Author's Note: Finally back at Arendelle! I make no apologies for any tears shed this chapter. Instead, know that I have (and will again) shed them with you. As many of you have correctly noted in the comments, the major plot points of this story have come to pass. This chapter is simply to wrap up some loose threads and provide proper closure, although I do have more planned to come, which I will elaborate on in this chapter's Afterword.
Cover Art for the story is by the incredibly talented Trixdraws from DeviantArt. Thank you again, Trix! Official art for the story is by the wonderful Giulia! Links to both artists and their works can be found on my bio here. Please see Chapter 1 for my Standard Disclaimers!
Feel, Don't Conceal
by Jo K.
Chapter 25: Saying Farewell
Let your mind rest easy
Sleep well my friend
It's only our bodies that betray us in the end
-Bruce Springsteen, "We Are Alive"
—O—
Rapunzel took the hallway at a run, her bare feet thumping softly on the carpet as she raced toward the main stairwell, nearly knocking over the startled houseboy who had just notified her of the looming storm clouds approaching Arendelle from the south.
Before the poor page could recover from the near-miss, he was flanked by two of Rapunzel's handmaidens, one racing by him on each side, their light blue silk robes brushing breezily against his bare face and hands as they tried to catch their princess. He stood completely still in the hallway of the third floor, outside the door of the princess's room, trying to will his suddenly racing heart back to something resembling a normal rate and rhythm as the padded footfalls faded from the hallway behind him.
Rapunzel took the stairs at a reckless pace—though still not close to Anna's speed growing up—knowing that her handmaidens would be behind her, catching up as quickly as their garb would permit. It had been two days since her cousins had left for the Southern Isles, and with dusk looming and night close behind, she had resigned herself into accepting another day as acting sovereign of Arendelle.
Truthfully, it hadn't been bad at all. There had been no further attempts on her life, the few prisoners from the Southern Isles who had survived their futile attempt at invading Arendelle were securely jailed, and the castle and its staff were slowly returning to a functioning state following the assassination attempt two days ago. But there were still reminders of the emotional anguish gripping the castle wherever one chose to look. The absence of Rapunzel's handmaiden Corinne, slain in her sleep by Duke Hidalgo's treacherous dagger while she posed as Rapunzel, a deception that cost the brave girl her own life but saved her princess. The look of mourning on the faces of Arendelle's castle guards, reeling from the loss of a dozen of their number to other assassin's blade the same dark night. The solemn, somber movements of the castle's staff, struck yet again by more heartache and tragedy in the place where they should feel most safe and secure. And, most prominently, the icy figures of two young women in the third floor hallway, forever captured in a frozen lovers' embrace.
As Rapunzel burst through the castle's main doors, the chill of the stones comprising the castle's front steps beneath her bare feet vaguely registered in the back of her mind. However, the massive wall of inky black clouds looming over Arendelle's harbor had forced every other thought aside. Instinctively she brought a hand to her lower abdomen as if to shield the child growing inside her, before her trained habits told her to avoid such a potentially revealing display, even among friends.
She grinned as she stopped in the castle courtyard, despite the usual negative omen such storm clouds would carry. These clouds were nearly identical to the thunderheads of the storm that Elsa and Anna rode out of Arendelle two mornings ago, and that almost certainly meant that the country's true rulers were home.
"Your Highness!" came a female voice behind her, a mix of frustration and breathlessness saturating the spoken words. "You shouldn't run off from us like that!"
"It's good to keep you sharp," Rapunzel replied breezily, the long blonde hair of her wig blowing already as the first caresses of the approaching storm's winds reached Arendelle. "And I wanted to see this for myself."
As the two closest handmaidens reached their charge and stopped just behind, flanking her on both sides, they paused briefly to let their heart rates and breathing begin to slow. "Do you think that's them?" asked Selma, hovering attentively at Rapunzel's left side, her customary place when protecting the courageous woman she had sworn her life to preserve.
"Absolutely," replied Rapunzel, near-indescribable relief flowing through her chest. They were alive.
She knew that Elsa and Anna would either both come back, or neither one would return. So as the storm seemed to halt over Arendelle's harbor, giving way to a swirling blizzard that rapidly blew in across the choppy waters, dispersing into a milder snow as it reached the shores of Arendelle, Rapunzel was certain that both of her cousins had survived, a thought that brought joy that had been sorely needed in the wake of the deaths suffered as a result of the now-deceased Hidalgo's treachery.
—O—
As the gray-black thunderheads of the storm Elsa had summoned gave way to thinner clouds of a silvery-grey hue, Anna piloted Icescale through the gusts of snow, adding one final burst of speed to their flight as well as announcing their return to Arendelle.
Elsa peered over the side of the ice dragon's body, noting the tiny dots of people swarming below them, some hurrying toward the harbor, directly toward them, while others ran in the direction of the castle, their most likely destination. Some chose to stay where they were, in the streets or fields, likely gazing up into the light snowfall and watching their Queens return home.
As they descended toward the city and castle, they were low enough to the ground to identify hair colors and a few details among the people greeting them; as such, both Anna and Elsa could make out the cheers and shouts as they flew over the city's inhabitants. A slow, rhythmic clap from the streets and buildings below them quickly grew and spread as they flew low over the city on their approach to the castle, replacing the shouts and voices with a steady beat of applause that caused both of Arendelle's queens to suffer watery eyes and tight throats at this demonstration of love and support. Elsa tightened her grip around Anna's waist, placing a kiss on Anna's right cheek before laying her head on her wife's shoulder. "Welcome home, my Queen," she whispered into Anna's ear, getting a brief shiver in response.
"Welcome home to you too, my Queen," Anna replied with a smile, turning her head to kiss Elsa on her pale forehead. "I think they're glad we're back."
"Of course," Elsa replied with a soft smile. "The whole kingdom will be brighter now that the Summer Queen has returned."
Anna smiled as Elsa gently kissed her right ear, then the soft skin just behind her ear. "The Summer Queen's going to be in charge soon, too," she said teasingly. "The equinox's almost here."
"Should I be frightened?" Elsa replied lightly, smiling and holding tightly as Anna wheeled Icescale into a banking turn as they flew over the castle, slowing the icy creature as they began to descend toward the castle courtyard below them.
"I think you'll be spared any horrible punishments," Anna replied calmly. "Since you're my favorite."
"But what if I want to be punished?" Elsa said in her breathy "damsel-in-distress" voice.
Anna turned back to meet Elsa's gaze, her blue-green eyes bright and a broad smile on her face. "Then I'll make sure to punish you with extra-special attention."
"Yay," Elsa said with a pleased smirk as Icescale began flapping his wings, slowing their descent as he stretched his powerful limbs down toward the castle grounds.
—O—
Rapunzel watched as the silvery-white beast slowly banked in the air above the castle, turning to face her direction as it rapidly fell from the sky, its broad wings flapping seemingly too slow to arrest its descent yet still doing just that until it finally stretched its powerful legs toward the ground, alighting as gracefully as a sparrow.
