Epilogue

It was a bright, fresh day on Eleangul. The servants had been bust for weeks but it had been worth it. The keep had been painted white for today. It was a new start; the new replacing the old. Outside the main gates, the island’s guard raised their spears and halberds in the Guard of Honour. They waited stock still for the doors to open; it would be any minute now.

Suddenly, the doors flew open and a group of courtiers ran outside, throwing confetti in the air excitedly. They were followed by a man dressed in a fine royal blue tunic and silver hair running hand in hand with Lady Eleander, a white veil covering her face. They were both giggling effervescently like children. After them came a troupe of trumpeters, and more courtiers. Servants filled the windows, cheering and waving flags.

The couple quickly ran down the path leading to the island’s small dock. There was a yacht waiting for them there, ready to sail. Eleander looked across at her new husband. Was it to stabilise her position as ruler of Eleangul? Maybe. Was it for his money? What money?! Was it for his dashing good looks? This wasn’t the time for jokes. Was it for, dare she say it, love? That was likely. Though it was frowned upon for bounty hunters, respectable councillors had no such fear. After all, she was a councillor.

They reached the yacht and were almost about to board it when Eleander pointed to someone moving around on deck. It was supposed to be private, just the two of them. He looked like a sailor. Maybe he hadn’t got the message.

“Excuse me. Yes, you, sir,” Eleander called out. The man turned around, his hands on a spare rag. He was just a bit taller than Eleander and his face was covered in hair; his long blond hair fell over his eyes in curled bangs and a heavy beard masked his jaw. “You don’t need to be here. This is a private yacht. You’re welcome to stay on Eleangul until our return.”

“Now is that any way to treat an old friend?” the sailor remarked coyly. He reached for something under his left ear and pulled his beard clean away. It had been Quinn in disguise! “I would’ve been here sooner but I was acquisitioning a boat.” He nodded at a small sailing boat on the other side of the jetty.

“Quinn, what are you doing here?” Maximus asked, staring at his friend with a glad disbelief.

“I just came to give my congratulations to the happy couple, Maximus and Umbris…Eleander…Umbris?” Quinn scratched his head in confusion. There were two people in front of him but three personas.

“You can call me Eleander now. My-“ she paused and looked at Maximus and smiled. “Our days as bounty hunters are over now.” No more bounties, no more adventures, no more memories like twenty years ago.

“While mine may well be starting, on the other hand,” Quinn laughed, jumping down into his own little boat. Maximus and Eleander glanced at each other in bafflement. Quinn? A bounty hunter?

“How so?” Maximus asked curiously. He couldn’t see his former partner doing half the stuff he had done in his prolific career.

“You never found out what happened to Princess Lydia, did you, Maximus?” Quinn explained. He winked at them. “She may still be alive somewhere in the Great Archipelago. I mean, we are so why not her. I’m going to search the entire archipelago to look for her.”

“You're such a love-struck fool, Quinn,” Maximus sighed, throwing up his arms in melodramatic pathos.

“I could say the same for you, Maximus,” Quinn retorted, narrowing his eyes. Maximus blushed and laughed nervously, receiving glances from both Quinn and Eleander.

“Ah, a good wind is blowing,” Quinn smiled, changing the subject swiftly. He wetted his finger and raised it above his head and nodded knowingly. He hoisted the sail and readied to set sail. “Good luck to the both of you.”

“Thanks, and the same to you,” Maximus put his arm around Eleander’s waist and pulled her close to him, “Perhaps we’ll meet again someday.”

“I’m sure we will, Maximus.” Quinn replied as he raised the anchor. The boat rocked in the waves lapping at it in the shadow of the jetty. Quinn steered it out into open water, where it caught the breeze. He looked back and waved them goodbye. “I’m sure we will.”

The End