Loki and I sat on our thrones, waiting until everyone else arrived before beginning the ceremony. I had met with Markis Bain last night, and he had gone over all the right words I should say. Uniting kingdoms had happened so rarely in our history, but apparently there was still a script I should follow.

Once everyone was here, Loki and Sara took their places in front of me. I stood up and did my best to recite the words that Bain had taught me. I think I muddled up the middle part, but the basic idea was that we were uniting the Vittra and Trylle, pledging to work together, and all that.

As a part of the deal, Loki was going back to the Vittra to help them rebuild. Their society had completely crumbled once I killed the King. Sara was doing her best to hold it together, but without intervention, it would fall apart.

“Since you both agree to work together in peace and respect, I say this union is complete,” I said, finishing up the ceremony. “You may now… work together.”

“Thank you.” Sara gathered her skirts and curtseyed to me.

“Thank you.” Loki bowed with a smirk on his face.

“And you’ll only be gone for two weeks?” I asked him.

“Two weeks is the absolute maximum, and then I’ll be right back at your side,” Loki assured me.

“I promise not to keep him any longer than I need him,” Sara added. Her eyes were warm when she smiled at me. I didn’t want to lend my husband out to her, but she had saved his life. And it would be better if the Vittra worked to become our allies instead of our enemies.

Loki kissed me, even though it wasn’t polite. A King and Queen were never supposed to show public affection, but Loki broke that rule as often as he could. Although, to be honest, I didn’t do much to enforce it.

“Hurry back to me,” I whispered.

“As you wish,” Loki smiled.

As he turned to leave, I felt that familiar flutter in my stomach. Not the one out of love for Loki, but something different, something alive inside of me. I put my hand on my stomach, holding it as if to calm the baby.

The night Loki and I had spent together while I was still married to Tove had resulted in a small surprise. I’d told Loki weeks ago, and even though we were both frightened, we were both really excited. We were first-time parents, but we would also be the first royal Trylle parents. My child wouldn’t be a changeling.

I know that changelings couldn’t go away overnight. Our society still needed a lot of restructuring before everything would change, and we could stop being dependent on the money the changelings brought in.

But we were working on it every day, Loki and I, and Willa, Tove, and even Finn. We were going to turn the Trylle into something they should’ve been all along. A great people with a great appreciation for each other and for life.

I will make this world a better place, whether they like it or not. That’s the fun of being Queen.