The dragon paced around a few steps as the soldiers and castle staff in the courtyard cautiously kept their distance. After a moment of two, the dragon settled into a crouch, allowing the two riders atop its back to slide down its glistening scales. Anna went first, turning as soon as her momentum permitted to help catch Elsa, pulling her mate close in a tight embrace.
"We're back," Anna whispered, her voice muffled against Elsa's hair. "We made it."
"We did," Elsa answered her, smiling into Anna's hair. "And I'm ready for a long bath."
"And some hot food!" Anna added gleefully as she pulled her head back to look into Elsa's eyes.
A sudden blur of movement alerted both of them in time to partially turn before a blonde bundle of excitement slammed into them, nearly toppling them against Icescale, who managed only a slight frosty huff at the reunion taking place beside him.
"Rapunzel!" squealed Anna as her cousin wrapped strong arms around both her and Elsa, hugging them fiercely.
"Thank you," Elsa spoke, her voice muffled against the shoulder of Rapunzel's dress. "For watching over the kingdom while we were gone. Any news to report?"
"Not much," Rapunzel said, her voice dropping some. "A service is being planned for the guards who died during Hidalgo's attacks, but everyone wanted to wait for the two of you to come back."
"Of course," Elsa said, offering their cousin an encouraging smile. "Did any of the Islanders survive their foolish attack?"
Rapunzel nodded twice. "Some did," she answered. "Most of them took the oath you told the guards to offer them, but a few didn't."
"What happened to them?" asked Anna.
Rapunzel turned to look at her younger cousin. "They were chained out in the open, as the guards were told." She swallowed. "None of them lasted a single night."
Elsa nodded slowly. "As they deserved," she said calmly. "The others?"
"Confined in the castle dungeon, under heavy guard. They were given dry clothes and have been fed and cared for properly."
"Then they can wait until we've buried our friends." Elsa looked sadly at Rapunzel. "Did your handmaiden..."
"Corinne."
"...Did Corinne have family in Corona?"
Rapunzel shook her head. "No. None of my handmaidens have family."
Anna took Rapunzel's hand carefully. "Have you thought about what you'd like to do? For her?"
"We would be honored to recognize her with Ygrit, Idunn and the other guards who lost their lives to Hidalgo's treachery," Elsa spoke softly. "Or if you'd prefer to take her back to Corona and perform a service for her there, we can certainly arrange that as well."
Rapunzel took a deep breath and then sighed slowly. "I have thought about that since the two of you have been gone. I had to think of something to not worry myself sick about you both." She smiled as she looked at Elsa and Anna both in turn. "I take it that things went well in the Southern Isles?"
"Oh yeah," replied Anna, grinning. "Wilhelm and his father are both dead, and the Princes who had rebelled against them are now ruling as a council. We'll tell you all about it."
Elsa smiled. "Let's get inside. The cold won't hurt us, but you're already starting to shiver."
Rapunzel nodded; while night had not entirely fallen yet, it was still winter, and the temperature had already dropped markedly from earlier in the day. The tingling on the soles of her bare feet was steadily turning into a stinging that was already uncomfortable. "I won't argue with that. Not all of us have magic running through our blood."
Elsa turned back to Icescale; she lifted her left arm, and with a slow twirl of her hand, the ice chest fastened to the dragon's harness floated up and over to the three of them, hovering in front of them patiently. "You've done very well, Icescale," Elsa said, smiling as the dragon shifted its body and stretched its broad neck toward her.
Anna stepped forward and opened the icy chest, removing the picnic baskets the castle staff had sent with her and Elsa for their flight to the Southern Isles. "I've got them, Elsa," she said pleasantly.
Elsa waggled her fingers, dispelling the chest into a flurry of snowflakes now that it was empty. "Thank you, brave one," she said softly as she affectionately rested her left hand on the bony ridges between the creature's large blue eyes, each bigger than her hand, his draconic gaze fixed squarely upon his creator.
Anna handed one basket to Rapunzel, then she stepped to where she could rub her face against the cold scales of the dragon's neck. "You deserve some rest yourself, Icey," she said proudly as she felt the beast gently rub back against her cheek, exerting only a whisper of pressure against her face despite his size and strength. "You did great, brave boy," she added with a smile as she patted his broad neck.
After a few seconds, Anna and Elsa both gave the dragon a final pat before turning and walking toward the main doors of the castle. Rapunzel stood and watched them for a few seconds before jumping with a slight start; "Oh!" she said with a soft squeak as she hurried to catch up with her cousins, the picnic basket swinging at her side as she jogged forward.
—O—
Elsa was about to ask Rapunzel how things had been in Arendelle while she and Anna were gone, but when she saw the sight before them as they entered the castle, words flew away from her like sparrows from a garden.
Stretched before the three of them, Elsa and Anna in the lead with Rapunzel a step behind them, stood two long columns of staff and servants. Few of them were in official uniforms, although a few were (mostly) properly attired. Occasional signs of dressing hurriedly, such as shirts inside out, buttons done out of sequence, dresses and hair more than slightly askew, could be seen intermittently; others were in more casual clothes, and a few were even clad in nightshirts or with wet clothes clinging to skin inadequately dried in the course of scrambling out of tubs or showers.
But despite the mix of formal and informal dress, every member of the castle staff stood proudly at attention, arrayed before the returning Queens in a show of respect and devotion.
The sight of their castle staff formally assembled before them, some neatly dressed, others still dripping from baths, brought a stinging warmth to Elsa's eyes and a tightening in her throat. She felt Anna squeeze her hand; reflexively she turned to look at her mate beside her, and in those waiting blue-green eyes she saw the same emotions and tears she was feeling reflected back at her.
Elsa smiled, a bit shakier than she would have liked, but Anna's short, awkward laugh and adorable smile she flashed in return made Elsa's heart skip a beat, not in fear but in elation. She turned back toward the servants who had become her and Anna's extended family. "Thank you, all of you," she said firmly, projecting her voice with confidence that belied how her heart was pounding at the moment. "The Southern Isles have been dealt with. The forces behind the assassination attempts on Ze—" She smiled and cleared her throat. "On Princess Rapunzel, Anna and myself... have been destroyed. Today Anna and I negotiated a peace agreement and an alliance with the Southern Isles' new Council of Princes, which all of you will most certainly hear more of in the next few days. But tonight..."
She sighed, allowing the energy that had kept both her and Anna going over the arduous last two days to finally dwindle. "Tonight, this peace won't bring back those we have lost. Tomorrow Anna and I will arrange a memorial service for those who died during the attack, after we meet with the Royal Council to update them on the activities of the last two days. If any of you have any suggestions or recommendations, please let us know tomorrow."
The occasional sniffle could be heard as Elsa paused. "We will make sure our fallen will be remembered," Elsa said, squeezing Anna's hand as she considered some of her wife's ideas they had discussed during their flight home. "Thank you, all of you, for your loyalty, your service, and your compassion."
"It means more to us than you could know," Anna added, looking up and down the two rows of servants. "We'll tell you more about what we have planned tomorrow, but tonight, I think all of us need a good night's rest."
