The Unintended Bride (32 page)

"See? See how wise you are, Arthur? Just as you recognized that the words are more important than the paper upon which they were first written, when it came to the truth of Malory's manuscript you recognized what it meant in the end."

"The words themselves burn into the heart, Hero. That is the glory, not the acclaim that comes with being feted as the discoverer of the pages that first carried those words. The words themselves are enduring. Just like the ones you said to me not so long ago."

She smiled. "I love you."

He bent to kiss her lightly. "Yes, those very words." His lips were chilled from the wind, but still, when they touched her neck, she felt warm as he replied, "I love you."

The last bits of paper crumb blew off and were captured by the churning waves, and they stood, leaning against each other until the sun had set in a fiery blaze into the sea.

About the Author:

Kelly McClymer fell in love with Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White as a child. Her most prized possession is her copy of
The Complete Tales of the Brothers Grimm
. These are the stories which gripped our ancestors as they huddled around the fire at night, which taught countless children to persevere through hardship and succeed against the odds. Her favorite fairytale remains "The Six Swans" — where a young sister must not speak a word for six years in order to save her brothers from their stepmother's evil spell.

The Fairy Tale Bride (Miranda's story)

The Star-Crossed Bride (Valentine's story)

The Unexpected Bride (Hero's story)

The Impetuous Bride (Juliet's story)

The Next-Best Bride (Helena's story)