Page 78 of A Valiant Prince

“Come sit,” he says to me, patting the bench next to him. I sit, and we both look out at the grave and rose bushes.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“Talking to your mother,” he says. “You know, we never found her crown.”

“I know,” I say. “Maybe I will someday, but you know what?”

“What?” he asks.

“It doesn’t matter,” I say. It’s the first time I’ve thought about the crown in weeks. “If it’s meant to be found, then someday, I will find it.”

“But it means so much to you. You’ve spent most of your life searching for it,” he says.

I shrug. “True, but maybe all that searching was just leading me to you. The crown won’t bring her back. You know what?” I ask.

“What?” he replies.

“I think maybe, it was fate. Fate made me look for it, but really, it was bringing me to you,” I muse.

He turns to me, and he looks so serious that it makes me frown.

“I’ve talked to every other member of your family. I only thought it right to speak with her, wherever she may be because I know how important she was to you,” he says.

“Oh?” I say slowly, confused by what he’s saying.

He turns to me and grips my hands in his. His hand trembles slightly, and I wonder if he’s overworked his muscles at therapy. He’s been pushing himself hard every day. And while I will say he looks amazing, I worry that he overdoes it.

“Anna, I think I fell in love with you the first time I saw you.” He pauses. “Not in the Bahamas, but at camp, all those years ago. You are the most beautiful, bravest, smartest, kindest woman I’ve ever met. I don’t know if I would have made it through the last few months without you by my side.”

He pauses and draws a breath. “I don’t want to ever do anything again without you by my side.” He moves suddenly, and he’s on his knee in front of me, still holding my hands in his. “You may be the Princess of Norddale, but you’re also my princess, my Anna. But what I want more than anything, is for you to be my wife. I love you with all my heart, Anna. I want us to be together, forever. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?” he asks, as he pulls out a box from his pocket. It’s red, and he pops it up to reveal a sapphire surrounded by diamonds. It’s absolutely breathtaking.

“I was told that this was my mother’s engagement ring,” he says. “Only this time, it won’t be given in secret. I want to shout my love for you from the mountaintops.”

I’m speechless, completely and utterly speechless.

“So, will you…be my wife?” he asks again, his voice trembling a bit on the last word. I look from the ring to his eyes and back again.

I nod, the words not coming from my mouth.

“Is that a yes?” he confirms.

“Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!” I finally manage to squeal as I leap into his arms knocking us both down onto the ground. He laughs and so do I.

He pulls the ring from the box and I hold out my hand so he can slide it onto my finger. I’m lying on top of him, and we are both grinning like fools.

“I love you, Logan Edvard Winters Hansen,” I say to him.

“And I love you, Susanna Lisbet Louise Alexander,” he says as he leans up and kisses me.

Logan

Susanna grips my hand as we walk into the royal palace of Montelandia. It’s even larger than Norddale’s royal palace, and it’s on a hill overlooking the city. I can’t believe I’m here. It’s been two weeks since Anna agreed to marry me. Tomorrow, we will announce our engagement to the world, and we fully expect the chaos to begin.

Auggie suggested we just elope and tell everyone about it later. I won’t say I didn’t consider that for a good few minutes, but my fierce princess wants a real wedding, so a real wedding she will have.

My father greets us in the great hall, hugging us both.

“How was your trip?” he asks.

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