I promised multiple happy endings after all, didn't I.

Oh, and I should beg more often for reviews. that worked very well. and thank you to those of you who left one.

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Chapter Last

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Note: the fairy princes named their swans after values or qualities that they themselves didn't particularly have. I mean, think about it;

"Where's your manners?" "Oh, he's over there."

Or: "Don't you have any restraint?" "yeah, it's swimming in the lake"

…yeah, it really doesn't come up in the story, either. But admit it, you know it's funny...

Raz (Respite), Deva (Eloquence), Trii (Restraint), Chetery (Patience), Piat (Manners), Cheaste (Poise)

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Toi and Trii

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"Those are our swans!" Trii said, leaning forward on the windowsill. He did his best to ignore the pain that left him wanting to curl up in a tiny ball and whimper. Much like three of his brothers were doing at the moment. Raz was standing next to him, stoic as ever, the pain showing only in the lines around his eyes, as prominent as they had been when he'd had to rule in their father's place.

Cheaste was watching, too, from the next window over, his pain still less than that of the others. "They are protecting her?" Cheaste said without glancing over.

At that moment, the woman they had thought would be their stepmother threw the shirts that she was always working on over the necks of the swans that were crowding about her feet.

There was some light, and some sparkles, and Trii thought he may have heard some music, but he couldn't be sure, since the pain choose that moment to flare up, and he had to stop watching, clenching his teeth until it passed. When he looked back, instead of six swans surrounding her, there were six young men, each dressed in a shirt of a different color. Most of the shirts fell to their knees or lower, one going all the way to the man's ankles.

But one shirt, the red one, fell just barely far enough to cover the important bits. It was tight, too, and clung to the well-formed young man in all the right ways. Trii wondered if he was drooling as he watched the confusion milling about below. He put a hand over his mouth to make sure, muttering, "I think I'm in love," as he did so.

Raz snorted. "It's love, not lust. I thought we already established that." He started walking down the stairs that would eventually lead him into the courtyard where the witch-burning had suddenly become very complicated.

Cheaste followed on his heels, their other brothers taking the chance to limp back to their own rooms in agony. Trii stood for a moment in indecision before he decided that the pain wasn't quite terrible enough for him to miss this, and he trailed after his oldest and youngest brothers.

"If they are our swans," Cheaste was saying when Trii caught up to them, "Then can we recognize them?" Raz shrugged the question off, but Trii thought about it. They had always been able to tell the white birds apart, each brother knowing the one that followed him around all the time. Now they were people, but why would that be different? Surely there was still something in each young man that made each swan unique?

Resolving to figure out which one was Restraint before he attempted to jump the one with the red shirt, Trii entered the sunlit courtyard, squinting after the darkness of the spiral stairs.

Raz immediately went up and spoke to their father and his fiancée, while Cheaste slipped his way over to Quentin's side. Trii studied the young men, looking for the one that had been following him around since his father had returned.

He felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned around to face the young man there.

"Restraint?" Trii asked, absently noting that the red shirt looked even better close up.

The young man smiled. "Oh no," he said, "I don't have any of that."

Trii smiled back at him. "Funny," he said, "I seem to have lost mine." And he pounced, wrapping himself around the other man and kissing him enthusiastically. The man kissed him back, hands sliding under his shirt to find what skin they could.

The kiss continued until someone smacked Trii on the back of the head.

"Go to your room," Raz snapped, though Trii thought he sounded jealous. "We don't need to see it."

Trii pulled away enough to smile at the man he was still clinging to.

"My name is Toi, by the way," the man said, letting Trii slide to the ground.

--

Raz and Uun

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"At least we were able to work everything out," Raz said as he and Uun walked down the hall to his room. "I expected some of the nobles to be harder to convince."

Uun smiled. "It seems Windra can be very persuasive when she can talk."

Raz laughed, holding open the door to his room and nodding Uun inside. "I'm not really sure how father is going to cope now."

Uun stepped past him into the room. "She's certainly not going to give him a chance to back out of the wedding."

"He won't want to," Raz said, starting to strip off his clothing. "Did you see his face? He's twice as smitten now."

Uun looked around helplessly. He was still wearing the long silk shirt he'd changed back from a swan in, though he'd been given a belt to make it look more like a robe.

Raz turned to look at him, having stripped down to just a thin pair of pants.

Uun shrugged. "I guess I'm already wearing my nightshirt," he said, pulling off the belt.

Raz pushed him towards the bed, and then slipped in after him. "We'll get you some clothes tomorrow," he said, settling down with his head on Uun's chest.

"I'll have to go back to my father's kingdom," Uun said, stroking Raz's hair. "He lives on until we return, but he lives in pain."

"We'll wait until after the wedding, though," Raz said, one hand smoothing the silk shirt over Uun's skin.

"We?" Uun asked.

"I'm coming with you, of course," Raz said. "My brothers need to learn their responsibilities, but they aren't going to if I'm here doing all the work. Besides," he added, shifting to look Uun in the eyes. "I doubt you learned to run a kingdom as a swan, whereas I've had lots of practice." He put his head back down in time to feel the rumble from Uun's 'hmm.'

