Epilogue

EPILOGUE

5 YEARS LATER

A fter that first rather eventful trip out at sea where everything that could have possibly gone wrong did, in fact, go wrong, I had genuinely taken to life at sea. Since then, I joined the crew on one of their lengthier missions every year and a few shorter, more local ones when I saw fit. Though thankfully, none had been nearly as long as that first one.

Today’s mission was shorter, leaving in the morning and returning before it got dark, but I felt too seasick to join them. However, I planned to send someone in my place.

Our very own baby, Haskell. However, he loved to remind us that he wasn’t a baby but just as much a man as his father.

A little over four years ago, Viktor and I became parents to a little sailor, and this time next month, we were set to give him a little brother or sister. We were both hoping for a little princess, but we wouldn’t mind in the slightest if we gave Haskell a little brother.

“Mama!” Haskell yelled as he came sprinting toward me at full speed like the little ball of trouble that he was. He had Kis in his arms, who looked more seasick now than she did when she was aboard The Serpent. “Mama!” He yelled again.

My lips tugged down at the corners, and I braced my hands on my hips, a mock stern look on my face as I stared at my son.

“Haskell Daewon Thostenson!”

The little boy, who was the spitting image of his father, came to an abrupt stop at the use of his full name and stared up at me with adorably wide eyes. He was in trouble, and he knew it.

“What have I told you about running with Kis in your arms? You know it makes her sick, and then I have to clean up after her,” I lightly chastised him, only half-serious. I know he meant well, but I truly despised cleaning up after Kis.

Haskell let go of Kis to fist his tiny little hands around my waist, an adorable little pout on his face.

“Don’t be mad, Mama. I’m sorry,” he whined, tugging on my skirt.

It was impossible to stay mad at Haskell for long. Not when he looked at me just like his father did when he was in trouble and wanted an easy way out.

“Fine,” I sighed dramatically, reaching down to pick up the little boy. “Mama won’t be mad, but you’ll have to do something to earn my forgiveness.”

“Yes!” Haskell replied enthusiastically. “What do I do, Mama?”

“You’ll have to give Mama a kiss.”

I may have only wanted one kiss, but Haskell didn’t stop there. The both of us were a giggling mess, and with each kiss, my heart swelled to the point where it felt like it would explode in my chest.

And to think, when I married Viktor five years ago, I never knew that I could love someone more than I grew to love him. I didn’t know my heart could fit another person into it, but it had the moment I found out I was pregnant. And then it grew even bigger when I found out I was pregnant again earlier this year.

Speaking of the devil, a husky chuckle sounded in my ear before a pair of strong, muscular arms wrapped around my waist from behind. His hands immediately smoothed over my large stomach, pressing harder when the baby immediately kicked. The baby had been very active lately, and Viktor loved it. I did, too, but being eight months pregnant and being both bigger and heavier than when I was pregnant with Haskell was starting to take its toll on me.

“I’ll apologise to Kis and clean up the mess if she’s sick.”

I huffed and spared him a disapproving glare over my shoulder as Haskell continued to giggle like the beautiful, bubbly baby that he was.

Viktor and I sure did make a beautiful child. And soon, we would have another one.

“You’ll already be out at sea by then.”

“But I’ll be back tonight. I can clean it up then.”

I quirked an eyebrow at him, knowing that he hadn’t thought this one through. “And what am I supposed to do all day? Just stare at it and wait for you to come back?” My voice dripped with sarcasm.

“I’ll make it up to you later, my siren.” Viktor rested his chin on my shoulder, briefly turning his head to kiss to the side of my neck.

A shiver ran down my spine at the kiss and the double meaning, and his chest rumbled against my back as he laughed.

“I’m going to hold you to that, pirate.”

Viktor couldn’t resist teasing me with another kiss before he turned his attention to Haskell, who was entertaining himself with a strand of my hair, twirling it around in his finger. I quickly reached and freed the poor strand because I knew what would soon follow if my son had his way. He had been a hairpuller as a baby, and four years on, nothing had changed.

