It's finally here! The very last part of this story! It will give you some look into what has happened to our couple, though it still leaves some gaps. With time I might fill them up as well, I love this story and will most likely update it occasionally with different outtakes, but for now here is the end!
Guest (1 chapter 16): I know, Astrid is someone I feel sorry for as well, but things get better!
Guest (2 + (3?)): I'm so happy you liked it! I have no plans for writing a sequel, but I do have some ideas that I think will be published as outtakes and they will be updated to this story and an reaction from Elsa's family could be one of those scenes ;)
Guest (4): Thank you! I'm very glad you liked it!
Guest (5): Thank you for reading it and joining in on the journey! It's you, the readers, who keep me writing!
Avamode: Wow, thank you so much for your wonderful review! I'm so happy you have enjoyed the journey and I really do hope you'll like to see where the characters have gone here in the epilogue! Unfortunately I won't write a sequel, but I will update outtakes/deleted scenes to this one now and then I think. There are moments, both during "Like growing frost" and after, that I have never written down and if I do, I'll share it with all of you! Once again, thank you!
Noctus Fury: I'm glad you liked all the fluff! To this story, there won't be a sequel, but I'll probably update some outtakes to this it and I have other projects in mind that will be up on this part of the site in the future. Hope to hear from you then and I'm also so happy that you've enjoyed the journey! It had been a joy reading your reviews for every chapter knowing you've followed it from chapter 1!
Laidyx: Haha I think the speech will be used, though how much effect it will have then can be very interesting! And you are very correct, the dance in the end was the dance from HTTYD 2 with Valka and Stoick! I just couldn't write this without putting it in there! ;) Haha if schools next for you, than that's the next step for both of us! It has been a joy hearing from you since chapter 1 and I hope your Christmas Eve was wonderful!
Epilogue
The sound of small feet drummed hastily through the corridors of the royal castle in Arendelle, the five royal children running as fast as they could to reach the courtyard. The youngest of them was a boy and, small for his age, he did his best to keep up with his older sister and three older cousins. They took longer steps than him and should have normally outran him, but he was fast for his age and on pure stubbornness he always managed to keep up.
Rushing around a corner his older sister Alva accidently bumped into Mr. Karlsson, the old butler nearly dropping the tray he was holding.
"Sorry Mr. Karlsson!" His sister screamed to the butler, the man sending a scolding look after them as they continued rushing down the corridor, finally seeing the huge doors that led out to courtyard.
"Come on!" Alva, his sister, shouted excitedly, all five of them rushing out of the doors that the attentive footmen opened for them. Coming out into the late afternoon sun, the warmth of summer hit them as they all looked up into the sky.
High up there, a dark spot was approaching from the mountains, and it was a sight they all had waited to see for a long time.
"I will never understand how you children can get out here so fast, weren't you at your lesson on the other side of the castle?" Aunt Anna said as she walked out to join them.
Her tummy was huge and his mother had told him it was because his aunt was carrying yet another cousin. Their cousin was late, not that the young boy really knew what that meant, but he really hoped the baby would hurry up. If it didn't he was afraid his auntie soon would blow up, even though his mother had told him he didn't have to worry about that.
"If I recall you were quite fast yourself before you and Kristoff started expanding your family constantly." Another warm voice suddenly said, his mother joining them out on the courtyard as his auntie stuck out her tongue to his mother with a smile on her face.
Seeing her, the young boy rushed over to his mother, reaching out his arms to her. With a warm smile, she immediately bent down and scooped him up into her arm.
"Do you think he has missed us mama?" He asked her, resting his head on her shoulder as they both looked up towards the black spot in the sky.
Unlike his papa, his auntie and everyone else, his mother was always cold. It was a big contrast to his own temperature, but he loved that it was. His mother was special, her cold embrace like a strong shelter that could keep out all the dangers of the word. He loved it, he loved that she was so different and that it was just the way it was.
"I know he has Daniel; he will have missed us as much as we have missed him." She answered, Daniel looking at his mother instead of the sky. He could see how the part of her that had been so gloom and empty for the last month was coming back to life again. He could see the special light in her eyes come back, the light that only lit up when his father was around.