Elsa smiled as she looked at Anna's profile, taking in the sight of each adorable freckle on her sister's left cheek, before she also turned her gaze forward once more. "Arendelle is safe again," she said confidently. "Let's all get some sleep, and we'll meet with all of you again tomorrow afternoon."
A chorus of "Yes, Your Majesties" and "Your Majesties" echoed through the great hall, followed by the castle staff quickly but gracefully making for various exits: the main stairwell, the smaller stairwell leading down to the servants' quarters, the hall leading back to the kitchen and dining areas, deeper into the great hall toward the laundries, crafting departments and guard quarters. Within less than a minute most of the staff had made their departures, leaving just a handful of people in front of Anna, Elsa, Rapunzel and the Coronan princess's handmaidens.
"Captain Ewen," Elsa said as the older man stepped forward, offering another polite bow to his two queens. He wasn't in his full armor or carrying his usual spear, but he wore a padded gambeson with the crest of the Royal Guard stitched on its breast, and his sword and dagger were belted at his waist.
"Welcome back, Your Majesties," the miidle-aged soldier said as he straightened before the monarchs. "I look forward to hearing exactly what happened in the Southern Isles, if things turned out as well as they sound."
"We'll be happy to tell you," Anna replied, smiling honestly and eagerly despite the late hour and the fatigue settling into her body. "How have things been in the castle?"
"All quiet. We've added the Coronan guards into watches both around the Princess's quarters and your Royal quarters. We've also made a point to send two of their guards and two of our own with any of Her Highness's handmaidens when they leave the castle."
"Which my girls aren't particularly happy about," Rapunzel said from behind them, a slight huff just audible in her voice. "But they do understand the need for the extra precautions."
"Yes, Your Highness," Ewen replied, nodding his head to the princess where she stood just behind her cousins. "Better to be too careful than not careful enough when it comes to protecting you and your retinue."
Anna and Elsa briefly exchanged a knowing glance; Rapunzel's handmaidens could likely defend their "guards" better than the other way around, but the blue-garbed lasses' true capabilities needed to remain secret. "We appreciate your consideration of our sister and her companions, Captain," Elsa said politely. "Is there anything else we should know tonight, Sir Ewen?"
The salt-and-pepper haired guard hesitated briefly, but then he quietly said, "If it pleases Your Majesties, I'd... like to suggest something for—" He stopped, pausing briefly before swallowing once. "The men and I have been talking, you see, and we'd..."
Anna reached out and gently grasped the man's left arm, lightly holding it. "Go ahead, Sir Ewen. You're not going to offend or upset us. Not after what we've all been through in the last few days."
Ewen met Anna's eyes, revealing a distinct darkening as his pupils were overpowering his blue irises. "I realize there's no precedent for it, Your Majesties," he said, "but the men and I would like to ask you to..." His eyes danced from side to side, so quickly that it might well have been a reflex he was unaware of. "To... knight the lady Ygrit."
Elsa's eyebrows rose slightly; Anna's nearly leapt off her forehead. The two sisters-turned-spouses slowly turned their heads just enough to meet each other's eyes, Elsa's expression carefully neutral while the vaguest hint of a grin threatened to creep across Anna's lips, an unspoken I told you bubbling behind the younger Queen's pink lips but kept carefully restrained.
Not receiving a verbal response, Ewen continued, his voice gaining confidence as he spoke. "To say that I thought of her like a daughter'd be an exaggeration, but she was braver than most of the men I've commanded over the years, myself included, and she'd earned our respect with her spirit and her skills. One of the finest warriors I'd ever seen with a spear, despite her little size. And scared of absolutely nothing."
"When you've already experienced the worst the world has to offer, not much is left to be afraid of," Elsa said softly.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Ewen answered with a nod. "We started out viewing her like a niece, or a little cousin, but over the years she won most all of us over. And then all that with the battle happened, and her and you—" as his eyes slid to regard Anna "—Your Majesty, leading the charge against the Crusaders, and, well..."
He swallowed again, blue eyes now with a hint of moisture in them. "We lost twelve guards in the assassination attempt on the three of you, Your Majesties, Your Highness. Eleven brave lads and one brave lady, all died holding their posts, but none so much as drew blood from a single attacker. Ygrit killed three of them, losing her own life in the process of protecting the two of you. She should be recognized, officially, for her bravery and her actions."
"Anna and I will seriously consider your request, Captain Ewen," Elsa said calmly. "Get some sleep. We'll meet with you again after the Council meeting in the morning." She smiled. "And thank you."
Ewen looked slightly caught off-guard at the comment. "For what, Your Majesty?"
"For your service, and your honesty." She reached out and rested her left hand atop his shoulder, noting that the man didn't flinch. "For your heart, Sir Ewen. Thank you for all that you do, and all that you are."
"It's my pleasure, Your Majesty," he said, bowing before them. "To serve your parents before, and now to serve the two of you." He bowed once more, then turned and walked away, revealing a face most familiar to both Elsa and Anna.
"It's good to have both of you home safely," said the old, kind-hearted man who had been with Arendelle's two Queens since their births; slightly short, slightly overweight, but gazing at the young women before him as he would two daughters or granddaughters. "The gods know we've lost enough from our family here as it is."
Without another word, Elsa and Anna both rushed forward, Anna beating Elsa to Kai by a split second as they both threw their arms around the castle's head servant. The triumphs in the Southern Isles were forgotten as Arendelle's two queens let themselves be girls once more, albeit briefly, seeking solace in the arms of the man who had come the closest to filling their deceased father's role in their lives.
Nothing really needed to be said, not even when another set of arms gently encircled the three of them. Rapunzel's warm arms offered as much support as she could manage, and for several minutes the four of them just stood there, shaking lightly as tears fell and murmurs of support were exchanged.
Finally the four of them disentangled themselves, Elsa and Anna holding each other as they stood side to side while Rapunzel stood beside Elsa, holding her cousin's hand.
"All of you need sleep, but especially the two of you, Your Majesties," Kai said softly. "We can catch up in the morning." He started to turn away, but then he paused and added, "We'll all sleep better knowing you're back safely." Then he completed his turn and calmly walked away.
"He's right," Elsa said, stifling a yawn as best as she could. Which wasn't very well at all.
Anna laughed as Elsa's breath turned into a light spray of frost as she exhaled. "We all need to get in bed," she said as she gently ran her fingers across the bare skin of Elsa's chest exposed just above her sternum. The skin flushed slightly as Elsa smiled, reaching up to clasp Anna's hand against her chest. "We hate to keep you waiting, Punz," Anna said as she turned to look beside her at their cousin, "but we're both melting like snow in summer."
Rapunzel's eyes were soft as she smiled warmly. "Things have kept while you've been gone," she said calmly. "They'll keep while you both sleep." She reached forward and clutched first Anna, then Elsa to her chest in brief hugs.
