EPILOGUE.

Three months later Zarya had her eyes closed as she sat on the cold marble floor with her long, maroon silk lace dress fanning out around her while she leaned back against Darling. Cradling her in his arms, he held a cool cloth to her forehead.

She groaned out loud in utter misery. "I can't believe this is how I'm spending my wedding... sick on the bathroom floor."

Nuzzling her cheek, he laughed softly in her ear. "Well, at least I have it all on video. The priest asking you to confirm your vows to me, and you instantly dashing off to throw up. Kind of apropos really, given our relationship. I'm so glad to know that the concept of being married to me makes you sick to your stomach."

"You're not funny."

He laid a tender kiss on her bare shoulder. "Sure I am. You'd laugh too if you hadn't just tossed up a vital organ or two."

Smiling in spite of her queasiness, she cupped his perfect cheek in her hand. How he could be so kind and find humor in this given the insult she'd inadvertently dealt him, was beyond her. But then that was why she loved him so much. "I'm so sorry, Darling."

"Don't be." He placed another kiss on her shoulder. "I'm quite happy right now. I have the best view in the palace, and I'm willing to sit here all day, holding you if you want."

She slid her gaze up to see him staring down her decolletage. The hunger in his eyes and the sudden sensation of him bulging against her hip set fire to her own blood. "You're so bad," she teased.

"Can't help it. I find you completely irresistible."

A light knock sounded on the door.

"Come in," Darling called.

It was Gera with Shahara, Desideria, Jayne, Maris, Ture, Sorche, and Lise. They came into the room to form a semicircle around them.

Could this day be any more embarrassing?

Maris passed a smug look at Ture. "I told you he wouldn't be angry at her."

Ture folded his arms over his chest. "I'm impressed he hasn't at least choked her. I don't think I could be so kind if you did that to me, Mari. So take note. I don't tolerate vomiting on me in the midst of a public event, especially when it's being videoed."

"Then I shall forever endeavor to confine all such drama to the washroom."

Zarya would laugh at his comment if she wasn't afraid it would unsettle her stomach again.

Kneeling beside her, Ture placed a kind hand to her brow. "How are you doing, sweetie?"

She tilted her head back to see the concern on Darling's face while he continued to hold her. "Darling needs a new pair of shoes, and I need my dignity repaired. Other than that, I'm totally miserable. I can't believe I did this at my wedding. I'm so humiliated."

Returning to stand over her, Ture bit his lip. "Look on the bright side, it's not really your dignity that should be bruised, hon. Darling's the one who was left at the altar while you rushed off gagging... Great timing, by the way. The media is having a field day with it."

With a light laugh, Maris wrapped his arms around Ture's waist and rested his chin on Ture's shoulder. "Thank the gods, if we get married I don't have to worry about you having morning sickness in the middle of the ceremony."

Ture laid his hand over Maris's cheek. "Exactly. If I get sick, you definitely know you're the cause of it."

Shahara laughed. "Yeah, you both might want to be careful what you eat beforehand."

It still amazed Zarya how close Ture and Maris had become in such a short amount of time. Since both had been hurt badly in the past by others and given the depth of Maris's feelings toward Darling, they'd started off very slow after they'd returned home-just friends who hung out. But as of last week when Ture's brother had gone after Maris for the bounty on his head and Ture had chosen Maris's well-being over his brother's, they'd become inseparable.

She was so glad to see them both happy. They deserved to have someone love them who treated them with respect and deference.

Gera brought over a fresh cloth and switched it with the one Darling held against her forehead. "Would you like me to have the priest come in here to finish, my lady?"

"Oh goodness, no." Nothing would be worse than to have her vows broadcasted across the universe from the bathroom while she sat on the floor.

Not that they needed to take their vows. Technically, they were already married. As Darling had promised, he'd made her his wife the moment they returned to the palace.

He hadn't even given her time to clean up. The priest had literally met them at the door, ready to go, and they'd been married just inside the foyer.

One thing about her first baby, when he made a promise, he kept it.

But for her to be accepted as Darling's legal consort and for their child to be acknowledged as the legal Caronese heir, they needed a public ceremony before the gerents and people.

She drew a ragged breath. "I think I'll be all right. Let's try this again."

"Are you sure?" Darling's voice was filled with warm concern.

She nodded.

Carefully, he helped her to her feet.

Desideria handed her a small package that was wrapped in a lace kerchief. "It's lerin root. Place a small bit under your tongue and it'll help with the nausea."

"Are you sure?" She'd never heard of it before.

"Absolutely. My people have been using it for hundreds of years, and other than some minor brain damage, which can't really be linked to it, no one's suffered from using it. And I'm pretty sure the brain damage comes later in the child's life, like during training." She winked at Zarya.

Laughing, Zarya tried it while Desideria put a bit under her own tongue, too.

She arched a curious brow that caused Desideria to blush.

"Yes, there's a reason I just happen to have some on me."

Zarya beamed for her and Caillen. "Congratulations! I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you, and I pray this one is a boy. I'm not sure poor Caillen could handle being surrounded by any more women during holiday meals."

Zarya placed her hand over her stomach as she realized that her symptoms had all but vanished. Stunned, she widened her eyes. "It really does work. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'll make sure and have Chayden bring you more. I'm one of those women who has morning sickness from the moment of conception until birth. I hope you don't."