"They won't like the lack of an heir," Uun said.

Raz shrugged. "We'll work something out."

It was silent for a moment, and Raz tried to adjust his breathing to match the rise and fall of Uun's chest.

Finally Uun's hand slid down Raz's back, up and down across the soft skin. "I've wanted to touch since I saw you," he whispered. "Even as a swan I wanted you."

The hand that had been resting on Uun's hip slid over the bunched-up shirt, down to the skin of his thigh. "Good," Raz whispered back.

--

Chetery and Kat

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Chetery smiled at the two ladies as they approached. Lady Chastia wasn't the prettiest lady in court, but she was certainly one of the best-learned ones, and conversations with her were always something to remember. Lady Yuvie was both beautiful and clever, though she lacked the patience for book learning that her friend had.

"Lady Chastia, Lady Yuvie," Chetery said, bowing to them as they approached.'

"Prince Chetery," Lady Yuvie said as they both curtsied back.

"I did not expect to find such-" Chetery started.

"And who are these lovely ladies?" the voice behind Chetery almost made him wince. Instead he put on as pleasant a face as could be expected in the circumstances, turning enough to include the newcomer in their conversation.

"Ladies, if you will allow me to properly introduce my friend, Prince Kat. Kat, these two are the Ladies Chastia and Yuvie," Chetery said, indicating each one in turn.

"Properly introduce?" Lady Chastia asked.

"Of course," Chetery said. "You have met before, albeit under different circumstances."

"And what could those have been?" Lady Yuvie asked, taking a long look at Kat.

"I believe that Prince Kat bit your ankle, my lady," Chetery said. He nodded at Lady Chastia. "And he stole your bracelet only last week."

"You're the swan prince!" Lady Chastia said, looking at Kat as well.

Kat bowed. "Guilty as charged. Though, I am merely one of six." He smiled that winning smile at the two of them, and Chetery wanted to punch it off his face.

How dare he? Every time Chetery flirted with girls- or even said hello- Kat would appear from nowhere to steal their attention.

"Then you must apologize for your atrocious behavior before," Lady Yuvie said, although her voice was more flirting than insulted.

"Oh dear," Prince Kat said. "I'm afraid that my actions when I was a creature of enchantment were quite acceptable. You see, I was simply so overcome, my Lady Yuvie, that I sought to be as close to your beauty as I could, to kiss your perfect ankle in the only way possible for a swan."

She blushed. She blushed, and simpered at him. "Perhaps you should be allowed to properly kiss it, now that you have the correct mechanisms for doing so once again."

"Perhaps, my lady, perhaps," Kat said, turning to Lady Chastia. "Your bracelet I'm afraid I stole for more selfish reasons," he told her. "I wanted a souvenir of yours to take with me, in hopes that some of your wit and charm would rub off on me, rude creature that I am."

Lady Chastia glanced down demurely at the compliment, tucking her hair behind her ear as she looked back up at Kat, her eyes large and dark. "I do not think that you are rude at all, and I do not believe that it is selfish to want to better one's self."

Prince Kat laughed, and Chetery suddenly couldn't take it anymore. He stormed off with barely a bow of farewell to the ladies. Rounding a corner, he crumpled into a pile of misery that he blamed entirely on the curse-caused spasm of pain. An arm slid over his shoulders.

"Every time," Chetery said, teeth gritted against the pain. "Do you have to steal their attention every time I so much as speak to a girl?" He demanded. "I am trying to fall in love and break this curse. And you are not helping."

"How not?" Kat asked. "There were two of them. And you cannot blame me for trying to have fun while you look for love."

"Is that all you are looking for?" Chetery asked. "Fun?"

Kat considered. "With the right person it could be more, I suppose. But all I would look for with those ladies is a bit of fun."

"How am I supposed to fall in love with one of them, if you keep having fun with them?" Chetery snapped.

"Oh now," Kat said, "When you fall in love, don't you want it to be with someone who will fall in love back? I've tried unrequited love, and it's no fun at all." He paused, trying to tell Chetery something with his eyes, but Chetery didn't understand what. "Those ladies will never love you," Kat said softly.

"Is that why you keep doing this?" Chetery asked. "Why you keep interrupting?"

Kat didn't say anything, and, unlike a moment before, he wouldn't meet Chetery's eyes.

"If they 'will never love me,' then where should I look for love?" Chetery demanded. "Who will love me?"

It was only the briefest of glances, but Chetery managed to get the whole message this time.

"Oh," Chetery said. Reaching a hand out to the slim prince. "I didn't-"

Kat flinched away. "I know you didn't. And I don't want your pity. Go fall in love with your girl. I'll stay away." He started to stand up, but Chetery grabbed his wrist and tugged the swan prince back down to the ground.

"Maybe," Chetery said when Kat landed with his face close to Chetery's own, "Maybe when I fall in love I want to fall for someone who loves me back."

"Good luck finding anyone in love with someone as stupid as you," Kat said, but his voice was husky enough and his eyes dark enough to belie his words.