"Glad you're home, Your Majesties," she said with a knowing smile and a wink as she slowly backed away from them, her handmaidens parting to allow her to walk between them. She turned to walk down the hallway toward the stairs. "Get some rest!" she called out over her shoulder as her attendants formed up behind her, silent and graceful as always while they took their positions trailing the Princess of Corona.
Elsa and Anna watched as Rapunzel and her attendants made their way past the main staircase, obviously going out of their way to take the farther set of stairs up to where she and her handmaidens were staying. Anna wordlessly slid next to Elsa as they reached the main stairwell; Elsa's arm went around her lover with a smoothness practiced many times over the last several months. They quietly climbed the wide stone steps together, their bodies keeping pace with each difficult step.
As they made the last turn up the grand staircase, two guards standing watch on the second floor raised their weapons in salute, holding the position until the two queens stepped past them and turned left, toward their rooms... and then stopped.
Holding silent vigil, commanding all attention save from the four guards stationed around the sculpture that was so much more than just a sculpture, two icy figures rested in solemn stillness on the carpeted hallway. Though from this direction the icy figures were facing away from the monarchs' approach, Anna and Elsa knew exactly how their friends were posed. One was kneeling, the other cradled in her lap as they embraced and kissed in a final expression of their love and commitment.
Neither Elsa nor Anna attempted to hide or restrain her tears as they slowly approached. The nearest guard met their sad gazes, then acknowledged them with a simple but crisp, "Your Majesties!" He thumped the butt of his spear on the floor, getting matching thumps from the other three guards as they saluted their rulers without moving away from their guard positions.
Elsa and Anna stopped beside the grim display, at once saddened at their friends' fate but proud of the respect being shown the two common-born handmaidens in the wake of their sacrifice. "Have you been guarding them this whole time?" Elsa asked quietly, looking up at the guard's blue eyes.
"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied, his voice quiet. "Captain told us they were to be guarded until you told us otherwise. Four guards watching them, four watching your rooms, four at Princess Rapunzel's room at all times."
Elsa smiled and resisted the urge to pat him on the head. He didn't appear to be much younger than she and Anna were, but there was a quality about him that seemed eager and enthusiastic. "Thank you," she said simply.
Anna sniffed loudly, reaching up to wipe her nose on the back of her hand. "Sorry," she said, sounding nothing of the sort, as she met Elsa's look and defiantly wiped her hand on her dress.
Elsa's right eyebrow raised slightly. "I made you that dress," she said calmly, fighting the urge to smile fiercely.
"Thank you for it," Anna said, batting her eyes slowly. "Not only is it beautiful, it's perfect for wiping my hands."
Elsa turned to face Anna, with Anna doing the same to match her stance. They looked into each other's eyes for several seconds, blue and blue-green dancing before the two women fell against each other, closing their eyes tightly as they embraced firmly.
"They gave us our lives," Anna managed to utter just above a whisper, her face against Elsa's neck. "And it cost them their own."
"And neither we nor Arendelle will ever forget them," Elsa croaked back, her throat tight despite all her self-control. "We'll make sure of that."
After several seconds Anna pulled away slightly; Elsa released her grip from her wife and watched as Anna slowly crossed between the two nearest guards, making eye contact with both of them as she did so. Carefully she stepped forward until she was in front of the icy forms of Idunn and Ygrit. She slowly knelt before them, studying their faces carefully. "Thank you both," she whispered as she reached out to cup first Idunn's face with her left hand, then Ygrit's head. Anna leaned forward and pressed a light kiss on Idunn's forehead, then she repeated the action with Ygrit's temple. She sat back on her knees, sniffing again as she wiped her eyes, then her nose once again.
As Anna turned to rise, Elsa's hand rested upon her left shoulder, causing her to stay where she was. Elsa bent over, kissing the top of Idunn's head. "Thank you for being there for Anna when I could not," she said softly, her own frozen tears plinking off of the handmaiden's icy head. She then carefully knelt down, resting her left knee on the carpeted floor as she kissed the top of Ygrit's head as well. "And thank you for guarding her when I could not," she said tenderly. She clenched her eyes shut tightly, then opened them again, letting frosted tears spill forth once again. "You're now together forever," Elsa said, her voice raspy as she felt Anna's arms encircle her. "As it should be, be it in Valhalla, Folkvangr or anywhere in the Nine Worlds."
—O—
Other than quietly whispered I love yous upon waking, Anna and Elsa readied for the new day in silence. Little Jora and ashen-haired Hilde, one of the more experienced handmaidens, assisted the two queens with bathing and dressing, although with Elsa creating shimmering gowns of white and silver for her and Anna to wear, "dressing" mostly consisted of helping Anna buckle her sword belt around her waist and brushing royal red and blonde tresses.
There were several brief moments of awkwardness, such as when Hilde bumped into Anna when taking the younger queen's towel; Idunn had always gone to Anna's left when doing so, while Hilda instead moved to Anna's right, leading a moment of embarrassment for the normally collected handmaiden.
Jora found it increasingly difficult to maintain her composure, her emotions raw from the times Idunn and Ygrit both had spent teaching the young girl the proper way to clean the queens' chambers and assist the rulers in their morning routine. What should have been a welcome return to routine instead presented a re-opening of emotional wounds for all involved... even the queens.
Elsa and Anna both repeatedly found themselves reaching for or about to speak to their missing friends, only to just catch themselves before such actions. When the two queens were ready to attend to their royal functions once more, it was a moment of relief for all concerned parties when the the royal couple left their chambers.
"Well, that was awkward," Anna mumbled as she and Elsa made their way down the hall, stopping to consider the icy figures of Ygrit and Idunn, still flanked by their guard detail. "Are you..." She swallowed, then turned to face Elsa. "Are you going to... move them... today?"
Elsa nodded, following with a verbal reply after a moment. "Probably tomorrow. For the memorial." Elsa closed her eyes and shook her head sadly. "I wish Idunn had been right. I wish I could heal them."
Anna reached out and pulled Elsa closer, wrapping her arms around her wife as she hugged her. "I know, my heart. And they know too."
"I think I can heal myself, at least a little bit, and I think my powers can heal you some too, but..." Elsa tightly closed her mouth, fighting to keep from sobbing in front of the guards in front of them.
Anna looked at the the icy features of Idunn's face, fixed entirely on her dying love below her. "They just don't work that way, Elsa, and that's not your fault," she said, resting her hand on Elsa's arm. "And Idunn and Ygrit wouldn't blame you for that." She lifted her hand from Elsa's arm, replacing the cool tingle of contact with the fabric of her ice gown with the gentle warmth of Elsa's skin as she resettled her fingertips on Elsa' cheek. "And you shouldn't blame yourself, either," Anna said softly. "They wouldn't want that."
Elsa closed her eyes and sighed quietly, relaxing into Anna's tender touch. "No, they wouldn't."
"And I don't want you blaming yourself either. You've done that enough for a dozen lifetimes. No more."
Eyes still closed, Elsa smiled and nodded slowly. "I'll... try."
Anna leaned forward, not stopping until her lips were hovering just against Elsa's other cheek. "You'll do, stubborn queen," she whispered lovingly. "No blaming yourself."
