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Jonas opened his arms, aghast. “See? Can we just wear something else, Maj?Please. Uncle Bard won’t care.”
“No. Now, tie your boots, and don’t try to unravel any braids on any princesses today.”
Jonas blew out his lips. “Mira doesn’t like braids, so she doesn’t mind. And Livia tries to make my hair stand up by rubbing her hands together really fast, then she touches it, and it sticks up. So, I’m just getting her back.”
I snorted and shook my head. If we could simply get through these vows without one or more of the heirs of the realms tracking in mud or getting into a squabble the day would be a success.
“Nightrender,” I said, tugging on the front laces of his tunic. “Do set a bleeding example for these two heathens.”
Kase kissed me, hard and thoroughly, until both boys made retching sounds. He grinned against my lips. “I sort of agree with them today.”
“Don’t say that,” I hissed back. “Jonas will hear you and never stop complaining. I’ll take the quiet one and leave him with you all day, Kase Eriksson. I’ll do it.”
His eyes shadowed for a moment, then he pasted a smile so false anyone would know it was not true and faced his sons. “I love these. They are the finest tunics I think I’ve ever worn.”
Jonas and Sander rolled their eyes.
“Okay, Daj,” Jonas said with a sardonic tone. “We know you’re just doin’ what Maj says.”
“As it should be, boy. You better do the same.”
“Idolisten. That’s why I’m wearing this stupid thing.”
I gently gripped the back of both boys’ necks, guiding them out of the chamber. “Let’s go. The sooner you sit politely and listen, the sooner I’ll let you change your clothes, do we have a deal?’
The twins grinned at each other, then shouted at the same time, “Deal!”
I should’ve known the deal would soon be forgotten. Already, Livia and Aleksi were plotting with Halvar’s son, Aesir, on how to pay the Eastern princes back for placing toads under their seats.
Mira Sekundär was still trying to decide which side to take. She enjoyed a good toad, but Sander had kicked mud on the hem of her yellow skirt.
Kase darkened his eyes when Jonas tried to make another move at Livia’s dainty crown, and it worked. For now. Jonas slumped in his chair, frowning as Livia grinned a little smugly, like she’d won the battle, but the war would continue.
Elise and Valen both fought a grin, and pretended to be distracted by tiny baby Rorik, the newest Night Folk prince.
Over a turn since the sea fae had been locked away, since Davorin’s head fell, and it felt like peace was no longer a foreign notion. It was real. It existed. We were here.
Niklas and Junie sat beside us as we waited. After the battle, we helped create a new Falkyn nest (below ground) and they’d taken in Von Grym as their own. He lived amongst the Falkyns, learned the art of elixing from Niklas, despite not having mesmer, and knew how to pick a pocket better than us all.
We’d placed totems for Luca and Dagny outside the Falkyn Nest, a way for their boy to always know his mother and father were warriors. They fought for him, for his freedom, from his first breaths.
They died with him as their final thoughts and words.
Ari and Saga sat beside Calista and Silas and kept muttering around the wooden benches with Gunnar, Eryka, and Herja. They laughed at something, but paused when Hagen stepped forward and we were all asked to rise for the couple.
I clasped my hands around Kase’s arms. Warm anticipation bled through my veins as Bard stepped onto the blossom coated pathway to Bevan, the old Elixist we considered the foremost Alver in our realms.
Bard’s fingers were laced with Tova’s, the wide scar over his throat visible, but it was only a reminder of what we’d all survived. Her glistening cat eyes looked nowhere but him.
“Still strange to see Tov in a dress, right?” Raum leaned in from the row behind us.
Kase nodded. I swatted his arm.
Lynx and Fiske were busy taking bets on if their fellow Kryv would stumble on her skirts, Ash kept casting glances at Shelba, the new Lady of the Serpent Court of the South, and Hanna sat beside Laila, finger-speaking how much she adored Tova’s gown.
Isak succumbed to the two princes’ whines and lifted them up, so they could see over the heads of everyone.
I flashed Tova a wide grin when she passed our front seat. She met my smile, but slugged Kase’s arm, cursing at him for trying to trip her up.
