"I want to make you my life-mate," he said. "I want to give you my children. You can open a shop at the market and all of Imperia will come to purchase your wares."
"There is only one thing I need, Tristan, and that's you." Her contented smile grew as she stared into his eyes. She had never felt so whole and complete. "You're a part of me I don't want to live without. With you, I'm content."
"We were always meant to find one another, I think." Tristan cupped her chin in his hands. "You are willing to give up everything for me," he said, awed by that fact.
"No, I was simply willing to take what mattered most."
"What matters most, Julia? Like you, I need the words. What matters most to you?"
"My final lesson, of course."
He stilled. Not what he had expected, but then, she had always done the unexpected. He grinned back at her.
"Best you tell me what you would have this last lesson be."
She gazed up at him through half-lowered lids. "Why, happily ever after."
"I will do better than that." His gaze never strayed from hers. "I will give you forever, my beauty, my dragon. I give you my love, all my heart and my soul. I give you my name and my children."
"I love you, Tristan."
"By Elliea, I could live on those words alone. I love you, too."
Julia strengthened him, completed him in a way unknown to him until he'd first seen her. He could not breathe without her, could not function without her at his side.
"Will you life-join with me, and have my children?" he asked raining soft butterfly kisses upon her face.
"Oh, that will be my pleasure."
Happy tears gathered at the corners of her eyes and her chin wobbled slightly.
"And my pleasure, as well. I will always be your pleasure slave. Always."
"Hmm" She pulled his lips to hers. "That's all a girl can ask for."
EPILOGUE
It was soon to become the loudest birth ever recorded in Imperian history.
"Tristan," Julia said, panting, a sheen of sweat and pain dampening her brow. "How could you do this to me?"
He stilled, concerned for her, and quite baffled by her question.
"Do what, little dragon?"
"Impregnate me, you bastard!"
At that, he chuckled, though the sound was strained. He hated that she was in so much pain and wanted to take it all into himself. He wiped her brow with a gentle hand.
"Just imagine, my love. We will soon welcome our son into the world."
Those words caused peace to settle over her features.
"Yes. We will welcome our son." Another pain hit her and she screamed. "If he doesn't hurry I will personally drag him out." As the pain faded, she drew in a breath, then another, then settled back on the bed.
"Does the pain leave you?" he asked hopefully.
"A little." Closing her eyes, she uttered a tired sigh. "I can't believe it. I'm about to become a mother."
"Life is good. Did I ever tell you that the Druinn High Priest predicted our firstborn would one day rule Imperia?"
"No." The thought pleased her, though. She, a formerly plain, shy woman, was about to give birth to a future king. "That is so cool."
"I can easily picture our boy sitting atop the royal throne. He will be known as a kind, giving king with a capacity for fairness that rivals even his mother's."
Except fifteen minutes later, Tristan welcomed his daughter into the worlda girl who would one day rule Imperia, he realized. How astounding. Holding the beautiful squalling infant in her arms, Julia nuzzled the baby's neck, cooing soft words.
"Finally," she said, "a ruler of uncommon intelligence."
Tristan remained unmoving, shock still coursing through his blood.
"A female sovereign," he whispered.
Julia looked up at him through the spiky shield of her lashes.
"Are you disappointed that we didn't have a son?"
"Nay, sweet." He smiled down at her with all the love he felt shining in his eyes. "I have never been happier."