Despite her eyes beginning to sting from tears threatening to spill, Elsa smiled and nodded once more. "No blaming myself. Got it, Your Majesty."
Anna closed the hairs'-breadth distance between their lips, placing a soft, lingering kiss on Elsa's warm lips. "And don't you forget it," she teasingly threatened, her own lips curling into a smile against Elsa's lips.
—O—
Anna sighed with relief as she and Elsa watched the members of the Royal Council file out of the throne room. It had been another heavily-attended council meeting, with far too many councilors for the typical meeting room to accommodate.
"Well, that went well," Elsa said cheerily as she gently massaged Anna's right shoulder where her wife stood next to her.
"Surprisingly well," Anna agreed, nodding slowly and still not entirely sure that the two of them weren't dreaming. "Not one objection?"
Elsa gave her sister a smile and a friendly shrug of her shoulders. "What's there to complain about? We stopped an invasion, ended a war, negotiated a peace treaty and gained a valuable new ally while also removing our biggest enemy."
"All in a week's work, I guess."
Elsa playfully pushed Anna's shoulder. "Don't get a big head, Anna."
"Yeah, only room for one stuck-up Queen around here, right?" Anna replied, smiling as she looked at Elsa to further clarify the joking intent in her words.
"Exactly," Elsa said as she opened her left arm to make room for Anna to step up against her in a tight embrace. Both sisters sighed as they closed their eyes and relaxed against each other; the few remaining servants quietly left the throne room and closed the doors behind them, leaving only the half-dozen guards stationed in the hall just outside the doors.
"Alone at last," Elsa whispered, her face blissfully buried in Anna's soft copper hair.
"Yay," Anna replied softly, her face tightly pressed against Elsa's tender neck. "Wish Olaf and Kristoff and Sven were here."
"I know," Elsa said. "It would have been nice to have a few more friends to lessen the sting of loss."
Anna nodded carefully. "Yeah, it would have been. But at least they were away from here and not in any danger. Well, Kristoff at least. I'm not sure if Olaf can be in danger. Other than from a fire, anyway."
"They'll be home before much longer," said Elsa, rubbing Anna's back. "Let's go eat some lunch. I think we both deserve it. It's been a full morning."
The two descended together from the dais bearing their thrones, both stepping carefully down the raised sections. As they left the throne room and entered the hallway, Anna took Elsa's left hand in her right as they made their way down down the wide passage.
"Are we going to knight Ygrit?" Anna asked after they were appreciably far from the guards posted at the throne room.
"Of course," Elsa said, a sly smirk crossing her lips. "You already had predicted that one, anyway."
"She deserves it."
"Absolutely."
After a brief pause, Anna said, "I sent word to the docks this morning. Hopefully they'll have a longboat close by."
Elsa nodded. "If not, I'll just make one, I suppose. But I'd rather it be a true longboat, a wooden one, for the symbolism."
"Would your ice work for that?" Anna asked as they entered the smaller dining room they preferred when it was just the two of them, their place settings neatly arranged adjacent to each other across the nearest corner of the dark wood table.
"If I say so, it will," Elsa replied smugly, getting a roll of blue-green eyes in response.
—O—
Snow was beginning to swirl lightly the next morning as people began to gather in the streets of Arendelle. The weather was slightly warmer than would be expected for the month, but that was no deterrent to the softly spitting flakes as they danced through the cool air. Despite being overcast, it was still bright enough in the late morning for Elsa and Anna to see the crowds beginning to line the streets from the balcony in their parents' old chambers.
"Looks like it's going to be a good turnout despite the snow threatening," Anna said, taking another drink of the ice water she was holding as she stood at the overlook's edge. "Well, as threatening as the snow gets with you, Your Majesty," she added, turning to smile teasingly at Elsa, who was seated just a few feet away.
"I'm glad you signed the proclamation about Ygrit with me," Elsa said, reaching out to take Anna's hand and lightly pulling her lover closer as soon as her fingers closed around the redhead's hand.
"Well, why wouldn't I, silly?" Anna added with a giggle as she went with the movement, falling into Elsa's lap messily and nearly knocking both of them out of Elsa's chair and onto the floor. "And it's not the only royal proclamation we signed today, either."
Elsa closed her eyes as Anna wrapped her arms around Elsa's shoulders and tucked her warm face against Elsa's bare neck. "It is ironic that the proclamation recognizing the first female knight in the history of Arendelle is only going to be the second-most important law enacted today," she said calmly, beginning to lose herself in the warmth of Anna's love and embrace. "Are you ready to make history, Anna?"
Whatever brazen reply Elsa was expecting, it certainly wasn't for Anna to throw her head back and laugh, revealing twin trails of freckles that meandered their way down Anna's neck and onto her chest; however, since those freckles were some which Elsa utterly adored, she couldn't help but grin and admire her younger sister's beauty and spirit while Anna recovered her composure.
After a few seconds which found Elsa herself at the verge of giggling—giggling!— at Anna's mirth, the redhead brought her head forward enough to stare into the cool sapphire eyes of the woman she loved and worshiped more than anything in existence. "Elsa, my love," Anna said calmly and with a smile as she leaned forward, "we make history every day of our lives," before reclaiming Elsa's lips with her own.
—O—
By the time the royal procession was nearing the town square, the sides of the streets were lined with what had to be three times as many people as the city of Arendelle could comfortably hold. Elsa silently wondered where all of them had come from, as there had only been a day since the announcement for this memorial service had been put forth yesterday following the meeting of the Royal Council, but then she remembered that she and Anna had been gone for two days prior to their return; there was also the matter of Rapunzel's arrival the day before, topped with an assassination attempt occurring later that night, both of which had likely drawn hundreds if not thousands of visitors to the capital.
Interesting events have been at play, she considered as the dozen guards marching ahead of her and Anna parted to reveal the large square in the middle of the capital city. The two royals maintained their calm pace, holding hands as they passed the now-stationary squad of castle guards holding position behind them. As the two mates made their way to the nearest end of the town square, Elsa's fingers flicked lightly forward; frosty crystals shimmered and spiraled from her fingertips, swirling as the thin stream enlarged into a steady flow, striking the stones of the assembly grounds and forming into a platform of ice, complete with modest crystalline steps rising to the top of the platform.
The cheers and whistles of acclamation from the crowds packing their way into the town square drew silent as Anna and Elsa ascended the steps onto the platform. The two queens moved to the center of the platform, still holding hands as they slowly looked from one side of the assembly to the other.
"Today, we gather for the sad but necessary task of saying goodbye to those we have lost in the last few days," Elsa said, her voice raised enough to be heard clearly through the large space before her. "This time we were fortunate that the Southern Isles' invasion fleet failed to claim any Arendellan lives, but the assassination attempt upon Princess Rapunzel of Corona and Anna and myself resulted in the deaths of twelve castle guards and three handmaidens, one from Corona and two from Arendelle."
