Epilogue

One year later…

Summer in Arendelle had always been a busy time. With the warmer weather and longer days of the season upon them, foreign merchants and tradespersons flocked to the many stalls and shops scattered throughout the marketplace to exchange their own goods and wares while sampling all that the town had to offer. The marketplace and town square were kaleidoscopes of colors and sounds and smells as people of all sorts congregated in conversation and joviality and celebration.

Traditionally, this time of year had merely been seen as a time of increased trade, outdoor activities, and more hustle and bustle in the town. It was only recently that it had morphed into a season of celebrations and festivities. The summer-long celebration kicked off with the queen's birthday, with the anniversary of her coronation, as well as those of both the Eternal Winter (more a solemn time for reflection and remembrance than anything) and the Great Thaw, soon following. Last year, the kingdom had added a few more events to the calendar of festivities, with the princess's engagement and ball and the sudden unexpected return of King Erik and Queen Anya being cause for even more celebration. Arendelle summers quickly became renown among their allies for their festivities and soon travelers from all over flocked to their shores to partake in the celebratory atmosphere.

Today, the town was festooned with streamers of white and gold set alongside the green and purple banners of the Arendellian crest. Flowers, mostly in hues of blue and white, dotted nooks and crannies all over town and graced many of the stalls and doorways of the shops. Even the townspeople were dressed in their finest attire as they excitedly made their way towards the castle's courtyard. The usual hustle and bustle that normally filled the air with excitement and joy was today brimming with anticipation, the kind of which hadn't been seen in two years. Even last year's engagement ball paled in comparison to the celebration that would soon be taking place. Citizens from all around town congregated joyfully, anxiously awaiting the proclamation that would come in just a few hours' time. Visiting dignitaries, many of whom weaved their way through the crowd to make their way inside the castle were caught up in the festive mood as a few of them mingled amongst the populace, waiting with baited breath.

Outside the castle, the atmosphere radiated with impatience and excitement. Inside the castle, however, it was a slightly different story.

"No, no, no, this cannot be happening. Not today!" Anna stared at herself in the mirror as she tried to tuck an unruly curl back into place. The defiant lock had escaped from the tight confines of the bun her hair had been swept into. That single tendril was refusing to cooperate with her, in spite of her best efforts. No matter how much she tugged and pulled at it, she couldn't get it to stay in place. Giving up, she let out a frustrated sigh and stared at herself in the mirror. "Fine, you win. I give up. Just stay there. I don't care. You're only going to ruin the most important day of my life."

"Are you talking to yourself again?" Anna whipped around as Elsa walked in an amused smile on her face. "If you're not careful, people are bound to believe you're crazy. What will Kristoff think?"

"Pfft…he already knows I'm weird and he loves it. Besides, it's called being quirky, not crazy." Anna teased her sister and for a moment she managed to forget the stress and pressures she was under. She looked at herself in the mirror again and sighed as she reached up to tuck the errant curl back into place, watching with a frown on her face as it refused to stay in place.

Elsa watched her sister with some amusement. She knew Anna was stressed, probably more than she should be and taking pity on her baby sister, she stepped up to help. "Here…let me try." Turning Anna around to face her, the snow queen thoughtfully gathered up the stray curl. Gently, she pulled the curl back and with a slight twist of her hand, she put it back into place. Smiling at her handiwork, she turned Anna back around. "There. What do you think?" When she saw herself in the mirror, Anna gasped. Just above and behind her right ear, where the rebellious strand of hair had been, Elsa had fashioned an ice hair clip that glittered and sparkled in the light. The snowflake design gleamed no matter which way she turned her head and the translucent ice added an extra sense of beauty. It was perfect and she couldn't help the tears that come forth.

"Oh, Elsa! It's beautiful! It's perfect! Thank you!" Elsa smiled.

"You don't have to thank me, Anna. I just want you to look as beautiful as possible today. It's your big day and you deserve all the beauty and happiness in the world. And I know Kristoff will love it too."

"It is ice after all. How could he not?" The two sisters shared a laugh at the groom's expense when Anna finally sobered.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm just a little nervous, I guess. I mean this is a big step, the big step and I just want everything to go smoothly."

"Of course you are Anna. It is your wedding day after all. It's only natural to feel this way. Everything will be fine. You'll go out there, walk down the aisle, say a few words, cry, and before you know it, you'll be married and causing problems for you new husband for the rest of your lives." The sisters shared another laugh but Elsa saw that there looked like there was something else on the younger woman's mind. "Anna?"

