Page 120 of Pretense

Melantha delicately sipped at her hot chocolate, giving Rharreth a small, fond smile. She and Essie had already made plans to visit the local coffee shops for a hot chocolate taste-testing spree so that Melantha could pick out her favorites to take back with her to Kostaria.

Farrendel had not yet decided if he would join them. He would have to see if he was up for more people-time after the past few days. With nearly all of them together, minus Machasheni Leyleira, Jalissa, and Edmund, someone had been around nearly constantly since they had returned from the border, even when they split up into smaller groups to see and do separate things.

Just that morning, they had participated in a parade through the streets of Aldon to celebrate the signing of the new treaty between Kostaria and Escarland, a new alliance pact between the three kingdoms, and the one-year anniversary of the treaty that had started it all.

The Escarlish people had crowded the streets, cheering both the troll and elf kings as if they had never been at war with either kingdom. Though, Averett declaring the day a national holiday might have had something to do with it.

The crowds had even cheered for Farrendel and Essie. It turned out that announcing a baby on the way erased the recent scandals, at least for now. It would not last. Public opinion was a fickle thing even at the best of times. But at least Essie had gotten a chance to enjoy the festivities in Escarland for their anniversary without getting rotten fruit thrown at her, and that was all Farrendel could ask for.

On the last bench, Brina held Essie’s nephew Finn in her arms, and the boy had nodded off to sleep some time ago. Ryfon helped Bertie roast another marshmallow, both of them thoroughly sticky at this point.

Essie snuggled closer to Farrendel’s side, resting her head on his shoulder. “This is even better than anything I dreamed about back then. Can you believe it? We got married a whole year ago.”

“It has been an eventful year.” As Farrendel took in his family and hers gathered around this fire, he could not help but agree. Human, elf, troll. They sat together as one family. He certainly had never imagined this, a year ago. Back then, he had simply wanted a reprieve from war, even if it was only for a few years.

He had not expected his family would become closer and more whole than they had been in decades. Nor had he expected a new family that had embraced him so wholeheartedly that he could no longer imagine his life without them. Having Rharreth, the troll king, for a brother was a surprise.

But most of all, there was Essie. Their love, so much deeper and richer than anything he had known he could feel. The wonder of having a child on the way, knowing that he would be a father before another year was out.

“Uh-hmm.” Essie’s voice was quiet, sleepy.

“Ready for bed?” He could feel the way she was all but falling asleep against his shoulder.

When she made a mumbled noise that sounded like agreement, he stood, drawing her to her feet with him with his steadying arm around her shoulders. It took longer than he liked to say their goodnights to everyone, especially since Averett and Paige took the opportunity to declare it was time to get the boys to bed. Rharreth and Melantha decided that was their cue to return to Winstead Palace as well, followed by Julien, and it was long moments before Farrendel could finally duck away with Essie.

At least Weylind had decided that camping out in the forest with Rheva, Ryfon, and Brina sounded like a novel, family-bonding experience. Farrendel and Essie would have Buckmore Cottage to themselves tonight.

Farrendel heaved a deep breath as the fire and noise faded away behind him. Peace and quiet. Finally.

Essie yawned, still leaning against him as they walked. “I’m sorry we couldn’t spend our anniversary at Lethorel as you had wanted.”

“I do not mind. There is always next year. Or the year after that.” Farrendel shrugged, keeping his pace slow for Essie’s sake. He had the hope of many anniversaries to enjoy with Essie for hundreds of years to come, thanks to their heart bond. Spending this one surrounded by her kingdom and her family was not a trial as he might have once believed. “Today was about our kingdoms more than us.”

“There is still tomorrow. We get to celebrate our anniversary all over again, this time for our elven wedding.” Essie tangled her fingers in the front of his shirt. “Tomorrow will be just for us. No parades. No busyness. Just the two of us.”

“Yes.” That was fine by him. “As long as none of my professors track me down. I think I might owe a few of them some homework.”

“No doing homework on our anniversary.” Essie laughed, then stumbled over a root she likely had not seen in the darkness with her human eyesight.

Farrendel swept her up into his arms, glad for an excuse to hold her close.

She gave a tiny, surprised squeal before she wrapped one arm around his neck. As he started walking again, she rested her head on his shoulder.

Thinking about their weddings a year ago made him remember Averett’s words at the Escarlish-Mongavarian border. He glanced down at Essie. “Do you regret how we married? We never properly courted, nor did I ask you to marry me in the traditions of either of our kingdoms. Both of our weddings were put together quickly with very little planning on your part.”

Essie raised her head, searching his face as a wrinkle formed between her brows. “Do you regret any of that?”

“No.” Yes, but only because he thought Essie deserved better than the rushed weddings and his awkward courtship afterwards.

For himself? No, he had no regrets.

Essie met his gaze, her smile soft and still touching something deep inside his chest just as it had the first time he had seen her. “No, I wouldn’t change the past year. Well, I guess I would change your capture and torture if I could. I would never wish for you to have suffered that.” She gently traced the scar along his collarbone, her touch so light and soft that it stirred thoughts of kissing her rather than the reaction to flinch. “But other than that, I wouldn’t change a thing. Especially not our weddings.”

He would gladly erase those weeks of torture as well, but he was at a place where he could appreciate the way it had pushed him to get to the better state he was in now and to continue what he needed to do to stay there, much as he was able. He would not wish the healing away, even if he still ached because of the brokenness.

“Good. I am thankful you have no regrets.” He stepped into the back gardens of Buckmore Cottage. A single light glowed next to the door, but other than that, the cottage remained the cozy dark of an empty home waiting to enfold them again.

There, in the privacy of the shadowed garden, the tree frogs and night birds chorusing in the trees behind them, he halted, still cradling her to him. The moonlight shone against the red of Essie’s hair and glittered in her eyes. Her moon-kissed skin still had a hint of the freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks.

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