She paused to steel her resolve, not wanting to cry in front of her and Anna's subjects; she felt Anna release her grip on Elsa's hand, only to step closer and slip her right arm around Elsa's waist, providing support both physical and emotional during the moment they had both dreaded most.
"Here, in the center of Arendelle's capital, we will remember those who have fallen in battle these last few months defending our nation and her Crown." Squeezing Anna more tightly to her, Elsa lifted her left arm as icy sparks and white light spilled from from her outstretched hand as it pointed toward the middle of the assembly area.
The work of designing the sculptures she and Anna had previously planned had already been done yesterday. With the input of two of the castle's engineers and architects, they had already created the first monument in one of the unused castle ballrooms the day before. After deciding upon the basic design, which Elsa had brought to life with her magic, the four of them had tweaked and made adjustments until Anna and Elsa both felt the final monument did justice to those who had died in the assassination attempt. Then Elsa had turned her attention to a second monument, one to remember those who had fallen in the Glavadian invasion. A list of names of those killed in the fighting had previously been prepared for record-keeping purposes, and Anna had spent nearly two hours reading each name while Elsa inscribed every one on the large wall of ice that would form the second monument they would be installing in the center of Arendelle's capital city. They had both been exhausted when they finally fell into their bed well after midnight, but it was a fatigue buoyed by a sense of deep accomplishment. And now it was time to share not just those two memorials but their vision with the rest of their country.
As Elsa's magic fell upon the stones making up the town square, streams of ice and snow danced and splashed as they created not just one monument but two—the first monument a large wall of ice on the far side of the town square, its organic lines suggesting the outlines of a glacier while its main face remained as smooth and flat as the surface of a frozen pond, its glassy surface etched with hundreds of names, each one a man, woman or child who had been killed by either the Glavadians in their attack on Arendelle or by the pirates and saboteurs from the Southern Isles in their decimation of Arendelle's navy and merchant ships.
The second monument quickly sprang to life just feet away from the platform supporting Anna and Elsa; it was also easily the size of a small house in area, with its rectangular shape delineated by twelve icy stelae, four marking the corners and the other eight evenly spaced along its perimeter. Each stele stood waist-high and bore the name of a castle guard who had been killed by Duke Hidalgo's assassins. Behind each stele stood an icy statue of each guardsman; Elsa and Anna had insisted upon viewing the body of each fallen guard to create the individual statues before the bodies were prepared for the customary funerary rites each guard's family had requested. It had been an emotionally excruciating but necessary task the two monarchs had insisted upon.
With the stelae in place and marking the monument's perimeter, the icy streams suddenly leapt toward the center, joining together into a large column of shimmering white so intense that several onlookers found themselves reflexively shading their eyes. In just a few seconds, the column of magic dissipated, revealing a raised dais supporting an icy statue depicting a scene that was all-too-terribly familiar to Anna and Elsa: the icy figures of Idunn and Ygrit, captured in their final kiss.
For the monument itself, Anna had successfully argued that the icy sculpture of Idunn and Ygrit should be made larger in scale, both to give the memorial's centerpiece a commanding presence as well as better reveal the figures' detail. Elsa also made the statue version firmly opaque, as she did with the stelae standing guard around it, further illuminating the detail and giving the monument a more statue-like appearance overall. The two of them had wanted to include the likeness of Corinne, Rapunzel's bodyguard who had been killed in the line of duty, beside the two Arendellan handmaidens, but Rapunzel had politely declined, explaining that the need for mystery and secrecy regarding her Whispers made such a touching gesture unworkable.
As the light flickers and flakes of magic blew away from the newly completed monuments in the town square, Elsa waited for the murmurs and exclamations scattered among the crowd to die down before speaking again.
"In the darkest hours of that bleak night two days ago, there was a single moment which outshone all the pain and suffering," Elsa spoke, pausing momentarily to reinforce her self-control, which remained more unshakable than Anna's during public speaking. "It is that moment which this central statue recognizes," she continued. "A moment when two brave handmaidens of Arendelle, Ygrit and Idunn, both dying from mortal wounds, asked us to marry them."
Now the last lingering whispers fell completely, totally silent. Even the winds restrained themselves as the assemblage waited upon Elsa's next words.
"You see, these two handmaidens had fallen in love several years ago," Elsa continued, a fleeting waver in her voice manifesting for a heartbeat before falling back under the Winter Queen's control. "They had quietly built a life together, married in all but name, after each of them losing her entire family, one to sickness, the other to brigands. Despite losing all they had known while yet in childhood, they still managed to not only survive but to rediscover love in their hearts. Shown here is their last act, an act of love and devotion to each other. Despite them both dying, despite their pain and anguish, they chose to make their last moment of life... a moment of love."
Elsa heard Anna sniff beside her; she knew Anna was weeping, but she also knew that if she turned to where she could see Anna's tears, it would break her own composure, held by the barest thread at the moment. Similar sobs and noises could be heard at several points in the people gathered around them as well; Elsa swallowed and pressed on while her emotions still allowed her to do so.
"Anna and I granted their last wishes. Ygrit and Idunn died as wives, and this morning their union was recorded officially in the nation's records. While their bravery and valor in defending Anna and myself was breathtaking, with Ygrit killing three would-be assassins and Idunn slaying a fourth, their loyalty and devotion not just to Arendelle and the crown but to each other as well..."
Elsa smiled sadly as she looked across the crowd before them, first the left, then the right. "While we have recognized Ygrit's bravery and valor in combat earlier this morning by making her the first woman knighted in the history of Arendelle, it was that loyalty, that devotion, which were their most wonderful, extraordinary qualities of all. In honor of their sacrifice, Anna and I would like to recognize those other qualities in both women as well."
Elsa wiped brittle tears of ice crystals from her cheeks, helped by Anna's gentle fingers. Despite her desire to resist any possible loss of emotional control, Elsa found her head turning to regard her wife. As their gazes met, Elsa reached up and covered Anna's right hand where it rested lightly upon Elsa's right cheek. "I love you," Elsa said softly.
Anna's face trembled fleetingly as she managed to smile, her own green-blue eyes red and rimmed with tears of their own. "I love you, too," she managed to whisper despite her body shivering with emotion.
Elsa smiled wider at her wife before turning her attention back to the assemblage lining the town square. "For centuries, Arendelle has recognized that magic exists," she spoke, pausing enough for a single sharp laugh to emerge from somewhere in the crowd's ranks, followed by a few slightly uncomfortable but heartfelt laughs, Anna's among them. Elsa allowed herself to smile in acknowledgment of the humor in her words before continuing. "And that the most powerful magic of all is that of True Love." She lifted her and Anna's clasped hands, displaying that physical representation of their love and coupling.
"I regret that it took the death of two kind, sweet, wonderful girls for us to see that their True Love was just as worthy of recognition as mine and Anna's," Elsa said. "Therefore, in recognition of their love and service not just to Arendelle but to their own True Love, from this day forward the Crown of Arendelle shall recognize unions between two citizens who have freely and willingly devoted their lives to each other and demonstrate a true, abiding love for one another in all aspects of their lives—regardless of gender.
