The heavy double doors of the master suite clicked shut, instantly sealing away the distant echoes of singing, laughter, and clinking goblets from the banquet hall below.
The suite was bathed in the warm, flickering glow of the hearthfire. The scent of sweet pine, sandalwood, and fresh mountain air filled the quiet room.
Cassian let out a long, quiet breath, rolling his shoulders as he reached up to unfasten the heavy golden sunburst clasp of his crimson mantle. Before his fingers could loosen the metal, Lucien stepped behind him. His large, calloused hands gently pushed Cassian's aside, unhooking the clasp and sliding the heavy fur-lined mantle off Cassian's shoulders with practiced care.
"You look tired, my love," Lucien murmured softly, his deep voice carrying a rare, gentle warmth as he draped the heavy crimson fabric over a carved wooden chair.
"I am not tired at all," Cassian replied, turning his head slightly to meet Lucien's eyes. "Just... peaceful. It's a strange feeling after so long."
Sora glided over from the side table, carrying three small crystal glasses filled with sweet, aged elf-wine. He wore only his inner white silk tunic now, the heavy outer robes already set aside, and the soft light of the fire caught the silver undertones of his hair as he offered a glass to Lucien and then to Cassian.
"Peace is hard work," Sora said with a faint, elegant smile, his slender fingers brushing against Cassian's as their glasses met. "Especially when your family spends the entire evening trying to out-shout an army."
Cassian let out a low chuckle, taking a slow sip of the cool, fragrant wine. "Adrian certainly did his best, the most."
"Adrian is a menace," Lucien grunted, though there was a soft tilt to his lips as he leaned his hip against the edge of the large, fur-draped bed. "Though I suppose his dramatic nature kept Thoris from challenging the entire Vanguard to a wrestling match in the courtyard."
"A mercy for the courtyard," Sora added dryly.
Cassian set his glass down on the nightstand and stepped closer to the hearth, looking into the crackling flames. The golden light danced across his pale face, highlighting the fine embroidery of his inner tunic.
"No more being separated from my family," Cassian said quietly, the weight of the past months settling softly into the room. "No more tears and heartaches. From now on, we are starting a brand-new chapter of our lives."
Lucien set his glass down next to Cassian's. He walked over, stepping up behind Cassian and wrapping his broad arms securely around Cassian's waist, pulling him back against his broad chest. He rested his chin against the side of Cassian's neck, breathing in the scent of cedar and sun-warmed silk.
"No more,"
Lucien agreed, his voice a low, steady rumble against Cassian's back.
"Just this estate, our sons, and us."
Sora walked over, stopping right in front of them. He reached out, his cool, long fingers resting gently against Cassian's cheek, tilting his head up slightly. Sora's gaze shifted from Cassian's crimson eyes then to Lucien's blue ones, a look of profound, quiet devotion settling over his calm features.
"We swore our souls to one another under the sun," Sora whispered, his thumb lightly tracing Cassian's jawline. "So from now on, where you walk, we follow. Always."
Cassian reached up, placing his hand over Sora's on his cheek, while pressing his back firmly into Lucien's chest, a content smile plastered on his lips.
"I know," Cassian spoke, his voice filled with absolute certainty. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Lucien tightened his grip around Cassian's waist, pulling both of them closer toward the vast, silk-draped bed as the fire crackled softly in the dark, quiet night.
And as Cassian found himself wrapped all around them, the agonizing memories of his past lives faded immediately.
Running away from execution, trying by all means to lead different lives in order to survive. Now all of that was over, and from now on, he would live his life doing nothing but being surrounded by love and his family in a fictional novel that his sister once loved.
And he was happy because he didn't have to do anything to survive against Lucien Arden, because Lucien Arden was his very own heart now, and that was enough.
["Then Holy Knight does this mean you–"]
'Shut up, you are grounded from speaking, remember? You failed to feed on Ruby's soul like I ordered you to.'
["Urgh! Then just find me a new chaotic vessel, this content life of yours is going to bore me. I am a high demon Lord, you know!?"]
'If you leave my vessel, you are heading straight back to the dungeon you choose.'
Jerga suddenly went silent, and Lucien smiled, tugging his teeth to graze on Cassian's skin.
'Good boy, stay quietly like that and watch me and my family broaden the horizons.'
"Lucien..." Cassian's voice purred, snapping Lucien back to reality.
"Yes, my love?"
"Sora has something important to tell you."
"Your Highness!, this is not the time!" Sora flushed as he pulled away from Cassian's hold.
"If not now, then when, Sora?"
Lucien knelt on the bed looking at each of them, confused, and Cassian smiled, pulling up his frame to sit.
"Sora Curzon is pregnant once again... And this time, it's yours."
"W-what?" Lucien jerked his head toward Sora, and Sora sighed, pointing an accusatory finger at him instead.
"It is all your fault anyway, I told you so many times that only my mate can impregnate me, but you still went on and did it!"
Lucien remained kneeling, a little bit stunned by the revelation and still trying to process everything.
"Mine?... But–.... During these many years of such never happening until Cassian came back, are you sure that he is not the one who–.."
Before Lucien could say another word, Sora's form shifted by his waist, and his face immediately went red as he looked away from both of them, his belly now immediately heavy and as big as Adrian's very own. Sora pouted, keeping his eyes away from them.
Lucien's mouth hung wide, and speechless.
"This–..."
Cassian chuckled, covering his mouth with his hand.
"Lucien, have you forgotten already? This Moonborn husband of yours can shape-shift to whatever he desires."
Lucien looked at Sora and then shook his head in disbelief.
"That's a very dangerous ability, Sora Curzon, to even hide your pregnancy from us like this, without even a slip of the tongue?"
"I meant to tell you, okay, but I was really scared of how Cassian would feel if he found out that we slept together and even impregnated each other. I didn't have the courage to come clean to you either. But in the end, I told him everything yesterday." He pouted, a little sulky. "I'm sorry for hiding this until now."
Now Cassian laughed even louder, and Lucien sighed, defeated as he sat back, looking at Sora.
"So how far along are you now?"
"I am seven months pregnant."
Silence hovered for a moment, and then Lucien let out a faint chuckle escaping his lips.
"In the end, I ended up mated to you as well?"
Lucien laughed, and Sora threw a pillow at him with a hefty grunt.
"Do you seriously find this funny? You did something that I warned you very well not to do and you are still unapologetic about it?!"
Lucien caught the pillow, still laughing, and he tossed it aside, pulling Sora into his arms instead.
"Does it matter? Now we are both married anyway."
Sora flushed, clicking his tongue as he glared at him.
"Congratulations, you two. From now on, our family will continue to grow even bigger," Cassian chimed in, his arms wrapping around both of them.
"Indeed!" Lucien tightened his grip around them as well, and only Sora smiled at Cassian with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Then if the family is growing even bigger, then isn't it finally my turn to leave a mark on His Highness? Lucien already gave you twins, you gave me Aurelian, and Lucien now filled me up with another Arden cub.... Then, my Prince, isn't it obvious that I, Sora Curzon, should leave a life in you as well?" Sora teased, and Cassian blushed, shutting Sora up with a soft peck.
"We will talk about that next time. For now, let us focus on this little one on the way. And finishing up from where we left off."
Cassian giggled, nudging himself in between Sora and Lucien. His very own haven.
The safest haven he could ever find, and his heart was content nonetheless. Because everything that mattered to him was already within his grasp, and that was enough for him. Because from there on, he would live his life with the people he cared about the most.
THE END
*****