Author's Note: A huge merci/dankeschön to our translation assistants, a-kiirii-on-board, darkdraconis, and pascaldragon. Thank you so much!

La Guerre de l'Art - Un Portrait de Deux Lesbiennes Amoureuses
[The War of Art - A Portrait of Two Lesbians in Love]

EPILOGUE

The Art of Love

A few days later saw Elsa and Anna standing in the courtyard of their home, with Rapunzel across from the pair. Both cousins were crying freely, for Rapunzel was prepared to leave to return to her mother in Arras once again.

Anna rushed over to the brunette, sweeping her into a crushing hug. She sobbed, "I'm going to miss you, Punzie… it was so good to see you again. Please at least write me?"

"I'll miss you too, Anna," came the weepy reply. "And I will. I promise."

"And please, if you need any help at all...don't hesitate to ask," Elsa said earnestly, placing a hand on Rapunzel's shoulder—only to get pulled into a group hug. The embrace tightened, all three of them squeezed together before stepping away.

"Remember your promise, Elsa!" Rapunzel said as she walked over to the coach. "If I find out you've broken it in any way, there will be hell to pay!"

Elsa had no doubts about that. However, she did doubt the brunette's concerns would come to pass; she and Anna would probably have disagreements in the future, as all couples eventually faced, but her heart knew it would have no other than Anna. Smiling good-naturedly, she called back, "Should I ever break it, your cousin would likely kill me before you can!"

"I'll kill you twice, then!"

They all laughed—even the coachman.

When the moment passed, the coachman held the door for Rapunzel to enter. Once she was seated, he shut it and they left for Arras.

During this time, Elsa was fiddling with her left hand in her trouser pocket—fingers playing gently over something small. She glanced over at Anna briefly, but the redhead's attention was still focused on the departing coach, for which she was grateful. She had been trying for days to find the right time… yet, it never seemed to avail itself while their guest was with them.

Once the coach was out the gates and down the road, Anna returned her attention to Elsa. "Would you care to have some wine in the gardens this afternoon? It's such a lovely day."

That's perfect. "Yes, I would like that." The quiet serenity of the gardens, shrouded from everybody else… This is the moment I've been awaiting.

"Well, come along then!" Anna giggled, offering her arm. Elsa took it with a smile, and off they went back inside the chateau. She was more comfortable within its walls—away from any curious eyes on the street. Especially with what she had in mind...she didn't need any rumors to spread.

Well, more than what was already floating out there, at least. After all, two women living on their own would raise an eyebrow, if only as passing thought. A harmless thought so long as they did nothing in public, but still a thought nonetheless.

"Something on your mind, my sweet?" Anna asked as they reached the gardens. "You looked awfully pensive on our way here."

"Fret not, ma bien-aimée… ma épouse," Elsa reassured her. "It's a trivial matter, one soon rectified." Anna cast a sidelong glance her way, brow raised in curiosity; but the only reply she received was a smile. A smile which made her feel like her whole body would melt in that moment.

Changing the subject, Elsa commented nonchalantly, "The gardens are quite beautiful this time of year, aren't they?"

This caused Anna to turn and look all around, revelling in the warm rays of the sun lighting the area to reveal the various greens, pinks, reds, and yellows of the shrubberies and flowers. "So very beautiful," she breathed in reply.

While Anna's back was turned, Elsa pulled the small object from her left pocket to look at it once more. A ring consisting of entwined gold bands braided together paired with a pearl clasped by five claws to hold it in place. The ring had been her grandmother's wedding band, passed down through her father's side to her. It was one of the few remaining items she owned from her family's belongings, along with her mother's wedding ring and a few older heirlooms.

Upon finishing her survey of the gardens, Anna turned around to find Elsa down on one knee with her left hand outstretched upwards towards her.

"Oh!" Anna laughed, covering her hand with her mouth. When Elsa didn't laugh back, only held her position with the hand awaiting Anna's, her smile slowly faded into a look of pure surprise. "Oh… oh."

"Ma chérie… if this is the only way I can express my affection for you in a public way, then it is what I must do. A moral imperative." Taking Anna's hand, she slid the ring up, barely reaching the first knuckle before she heard a soft little sob from overhead. Keeping her eyes trained down, she went on: "You are the oils that bring vivid colour to my drab white canvas. My muse, ma meilleur amie, the only woman on the planet who is forever chained to my heart. And I gladly am slave to you, Anna."

The protégée gazed down upon her mentor and whispered, "Not my slave. Ma partenaire. Oh, Elsa… I… already felt the same, knew you did, but…" A wet little laugh issued forth as she felt lips against her fingers. "Promise me someday you will write your own book of poetry? Your words… I can't match them, never could."

"If my words are as great as you say, I shudder to think of you matching them," Elsa chuckled, tears gathering in her eyes as well. "I do not think I could handle such beauty, such magnificence."

Anna gave another laugh, rubbing at her eyes with her free hand. "That is me everyday. Each day I ask how I could have ever found the company of someone so...so…" Another sob escaped as Elsa slid the ring all the way, pressing a kiss to the back of her freckled hand.

"So full of panache?"

"Exactly that, my sweet." Then she impatiently drew Elsa up to envelop her in a crushing hug, one that was followed by an even more crushing intersection of their lips. Anna kissed her harder than ever they had, which was no easy feat considering some of their previous occasions.

When they finally drew away, panting and bleary-eyed, Elsa pressed her lips to the corners of each of Anna's teal eyes, removing the moisture even as more gathered in her own. Then she whispered, "Je t'aime. My Roxanna."

"Je t'adore, you rogue. Always." Her lips swung up and pressed into the end of Elsa's nose before she finally dropped back to admire her new ring. "Wherever did you get this? It's quite gorgeous!"

"It is a family heirloom," the blonde answered, taking her hands into her own and rubbing a thumb over the metal. "Generations of Maurer have worn this, and now...it has come to you. Decades upon decades leading to this moment." She leaned forward, pressing a chaste kiss to Anna's lips.

"And I shall wear it with pride for decades upon decades more," her wife—yes, her wife—whispered in the scant space between them.

Elsa chuckled. "Although, should anyone ask—"

"Oh, you should know by now I am not a fool!" Anna said, bumping their foreheads together with another watery laugh. "But...it would be true, in a sense. You are my dearest friend. My closest companion… and also, the love of my life. I will treasure it."

Elsa's lips quirked. "Forever?"

"Forever."

And so the two lovers kissed once more, laughing and bumping noses and enjoying the moment neither thought would ever come. To be married in heart, in soul...and now a ring for their unending love. A cycle that would never be broken in this life, and all the lives to come.

FIN

Our contributors: Cyrianu, The Wandering Quill, forkanna/Jessica-X