Epilogue

Epilogue Alex leaned against the door frame of the rose arbor watching the eldest of his and Isobel’s five children, Abel chase Bowden’s two oldest sons Baldwin and Baldric towards the opening of the hedge maze, while Gile’s eldest son Garren gave ran to catch them. Ten wonderful blissfully happy years had passed since he had married Isobel, who seemed to grow more beautiful every day. Isobel had given him four children three sons, Abel who was eight, Axel seven, Arnott five, and their precious daughter Ivy who was four. While Axel adored all his children Ivy, who was the image of Isobel was his favorite, for she had Isobel’s gentle nature and intelligence and his fighting spirit. When Ivy wasn’t rescuing injured animals from the forest she was tormenting her older brothers. Ivy dressed in an overly long tunic and breeches toddled up to Alex holding up a flower for his inspection. Alex knelt as his daughter came up to him to properly examine the flower. “What do you have for me precious?” Alex asked looking at the light blue flower. “Mama says it is a chickkorry flower, and you can make it into tea,” Ivy replied. “Yes chicory and you can indeed make it into tea, what else did your mother say?” Alex looked past Ivy’s red gold head to where Isobel was sitting on a blanket with a huge sun hat shielding her face. Even from his distance he could see the growing baby bump and smiled knowing in a few months he would be a father again. Isobel had said it would be another girl which suited Alex just fine. “She said to tell you she is tired and wants to go inside, but she needs help to get up,” Ivy said then held her arms out to Alex. “Well, we shall have to go rescue your mama then.” Alex scooped up Ivy with his left arm then strode across the lawn to Isobel and held his hand down to her. “Ivy said you needed help,” Alex said trying not to grin as Isobel took his hand and let him pull her up. “Yes thank you, the boys exhausted me and I can no longer bend,” Isobel replied smiling up at Alex. “Can you watch the boys I need a lie-down?” “Of course, you shall need your strength for latter.” Alex gave Isobel a wink that made her blush. “You are incorrigible that is how I ended up like this again.” Isobel patted her rounded stomach. “And the fact you forgot your herbs,” Alex replied. “And whose fault was that you wanted me to try the new wine.” Isobel shook her head and standing on tip toe kissed Alex on the cheek. “Yes well what can I say you are very beautiful, isn’t your mama pretty Ivy?” Ales asked and Ivy nodded. “Ivy do you want to come with me or stay with your father?” Isobel asked. “Stay with papa, put me down papa I have to catch Arnott,” Ivy demanded and Alex set her on the grass to let her run after her brother. “Don’t forget you have those new laws to review before supper time,” Isobel said. Alex nodded. “We shall review them together, go rest and I’ll see you later my love.” Isobel gave Alex a smile and began walking back towards the palace pausing to wave to his father who was sitting under a large oak tree with Bowden’s father playing chess. In the past ten years with Isobel’s guidance Alex had created a parliament made up of three houses, the commons which consisted of the working and merchant class, the lords made up of the aristocracy and then the high lords which consisted of two of his young brothers and one sister. The parliament would discuss and propose new laws and treaties as well as how to spend money each year and what projects to improve the kingdom should come first. When an accord was decided his siblings would bring him the parliament’s decision and he as king would have the final say. His father who had abdicated when Alex returned home with Isobel, had been an absolute ruler, but he’d supported Alex and in his plans for the country. Alex with Isobel’s help had created two colleges in the nearby city of Breisig, one exclusively for women and the other open to all. The colleges were also free to attend and anyone who passed the entrance exams could enroll whether they be a farmer’s son or a prince. They were also creating four new colleges in other cities around the country and Alex had established a country-wide system of education that was not only free but mandatory for every child from ages five to fifteen. Alex had also kept his promise to Isobel of building her a garden; in fact, he’d built her two, one at the palace and another in Breisig that was open to the public. The garden in Breisig called the Queen’s gift was now so famous people from all over the seven kingdoms came to wander in it. Isobel had continued her studies and was now a famous healer and apothecary as well a painter, with her flower etchings and books in high demand. Alex’s friends had also prospered and found happiness, Bowden and Bridgette had six sons and one daughter who were all as horse mad as their parents. Bridgette’s father had gifted Bridgette with five stallions, twenty-five mares, and twenty- five donkeys as well as fifty pieces of silver, though Bowden would have taken her in her shift. Alex had made Bowden the captain of his personal guard and gifted him with a hundred acres of prime pasture land next to the river five miles from the palace. Alex had also paid for their manor and stables to be built as part of his wedding gift to them. Giles after nearly losing Sasha to prince Berne had declared his love for her and after much groveling and admitting that she was just as clever as he was had won her hand. They had three children two sons and a daughter, who were all as clever as their parents. Alex had made both Giles and Sasha his royal scientists, gifted them with land, and a manor and had a large stone building built for them to use as a workshop. The two of them had created designs for superior water and wind mills that were being used to crush grain or if needed bring water up to wells. They were currently working on steam powered devices to move boats. Ahern had married Lucy, whom he’d discovered had been hiding her true beauty to not attract attention. Lucy had been hiding from her betrothed an older warlord to whom she’d been promised at birth. Lucy had worn padding under her clothes to make herself look plump, dyed her auburn hair a different shade, and used thick makeup to change her complexion. Without all her camouflage she was a startlingly beautiful young woman with auburn hair and a trim figure. Ahern with the help of his friends had been forced to fight the warlord to save Lucy from an unwanted marriage but Ahern did not regret it as Lucy was the love of his life. Ahern who had learned that Lucy shared a passion for geology with him and taken his old wagon and Lucy on a camping honeymoon to show her a series of caves he’d discovered as a boy. While mapping out the caves they discovered what had turned out to be a huge vein of gold. As the land belonged to Alex the gold was rightfully his, but Alex had appointed Ahern overseer of the gold mine that was set up and gifted him, Lucy, and their children with fifteen percent of the profits, as well as building them a fine manor. Thanks to the mine Glomma was now the richest kingdom in all the seven kingdoms, and Alex with his friends’ help was using the majority of the wealth to not only build schools and hospitals but improve roads and public water ways. Alex in truth owed everything to Isobel, he watched her step into the double doors at the back of the palace and turn to wave to him making his smile widen. His father had been right when he’d said find a woman who was a friend first and then a lover, for Isobel was still both to him and he thanked the gods every day for finding her. Ivy abruptly appeared in front of him her face flushed and hair a mess. “You must come, papa, Arnott fell down and scraped his knee and is crying.” “Well now we can’t have that.” Alex held his hand out to Ivy, who wrapped her tiny finger about his finger to tug him towards the maze. “Papa when the new baby is born will you still love me?” Ivy asked abruptly. “Of course, I will poppet; I love you and all your brothers. You are like my rose bushes I care for them all and tend them all and have no favorite. And like my bushes you shall all grow and flourish.” Alex replied and saw Ivy nod. “And you will still love Mama?” “I shall love your Mama till the end of time, now where is your brother,” Alex said. “That is good papa for I love you too.” Alex smiled broadly knowing that he had truly been blessed by the gods and thinking how he would have to thank Isobel later for all his happiness.