Six months later

Elena’s mouth fell open and stayed that way for seconds. She was unable to turn her eyes away from the massive structure at the far corner of the farm. It was surreal—the large modern structure, the tiled roof, the green and brown décor accentuated by the fields of green. When she was finally able to move, she turned to him.

“Wow!” was all she could muster.

“What do you think?”

“Oh, Jason,” she said as she flung her arms around his neck. “It’s beautiful.”

Aurora, who was clinging to her mother’s shirt, smiled as if she understood. The villagers were gathered at the site as before, waiting for her, and Elena was so overwhelmed by the house and the support that the tears inevitably flowed.

“Congratulations. Aww, she is so cute.”

“Where is that baby? I want to see her.”

“Our princess!”

People flocked her, each anxious to see the baby again, and the house, which was still closed and waiting for her to see inside first. It was a grand celebration with a ribbon cutting to make it official, and as soon as the blue satin hit the ground, the crowd lined up behind her to follow her in.

“Hey, hey!” Gregory shouted over the din. “Let’s let Elena see the house, get settled in, and you can return tomorrow and see it.”

Elena appreciated her father stepping in, and she smiled at him to show her approval. This was the first time she was seeing their house in its completed state, and she wanted to share those first moments with just Jason and her daughter.

“Go on, now, and thanks for coming,” Olivia chimed in.

There was a low murmur as the disappointed group of people left the yard reluctantly, a few lingering around in the hopes they might get lucky.

Elena was floored when she stepped inside and saw crystal chandeliers, marble floors, and staircases trimmed with gold. Lush carpeting was spread throughout and accent pieces she had only seen on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.

“This is far better than anything I could ever dream of,” she mused.

Nathan ran up to her. “Elena, can I play at your house? Prince Jason said he would get me a horse.”

“Well, we’ll see about that, Nate.”

“Yay!” he shouted, his small mind only understanding that she had agreed, and he ran from the room and into another at the back like he was already familiar with the place.

“Be careful,” Olivia shouted after him.

When Elena turned to face Jason, he was kneeling on the ground, a small black box open in his hand. “Oh, this is too much,” Elena gasped, her hand covering her mouth.

Olivia and Gregory were puffed up with pride, and Olivia clasped her hands before her face. Gregory grabbed her around the shoulder and pulled her to him.

“I’ve had this for a long time, waiting for the perfect moment. I think this is as good as they come. Now, I’ve asked before, and you pretty much chased me away…”

“I didn’t…not like that…” Elena laughed and defended.

“You have given me so much in such a short time, and I don’t want to think about spending another day without you. So, Elena Rose, will you marry me?”

“Yes,” she whimpered. The tears raced down her cheeks as she stepped closer to him.

“I’m not sure I heard that, and I don’t want to be mistaken,” Jason teased.

“Yes!” she replied more emphatically, to the amusement of Olivia and Gregory.

Jason beamed as he took the ring from the box and slipped it onto her finger. “At last!” He jumped to his feet and grabbed her in his arms. “It’s about time.”

His lips immediately found hers, and they locked into a deep kiss that swept her off her feet and transported her to another place and another time. Her head swam. She was overwhelmed by everything that had happened to her over the last few days, but in his arms, there was a blind security she had never felt before. She began to move against him, completely forgetting their audience.

“Eww,” Nathan cried as he returned to the room. “Gross!”

Olivia and Gregory laughed. “Come on, Nate. Let’s give these two some alone time,” Gregory said as he tipped his hat and led the rest of his family out of the house.

“So,” Jason said after they had gone, “now that we are alone…” He was talking in a seductive voice and making a trail from her lips to her breasts with his forefinger.

Aurora, like she could sense the excitement, started to fuss. Elena held his finger and removed it. “Someone trumps you right now.”

“Come on, Aurora. Work with me,” Jason wailed, much to Elena’s amusement.

He was a proud father as he watched her suckle their daughter. They had both changed dramatically over the past months. Either that, or they didn’t really know themselves to begin with. Jason knew he didn’t want to wait a moment longer to make her his wife. The next evening at sunset, the two were wed under Elena’s favorite oak tree, which had become a special landmark for them. The whole town gathered to watch them and were joined by the royal family, who couldn’t be prouder of their son.

The village was different now that the royal family was a part of it. As Jason and Elena were carried to their home on the shoulders of the villagers, transporting them in style using wooden carriages they had constructed, they embraced a new chapter of their lives which had begun with a chance meeting under an old oak tree.