The Happy Ending (For saps like me)

         Neither side moved, but instead they froze again, staring at each other. I began to shake as the reality of our plans effects started to dawn on me.

        Nobody cared.

        What an idiot I was to think for a moment it would. I’d heard their disgusted hatred towards the other. Who was I all along to think that maybe, just maybe they would listen if I did it this way rather than that? Who was I to try and stop the hatred between two countries?

        “I will support them,” the last voice I ever expected to hear chanted. I closed my eyes, smiling to myself. “After all, my time is about done anyhow. I think it’s time for a pleasant change- this war has been far too much of a problem for years now. I’d say it’s right about time we end it.”

        The men from Aynah started to slink back and I slowly released from Kier. I turned, embracing my father, the last man in the entire world I had ever, ever expected to tell me that he supported anything I did.

        “Oh, come now Callea,” he sighed. “I’m sorry for being such a terrible father all those years. I hope you can find heart to forgive me. After all- I’ve been figuring that this would be what Vorion would want, wouldn’t it?”

        I leaned up to smile at him, hardly believing what I‘m hearing. “Oh father! He would!”

        My father chuckled an  let go of me, walking right up to Kier. I waited to see what he’d do, as Kier watched him too. My father extended a hand towards Kier. Just as slowly, Kier put his hand in my father’s just as firmly.

        Kier’s eyes let up in a pleasant way. They shook hands and my father said, “I owe you for finally marrying my daughter off. I was afraid I’d never see a grandchild of mine.” With that he turned to examine the area around us, as if expecting something. We soon found out what that was.

        “And we’ll serve faithfully with the king,” the two men that were from Aynah spoke up. “And our future Queen, as well.”

        My father nodded and smiled kindly at them. It nearly took my breath away. I was absolutely astonished, hardly believing that things were starting, for once in my life, to turn in my favor. We turned to the Kaithronese men who were walking backwards as they realized they were outnumbered.

        “Well, you have always been good at making us look bad,” another voice says, on the Kaithronese side. I recognize the face of the Queen and King of Kaithron, the queen walking with the same grace I had known three months ago and the king with the same walk as his son. At first I thought they were speaking to Kier but then I realized they were speaking to my father. The hate I remembered form their eyes was completely gone, without a trace. In fact they had a sense of compassion playing about them. “What a waste of our lives,” the king of Kaithron shakes his head. “Son, you’re a fool, but a most wise fool.”

        I didn’t notice until we turned back around but there were at least one hundred men of Aynah gathered around us. “It’s time we speak our minds. Princess Callea, we will serve you both,” a voice in the crowd offered. I felt tears of joy gathering in my eyes, both at the acceptance of Kier and that I was finally, after all these years, seeing the war come to a stop after hundreds of years of fighting. It was the scariest thing I had done in my life but I was grateful to know it was not for nothing.

        The same crowd had appeared on the side of Kaithron. I turned to smile at Kier as I examined all their faces, one by one, feeling happy that they were willing to accept me, a once loathed princess. There were thousands who were still lurking back from us still, though, but they didn’t move. I knew what had to happen now. Those men back there were bound to have friends or family in the group that had come around us. They would be fools to fight against our smaller group, and they understood it to. But those lurking back did not look upset, but rather repentant and deep in thought.

        Finally, after all these years I had won the battle I had been fighting so hard for. I had finally come to stop the war.

        And the fact was that true love always won. Even the most foolish and childish love could conquer the most obsessive hate.

        Suddenly eternity was ahead of me. Ahead of us all. Through the crowd that started cheering, Kier’s lips found mine. For once, always, and forever would it be our victorious kiss to cherish. 

        *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

        I stumbled across my bed, falling to the ground with an ‘umph’. I paused. Was that…?

        I reached under the bed, pulling out a cedar chest. It was dusty and I blew at it to get all the dust off. 

        I turned the box over, snickering to myself when the key was on the bottom. I plucked it off then opened the cedar chest.

        The necklace was in there. I recalled two years ago after a certain dream I had that I shoved it back into the box I had received it from. I clenched it in both of my hands, feeling both grief and a funny sense of happiness. 

        In the cedar box remained a piece of paper. A note Vorion had told me not to read until he left the castle, over two years ago. I grab the sheet between two of my fingers and pull it out, and slowly I unroll the small piece of paper, my fingers shaking.

 

May the road rise up to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

May the sunshine warm upon your face

And the rain fall soft upon your fields

And until we meet again

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

~?

Farewell, my sister, fare thee well.

The elements be kind to thee, and make

Thy spirits all of comfort: fare thee well.

~William Shakespeare

 

Author's Note

This isn't neccessarily just an alternate. To be honest, I don't know which ending I like better. This might turn out to be the real one, or maybe not, what do you think?

Reviews

[DeeDeeMartes]

I love this ending better because I'm a sucker for happy endings. But I like the coronation part in the other ending because it shows Callea as a strong confident and powerful queen, even if she is full of sadness and hate.