by Nathan Roden
“You’re not a perfect man?” Simon said. “I stole these over the course of twelve years. They helped save my life.”
Simon turned to the servants.
“Put out a public notice. Anyone who has had their books come up missing in the last twelve years can reclaim them here at the castle. And they will be given regular access to the royal libraries. And…and a tart, I think. Or a cake.”
Simon held out his hand to the farmer. The farmer took it and Simon helped him to his feet.
“Welcome to our new kingdom, Lord Coleman.”
Fifty-Five
Simon waited in the great room of the castle. Citizens were very surprised to be invited inside.
“I knew I didn’t misplace those books!” an old woman said.
“Which are yours, my lady?” Simon asked.
“These two.”
“Ah, I remember them well,” Simon said. “Very good reads on cold winter nights.”
“How did you…however did you turn the pages?” the woman asked.
“It wasn’t easy,” Simon said with a laugh. “Nor would it have been pretty to watch. Bless you, my lady. Remember, there will be regular open access to our libraries.”
“Thank you, Your Grace. I look forward to it!”
“Oh. And please have this cake.”
A small woman walked in alone. She looked around the room in awe, holding a stack of books against her chest.
“What do you have there, my lady?”
The woman placed the books on the table.
“These are children’s books. Silly, little things, really. But my children enjoyed them. I want Queen Jaclyn to have them for her baby.”
“That…that is wonderful,” Simon said. He stepped toward the woman. She took a step backward. Simon pulled her into a hug.
“Thank you. Thank you so much!”
The woman laughed nervously and hurried from the room.
Simon shook his head.
“She didn’t get her cake.”
Simon was leafing through the children's books when he heard a door open. Nicholas Lamont and Jaclyn had arrived. Jaclyn held the baby.
After greetings, Lord Lamont left to continue meeting and introducing himself in the village. The families of the soldiers that had joined Islemar’s army were arriving from their brief exile in the Southlands.
“How are your wounds?” Jaclyn asked.
“Healing nicely,” Simon said. “I sometimes forget they are there. How do you feel?”
“Very tired,” Jaclyn said. “Like I could sleep for a month.”
“Lie down for a while, if you like,” Simon said. “I will hold onto little Nicholas.”
“I don’t want to put you out,” Jaclyn said.
Simon formed a playful scowl.
“Give me that baby.”
Simon smiled.
“I’ve missed him.”
Jaclyn laughed and passed the baby over.
“Bring him to me if he gets hungry.”
Simon waved his hand, playfully.
“Go away, Mum. Go night-night.”
Jaclyn left the room. Simon tickled the baby’s nose with the tip of his finger. Little Nicholas laughed. Simon took one of the books and sat down in a big, comfortable chair. He moved Nicholas into the crook of his arm and began to read aloud.
Some time later, Simon opened his eyes. Nicholas was sound asleep in his arms. Jaclyn and Helena sat nearby, watching them silently.
“You two are adorable,” Helena said.
Jaclyn only smiled. Her eyes were wet.
“He’s so peaceful,” Simon said. “It…it seems to soak into you.”
Jaclyn stood.
“That may not be ‘peaceful’ you’re feeling. He probably needs a change.”
Jaclyn was changing the baby’s swaddling when Boone, Tanner, and Magdalena walked in.
Boone and Helena embraced and kissed.
“I think we had better hurry with those arrangements,” Jaclyn said with a sly grin.
“It can’t be quick enough for me,” Helena said.
“Me either,” Boone said.
“Say,” Jaclyn said. “Why don’t you all get married at the same time?”
“What are you talking about?” Helena asked.
Jaclyn pointed.
“You and Boone. And Magdalena and Finn!”
Magdalena blushed and stammered.
“Please, Jaclyn. Don’t tease so.”
“No, no, no!” Helena said. “That’s an excellent idea! Isn’t it, Boone?”
“Yeah! Great! Takes the pressure off of me. Let’s do it.”
“There’s only one small problem,” Magdalena said. “I haven’t been proposed to.”
“Oh, don’t be silly, Magdalena,” Jaclyn said. “I’ve never seen a man so head-over-heels in love in my whole life.”
