The Tides of Destruction

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Dénouement

"Sélene?"

In the midst of the celebration surrounding Maíreweth's revival, the raven-haired Véldenmaína nearly failed to recognize that her own name had been spoken. Turning toward the shore, she gasped, her hand flying to her lips as she recognized the figure rising from the waters.

"Veldre?" she whispered, her scarlet fin moving back and forth involuntarily in astonishment.

Sensing her needs, Kristoff gently lifted her once more, carrying her to the shoreline, smiling to himself as she nearly leapt from his arms to embrace the man of the sea that had spoken to her. As he watched in silence, Sélene let out a cry of happiness as she and the man of the waters clung tightly to each other, both too overcome with emotion to speak.

At long last, Éralen composed himself long enough to form the words he had longed to speak to his daughter. "Please forgive me, Sélene," he whispered in her ear. "I did not mean . . . What I said was said in anger! I would never want you to—"

She silenced him with a kiss upon his bearded cheek. "I know, Veldre," she responded, her voice soft. "Thank you."

Her father looked toward the Erthwélethwain upon the beach, shaking his head. "You . . . You have befriended them, Sélene?"

"Yes," the crimson-tailed Véldenmaína replied. "They . . . They are not our enemy, Veldre. They wish . . . They wish to forge an alliance with our people."

Éralen nodded as he regarded the party, reflecting upon all that had transpired within his own mind. "Then the prophecy was true after all," he whispered. "You . . . You have done what I for the longest time thought to be impossible. Your Mánawe would . . . She would have been proud of you."

He smiled as Áldendram surfaced beside him, the prince of the southern waters looking at him, as if for his approval. "I will leave the two of you alone. I believe you have much to discuss."

Sélene blushed mildly as Áldendram took her hand. Further along the beach, Underthen smiled as he and Élenway watched the reunion unfolding before them. "Isn't this nice?" he mused. "After all of this insanity, everything is finally coming back to normal."

"What are you talking about?!"

Ingeborson stood before them, his face red with indignation. "Do you have any idea just what has happened here? Two members of the Southern Isles' royal family are dead, including the rightful king! We have been involved in an attempted coup by . . . by . . ." His mustache quivered along with his hands, an unnatural purplish hue falling upon his cheeks. "And to top it all of . . ." He thrust his fingers into Underthen's and Élenway's faces. "You both still owe me money! Do you have any idea what you have done to me? I'm ruined, I tell you! Ruined—"

Before Underthen could attempt trying to find some way to talk the flummoxed minister down, Élenway stepped forward, her golden eyes alight, a mischievous twinkle present within them. "Just relax, Minister," she said. "This sort of reaction is not good for your health—"

"Damn my health!" Ingeborson roared, throwing his hands in the air. "That's the last thing on my mind right now, no thanks to you! I don't care what you are, I loaned you money—"

"Which is why I am so thankful that you were wise enough to do so," Élenway said, reaching into the pouch upon her belt, withdrawing a ten-inch-tall idol of glistening gold, the entire surface adorned with precious jewels. Rubies, emeralds, and diamonds sparkled as if bearing a life of their own as she handed the priceless artifact to Ingeborson. "I would hate to imagine something as valuable as this falling into someone else's hand."

Underthen inhaled sharply as Ingeborson's face went from purplish-red to white, his eyes widening in disbelief. "What . . . What is—"

Élenway laughed. "Call it a return on investment." Not missing a beat, she reached for the clasp of her cloak, unfastening it in order to remove a long, golden chain from around her neck that had previously been hidden by her tunic. "And this," she said, handing the chain to Underthen, watching in amusement as her friend and partner began to sputter incoherently as he saw the mammoth diamond suspended from the necklace. "This is for you."

Underthen thought for certain his eyes were about to bug out from his sockets. "You . . . You found it! You found the treasure after all!"

The Maíreth warrior raised an eyebrow. "Of course I did! I wasn't about to let you go home empty handed, after all."

"But . . ." Underthen was finding it difficult to form words in that moment. "But you . . . You left! Just like that! Without—"

She shot him her familiar expression of bemused exasperation. "Did you even read the note I left you?"

Underthen felt his cheeks turn red with embarrassment. "Um . . . What . . . What note, exactly?"

