A/N: Ah, my friends. We come to the end of our tale. Let's see how Kingward fares.

"Give the babe here, Alice." Edward held his hands out for the bundle in Alice's arms. "She wants her Fa."

Alice flashed him a grin as she walked toward him. "As his Majesty wishes."

Edward shook his head. Even then, six months after his coronation, he was unused to the title. Oft had he tried to make his friends call him by his given name, but he knew they could not. Though much was different for them, he was still royalty. It would not be proper for them to address him so familiarly.

He shook the thought off as Alice placed his weepy three-month-old daughter in his arms. "There now, Emilia, I have you. Hush, precious girl." He bounced her, and she settled her head on his shoulder, calming. He smirked at Alice. "See?"

"As always, Your Highness, you are wise." The purse of Alice's lips was as close as she got to teasing him these days.

He sighed. "Really, Alice. We are alone. I-"

A sharp knock at the door interrupted him, and a pageboy strode in. He bowed deep, rising when Edward gestured. "Your Highness. Riders approach from the north."

"Aye. From the Volterran forces, I'd imagine. Grant them admittance. They are to be treated as honored guests."

"As you say, Your Highness."

When he was gone, Alice chuckled. "A king is rarely alone." She winked at him. "I will find Her Majesty. The princess will be hungry soon, I expect."

At that, Edward smiled. Many things had changed but most for the better. "You will find my wife in her library with her ladies. She finds their gossip more palatable when she is surrounded by books."

Alice curtsied. "My thanks," she said before she departed.

Edward sank down onto the couch and laid his daughter across his knees. She cooed at him, grinning when he offered his finger to clutch and gnaw on. "The riders are your Great Uncle Marcus's men. With any luck, they have come to take your Great Uncle Aro off my hands.

"Ah, Mia. How oft I wonder if I am doing the right thing. Is it wise to let a man like Aro live the rest of his days in peace? He is responsible for so many atrocities." He tilted his head, marvelling at the way his daughter's fingers wrapped around his. "But I will tell you, his plan was sound. He has amassed a fine empire for me, a loyal following. My advisors believe the King of Volterra will not dare move against us. Peace may yet fall during my reign."

He gritted his teeth and brought the baby close to him again, cuddling her close. "Many of them wish me to offer your hand in marriage to the youngest prince. They say it would be a gesture of goodwill. I have a few choice words about where they can stick their goodwill."

"Edward."

Edward looked up as Bella came to sit beside him. "I didn't hear you enter."

"Aye, I know. You were telling our daughter tales of how you will stop her betrothal."

He stared down at the tiny girl who reached a grubby hand toward her mother. Bella took her, and Edward began to unbutton her gown. It was not common for a queen to feed her own child, but after hearing Esme speak of the closeness she felt feeding Edward, she would not allow a wetnurse into their chambers. It was inconvenient, and his advisors had grumbled that it was perhaps unwise for Edward to be so indulgent of his wife's whim. It was a small concession, though. For a man with so much power, Edward was often frustrated at what remained out of his hands.

When Bella had Mia settled against her skin, she looked up at Edward. "I am not saying your advisors are right about betrothing Mia to the Volterran prince, but you must begin to understand. One day, we will have to give her away to secure an alliance." Bella's eyes were sad. "Only peasants marry for love. You know how lucky we were."

"I know." Edward's throat was tight. "I will not see her miserable. I will not do to her what was done to you. We will at least know the nature of the man she marries." He shook his head. "They said she would be lucky to make such a fine match, did you know that? They said she was a leftover obligation. The daughter of an unloved king."

"She is your daughter."

"A fact she can never know."

"She will know. One day. And it matters not, Edward. Damn what the history books will say of her father. You will be the only father she knows. You will be the one to hold her these years. It will be your lap she sits upon to listen to the tales of the kingdom."

Edward closed his eyes and rested his forehead against her. "I know. I am lucky. So lucky. I've no right to complain." He kissed her lips. "How easy it would have been to lose it all."

Bella caressed their daughter's head and looked up with a smile. "Rest your heavy heart, love. We need not think yet that far in the future. Think instead of next month."

A genuine smile spread across Edward's face and he raised his head again. "My mother will finally be able to wed my father though no one will know it but we two."

"No one need know."

"As usual, my beautiful wife, you are right. We are all healthy and my family surrounds me. A man can ask no more than that."

~0~

"Does it not bother you to have your daughter playing with a common child?"

Bella gritted her teeth and willed herself to have patience with her ladies. She looked to the blanket where Mia giggled happily with Henry, Rosalie and Emmett's son.

Before she could answer, Lauren laughed. "Why would it bother her? Our King Edward was a servant child. I quite remember King James saying you played with him when you were children, when he was naught but a servant boy, did you not? Perhaps you will find that the little one is another long lost prince."

It took some effort for Bella to keep her temper. Though Lauren had said nothing that was untrue, her tone was scathing, and the other ladies could see it. They sipped their tea, tittering nervously. Bella took a deep breath as a thought occurred to her, and she let a slow smile spread across her face. "There is no reason any of us should not consort with the common people. They are people, no different than we." She took a ladylike drink and changed the subject. "Lauren. Did you know the Duke of La Push is visiting."

