Page 143 of A Kingdom's Heart
She didn’t answer right away, just rested her head against my chest, her heartbeat weak but steady. Then she whispered back, barely audible.
“I love you too.”
Something inside me broke then. Not from pain, but from the unbearable truth that love like this could survive even ruin. I buried my face in her hair and held her tighter, as if I could shield her from the world that had already cast her out.
Outside, the wind howled through the pines, carrying the echoes of a kingdom that no longer wanted us.
Let them have their thrones.
I had her.
That was enough.
—
It had been seven days since our exile. Seven days since the castle walls disappeared behind us and the world grew quiet again.
I was outside, working the soil by hand, the sun already low in the sky. The air smelled like pine and damp earth. My hands wererough and raw, but I didn’t mind. It felt good to build something again, even if it was small. The garden would give us food in time, and the work kept my thoughts still.
Behind me, the door creaked open. I looked up and saw her standing there. Iris. She was wearing one of my old tunics, her
hair loose, her face pale but glowing in the light.
“Do you need help?” she asked softly.
I straightened, frowning. “No. Get back inside. You need rest.”
She smiled faintly but didn’t move. “I’ve been lying down all day.”
Then I saw her hand clutch her abdomen. The smile faded, replaced by a wince. The spade fell from my hand before I even realized it. In an instant, I was at her side.
“Easy,” I said, slipping an arm around her. My hand pressed gently to the small of her back as I guided her inside. She didn’t argue, just leaned against me, her steps slow but steady.
When we reached the bed, she sank onto it with a tired breath. I knelt beside her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Her eyes met mine, soft and tired, but filled with something that made my chest ache.
We didn’t need to say anything.
This was our life now. No crowns, no swords, no titles, no gold, no silver armor. Just the two of us in a small cottage in the middle of nowhere.
And maybe that was enough.
Because we had each other.
And we always would.
EPILOGUE
IRIS
Three months had passed.
Three quiet, beautiful months.
I had never known happiness like this before. Not the kind that comes from grand halls or silk gowns, but the kind that fills the air with peace. The kind that made me feel safe, and whole, and loved.
Every morning I woke up to the sound of birds and William’s arms around me. Every night, I fell asleep to his heartbeat. The memories of the palace, of my father, of all that had been taken from me. They felt distant now, like a dream fading in the morning light.
William had become a farmer. He worked the fields every day, hands calloused, face sun-touched, yet he never once complained. I went to the village from time to time, helping the sick as a healer. It wasn’t much, but together we made enough to survive. Enough to live.