Sighing dramatically, Élenway thrust her hand into the pocket of Underthen's trousers, withdrawing a well-worn scrap of parchment. "This note."

Despite all he had been through, the writing upon the piece of parchment was as clear as day, unperturbed by smudge or blemish. "These are the directions to where it's hidden?" he asked sheepishly.

She nodded. "I found the entryway while you were sleeping the night I left. I managed to take along a few items, but . . ." An eager smile formed upon her lips. "But there is plenty more where these came from. More than enough for anyone to have within their lifetimes."

"I'll be the judge of that," Ingeborson stated, his eyes growing wide at the prospect of regaining all he had lost. "So what are the two of you standing around here for? I hired you for a job, and I expect you to finish it!"

Underthen looked at him, then back to Élenway. "Well . . . As long as you can lead us back there . . ."

Élenway smiled. "I think I can arrange that. My legion can wait for me while we have one last adventure. And if Míchaelin tries to argue, I suppose he'll just have to show some patience."

Underthen clasped Ingeborson's hand. "It's a deal. On one condition, however."

"What?!"

Ingeborson looked at him, his face becoming red once again. "After all that's happened, you want to throw more conditions—"

"We'll need an expert sailor to help navigate us back there," Ingeborson said. "Someone with experience. Someone who might have need of a large amount of treasure to pay off a debt, perhaps . . ."
Jack popped up next to Ingeborson. "Well, mates, normally I'd be most keen to volunteer, but after all of this, I would like to just—"

"Good Lord, not you!" Underthen cried out. Fixing his gaze upon Sanderson, he smiled. "Interested . . . partner?"
Sanderson whistled as he glanced back toward Valanda. "Just so we're clear," he said. "I've helped out, right? I mean, my taxes . . . You're going to forgive them, right?"

Valanda merely smiled in response, a mischievous look in her eye. "What taxes? Whatever are you talking about?"

Grinning, Sanderson clasped Underthen's hand tightly. "All right, then. You've got yourself a deal!"

Jack threw up his hands as he left the quartet to their plans, his steps carrying him further along the beach. "Well, that was right awkward." Making an elaborate gesture of straightening his hat, he waved toward the figures ahead. "Your Majesticfulness!" he called out, bowing low before the Queen.

Elsa and Maíreweth looked up from each other, the Queen smiling mildly as she regarded the pirate captain before her.

"I've got to tell you," Jack said, wiping his brow. "I've seen a lot of . . . of strange things in me time. But this . . . This is . . ." He looked at Elsa, for the first time in a long while at a loss for words. Finally, he laughed, shaking his head back and forth as he stared mournfully at his still-empty bottle. "You really know how to make a man's life interesting, savvy?"

Elsa and Maíreweth glanced at each other before bursting into laughter of their own. "We get that quite often," the Queen said. "More than you know."

"Ahoy, Your Majesty!"

All upon the beach glanced upward as the Black Pearl dropped anchor off the shore, her black sails shining in the brilliant sunlight, her impressive form commanding dignity and respect despite the obvious damage that had been done to the vessel. Barbossa stood at the helm, his arms folded as he regarded his newfound allies below.

Elsa rose to her feet, her hands glistening as she stepped in front of Maíreweth. "Get out of here now, Captain, or I swear I will—"

"Mother, stop!"

Elsa looked down at her daughter, a look of confusion upon her face as the Véldenmaína reached for her hand, her golden fin brushing against the Queen's leg. "It's all right," she said. "Captain Barbossa's been working for us now. He's the one who was able to distract the navy long enough for—"

Her explanation was interrupted by Jack's cries of anguish, the normally unflappable pirate nearly inconsolable as he beheld the Pearl's injuries. "What . . . What the . . . How . . .?" His expression darkened as he looked upward at Barbossa. "Hector! What have you done to me ship?!"

Barbossa smiled, bemused. "Relax, Jack. It takes more than just a few scratches to seriously damage the Black Pearl." His gaze fell back upon Elsa, his fingers slowly stroking his bearded chin as he slowly made his way down the ramp Wilkins and his men had extended from the deck of the Pearl to the beach. Stopping before Elsa, he tipped his cap to her. "No hard feelings, Your Majesty?"

