1

"I do," I whispered, shocked how easy it was to say the words. Concern instantly filled Julian's eyes, but I nodded everything was okay and he smiled.

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife," Iolas announced. "Let's congratulate the newlyweds as they share their first kiss as married partners."

I smiled at Julian and let him pull me closer. His lips were soft against mine but fierce. He was desperate for me… As I was for him.

Still, I smacked his arm when he took the kiss up a notch. My godsfather was right there officiating the ceremony and my dad was two feet away. Even I had enough shame to not just go at it in front of them.

We'd already done that in the sitting room a hundred feet away where I'd gotten ready. It had started easy and him being so nervous and overwhelmed by people asking him questions that he'd come to find me.

And sneak a peek at my dress. He was pleased from the heat that filled his eyes.

Definitely pleased.

Everyone left us alone and then he was on me, saying he needed me, needed to know I was real, and we were really going to be married. I argued that he was going to mess up my dress. My makeup. My hair—all of it.

While trying to get his fly open.

So that was how I was commando to my own wedding and yes, my hair was a bit of a mess. He promised that it was sexier than the prim do it had started as.

Sure, sure.

At least Cara and Jordan had hurried to fix my makeup after we were done. They couldn't even hide their amusement. Whatever, I had no pride left.

Plus, the sex had been too good to be mad about… Even if we got too many looks clearly knowing what we'd been up to. Mostly, people seemed amused.

My father looked like he wanted to pound Julian.

I kind of couldn't blame him.

"Behave or I will send you dreams of everything he does to me on our honeymoon," I threatened under my breath when he came to congratulate us first.

"I'll be good," Lageos chuckled, knowing he was bested. "I cannot be angry when you're shining, Daughter. If the warlock makes you this happy then I like him."

Anya White was there to hug me next. "I was shocked by the change in the ending. I've been to human weddings and—did Iolas take liberties or is it a fairy tradition?"

I realized I had a lot of ears, so I decided to address the change. "In one human religion, that phrase is said to originate from when a priest would give a kiss of peace to the groom and then he would pass it on to his bride. But the deeper history is that marriage contracts weren't valid until the groom kissed his bride and took ownership of her.

"Those contracts were made between her father and the groom—the men. The bride didn't always have to say the ‘I do' or that part was skipped if she was unwilling. It has roots again to a handshake finishing a business deal to purchase a mare or house—an asset." I cleared my throat when people didn't seem to know what to say.

"It always gave me the ick too," Julian said as he slid his arm around me. "Another man giving permission for me to kiss my partner. The only one who gives that permission ever is her. So even if it seemed a bit petty or silly because it's just a tradition now, Tamsin and I agreed we were going to do it how we wanted. I suggested he present us as Mr. and Mrs. Vale."

"Oh, so you will be changing your name?" someone asked, latching onto the change of topic.

Julian really was amazing and so much better at handling situations like this than I was. He easily explained that he would in our world, but he didn't want to start trouble for my human life. He was now Dr. Julian Craftsman Vale.

And he hadn't really had a problem with the vows. Only once I said that it had always irked me and made me uncomfortable when I'd attended weddings did he agree we should change it. I knew it was nitpicky, but… I wanted to start everything right. I didn't want to say words or have words said at our ceremony that gave me ick .

Luckily, I married a man who loved me and understood me enough to want me to feel comfortable always.

I smiled as I saw the hobgoblin children handing out two intertwined magical flowers to everyone. They would never wither or die. They were how fairies did floral anything in their matings, and it was a keepsake most treasured and displayed from the matings they'd attended.

It was priceless since it was coming from a royal wedding—even if not a mating—and made with my magic.

But they'd also done the human tradition for me as well and been flower kids. Halfway down the aisle one of them had accidentally thrown some of the petals at another of the kids instead of just in the air and the world's cutest petal fight had ensued. I had watched from where I was hiding and waiting to walk down the aisle with Lageos.

Both of us had barely contained our laughter. It was perfect.

The parents apologized, but I loved it. It was exactly what I wanted. I didn't want formal and stiff… And certainly not perfect. Nothing was perfect and our marriage wouldn't be, so why should we try for a wedding to be?

No, scratch that, Julian was perfect for me. That was the perfect I needed in my life.

Once everyone had their flowers, the music started and it was time for the tradition of the first dance between the couple. People had already cleared the area for us, and Julian gave me a soft kiss before we waltzed to a song popular in Fairie for matings.

It was the moment I was glad we hadn't eloped. I was glad we got to experience this with people we cared for. I saw all the happy faces and even happier tears that we'd made it.

Some of which were my own.

I thought we were done after that song, but Julian had a surprise for me and another song started up. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're not just from this world, my cute wifey," he chuckled as he spun us around. "I love this song, and it's perfect for our first dance."

I didn't recognize it but was gobsmacked at how gorgeous Taeral's voice was singing the beautiful song of love. Julian told me it was "Joy of My Life" by Chris Stapleton.

