"Neala," Cailean breathed as soon as the four of them met. Neala let go of Ansel's hand and ran into her brother's embrace, and for a second, nobody else moved or spoke.
Maeve watched Ansel carefully, distrust written all over her pretty face. She had her hand resting on the pommel of her elegant, thin sword, and it was clear she was ready for a fight. "Why the white flags?" she demanded. "Is this a trap?"
"It's nae trap," Neala replied, letting go of Cailean. "Ye must listen."
Cailean frowned and looked at Ansel. "What have ye done?" he demanded.
Ansel met his eye, then sank down to one knee, bowing his head. "Edric Ashkirk is dead," he said softly. "I am the ruler of Blackthorn Castle, and I surrender it to ye, Cailean McNair. And with it, this country. I return tae ye what me father took from yers. This war is over."
He looked up again when there was no answer. Cailean and Maeve looked at each other with matching expressions of astonishment, but nobody said anything.
Neala moved back to Ansel's side. "It's true. He's dead. Ansel killed him, I saw it meself," she said, her words coming out all in a rush. "He saved me, Cailean—again. His father was ready tae execute me, and Ansel stopped him. The Ashkirks split in two, brother against brother, and Ansel led the fight inyername. This is a real surrender."
Cailean shook his head slowly, not in disbelief, but as though he was trying to think. "I dinnae understand," he said eventually.He looked down at Ansel, who was still kneeling. "Why would ye do this?"
Ansel sighed. "I've kent for many, many years that I've been on the wrong side of history. I've tried me best tae lessen the crimes of me father while also servin' him, but the truth is I never did enough. Meetin' Neala… it changed me, and I resisted at first. She showed me a part of meself that I've spent me life denyin', a part that always made me shrink back in fear. A part that wanted tae live for love, nae just for the whims of a tyrant because I felt I had nae choice."
"Ye could have come tae us," Maeve replied, folding her arms. "Ye had chances. Many chances."
He didn't argue. "I was weak. Perhaps I still am. When I freed those Sparrows, I told meself I was only doin' it for Neala. When I watched as me father murdered me brave, wonderful cousin, I told meself that all I could do was forget what it was tae feel. But Neala has been a part of me soul since the moment we met. When she came tae find me again, when I realized that I love her with all of me bein', I kent it couldnae go on. I had nae choice but tae save her."
"Ye could have saved her without all of this," Cailean replied slowly. "Ye could have spared her life and taken her away, or kept her as yer wife while ye ruled as king."
"I'm nae king," Ansel replied, shaking his head. "I'm just a man who has acted on behalf of a monster. But I had nae option but tae kill me father, because I understood the truth at last. This war would have never ended. If it wasnae you, then another would have risen against him. And all the while, me father would kill, and steal, and take, until this country had no breath left, and the grass could no longer grow. The only way tae atone for me crimes is tae put a stop tae me father's cruelty forever. And now that I've done that, Yer Majesty, I throw meself upon yer mercy."
Maeve raised her fingers to her lips, looking shaken. There were tears in her eyes, and Ansel wondered if she was thinking of her own father. He regretted what he'd done to James O'Sullivan, not because the man hadn't deserved to die, but because he'd robbed this woman and her sisters of their right to see it to the end.
"I accept yer surrender," Cailean said at last. "Yer men will nae be harmed. Those who have committed the worst crimes and those who continue tae resist will face trials under fair justice. This war is over." He turned to the rebels and shouted the words with a kingly confidence that Edric had never possessed. "This war is over!"
A tumultuous cheer rose up both from the rebel army, and a second later, the same cheer was echoed by most of those gathered behind Ansel. Some of the rebels ran forward, and Ruadh and some of Ansel's soldiers did the same, obviously eager to combine their people at last.
But Cailean held up a hand, and silence fell once more. Everyone stopped where they were.
Ansel smiled sadly. He knew what came next.
"I swore tae me allies that nae Ashkirks would leave this castle alive," he told Ansel quietly. There was a tinge of real regret in his voice. "I thank ye for protectin' me sister, and for puttin' an end tae this bloodshed. I thank ye for yer newfound commitment to our country. I think, in another life, we could have been friends."
"But this isnae another life," Ansel agreed. "It is this one. I am an Ashkirk, and ye are a McNair. There's only one way this was ever gonnae end."
Cailean nodded gravely. He drew his sword. "Stand back, Neala. Ansel, get tae yer feet. I willnae kill a man on his knees."
"Nay!" Neala shouted. She ran between the two men, throwing her arms out to her sides. "Ye cannae kill him. I willnae allow it."
"Neala," Ansel said gently, "It's all right."
"Nay," Neala insisted fiercely. "Cailean, he is agood man, just like I've told ye time and again. He ended this war without ye havin' tae kill. He saved me, over and over again. He turned against his own father to protect this country. And I… Cailean, I love him. Every part of me heart and soul loves him, and I cannae live in a world where me own brother destroys the person I adore."
Ansel's heart clenched at that, and he felt a tear run down his cheek. He didn't try to wipe it away. There was no point in pretending now. If Neala's declaration of love was the last thing he ever heard, then he would die a happy man. He got to his feet but did not speak.
Cailean's expression twisted, uncertain and pained. "If I'm a king, I must keep me promises tae me allies. Ye must understand that. It doesnae matter what I want, or what ye want—it's about what our country needs."
"And our country needs Ansel dead?" Neala demanded.
"Our country needs a king who is true to his word after more than two decades of darkness," Cailean replied. "Move out of the way, sister. Dinnae make this worse."
Ansel touched Neala's shoulder. "It's all right," he told her again softly. "He's right. If the McNair name is tae truly rise again, then there can be nae more Ashkirks left walkin' this land. Ye must let me go."
Neala started to cry, clutching at his arm. He'd only seen her break down like this one other time, back when she'd discovered her mother's diaries. "Please," she whispered. "I dinnae want tae live without ye."