Her, too. She'd actually been lucky. This was her first bout of it.

But what timing...

Sorche returned her small bouquet to her. "You sure you feel up to this?"

Zarya glanced at Darling and smiled. "Absolutely."

Maris kicked off his shoes, then scooted them toward Darling with his foot. "Change with me, hon. I'm not the one being broadcast all over the universe."

Darling stepped away from her to exchange his shoes with Maris. "Thanks."

"I would say anytime, but I hope we never have to do this again." Maris smiled at her. "I love you, dearest, but I don't want to wear your DNA."

"I'm so sorry."

Maris wrinkled his nose at her. "Don't be. We're all waiting for that little one to come out so we can spoil it unmercifully. I've always wanted to be an overindulgent aunt."

"Don't feel bad," Jayne said graciously. "I promise you, this isn't nearly as bad as my last pregnancy. I tossed all over my mother-in-law's prized sofa that's been in her family for three generations. I'm still banned from her house, and my baby's about to start school."

Zarya laughed.

While she and Jayne had gotten off to a bad start, she now counted the female assassin as one of her dearest friends.

Clapping her hands to get their attention, Gera took charge. "Emperor, we need you to leave now, and I'll have the ladies and gentlemen resume their places."

Zarya saw the hesitation in Darling's expression. She placed her hand on his cheek again. Goodness, he was so breathtaking in his royal uniform with those blue eyes gleaming at her. She hoped their baby had the same coloring as its father. "I'm fine, really. Desideria's root is working miracles."

"You know we won't let anything happen to her," Maris assured him.

Nodding, Darling took her hand and kissed it. "I'll be waiting." He made a formal bow, then reluctantly released her hand and left them.

Maris held his arm out to her. Since she had no male relatives left, he was doing her the honor of presenting her to Darling for the wedding.

Ture, Shahara, Lise, Desideria, and Sorche made up her wedding party. Kiara would have been here as well had she not gone into labor a few days ago. So both she and Nykyrian, and their entire brood, were attending via video uplinks.

Ture turned and frowned at her. "Oh give us a minute, please, Gera. I need to repair her makeup. We can't have her going out there with it smeared."

Gera gasped as she looked at her. "I can't believe I didn't notice."

When Gera started forward to help, Ture placed a kind hand on her arm. "I have it, hon. Get the others ready and we'll be right out. Mari? Can you run and get my bag out of our room? I have sealant in it that should keep her eyeliner from running again."

As soon as they were gone, Ture pulled a tissue out of his sleeve and dabbed it under her right eye. "Look up."

She did.

Ture quickly repaired her face, then smoothed her hair, and adjusted the small headdress that matched her maroon gown. Smiling in satisfaction, he straightened her official state necklace around her neck. "You are such a vision."

She didn't believe a word of it. Not for a minute, but she was grateful to him for his kindness.

"You're the best, sweetie." She straightened the ribbons on her bouquet. "Ture, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"

"Not at all."

"Are you really happy here?" He'd never been the kind of person who suffered pomp or ceremony well. And those were two things that Maris seemed to adore and thrive on.

His eyes brightened with exuberance. "Oh, honey, how could you doubt it for even a second? I never thought I'd be in love like this. But Mari..."

He smiled a smile that lit up his entire face. "He's so funny and sweet. Considerate. And when he goes all military tough around me..." He shivered. "I now understand exactly what you meant when you talked about Darling. For the first time in my life, I honestly believe that Maris would walk through hell to keep me safe. I've never had that before, not once."

It was true. Like Maris, Ture had been abandoned by everyone he'd ever loved.

His lips quivered. "I can't thank you enough for introducing us."

Was that a euphemism or what?

"I can't believe you're thanking me for getting you imprisoned and tortured."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Believe me when I say Maris is totally worth it."

"I'm so glad you feel that way." Returning his smile, she allowed him to take her outside to where the others waited.

He took the spray from Maris's hand and quickly applied it to her face, then he stepped away.

She paused a second to glance at every member of the small group around her. This was her family now... A strange motley bunch of tracers, pirates, aristos, and assassins. Yet they were the most decent beings in the universe and they were always here when she needed them.

Best of all, they cared. Truly and deeply about Darling and her. In all her life, she'd never imagined this as her reality.

And she wouldn't have it any other way.

Just as Gera started to organize the procession, the doors opened.

Zarya was floored as Darling's mother swept into the room with a grand flourish. Paying no attention to anyone else in the room, not even Lise, she planted herself in front of Zarya.

Her expression unreadable, Natale clutched at a small wooden box in her hands.

Please tell me that's not an explosive device of some sort...

With Darling's family, one could never tell.

"Have I missed the ceremony?"

"No, Momair," Lise answered in a suspicious tone from behind her. "It was interrupted."

Natale didn't ask how or why, she merely gave a curt nod. "Good. I was afraid I'd run out of time. Now leave us."

Without hesitation, Gera ushered the others out immediately. Except for Lise who moved to stand next to her mother. "Don't tarnish this for Darling, I beg you. He deserves to have one normal, happy memory. Please, let him have it."

She gave her daughter a withering glare. "Leave."

Lise sighed before she obeyed.