“My apologies,” he cleared his throat. “I am Lord Alfred. I was seneschal to Their Majesties, and I hope I may be of service to you now.”
“Relax, Alfred,” I said. “No one's getting fired.”
“Maybe you should try saying that when there aren't any corpses lying at your feet, Twilight,” Killian smirked and pulled me away from Tiernan. “Now, can I get a little sugar too?”
“You can get more than a little, Blair,” I leaned up into his kiss.
“Does this mean we're engaged?”
“I don't recall you asking,” I teased.
Killian dropped to one knee immediately and took my hand. The throne room settled into a murmuring quiet.
“Seren, I met you, and all other women faded away for me,” Killian's words rang out clearly. “You shine like a candle in the window, a gleaming beacon calling me home. Now that I'm here, at home in your heart, I never want to leave. Be my wife, Twilight. I'm out in the cold without you.”
“Did you know he could say shit like that?” Tiernan asked Raza.
“No idea,” Raza growled. “The sneaky witch.”
“Snakey witch,” Tiernan corrected.
“I knew he was romantic,” I said to Tiernan while keeping my eyes on Killian. “I knew there was much more to Killian Blair than he let us see.” I knelt down with him, “and I love that man. I could never leave him in the cold.”
Killian whooped and stood, lifting me into the air above him. He brought me down to kiss me, shocking the whole assemblage with his intensity. Then Tiernan and Raza joined us, and I found myself embraced by three men at once. You'd think that it would be awkward, or embarrassing, but it wasn't. It was perfect. We fit together as if they'd been made to surround me, envelope me in love. Or perhaps, I'd been made for them. To bring them together. Whatever it was, we were finally together... complete.
Chapter Fifty
There was a lot to do before I could leave Seelie. Tiernan had to be crowned, and that was only the beginning. We had to set our court to rights, establish who was still in what position and fill the positions that had been opened (like Commander Anson's). Raza's army arrived the next day while we were still settling things. Like the fact that my Uncle Shane had fled. That slimy bastard had run away while his kingdom was being attacked, and his mother murdered. He'd even taken the time to pack a few things.
His wing now belonged to my in-laws, Sorcha and Latharna. They were, of course, deeply affected by Diocail's death, but part of me thought it was ironic that he had allowed his wife and daughter to go to war without him, then wound up dying in battle himself. I saw that Sorcha felt the irony as well, and upon hearing of Danu's appearance, she seemed to think it was more than ironic, it was Danu's will. I don't know if that was comforting to her or not. It was hard to read a woman who was in mourning for her husband. What did comfort her was the fact that Diocail had died honorably, trying to defend his queen. Sorcha had said that her husband had died as he lived, a true, seelie warrior.
Tiernan's family had risen in rank along with him, and his mother was now a Duchess, while his sister was a Marchioness. The seelie who had once scorned Tiernan were now kissing his ass something fierce. I know it was wrong, but that secretly satisfied me. To go from outcast to king was no small thing. If only his father had been there to see it. Wouldn't that have just blown Diocail's mind?
We held funerals for the dead, even one for Moire, though she would be buried in Unseelie. Conn was given special permission to take Moire's body into the Unseelie Kingdom for burial. The seelie soldiers who had died were given special crypts in honor of their sacrifice. I saw to Commander Anson's personally and laid a wreath of thorns over his marker.
Tiernan's father was buried within the royal seelie crypt, right beside Queen Isabel. I thought that was fitting. Part of me wondered what sort of man defended a queen who had once attacked his wife and son. But Tiernan said his father had been a loyal seelie, and sometimes loyalty, though honorably meant, could make men behave badly.
Yes, I know Tiernan was referring to his own bad behavior. Despite Danu claiming responsibility for the way Tiernan had behaved, he still held himself responsible. His father's temperament just served as more proof to Tiernan that he had the capability to treat his loved ones poorly under the guise of loyalty. We can argue with our parents, hate them even, but it's hard to remove someone's influence from your DNA. I tried to reason with Tiernan, but guilt is often unreasonable. Even though he smiled, and said all the right things, I knew he still held that hurt in his heart. The hurt of hurting me.
Raza returned to Craos-Teine the same day his army arrived. He needed to release the sea fey from their obligations, and begin seeing to the preparations for our wedding. Kader went with him, and I was glad Raza had him to travel with. Dragon or no, I didn't like the thought of him flying alone.