It was always the same when his parents were separated. When they were apart they turned slightly empty and hollow, but he knew it was only because they loved each other so much. He had asked them once and they never lied.
"Do you think he brought Firefly with him as he promised?" Alva asked their mother, jumping up and down on the spot.
"Have your father ever broken a promise?" She responded, Alva giggling as shook her head with glowing eyes.
Looking at her children Elsa only felt an endless, deep love that she had never thought she would be allowed to experience. In her youth she had thought she would spend her life alone, instead she was married with two wonderful children.
Daniel was the spitting image of his father with dark unruly hair, freckles and a small build. The only thing that was her was his ice-blue eyes, for even in personality Daniel took after Hiccup. He was a thinker and a watcher. He loved studying the world around him and didn't like being the center of attention. He was already a very good artist and, even though he was only five years old, it was clear he was very intelligent. His teacher often praised him for his good work and for the fact that he was already far ahead others his age.
He was also a miracle. After several miscarriages, Elsa had finally become pregnant again. Everything had been going well and without any complications, at least until she had gone into labor three weeks prematurely. It had been long and complicated, the doctors doing what they could until it had been clear they could do no more. She had nearly lost her life to the blood loss while Daniel had been far too little for this world.
But by some miracle, they had both survived and managed to push through. Valka had arrived to Arendelle with Gothi from Berk and, along with the rest of the doctors in Arendelle, they had managed to find ways to keep both of them alive.
And during all the difficulties, Hiccup had never left their sides. He had been there always, nurturing them back to health in any way the could. In fact, Elsa was certain neither she nor Daniel would've survived if it hadn't been for him.
However, after Daniel's birth, it had taken a long time for her and Hiccup to find their way back to each other. There hadn't only been the constant fear and worry that their small son wouldn't survive, but Hiccup had been absolutely terrified that, should they ever have more children, he would lose both her and their possible child.
Their fears and worries had put a huge strain on their relationship, but they had pulled through and, in the end, it had made them stronger. However, there had never been no more children. Why they didn't know, but then again they had never asked why either. They had been blessed with two children who were growing stronger and healthier each day, so why ask the Gods for more when they had already been so generous?
Feeling how Daniel started to squirm a little in her arms, Elsa put him down on the ground so he could run up to his sister and cousins, all of them starting to bicker as someone else came soaring through the sky as well.
With a proud smile on her face, since the newcomer set his course for her, Alva happily held out her arm for old little Sharpshot to land on. Seeing the still sleepy look in his eyes, Elsa didn't doubt he had just awoken in the children's classroom to discover they were all gone.
From the moment Alva had been born, Elsa's tiny companion had taken it upon himself to protect her, and later also Daniel, from all harm. But he had also taken it upon himself to help keep them in line, scolding them in his own way when they tried to contradict their parents or did something they knew they weren't allowed to do.
Seeing old Sharpshot in his new role as guardian had been highly entertaining over the last few years, especially since he was still a terror himself and had no problem causing problems whenever he could. However, the extra eyes had been very welcome to both Hiccup and Elsa when it came to their daughter, for if Daniel was mostly calm and never did any mischief, Alva was the complete opposite.
Unlike her younger brother, Alva had mostly taken after Elsa in appearance with cold blond hair that fell in locks down her back and pale skin. She was tall for her age and her piercing green eyes, the same color as Hiccup's, were constantly on alert. She always spoke to anyone who wanted to listen and was simply a bundle of energy that was almost constantly moving.
Anna had once said that Elsa would've been the same If she hadn't been burdened by her powers as young, but it was a statement Elsa had refused to agree with. Alva's eagerness and forwardness had earned her a special relationship with Astrid, one that had resulted in Alva learning how to use both a sword and a bow without her parents' knowledge. At least until they had seen her train and realized she already knew the skills.
She was also, just like her brother, very intelligent. Being much more sarcastic though, and often talking without thinking, had resulted in her often getting into trouble with her teachers.
In other words, at seven years old she was already a whirlwind and a beauty, the combination causing many of the young noble boys to look at her with a mixture of intrigue and adoration. This, in return, already caused Hiccup to complain daily about all the admires he would have to keep away from her when she got into her teens.
