, I caught a quick thought in his mind and straightened. A flash of our daughter ran through his thoughts in that moment, standing proudly and patient in the throne room beside her brother.

"Are they here yet?" I asked suddenly.

He chuckled quietly and squeezed me in his grasp. "They're in the throne room waiting for you baby." He said.

I snaked my arms around his neck, leaning up on my toes and placing a soft peck on his lips as I beamed. "Then let's go!" I squealed in happiness.