What were they supposed to do now? Nothing was happening, other than the Beast's demise. Wirt fell down on his knees, from all the pain he'd endured.
"Wirt!" Beatrice went to catch him. "You alright?" She asked.
"I'm fine." He smiled up at her. "Can...can I see your back?" He asked with worry. She nodded in understanding.
"How...how many feathers do I have left?" She asked him.
"Still a couple." He counted. "Enough to spare." He joked, she pushed his shoulder.
"Don't joke about that." She said seriously. "I really thought you were dead." She sat down next to him, taking deep breaths.
"Well...we technically are." He said. "I still can't believe we won..." He looked down at where the Beast was.
"Did we? Nothing's happened." She looked around. "So, what now?" She looked back at the bonfire. "This isn't going to go out. It said so." She reminded.
"Its fine. It'll serve as a reminder of our victory here. Or a symbol of how wanting something could lead to your destruction. I don't know." Wirt chuckled.
"Idiot." She smiled at him. "You're going to find a deeper meaning to this." She gestured to their surrounding.
"What can I say? I'm a poet, aren't I?" He smiled. She shook her head tauntingly before looking at him with a sad smile. It was then that she gently kissed his cheek, much to his surprise. He blushed softly, even more so as she kissed him again and again, each time getting closer and closer to his lips until she did. To which she remained there for a couple moments.
"Don't ever do something stupid again." She held him by his collar. Too embarrassed and shocked by her actions, all he could do in return was nod. "Well...what are you waiting for? Aren't you going to return the favor?" She goaded him. Snapping out of his stupor, he reached for the back of her neck and pulled her in for a kiss of his own. When they broke apart, she chuckled at him. "Pushover." She reminded him, causing him to laugh. They then looked into the woods, not as dark as before.
"I...I think we should head back to the mansion..." He suggested. "We're keeping a lot of people waiting for us." He smiled.
"Eager to get married, huh?" She teased.
"Um...well. I'm not...um..." He didn't know what to say. Beatrice then punched his shoulder lightly. "I'm just teasing you. It'll obviously be for show." She kissed the tip of his nose as she took his hand. "Let's go." She said, he nodded and let her lead the way. Away from the bonfire.
The entirety of the walk back to Endicott's mansion was quiet, both of them holding hands. Wirt still hadn't healed from his wounds, but he felt great simply having her hand in his.
"Wirt." She squeezed his hand sadly.
"Yes?" He turned to her.
"Did you...go back?" She asked.
"What?" He looked at her in confusion.
"I mean...when the Beast...crushed you within the boat...did you go back to...the other side?" She asked more specifically.
"Oh...well." He scratched the back of his head. "I did. I saw Greg...and a doctor. But I knew I had unfinished business here." He admitted.
"You chose to come back here?" She asked.
"I did...its like you said. Here...I'm a hero. I'm known as the pilgrim. And...I guess you've been my angel in my travels." He smiled back at her.
"You're such an idiot." She scoffed happily, before kissing his cheek.
"My blue winged angel." He smiled.
They finally arrived at the gates of Endicott's Mansion. Where everything was in order the way they've left it. Beatrice rung a bell on the gate and soon came Fred to let them in.
"Are you guys ok?!" He worried. "I thought that you guys lost!" He exclaimed.
"We're fine Fred." Wirt confirmed. "But um...we would love it if we could relax here." Wirt chuckled.
"Of course!" He said, rushing them inside. They recognized the familiar faces of the survivors of the Unknown. Many looking at Wirt with concern and relief, and others with hatred and fear.
"You!" Said the Butcher. "The Pilgrim is back!" He yelled, causing an uproar of thunderous cheers and some silent glares.
"Speech! Speech! Speech!" Many began to chant, even dragging him to the center of the room.
"Gee...I don't know what to say..." Wirt said as he looked for Beatrice for support, who looked at him with a smile.
"How about an apology?!" Yelled the Woodsman. Much to his surprise. "Boy! Do you've any idea the damage your decisions have done?!" He stood up to walk up to Wirt. "I've lost my daughter in place of your brother's soul!" He threw his arm out to gesture to the crowd. "They've lost everything! What say you?! Stupid boy."
Wirt looked over the crowd who was both glaring and giving him sympathetic looks. He sighed, closing his eyes in contemplation before opening them.
"I'm sorry." He said, sincerely. Much to the confusion of them all. "I know I've caused all this." He looks out into the Unknown. "And it cost you all something and worse, someone you love. And I can never tell you how sorry I am." Wirt's eyes began to water. "You all have every right to be angry at me. And whatever you guys decide to do with me, I'll accept." Their looks of confusion only grew. "But I can guarantee you that I tried to fix it. The Beast...is dead." He revealed.
There were audible gasps in the audience, then the Woodsman grabbed at his collar.
"You killed it?" He asked. "How?!" He asked desperately, Wirt in turn gently removed his hands away from him.
"We did...We set it on fire...and we blew out the candle in the teapot...I mean the lantern." Wirt admitted.
"He's right." Beatrice finally stood and walked up to them. "It's dead. The woods and Unknown is safe." She inspired. "We destroyed the biggest threat around, and prior to this, we defeated even more." She said angrily at those who looked at him with such glares. "We got rid of the witch Adelaide." She said.
"They also cured my niece of her demon." Auntie whispers spoke out from the crowd, Lorna next to her.
"When did you guys get here." Wirt asked, now noticing their presence in their room.
"Word travels faster than you think." Lorna answered. "Congratulations on your engagement." She said with a sad smile.
