Epilogue
A royal celebration required fancy, Mikasa discovered. She also discovered Historia was a force of nature when the mermaid's mind was set.
She banished the boys, decreeing the women would dress together.
"It's special," Historia insisted as she patiently fastened what seemed like half a million buttons on the back of Mikasa's gown. "When we have a special celebration, my sisters and I prepare together. You're my sisters." She rested her cheek on the back on Mikasa's head. "I'll miss you so."
"Don't cry." Alarmed, Mikasa turned. "We won. We saved the worlds."
"We're still going to see each other." Annie moved in for a hard group hug. "We're a clan, remember? We'll come to your island, and Bertoldt will make your pool so you can come to us. And we'll all go to wherever Mikasa and Eren are."
"It's an oath."
"Pinky swear." Mikasa held up her pinky. "A very serious oath." She took Historia's, hooked it, and Annie added hers. "Done. I love you, girls, sincerely. And I'm going to need regular Armin and Bertoldt fixes."
"Could I have a favour?" Historia asked.
Annie kissed her cheek. "You have only to ask."
"I'm very excited for the celebration here tonight, but...Could we have one of our own? Just us, when we go back to Bertoldt's? A night for the six of us, without worry and weapons, before I go back to the sea?"
"That is the most excellent idea." Mikasa looked at Annie. "You up for that?"
"Absolutely. Biggest and best celebration ever."
"And done again. Okay, Historia, how about the big reveal?" Mikasa gestured to the mirror Historia had covered with a tapestry.
"Oh, yes." But first she gave her friends a long study, and a nod of approval. Then swept the tapestry aside with a flourish. "We are beautiful!"
"Whoa." Mikasa blinked.
She'd seen her companions, of course, Historia in a gown of blues and greens as iridescent as her mermaid's tail with her hair a glory of sleek braids streaming down her back. And Annie, hair in long, soft waves over a fluid down of silvery blue. But she barely recognized herself in a fitted gown the colour of crushed rose petals with a glimmering gold underskirt.
She touched a hand to her hair, Historia had managed to fluff and curl and add some style.
"We're rocking it." She slid an arm around Annie's waist as Historia did the same. Joining them. "We're badasses who clean up really well."
"Badasses," Historia repeated and laughed. "Beautiful badasses."
"That's who we are." Mikasa shot a finger at their reflection. "Let's go party."
She figured the endless primping time worth when she saw Eren's face. And more when he took her hand, bowed over it, kissed it. "Warrior queen. Mine."
"You looked pretty good yourself." She brushed her fingers over his doublet of silver. "Ready to do this thing?"
He offered her his arm, and though she laughed, she laid hers on it so they walked, all six, up the wide stairs.
People in their finery crowded the ballroom where tables groaned with food and platters of silver and gold. Lights sparkled from the ceiling, massive candles glowed, and jeweled trees shined the air scented with the perfume of masses of white flowers.
Doors and windows stood open wide to bring the sound of music and celebration from outside in.
As the six entered, conversation stopped. At some signal, the happy din from outside stilled. Men dropped to one knee; women swept into deep curtsies. And the queen rose from her chair, walked to them.
"Tonight we honor heroes." She curtsied before them, head bowed. "Your names, your deeds will be remembered for all time, and celebrated on this night through the ages. You, and all who come from you, will be welcome here, always."
She rose, took Bertoldt's hand, took Annie's. "Bertoldt Hoover, Annie Leonhart. You have only to ask."
"I've been given more than I ever dared to wish. I found myself," Annie told her. "And love. And family."
"I have my heart." Bertoldt brought Annie's other hand to his heart. "Brothers, sisters. What I am, what I have, is stronger for it."
"You are well matched. When it comes my time for a life mate, I hope to find such harmony. Out blessings on you."
She turned to Historia and Armin, took their hands. "Armin Arlert, Historia Reiss of the waters, you have only to ask."
"Everything I could want is right here with me," Armin said. "I don't travel alone anymore."
"I wished for Armin, with all my heart, and my wish was granted. I kept my oath, and my people can have pride. I have a new family, and we have promised to come together."
"Child of the sea, your heart is so kind. Would you not ask for the one thing still held inside?"
Now Historia bowed her head. "The moon must turn, my lady, for the worlds to be. I can't ask."
"The moon will turn, and you may ask."
"But I..." She lifted her head, eyes wide and full of hope. "The legs? I could keep them?"
"If this is your wish. Daughter of the sea, and of the land. Would you wish to be of both worlds?"
"Oh, yes!"
"Wait. She wouldn't have to give up her parents, her sisters, her people?"
"She has, as you have, given all. She gives up nothing. Yes," Ymir said, smiling back at Historia. "There can be children."
Tears sprang to Historia's eyes as she laughed, flung her arms around the queen. Mikasa braced, waiting for lightning to strike at the breach in protocol. But the queen only laughed in turn.
"You are joy, and deserve to have it."
"Thank you, thank you. Armin!" Historia whirled, threw her arms around him. "I can walk and dance with you. We can make children."
When she whispered in his ear, he cleared his throat. "Yeah, we can do that, right after the party." Heart in his eyes, he looked over Historia's head to the queen. "Thank you."
"You would not ask it for yourself. You are well matched. Our blessings on you."
