The tiger cub was surprisingly accepting of them. It was a girl, and she took an instant liking to Alex. Vasiliki insisted that he name the little cub. Alex, of course, protested that Vasiliki should name her since she’d been the one to insist they keep her. But she wouldn’t hear of it, and Daedalos joined her in insisting he name her.

Finally, Alex capitulated. “’Liki?”

Vasiliki looked up from the carving she’d started to pass the time when they rested, smiling at his use of the nickname he’d given her. “Yes?”

“What does your name mean?”

Vasiliki frowned. “Why do you ask?”

He shrugged. “Curious…” He still hadn’t named the cub, but he had a good idea of what he wanted to do for a name.

“Well… It means Queen… Again, why?” She looked at him with a narrow-eyed expression.

He laughed. “Well… I’ve been thinking about what to name our little friend here…” He pointed to the cub, who was playing with the shoelaces to his now beaten up hiking boots. “And I think I’d like to name her something in Greek that means the same as your name… So… What other names mean Queen?”

Vasiliki looked down at the carving quickly, blushing. “That’s sweet, Alex…” She mumbled.

He grinned. “Thanks… So… Names?”

She blushed a deeper crimson. “Right… Names… Well, how about Anassa? Or Hera? Hmm… What else? Ledell? You could name her Saina, but that means princess, not queen… Not that it’s a big deal… Any of those?”

Alex raised an eyebrow, smiling. “You never talk that fast…”

Her face had begun to return to its normal color, but his last comment made the blush flare back into life. “Yes… Well… Just answering your question…” She fiddled with her carving, adding details to the rough shape of a tiger cub at play.

Alex grinned. “It gives me some good ideas, certainly… I think I like Anassa best. We can call her Ana for short.”

Vasiliki nodded. “That sounds like a good idea.”

The cub’s ears pricked up, and she looked at them, mewing.

They had been traveling for nearly a week since her mother had died, and now the cub was eating meat, growing, and definitely becoming convinced that Alex was her mother. Which was strange, since Alex wasn’t the one who fed her. Vasiliki did. But, hey, the cub’s attachment to him was cute, and Alex didn’t actually mind it as much as he’d thought he would.

He bent down, scratching under the cub’s chin. “How would you like to be called Anassa? Hmm?”

Daedalos walked into their small encampment with an armload of wood and saw the two of them petting the cub and talking. “Chosen a name for her yet?” He asked, dropping his load of firewood for the night’s fire.

Alex nodded. “Anassa.”

Daedalos grinned. “Sounds like you named her to match my sister’s name.”

Alex blushed. “Well… Maybe… What if I did?”

Daedalos shrugged. “Never mind.” He glanced at his sister, who was blushing crimson now.

He grinned. Those two were a perfect match, and it was endearing in a sweet way that they were so awkward together around him. He found it amusing. He’d known something was up between the two long before he’d been told that there was, but he hadn’t wanted to say anything.

Since they’d fled the village, Alex had kissed her once or twice when he thought Daedalos wasn’t looking, but in general, he kept it to simply hugging or holding hands with Vasiliki when Daedalos was around. He seemed to hold great respect for Daedalos’s place in Vasiliki’s life.

Daedalos thought about it. What was his place in Vasiliki’s life, exactly? Her protector? Well, in some ways, yes. But she didn’t really need his protection. Or did she? When it came to matters of the heart, maybe she did. But could he really offer that protection? He supposed that he would just have to figure out how to. She and Alex didn’t seem to need his help, though, so he backed off and let them alone, simply being there in case either of them wanted to talk with him about their relationship with the other.

Alex and Vasiliki looked at each other, and Vasiliki shifted from her spot on the ground, putting the knife and her carving of Anassa away. “You need help with that? We should start getting dinner ready now.” She started clearing a spot for the fire and headed off to find stones to create a ring.

Alex hung back, uncertain.

Daedalos grinned. “Oh, go on. It’s obvious you want to go with her. I can manage here, and she shouldn’t go off by herself.”

“Well… What about you? Shouldn’t you have someone to keep an eye on you?”

Daedalos shrugged. He brandished his knife. “I know how to use this.” He raised an eyebrow. “And I’ve got Anassa here to protect me.” Grinning he made a shooing motion. “Go on! Spend some time with her when I’m not there.” He lowered his voice. “I know I make both of you uncomfortable displaying any sort of affection for each other… But really, you don’t need to feel that way. I trust you with my sister, Alex… And really, I don’t mind…” He smiled again, losing his serious tone. “Now go on before she’s too far off for you to find her!”

