What’s Up With the Ending?

With the High King finally dead and gone, Azalea's life starts to return to normal… except she hasn't heard from Mr. Bradford in a while, so she starts to worry that maybe he doesn't love her enough to put up with all the political stuff that comes with marrying a princess. But no, the King made him wait and fill out paperwork in parliament, so he's good to go. They agree to marry, and they finally get to kiss:

He smiled, but more intent and solemn, and Azalea instinctively closed her eyes as his large hand gently touched her face, bringing it to his for a kiss. It was like dancing—both dizzy and giddy, but with the soft warmness of a gentle touch. It thrilled her soul and made it leap. (30.91)

Seeing as Azalea's spent most of the book fearing a politically-convenient but loveless marriage, her ending up with Mr. Bradford in a loving relationship is clearly a big deal. It wraps up that plotline and gives us a reason to cheer.

The other wrap-up occurs when Azalea and her sisters begin to dance a "welcome-to-the-family reel, like the one they had given Lily over a year ago" (30.94). They intend to dance it for Mr. Bradford, but then Azalea realizes that "their circle was incomplete" (30.96), so she drags the King in to dance with them, even though he protests that he's a bad dancer.

By bringing the King in to dance with them, the girls heal the emotional trauma of losing their mother, which nearly destroyed their family. We're hopeful, along with Azalea, that the King will continue to dance with his daughters in a physical manifestation of their love.