AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Miriam did as she was bid, kneeling before her queen.
“You already have knighthood,” Maytree said. “What would you have in addition?”
“To be honest, Your Majesty, I really fancy a holiday.”
A laugh went up from the crowd. “Then you shall have it, Miriam of Bath, as well as a house here in our grounds and one wherever else you desire. Your soldiers, too, shall be justly rewarded.”
“The day could not have been won without them,” Miriam agreed. “Although we owe most, if not all of our fortune to Juliana.”
All eyes turned towards Juliana, who now wished she’d been afforded a few moments to freshen up. She was absolutely filthy.
Maytree smiled. “I suspected as much. Come forward, Juliana.”
Hawthorn leant across. “I have already promised her knighthood and riches for her assistance,” he explained.
Maytree nodded. “Then I offer you another boon of your choosing,” she proclaimed. “Anything within our power. Title, lands, magic, a geas—anything you wish for will be yours. You need only speak it.”
Juliana hoped she wasn’t trembling. The weight of Maytree’s words swam above her, heavy as stone, twinkling like starlight.
Anything. She could haveanything.
How many things had she wished for as a girl? Fine things, wealth no one could take from her, power she had earned.
All now within her grasp.
And yet there was only one thing she wanted.
She bowed, and then righted herself. A thousand fairytales had ended this way, why should hers be any different?
She wished she wasn’t sweating so hard as she raised her eyes to Hawthorn. “Him,” she said. “I want him.”
The whole room startled, sucking in a collective breath. None looked more surprised than Hawthorn, whose face went white. It was impossible to tell if he was appalled or overjoyed.
The Queen stared at him, and then back towards Juliana. “Be more specific.”
“For freeing the kingdom from Ladrien’s control, I would like Prince Hawthorn’s hand in marriage.”
The crowd murmured again.
The Queen looked around uncertainly. “I promised you anything within our power,” she continued, after the longest of pauses. “But this—”
“I accept,” Hawthorn declared, leaning forward in his throne. “I shall marry you, Juliana Ardencourt. Right here, right now, if you wish it.”
The gasps escalated into a frenzy. Juliana’s own breath stuttered in her chest. She could hardly believe this was happening.
“How long for?” she asked hesitantly, for faerie marriages could be brief and fleeting. No one promised forever, for such a thing could not be undone. Not even those in the deepest of love proclaimed such a thing.
“Careful, son,” Maytree advised.
But he did not appear to hear her. His eyes were still rooted on Juliana. “For as long as you wish it.”
“And if I want you for the rest of my life?”
“I will be yours until death, if that is what you want.”
“And what doyouwant?”
“You,” he replied. “I just want you.”
