Epilogue: Six Months Later

The courtyard was bright and full of people. The moonlight shone brightly down on the revelers. Lanterns were strung across the yard, casting the people in a warm light. Prince Erik's coronation had finally come to pass, and the entire Rebel City was at the palace for the proceedings. Arm in arm, Riku and Skye were sitting on a bench beneath one of the blossoming cherry trees, watching Sora, Kairi and Gaden all dancing in a circle. They were being silly, giggling helplessly at each other's antics.

"Care to join them?" Skye asked. Riku nodded and stood up with her, but before they got to chance to go anywhere, the newly crowned king approached them.

"Evening." Erik greeted them with a smile. He'd relaxed a great deal since Ansem's defeat.

"Congratulations." Skye and Riku answered in unison. He grinned.

"Thanks. I never got a chance to thank you both for everything you've done. I don't know what would have happened without you two."

"I'm jut glad that everything has gone back to the way it was supposed to be." Skye answered. A sound caught her attention and she glanced over Erik's shoulder to see a pair of young women glancing furtively at Erik and giggling. She laughed. "Being royalty has made you popular with the ladies, apparently." She noted. Erik glanced at them, hiding a smile and a blush.

"Because it looks like I'll need to find myself a queen, now that you've got Riku." He noted, before wandering off to chat with Venus.

"What... did he mean by that?" Riku asked, slightly suspicious. Skye grinned.

"You know, before I ended up on the Islands, a couple problems came up. We figured that once Dax was gone and Erik returned to the throne, some people would have problems accepting the transfer of power. There would be people out there who would refuse Erik as a leader and demand that Lodi lead Gova. It would split the country, and it might even rise to civil war. So, we decided that Erik, being heir to the throne, and I, Jade and Lodi's almost-daughter, should be married once the war was over." She explained, acting as if it was no big deal. There was a long silence and Riku looked seriously at her.

"...Did you love him...?" He asked quietly. Skye smiled at him.

"It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience. We got along well enough, but it wasn't anything more than that. You're the only one I'd want to marry." She assured him, going up onto her tip-toes to kiss him gently. He smiled and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. A jube-jube hit Riku across the back of the head, followed by Sora shouting.

"Get a room!" He called, laughing. Riku twisted around and crossed his arms.

"No." He said bluntly. Sora shrugged.

"Okay." And with that, he returned to dancing with Kairi and Gaden. Riku wrapped one arm around Skye and they walked together out onto the dance floor. His thoughts returned to Skye's words about marriage...

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Lodi was sitting in the quiet of his study, looking over a plan in front of him. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in." He called, looking up. The door opened with a creak and Riku slipped inside the room. Lodi smiled. "Hello Riku, what can I do ya for?" He asked, leaning forward in his chair. Riku looked at the ground and thought about how to say what he wanted to.

"Well... Skye said that you were like her father, right?" He asked slowly.

"Absolutely." Lodi answered confidently. "She's the closest thing to a daughter I've had." He added, his tone revealing his pride in her. Riku smiled.

"Okay, well, since you're like her father, I guess you're the one whose blessing I need to be asking for..."

"Blessing? For what?" Lodi asked, interestedly.

"I...I want to ask her to marry me..." Riku said quietly. Lodi grinned.

"Well, then, you most certainly have my blessing." Lodi said. Riku beamed. Lodi leaned back in his chair. "Go make my girl happy."

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I know it's short, but it's just an epilogue. Plus I'm writing in the dark... anyways, hope you guys liked it! I love you all my dear reviewers!!!