“And?” asked the queen, beautifully regal and blonde.
“And I knew this was what I must do. I would rather be a poor farmer than marry a woman I do not love. Surely you understand that, Mother? My heart does not twist in my chest when I see Resplendant’s face, beautiful as she is. My wish to share a moment of wonder or a happy tale is not one I wish to share with her. ‘Twas that not what you claimed was true love? Did you not feel that way about Father? ’Tis unfair to allow Resplendant to marry a man who will never love her the way she so deserves. Do you not remember the story you told me of true love’s kiss?”
Queen Jane gave him a guarded glance as she circled him. “All this time…” she murmured, and then her eyes, the exact color of Jon’s, opened wide. “I could not place my finger on it, for you are identical.” She turned to the fake prince then. “Yet, my heart did not know yours. This—this explains it all.”
Jon gripped his mother’s hands and pulled them to his lips. “Do you understand what I speak, Mother? I did not wish for this life you and Father settled upon with the queen before I was even born. And I did not wish to deceive you, but I was left no choice, and Jon would have been a fair ruler. I would have seen to it myself. Yet, I am no good as future ruler of Shamalot if I am unhappy in the most important relationship of my life. Father preaches of balance between ruling the kingdom and his life with you. And finally,” he paused, his eyes finding Toni’s across the room. “Though I have missed you both, I cannot—will not marry Resplendant when I love another.”
Toni’s heart melted just a little. Not a lot, because he was still a lying jerk, and he’d kept it from her even when they’d finally gotten to the castle and then made her worry herself sick when she couldn’t find him. But if anyone understood not wanting a life thrust upon you by someone else’s hand, it was her.
He moved through the crowd, taking the steps two at a time until he reached her, and the guards backed away. “I do not know what will happen this night when you return the shoes. I do not know if Jersey is where your true happiness lies. I only know my true happiness lies with you. Always you.”
In that moment, that beautiful, perfect, harps-playing-in-the-background moment, Toni knew, too. She knew, no matter what it took, she wanted to be with this man forever.
For always.
She lunged for him, throwing her arms around his neck, latching on to his lips as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, kissing her soundly.
The people of Shamalot cheered as Nina slapped Jon on the back, and Marty, Wanda, Dannan, and Carl rushed up the stairs to hug them.
“My shoes!” the king cried from the foot of the staircase, racing toward them, losing his crown along the way.
Toni slid from Jon’s embrace, dropping to the step. “Yes. Your shoes. Brenda the Good Witch of the South sends her love.” She curtsied, rather awkwardly, but the good intention was there.
The king assessed her with critical eyes, strutting along the step in all his gold-and-white embroidered finery, the ruffles on his shirtfront billowing. He stopped to stare down at her, his face a more mature version of his son’s.
“Who is this woman who has been called your one true love, son?” King Dick asked, one eyebrow raised.
Jon smiled, his arm firmly about Toni’s waist as he introduced her to his father. “This is Lady Anonia Vitali, Father. From the land of Jersey.”
A rumble of thunder interrupted their introductions, shaking the urns filled with flowers.
Oh shit.
In all the excitement of finding out who Jon really was, she’d totally forgotten about Angria.
“Save the introductions for later—we have trouble!” she yelled, just as a screeching fireball sailed across the ballroom.
King Dick looked surprised, but he immediately grabbed a sword from one of his guards. “Who dares bring chaos to this night?” he asked his son as the stairs began to buckle and moan.
Toni grabbed the king’s hand and began to drag him from the staircase as they started to crumble in angry shifts, cracking, collapsing, sputtering.
“Angria is here and boy, is she pissed at you!” she yelled to him.
They raced down the steps, Toni pulling the king as Jon called her name and threw the knife he kept in his boot to her before running for his mother and the fake prince, bundling them off with the guards in order to protect them.
“Where-oh-where are you, true love of Prince Iver?” a voice bellowed, echoing throughout the room. “Show me your face, so that I might remove it from your head for hurting my precious baby girl!”