And he was right that it was perfect. An Englishman picking a country music song sung by a fairy for a wedding in Faerie was about the most inclusive all-around incorporation of everyone and every culture ever.

I loved it. I loved him, and tears filled my eyes as I gave him a soft kiss.

Just as the song ended, he spun me so Darby grabbed me and pulled me close. I laughed when it was Ed Sheeran's "Perfect." Darby simply winked at me. All the jokes over the years that the damn Englishman or Irishman got me between the two of them were hilarious. I was thrown back to when I'd danced to Ed Sheeran's "Galway Girl" and the joke of me falling for an Englishman.

"Nothing has ever been more beautiful than you in this moment, this whole day, agra ," he whispered as the song ended. He bowed to me and kissed my hand before a very nervous Lucca took his place.

"Can we dance, Tams?" he asked hesitantly, clearly not sure I wanted to be this obvious about our relationship to everyone.

"Yeah, we can dance, Lucca," I told him, keeping the warning in my eyes that this was the last chance I'd give him to have a real relationship if he didn't do better by me this time.

He nodded and we danced to the Artic Monkeys song "I Wanna Be Yours." Again, perfect for us given where we were and what was going on with us.

My heart melted and so did some of my worry. This wasn't the same Lucca from years ago, and I needed to start really accepting that. I was trying. I really was.

It was just hard to move on and accept things were going to be okay this time around when so much had gone wrong. Not just with Lucca but second chances as well.

Neldor seemed ridiculously nervous when it was his turn and it made me worry.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to, Nel," I whispered, taking a step back from him.

Instantly, I was in his arms. "Don't ever think that, baby doll," he rasped as we started swaying. "I was just thinking that maybe I picked the wrong song. The words—the matches are easy and assumed. I was worried—I thought maybe you might read into that, but I just—of all the songs I listened to it made my soul think of you the most."

I nodded and tears filled my eyes towards the end of the song. Taeral's voice sang Luke Combs's "Better Together" beautifully and the song was gorgeous.

But it really didn't fit us until that moment, that one line that made me understand exactly why Neldor's soul wanted this song.

"Sometimes we're oil and water; But I wouldn't have it any other way."

I sniffled. "I wouldn't either, Nel."

Relief filled his eyes so thick I could almost touch it.

The rest of the song wasn't really us. We didn't touch BB guns, and we didn't even like beer. We didn't go hunting or boating. Like I understood the concept, but we liked to fly at sunrise, not with coffee. There were songs that fit us a million times better.

Except that line. That line made it a song for us.

I was a light fairy and he was dark.

I was mostly from the human world and him Faerie.

I was raised a poor nobody and him a spoiled prince.

So we were oil and water… But what we had in common was so much more. The vision we had together for the future was what made us better together, not just our relationship or what we could be to each other.

We laughed over budgets and joked about blueprints being too complicated.

We soared over the world and saw magic in everything around us.

We stuffed ourselves silly to overgrow forests so animals had food and wanted to breed.

We were the ultimate bottomless pits and so competitive that it was ridiculous, but we were always healthy about it.

We were a perfect match and better together like the song said.

Which was why I lost my mind and kissed him in front of everyone. Most there knew about the earthquake thing and that something happened between us, but some didn't.

Oh well, they'd learn to keep a secret. It was a soft kiss but enough to make people whisper.

"Why did you do that?" he breathed, shock in his eyes.

"Because it hurts you when people talk about you being my baby daddy, and that will come up now that I've married Julian. Let them see that I won't ever disrespect you like that and to give us space to find our own way."

"Thank you, Tams." He gave me a soft kiss and the song ended.

"This is why I didn't want to go last," Hudson chuffed as he took my hand and spun me. "I knew one of them would be a tough act to follow."

"Lift me and spin me, beastie," I chuckled, smiling when he did. I peppered his face with kisses as he lowered me down.

Immediately, I recognized the song but was confused when no one was singing. Then it hit me and I started singing.

It was Taylor Swift's "Lover," and since Hudson was a closet Swiftie, I hadn't been surprised by the choice. We both loved her but yeah, he liked when I sang for him even better than Taylor.

I thought that might be sacrilegious, but the dragon loved me, so he was biased.

Plus, now he got me to sing to him instead of how everyone else was dedicating songs to me. Sneaky dragon. Seriously.

He smirked at me, clearly knowing what I'd figured out. I couldn't be mad though since it was just perfect.

For a celebration that I didn't want or expect to be perfect, it was turning out that way.

Actually, all of it was. The food was great and calm. The cake was beyond delicious, and no one pulled anything. Julian and I both hated the tradition of smashing cake in each other's faces.

There wasn't any drama and only fun.

Well, there was one bit of drama after the party was done, but it was at my insistence. I wanted to put something big behind us before we moved on in our lives as a married couple, especially to the supe world since we were going to announce it tomorrow and that we were on our honeymoon.

"I love you," he whispered after we stepped through the portal and he'd opened another one to where we needed to go.