The Unseelie Army was given a few hours to refresh themselves, and process what had happened, before they headed home too. Aodh, his family, and the other valiant seelie fey who had come to support us remained in Seelie of course. I was secretly pleased that their honorable actions had resulted in their safety. While they prepared to defend Raza, their brethren had been the ones attacked. I know I've mentioned it already, but fate can be cruel so often, when she is kind, it's cause for a couple of notations. I may have also given them all special commendations for their bravery and tireless efforts towards peace. What was the point of being queen if I couldn't hand out a few knighthoods?
Oh, did I not mention that the commendations were in the form of knighthoods? Yep, even little Rose was made a knight. Seelie wasn't the first kingdom with non-sidhe knights, I had knighted Conri so he could join my Guard, but it was the first kingdom with a buttery sprite knight. There were several non-sidhe knights in Seelie now, but I think the duergar who had carried Rose, Sir Darby, was the proudest of his knighthood. He strutted around the castle like he'd grown three feet.
Still, it was Rose's knighting that had touched me the most. I had knighted her with my dagger instead of the traditional sword, and she had knelt on a table set before me instead of on the floor. But despite these exceptions, her face had been proud and somber when she bowed her head, and after I proclaimed her to be Lady-Sir Rose (the proper term for a female knight), she had lifted her liquid eyes to me and cried tears of joy... as the entire court cheered for her.
The dead seelie soldiers were fewer than we'd initially thought. The seelie had been so unprepared, the only soldiers who were able to put up a fight were those on regular guard duty, and the handful Anson had been able to gather. They were quickly taken down by iron arrows, and the speed of their massacre had caused Isabel to be equally quick about her surrender. It was a vicious lesson to learn, and one that would hopefully be moot now. Still, the seelie would be more vigilant in the future. I knew this for a fact since I would see to it personally. Tiernan and I, that is.
I knew Tiernan would be a good king. Danu had helped to shape him, putting him through trials which most fey never experienced. His banishment, then his acceptance in Twilight, pushed him to become a better man. He joined the Wild Hunt to prove himself, and then earned his own title, instead of apathetically enjoying the one he was born with. He defended the fey from humans, and then defended the humans from the fey. Tiernan had priceless experience with every sort of fairy and human that existed. Danu had groomed him to be the best king the seelie would ever know. And then she had set him on his path by calling him to me.
Part of me still rebelled against her manipulations, but it was a much smaller part of me now. I saw the larger picture, the good Danu was trying to do, and I accepted it. I even recognized the necessity of the rift Danu caused between me and Tiernan. I didn't like it, nor the harm it had left upon Tiernan's conscious, but I understood it. I even believed it was worth it, to make Tiernan into the king he was.
Killian handled taking our reports to the Coven, the Casters, and the Human Council. I admit it was nice having his help. Even this aspect of Danu's plan was perfect. She had thought out every detail. But then, she was a goddess. I'm sure her mental capabilities far surpassed mine. Twilight was already tied firmly to me by blood. So I didn't have to worry about ruling it. Nor would Killian, who would retain the freedom to help me with my Ambassador duties, even after we were married. We would be Prince and Princess of Twilight, royals without the responsibility of ruling. Perfect.
As far as Raza, he'd been groomed as well. A royal birth, then denied by betrayal. He was spared when most of his family were slaughtered, learning what it was to be humbled and vigilant. Through war and intrigue, Raza had prevailed and plotted, biding his time while learning who his true allies were. It strengthened an already strong man. Even his romantic exploits had improved him. Those women who had hurt Raza unknowingly, who had chosen the illusion he could cast instead of the real Raza, they had given him a perception and understanding that he would never have gained as a pampered prince. Emotional wounds may not leave physical scars, but their resilience can be seen in a person's character. King Raza the First had been a mistake, and Danu made sure she corrected it carefully. King Raza II was everything Unseelie needed him to be. He could rule his kingdom without me, no problem, but our marriage would secure peace.
Tiernan in Seelie, Raza in Unseelie, and Killian in Twilight. I had become the pirate, but I was surprisingly happy about it. Damn that goddess for being right. And damn me for being too stubborn to realize it sooner.
