Princess Kassandra of Nohr

"There's one more thing we need to do," Xander said to me. "We should announce our love to our family."

Grief had turned my victory bitter, but his words lifted my spirits. "Right now?"

He smiled. "Right now. I see no reason for us to hide it anymore. The campaign is at an end. Everyone is in a good mood. There is no better time to tell them." He looked around. "Hold -- where are Norton and Semyaza?"

I grinned. I'd seen them slip away. "It doesn't matter. They've already worked it out."

"I see. And are they...?"

"Yes, they love each other as well." I took his hand. "Shall we?"

"Shall we what?" Camilla asked.

We turned around. Camilla, Leo, and Elise were standing behind us. Elise's gaze fell on our hands. "Oh, yay! I knew it!"

"Knew what?" I exclaimed. "We haven't even said anything yet!"

"You're in love!" She crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not stupid, you know. I worked it out after that day when Xander snapped at me for suggesting you should court Silas."

"Wait, you're -- what?" Leo frowned.

Xander squeezed my hand. "I was intending to break you all in gently, but never mind. Kass and I are in love."

Camilla and Leo stared at us with wide eyes. Camilla shrugged. "Well, I never saw it myself. You two have always been close, but this will take some getting used to. Still...if you're happy, darling, then I'm happy for you."

I looked at Xander. "I am happy."

"Are you certain?" Leo asked. "I care for you both, but you do argue somewhat...violently."

I wondered if he was ever going to let the fact that Xander had bruised me go. I didn't mind. That was what brothers were for.

I smiled. "I think it's inevitable that our relationship will be filled with rows. But it's just the way we are. And I promise that if there are any problems, I'll come to you three."

"Do I get to have your counsel when we fight, too?" Xander's voice was tinged with amusement.

Elise giggled. "Perhaps we should divide ourselves right now!"

"It's about time I stopped treating you all like children." Camilla drew herself up straighter. "I'll be Xander's adviser."

I laughed. "Camilla, that's very sweet, but we were jesting. No one needs to be divided. We're all a family, and so when we do fight, we'll talk to each of you."

"All right." She threw her arms around me and kissed both cheeks. "Well, congratulations, darling."

She went back to Hinoka, and Elise went to talk with Sakura again.

Leo crossed his arms. "You have my support. But, please, try to not slap each other and break things in the future. I don't want the noise disturbing me while I'm working."

He walked off.

I rolled my eyes. "I suppose saying 'I care for you' once was enough."

Xander chuckled. "Yes. By the way, there's one more important thing left to do. Come with me."

He led me away from the group, further towards the forest. The chatter and laughter faded, replaced by a lone bird singing in the trees. A warm breeze made the grass dance.

When we were well and truly alone, Xander stopped us. "I was actually hoping that we'd have some other news to announce soon."

I smiled. "I think I know what's coming. But go on, tell me."

"I'm hoping that we will be announcing our engagement." He got down on one knee, still holding my hand. "Given the circumstances, I have no ring, but what I do have is my love. Kassandra, you once called me your king. Will you marry me and become my queen?"

I did not even need to think. "Yes! Yes, Xander!"

He stood up and gathered me against him, and our lips collided.

I love you, our kiss said as my hands tangled in his hair. I love you, our kiss said as his hands slid to my hips. I love you, our kiss said as he lifted me into the air.

I love you, and no war will ever come between us again.

When we pulled apart to breathe, he put me down. "You do know that you'll be the Queen of Nohr, too? You said you didn't want Valla's crown."

"I meant it. I'm no ruler, but that will be your job. Mine will be to support you in everything you do."

"Thank you." He smiled, leaning his forehead against mine. "With you at my side, I know I can face whatever lies ahead of me."

Looking up into his eyes, I knew I could say the same. We'd fought, we'd killed, we'd hurt each other. We'd been to hell and back. But no matter what, we'd always loved.

And that meant everything.

