349 Dazzling reception

Finn sighed on Roland's arm. The babies were having a grand time being passed around by a dozen loving people who fawned over their smiles and laughter. 

It made her incredibly nervous. What if someone should notice something odd about them? But the crowd was not large, and Roland insisted it would be all right. 

"We can't keep them hidden away forever," He'd told her with a tight smile. 

And that was true. Caspian had made it clear that he would assist in ruling, but did not want to take on the mantle of Commodore, particularly against his father's wishes. 

After weeks of recovery, Duncan was still only up to small tasks. He had begun to hint to Roland that the prince would soon have to take the crown as well as the responsibilities behind it unless something drastic changed. 

There had already been so much intermarriage between the two lands that having Roland rule both seemed natural, but there would be a lot of growing pains in the process. The prince would vastly prefer that Caspian and his father rule the nations separately and he act as an intermediary, but Duncan wasn't up to much of anything. 

Finn had thought to heal him with more of the tea, but the herbs were nowhere to be found. Even many of the ones she'd gathered before were missing. She had wondered whether they were native to other worlds originally, but had found their way here over time. 

It seemed as though everything from other worlds had been banished for the time being. The giants, goblins, gargoyles, the Void, and even Judah, were all gone. She hadn't seen the Fae except for that passing glimpse when Roland came back, and she wasn't entirely sure of what she saw then. All portal makers, ancient and manmade alike, were gone. At least, that's what Finn assumed after the portal in the pantry closed for good. She would love to have confirmation of that from the Fae, or—

She spotted a guest in the corner of the room and abandoned her husband's arm in pursuit. He'd apparently seen her first, and watched her approach with a grumpy gaze. 

"Jimmy, you came!" She exclaimed quietly. 

"O'course. Wouldn't miss it. Where's the food?" He peered around the room. 

"There is a buffet in the adjoining dining room for guests to eat at their leisure, and dance in here. Would you like to dine together?" She put her hand out to take his arm. 

He wrinkled his nose, but offered her his elbow nonetheless. Finn raised her head to catch Roland's eye, throwing him a wink and a significant look. His eyebrows rose in mock jealousy before he relaxed and nodded. 

"It's been so long since I've seen you." Finn went on as if this were any normal social occasion. "How have you been?" 

"Terrible. I brought all your Cetoans back safe and sound, 'cept one that got eaten by a pig-monster with eight tusks and an ornery disposition–right tasty bacon, though–, and then that Void monster I keep hearing about shows up to kill most of 'em." He frowned heavily, and Finn fell silent for a moment as she made each of them a plate of food. 

"THEN!" Jimmy took up his discourse again, incensed. "All my portal-makers I'd been working on disappeared, and most of my rare herbs, too! You wouldn't happen to know anything about all that, would you?" 

"I was going to ask you," Finn put in. "It looks like everything that belongs in other worlds has been sent there."

"Hmph." Jimmy said, taking the plate from her hands and sitting down to inhale the food. "Don't like it one bit." 

"I can't blame you for that," The woman smiled faintly. 

They ate their meal in companionable quiet, and though Jimmy seemed to eat messily, not a drop nor spot was on his clothes when he finished. 

"You look very nice, by the way. Did you comb your hair?" Finn asked by way of conversation. 

"I clean up good, I know. That's why I don't do it often. Can't have women fallin' all over me. Ain't got time for it." Jimmy waved his hand dismissively. 

"Well, Mayra will be thrilled that you came." 

"Iff'n she notices. Only got eyes for that soldier. Hope he's good enough for her." Jimmy sniffled. 

"Jimmy!" Mayra called from the doorway. "Roland caught me and told me you were here! You weren't going to try and sneak off without speaking to me, I know!" She hugged him before he could squirm away. 

"Now, stop that," He complained. "Married woman, and all, you oughta know better." 

"I'm just so happy you came." She smiled. "I wasn't sure you'd get the invitation, even though we left it by your rock." 

"I'm here." Jimmy shrugged. 

"Eat, dance, have fun!" Peter encouraged from behind his wife. 

"Reckon I might," The quarter-halfling conceded, visibly wary of the growing number of people paying attention to him. 

