For the first time in her life, Fallon Erica Fiore Dreyar stepped out into the palace gardens on a sunny afternoon, pausing to take in a deep breath. She felt nothing; no pain, no terror, no urge to cry. Her fingers danced over the edge of the stairs, leaving little impressions on the freshly fallen snow which had gathered there. The winter ball was three weeks away, what with the repairs needed in the ballroom after what had happened the night before. She set that aside. They were all alive and okay, and life would finally return to normal. They wouldn't have to live in fear. Fallon smiled, feeling lighter than she ever had and laughed, turning around suddenly upon hearing footsteps. She was quickly greeted with a snowball to the face.

"Gotcha!" Angelica Fernades giggled, her dark blue hair making her look paler than usual among the bright snow.

Fallon rolled her eyes and quickly made one which she threw back, getting Angelica in the shoulder. "Sylvain put you up to this, didn't he?"

Angel grinned. "Actually it was Ryan, but he -"

"I'm bored," He sauntered out from behind a hedge, extending his arms in exasperation. "I get home this morning to find out my mother killed a psychopath but I can't hear about it until she feels better. I need something to do, come on."

Angel socked him in the arm, adjusting her glasses with her free hand. "My mom hasn't told me anything either," She stuck her tongue out at him rather childishly. "You can't complain either!"

Ryan snorted. "The notion of your mother not having anything to say on the matter is laughable. Don't act as if you know nothing, Angel."

Fallon glanced between them. "You eavesdropped on her and Sieg, didn't you?"

Ange smiled innocently. "You're my best friend, I think you know the answer to that."

Ryan shook his head when the two of them started snickering.

"You and Fallon would be criminals if she weren't the heir apparent and both of your parents weren't on the Magic Council," He sent them both sideways looks. "I swear, it's almost ridiculous at this point, especially given that Angel -"

"Angel has done quite a number of things over the years," An amused voice commented, chuckling and stepping in through the gates, another with him. "Isn't that right, Erza?"

Erza sent her husband a pointed look. "She's not that bad."

Angel grinned. "Of course I'm not, I'm adorable!"

Erza raised an eyebrow. "Now, why do I feel suspicious all of the sudden?"

"Because she's probably scheming with Fallon and Annie already on things for them to do in the city," Ryan said, laughing heartily when Fallon smacked him upside the head. "Well? I'm not wrong! You three are going to wreak havoc on the city if you three are ever let outside again….which, all things considered, looks pretty likely!"

"We're not going to destroy things!" Fallon protested.

"And Annie's the tame one who keeps everyone in line!" Angel put in.

"If Annetta Fiore Dreyar is the one keeping people tame, I should probably be much more afraid," Jellal mildly remarked. "She's quite...chaotic."

Erza pointedly stepped on his foot.

"But," Jellal sent his wife a dark look. "Is she doing alright? She seemed almost as shaken as Laxus...and, to be honest, I have never seen him more afraid than he did last night."

"Annie's okay," Fallon told him, nervously glancing around. "But mommy and daddy don't want her straining herself until she's completely healed. Porlyusica had to give her a lot of stitches…."

"She seemed okay though," Angel shrugged. "I mean, she seemed like herself when we were hanging out earlier. She was the one who suggested I come find and mess with you in the first place. Good thing Ryan wanted to be entertained."

Ryan scowled. "Hey! That's not fair!"

"Well," Erza put in with a lighthearted smile. "It sounds about right….and thank God that's the case."


"The air really has changed over night," Makarov remarked, walking with Toma past the ballroom. "I'm amazed you were able to get the repairs started already."

"It wasn't particularly difficult to order," Toma shook his head. "And I think it best not to leave open the pain of what transpired. So much had accumulated and for it to end the way it did was not ideal for anyone. The Ishgar Magic Council has already sent a basic report of what occurred to its counterpart, the Alakitasia Magic Council. I suspect that Council will have its work cut out when it comes to addressing the state of the Empire, though I imagine, since Alvarez, Dragnorf, or whatever name you wish to recognise it by, was the only major power in the western continent that it will be an easier reconstruction process."

"Indeed," Makarov agreed. "Still, this is going to be a difficult situation. I don't doubt that there will be people in whatever government becomes established by that Council who hold Fiore in contempt and will not be open to diplomatic solutions."

Toma sighed. "I hope that to not be the case, though, from what little I know of the matter, I am inclined to believe that diplomacy will be possible."

Makarov considered that. "Fair enough."

The two men walked in contemplative silence for quite some time, their footsteps being the only noise to be heard. Makarov, however, found himself surprised when Toma paused. He smiled a little to himself when he saw the former king looking at the most recent portrait of the royal family, which had been done just a few weeks before Fallon's disappearance. With all the upheaval in the past year alone, to know that they were all still safe was truly a relief. Makarov, too, felt his heart warm seeing the way Laxus always looked at Hisui. He had spent so long worried about his grandson, worried about how difficult he had been, worried about the impact of Ivan's abuse. Seeing his marriage, his children, and just the person he had become had left Makarov never the more proud.

