Epilogue

Two weeks had passed so quickly that Mary was in a panic. Everything was happening so fast. She and Hamish were getting married. Today.

She'd woken, not to Hamish entering her room at sunrise like normal, but to Ivy pounding on the door telling her to get a move on it. There was still so much to do!

Ivy had dragged her down to breakfast with all the other women, and while they were there eating, a bath had been prepared for her in her chambers. Chambers that would no longer be hers after today.

She and Hamish would be moving to a larger room on the third floor, one with not only a bedroom, but also a spare room and a living area. There was also a larger bed in their new room, which Mary was particularly glad to see, not just because of the use they would get out of it when making love, but also because it meant more room when she was in her goblin form and she would be less likely to accidently stab him with her claws while she slept.

Now she was back standing in the chambers that she'd been occupying for the duration of her stay, putting on the gown of traditional Grant tartan, in preparation for her wedding.

“Let me help you lace up the back,” Ivy said, helping her get into her wedding dress.

“Thank you. I'm so nervous.”

“It's normal to be nervous. It's your wedding day.”

“It's not just that. A part of me thinks that Hamish will change his mind because of my problem. Why would a man marry a woman who has to turn into a goblin at night? I'm constantly thinking that he will come to his senses and find a woman with less complications.”

“I doubt it. You may not be able to see it, but I see how he looks at you. He is madly in love with you, Mary. He doesn't care about all that. He loves you. You just have anxiety about it all and that's normal, trust me. I should know.”

“Thank you for being my friend. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't stepped in that day and every day ever since actually.”

“Of course. I am here for you and so are the others. Here this will help settle your nerves.” Ivy handed her a cup.

Mary sniffed it and realized it was whisky and drank it down. "Thanks. You know I never really liked the taste until I started drinking it here."

"Probably because this is Scottish whisky, not American." She grinned.

"Probably." Mary laughed.

Because of her affliction, their wedding would be held in the morning so that the festivities could take place during the day, including a midday Feast instead of an evening meal. She still had not taken part in a feast that took place in the evening inside the hall. She didn't want to draw that kind of attention to herself.

It wasn't that big a deal but it did make her feel like she still wasn't part of the clan. The feast in the evening was always such a joyful occasion and she was always absent for it. But now, getting married to Hamish would at least cement her position as part of the clan because she was going to take his name. Soon she would be Mary Grant instead of Mary Cahill.

Hamish prepared himself for the wedding in his old chambers below the kitchens. It was a small room meant for a Watchman of his status. He put on his best plaid, kilt, and boots. Making sure he looked as polished as could be.

He knew that he was taking on a strange situation but there was nothing that he wanted more. He wanted Mary and he wanted all of her in any form that she came in. Now he was going to make her his wife and he would feel a little less restless about the entire situation. Her sacrifice to keep on being a goblin in order to stop a war with the goblins was enough for everyone in the castle to respect her and treat her as a friend no matter what form she was in, and he wished she realized that. Nobody here cared that her body changed forms at night. He understood that it bothered her though, and he wouldn't push for her to join in evening festivities if they made her uncomfortable. Still, that didn't mean he wouldn't push to spend ever single minute he could with her, no matter the form she was in.

Hamish left his room for the last time and headed up the stairs and out to the courtyard where he and Mary would wed. He noticed Maggie and Darter arrive and take a seat near the front so that Darter would be able to see. He was wearing a cloak so that he wouldn't be burned by the sun. Maggie was dressed in her multitude of sweaters with a large hat upon her head.

The courtyard was decorated with flowers and tables were lined up in order to have the feast and dancing. Everything looked perfect to Hamish's eye. He hoped that Mary approved.

He waited with the Laird as Mary walked out of the castle to some music. She was the most beautiful bride he'd ever seen. She joined him, locking her hands with his as the Laird performed the ceremony.

"Do you Mary Cahill take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband for now until death do you part?"

"I do."

"Do you Hamish Grant take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife for now until death do you part?"

"I do." Hamish's heart raced as his stared into her eyes.

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife."

Hamish swept her into his arms and kissed her soundly before all their friends and family.

“You are no longer Mary Cahill. You are now and forever more, Mary Grant,” Hamish said when he broke the kiss.

Their friends and family cheered. The musicians began to play and he led her into a merry dance. Everyone was joyful and lively. It was the best day of Hamish's life.