"I think I already did," Chetery said, tugging Kat forward those last few inches and pressing their lips together.

--

Deu and Deva

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Deva curled up on the landing half-way up the tower stairs. He had a few moments, but knew from experience that he wouldn't be able to make it all the way up the stairs before-

Oh god, there it was.

Trying to bite back an unmanly whimper at the pain, Deva crunched himself as small as possible, his knees drawn up to his chin. He shuddered for a few moments as all his muscles tried to shrink at once.

Finally it faded back to manageable levels, and Deva straightened himself out again and continued up the tower.

He hated the pain, hated it more because he'd watched his brothers fall in love and break the curse, while his own happy ending just seemed farther and farther out of reach.

Feeling particularly out of sorts after watching Piat and Saynk act all lovey-dovey over lunch, Deva had decided to go for a walk in the garden. That had started fine, but ended quickly when he came across Toi and Trii…cuddling in one of the farther corners. The library had contained Cheaste, Quentin and Ceice. Raz and Uun had locked the office door for reasons Deva didn't want to speculate about, while Chetery and Kat had taken horses from the stables. Deva could have simply ridden in another direction, but he didn't relish the thought of dismounting every ten minutes to wait for another spasm of pain to pass.

Giving everywhere else up as a loss, Deva had made the long walk to the farthest corner of the palace, where an unused tower provided a magnificent view of the surrounding landscape. It was one of the tallest towers in the castle, and the stairs were too long for Deva to make it to the top without carefully timing it around the curse, but everyone knew not to bother him there.

Catching a glimpse of sky through the eastern window, Deva hastened up the last few steps and turned around to see- that someone was already sitting at the western window.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Deva demanded of Deu, who slowly turned his head to regard the fairy prince.

"I didn't realize this was your tower," Deu said.

"It's not," Deva snapped back. "Now move."

"There's two windows," Deu pointed out.

"That one's mine," Deva said, moving forward a few steps and pointing at Deu.

"Does it have your name on it?" Deu asked, not even shifting his weight.

"Yes," Deva lied, stepping forward again. "So move."

"I don't see it," Deu replied, glancing briefly at the window frame.

Deva's eyes narrowed. "You're sitting on it. Move."

Deu looked directly into his eyes. "No."

Angry beyond words, Deva reached out and pushed Deu out the open window.

He hadn't counted on Deu grabbing his arms and pulling him out as well.

They fell forever and a moment before landing on the balcony that ran around the outside of the tower.

The fall hadn't been far, but it had been awkward for Deva, who landed lying on Deu, but with his foot still caught on the windowsill. Pulling it down slowly, he stretched it, trying to make sure it wasn't damaged, and that the pain-

Oh god, the pain.

Unable to control the whimper this time as his blood turned into shards of glass, Deva clung tightly to the body beneath him, biting back sobs of pain.

When the pain and Deva's death-grip on Deu lessened, Deu reached a hand out and ran it through Deva's hair.

"I can make the pain stop," he said quietly.

Deva sat up enough that he could see Deu. "It's not that easy," Deva said.

Deu's hand slipped to his neck, and he gently but persistently pulled Deva's head down. "Why not?" he asked, kissing Deva slowly, if chastely.

Deva pushed himself away. "It's just not." He climbed off of Deu and curled up in front of the window, staring out at the captivating view.

Deu stood up and brushed off his pants. "Don't tell me you're a romantic," he said, sarcasm or disgust in his voice.

Deva didn't respond. What was it his father always said? 'Easy in love, easy out of love; the mortals aren't around that long, and no fairy wants to spend eternity with you, either.'

Deu stepped past Deva and into the tower room. Deva thought for a moment that he was going to leave, but instead he settled into the position he'd been in when Deva arrived, hanging a hand down to comb through Deva's hair.

Together they sat and watched the sun set over the mountains.

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Deva and Deu work things out eventually. Deva has some Issues that need to be Addressed first. But all I have for how they do that are Bad Ideas. So if and when I write their story out, it'll get its own little suplementary chapter.

I also don't have any good ideas for Piat and Saynk. You'll get that when it exists, as well.

and if you, kind reader could spare but a moment longer of your precious time to gift me with your wonderous opinion on my unworthy story, you would earn my undying gratitude.

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Now that you've read the whole story (except for those bits yet to be written), perhaps you could answer some random questions for me. It's partly because I know how hard it is to come up with things to say in a review. And it's partly because I really like to know what people liked best or least, and everytime I hear that someone liked part of my story I get to relive that part of the story as well. So, if you would, please:

1) Favorite pairing/character:

2) Cleverest part of the whole story/thing you remember best:

3) What color curtians will Windra make Odeen install in the throne room?

4) If it hadn't been a threesome, who would've gotten Cheaste?

5) Tell me everything that was wrong with the story, be it 'you're gramer sux0r' or 'it could have used more descriptions at times' or 'your plot seemed to drag on, and your characters were underdeveloped'

6) Since I still have no good ideas for it: how should Piat and Saynk end up together? I promise to laugh at... I mean, seriously consider every option.

7) Anything else wot needs to be said. Like, for example, how amazing I am.