Dedicated to IvyGirl7 for her lovely comments x
~~~

"So," rumbled a deep voice. "This is the girl who caused all the mayhem."

Tristan and Rose turned around, their hands tightly intertwined, to see the King enter the throne room. Rose inhaled sharply, flooded with nerves. Tristan squeezed her hand reassuringly and smiled at her quickly. Rose curtsied to the King and stood up nervously, her mouth dry. The King studied her with serious, solemn eyes.

"Father," Tristan began, "this is Rose." He smiled down proudly at Rose, and even with her nerves, Rose's heart still fluttered at his expression. She had to force herself to tear her gaze away from Tristan so she would not appear rude to the King.

"Rose," the King repeated. He studied her for another moment. "You are the daughter of Daniel and Roseanna Culbert, and the sister of one of my best knights, William. Am I correct?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"And it was you who helped provide information about Eliad and the rebels?"

"I was one person," Rose responded humbly.

"My son claims to be deeply in love with you," the King said bluntly. Rose's heart did a big flop and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. "I wish to know if you return his feelings."

"I do, very much," Rose answered as she looked up at Tristan. He was staring at her with so much love that she wanted to sigh. Tristan squeezed her hand gently again and Rose leant into him slightly.

"You are a servant," the King said. Tristan's face immediately turned angry, he tensed next to Rose, as if prepared for battle. Rose's heart plummeted.

"I-"

"Never before has this been done. Never before has a Prince courted a servant, a beggar."

"Father," Tristan hissed.

"However," the King continued, with a pointed, humoured look at Tristan. "Your bravery and resilience over the last few weeks has shown your character and strength. Your family shows me nobility and power, and it does not take a fool to look at the two of you and see you are sincere about Tristan."

"I am," Rose whispered.

"Therefore," the King stated, "I give you my blessing to be together."

Rose gasped and Tristan released a sudden breath. They looked at each other and grinned. Rose could hardly contain the urge to throw her arms around him and laugh. Tristan looked like he was having a hard time only being able to hold her hand. The King laughed at the two of them.

"Thank you, Your Highness," Rose murmured, her heart burning with sincerity.

"Do not let anyone ever tell you that you are not worthy. I have given you my blessing, therefore there is no one more worthy than you," the King replied with a smile. Rose was touched by his words.

Tristan laughed, almost in relief, from his position beside her. "I thought for a moment I would have to fight you, Father."

The King smirked, a playful twinkle in his eyes. "Well I could not let you think you had won that easily."

Tristan gasped sarcastically, but his eyes were shining with joy and excitement.

"Thank you, Father." Tristan released Rose's hand temporarily and exchanged a brief, strong hug with his father. It was the first time Rose could remember seeing affection between them. Tristan released his father and immediately returned to Rose, a smile plastered on his face.

"You may go," the King said with a smile and a wink. Rose curtsied, then Tristan was eagerly pulling her out of the throne room. They stopped in the hallway, as the doors closed behind them. Tristan turned Rose around to face him and took both of her hands.

His face was nearly glowing with pride, joy, and love. Rose grinned up at him, sure her own face was ridiculously happy.

Before he could speak, a shriek sounded from the other end of the hall. Rapid footsteps followed.

"Rose!" Rose turned her head to see Anabelle plummeting towards her at full speed. Anabelle reached her and dove to hug her, nearly knocking Rose over. Tristan steadied her, chuckling at the girls. Anabelle was a babble of laughter and questions, speaking so rapidly Rose had a hard time following along. With a laugh, Rose cut off the girl's rambling.

"I missed you Anabelle," she said. Anabelle grinned.

"I missed you too! We were all so worried - Mistress Eudora, Princess Suzanna, Keira, the servants - even the stable boy seemed concerned! And b- oh," Anabelle trailed off and widened her eyes when she realised who was standing with Rose. "Oh, Y-Your Highness," she stammered, dropping into a curtsey.

"Anabelle," Tristan responded with a nod and slight smile. Anabelle looked between them in confusion. Tristan slowly reached out and took Rose's hand in his own. Anabelle's eyes went wide and she stared at Rose in amazement.

"No," she gasped in awe. "He was the mystery man you danced with?" Rose nodded as a blush formed on her cheeks. Anabelle squealed. "You have to tell me everything! That is, when you are free," she said with a wink.