Alex shrugged. “Whatever you say…” He headed into the jungle to find Vasiliki and help her get stones.

What had that been about anyway? Was it really that obvious that he and Vasiliki were uncomfortable around Daedalos? Alex rolled his eyes. Knowing how perceptive Daedalos was, it hadn’t been as obvious as it seemed. That man never seemed to miss anything. Still… Alex respected his position as Vasiliki’s only father figure. He was careful to show Daedalos respect by avoiding kissing his sister right in front of him. He not only felt awkward doing that, but he also felt that it was a violation of the respect and level of authority Daedalos commanded as Vasiliki’s brother.

Sighing, he realized that things had become very complicated for him lately. He kicked at the dirt on the jungle floor. Glancing up, he saw Vasiliki standing only a few inches away picking up a stone. He smiled, walking over to her and helping gather rocks.

Suddenly, she put them all down on the ground in a pile and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I wish you would… Well… You know, talk to Daedalos about us!” Vasiliki blurted.

Alex frowned. “What?”

“I mean… I’ve read all about the father or the brother being the one to approve marriage, and I thought that…” She trailed off, seeing his face. “Maybe you aren’t ready for that step yet, though?”

He shook his head, laughing. “No… I’m ready… I just thought that you weren’t… I didn’t want to push you into something that you weren’t ready for yet, so I was waiting.”

“I’ve been waiting for you to indicate that you wanted to take that step this whole time!” Vasiliki grinned, laughing too.

Then they were both sitting on the ground – Vasiliki sitting in Alex’s lap, and his arms wrapped around her – and laughing uncontrollably.

“Figures… This whole time we’ve been tip-toeing around the issue and feeling awkward around your brother, and we’ve both been ready for it the whole time…” Alex laughed.

Vasiliki nodded, still laughing and hiccupping in between too. “I know… I just… I wish I’d known sooner…” She tried to stop laughing, resting her forehead against his collarbone as she tried to catch her breath.

Alex tried to stop laughing too. But when they looked at each other, the fits of laughter started all over again.

After a while, Daedalos came to find them, Anassa nipping at his heels and cuddling up into Vasiliki’s lap as they looked at Daedalos. His confused frown only set them off again.

When Daedalos finally calmed them down enough to talk to them, he crossed his arms, looking down at them and raising an eyebrow. “So… What’s so funny?”

Vasiliki waved a hand to Alex. “You tell him, Alex.”

Alex nodded, taking a deep breath and composing himself. “Daedalos, I want your permission to marry your sister.”

Daedalos stood there, blinking for a moment.

Alex frowned, worried at his silence. “Well?”

“You have it. I thought I made it clear, Alex… I approved of your relationship with my sister several times…” Daedalos frowned too.

“Umm… Well, it wasn’t very clear that that’s what you meant…” Alex scratched the back of his neck.

“Just one question…” Daedalos’s frown didn’t dissipate.

“What?” Alex asked.

“Why exactly did your marriage proposal set the two of you off into laughing fits?” His confused look and his question caused Alex to start smiling again.

Vasiliki took one look at his face, and burst into laughter again. Alex started laughing too, and Daedalos sighed, shaking his head.

Forget getting it out of them then. He’d just figure it out at dinner.

“Well, get the stones, you two crazies, and bring them back to the camp. Unless you don’t want dinner.” Daedalos walked back towards camp.

Anassa sat back on her haunches, watching them as they stood up, brushing off.

Alex drew Vasiliki into his arms, kissing her. “Well, guess we have to figure out how to have a wedding with just your brother, eh?”

She grinned. “I’ve read that they’re supposed to be filled with lots of people and partying. Guess we’ll have to make do without the people. But the partying…” She narrowed her eyes at him. “I’d say that could be arranged.”

He laughed softly. “Yes… I dare say it could.” He kissed her again.

Finally, after everything they’d gone through together, they could have a good ending. Vasiliki sighed softly into the kiss. She’d finally received the happily-ever-after she’d wanted all along, and it was even better than it was in the stories.

She couldn’t wait to learn what it was like to love, to raise a family of her own, but most of all, to simply be free.

And out here in the jungle with Alex and Daedalos, she would get a chance to do just that. And that thought alone made her heart beat quicker with relief and joy. This is the perfect ending. I’m going to get married to Alex, have a family, grow old in peace, and finally have my taste of freedom. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

With that thought, she let herself melt into Alex’s kiss and the joy coursing through her veins.

Yes. It was a good ending, and, while the journey wouldn’t be easy, she was going to face the world with Alex by her side. She couldn’t imagine anything she wanted more.