Tanner crossed his arms.
“She’s right, you know. As dumbstruck as a fourteen-year-old boy, he is.”
Magdalena put her hands on her hips.
“What do you propose I do? Cast a spell on him?”
The door opened again. Finn, Lieutenant Winston, and Noah Lamont entered the room. They had been talking amongst themselves. They stopped talking when they saw a room full of people staring at them. In particular, staring at Captain Finn.
“Wh-what did I do?”
Jaclyn handed the baby to Simon. She took Helena’s hand and led her to Finn’s side. They each took a hand.
“We were discussing Helena and Boone’s wedding,” Jaclyn said. “And we were thinking how absolutely wonderful it would be if it was a double wedding.”
Finn looked at Simon and raised his eyebrows. Simon shook his head slowly and discreetly pointed his finger back at Finn. Finn struggled to swallow. Magdalena dropped her chin and slowly shook her head while swearing under her breath.
“That would be great, wouldn’t it?” Boone said.
Finn nodded. He pulled free of the ladies’ hands and stepped in front on Magdalena. He took her hand and lowered himself to one knee.
“Lady Magdalena Raven, I am hopelessly and madly in love with you. If you’ll have me, I would be happy and honored to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Magdalena burst into tears and threw her arms around Finn’s neck. The room erupted into sounds of celebration.
“I’m good at that sort of thing,” Jaclyn said. She glanced momentarily at Simon, who smiled back, nervously.
“I’ll say you are!” Helena said. She and Jaclyn not only embraced, they danced around the room for a while in each other’s arms.
“Pay attention,” Jaclyn said to Boone. “This will be you in a few days.”
Fifty-Six
A group of men sat around the courtyard in the cool of the evening. Sterling’s reserves of wine, ale, and pipe tobacco were being sampled.
Simon, Boone, Lord Lamont, Noah, Finn, Winston, Tanner, Oliver, Brendan, and Sir Gregory Beasley sat about. They raised their mugs to toast their fallen compatriots.
Simon stood and raised his mug.
“To my brother, Lucien, and the man he became. And the greater man he would have become.”
“To Lucien!” the others said as they raised their mugs and drank to Lucien’s memory.
Sir Gregory stood on unsure legs, the toasts taking a toll on him.
“To Sir William Wood. And Sir Edmund Braun—the best friends a man ever had.”
“Sir William Wood! Sir Edmund Braun!” they cried out and drank.
Brendan stood.
“To the best friends I will ever have. Reece Belton. Shawn Duvall. And Lucien Morgenwraithe.”
“Reece Belton! Shawn Duvall! Lucien Morgenwraithe!”
Oliver stood.
“A good friend of mine gave his life in the service of our cause. Few of us know his name. His name was Timothy Stoddard.”
“Timothy Stoddard!”
Lord Lamont stood and raised his mug.
“I raise a toast to a good fri
end from the Southlands. This was not his war. And he was no warrior. But he fought at our side with everything he had. Here’s to Rolf Roball!”
“Rolf Roball!”
They drank in silence for a few moments.
“It will soon be time to attend to the matters of the kingdom.” Lord Lamont said.
Simon blew out a long breath.
“We have many positions to fill, Lord Lamont.”
“I suppose we should tend to matters of the Guard and the army first,” Lamont said.
“I believe we have a good man for the head of either, Lord Lamont,” Simon said.
He pointed at Brendan.
“Brendan Collier.”
“What?” Brendan exclaimed.
“Unless there is some reason you are unwilling to serve in a position of leadership within the kingdom,” Simon said.
“N-No. No reason. Are you being serious?” Brendan asked.
“Absolutely,” Simon said.
“Daaaamn,” Brendan muttered under his breath. The others laughed.
“It is a new day, Brendan,” Simon said. “With new opportunities and new responsibilities.”
“Noah and I have spoken at length,” Lord Lamont said. “He will expand Willem Bellamy’s business to include a ship-building enterprise at the port of Islemar. Noah and Lilly will split their time between Islemar and Lilly’s homeland. Noah will oversee not only Lord Bellamy’s business, but will prepare to take over for me in my golden years.”