It was all such a change from her life in Brooklyn, Mary thought. Now that she was a married woman and settled she could look back at it. But even though it was not very long ago it seemed like a completely different lifetime to her. A different her all together.

That life had been unfulfilling to her and she remembered how lonely she was. She had been in a monotonous routine going to work and home and mostly being alone. Now her life was so much more fulfilling even though she had an affliction to deal with. It was very bizarre to her, but she did not take it for granted.

She had the man that she loved at her side and Hamish was now her husband. He had made it known that he truly wanted to be with her and that made her heart sing.

The wedding was a grand affair with dancing and food. Everyone seemed happy, even Maggie. But Mary wanted to make sure that they returned to their chambers hours before sunset in order to consummate the marriage.

They made love for hours. Mary could not get enough of him and she knew he felt the same about her. She felt a bond to him like she'd never felt with anyone in her life. Still as the sun moved closer to the horizon, she grew increasingly anxious.

"Hamish, it's nearly time. You don't really want to stay in here do you?" she fretted.

“I'm your husband, love. I love you in whatever form you're in. I want to be by your side."

“I just… I hate that you have to look at me in that form. I don't want our wedding night to be filled with thoughts of me in goblin form." Tears slipped from her eyes.

“All right. I will go out to the living room for the night. I will do it for you, because I love you, but only for tonight,” he said.

He entered the living room and she closed the door behind him. The sun was only a few minutes from setting. She sat down waiting for the change in her.

Mary laid back on the bed waiting for the shift to overtake her. Although this time of day always brought a lot of anxiety to her, in this moment she felt peaceful and relieved. It was her wedding day and the man she loved was now her husband and she had taken his name. She thought about the ceremony, repeating it in her mind and how he'd kissed her. The thought of children running around in the courtyard and playing while people danced and ate in merriment. It was all very satisfying.

These thoughts filled her mind and she started to drift off to sleep a little bit. She woke only a few minutes later and looked down at her hands. She had not shifted yet. Had she gotten the sunset time wrong? Perhaps it was the changing of the season and longer days. She moved to the window and opened the shutters. It was completely dark out and she still hadn't felt the tingling sensation that always preceded her shift. Something was off. Something was different.

“What is going on? This doesn't make sense?”

She sat down looking out the window. Perhaps the sun had just moved below the horizon and the shift was just taking a moment longer than normal.

She waited and waited and waited and the shift did not come. Did this mean that Nellie had perished?

She opened the door to the sitting room to find her husband lounging on the floor on the mat he had created for his bed. He was shirtless and his six pack abs enticed her. But she had to keep focused.

"Hamish," she said as she approached him.

“I thought you did not want me to look, love. That’s why I’m…” then he stopped. He looked at her and was shocked.

“Did we mistake the time and the sun hasn't set yet?" he asked.

“It has. Long gone. I don’t know what’s happening,” she said.

He stood up and took her hand, pulling her down onto the sofa before the fire. He wrapped an arm around her as she tried to figure out what was going on. Why she hadn't transformed.

“Do you think this means that Nellie has died? Or that she broke the spell?”

“I don't know. Maggie was here earlier and I believe she would have said something if she knew about it. And she would definitely know if the sorceress had perished.”

“That's true.”

“Oh my. It can't be. Surely it can't be that simple,” Mary said as a thought suddenly occurred to her.

“What? What is it?”

“When I first arrived here, Nellie found a piece of paper with my name on it. My full name. It was that name that she chanted in order to create the spell. Now that is no longer my name. I am now Mary Grant.”

“So the spell is no longer a spell because it is a spell for Mary Cahill, not Mary Grant,” Hamish said.

“Yes, exactly!” Mary jumped to her feet.

Hamish did so as well. He pulled her into his arms and swung her around.

“It’s over. I can’t believe it is over. I’m so happy!” she said.

“As am I. You are free. You will no longer suffer.”

"We will no longer suffer," Mary said with a smile, because she knew he suffered right along with her every night, even if she was the only one transforming.

“I love you, Mary,” Hamish said.

“I love you too, Hamish,” Mary replied.

They kissed and celebrated the breaking of the spell by making love and sleeping together at night time for the first time since they met. In the morning they shared the news of the broken curse with their friends and a feast of celebration was held that night in the castle that lasted until the very wee hours of the morning.