"This will not lessen or detract from existing marriages, nor do we wish this to impose discomfort or worry upon Arendelle's magistrates. Both the Summer Queen and I have faith in all of Arendelle's citizens and officials to continue to recognize love when they see it, and this is simply a way to honor that love in all freely consenting couples for which it blooms."
Anna's left arm wrapping around Elsa's waist made Elsa herself shiver with emotion. She swallowed despite the tightness of her throat, smiling as she looked briefly up to the gray skies. The clouds were full of snow begging to be released, but they were respectfully waiting for their two Queens to finish.
Elsa returned her gaze back to the crowds, this time to her right first, sweeping back to her left before speaking once more. "Should there be any magistrate who is not yet comfortable performing joining ceremonies for two men or two women, Anna and I will be willing to perform such ceremonies ourselves." Immediately a swell of hushed voices began to spread through the gathered crowds. Raising her voice to compensate for the threatening distraction, Elsa said, "However, it would not be fair for us to only perform such marriage ceremonies for... same-gender couples, if you will. Therefore, in remembrance of Ygrit and Idunn, twice a year, Anna and I will devote a day for us to perform marriage ceremonies for all couples so interested."
Gasps of surprise could be heard around the throngs of listeners, along with more than a few shouts and the occasional squeal of excitement. Elsa raised her free left hand and held it aloft until the crowds had quietened again. "Obviously, there will be some... logistics to work out, of course. And neither Anna nor I intend to put our magistrates and reeves out of work when it comes to performing marriages." Now chuckles and soft laughs could be heard around the square. "But we want to make sure all of Arendelle understands that love is the greatest magic, the most wonderful gift of all. Love is something to celebrate, to cherish, to honor and respect wherever and with whomever it blooms. And Anna and I will devote all of our power and resources to make sure that love is welcomed, honored, protected and celebrated in Arendelle."
Elsa looked once more at the icy representations of their fallen friends standing before them. "There were many names Anna and I discussed for the statue at the heart of this memorial," she said, tears again beginning to form in her eyes.
"That's for sure," Anna muttered softly, getting a soft squeeze of her hand in return that managed to be both a slight chastisement as well as a sign of affection, a expressive talent older sisters tended to be quite good with.
"In the end, though, it was much simpler to name than we had expected," Elsa said, smiling as she paused.
"Devotion."
—O—
As the sun slowly set that evening, the staff and inhabitants of Arendelle Castle gathered around the private dock reserved for the royal family. It was a place where four young women had spent several mornings and quite a few evenings over the last year talking, laughing, skipping stones and attempting—often poorly—to fish. Tonight, however, the dock and pier were host to much more than just four young women.
The pier, the dock, the walkway connecting the wooden structure to the land, the stone steps patiently winding their way up the slope to the castle itself, all were filled with workers, servants, handmaidens, dressmakers, tailors, stablehands, cooks, maids, coopers, farriers, carpenters, blacksmiths, pages and other castle workers. Royal guards held positions stretching from the stones of the castle itself down the paved pathway toward the docks, to the boarding ramp leading up and onto the only ship currently berthed at the royal dock, a small traditional longboat with dark sails already deployed.
From their place on the pier closest to the small ship, Elsa and Anna looked at the modest wooden bier in the midst of the carefully laid-out funeral pyre in the center of the ship. The flat surface of the bier lay empty atop the pyre, as the sun slowly, agonizingly made its descent. It had been nearly a century since Arendelle had seen a tradtional pyrrhic funeral at sea; designed to draw the attention of the gods and bear the spirits of the deceased directly to the afterlife upon the pillar of thick smoke from the pyre, it was a powerfully symbolic ritual reserved for royalty.
Until this day.
Finally, as less than a quarter of the now-orange orb cast its fading light upon the sad gathering, Elsa lifted her right hand and gestured toward the castle.
A scintillating, glimmering stream of white sprang forth from the castle, exiting through a window on the second floor as it wound its way through the still air to its destination. As the icy flow spilled onto the wooden bier, it reformed itself into two figures made of crystalline ice, both lying in repose and holding hands as they lay beside and against each other atop the flat wooden table in the pyre.
No words were spoken as Arendelle's queens ascended the boarding ramp to the longboat, although the only two people on the dock bearing lit torches—Captain Ewen and Admiral Kaarsten—both might have leaned those torches slightly farther away as their rulers boarded the funerary vessel to say their final goodbyes to their dearest friends.
Though Elsa had used her magic to change the positions of their icy bodies, both Idunn and Ygrit remained clearly recognizable, down to each lock of hair and each crease of fabric in their nightgowns. Only the abscence of color and movement indicated the lack of life in the two young women who had begun as simple but devoted servants yet became as much family as friends to the two young queens.
"We couldn't save you," Elsa said as she carefully held a crown of wildflowers on the tips of her fingers above Idunn's still head. The sweet blonde had braided it for Ygrit the day Rapunzel had arrived in Corona, and the dry air in the basement room she and Ygrit had called their home had kept it preserved over the last four days. Elsa leaned down and gently placed the crown of flowers atop Idunn's head. "But we can recognize you as the family which you became for us."
Anna refused to wipe her tears as she looked down at Ygrit's face, now appearing to be peacefully asleep, as Idunn's was. The hot tears dripped onto Ygrit's icy figure as Anna respectfully lay the younger girl's spear and sword atop her chest, then placed her shield over her legs. "You helped train me to protect Elsa," Anna said, trying not to sob as she spoke. "And I trusted you to guard me, and to guard her, like no one else." She shook briefly as she leaned forward and placed a kiss on Ygrit's forehead. "Thank you for all you did, for all you were, to both of us."
She looked up at Elsa, and the two of them switched places silently.
Elsa smiled as she looked down upon the young woman who had been her closest companion for over ten years, until the events of the somewhat inaccurately named Eternal Winter. "Thank you for listening to me, for being there for me when I needed someone to prove to me that I still deserved to draw breath. Thank you for being with Anna when she needed a spear and shield, not a sister. Brave, brave Ygrit. Perhaps one day Anna and I will see your smile and hear your voice again."
Anna knelt beside Idunn's still figure, mouth trembling and nose sniffling as she tried to think coherently. "Idunn, I'm sorry for every time I was ever short with you, or spoke harshly to you, or got you in trouble because I ran off or got into something I wasn't supposed to. I never did any of that because I was angry with you, or because I didn't like you." She looked up and sighed heavily, wiping tears before looking back down and continuing. "You were just the closest I had to Elsa."
She felt the ship shift slightly as Elsa moved to stand behind her; when Elsa's fingers rested atop her shoulders, Anna closed her eyes and drew as much strength as she could from Elsa's loving touch. "Thank you for putting up with me and all the trouble I caused for so many years," Anna said, her voice soft. "No matter what, you were always there for me, even when I didn't want you there. Elsa told me she turned down having you as her handmaiden because you were the most dependable one there was, and she thought I needed you more than she did."