"I...I..." Wirt couldn't find the words to explain himself, much to Beatrice's suspicion.
"Regardless" She reminded to get back on topic. "The Unknown is safe now. No more undead roam the land, and their souls are likely returned to their place of rest." She shared with sincerity.
There was a moment with the crowd that caused her to look back at them with worry. Wirt looked back at the Woodsman.
"It still doesn't bring back my daughter...I cannot bare to return to my empty home without her..." The larger man sat down. "I fear that the loneliness will be the death of me..." He took his hat off and rested his hands on his knees.
Before Wirt could go to comfort the Woodsman, a blinding white light appeared in front the mansion, grabbing everyone's attention.
"What's going on?!" Wirt turned to Beatrice.
"I don't know!" She shielded her eyes from the light shining through the windows.
The light soon faded bit by bit, to reveal that a woman with blue hair in a golden dress appeared. The crowd was speechless, looking at her, then back at Wirt. Wirt gulped before Beatrice grabbed a hold of his hand.
"We got this." She said. He nodded and took ahold of the axe one last time and both were the first out the large mansion doors to greet the woman. The rest of the crowd following close behind. As they all neared her, Wirt was the closest to her, everyone expecting a legendary confrontation between this boy with black antlers and this descending angel.
"Hello..." Wirt's voice croaked before he coughed to clear it. "Can we help you?" Everyone looked at each other in confusion.
"I am the Queen of Cloud City." She said, with a respectful curtsy. "And I have been watching your endeavors for quite some time. I was drastically afraid of granting Gregory his wish." She admitted.
"Wish? What wish?" Wirt had to do a double take at the mention of his brother. "How do you know him?" He asked.
"Shortly after you parted ways with your bird friend, both of you sought refuge beneath a tree. It was in a dream that I brought my kingdom to your brother. He was exceptionally pure of heart. Quite adorable as well." She smiled at the memory.
"Yeah...that's Greg." Wirt smiled sadly, remembering his brother's smile and sunshine attitude. Before he remembered the deal he struck with the beast. He shook the memory out of his head, knowing that in the waking world Greg was safe and awaiting for his likely impossible return. While he was contemplating, Beatrice stepped forward, all eyes on her.
"Hi, I'm Beatrice, the bird friend, pleasure to meet you, but...if I can ask, why are you here, exactly?" She asked, getting straight to the point. The crowd returned their eyes to the Queen.
"Why dear, I am here to right this boys wrongs." She said, ominously. Wirt looked up at her as if it were a threat. He gripped his axe defensively. "My power in the Unknown was limited due to the presence of the Beast and the fear it spread throughout it, but now with it gone, I can finally bring paradise to each and every one of you." She said. There was a sudden commotion in the crowd, mostly talk amongst them about what she meant.
"What do you mean by that?" Beatrice asked. The Queen looked deep into Beatrice's eyes and smiled.
"You wish to return your family to humans again." Her smile then softened. "But I can't grant your second desire." She said with a soft sigh. Beatrice was taken aback and confused by her statement, and before she could ask more about it, the Woodsman was pushing his way through the crowd.
"My daughter! Can you bring her back?!" He asked frantically and desperately. The Queen smiled at the devotion this father had.
"My dear sir, your daughter was never gone. The Beast never had her, and her soul was never in the lantern." She revealed.
"Wha-" He looked broken as the realization hit him.
"Go to your home, and you will find a welcoming surprise." She said. The Woodsman's eyes filled with tears and he quickly began to gather his things to start his travel home.
"Wait." Wirt said. "Don't you want this back?" Wirt asked, holding the axe out to the Woodsman. The larger man sighed and shook his head.
"No...I've committed too many wrongs with that axe, with you...it brought peace to the Unknown. You keep it. And allow it to clear even more paths in your future." The Woodsman placed his hand on Wirt's shoulder with a smile, to which Wirt smiled in return.
One by one, the residents of the Unknown began to approach the Queen with several questions, to which she had the patience to answer and bring back their loved ones. Ms. Langtree was reunited with her father and husband. The Frogs from the ferry were brought back, and returned Fred to a human form.
As she was granting their wishes, Wirt and Beatrice took a step back, figuring that they should be the last ones to ask her for their things.
"Looks like everything's going to be better." He smiled, caressing her hand in his. "What will...you do?"
"Reunite with my family, be the best sister and daughter I can be." She smiled. "You could come live with us." She looked up at him. "If you want." She added, hopefully.
"You think the'll take me in?" He pondered.
"The well-spoken pilgrim who brought an end to the Beast? My father will practically beg you to ask for my hand in marriage." They chuckled together, before a silent wind blew past them, suddenly changing their mood.
"I don't know if I can stay." Wirt admitted, looking down at the pond in front of them, admiring their reflection.
"Still...its a great dream to think about." Beatrice said, her hand squeezing his.
"I don't know what I'll do if I go back." He said. "Back home...I'm nobody." He said, doubting himself.
"Yeah...and you'll probably continue to be." She said.
"That's not very nice." He chuckled.
"Its the truth. Without me, you wouldn't be the hero they know you are now." She reminded him.
"That's true." He gave in, she scoffed and pulled his head to hers.
"Pushover." She kissed him softly. He smiled back down at her.
"I really hate to interrupt." The Queen said from behind them. "But the time has come." She said. They refused to turn back, both shedding a tear each as they kissed one final time.
"Goodbye, Beatrice."
"Goodbye, Wirt."