WAR Part 4 (end)

Sister Shiv watched Cullen leave the field. She burned with anger and resentment. All her Champions were killed and her magic pushed back. Cullen had managed to gather all of Faery to his side, along with thousands of humans and won against the Host every time.
Her hands shook and she scowled behind her mask. She only recovered three of the weapons, and Mabon would be angry. Worse, Shiv’s true master would be furious with her for losing the opportunity to take back the lands they came from.
She walked with the remains of her army, back to the mountains and into the tunnels. She directed the Host back to where they started, in the tunnels that led beneath the Everwinter Mountains, into the lands beyond, where the Host was powerful.
She would rebuild, and start again. She would crush the alliances between man and Faery. They had waited for thousands of years, and they could wait longer if need be. She thought through all her plans and tried to determine what went wrong.
Cullen was just a boy she thought, but he became something else. He was powerful and loved by many, who fought by his side. The Old Ones, Cernunnous and Manawyddan had fought on his behalf and seemed to lend Cullen some of their power.
Perhaps she could convince her Master to take a hand in this himself, to return here and lay waste to the Kingdoms of Faery and man. His was true power and with him behind her, she believed she couldn’t fail.
But first she would have to take her punishment for this first failure. This was meant to be her rise to glory, but instead she was headed home with her head hung low in shame.
She vowed to return and destroy everything that stood in her way. She would become stronger and learn more magic and then Cullen would rue the day he beat her in war. It would only take a few years and Cullen would be older then and not prepared to face her against him, not with her magics and the assistance of her Master.
Soon, she thought, I will return and crush him.

***

“We have all signed treaties of peace and trade,” the High King spoke to the gathered assembly. “I hope that our Kingdoms can become enriched by this new path and we can always honor the bonds forged in war.”
“Well said!” Garm laughed in his deep loud voice. “If you ever have need of us again, we shall come!”
“As shall we!” Dagda repeated. The Kings and Queens of Faery had all gathered once again in the Great Hall of Holdfast Castle. The High King had treaties drawn up for each represented Kingdom. The Dwarves would rule the Everwinter mountain tops, as the Daoine Sidhe would rule the Danann Forest.
The Merrows would live in the sea, ruled by their Selkie Queen, Seithenin. The God of the Sea would return to the island palace and his brother, Cernunnous would return to the forest.
Cullen agreed to spend half his time in the castle, learning from his father how to rule a Kingdom, and the other half he would spend with the Asrai, learning about the Faeries and his role in their Kingdoms.
The High King had given Cullen the land near the Outsider’s farm to have as his own and Cullen would build a small house there for Sonia and himself. The Rom were free to leave the city and go back to their traveling ways, but they were no longer outcast from society. The High King had welcomed them as citizens of Holdfast, as long as they followed the laws of the Kingdom.
The Dreamweaver kept the cursed weapons to study, hoping to learn more about the magic involved. He was invited by King Dagda himself to learn more about the Daoine Sidhe and the history of Mabon the Creator.
Many families needed to rebuild their villages from the destruction caused by the Host, and Cullen was going to be working with them to rebuild with donations from the Church and from the High King.
Farmers were already returning to their homes, to recover from the attacks, now that a few days had passed since the Host left and it was assumed they would not return anytime soon.
Cullen brought Sonia up one of the towers to look out across the sea. He stood with his arm around her, brushing her hair gently and they watched the sun slowly sink down to the horizon.
“We will build a small house in the Forest, near the Outsider’s farm, where we can live in peace,” he said softly, happy to be talking about their plans for the future.
“You will be busy with all you need to do for your father and your mother,” she stated, a little flatly.
“You will be busy too with the Orphanage!” he reminded her. “But we will make time for each other, as we can. I won’t let either of my parents take all my time away from you. We finally get to relax; no enemies are coming, no dead people chasing us, no one to fight at all!”
“Yes, of course,” Sonia said wistfully. “I look forward to have our own home. Have you spoken to Tik? I feel like we should have an extra room for him, he has been with us all this time.”
“We can build a guest room for him or my brothers, but he has responsibilities too, to his clan. He needs to learn how to guide them as his father does now. The task will fall to him one day.”
“I might be nice to always travel like they do,” Sonia thought out loud. “Being able to live in different place throughout the year.”
“Is that what you wanted to do? Build a wagon that we can tow behind us to many homes?” Cullen chuckled.
“No, of course not, but I will miss Tik when he’s not with us.”
“As will I Sonia, as will I.”
The two of them watched the sun set, sending brilliant colors into the clouds above the always moving ocean. Sonia remembered her parents and wished they could see her now, here with the son of the High King, having just fought in a war and survived to see this sunset. She was grateful and cheered by Cullen wanting peace with her.
She began to think of the future, of what she would do at the Orphanage with the children there. She wondered if Cullen would have children with her, and what they would be like. She thought about what kind of house to build in the woods and about the garden she wanted to grow there.
She thought about hanging up the Bow for good, and having a joyful peaceful life with this man she loved. She thought about visiting the elves and the Dwarves, and meals with the High King and how glorious it would all be. Adventure without any danger.
Cullen squeezed her tight, thinking about many of the same things. He was glad to stop fighting, glad to have peace. He worried that the Host would return, but they had been beaten soundly and would need time to rebuild, so there should be some long lasting peace for now.
Cullen dipped his head and kissed Sonia for a long time. He could finally concentrate of them, on their lives together. For the first time in all his life he felt content and satisfied. He knew his parents and they were good people. He had a purpose and he had met his goals and now he was free to just live his life without worrying about being the Chosen One or the next fight.
This is how life should be. Surrounded by friends and family, at peace with the world around you, in love with a beautiful woman and feeling a sense of calm inside.
Yes, this was how life should be.

the end.

( the sequel shall be coming along soon. I already know what I want to write so keep coming back and reading more adventure of Cullen! Find out what's on the other side of the mountains and learn more about the Kingdom and its various other peoples.)