The Queen (17 page)

Luana’s heart swelled in her chest.
Wedding. We are finally going to be married.
“Yes, let’s put
it on.”

As Meg and another handmaid assisted her
with the dress, Luana thought of the evening Baylin had
proposed.

Luana stood on the balcony overlooking
Grasmere. Bonfires were lit all over the Kingdom as the people
celebrated the end of the war, the crowning of Baylin as King, the
union of the Kingdoms as well as the eradication of the Bed Wife
Law.

Even though the nights had grown cold with
winter’s bitter winds, Luana basked in the light of the moon,
enjoying the festivities from afar. Baylin came up behind her,
wrapping his warm arms around her.

She leaned her back into him, allowing him
to incase her in warmth. “Shouldn’t you be celebrating down in the
Great Hall?”

“
Shouldn’t you?” he laughed.

“
I was, for a while,” she said, turning
to face him. “But then I started to miss El—”

“
Shh,” Baylin playfully scolded. “We’re
not to speak his name until we do it at a proper
celebration.”

She laughed. “It’s just you and I here.”

“
Someone could overhear.”

“
Like who?” Luana questioned. “Do you
fear a passing crow might announce it before you’re ready?”

“
Perhaps,” he said, pulling her
close.

“
You and your silly traditions,” she
laughed, pushing her hands against his chest. “He will be walking
before he knows his proper name.”

Baylin smiled, taking her by the hands.
“Yes, I suppose traditions can be a bit silly. But there is a new
one I would like to try.” His face flushed. He swallowed hard,
looking at her.

“
What is it?” Luana questioned. “What is
the matter?”

Baylin sank down to his knee on the ground
in front of Luana, keeping her hands tightly in his.

“
What are you doing?” Luana asked,
shocked to see Baylin on the cold stone floor.

“
Luana,” Baylin began, “when you were a
little girl you asked me if you could ever be a Princess. You told
me that when I became King, I could change the rules and we could
live in the castle forever. Do you remember?”

A tear slid down Luana’s cheek. “Yes… and we
were going to spend our days eating strawberry tarts and attend
balls.” The words caught in her throat at the memory.

“
Well, I’m King now, just like you said,”
Baylin continued. “And though I do not have the power to make you a
Princess, I do have power to make you my Queen… if you’ll have
me.”

More tears began to fill Luana’s eyes as
Baylin stared up at her, his own unshed tears glistening in his
eyes.

“
Luana,” Baylin said, taking a hard
swallow. “Will you be my wife?”

She fell to her knees in front of him,
wrapping her arms around his neck. “Yes, of course.”

“Milady, did you hear me?” Meg asked,
pulling Luana from her memory.

“What?” Luana asked. “I’m sorry, I was lost
in thought.”

“I asked how you like the dress,” Meg
responded.

Luana ran her hands over the sheer fabric.
It was smooth and soft to the touch. The dress was cut off the
shoulders with several layers of soft flowing ruffles along the
edge that touched her pale skin. She crossed the room to examine
the dress in a large looking glass. The layers of fabric swished
and trailed behind her as she moved.

“I… I look…” The words stuck in her
throat.

“You look like a Queen,” Meg answered.

*****

Luana peeked around the edge of a door off
the side of the Great Hall. The large room had been set to host the
royals, generals and dignitaries from all the Kingdoms within
Wintervale. The room was filled to bursting, even the balcony areas
were filled with people.

“Are you ready?”

Luana jumped at the sound of Valasca behind
her. “I’m not sure. There are so many people.”

“And they are all here to see you, my dear,”
rasped Ashmur, walking up next to Valasca.

Luana blushed. She had not spoken with the
former King, Ashmur, since the day she saved his life. He was a man
of few words and certainly had never been one to spare any for
her.

“Valasca, my love, would you allow me a few
moments with Luana?” Ashmur asked.

Valasca cocked an eyebrow at him. “I suppose
I should go check on my grandson anyway.” She walked away, a smile
spread across her face.

Luana looked up at Ashmur nervously. “Your
Grace?”