"Of course, My Lady."

"He asked Edward for a wife. Were you aware?"

Lauren's face went pale. "I… I was not aware."

"Hmm." Bella stirred her tea and then looked up as if in great surprise. "Oh, Lauren. I have such a wonderful idea. You are well past the age you should marry. Would not the Duke make a fine match for you? La Push is on the ocean. I have heard it is so beautiful there." She nodded, not letting Lauren get a word in edgewise. "Yes. I will speak to my husband of it."

"I… I…" Lauren bowed her head. "Thank you, My Lady," she said meekly.

The Duke of La Push was a kind man. He would treat Lauren well, so Bella felt little guilt over what she had done. It was her duty, after all, as Queen to see that her ladies were paired off. If Lauren was borne away to the furthest corner of her kingdom, well, that was hardly Bella's fault.

~0~.

Edward's laugh was hearty when Bella made her request. He put his arm about her shoulders and curled her close. "You are very wise, wife."

They checked that Mia was sleeping with her new nursemaid at her side. These days, Alice spent the nights with her new husband. When they were assured their daughter slept peacefully, Edward led her out onto the balcony.

There, they lapsed into silence. Bella recognized the look on her husband's face. So often he felt out of depth as he looked out over the kingdom he ruled. She took his hand and twined their fingers together. "Your people are happy, Edward. They are happier than they have been in a long while. They have so much love for you and your mother."

"And you," he said, looking to her. He angled his body so he could bring her close against him. "Actually, I was looking out toward the field. Do you know what day it is, my love?"

In the distance, the fires burned. "It is the Beltane."

"It is. Our year and one day will be over tomorrow."

"Our year and one day will go on endlessly, Edward." She looped her arms around his waist. "I love you. Neither the old gods nor the new will ever change that."

He took her face in his hands and kissed her. He whispered her name against her lips, and then his tongue sought entrance to her mouth. She melted against him. His hands slipped down to her shoulders, her sides, and then around to her backside as he pulled her against his body.

"My Bella." His voice was husky. "If you wish me to stop…"

She clung tighter to him. "No, my love. It has been too long, far too long."

He cupped her face in his hands again. His eyes were wide with want but also worry. "I will get you with child again."

Emilia's birth had not been easy on her. The girl had been a long while coming, and Edward had confessed he had nightmares about the way Bella looked when he'd caught a glimpse of her. She'd been pale as death, he said. Her hair had been dark with sweat and she was barely conscious.

Bella swallowed down the knot in her throat and stroked her fingers through his hair. "It would be a blessing, Edward. Another blessed child of the Beltane, hmm? Our people expect us to give them a prince. An heir to your throne."

He kissed her sweetly then, small kisses along her jaw. "Bella, I could not bear to lose you."

"Shh. You will not." She kissed him back, slow kisses. "I want you. I miss feeling you."

"Bella, Bella. I hunger for you."

He began to pull her with him back into their chamber, but she stopped him. "Perhaps we cannot lay in the fields with the common folk, but we can lay beneath the sky," she said and pulled him down with her onto the chaise.

"As you wish. Whatever you wish." His deft fingers were already working the buttons of her gown. Bella cursed the fact she had not had time to undress yet.

They both fumbled between increasingly fervent kisses to rid themselves of their clothing. Desperation made them clumsy, but they finally managed it. Edward pushed up so he was holding himself aloft as he looked down on her body. With his free hand he traced the lines along her belly that their daughter had left. Bella wondered if she displeased him, but the look in his eyes soothed her nerves.

"You are the most beautiful woman in all the lands, Bella. Did you know that?"

"Hush, husband. Kiss me and make love to me."

"As you command, my queen."

He settled over her, and she spread her legs to welcome him. As he slid inside her, Bella breathed his scent in deep. Her fingernails dug into the skin of his shoulders and she winced as he stretched her.

"Am I hurting you, love? Shall I stop?"

"No. No." It was not bad. Being connected with him like this would never be bad. "Slowly, that's all."

He nuzzled her neck. "Gods, you feel so good. Perfect." He moved within her and she moaned.

The pain faded, and Bella relaxed. A great peace settled over her when she looked into her husband's eyes and saw the love he held for her. Lucky. How lucky she was that she could have this, him.

When he had spilled inside her and collapsed against her, she stroked the moisture from his back, kissing his slick hair. When he caught his breath he began to babble nonsensically as he kissed her again and again.

"Ah, Bella. I love you so much. I would give you anything. All I have to give is yours."

"My Edward." She caught his face in her hands. "Your love is all I've ever wanted in this world. I want for nothing now."

"I love you," he said.

"I love you," she returned. "Always."

~The End~

A/N: So many thanks to Songster and barburella.

Our tale is told. That was an interesting tale to write. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I'll catch you over at Foolish Hearts if you're up for that.