Anna, Alúvelin, and Valanda glanced at each other before shooting Barbossa a look of outrage. "You destroyed Arendelle's harbor!" Anna snapped, her fists clenched tightly in righteous indignation. "You threatened to do even worse unless Elsa—"

Barbossa raised his hands nonchalantly. "'Twas all part of me employment, Your Highness," he offered. "Surely, ye can understand. But things be different between us now."

Alúvelin shook her head disapprovingly, wincing mildly as a brief sensation of pain rang through her freshly-healed wounds. "How charitable of you. So nice of you to change your allegiances when it suits your interests."

Barbossa shrugged. "What can I say? It's who I am, after all." He glanced toward Sebastiaan and Philomena, shaking his head. "As I was saying, when someone comes along and offers me an even better arrangement . . ."

His gaze fell upon Maíreweth. "Well, Miss Maíreweth. It be time at last for ye to repay your end of our bargain."

Elsa felt her breath catch in her throat as she looked down at her daughter, her expression fraught with concern. "What . . . What is he talking about, Maíreweth?"

The golden-finned Véldenmaína's eyes fell upon the sand, her face suddenly filled with sadness. "I . . . I made a deal with him, Mother. It was the only way to get him to help us! Without him, their ships would have stopped you before you could . . . I mean, I had to—"
Elsa snapped her focus back to Barbossa, her eyes filled with coldness as she glared at him. "No. Absolutely not. I don't care what she said! She's not going with you!"

Barbossa laughed, his eyes markedly filled with a mixture of respect and derision. "I'm sorry ye be feeling that way, Your Majesty, but we had a deal. Are ye telling me that the Queen of Arendelle is one to permit others within her charge to go back upon their word—"

"You can't have her!" Elsa drew herself to her full height, refusing to back down. "I will give you literally anything else you want. Just . . . Just not her! Please . . ."

Barbossa glanced to Wilkins, then back at Elsa, his lips drawn tightly beneath his beard. "Well, then. It would appear, Your Majesty, that we have reached an impasse. One that will force me to make life very, very difficult for your kingdom." He stroked his beard slowly. "Of course, if ye enjoy having your lands bombarded with cannon fire, then, by all means, continue to renege on your—"

Jack cleared his throat, whistling quietly. "Now, Hector. Perhaps I can be of some assistance in this matter. After all, remember our deal . . ."

Barbossa looked upon Jack in bewilderment. "Yes. Let's talk about that deal right now, Jack. I still have no idea just what ye were trying to say."

Jack smiled as he gestured toward Elsa. "If you recall, Hector, I promised ye a partnership of the highest order. Just like the old days, with a fifty–fifty—"

"Sixty–forty," Barbossa corrected as he regarded his former associate with a look of confusion. "But I still don't see—"

Grinning widely, Jack made a point of bowing dramatically low toward Elsa. "Your Majesticfulness, if it pleases ye, might I suggest ye show the good Captain here just what we agreed to?"

Understanding dawning upon her, Elsa nodded. Extending her hand, she concentrated, the circle etched into the back of her hand glistening intently as silvery light poured forth from her fingertips, culminating in the opening of a large gateway just before the Pearl.

Barbossa's jaw dropped, the wind swirling about as he stared at the apparition before him. Finally finding his voice, he looked back at Jack. "What . . . What is this?"

Smiling, Jack pointed toward the gateway. "That, mate, is the way back home. Just like I promised ye."

The captain of the Black Pearl nodded as he regarded this new turn of events. Turning back to Elsa, he smiled. "Well played, Your Majesty. Well played, indeed."

The Queen raised an eyebrow at him. "Take what I'm offering you, Captain, before I change my mind. Go home. And in exchange . . ."

"Of course," Barbossa said, looking down at Maíreweth. "You are very fortunate, Miss Maíreweth, to have such a resourceful mother."

"I know," Maíreweth said softly, her hand resting upon Elsa's ankle. "More than you realize."

With a cry, Barbossa whirled about, storming up the ramp, Wilkins following closely behind. "Raise anchor!" he ordered. "Set the sails, gentlemen. We are going home!"