Roland came to claim his wife for a dance, and the group dispersed. She followed him to the dance floor, happy to be in his arms again. 

"Now that's interesting," He said, jutting his chin slightly across the room. 

_______

Phillip was offering his hand to a startled Amelia, who took it with a small smile. It had been years since she'd seen him dance, but he made a valiant effort and managed to keep in time to the simple steps of the song. 

"What brought this on?" She asked as steadily as she could. It was surprising to find herself in his arms, even for such an innocent thing as a dance at her daughter's wedding. 

"The mother of the bride should always get to dance," Phillip said confidently. "And I didn't want you to miss out." 

"Oh, I see." Her expression faded slightly, and he tried to recover his blunder. 

"I meant–" He took a breath. "I saw that you gave your wedding ring to Peter and Mayra, and I thought, maybe, it might be a sign that you're finally ready to move on?" 

He grimaced, as if regretting the abrupt question.

"Oh!" She said again, with a very different tone. She hadn't thought about giving her ring away in that light at all. Though she loved her husband's memory, she wasn't stuck in the past. "Would you have any advice on that topic?"

It had been more than eight years now since Amelia had watched Phillip's wife die, helpless to save her. 

"I would say that your heart will always ache, but it can still grow to make room for someone new." He looked at her seriously. 

"I think so as well," She smiled with a blush she thought she'd left behind many years ago. 

_________________

Peter and Mayra swept across the dance floor together, perfectly in sync, and every move matched to the other. 

"How does it feel, being married?" He asked her. 

"About the same, so far," Mayra admitted. "We dance, we flirt, we—" 

"Get to go home together," He added. "That's different." 

"Yes." A blush crept up her face, "That part will be different." 

"How much longer is this reception? Can we leave now, or—" 

"Hush!" She chastised him. "Someone will hear you." 

"So what? I already spoiled the ending by kissing you like that in front of all of them, they know I'm absolutely besotted and ready to have you all to myself." Peter gazed at her with eyes that made her blush deepen.

"It would be terribly rude to leave already," Mayra whispered. "Even if we want to." 

"And do you want to?" Peter asked, leaning down until his lips hovered just over hers. 

"I love dancing with you," She said, avoiding the question. 

"Yes, and?" He breathed against her face. 

"And the food is marvelous, we really should eat some more to show Ashley how grateful we are for letting us borrow their chef," She continued. 

"And?" His hand at the small of her back pressed her more tightly against him, and her heart stuttered. 

"And…" Her mind groped about. "We didn't finish greeting the rest of our guests, and I still need to give Ashley and Finn the little gifts I got them for being bridesmaids." 

"You're still avoiding the question," Peter whispered, close enough that his lips barely brushed hers as he spoke. 

She abandoned the pretense and pressed her mouth to his with all the love in her heart spilling over. The kiss lasted several beautiful seconds until he pulled back, chuckling as she missed a step of the dance and gripped him to regain her balance. 

"What's my answer? Do you want to leave right now?" He whispered into her ear. 

"Yes, I desperately want to leave with you this second and if you kiss me like that again I'll forget all our obligations to the guests and cause quite a stir dragging you out in front of them all." Mayra furiously whispered at him. "So just behave for a few minutes longer." 

"Only a few minutes," He warned as she pulled back and went to hurriedly complete her to-do list. 

______________

Much later, Finn and Roland finished putting the babies to sleep. They were tired, but happy in a bittersweet way. Though much had been lost, the city had survived. 

"Will they be all right? It won't be like this forever. They'll talk and walk and do marvelous and terrifying things." Finn fretted softly. 

"That's just like all children." Roland teased. "I think they'll be all right. No one would dare mess with the children of a king." 

"So, you've made the decision, then?" Finn turned to him. Their discussions on the topic had been weighty. 

"Haf's words keep coming back. Unite. I think, at last, the world must be united. The breaking of the worlds was tragic, and the breaking of mankind must be as well. United, we are stronger to face whatever comes. And as much as I don't like being the one to do it, who else would?" 

"I'll stand with you, no matter what comes." Finn nuzzled against his chest. 

"I'm counting on it," Roland hugged his wife tightly, a tenuous feeling of peace settling in his heart.