“Luana, I fear I have been extremely
ungenerous in my feelings toward you,” Ashmur said. “I allowed my
devotion to tradition to cloud my judgment. I treated you very
unjustly.”

Her breath hitched.
Is he apologizing to
me?

“You saved my life, Luana. You saved this
Kingdom,” Ashmur admitted. “I never even thanked you.”

“Oh, there’s no need, Your Grace,” Luana
stammered.

Ashmur reached out and took Luana’s hand.
“Yes, there is, and I’m sorry that I was too stubborn… too… too
troll-headed to see what a treasure you are.”

Tears formed in her eyes. Her heart thumped
in her chest. “Your Grace, thank you for your kind words.”

“Enough of this
Your Grace
nonsense.
You will be my daughter before the night’s out,” Ashmur said. “Call
me Father.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt.” Valasca walked up,
carrying the baby in her arms. “But it’s time.”

“Oh!” Luana swiped the tears from her eyes.
“How do I look?”

“Absolutely beautiful, dearest,” Valasca
said, kissing Luana’s cheek.

“Yes,” Ashmur agreed with a warm smile.
“You’re a vision.”

Luana leaned over and kissed the baby on his
head. “My sweet boy. Mother loves you.”

“I’ll take good care of him,” Valasca said.
“We will see you out there.”

Ashmur offered Valasca his arm and escorted
her into the Great Hall. Horns sounded when Luana stepped through
the door behind them.

The hall was alight with thousands of white
candles placed on tables, hung from chandeliers and, as was custom,
held by every member in attendance.

Luana’s heart raced as she walked down the
center of the room. Onlookers gasped in awe as she passed. Her pale
blue dress trailed behind her along the smooth stone floor. As she
walked, guests tossed flower petals into the air, raining them down
on her.

She looked up to see Baylin standing on the
steps to the throne. Her heart sang at the sight of him in his deep
indigo tunic. The candlelight glittered off the silver embroidered
trim that ran along the tunic’s edge.

Her pace quickened when her gaze met his;
his blue eyes bright and joyous as he watched her. His long black
hair was swept back, allowing a fine silver crown encrusted with
sapphires to rest on his head.

When Luana reached the base of the steps,
Baylin walked down to meet her. He extended his hand and led her up
the stone steps to where his father and mother stood with the baby.
Faylen and Ferric stood to the side, smiling. They each held a
pillow covered with a silver cloth adorned with the diamond crest
of Grasmere. King Rydel stood before them, having extended the
great honor of overseeing the wedding.

Rydel smiled as he began the ceremony. “King
Baylin, son of Ashmur. Luana, daughter of the moon. You come before
this great gathering to profess your love and lifelong devotion to
one another. King Baylin, please express your vow to Luana.”

Baylin swallowed hard. “I vow to you the
first bite of my bread and the first sip of my wine. To shield you
from harm, keeping you and our children in the safety of my arms. I
vow to not be parted from your side, lest death take me.”

“And you, Luana,” Rydel said. “Confess your
vow to King Baylin.”

Luana’s eyes swam with unshed tears and she
looked up into Baylin’s face. “I vow to give myself to you, so that
we two might become one. To bring forth children whose laughter
will fill the halls of this great castle. I vow to not be parted
from your side, lest death take me.”

Rydel continued. “King Baylin, will you
please take Luana’s hand in yours?”

Ferric stepped forward and removed the
covering from his pillow. It held a long indigo cloth. Rydel
retrieved it and Ferric stepped away.

As Luana and Baylin held hands, King Rydel
took the long strip of indigo cloth and slowly wove it around the
couple’s hands while speaking. “Baylin, King of Grasmere and High
King of Wintervale, Luana, daughter of the moon and Princess of the
elves, you have bound yourselves to one another, in the sight of
the gods and on these who stand before you.”

Luana’s heart skipped a beat as she held
Baylin’s gaze. His beautiful blue eyes seemed to make everything
around them disappear.
This is it. All the waiting. All the
pain. All the suffering. It came down to this very day and this
very moment. I’m to be his Queen.

Faylen removed the covering from her indigo
pillow to reveal a beautiful fine silver crown with small diamonds
and sapphires twinkling through the swirling filigree. Rydel took
the crown and gently placed it on Luana’s head.