Seeing how Toothless went in for landing, all of the children keep out of the way, only for them to rush forward and attack both dragon and rider the moment they both stood on the ground.
"Hey, hey take it easy!" Hiccup laughed, leaning down to pick up both Alva and Daniel as he threw them over his shoulders, both children screaming with laughter. "Look at this, two treasures for me to steal with me back to my fierce tribe!"
Looking at the spectacle of Anna's children doing their best to help Alva and Daniel while Hiccup kept them securely in his hold, Elsa laughed happily while feeling how much the sight warmed her.
Three months had passed without him. Three months had he missed in their children's lives, three months during which he hadn't been there to hold her and she had been unable to see his smiling green eyes. For three months she had been alone to fight the darkness of the past when it came to haunt her and she had hated knowing it had been same for him.
For no matter how much time that had passed, there were still days when their insecurities and bad memories came back. They had learned to accepted this and when those days came, they were always sure to remind themselves of the truth and simply be there for the other.
Not that being apart happened very often, in fact being apart this amount of time was very rare. Normally they moved between Berk and Arendelle together, it was only when their attentions were needed in different places at the same time they split up. This time it had been Anna's pregnancy that had kept her and the children in Arendelle, all three of them telling themselves their husband and father would soon be back.
Now, he finally was.
"Papa, stop it! Put us down!" Alva finally shouted with laughter, her eyes glowing up at her father once she was back on the ground. "Did you bring Firefly with you?" She asked with huge eyes.
"I see; the greeting was just a distraction." Hiccup said, looking extremely hurt as she laughed.
"Papa, don't be silly!" She said, hugging his leg. "I love you and you're funny sometimes, but you are not a dragon." She added, Hiccup chuckling as he picked out a tiny terrible terror from one of the saddle bags. The little dragon had bonded with their daughter and though dragons were not living in Arendelle, dragon riders were allowed to bring them when they visited.
"Here you go, he flew most of the way here so he is a bit tired." HIccup said, sitting down so his daughter was at his level before carefully giving her the small orange dragon. Smiling happily as all of the children gathered around them, Alva cooed to the small dragon who lazily opened one eye.
Seeing his chance to escape, Toothless walked over to where Elsa was standing. Reached her he pushed his head under her hand before sitting down next to her.
"Hello Toothless, how are you dear?" She asked him with a smile, Toothless sending her a tired look before looking over at the children. His expression caused her to laugh, for Elsa knew he really adored all of them, and in response he gave her hand a small lick. Over the years this had become their way of greeting and it was the same as it had been since she flew with him the first time.
"I missed you too Toothless. Both of you." She whispered to him, throwing a look at Hiccup who was still surrounded by all the children. With her eyes fixed on him, she missed the knowing look her sister exchanged with the black dragon by her side.
"Okay kids, now you need to return to your lessons or you'll never be done before dinner. Come on!" Anna said, knowing how much Elsa had missed Hiccup. It didn't matter that both of them were masters of concealing their affection, always acting professionally around others, for when they were together the deep connection between them was impossible to hide.
"But mom just a little bit more! Uncle Hiccup has been gone for so long and old Mr. Owl is boring!" Her eldest son groaned. In that moment he reminded her so much of Kristoff that Anna nearly laughed, but over the years she had learned to put a stern look on her face, which was exactly what she did now.
"Life will never just be fun and games, parts of it will always be boring and you might as well learn that now! And you shouldn't insult your elders either, now come on!" She said with a voice that left no room for arguments and all the children followed her with gloom faces, Alva and Daniel giving their father one last hug before following their aunt.
Alone out on the courtyard, Hiccup finally allowed himself to look at his wife. He had known what he would feel when he did, and seeing her once again made his heart almost ache at the love that welled up inside. She was as beautiful as ever and he felt how the part that had been missing him filled up as he looked at her.
"I missed you."
The words were only a whisper, but he heard them nevertheless. With two long steps he reached her, his arms closing around her as she threw hers around his neck and, just like that, the world was right again. The emptiness inside filled up and he felt how he could relax for the first time since he had left.