"I will," Rose promised, laughing at her friend.

"I will leave you two now. Farewell Rose, Your Highness." Anabelle curtsied and scurried away. Tristan chuckled and Rose's attention was immediately focused on him.

"We may not have a minute alone standing here in the open," Tristan commented, squeezing Rose's hand.

"We should go somewhere quiet," Rose suggested. She tugged on Tristan's hand and they began walking, ignoring the gaping stares of people who had spotted them.

"Where should we go?" Tristan asked jubilantly, their hands swinging between them. Tristan had smiled more in the last week or so - more than Rose had ever seen. Pure joy and contentment flowed off him. He seemed younger and light-hearted. Rose's heart did a big flop every time she realised that his happiness was because of her.

"I know just where!" Rose said excitedly. "The secret garden."

"Ah, I should have guessed," Tristan chucked. They walked together through the castle. Tristan nodded at those who greeted him or called out to him, but he never stopped to talk to them. Rose had to hold back a laugh at his eagerness to spend time with her. Rose leaned into his arm comfortably as they walked, wrapping her free hand around his upper arm. She had never felt so safe and contented in her whole life. Tristan placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

When they finally exited the castle, the sun brought a pleasant tingle to Rose's skin. Tristan seemed to spend most of his time watching Rose, rather than watching where they were going. They walked down to the palace gardens - perfect, as always. There were a few people meandering through the gardens, and each one stopped to stare at the Prince and the woman next to him in shock. Rose laughed quietly at all the sudden attention.

Tristan pulled Rose along happily, smiling at her over his shoulder every now and then. He led her through the gardens until he finally reached the entrance of the secret garden.

"It hasn't changed one bit," Rose commented with a smile. It was as beautiful and quaint as ever - the fountain flowed, water sparkling in the sun, and the roses surrounding it were in full bloom.

"Beautiful," Tristan agreed. "But not as beautiful as you." He pulled Rose a little closer. Rose blushed slightly and grinned up at him.

"You are biased," she laughed, patting his cheek gently, "but thank you." Tristan turned his head and placed a gentle kiss on her hand. He moved over to the swinging chair and sat down, gesturing for her to join him. Rose did not hesitate to sit beside him and rest her head on his shoulder. Tristan took her hand once again and trailed his thumb across her knuckles gently. Rose sighed in bliss.

It was the first moment she'd had to slow down and rest since Eliad had taken her. The journey home had been safe, but busy. There was never a moment to have alone or rest. They had reported to the King as soon as they had arrived home.

"Do you not have to work with your men and handle Eliad and the other rebels?" Rose asked, raising her head off his shoulder.

Tristan shook his head. "No, let my father deal with it," he said with a smile.

"Are you shirking your responsibilities to be with me?" Rose teased light-heartedly.

"Perhaps," Tristan replied, his eyes alight with amusement. Rose's heart skipped a beat at his expression.

"I have never seen you so carefree," Rose commented.

"I have nothing to worry about now that you are here with me." Tristan raised her hand up to his lips and kissed it gently. "I love you, Rose."

"And I love you," Rose responded in a quiet murmur. Tristan leaned forward and kissed her softly, as though she were a delicate flower. Rose sighed into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck, clutching his hair. When Tristan finally pulled back, both were grinning senselessly. They sat quietly for a minute, content to be with each other, swinging back and forth slowly.

"What do you think will happen to Eliad?" Rose asked, breaking the silence between them.

"I do not know," Tristan answered honestly. "It is for the King to decide. At best, he will be kept in the dungeon."

"And at worst?" Rose asked timidly. Tristan looked at her with serious, solemn eyes. She knew the answer without him having to say it. "Oh," she murmured. "A sad fate for anyone."

"I know," Tristan said, squeezing her hand lightly.

"And the rebels?"

"Most seemed to have been forced or threatened into serving him. It is likely the King will pardon those who had no choice. But for the ones who truly wanted to follow Eliad... their fate will be similar to his own. The King does not tolerate treachery."

Rose frowned sadly. They were bad people who had wanted to do harm, but death was such a terrible punishment.

"I wish it were not so."

"I know, love," Tristan said with compassionate eyes. Rose smiled at his term of endearment and leaned into him, intending to peck his cheek. Tristan turned his head at the last second, surprising her with a short but passionate kiss.