***

Eventually, as dusk began to fall, everyone gathered together and went back inside the castle. We found the old dining room and made a feast of what provisions we had with us, still dressed in our clothes of war. We talked, we danced, and we toasted to all three new kings.

Later, we dispersed to the empty rooms that had once housed the royalty and all their guests. Tomorrow, some of us would begin the journey home, wherever we'd decided home would be. But for tonight, Valla was ours.

Xander and I laid claim to a room together with no more sneaking around. We celebrated passionately, and then we cuddled up and slept. But I woke just before dawn, feeling a strange tugging on my heart. My twin radar was ringing.

I got up and dressed as quietly as I could. Xander was in a deeper sleep than I had ever seen before, his expression smoothed out and the ghost of a smile on his lips. There was a faint scar across his bicep where Elise's healing rod had closed up his wound. Looking at it made me taste the true flavour of victory on my tongue at last. It was a battle scar: proof that we'd saved the world.

I tiptoed into the empty corridor and wandered the castle until I found my twin. He was standing on an old balcony, leaning on the railings and watching the horizon.

He didn't turn around when I opened the doors. He'd known I would come.

I stood beside him and looked at the sky. "Congratulations again, King Nayoko of Valla."

He laughed quietly. "Thank you. You'll be pleased to know that I finally confessed my feelings to Semyaza. We're now courting, and so she'll be staying in Valla with me."

"Well done." I smiled. "You make a good pair, and you're the sort who will stay together forever."

"I believe you and Xander will, too. I heard that you broke the news to the others. How did they take it?"

"Well, which is a relief. I'm so happy to have their support." I looked down at my bare hands. "We now have some more news to announce, though."

"Oh?" I felt him move his eyes from the horizon to my face.

I looked up. "We're engaged."

He grinned. "I knew it was only a matter of time. Congratulations! Thank goodness you're not the oldest twin and the ruler of Valla."

"Indeed! Although that would have been easily solved. I'd have just handed the crown over to you." I frowned. "I still can't believe you're the oldest twin. Do you think Azura worked out that I'm in love with Xander and lied for me?"

Norton -- no, Nayoko -- scoffed. "I think she's much too caught up in her feelings for Ryoma to think that far."

"They are rather close. At least not being the Queen of Valla leaves her free to pursue a romance with him."

"Indeed. And so we're happy all around."

We stared at the horizon in comfortable silence for a while. The sun began to rise.

"This is it, isn't it?" I asked. "Dawn is breaking. We're about to go our separate ways once more."

"Yes." He turned to me. "While I've enjoyed us spending so much time in the same place, I think it's better this way. You have forgiven me for things, and I have forgiven you for things, but they can never be undone. We have all wronged each other somehow over the past few months, but everyone deals differently. For you and Xander, it means that you bind yourselves tighter together. But for you and me, it's best that it's like this. We're not the twins we once were."

"I know." I pursed my lips and tapped my fingers against the railing. "To think I've spent so many years chasing after you..."

"And I, you. But don't go completely the other way -- do come and visit me sometimes."

I grinned. "Do you think I've learned nothing from your previous example? Of course I will."

Yet it was more than that I had learned. I had stepped out into the world for the very first time, and I had looked at the deepest and darkest things it contained. Sometimes I had walked the straight and narrow; sometimes I had lost my way. Now I knew that the straight and narrow was too narrow, and that I was not lost if I was forging my own trail.

I hoped that the route I'd chosen had left the world a better place. I thought it had.

It had certainly led me back to my brother again.

"I love you, Kass," he said. "I always have done."

"I know." Love was more complicated than I'd ever imagined, and no relationship had been more complicated than ours. But the heart of it was simple. "I've always loved you. And no matter where we are in the world, I always will."

Nayoko smiled and turned back to the horizon.

We watched the sunrise with two very different pairs of eyes, finally understanding that although we were twins, we did not walk in each other's shadows.

We had been our own amazing people all along.

THE END