"I'm just worried that maybe this is all a mistake, that maybe I'm only thinking it's true love. How do I know what true love is? I thought it happened once. Look how that turned out." She grew eerily silent as the image of a certain red head with cold eyes and an evil smirk flitted through her mind. She shivered and a gentle arm automatically wrapped itself around her shoulders. She looked into the icy blue eyes of her sister.

"Anna, you're just scared. Stop doubting yourself. You are an intelligent woman and are more than capable of making smart decisions. You've grown up a lot in the last two years; you've learned a lot in the last two years. I know you're ready for this. Do you really think I would have told Kristoff 'no' when he asked permission to marry you? You know I would have had no problem refusing his request if I felt I needed to. What you two have is the real thing. I may not have found my true love, but I know that you have. This is the real thing. I know it and so do you. Don't be afraid of your happily ever after." Anna still didn't look convinced. "Look at me, Anna." The red head looked up at her sister. "Do you remember that first winter you two were together when you got really sick?" She nodded. "Kristoff wouldn't leave your side. He refused to be anywhere but at your bedside for those entire three weeks. I practically had to drag him out of your room so he could take care of himself. When you finally recovered, I don't think I had ever seen him so ecstatic. And what about last summer when he went on the first ice harvesting trip of the season?" Anna choked up as she remembered the events her sister was relating to her. "When we got word that he had fallen through the ice, I don't think I had ever seen you look so scared. You rushed out of here and demanded to be taken to him. I was just as scared as you when he was brought in. I knew that if he didn't make it, it would devastate you. When he managed to pull through, I felt as relieved as you and I knew that you two would be able to make it through everything. I don't think there is a truer love than that. Take this chance at happiness. You deserve it."

"She's right, sweetheart. This is your chance at true happiness. Don't let your fear and doubts stop you from that." The two sisters turned together to the doorway as their mother walked in, her eyes shining with happiness. "When I see Kristoff look at you, I see nothing but love and devotion. I see the same thing when you look at him. That's the look of true love. He's just as devoted to you as you are to him and I truly believe that neither one of you would even dare to do anything that would hurt the other. You wouldn't be able to stand it if that happened. The two of you would do anything for each other. That's true love." Anya approached her daughters and smiled brightly at Anna. "The two of you will live long and happily with one another. You'll definitely have your share of fights and hardships, that's a given; every marriage does. It will hurt but you will always make up and find your way back to one another because you truly love each other." She wiped away the tears in her daughter's eyes and grinned. "Now, let's finish getting you ready. You've got a wedding to get to."

Anna sniffled as a wide smile appeared on her face. "You're right. He really does love me, doesn't he? Do you think he's nervous too? Could he be having second thoughts?"

"Second thoughts? No. There is no way he would ever think twice about marrying you. But nervous? Absolutely. In fact, he's probably worried out of his mind thinking you are having second thoughts about him. Now come on, dear, let's get you in your dress. There are only a few more hours until your big moment. Let's show Kristoff what he's getting himself into." All three women laughed and the youngest one couldn't keep the smile off of her face as giddy thoughts ran through her mind.

"That doesn't sound right! Why can't I get this?" Kristoff rested his head against the wooden wall of Sven's stall, his fist clenched in frustration at his side. He let his lute dangle restlessly against his thigh. Sven stood next to him, concerned brown eyes looking intently at the mountain man.

[I think you're over thinking this. It will be fine.]

"But it has to be perfect! Everything has to go perfectly today!"

[You need to stop stressing yourself out so much. You'll only make yourself sick. Anna certainly won't like that.] Kristoff sighed and turned to face his furry companion, forehead still pressed to the wall.

"I know, I know. You don't need to tell me twice." Sven just gave him a disbelieving look. "Fine. You do. Where would I even be without you?" His sarcasm was rewarded with a gentle head butt in the ribcage and the air rushed out of him. "Oof. I think that's gonna bruise. How am I going to explain that to Anna?" The reindeer remained quiet and he could see that the ice harvester had temporarily shaken off his melancholy and had retreated back into silence.

[What's wrong, Kristoff? Why does this matter so much to you?] The young man only stared at the animal before answering.