"What was that for?" Rose asked, her cheeks warm. Tristan stood up and pulled her up, cupping her face with both his hands.

"For everything. For being you - for being so kind, selfless, thoughtful, compassionate, and beautiful. For giving me a chance - for loving me even when I did not deserve you. For being so brave in every situation you have faced. When my mother and sister died I was crushed. For so long I lived in fear of ever loving someone, for to love someone was to be vulnerable. But with you, it was not even an option. You had me with one look, with the first glance at you. You have been on my every thought almost from the moment I met you. Rose, you have stolen my heart and I am certain I will never have it returned to me." Tristan finished his tirade with another quick, hard kiss, his eyes glimmering with sincerity and truth. Rose found her eyes suddenly threatening tears. She had not expected his outburst, but it had been beautiful.

"What could I ever possibly even dream of saying that would match the words you say to me and equal the way you treat me?" Rose raised her hand and rested it against his cheek. "I am a mere servant; a beggar, an orphan. I was dirty and lost and you took me in and gave me this wonderful place I call home. I have nothing I can say except I love you, and I will say it a hundred, thousand times."

"If my father had not given us his blessing he would have had a problem," Tristan snorted, wrapping his arms around Rose's waist.

"Because you would have been angry?"

"Because I would have given up everything to be with you."

Rose smiled and hugged him tightly; she had no words that could come even close to the beauty of his words. To be back in his arms was heaven. To hear him say 'I love you' was pure bliss. To have him embrace her and kiss her and look at her the way he did made her want to melt into a puddle. He was utterly, completely perfect, and somehow Rose had managed to capture his heart.

~

Tristan breathed in deeply, resting his head against Rose's hair. All the tension, restlessness, and anger he had felt over the last weeks had completely dissipated. Rose had barely left his side since her rescue, and Tristan could not be happier. He had been so distracted by being with her and seeing her that he had found it hard to focus on any of the pressing matters during the journey home.

Now Rose was his. All his! The King had given his blessing - they had nothing to hide anymore. Rose could be with him forever. Tristan could hardly supress his joy. Rose was the only woman he had ever loved, the only woman he ever planned to love, and now he could be with her. Tristan had to blink back a few tears, so extreme was his happiness.

He pulled Rose closer to him, holding her as tight as he could. Rose did not seem to mind, and her hands trailed down him to rest on his chest, besides her head.

Tristan placed a kiss on the top of her head. He could not seem to stop holding her or kissing her, but, again, Rose never seemed to mind. He stared at her lovingly, even though she was not looking at him. I fully intend to marry this girl, Tristan thought determinedly. Now that the problem with Eliad was over, Tristan had all the time in the world to spend with Rose and love her with all of his heart.

"Rose," Tristan murmured. Rose raised her head, looking perfectly content and almost sleepy. Tristan chuckled at her relaxed state. He brushed away some of the hair that had fallen against her face, trailing his fingers along her cheek lightly.

"Yes?"

"Do you remember the house we are building in town for the poor?"

"Yes, of course," Rose replied, her eyes completely capturing his.

"It has started construction. With all the chaos of rescuing you and fighting Eliad, I never had a chance to go view it. Would you like to see it?"

Rose's eyes lit up and she beamed. "Yes! Yes, I want to see it."

"The whole town will see us together," Tristan warned, unsure if Rose was ready to face everyone.

"Oh."

"Perhaps I should go in disguise."

"You mean your peasant outfit?" Rose giggled.

"Hey! My peasant outfit is very respectable, there is no need to laugh at it," Tristan replied, barely holding back his own laughter.

"I am sorry," Rose said through her trickle of laughter. She composed herself and looked at Tristan with a straight face. "I would like that very much."

"Let us go, then," Tristan said, pulling away from her and preparing to lead her away.

"Wait!" She said, tugging on his hand. Tristan turned around to face her.

"What is wrong?"

Rose blushed and suddenly looked shy. "We won't have another moment of privacy for a little while."

"And?" Tristan asked, confused.

"One more kiss?" She whispered, staring at the ground. Tristan laughed and cupped her chin, raising her head until she looked at him.

"You never have to ask, my love."

He pulled her close and kissed her like there was no tomorrow.