Tears streamed down Anna's eyes as she nodded to herself. "She was right," she whispered. Carefully Anna leaned forward and placed a kiss on Idunn's forehead. "Goodbye, Idunn," she said tenderly. "More than anyone I know, you deserved a full, happy life. But knowing you, if I could ask you right now—" She stopped, jaw clenched tightly as she fought her emotions for control for long, painful seconds. "—You'd say you had one."
Anna closed her eyes and stood, turning and falling into Elsa's waiting embrace as she let herself cry without further reservation. Elsa did the same, both leaning on each other as they gave vent to their sorrow and grief for several minutes.
Finally their tears had subsided to the point that they were able to slowly, deliberately draw deep breaths. Anna looked up to Elsa, her gaze communicating all the emotions her mouth was unable to; she saw that same array of jumbled, tumumptuous emotions reflected back at her, and the love and support she saw mirrored in those cool sapphire eyes provided all the support she could ever need for anything, without requiring a single word or action in return.
"This was what they had with each other," Anna whispered against Elsa's shoulder, where her face was currently securely buried. "And there's no feeling in the world more wonderful, more amazing, than this acceptance."
"I agree," Elsa replied, basking in the same sensations as Anna at that moment. "They deserved it."
Anna nodded against the fabric of Elsa's dress. "They did," she agreed.
Eventually they were able to stand on their own once more. They took each other's hand, Anna on the right and Elsa on the left, as they made their way carefully down the platform back onto the dock;as their feet touched the wooden planks of the pier, the boarding ramp was quickly removed by pages. As the two queens turned to face the simple, old but intricately carved ship, Elsa lifted her free arm and gestured toward the vessel. Instantly winds surged forth, filling the sails with a crisp snap and sending the boat on its way out of the private harbor and on its journey toward Asgard.
As tears were quietly and not-so-quietly shed while the assembled castle watch the ship Anna had renamed Venn quickly overcome the coastal tides with the help of the winds propelling it, Rapunzel slipped forward, standing on Elsa's other side, opposite Anna. The Coronan princess's long blonde hair blew lightly in the wind as she held Elsa's other hand in support.
After long minutes of quiet goodbyes, one of the guards stepped forward, stopping just beside and behind Anna. In his left hand, protected by two thick gloves he awkwardly wore, he held Anna's bow and a single icy arrow; without any need for a command, he extended the items to the Summer Queen.
Anna nodded, taking the magical items and knocking the arrow on the bowstring. She held them up in front of her while a second guard carefully wrapped and tied a simple oil-soaked cloth around the shaft of the glistening silvery arrow just behind the arrowhead. Once he was satisfied it was secure, Anna turned to Captain Ewen.
The older man took the few steps toward her, extending his lit torch and carefully, deliberately igniting the cloth tied around the magical arrow. He met Anna's somber gaze and nodded once, then he stepped back, returning to his previous place on the edge of the pier.
Anna turned her body to face the departing ship as it continued its journey out to sea. She held her position briefly; when she felt Elsa warmly grasp her right shoulder, she smiled to herself and held her position for several more seconds, watching the shrinking sight of the Venn as it carried the remains of their two friends away.
"The ice isn't going to put out the fire, is it?" Anna quietly asked, turning abruptly to face Elsa.
Elsa shook her head patiently. "No. Pyres grow hot enough to reduce bones to ash. A little water isn't going to put it out." She smiled sadly at her partner. "And I told the ice that it was okay for it to burn, this time."
"Handy skill you have," Anna said, trying to lighten the sadness clenching both of their hearts.
"Sometimes it is," Elsa agreed. She slowly placed a tender kiss on Anna's right cheek. "Open their door to the next world, my love. They're counting on you."
Anna returned Elsa's wan but sincere smile, then she turned to face the receding longboat once more. She lifted her bow, drawing back the string and aiming as she visualized the arrow landing directly in the carefully arranged pyre, just at their friends' feet. She took a deep breath, held it patiently, then released the drawstring.
The fiery missile streaked into the quickening sky, arcing patiently and inexorably toward its target until it landed true, sinking between several carefully arranged pieces of kindling.
Within minutes the flames of the pyre were visible from shore, licking the sides of the ship as they grew ever higher, slowly, hungrily consuming all upon the vessel, fed and bolstered by the winds Elsa had sent. Thick white-grey smoke billowed forth with the rising tendrils of flame, rising on a journey from this world to the next.
Back on the private docks and on the castle grounds, several hundred stood at solemn attention and said their own silent goodbyes. Anna and Elsa once more stood holding each other, Anna's left hand still gripping her bow numbly as the two sisters watched the fire disappear into the night.
"Whatever gods there may be, grant them warm welcome," Elsa whispered, so softly as to only be audible to Anna and Rapunzel, who still stood with her left arm not only around Elsa's waist but now resting on Anna's lower back as well.
"And remember..." Anna added, her own whispered voice quiet but rigid as tempered steel. "If you don't treat them well, you'll have to answer to us."
—O—
Author's Afterword: And this brings us to what suffices as a proper ending to this story. It's not fully, completely over yet, as there will be three more epilogues, each of which I will post as chapters to this story here. I'm not flagging this story "Complete" until all three epilogues are added, as each of those epi-chapters will tell one more piece of the broader story, each step taking us into the future to fully tell the entire story I have outlined. This way I can provide an ending for everyone right now, with the ultimate Ending three more chapters away. I decided to do this as a result of the delays over the last few months, so all who have enjoyed this story can move on, satisfied with a solid stopping point and with the knowledge that there are still a few more visits to Arendelle to complete this tale of Anna and Elsa.
For those curious, Folkvangr is Freya's hall of fallen warriors, the counterpart to Odin's Valhalla. According to forklore, Freya and Odin agreed to each take half of the brave warriors who fell in battle, although Valhalla tends to be the more widely known and recognized of the two halls of dead heroes. For those of you who are curious as to what Idunn and Ygrit look like, the answer rests with a very talented artist who brought them to life a few months ago. You can find her tumblr by searching for Vienna Orlando, or her Deviant Art page under Veglia Serena. Giulia has done several commissions for me, and the last of those commissions she used to capture a picture of Elsa, Anna, Idunn and Ygrit in happier times. I used to have direct links to her works on my bio page, but FFNet isn't allowing direct links at this time. It's worth taking the minute or two it takes to find her pages, because she's quite talented and incredibly sweet.
Thank you, all of you, for making this journey with me. Thank you for putting up with the frustrating delays and my slow writing and posting. Those of you who plan to return for the epilogues, I look forward to seeing you again, hopefully with the next chapter up within a month or so. Those of you who are content with the ending as it stands here, thank you so much for spending this time with me. I hope I've been able to provide entertainment and a worthy journey for you mentally and emotionally. I hope I can see all of you again soon, as I still have my Elsanna fairy tale to write in the future, plus I have an idea for a second chapter of "Exclusive!" that refuses to leave me alone (karaoke, anyone?)
Thank you for being such wonderful readers. I love you all, and I wish you only the best in the future. See you soon!