Sir Gregory laughed.
“Golden years! Another name for time spent fishing and spoiling the grandchildren!”
Lamont punched Sir Gregory playfully on his shoulder.
“Don’t give away our secrets, you old dog!”
Fifty-Seven
The wedding arrangements were made quickly. The big day arrived. The citizens marveled at two of the guests in attendance overhead.
Mother and Alice flew over the courtyard, swooping low over the crowd to their delight, particularly the children.
“Have you heard, Simon?” Caleb asked. He fidgeted in his new fancy clothes.
Simon laughed.
“I never liked fancy clothes, myself.”
“They itch a little,” Caleb said. “But I’m…I’m very happy.”
“I love my dress!” Sara said. She spun in a circle. Zeke held out his hands, obviously proud of his little suit of clothes.
“Zeke!”
Simon laughed again and patted the heads of the children.
“All of you look marvelous!”
“Zeke marlus!”
“I’m marlus, too, Zeke!” Sara exclaimed.
“Yes, I heard the news, Caleb,” Simon said. “You, Sara, and Zeke are going to live with Lord and Lady Finn.”
Caleb’s smile beamed.
“They’re going to dock us.”
“I believe the word is ‘adopt’, Simon said. “But I know what you mean.”
“Tanner is going to have a house next to us and we’re going to learn all the magic in the world!”
“And we’re going to visit the dragons all the time and teach them how to read,” Sara said.
“And you’ll be in school,” Simon said. “Learning the things we ordinary people do.”
Simon looked through the growing crowd. He saw Tanner speaking to three ladies who laughed at everything he said.
“Tanner may have more on his mind than just magic.”
The ceremony began. Ben Blankenship, Simon and Caleb stood at Boone’s side, along with Lord Lamont and Winston, who stood for Captain Finn.
Jaclyn and Lady Lamont stood at Helena’s side, along with Belinda Jacobs, Tanner Raven, and Sara Brewer, who stood for Lady Magdalena.
It was a glorious day. The weather was perfect. The crowd loved every minute of the ceremony.
Simon was caught up in deep thought. He shook himself when he realized his mind had wandered away. He felt something graze his hand. He looked down.
His hand and Jaclyn’s were close. Very close. It took everything he had not to take her hand in his. That would be wrong. Very wrong. This day did not belong to him.
Before he knew it, the vows of both couples were complete. The newlyweds were announced.
“I present to you, Lord and Lady Blankenship. And Lord and Lady Finn. May their love last for eternity! And now, let the celebrations begin!”
The crowd cheered and began to disburse.
Simon found himself walking toward the riser, as if in a dream. His legs forced him forward. He cleared his throat. The people stopped and fell silent.
“I apologize, good people of Morgenwraithe. I have not always been in complete command of my feelings. But I have something to say.”
The people paused.
“Queen Jaclyn Lamont Morgenwraithe. I have loved you since the night we met. I have loved you when it made no sense. I loved you when it hurt so much I thought I would die. I loved you when it was the only thing that kept me alive. I loved you while you carried my brother’s child. If this makes me a monster, then I am guilty. But I cannot leave this place…the question in my heart will not let me leave here without asking this of you. I will only do it once, I promise you.
“Queen Jaclyn Lamont Morgenwraithe, will you marry me?”
Jaclyn passed baby Nicholas into her mother’s arms and ran
Toward their destiny.
I hope you have enjoyed the fourth and final book of the I, Dragon series. If you did then please consider leaving a review at Amazon. You know what they say—the way to an author’s heart is through an Amazon review. The link for the book is here:
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My Name is Simon
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Rebellion
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Thrones Under Fire
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Simon’s Voyage
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Also by Nathan Roden
The Wylie Westerhouse Paranormal Fantasy Series
Book 1 Ghosts on Tour
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Book 2 The Dark Stage
http://amzn.to/1Y4NMCc
Book 3 The Lightning’s Kiss
http://amzn.to/29XO8xo
Nathan Roden lives in South Central Texas with his wife and two in-and-out sons, and more dogs and cats than is necessary.
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