“F—Father?” asked Persimmon, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“That’s right,” the king answered with a smile.
“Did you love my mother, Luna?” she asked, surprising Stone that now is the time she chose to ask that.
The king stopped and blink. “Why would you ask that? What does it matter?”
“I need to know. Did you love her when you coupled with her?”
“Don’t be silly,” spat the king, laughing. “No man truly loves his wife. It’s unheard of. Besides, I wasn’t married to Luna. We were just having a little fun.”
“Persimmon, please. I can’t hold them off much longer and the portal is closing,” cried Stone, still fighting off man after man.
“She’s coming with me.” The king grabbed her hand and pulled her to him.
“Naaaay!” cried Stone. “I love her. And even if I can’t give her all that you can, I will still treat her like a princess with my love.”
“That is nonsense and means nothing,” yelled the king.
“Well, it means the world to me.” Persimmon used her powers to throw the king across the room. And when a slew of his guards rushed forward with their blades drawn, she used her mind power to stop them, pushing them away as well.
“I love you, Stone, and I believe we can be very happy together.” She took his hand in hers. “Let’s go home.”
They stepped through the portal together just as it closed. Since they’d barely made it, they were thrown to the ground with force as the portal snapped closed and disappeared behind them.
“We made it. We’re back.” Stone looked up smiling, but then he groaned. “Oh, no. I forgot about the damned gnomes.”
Whooping and hollering, dozens of gnomes sped forward and rappelled down from the cave roof. Each of them had their weapon of choice, and they were all aimed directly at Stone.
“Get up, sweetheart. Hurry.” He pulled Persimmon to her feet. “We’ve got to get out of this cave. We’re being attacked by gnomes.”
“Don’t worry about that,” she said with a smile. “Father. Fang? Can you help us out?”
“What?” asked Stone, turning to see the crazy elf sitting atop Stone’s dog.
“I could use my powers to rid us of the gnomes, but I’m afraid I might hurt them,” Persimmon told him. “I think this way is much better.”
Elric bolted around the room atop the dog and the gnomes ran in fright. Elric shouted nonsense and Fang barked.
“Good to see you, Fang,” said Stone, laughing.
“We’ve got everything handled,” she said with a wink, reaching up to kiss him.
“Yes, I can see that. Everything is exactly how it should be.” He kissed her back and took her hand, heading out of the cave. Damn, it felt good to be back on Mura.
Seventeen
Stone and Persimmon were married a week later in Glint, the home of the elves. The Blackseed brothers and their families were there as well as Alaina the Queen of the Fae, and Lira’s Aunt Sasha who was the Elven Queen since Lira now ruled with her husband at Evandorm Castle.
“I knew you two would marry all along,” said Lira as they sat down at a long table in the courtyard for a feast. Lira had served as Persimmon’s maid of honor and Aithrod was Stone’s best man. Fang had walked down the aisle carrying a small box that had the ring in it that Elric had once given to Luna. Elric said he wanted Persimmon to have it as a remembrance of her mother, even if he and Luna had never been married. It still was a symbol of their love for each other.
“So, are the two of you ever going to want to go back to Taelgonoth?” asked Darium, smiling because he already knew the answer.
“Never,” Stone answered. “Aithrod and I decided that Mura is our home now.” Stone helped Persimmon to get seated and then reached down and petted Fang on the head. “Fang likes it better here, too.
“I was talking about you and Persimmon,” said Darium.
“Yes, Persimmon, you never told us how you felt when King Kapion told you he was your father,” said Talia, holding on to Darium’s arm. “Don’t you want to go back to get to know him?”
Persimmon looked over to Elric who sadly sat by himself, not even looking up. Ever since she had come through the portal and told everyone that King Kapion was really her father, Elric had become distant and sad. She didn’t like seeing him this way. She had always wished for the presence of a father in her life, and now that she finally got what she wanted she realized it wasn’t important anymore.
“King Helix Kapion is an evil man, just like my husband has said.” Persimmon reached over and kissed Stone. “So, nay, I don’t ever want to go back to Taelgonoth. Here is where I belong.”
“It’s a shame, sister, that you finally discovered you are a princess and now can’t do anything about it.” Lira sat down and her daughter Valindra climbed up on her lap.
“The only princess I want to be is the one I’ll be in Stone’s eyes.” Persimmon smiled and they kissed again. She looked up to see Elric slipping away. He seemed so sad that her heart was breaking.
“Elric, please come join us,” she called out. “I have something for you.”
“What?” The elf looked up in confusion.
Persimmon reached down and unclasped the bag of gemstones at her side and held it out. “I’d like to give the gemstones to you.”
“Why?” asked the elf. “Only the Chosen One, which is you, can use them. I’m sure you don’t want to give up all those powers.” He shuffled over. It was so odd to see the elf moving so slowly since he always zipped around at a high speed. The man seemed to be giving up all hope. He no longer had a spark of life within him.
“I don’t need them,” said Persimmon. “I want you to take them and give them back to the gods of Mura instead.”