"I love you too. I'm okay. Ready to be relieved," I promised. I wanted to be subtle but clear this needed to happen.

He heard me loud and clear and went through first, pulling me after him. Our security was already there on the other side.

And Mary Craftsman was pacing in the sitting room having been notified that we were coming. Horror filled her face when she saw what I was wearing… But then it turned to something greedy.

Julian squeezed my hand to let me know he saw it as well. "You say one thing to my wife and I will give Councilwoman White the okay to lock you up. That is what she and the elders want after you attacked the future Queen of Faerie to make it clear there is no bad blood between our species."

She opened her mouth but couldn't talk, shooting me a nasty look.

"I did it, Mum," Julian whispered sadly. "How pathetic is it that you couldn't even do this for me on the happiest day of my life? I knew I couldn't trust you to give me even this and you would try to ruin my wedding day. I'm furious I even have to include this and see you on our special day. Da will be so ashamed of you.

"He will be distraught that you weren't there or involved because of what you have done and I didn't have my family at my wedding because of how you behaved." He raised our joined hands to his lips. "She is my family now." He nodded when Mary crossed her arms over her chest. "I've filed everything with the elders, and you are no longer a Craftsman.

"You are legally taking your maiden name again." He took in a deep breath and let it out. "I'm breaking ties with you, Mary. You are no longer my family. You no longer have the rights or luxuries of a Craftsman, and you certainly will not have any of a Vale." He snorted when rage filled her eyes and she looked like she wanted to murder me.

But he also didn't seem to know what to say next, and I didn't want to seem passive on this. I wanted us to be the team we were.

"I know you think me stupid and not worthy of your savant son, but I'm very street-smart and have more experience in life than he does, Mary. Plus, I have some of the smartest advisors in two worlds and a demigod for a father. They all made it clear you were a threat still. That we needed this break made clear and legal before I had any children.

"You will never be involved in their lives, and we agree that your toxic, sexist bile will never touch our children, no matter who their biological father is. Because he will be the father of the next heir of Faerie even if they have Neldor's DNA. All of my mates are in agreement. And they all agree that you will not be a part of those children's lives. It was a deal-breaker for them.

"Julian agreed. So you have no rights or claim to your son anymore. You go back to being a member of your birth family. It's done. The Witches and Warlocks Council signed off on it. Faerie has, and you are banned from Faerie. You are a convicted criminal who attacked the heir of Faerie. Whether in your right mind or not, you did that.

"And still have not apologized for it. Instead, you still and repeatedly blame me for everything. As such, you are being cut from our lives. This is the last time you will see either of us. If you accept this and behave, you will be allowed to live out your punishment and exile in peace with everything provided for you.

"You will be guarded for your protection but also to make sure you don't make trouble for us ever again. You try to make any more phone calls to the media or email them to…" I chuckled when she winced. "Of course we knew, Mary.

"Our magic is stronger than yours could ever be, and I am not a trusting person, especially of those who crossed me. So time to salvage what you can because Councilwoman White wants you to serve at least five years in a cell now that I have healed you." I nodded when she went pale. "Julian agreed, but I thought—"

She went ballistic, fighting against Julian's magic until she even hurt herself.

"I agreed, Mary," he said firmly and then added magic to lock her down so she stopped. He wasn't moved by her tears. "You show no remorse! You're still fighting, and—you've never thanked her. She gave you a miracle and you hate my wife. Yes, I think you deserve prison.

" Tamsin is the one who said you never wanted her hurt, and with that much darkness to be cleansed, it wasn't fair. So enough. We bought you a nice cottage with a lot of land and space you can have a garden. Everything will be provided for you. For now, you won't have electronics or the internet." He sighed and I guessed she tried to fight him again.

"You abused it when you had it here," I reminded her. "We warned you not to start trouble. You can have books and maybe Netflix which is better than you'd get in prison . That is the other option, Mary. This or prison. Choose."

Julian took off his magic, but Mary didn't say anything. "Choose, Mary."

"Your da will—" she started to say instead.

"One more word out of your mouth tries to hurt my husband and I'll change my mind and throw you in prison," I seethed. "Prison or the cottage, and you'll behave. That is all you should be saying, or I will choose for you."

She swallowed loudly before raising her hand. Julian nodded. "They say I still have treatments to receive."

That was fair to ask. "You will receive them as long as you're putting in the work and doing the yoga and such. The healers will still visit and check on you. You will not be cut off from everything, simply us. We are cutting the cord. After some time proving you can behave and accepting this life, you can reconnect with friends maybe."

Julian snorted and I didn't understand that. Did she not have any before?

Fine, she could make some?

"Choose, Mary," Julian pushed when she didn't reply, clearly thinking of what to say or do next. "This is my wedding night, and I want to move on with my life and live happily with my wife, my mate. And leave you in the past."

That seemed to be the final blow to defeat her. She choked out one word before slowly sinking to her knees. "Cottage."

Praise be the gods, and I left there determined to never see her face ever again. That was the greatest wedding present ever.