When Tristan and Rose had finally left the secret garden and Tristan had disguised himself, they headed off to town, hand in hand and smiling. No one seemed to look at Tristan more than once, his clothes blended him in with the crowd.

Tristan led her through the town until he reached the location of the house. Rose gasped, delighted. The frame of the house had been built, and the lower level already had a few walls standing. Men were spread throughout the house, working hard and making all sorts of noise. Tristan watched Rose as she observed the scene with a huge smile. Rose turned her head. To the side stood two children and their mother. Their attire showed them to be homeless. They stood staring at the house - the two children were gaping and the woman had tears in her eyes. Rose moved to look back at Tristan and he smiled at her.

"It is perfect, Tristan," she said earnestly.

"I am glad you think so," he replied, caressing her cheek briefly.

"Perhaps one day I could help here? I could help teach the children to write, or perhaps help the women learn to sew clothes to help them start businesses," she suggested, bright eyed. Tristan stared at her, unable to tear his eyes away from her.

"I think that would be perfectly reasonable," he responded, trailing his hand down her arm until he reached her hand. He took it and kissed her knuckles, then squeezed her hand gently. They stood together quietly for a while, watching the men work. When Rose yawned, Tristan pulled her away carefully. "Shall we go?" He offered. Rose had not had the chance to have a good rest and sleep since she had been rescued. She followed him willingly, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked. Tristan wondered if his chest would burst from all the exuberance he was feeling.

Rose stumbled and nearly tripped, but Tristan immediately caught her by the waist and steadied her.

"Are you alright?" He asked seriously. Rose nodded and released an embarrassed laugh.

"I am sorry; I was not paying enough attention. I am so tired, my brain feels like it is stuck in a cloud," she admitted.

"You do not need to apologise," Tristan replied, kissing her gently on the forehead. He bent and scooped her up suddenly so she was resting in his arms. Rose released a yelp and gasped as she held up a hand to her heart. Tristan grinned at her.

"You scared me," she scolded, but her eyes shone her happiness.

"I am sorry," Tristan answered, holding back laughter. He began walking and Rose gradually rested her head on his shoulder.

"You cannot carry me the whole way home," she protested, though she looked awfully comfortable and perfectly content in his arms. Tristan smiled at her, ignoring the few people who paused to look at the pair.

"I can and I will."

"Aren't I heavy?"

"As light as a feather, my love," he replied - and it was true, he barely noticed the extra weight.

"So strong," Rose sighed dreamily. Tristan raised an eyebrow. Rose looked at him confused, then slapped her hand over her mouth. "Did I say that out loud?" She mumbled through her hand.

Tristan roared with laughter until his whole body shook and his mouth began to ache from smiling so wide. Rose blushed furiously and settled with crossing her arms and staring at him. Tristan eventually calmed down, but when he looked back at Rose, he could not help snorting with another bout of laughter.

As they drew nearer to the heart of the town, the crowd became thick and hard to manoeuvre through. Rose pulled her head away from his chest and hung her arms around his neck as she looked around. Tristan walked slowly, navigating through the crowd becoming increasingly difficult. A few people looked at the man carrying a woman in his arms, but no one seemed to realise who they were.

"This would be a lot easier if everyone knew I was the Prince," Tristan commented. "You would see the sea part," he said with an amused grin.

Rose laughed and patted his cheek gently. "You can put me down, we may be here for a while," she suggested, preparing to move. Tristan tightened his arms around her so she could not move.

"No. I rather like having you here," he told her sincerely, his eyes drawing in on her. She was his world, the only person he wanted to be with, and his greatest blessing.

"I rather like being here," Rose answered, her grey eyes shining with joy. You are good, God. Tristan smiled in response and looked up. He scowled.

"We may not make it home until tomorrow evening."

Rose laughed and moved her head to kiss him on his neck, right under his ear. Tristan's breath hitched and he held back the urge to kiss her in public.

"If I am with you, it does not matter how long it takes," she whispered.

"Forever. You will be with me forever," he promised. He sealed his promise with a kiss, ignoring the people watching them. He pulled away from Rose just far enough to speak: "I will love you forever." Once more they kissed, and in that moment, Tristan knew he had found all he would ever need.

~~~
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This was it, the very last chapter. Epilogue to go and then this is over. *tears*

Hang in there, update will be soon :)
Xx Divine Romance