“What does my favourite boy say about coming out to sea with me? Give Mama some time to relax?”

“Yes!”

“If you take him out on The Serpent with you, I won’t be able to relax. I’ll be too busy worrying about him all day,” I pouted.

“Maybe next time, Haz.” Viktor booped Haskell on the nose. “Maybe your baby brother or sister can also join us.”

Viktor had made it very clear to Barden that this would be his last mission until after our new baby was born. Last time, Barden kept pushing for Viktor to go out on this mission and that mission, and he barely made it back in time to witness Haskell’s birth. And that was mostly because I refused to give birth without him by my side and holding my hand to help me get through it all.

“Mama,” Haskell whined and struggled in my arms, wanting to be let down as he spotted a group of children around his age–his little toddler friends–walking past us toward the shore with some of their parents.

Viktor took him from my arms and nuzzled him to his chest before putting him down.

“Papa will come find you to say goodbye soon, Haz.”

He kissed our baby’s forehead, and we watched as he scurried away, no doubt to get up to some mischief, just like his father.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay without me today, my siren?” Viktor asked with a sigh.

“I’ll find a way to manage,” I teased and leaned my head back to rest it against his shoulder, basking in the warmth and love only he could provide. “You won’t come back too late, right?”

“We plan to be back for dinner at the very latest,” Viktor promised me with a small, frustrated groan. “I love being out on sea, but I don’t like leaving you when you’re so close to giving birth.”

“Me neither,” I sighed and snuggled further into his arms. “But this will be the last one for a little while, so savour it.”

“Barden is already talking about another one next week, said to last a few weeks. I’ve already said no, but he keeps insisting. The crew can go ahead if they want. There’s no way I’m leaving you again, Astrid.”

“I really hate Barden sometimes,” I grumbled under my breath.

“Me too,” he groaned and nuzzled his face further into the crook of my neck, holding me a little tighter. “I don’t know if I can leave today, Astrid. I don’t want to leave you.”

“What do you mean? You said you’ll be back before dinner.”

“It’s still too long,” he groaned. “I hate not having you near at all times. I hate not being able to go and see you or talk to you whenever I want. I hate being unable to hold you in my arms like this whenever I want. It was bad enough having to leave you those few times after we got back from our first mission together, and it was still you and me. It’s so much harder now with you and Haskell and, soon, with our second child as well.”

His hands dropped my waist to rest on my protruding belly, his touch so tender and soft.

“I love you, Astrid, and when we’re not together, all I do is think about you. I keep worrying that you’ll go into labour and I won’t be there by your side. That I won’t be here when our child is born.”

“I’ll keep my legs shut until you come back.”

Viktor threw his head back and laughed, the melodious sound warming my heart in a way that only this man could.

“I know this is hard, Viktor,” I whispered, turning around to face him. I cupped his face to bring it down to mine, resting his forehead against mine. It was challenging to hug him this way with my large, pregnant stomach, but we made the best of it. “But I’m still a month away from giving birth, and you’ll be back this evening anyway. I know you worry about me and Haskell, but we’ll be perfectly fine until you return. When you do, you won’t have to leave for another mission until after the baby is born, and we can go back to joining you on The Serpent. Barden can whine, complain, and stomp his feet as much as he wants, but there’s no way I’m letting you go for too long before I give birth. It’s far too risky, and I refuse to give birth without you by my side.”

Viktor squeezed his eyes shut and leaned forward just slightly to caress the tip of my nose with his.

“You always know what to say, my siren.” He pressed a soft, chaste kiss to my mouth. “I love you so much. I don’t know what I would do without you. You’re the light in my life, guiding me out of the darkness. You’re the best wife I could have asked for and an even better mother to our children. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you by my side, on land and at sea.”

Call it pregnancy hormones, but his heartfelt words brought tears to my eyes, and I angled my face to press my lips harder against his.

“I love you too, Viktor,” I whispered against his mouth, sucking gently on his bottom lip while my arms were wrapped tightly around his neck, keeping him as close to me as possible. “Hurry up and get back to me because I can’t stay for long without my husband.”