She rolled her eyes. “As if. If it weren’t for me, you and the Knight Commander probably wouldn’t even be together.”
“What? In what reality is that even a thing? You’re out of your godsdamn mind!”
“Please,” she sniffed delicately. “Never underestimate the power of a fangirl. Rystin, HaveHeart, whatever. We shipped you, therefore we made your love a real thing. You’re welcome.”
“I ship Sam and Ruv,” Gary whispered to Tiggy. “It’s my bad-touch ship.”
“Ruv’s dead,” Tiggy whispered back. “I ship Sam and broom. It called HaveBroom. Because I have a broom.”
“I love you so godsdamn much,” Gary said fiercely.
“I’m going to demand you are stripped of your rank,” I snarled at Lady Tina. “Just you wait. You will rue the day you took credit for my heart boner! Rue, you hear me? Rue.”
We continued to snark at each other as we made our way to the castle. I happened to glance back over my shoulder at one point to see Morgan trailing behind us, hands clasped behind his back, a serene smile on his face.
I couldn’t ask for anything more.
EVERY STORY has an ending.
And fairy tales tend to have the happiest of them all.
The ones where they lived happily ever after.
This, here, is my ending:
I stood outside the Great Doors leading to the throne room, breathing into a paper sack, trying not to hyperventilate, Mom and Dad rubbing my back, telling me that everything was going to be just fine.
“Honestly, Sam,” Mom said. “It’s going to be just fine.”
“I know,” I wheezed. “I’m just contemplating the fact that I’m only going to be with this one person for the rest of my life.”
Dad frowned. “Isn’t he your cornerstone? I thought that was already a thing.”
I blinked. “Huh. I hadn’t thought of it that way. I guess you’re right. Wow, how about that. Oh look! I’m perfectly fine now. Let’s do this!”
“I can’t help but feel that some of this is our fault,” Mom said to Dad.
“Hardly,” Dad said. “We’re good parents. It’s not our fault he turned out this way.”
“Are you guys still talking?” I demanded. “I need to go get married. You’re wasting my time!”
“Oh boy,” Dad said, but he leaned into the small side door, telling the Royal Announcer that we were ready.
Horns blew brightly.
I heard the Royal Announcer doing his job, and I took a deep breath.
“You ready?” Mom asked.
“So ready,” I said.
Dad was crying, but we didn’t point that out, because he was a strong Northern man, and Northern men didn’t cry (except for all the times they did).
They stood on either side of me, each of them taking me by the arm.
The Great Doors opened before us with a mighty groan.
“Sweet molasses,” I managed to say.