Jack stepped forward until he was before Elsa, his roguish grin now wider than ever. "Well, Your Majesticfulness. This has been quite the adventure, I must say. Know that if ye ever are in Tortuga, be sure to look me up." He cocked his head as a thought came upon him. "Of course, if ye are ever in such bad shape that ye need me help again, ye may just want to—"

Elsa laughed, relieved to hear her own voice filled with such levity after the events of the past few days. "Goodbye, Jack. And thank you."

Jack made his way up the ramp, pausing as he reached the apex, turning about to regard the party upon the beach. "Ladies and gentlemen!" he pronounced dramatically. "You will always remember this as the day when Captain Jack Sparrow saved your land from—"

His words disappeared as the Black Pearl suddenly lurched forward, sending him flying backward upon the deck. All upon the beach watched as the great vessel sailed into the swirling portal of light, a blinding flash filling their eyes as she vanished without a trace.

"You know," Underthen mused as he glanced toward the party. "I'm actually going to miss him. Just a bit."

I know, Elsa thought to herself as her eyes remained fixated upon the calm waters where the black ship had been moments earlier. I know.

"Thank you so much for everything, Elsa."

Elsa nodded as Philomena hugged her tightly, Sebastiaan, Gerhard, Reynold, and Francis standing behind her, their feet resting upon the wooden dock before the Valiant.

"Thank you," Elsa replied. "Thank you for allowing us to borrow one of your captains to take us home."

Sebastiaan waved his hand. "It was nothing. After all you have done for us . . . for me . . ."

Anna and Kristoff looked at the newly-crowned monarch of the Southern Isles, the twins standing quietly at their sides. "What will you do now?" Kristoff asked. "Now that the funeral is over, I mean . . ."

Sebastiaan exhaled, his face creased with guilt as he recalled the somber requiem for Alwin and Frederik that Francis had officiated at in the kingdom's cathedral the previous day. Nearly the entire kingdom had turned out to pay their respects to the fallen monarchs, including dignitaries from the Four Kingdoms, as well as those of his other siblings who had been able to escape from their administrative duties in the far-off territories.

"I . . . I do not know," he confessed, Philomena patting his shoulder comfortingly. "Even though I know he is gone, I still worry that Asgard still is working through me, that each decision I make is for his benefit, rather than my people's." He looked Elsa in the eye, a haunted expression upon his face. "How . . . How do I live with that?"

Elsa closed her eyes momentarily as her mind was suddenly bombarded with memories of the decisions she had been forced to make, of the lives she had been responsible for sparing and ending. "I wish I could tell you it became easier," she admitted. "You will always have those voices in your head questioning you, forcing you to relive every choice you make again and again. But . . ." She took Sebastiaan's hand, her fingers cold to the touch as they closed around his wrist. "But with faith and . . ."

She smiled at Anna, Alúvelin, and Valanda, their presence meaning more to her in that moment than ever before. "And with the love of those who care for you, you will be fine. Asgard had his way with me, as well, Sebastiaan. But he is gone now. Please. Be at peace."

Sebastiaan nodded as Francis clapped his palm against his back reassuringly. "Very well," he said. "I . . . I suppose I should honor Alwin's work by implementing the reforms he envisioned for our tax laws. Algernon . . . He will be most pleased . . ."

Releasing his grip on her hand, Sebastiaan bowed low before Elsa, holding his position for an extended period of time before finally rising. "Farewell, Elsa. I . . . I will never allow my people to forget what you have done for us. Thank you . . ."

Philomena embraced Alúvelin, holding the red-haired Empress tightly in her arms. "Please, come back again someday," she whispered in her ear. "You've become such a good friend . . ."

Alúvelin smiled. "Don't worry. I intend to. That's a promise."

Kristoff found himself unable to resist. "If Anlerusk ever lets her leave Arendelle again after this mess . . ."

"He's not my boyfriend!" Alúvelin groaned, rolling her eyes as she and Kristoff continued their playful bickering as they made their way aboard the Valiant, Valanda and the twins close at hand.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Kristoff corrected himself, glancing about to make certain Élsaweth and Célebron were out of earshot. "I forgot: You just 'enjoy his company' . . ."

"Mother!" Alúvelin cried out in exasperation.

Valanda threw up her hands. "Don't drag me into this, adamera! I don't want anything to do with this . . ."

"Elsa!"