"Gods I've missed you too, so much." He whispered to her, giving her a kiss on the forehead before holding her even closer. Both of them refused to let go off each other, needing the closeness to each other. Feeling his warm arms around her again, Elsa nearly started to cry at the mere fact that he was back. As his warmth spread to her, she felt her heart come back to life. She felt it grow until it nearly hurt and it still wasn't enough.
Drawing back a little, Hiccup could see the love in her eyes as she put her hand on his cheek with a thoughtful expression.
"You've let it grow, I think I like it." She told him, referring to the fact he had allowed his beard to grow out over the last few months, not having found any motivation to shave it.
"You do?" He asked her with a grin.
"I do." She answered, a smile spreading over her face as he leaned down and kissed her, nothing existing but her in that moment.
It still amazed him how her mere presence could still make him feel so alive. Her ice cold skin still sent shivers thorough him and he felt how his heart started to race while his fatigue faded away. Even after ten years his love for her only seemed to grow and every day they grew closer and closer together.
Life hadn't been easy, over the years they had faced many difficulties and problems that had taken up most of their time, but they had pulled through. The relationship between their countries had grown and today they ruled over both of them with the help of a council that consisted of both Vikings and Ardellians. Together they took the vital decisions, while their two countries still had small councils of their own that took more local decisions.
Both cultures were now thriving and together they had become a powerful force in the world. Over the years it had become important to show their peaceful intentions to their neighbors and one way had been deciding to not bring dragons to live in Arendelle. By keeping the dragons on Berk, they had shown they had no intent of expanding their borders, though it had also been a practical decision.
The dragons had after all left these lands hundreds of years ago for a reason and it was no longer a land that welcomed them at all.
When Toothless finally pushed them apart from each others embrace, both of them laughed at their slightly irritated dragon. With a huge smile Elsa gave him a kiss on the muzzle, Toothless looking a little less irritated, before Hiccup put his arm around her and they headed towards the special stables that had been built for dragons that shortly visited Arendelle with their riders.
"So how long are they allowing you to stay this time?" Elsa asked, Hiccup giving her a warm look before letting go off her.
"Snotlout, Eret and Astrid have everything under control so three months as usual, though my mom wanted me to let you know she is very unhappy it isn't less; she misses the children." He replied as they both helped Toothless to get out of his gear, both of them knowing he wanted to get away from the court.
When he was in Arendelle, Toothless more enjoyed spending his time up with the trolls in the mountains or with Marshmallow than living within the castle grounds.
"I'm not surprised; she'll be happy to know they are missing Berk as well and can't wait to go back." Elsa answered with a smile. Valka had turned out to be quite the eager grandmother and the children adored her, though no one was better in their eyes than crazy uncle Gobber.
"As they should, they're half Vikings after all." Hiccup told her with a grin, putting away Toothless saddle. "Has Daniel said anything more about a dragon?" Hiccup then asked her causally, Elsa doing her best not to smile.
"He still thinks he is too young and that he hasn't found the right one yet." She told him, seeing how hard he tried to hide the small frown on his face. "Oh stop frowning!" She glared at him with amusement, his eyes widening innocently.
"What?! He's a Viking and he is my son, he should be dying to get a dragon of his own at Berk!" Hiccup told her.
"Half-Viking! And I think it's very wise of him to wait until he is ready. And no one could doubt he is your son, he takes after you in every single way. Including how much of a Viking he is." She grinned at him, turning away to let Toothless out of the back doors that were in the direction of the mountains.
Closing them behind the smug looking dragon, Elsa turned around only for two arms to trap her between the door and her husband who was looking down at her with a small smile. At the intense look in his eyes, she felt how her skin started to burn slowly at his mere presence.
"Are you saying I'm not very Viking-like my lady?" He asked her, Elsa feeling her heart speed up in her chest and she had to fight to appear unfazed.
"You have given me no proof of the opposite so far dear husband." She responded, happy she sounded as calm as she had hoped. Even though it had been ten years and she still couldn't control her emotions around him. Somehow, he always put her out of balance and it annoyed her to no end that he knew it.
"I think I can give you some proof." He told her, leaning in closer to her… only to stop when a voice cleared loudly behind them.
