A Court of Illyrian Hearts

Epilogue

One year later

Baelyn POV

The afternoon sun shone fondly through the open windows of our little cottage in the Silver Lake village, spreading a smile over my face. This was one of my favourite parts of the day, when the world started shifting into night, and silence fell upon the land.

Stirring the pot of stew over the small stove, I listen to the sounds of my husband and our children playing in the garden.

A lot had happened over the past year: Cassian and I moved to the Silver Lake and stayed with John and Agatha while we looked for a house (our monthly wages were more than enough to pay for a comfortable space, and it proved how outrageously generous Rhysand was with his friends). We had our mating ceremony/wedding the first evening we got there, under a nearby oak tree that had been strung with a dozen little lights. When I'd asked who put those up Cassian answered, to my surprise, that it was Azriel's idea, that he wanted us to have the best mating ceremony possible.

Then the others had arrived, including my father, baring gifts and good wishes, and had silently watched (Mor with tears in her eyes) as Cassian and I made our bond even stronger, and declared our love more publicly than before.

Feyre had helped me to find an onyx ring for Cassian at one of the jewellery shops in Velaris - one he would wear into battle and whilst training. There had been a wonderful meal afterwards, and all had congratulated us.

There were only few other moments in my life where I'd felt as happy as that night.

The rest of my pregnancy when fairly well, although there were a few incidents of severe fatigue and nausea - bad enough that I couldn't get out of bed for days - but Cassian helped me through it. And when the time had come for the birth of our children...to say that I freaked out would be an understatement. I remember saying to Cassian through my tears, 'I can't do this, it isn't the kind of battlefield I can conquer!' But he took my hand and replied with, 'There's nothing you can't do, and I believe that; always have.'

The little speech hadn't helped much but I appreciated Cassian for trying.

We'd been staying in the same room as the first time we were here thanks to Agatha, who was there the entire time, helping me with the birth.

It was excruciating. I'd never been in that much pain in my life.

But through the gentle coaxes from both Agatha and Cassian, I managed to bite down on the pain and deliver our child.

Well, children.

Right after I'd given birth to our baby boy, Agatha was cleaning me up when I screamed in pain again as another contraction erupted. 'Is that supposed to happen!?' I demanded through my sweaty, exhausted state.

The old woman examined me for a moment before her whole face lit up and she exclaimed, 'Yer got twins!'

Cassian nearly passed out.

That's how Maraea (Mar-rae-ah) and Ares came into the world.

Cassian and I loved them to death. From the first moment we laid eyes on them, and burst out crying, we knew there would be no way in hell these children would suffer a day in their lives. A beautiful baby boy and a beautiful baby girl, whom Cassian and I would raise as we wished we had been.

Since then I'd thanked the Mother for Agatha, who helped me through each step of care for the twins and guided me whenever I felt lost or overwhelmed. And Feyre and Mor had been just as great in helping. Between visits at our cottage and at the House of Wind, we had a grand time. Nyx, Maraea and Ares loved each other; it was almost like they were all brothers and sisters.

The first few months had been rough as we'd tried to adjust, between sleepless nights and occasionally having to revisit that camp (the children stayed with John and Agatha when Cassian and I were away), but we'd learnt to make it work.

While I'd become nearly a full-time mother - funnily enough, I didn't mind it - Cassian helped John with harvest and any shipments to the tavern. He'd have to visit Windhaven more often, and still had to travel to Velaris to meet with Azriel and Rhys once a week, but his spare time was spent playing with our children, who, on several occasions, decided to be naughty and play with his siphons while he wasn't looking. He'd nearly had a heart attack the first time it happened, and Ares had gotten a good scolding for it. Maraea had laughed when her brother started crying and in turn got her own scolding.

My father also visited often enough, and though he was worried at first that they would not like him, the twins took a liking to him almost immediately. Almost every time he visited there was crying involved on both parts. We were all grateful for how far we had come.

We'd built a family, Cassian and I. Had worked through so much shit and came out on the other end together. Whatever the Mother had in store for us, I thanked her for what she had already given.

After reminiscing, I'd just finished ladling the stew into four bowls when they stumbled through the door, out of breath, faces red and eyes shining. Cassian was holding a child in each arm, each still giggling from whatever they were playing outside.

He groans. 'Cauldron that smells good.'

I grin at him and take Maraea into my arms. She always sat with me at the table, and Ares with his father.

Suddenly my eyes feel wet. Look how far we had come. Look at what I had found.

Cassian notices my shift in emotion and pulls me into his side. 'I love you Bae, always will.'

I sniff, a stray tear falling across my cheek. I smile. 'I love you too Cassian.'

He connects our lips.

The kids start whining like they always do when we kiss in front of them. My mate chuckles against my lips before giving me one more quick peck and pulling away. 'We love you guys too.' He tells them. 'So much more than you will ever know.'

And maybe it was cheesy to say, but it felt as though the world could not get more perfect.

The End