Elsa and Anna turned to face the deck of the Valiant to see Sanderson at the helm, Underthen and Élenway close at hand, Ingeborson watching them like a hawk, his mustache twitching along with his lip.

"Elsa, we need to leave soon!" Sanderson called out. "The wind is with us, but I don't know for how much longer."

Anna kissed her sister on the cheek as she made her way to the ship. "The rest of us have already said goodbye to her," she said, her face suddenly marked by sadness. "The twins were . . . They'll be fine. But you . . . You take all the time you need. Okay?"

Nodding, Elsa took her leave of Sebastiaan and his siblings as she made her way to the soft sand just off the coast of the ocean, her gaze falling upon Sélene and . . .

Maíreweth looked up from the water at her mother, her spirit torn. "Mother, I . . . I don't want you to think that I'm rejecting you. I would never . . . But I . . . I . . ."

She exhaled, her hands running through her platinum hair as she fought to think of the words she needed. "I feel as though this is where I belong, Mother. When I'm . . . When I'm in the water, I just . . . I just . . ."

"You feel free."

Elsa's voice was soft, her expression inscrutable as she looked upon her adopted daughter.

Maíreweth nodded in response, a questioning look upon her face. "Y– . . . Yes. How did you—"

Elsa kneeled beside her, her thoughts returning to a night many years ago, high upon a mountain above her kingdom, a night when she had finally released all the fear and control that had been tormenting her. "I understand more than you could ever know," she whispered, kissing her daughter's brow. "You need to promise me something."

Maíreweth looked at her mother hesitatingly. "What . . . What is it?"

Elsa smiled as she ran her hand lovingly through her daughter's wet hair. "That you will be happy. That you will live every day as if it is your last. That you . . ." Her words caught in her throat as tears began to fall from her eyes. "That you will never let anyone tell you what you cannot do." She cleared her throat, forcing herself to remain strong. "Do you understand?"

Elsa and Maíreweth embraced, each crying uncontrollably as they clung tightly to one another, Maíreweth's golden fin flicking back and forth upon the sand. Finally, after what seemed like hours, they relinquished their hold on one another, the Véldenmaína pulling herself into the waters that now felt like home to her.

Turning to Sélene, Elsa bowed. "Take care of her. Please. Promise me that you will."

Sélene wrapped her arm around Maíreweth's waist. "I will, Elsa. You have my word. And . . . And thank you for all that you have done for us."

Elsa's hands clasped Maíreweth's cheeks as she kissed her daughter's brow. "Now go," she said softly. "Be free, Maíreweth. Be free . . ."

Mother and daughter touched their hands to one another, their fingertips glowing blue as icy crystals flowed upon the sand, forming the same ice sculpture of two female figures wrapped in each other's arms that Maíreweth had given Elsa days earlier, save for the fact that one of the figures now possessed fins instead of legs, just like . . .

Laughing despite her tears, Elsa ran her hand over her daughter's icy counterpart. "It's just like you said, Maíreweth. Even apart, we will be—"

"Together," Maíreweth whispered.

Elsa nodded, their voices quietly sounding in unison: "Forever."

"Elsa, where are you? We need to go now!"

The Queen glanced upward at the sound of Sanderson's voice, her heart heavy as she rose to her feet. Turning her eyes back to the sea, she saw that Maíreweth and Sélene had disappeared, the waters calm, betraying no sign that they had ever existed. As she turned to make her way back to the Valiant, tears now flowing freely from her eyes, Elsa suddenly let out a cry of excitement as, toward the horizon, she saw Maíreweth leap from below the surface with an exuberant shout, her lithe form corkscrewing rapidly, her golden fin shining like the sun, the water droplets falling from her fluke turning to icy crystals as she crashed back below the waves.

Despite her sadness, Elsa could not help but be happy for her daughter as she saw just how ecstatic her new life had made her. Bending down, she picked up the small sculpture, cradling it in her hand before at long last joining her family aboard the Valiant.

Goodbye, Maíreweth, she thought as she took one last parting glance at the ocean waters, certain that, for the briefest of moments, she had seen her daughter's fin rise above the surface one last time. Goodbye . . .

AN: I apologize for how long it has taken to get this chapter up. There will be one more to come.