Epilogue
A month later, after the castle walls and interior had been repaired, Lorcan summoned me to the throne room. He had been keeping the new design a secret until his coronation day. I found him seated on the new throne. It was carved from a single rock found at Lassair. It was simple but suited Borvo’s new dragon king.
I approached the throne and curtseyed low before him. “Many blessings to you this day. The
gods have favored your coronation. The rain has stopped, and the sun sings of your praise.”
Lorcan gestured with his finger for me to get up, then jogged down the stairs to greet me. “Never bow to me.”
“I am sorry.” I felt my lips curl into a crooked smile.
“You are my king.”
“And you are my princess.”
“I’m not a princess anymore. I haven’t been one for weeks.”
“I told you, you’ll always be my princess.”
He offered me his arm and I accepted. We walked over to the table that held the crown he would be given this afternoon before the kingdom. He picked it up and placed it in my hands. “I had the old crown melted down. What do you think?”
I turned the golden crown in my hands, looking at the intricate details. “A crown of flames. It seems appropriate. But it is smaller than Savio’s was. What did you do with the rest of the gold?”
He opened a box I had not noticed before, and inside was a smaller version of his crown. He took the crown out of the box and kneeled before me. “I thought my princess might like to become a queen.”
I looked down at Lorcan, the stable boy who had the heart of a dragon and the love of a kingdom. I nodded, unable to hide my excitement. “Is that a yes?”
I nodded again. “Yes.”
Lorcan stood up and kissed me then lifted me in his arms and spun me around, causing me to squeal in delight. “Good, then I can show you the rest of my surprise.”
“There is more?”
“Guards, remove the drapes!” That’s when I realized the throne room had been covered in white sheets that lined the walls. One by one, the drapes were pulled down and taken away, revealing gorgeous frescos that lined the entire throne room in a perfect arch. Lorcan took my hand and brought me to the first fresco. It showed a boy walking through fire. “It’s Charon, becoming the leader of the Clan Drago.” Then he pulled me to the next fresco, which showed the battle for Borvo. That was followed by the reign of Charon and the birth of Lorcan. The next panel showed Barin smuggling Lorcan away while Savio drugged the dragons with water. The story wrapped around the room, continuing to the arena and the funeral of Charon. But there was another fresco I did not expect to see.
It was of me, dressed all in white, my hair braided and intricately styled. On my head was the crown of flames as I faced Lorcan, who was painted rather dashing in his clan colors of black, red, and gold. The frame on his side was of flames, on mine was of water. They met in the middle and swirled together in a blaze of purple.
“It is the marriage of fire and water,” Lorcan said softly. “The alliance of our people.”
“A marriage of purity,” I realized, my mind struck dumb with the thought. I looked at the couple again. They were noble, happy, and clearly in love. I turned to Lorcan and placed my fingers over the pin of Drago that he wore every day. “I am so sorry, Lorcan.”
“What would you ever have to be sorry about?”
“I still have family, though distant. My line continues to exist in Abhainn. You are the last dragon.”
“I am, for now. But there is no doubt in my mind that will not always be the case. Who knows what union our marriage will bring forth? There are still many white walls in this castle in need of a fresco. So many stories that have yet to be told.”
I looked at him and smiled. He exuded such confidence as he laid his lips down upon mine.
“I told you, Isolde, this is only the beginning.”
-THE END-