She turned to Mikasa and Eren. "Eren Jaeger, Mikasa Ackerman, you have only to ask."
"I have a million questions," Mikasa began, and made Ymir smile.
"This is not a wish, but study. You may stay or come back as you will, and learn. The Island of Glass of forever open to you. If you stay, time is different here. You would have more."
"No. No," Eren said, firm. "You have work, you have your pack," he said to Mikasa.
"It is for her to ask or not. Would you give up the moon, Mikasa Ackerman, the change and the wolf?"
"I-" Everything inside her knotted. "It's who I am. Eren-"
"It's who I love." To cut her off, he gripped her hands. "You thought I meant to strike you down that night, the first change, after the battle. But I was struck. And began to change. Those eyes, mein wolf. No, you give up nothing."
"It's who I am." Content, Mikasa turned back to the queen. "Having the door open here, that's a great gift to me. Thank you for it."
"I would have been sorry if you'd chosen differently."
As Ymir spoke, Mikasa saw the deer leaping over the path, the doe who came out of the woods, the woman holding a little girl on her hip, the rosy-cheeked maid who filled her bath.
"You're a shapeshifter."
"I am in all, of all. I was always with you. And you," she said to Eren. "Will you ask?"
"I have family again, and with them succeeded where I'd failed for three centuries. I have my wolf."
"The dark marked you, giving you what some men seek, knowing it would bring your grief. Light can lift it. Would you cast away immortality?"
"It can't be done. Even Bertoldt-" Eren caught the look in Bertoldt's eye. "It can?"
"I asked, and was shown. It can be done."
"Hold on. Not for me," Mikasa insisted. "And not on impulse. Dying's no picnic, and-"
"Three centuries doesn't qualify as impulse." Hope, real hope brought a kind of pain.
"A life with you? A real one? Really living, knowing a day us precious and finite? It's what I want. It's more than I ever thought to have."
"Then you must accept." Ymir held out her hand. A servant rushed forward, gave her a glass goblet. "From your brother."
Bertoldt took the goblet, and a vial of clear liquid from his pocket. "This is the water of life, conjured of light. Its purity defeats the dark, breaks the curse." He poured the water into the goblet. "If you choose to be mortal, drink."
Eren studied the water, thought of his life, the deaths, the battles, the long roads traveled alone.
He lifted the goblet to Bertoldt, then to Annie, to Historia and Armin in turn. And last to Mikasa.
To the love of his life.
"I want a pack of kids," he said, and drank.
"Wh-what?"
"You heard me." He waited a beat. "I don't feel any different."
"Be glad you didn't do a Marley and age three centuries. Define pack."
"We'll talk about it." He turned to the queen. "The first girl of our pack will have your name. However many days I have from this night, I'll be grateful."
"Well matched. I see an adventurous life ahead. Blessings on all of you. A queen may reign with kindness and care, with wisdom and justice, people may prosper, but without those who will risk all to stand against evil, no world can flourish."
There was music and feasting, wine and joy. The colour of sweeping skirts, the sparkle of light. Late in the night, amid the celebration, the queen and her goddesses led the way to the beach.
Sina held out the sword cased in a simple leather sheath. "This is yours, hunter of the moon."
"Seriously?" Mikasa stared at it. "I'm allowed to take it?"
"It is yours."
"She was our sister," Rose said. "We will mourn what she might have been."
"And grieve for what she chose to be," Maria added. "And cherish what has come home. For Ymir, the radiant, the Fire Star."
"For Ymir, the radiant, the Water Star." Rose turned with her sister.
"For Ymir, the radiant, the Ice Star." Sina lifted her hand with the other goddesses. In them the stars swirled and pulsed.
And flew, streaking into the sky, leaving their trail of light on their journey to the moon. The people of Glass roared as the stars settled, a perfect curve, to shine.
"And there they will ever be, for all the worlds to see, to wonder, to hope." Once more Ymir held out her hands. "Safe journey's, Guardians of Glass. The door will always be open for you."
"Go in joy." Maria crossed her hands over her heart.
"In love." Rose laid a hand on hers.
"In peace." Sina punched a fist to hers.
And Mikasa found herself standing with the others by the seawall of Bertoldt's home.
"Wow," Armin managed. "That just happened."
Laughing, still wearing the ball gown, Historia turned cartwheels over the lawn.
"Home again." Bertoldt drew Annie close.
"And all's well."
"I have a fucking magic sword."
Eren glanced to Mikasa. "You're going to need training."
"Yeah, yeah, but I've got a magic sword." She drew it, lifted it toward the sky. "And look."
The sword glinted as it pointed to the three stars under the moon. "There they are. We did that. And what do you think astronomers are going to have to say about it?"
"Only you," Eren said with a shake of his head. Then he cupped her face, looked into the eyes he loved. "Only you."
"I call for a moment. Gather up, team." Armin managed to grab Historia.
"A major moment." Mikasa clasped Eren's hand, slid an arm around Annie's waist. Waited while the others moved in close, joined.
So the guardians could stand, above the sea, under the Stars of Fortune.
United.
Yay! The finale! Hope you all enjoyed this amazing trilogy as much as I enjoyed showing you. I'm thinking of maybe doing another one, hmmm. I don't own anything.