Epilogue

“A nd they lived happily ever after,” Hilde said.

Marigold sighed with a blissful contentment about the story of a sleeping beauty, a handsome prince, and a dark faery with the ability to transform into a dragon. It had given her such joy to tell the story of Rosamund and Phillip. She was very fond of them, after all.

“Did they have more adventures?” Marigold asked.

“They certainly did. Many more. And they loved each other very much.”

Another wistful sigh. “Someday my prince will come.”

She paused a moment before she replied. There were so many things she wanted to tell her niece, but couldn’t. Not yet. “Of course, he will.”

“How will I know when he does?” With her chin still on her knees, she tilted her head to look at her.

“Oh, you’ll know,” she replied with a knowing smile. “You’ll feel it.”

“Where?” Marigold asked.

Hilde tapped her chest over her heart. “Here. And sometimes in your gut.”

“You mean like a gut feeling?”

The girl was always so full of questions after she finished a tale. Hilde nodded. “Exactly.”

She said nothing for a long moment, her mind working as she thought about the story and everything that happened. Finally, she asked, “Whatever happened to the dark faery?”

“She was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Eternal Tower at the Tribunal,” Hilde said.

“Forever?”

She nodded. “Forever.”

That was not the end of Rowena’s story. It was widely known the Fae were immortal, powerful creatures of both the light and the dark. Rowena’s immortal life would not be lived out in the darkest depths of the Eternal Tower within the far reaches of the realm of Faery.

But that was a story for another day.

She glanced at her watch and was surprised at the time. It was late evening now and had been hours since Linnea bought up a tray of food for them.

“Now, Miss Marigold, it’s time to sleep for tomorrow we have a busy day.”

The girl’s face darkened as a frown appeared. It was clear to her the girl was not looking forward to the funeral. Hilde understood. It was hard on both her and Linnea.

“I know. I promised.” Her gaze lifted and she reached out a hand. Hilde grasped it, holding it tight. “You will still be there?”

“As I promised,” she said with a reassuring smile.

She refused to release her hand. “Auntie, what will happen at the funeral?”

“The funeral is a time for those who loved your father to honor and celebrate him. To remember him as he was when he was alive. Not how he died. It’s a time to comfort each other while we grieve for him. And it’s a chance to say a final farewell.”

That seemed to comfort her. A sense of peace crossed her face as she released her hand. She stretched out her legs and scooted down into the bed. Hilde reached over and brushed a lock of her sunny blonde hair off her face.

“Good night, sweet girl.”

“Good night,” she said around a yawn.

Hilde made her way out of the girl’s room, closing the door softly behind her. She paused there a long moment, leaning against the door. Whenever she told these stories to her, it was almost as though she relived them. Almost as though she were back there once again in that enchanted realm. How she missed it.

Someday, she would tell Marigold the truth of her heritage. It would have to be the right time. Now was not that time. When she was ready. When she told her enough stories and the girl believed.

For, after all, fairy tales really did come true.