Six months later
It’s my favorite fairy tale ending.
The prince and the princess get married, have lots of children, and everyone lives happily ever after in a drafty but beautiful castle.
Sometimes, it’s a lot more complicated than that.
Especially when the prince—in this case, a count—is a magician.
“Have you seen my saw, bella?” Ricco called out, coming up from the dungeon. When we weren’t cuddling and laughing together, he spent his time down there in his magic workshop, filled with the most fascinating artifacts and conjuring up new tricks. Today he was finding it more difficult than usual to get his magic on. We’d just returned from a three month tour of the continent, him performing magic, me on the silks, and the whole dungeon was a mess.
“It’s next to your black top hat,” I called out. I was working out the kinks in my body on the silks, going through different poses. Today was hard for me, too, since I couldn’t keep my breakfast down. That didn’t stop me from training. I could continue working out for a few more weeks and then . . .
I laughed, a bubbling happiness rising up in me. No, I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Anyway, Ricco hired an amazing tech guy who set up my rigging in the magnificent grand hall. Legend had it that a Monterran king once blasted through the massive front door on a fiery stallion. Demanding the woman he loved run off with him. Ricco’s great-great-great aunt.
How cool was that?
“And where is my top hat, cara mia?”
“Where you left it. Sitting on top of the trunk where you keep your locks and chains.”
Ah, the trials and tribulations of being a magician’s wife. Things appear and disappear all the time. Yes, I said wife. We did it. Got married. Not right away after that day here at the castle. We decided the best way not to create a new scandal was for Ricco to court me for six weeks—or was it seven? I could never decide if I should count the festival week. Then he got me a ring. But it wasn’t as simple as that.
Like I said, this was no ordinary fairy tale.
Ricco was doing the domino trick for new patients at the children’s clinic when he asked me to hold the domino with the royal crest. I was curious why it seemed bigger than the others. He told me to slide the top off and inside I saw the most beautiful emerald and diamond engagement ring. I squealed louder than the children. I was so excited, I almost forgot how to finish the trick.
And no, I’m not going to reveal his secrets.
A magician’s wife doesn’t kiss and tell.
We got married in a small church here on the castle grounds. A beautiful chapel with mosaic windows depicting saints and knights from the Crusades who stopped here back in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. I felt their presence giving us their blessing as we said our vows.
Mama and Emma sat in the front row, looking so happy for me I had to stop and hug them when I walked down the aisle. Prince Nico gave me away and Princess Katerina was my matron of honor. Can you believe the two royals stop by the castle often? I can hardly wait to tell them the news.
First, I have to tell Ricco. I wasn’t absolutely sure until this morning, though Mama suspected something by my texts. I couldn’t fool her.
She and Emma are coming back to Monterra next week after they close up the house in Philly. Ricco insisted we keep it in case Mama ever wanted to go home, but there’s plenty of room for them here. They’ll have their own private wing and I know Mama will love it. Emma’s going back to school. Ricco’s sister, Marianna, is helping her get settled, and the dowager contessa is thrilled to have us here. The castle was too lonely, she said, with Ricco away most of the time.
After a glorious honeymoon in Venice, we went on tour. It was thrilling, seeing the capitals of Europe, but I’m happy to be home. Sounds strange to call a castle home. And to think it all started with an email and the invitation to the festival.
Fairy Tales & Magic.
I keep in touch with the other girls. Sloan is coming back to Monterra after the holiday for the skiing. She felt terrible that she left early and wasn’t there to help me when I almost fell. I assured her I totally understood and I couldn’t wait to see her. She’s coming over to work on her next novel. She didn’t say more than that, but I gather there’s no man in her life.
Finley is well, Finley. Touring with her violin, though she mentioned something about inheriting a castle of her own. Katee had some ups and downs trying to get funding to continue her dance training. She has a huge family and they all depend on her. Savannah is working hard to get her baking business going with Prince-what’s-his-name and planning her own wedding. By her texts, I gather her pastry biz is going better than her wedding plans.
“Are you coming down, Rapunzel?” Ricco loved to tease me about how I tried to dump him that night. He never intended to let me go, he told me afterward, but he knew I had to make peace with my mother first before we could be together. “I miss seeing your beautiful face.”
“Will you make it worth my while?” I said, flipping upside down. Uh-oh, my stomach just did a number. Another wave of nausea hit me. The second this morning.
“A kiss? Maybe two.”
“Make it three.”
“Your wish is my command.”
I wrapped myself up with the long silks to do a drop, when I caught myself. I’d have to hold off on doing that for a while.
“I think we’ll have to postpone our show in Paris next week,” I said, coming down the silks slowly. Very slowly.
“What’s wrong, bella?” Ricco held out his arms to catch me before my toes touched the ground. A look of concern made him wrinkle his brow.
I should keep him guessing, but I can’t. I’m too excited. Today more than ever I reveled in seeing the love in his eyes when he grabbed me and kissed me.
One, two, three kisses. Like he promised.
He was a wonderful husband and I loved him more every day. I looked forward to starting a family with him and seeing our children grow up here in Monterra. Was there ever a more wondrous place to call home?
“Ricco . . .” I began, lowering my eyes.
“Si, bella?”
“You know that trick you do when you make the rabbit appear from out of nowhere?”
“Si.”
“What if we did some magic of our own?”
“You don’t mean . . .”
“Yes. We’re having a baby!”
“Cara mia, you’ve made me the happiest magician in the world!” He twirled me round and round, making me dizzy.
“Ricco, stop!” I said laughing and crying tears of joy at the same time. I never tired of him holding me.
“Scusa, forgive me, bella, I got carried away.” He kissed me again and the wonder of him surged through me, making my happily ever after complete.
Sighing and snuggling into his chest, I knew there could never be a better ending to my Monterran fairy tale. Joy. Wonder. Motherhood. An unbelievable love filled me up when I thought about the baby coming. I never dreamed anything like this would happen to me when I stepped off that train on my first day in Monterra.
I laid my hand on my tummy and Ricco put his hand over mine. His love, his warmth filled me. Filled our baby, too. Someday I’d tell her the story of how I found my mother again and the handsome count who fell in love with me.
And closest to my heart, how I found the love of the family I wanted so much surrounding me.
It really was magic.