"A few weeks after I had suggested she spend some time away from the palace to get to know the kingdom in a….restrained environment, I never thought I would receive the letter from her that I did, telling me and Heather that she was in a relationship with your grandson," Toma laughed lightly. "I won't lie. I was a bit horrified, at first, to imagine my daughter with someone who wasn't of at least some standing...but, after he saved her life….well, I began to warm to him. After yelling at him a bit first, of course."

"He was quite terrified of you after that," Makarov remarked. "I recall Hisui telling him several times that he could embrace her or hold her hands without worrying about you going off on him again."

Toma smiled. "He didn't know it, but it was then that I realised it didn't matter he had nothing," He shook his head. "He loves her...and knowing that she felt the same way was ultimately what swayed me, my own fears aside. I just wish Heather had been able to meet our grandchildren...she would have loved them."

Makarov shook his head. "What happened to her was quite the tragedy. I lost my wife due to complications during childbirth, but what was done to Heather….it was brutal. I can't begin to imagine how that must have felt for you."

"What was worse was learning that it was almost certainly planned," Toma slowly began walking again, Makarov following him. "Mira and Freed discovered the information, I'm afraid….although Laxus and Hisui did tell us a few weeks later that the Fernadeses had given them information on Irene shortly before the christening….but she really did look nothing like she had then. I should have told them I had known her before then….Laxus later mentioned it had been in the report the Fernadeses had obtained, but he and Hisui - and the Fernadeses themselves - hadn't really believed it."

"Your hesitation was reasonable, however," Makarov countered, briefly glancing back at the ballroom. "But what's done is done, and it's over now. As you yourself noted, it is probably best we move forward."

Toma nodded, letting out a heavy sigh. "Yes," He agreed. "That would, in fact, be for the best."


"Mira still isn't feeling well, I'm afraid," Freed said, managing a small smile whilst joining the rest of the Thunder Legion in the drawing room. "But Porlyusica says she should recover. Same with Annetta, thankfully."

Hisui buried her face in her hands. "I'm still so worried about her. Both of them, of course, but especially Annie…" She sighed, and Laxus gently squeezed her knee.

"Angel said she sounded like herself," Caity said, awkwardly patting her shoulder. "But she's your daughter, it makes sense that you're worried."

"I know," Hisui hesitated for a few seconds. "There's just so much, I suppose, and it's….draining. And then there's the winter ball in a few weeks..."

"A sign things are returning to what they should be," Freed said, glancing to Bickslow, Lisanna, and Elfman, the three of whom were sending him variously annoyed looks. "What is it? That's a good thing, is it not?"

"You're dismissive," Lisanna said coldly. "I know you try to keep your emotions in check, but your wife just killed the woman who has been causing your family pain for decades. I don't care that you're open with your emotions to Mira, you -"

"Hey, Lis, come on, Freed's always been like this," Bickslow rustled her hair, and she tried not to give in to him. "He's a bit of a dick to everyone but Laxus and Mira. He thinks Laxus can do no wrong and I'm pretty sure he's killed people to keep Mira happy."

Everyone suddenly looked to Freed. Hisui, Laxus, Caity, and Evergreen shared an extremely nervous look (all four of them believing it to be possible) while Bickslow and Elfman laughed a little. Lisanna rolled her eyes, and Siegrain, ever the pragmatist, eyed Freed rather critically for a long moment.

"If you've killed anyone, you're the nicest murderer I've ever met," Siegrain said dryly. "Although I sincerely hope that Bix is simply making a dark joke."

"He better be," Evergreen said, brushing her hair over her shoulder. "I would rather not have to sleep with one eye open."

Freed rolled his eyes. "You all are impossible."

"We are?" Hisui raised an eyebrow. "That's rich, considering that you're the one who insisted just a few months ago that you couldn't watch Bickslow and Evergreen fight together in a doubles match in the Grand Magic Games because you thought they would kill each other rather than fight the other pair."

Freed scowled. "That," He said, sending Evergreen a harrowing look. "Was a genuine concern."

"I'll second that!" Caity said, laughing. "But not because I thought they'd kill each other! Just that Ever would turn him to stone after deciding he wasn't useful!"

"Hey!" Bickslow exclaimed, crossing his arms. "You both are such bitches, I swear!"

"Better believe it," Evergreen laughed, smacking him hard upside the head. "So, fuck you!"

"Good Lord," Freed shook his head, trying hard not to laugh himself. "Damn it, seems to me that we're too far gone. I suppose that is normal, though."

"Thank God," Caity took a sip of her wine with a brief smile. "I'm glad we're all alright, though. Last night….I still don't know what to make of it."

"None of us do," Hisui sighed, loosely embracing her friend. "I'm just relieved none of us were hurt too badly...though it may take Annie and Mira a while to recover."

"Annie's going to be fine," Laxus pulled her a little closer, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "I promise, 'Sui. I won't let anything happen."

She let him chastely kiss her, pausing to cup his cheek. "You never have let anything happen," Hisui whispered. "Not to me, and not to the kids."

Laxus nodded. "I believe you," He quietly replied. "And I'm always going to be here."

Hisui smiled weakly. "I know you will. Of that, I've never had any doubt."

Author's Note: two more chapters left! hopefully y'all enjoy the ending to this saga!

~~xoxo sleepyCJ