Chapter 47:

One Life Together

(Narrative POV, THE END)

Altha. A world of sword and magic. A land of wonder. Where dragons roam the sky and flowers that glow in the moonlight reside.

It is a place that many would marvel at. A place you'd love to go just to get away. Experience the Oases of the Venala Desert. Explore the depths of the magical Shiari Jungle. See the Crystal Sea or the Iridescent Coast. Wherever you go, you're sure to see something fantastic.

Of course, that's not quite what this story was about. While there was some adventure and magical mysticism, there was also tragedy and the loss of innocence. It was also found again, in the end. A tale of love that transcended class.

You see, within Altha is a place called the Vossen Empire. A large and powerful nation that has governed the known world for generations. Through their strength, the people of Vossen have lived a peaceful, quiet life. As quiet as one can, anyways.

In a beautiful garden behind white walls of stone with a pond of crystal clear water were two people. A young human man and a slightly older half-elven woman.

The man, Vincent Redwood, stood with a smile that dulled the sun. His hair like its rays, soft and golden. His eyes, a violet blue like wisteria flowers, shone with glee.

The woman, Gwenevere Vossen-Stone, stood with him, her crimson hair like fire in the sunlight. Her eyes, an amber red like the setting sun, smiled as she laughed happily.

He in a white suit with lavender accents, and she with a black dress accented in gold. They held hands before an altar, having come far in the year since they confessed their feelings to each other. She did not often wear dresses, but for today, it was a special occasion.

Their friends, Cassandra and Miranda who had been married just a few months back, each stood as witness to the union that was about to take place. In the crowd were those they invited, namely Nora and Iris Briar, Vincent's adopted mother and half-sister respectively. There was also Queen Lucine El'Vaari, Gwenevere's mother, also arrived with an Elven Honor Guard, as was customary for such occasions.

Wisteria flowers were the main decoration, filling the venue with their beauty. The rites were said by a woman in white and gold vestments. Empress Gwenevere Vossen-Stone took on the Redwood name, while the newly crowned Emperor Vincent Redwood took on the Vossen-Stone name. Thus started the reign of the Redwood-Stone Family.

All of this, with but a simple vow and a kiss. With rings exchanged, the two who had once been torn from the other, became united forever in a union that changed the world. One of those changes related to the symbol of The Royal Family, which became a Phoenix in Flight, Surrounded by Wisteria Flowered Vines.

In the years to come, Vincent could never truly forgive his father, yet he allowed him to remain around for Iris, who grew up well until they entered quite the rebellious streak. They learned, through word of mouth and Henrick's own confession, to what he had done and who Vincent was to her. Furious, Iris, now a young teenager, ran to live with her brother, whom she loved dearly.

Her mother, Nora Briar, supported her. Iris took on the name Iris Briarstone, wanting to be more related to Vincent, than to Henrick. Henrick, for his part, took everything in stride. Eventually, Nora and him reconciled, but remained divorced and lived separately. Despite the reconciliation, Nora couldn't bring herself to accept someone who would willingly sell their own child.

Iris would one day also reconcile with him, at Vincent's urging. In his words, "You have both of your parents. Do not let my life dictate yours. Do not live with regrets."

She heeded her brother's words, and until the end of his life, Henrick was able to see both of his children, together and happy. He still held regrets in his heart, but had more than made up for it over the years. He took the insults, the harsh comments, and the difficulty of living with one arm all in stride. For that, Vincent allowed him to rest beside his first wife, and Vincent's mother, Alva.

Cassandra and Miranda adopted the children of Verulia who had lost their parents during the War of the Sun, as the events leading up to Gwen becoming Empress was called. They lived together in Verulia, raising the children with the help of the staff there. It was one, incredibly large family, but a happy one.

The Nations of the world came together for the first ever World Conference. There, Gwenevere and Vincent were able to broker peace between them. They seceded the Darkstone Mountains back to Aurelia, demilitarized the Southern border of The Empire and created more trade friendly routes for everyone. The Fengard Tribes and the City-States joined together to create the Fengard Republic.

Gwenevere's rule was acknowledged by the Lunal Hegemony, though this was just a formality. It meant nothing within the Empire, but it did allow for friendly relations. With the power she wielded, Gwenevere did just as she promised she would. There was no ruler before her. Their name did not exist. An entire generation erased.

The Vossen-Stone Family, now known as the Redwood-Stone Family, was still talked about and taught to the children of each generation, but their name was never mentioned, and soon faded into obscurity.

Vanessa's paintings became known worldwide. Vincent had kept his promise, and her dream came true. Gwen, true to her own word, kept several for herself. In light of recent events, Vanessa's name was stricken from the records as a Noble Faction conspirator. She would never be remembered as such. Just another victim in their game.

Vincent and Gwen, after getting over the awkward stages of their relationship, eventually had three children of their own. Jasper, Kara, and Lucien Redwood-Stone. Iris became an aunt, and as for her life as she grew older...Vincent was quite strict on who was good enough for "His Iris", but eventually Gwen helped him relent.

This, however, is a possible story for another time.

------

Nikushimi

Thank you for coming along for this story. It was shorter and a little different from what I normally write, especially in terms of romance, which I usually don't like waiting till the very end for the romances to "be together". I hope you enjoyed it regardless, but even if you didn't, that's okay! I have so many stories and ideas in my head, so I want to try several different types of storytelling. Hopefully most questions were answered, if not, I do apologize. I don't take the best notes so may have missed or forgotten somethings.

However, now that this is completed, I will return to work on Fae King's Desperation and Regressor's Lover, for those who are reading those. It may take a bit for me to get back into the flow with them, so I thank you for your patience and understanding. ^_^ Thank you as always for reading, and I hope to see you in future (or current) stories I'm writing! <3