Taking a step away from her, Hiccup turned to see that Fredrik was standing in the doorway of the front doors with a grin on his face.
The lad had stayed with them all these years, his loyalty unwavering as they had taken him under their wings. He had had no family and while he had remained in their service, he had also become one of their closest friends. Now, at twenty years old, they had given him the chance to serve as their personal advisor.
A role he had taken on extremely well.
"I just wanted to let you know that Queen Rapunzel and King Eugene is coming with the twins to attended the christening of your new family member. Their answer arrived today and you wanted me to inform you the moment they replied Queen Elsa." He told them, Elsa smiling at him as she tried to make some sense out of her racing thoughts.
"Thank you Fredrik, what about the meeting tomorrow morning?" She asked him, the young man sending her a smug smile.
"I'll tell the council it'll take place around luncheon instead, I think it'll put them all in a better mood." He answered. "Now I shall leave you alone your majesty, Chief Haddock." He said, bowing his head a little both of them before leaving with them alone once more.
"I miss it when he was more innocent, the council will talk." Elsa said with a frown as they looked after him.
"As they talked when I refused to become King, when you refused to resign here to rule solely by my side on Berk and countless of other times. They'll always talk, that's what you strange Ardellians do." Hiccup said to her with a smile, his words earning him a small glare.
"Now you sound like Eugene."
"That man is much wiser than you give him credit to be." He replied, Elsa giving him a mischievous smile in return.
"Really? For if I don't remember incorrectly he found it extremely funny that little Torsten sent Alva a love letter and that you distinctly questioned his sanity after that."
At her words, it was Hiccup's turn to glare at her instead as he remembered when Alva had indeed gotten a letter from Eret's son. Not only had she refused to tell them what the young boy had written, to his great annoyance she had kept the letter as well and responded to it.
After that event Hiccup had talked to Kai, asking him if he was still working on his speech. At his question the old captain had laughed happily before telling him that when he truly needed it, Kai would gladly share it with him.
"Don't remind me. And we don't know it was a love letter." Hiccup muttered in reply as Elsa's smile grew.
"Even if it wasn't, I find it to be pretty cute, and you have to admit they would be pretty cute to…" She began, being interrupted when Hiccup suddenly gently pushed her back against the doors. Looking into his burning eyes, Elsa felt her breath leave her as she felt how her skin started to burn once more.
"You know; I really don't want to think about that now." He told her, his warm breath on her lips as she felt her heart race widely. "I want to return to the moment before we were interrupted. I want to know more about the fact that my own wife doesn't find me to be enough of a Viking, why is that?" He asked her, seeing how her eyes filled with the storm of emotions he had come to love.
"Because from what I know Vikings kidnap women and take them for themselves, but we are still here talking if you haven't noticed. So you haven't been very successful this far." She told him, her eyes glittering as she allowed her lips to ghost over his. Capturing her lips in a soaring kiss, Hiccup felt how much she affected him, his mind hazy when they ended the kiss.
"You know you should never challenge a Viking my lady; they are an extremely stubborn people who like to prove everyone wrong from what I've heard." He whispered in her ear, hearing that her breath was just as labored as his.
"Still talking." She chuckled before putting her hand on his cheek. "And your beard will take some time getting used to."
"I can shave it off if you want to." He grinned at her, seeing the displeased look in her eyes.
"Never, it makes you look the part of a Viking Chief even more I think." She told him, Hiccup chuckling as the couple finally walked up together towards the castle to eat dinner with their family, knowing the whole ordeal would most likely be a spectacle of its own.
After all, there would be five children and one very untrained Terrible Terror in the same room. Maybe even spectacle wouldn't even fully cover it.
So that was it! Two little ones and a small army of cousins haha!
Now I really want to thank all of you who have reviewed, favorited and followed this story! I'm so happy you've enjoyed the journey and that you wanted to follow it! It's you, the readers, who keeps me going and it has been a pure joy reading your reactions, knowing you have enjoyed reading this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it.
So on that note, I'll check out for this time, but I'll be back and I hope you'll join me then! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you!
Love,
Lysistrate