“You look radiant, your Majesty,” Serena and Daliah said in near unison.

Audrey smiled at them, hands folded over her lap. “Thank you both, now I insist that you go and enjoy yourselves! I am sure your dates are eagerly waiting.”

Daliah blushed and nodded, bowing deeply. “Thank you, ma’am.”

Serena bowed as well, suppressing a giggle, “Yes ma’am! Thank you, ma’am.”

The pair withdrew, observing proper etiquette, then hurried back across the room towards their respective escorts for the evening.

“Sweet of you to give your handmaids the evening off to celebrate, my Queen,” Camdyn said, taking her hand gently.

“And of you to let your gentlemen take a break as well,” Audrey replied coyly. “It would have been a shame to deprive our closest assistants of a chance to celebrate.”

“Indeed,” Camdyn said, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. “Perhaps we should celebrate as well? We have not yet had our second dance beyond the one that opened the evening.”

“I can agree with that,” Audrey nodded, letting Camdyn draw her to her feet. The elegant dress swirled around her as she moved, the many layers being quite cumbersome at first, but once she had learned to manage them, she couldn’t deny the impact they made on the overall outfit. In motion she was like a field of flowers in the wind, her skirts decorated with freshly trimmed blooms from the local countryside and the royal gardens. It smelled absolutely wonderful, as well.

A clearing formed of its own accord amidst the dancing guests as the newly crowned king and queen met for their second dance of the evening. Careful steps turned to a sweeping waltz as Audrey struggled to remember the dances that she had been taught. It was easy to learn them as a leader. Learning to follow someone else’s lead had been far different. There was a degree of trust required of Camdyn, to guide her safely. Dancing with him was like a test of their future. A test he had passed with flying colors in their lessons.

Now she was able to relax and let him guide her around the dance floor, taking comfort in his embrace, in the closeness they shared, and in the synchronicity of their movements. 

“Are you alright?” Camdyn asked, looking down at her as they moved.

“I am quite well, thank you… just thinking about how real this evening is, how final it is.”

“Not final, it’s a beginning not an ending,” Camdyn corrected her gently. He arrested their movement around the dance floor, pulling her full attention to him.

“We’re joined as King and Queen, husband and wife,” he continued, taking her chin once more in thumb and forefinger, tilting it up to face him properly.

“Yes… you’re right, of course,” she smiled gently, appreciating the added height her heels gave her at the moment. She could more easily reach his lips. 

Camdyn seemed to follow her line of thought, and leaned in, pressing his lips to hers. The kiss lasted for what felt like an age, and when they broke apart, their guests had stopped to watch them, and soon fell into thunderous applause.

“I love you,” Camdyn said quietly in her ear so that she might hear him over the uproar.

Audrey smiled, whispering in his ear in return, “I love you, too.”

-=-

“Walk, please! Like ladies!” Governess du Soliel chastised as the two young girls dashed down the hallway, screeching.

Audrey knelt to catch them in a two-on-one hug, laughing right along with them.

“Faith, Briar, aren’t you two supposed to be at your lesson?” She asked, giving each a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Yes, mummy,” they answered together almost in unison but not quite, the result a charming dissonance.

“They’re just as stubborn as you, your Majesty,” du Soliel said as she caught up to the girls.

“Like mother like daughters,” Audrey teased lightheartedly as she rose to her full height, one of the girls in each arm, now resting on her hips.

“Yes, so it would seem.” She folded her arms crossly, looking at the girls. “We still have our letters practice, ma’am…” 

“Hm… Is that so? Well then, girls… you had best return to your lessons before Ms. du Soliel has mummy’s head.” She said conspiratorially.

The girls whined briefly as they were set down, but after a gentle nudge from their mum they walked over to the governess’ side.

“Thank you for your vigilant training of my beautiful girls, Governess,” Audrey said, smiling cheerfully at her. 

“You are most welcome, your Majesty. Come now, your highnesses...” She curtseyed slightly, then led the girls back into the drawing room to continue their lessons.

-=-

Out on the practice field, Camdyn drilled their oldest, Harlan. The boy was nearly 13, and his father and mother had decided that it was beyond time he learned proper swordsmanship.

“Mind your side, son,” Cam said, catching the boy with a tap to his arm with the practice blade. “If it were a real blade, you’d be unable to hug your mother properly! You know how sad that would make her,” He tutted, taking a step back to reset for the next round.

“This is too tough, father!” Harlan complained, rubbing the spot he had been stricken. 

“Too tough? Hah, this is just practice, my boy! Why, when I was your age, I was already serving as squire to the most incompetent hero in the land…” he began.

“Father, I’ve heard this stoooryyyy…” he moaned, moving in to take a swing with the practice sword.

“Well, if you don’t want to hear it again then you’ll just have to strike me to silence me!” He laughed as he turned a blow aside gently. “Now, where was I? Ah, yes, serving as squire for Ser Auden of Ashlande…”

-=-

“Are you telling that accursed story again, husband of mine,” Audrey asked as she approached.

“Of course, my love,” he grinned and tapped aside their son’s most recent attack. The poor boy looked exhausted - whether from practice or from the story, one couldn’t tell.

“It seems you’re wearing our son ragged. Perhaps you could use with a bit better competition?” she asked playfully.

“Any time, beloved.” He chuckled and made a show of rolling his shoulders as if to loosen up.

Audrey grinned broadly, tearing away her skirt to reveal trousers and boots. She claimed a narrower training sword from the rack and squared up with her husband.

“Ladies first, my Queen,” Camdyn said, motioning for her as he raised his blade.

“With pleasure,” she grinned, driving forwards.

-=-

Heartgrove came to know prosperity in trade once more, with the roads reopening to outside kingdoms. History would remember King Camdyn and Queen Audrey kindly, proclaiming that they had revitalized the once forgotten kingdom. Their lineage stretches onward to the present day, where Queen Audrey VII and her husband King Cenric sit on the throne and rule a Heartgrove that has expanded greatly since their forebears' time.

Never for so long as the blades remained in the hands of a proper child of Ashlande-Barrows would the kingdom know suffering, nor want for anything, not even through the procession of time to this modern day, where carriages and horses have been replaced with automobiles, where men fly and ride rails, where wars are no longer waged with swords, where nobles serve now as social figures more than political powers.

None could have anticipated how fate would lead the new King and Queen to the kingdom of Heartgrove, but none would ever argue that it was anything less than the happiest possible result for all involved.

~The End~