Keith’s words made everyone pause to consider.

Henrietta jumped on the chance. “A regent who could be trusted! There’s one honorable enough, renowned for his valor and strength still living in Drendil. I’m sure between Knight Commander Havork and Aunt Beatrice, they could run the place just fine. Until Crown Prince Nathaniel comes of age?”

The princess took the opportunity to throw the entire mess at her mentor.

Keith was so proud.

Before anyone else could speak, Knight Commander Havork stepped forward and bowed deeply. “I cannot, for I am not worthy. After serving King Simon and Queen Thalia for so many years, I would beg the council leave to repent.” He took a deep breath. “My oath to serve had become my undoing . . . and I have no regrets with my new title.” He smiled sadly at Ria. “My only regret is not betraying my oath sooner.”

“He speaks the truth,” Wizard Lothar stated, lifting his hand holding the gray orb. “And I’m beginning to question how Drendil has survived this long. Who doesn’t want power? The crown princess and even its knight commander reject the throne. What’s wrong with the place? How has Nilheim not overrun it ages ago?”

“There’s nothing wrong with Drendil.” Havork stood straighter. “Only with those who were in power for far too long.”

“Isn’t Knight Commander Havork here to be punished for his involvement in this debacle?” Their Royal Highness of Peldeep smiled a sly smile. “What better punishment than to serve as regent? The one thing he does not wish to do?”

“But I am an Oath Breaker,” Havork protested. “I am unworthy, and I have lost my powers.”

“There are ways to have your title removed,” Keith put in dryly. “This is the Valarian Council. They have the power. Princess Henrietta was also going to request the council to review her Bond Breaker title.”

“I’m sure we would all be happy to cancel your marriage contract when we get back, princess.” Wizard Lothar stated. “But you knowingly killed the marquess. Title revisions are a serious matter! Not to mention that Chadwick, Simon and Thalia have lost their titles already just by being dead.”

“It is unprecedented to change more than one per meeting—” the Grand Pontiff started.

Their Royal Highness cut the old man off. “Point of order, it’s not. In the weeks after the Sumbrian Civil War, we had to strip no less than seventy-four titles. That was before you stepped up as the new Grand Pontiff. I had the pleasure of stripping your predecessor of her title, actually.”

“The point,” Witch Agatha argued, “is that it’s a lot of work.”

“I don’t have to get my title stripped,” Henrietta offered, “if it’ll be easier. My parents can be dethroned, and with Sir Havork made regent, I can just go on some quest or other to break it. Or just wait out the year.”

Wizard Lothar nodded sagely—or rather, wizardly, since he wasn’t over level eighty or a Sage. “A quest. Good, good. That’s the usual way of things. I approve.”

“All in favor?” Duchess Calisto raised a hand.

“Wait!” Keith didn’t believe what he was hearing. He grabbed Ria by the shoulders and searched her eyes. All he found was resolute conviction. He disagreed. “I don’t want to go on a quest. I want to go home to our castle in the Dark Enchanted Forest and get married and live Happily Ever After.”

Henrietta laughed and hugged him. But it wasn’t her usual, about-to-destroy him, bone-crushing grasp. It was a gentle, firm touch that made him want to go and do terrible, unspeakable things to the marquess.

“Did you just ask me to marry you?” she asked, repeating her words from that time in front of the corpse roses.

Keith smiled down at his princess. Loudly, so that all in the atrium could hear, he spoke.

“Heroine of Justice, Henrietta Doryn of Nilheim.” Keith bent down on one knee and pulled out an ornate spiral ring with enchanted sapphires that he’d personally made just for this moment. The largest sapphire in the center, a darker blue then the rest, he’d even managed to enchant with a +3 Constitution modifier.

He reached out and took her left hand, slipping the ring into place.

“From that first day you walked into my inner sanctum and didn’t kill me, my life has been turned upside down. I’ve never told you”—Keith squeezed her hand—“but I was already suffering from [Mana Burn] at that time. One hit, and you could have gone home victorious.”

“Really?” Ria asked, nervous and excited. “I would have won?”

Keith nodded. “Instead, I had the pleasure of spending time with you. Getting to know you. And falling in love with you.”

“I love you too, Dark Magician King Keith.” Ria’s bright smile belied the tears in her eyes.

Keith reached up and tucked a brown lock behind her ear. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to drink tea in our man-eating flower garden and eat bimbleberry scones and file reports together in our office. I want to go on dungeon delves together. I can’t imagine life without you anymore. Ria, will you marry me?”

“Yes!” She said, and then actually took the time to select the option on her notification tab.

Keith stood up to embrace her, and Henrietta grabbed Kieth’s collar with all of her Strength to pull him down for a kiss. Their Highness Rowen jumped to his feet, applauding. “Witnessed!”

Which was exactly when Keith’s shirt ripped open, violently flinging buttons across the room.