With the cloth wrapped around the couple’s
hands, Rydel lifted a hand above each of their heads. “It is with
great joy that I present to you King Baylin and Queen Luana.”

The crowd erupted with applause, cheers and
cries. Flower petals rained down from the balcony.

Baylin leaned in and pressed his lips
against Luana’s—their warmth sending a shockwave of emotion through
her. Her unshed tears could no longer hold off, and she began to
cry tears of joy as he kissed her.

The couple came up for breath when they
heard the sound of their son crying from the arms of his
grandmother. The noise from the celebration had startled him.

Luana reached out as Valasca passed the
squirming boy to her. She held him close, Baylin pulling them both
into his arms.

Baylin leaned in and kissed Luana on the
cheek, whispering in her ear. “I love you.”

“And I, you,” Luana replied. She looked down
at their son, who was calming down from the excitement. “Is this a
public enough celebration to announce our son’s name?”

Baylin cocked his head to the side, looking
from Luana to the surrounding people, who were already beginning to
take part in the festivities by drinking ale. “I believe this will
be the perfect celebration. A celebration of our love.”

Luana smiled warmly up at him.

Baylin raised his hands. The horns blew out
to signal the crowd needed to quiet.

“My people,” King Baylin said, “it seems
only fitting, with brothers and sisters from all the five corners
of Wintervale present, to announce the naming of our son.”

Low murmurs filled the room as people began
to whisper in excitement.

“As you all know, his naming celebration was
marred by the war meant to destroy our bloodline,” Baylin
continued. “However, our line is strong and we endured. We have
come together as a unified Realm and will see joy and peace in the
coming years. This is the legacy I give my son.”

The crowd applauded; smiles shined across
the faces of the guests.

Luana held the baby close as Baylin wrapped
an arm around her waist. When the crowd quieted, he continued.
“Queen Luana and I would like to present Prince Elmond!”

The crown erupted in cries. “Long may he
reign! Long may he reign!”

Luana sighed, thinking of what her life had
become. She had grown from a little girl who played with a little
boy in a goat field to a young woman providing for her family. She
went from being a slave, to a lover, to an Elven Princess and
finally to a Queen. She kissed little Elmond on the top of his
head. “Yes. Long may he reign.” She laid her head against Baylin’s
shoulder, basking in the glow of her joy. “Long may we all
reign.”

THE END

Book
one in The Untold Stories series

(Coming in 2016)

Most people know me as Captain James Hook,
however, that is not my name. I was not always the mean, villainous
creature that history has painted me to be. It may surprise you to
find, that deep down, I am not wicked at all.

My true name is Jameson Shaw. I grew up
slaving aboard fishing ships; learning the ways of the sea and
working my way up from a meager Cabin Boy all the way to Captain. I
had dreams of bigger and better things, however I was quick to
discover that there was not much money to be had in the fishing
business. Such hard work with so little return! Honestly, it’s a
wonder not all fishermen turn pirate eventually.

So, having had enough of being broke,
without a spare doubloon to my name, I threw out my fishing net and
began flying my pirate flag aboard the Jolly Roger.

I started out an honest pirate… well… honest
enough. I had a code and I made my crew stick by it or walk the
plank. We never robbed or hurt women nor children. We avoided
bloodshed at all costs. I even made sure that we gave a little to
the less fortunate from time to time.

I had plenty of gold, the finest ship a
pirate could ask for, and my crew respected me. I had it all!

Until the day a little mermaid named Elynna
came into my life.

Let me tell you my untold story.

Author Suzanna Lynn is a full-time mom of
three beautiful, energetic children and lives with her husband and
children in a small town nestled in the deep rolling hills of
Missouri.

Growing up in the Ozarks, as a child Suzanna
spent her days wandered the fields and woods surrounding her home.
She would imagine them to be filled with fairies, dragons, and all
number of creatures.

Having not lost her childhood imagination,
Suzanna has written numerous poems, songs and short stories that
have won various awards. However, in 2014 she decided to stop
wishing she could write a book, and made the dream a reality.