"I want everything to be perfect for Anna. She means everything to me and all I ever wanted was for her to be happy. There's not a whole lot that I can really give her. She's a princess and I'm just an ice harvester; she deserves so much more and I know that. This," he held up the lute to the reindeer, "is something that I can contribute, something that only I can do to make today perfect. It's all I can really give her; I don't want to mess it up."

"I think you're selling yourself short, Kristoff. Just being there today, showing her that you love her and care for her, will be enough." Both the reindeer and the young man turned to look over the stall as they watched Erik approach. The two men had grown close over the last year, bonded by their mutual love of and respect for both Anna and Elsa, though there were still times when it unnerved Kristoff to be around Erik. Every so often he would be reminded that this man was in fact his fiancée's father, and a former king at that. While he knew that Erik had come to accept him as a part of Anna's life, there was still a lingering fear that one day, all of that could change. If that happened, he didn't know what he would do and it only fueled his current anxieties.

On his part, it truly cheered Erik to know that such a man had found his way into his daughter's life and he was glad to know that today they would take that final step together that would join them as one. While he couldn't be prouder that Anna was getting married to a man who obviously loved her with all of his heart, he was disheartened that he hadn't been there from the beginning. It was every father's prerogative to meet and approve of any man his daughter fancied, royal or not. As much as he dreaded that fact when the girls were little, it had reassured him as he watched them grow to know that only the most worthy suitor would gain the hand of either of his daughters. The fact that Kristoff was standing here now, worried over the coming events, told him that this man was the only one truly fit to marry Anna.

This last year he had grown closer to the man who would soon be his son-in-law and he had seen the many different facets of mountain man. He had witnessed the careful side that worried whenever his beloved was running off on one of her schemes. He had also seen the loyal side that would follow her to wherever her whims would take her and the protective side that refused to back down whenever her well-being was at risk. But the one aspect that warmed his heart the most, the one that made him truly grateful for this man finding his way into his daughter's life was his loving side, the part of him that was completely and utterly devoted to the fiery princess. As much as he enjoyed seeing all of the other facets of this man, it was this one that warmed his heart the most. It was that one that truly mattered.

"I have seen the way Anna lights up whenever you walk into the room. I have seen her eyes sparkle brightly when she mentions you, even in passing. You have already done so much for her that you don't even realize. You made her believe in true love again. You gave her hope that there was something more out there, something worth fighting for. And believe me when I tell you that she will fight for you if she has to. I know I wouldn't want to be the one to be on the receiving of that either." He smiled amusedly and Kristoff couldn't help but do the same. They both knew how very true that statement was. "You don't need to impress her Kristoff; you already have. Everything will be perfect because you will be there and she will be walking down the aisle to you. That's all you really need and that's all she really wants." Erik's words seemed to relax the younger man as his fist unclenched and his shoulders lost their tension. The reindeer seemed to be relaxed as well as he nudged the young man. Kristoff reached out to scratch Sven behind the ears ass he turned to face the older man fully, a smile on his face.

"I know and both of you are right. I am over thinking things and I know she loves me. I just love her so much; I want to do what I can to let her know that. She's had a bad experience with love before and I want her to know that I would never hurt her like that, that I would do whatever I could to protect her and keep her safe."

"Then tell her that, just like that. Say what you feel and she'll know. Speak from the heart. That's all she'll really care about. I think she's given up on fancy words and actions. You've already swept her off her feet, just be yourself. She'll love it."

"Thanks." Kristoff smiled genuinely and let out a sigh he didn't even know he was holding. Erik noticed and stepped up to give him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"Anytime. Now shouldn't you think about getting out of here to get ready? You only have about two hours to go."

"Yeah I just need a few more minutes to get Sven ready." Erik knew very well that there were a half dozen or so stable hands that would gladly prep the reindeer but he wisely held his tongue. Looking at Kristoff, he knew the young man had to do this on his own. He could tell that Kristoff's fears had been assuaged somewhat but whatever trepidations and hesitations still remained would be dealt with now, alone.

He shrugged. "Suit yourself. Just be there in two hours and I assure you all your worries will melt away when you see your lovely bride walking towards you. You'll forget you even had doubts in the first place and wonder what you did to deserve her. But, you seem to be doing a good job of that now." He gave the mountain man's shoulder one last pat before he departed.

As he walked away, he heard the strumming of a lute and a baritone voice quietly singing out.

Reindeers are better than people…

Guests crowded into the chapel with excited anticipation. It was beautifully and tastefully decorated with flowers and ribbons gracing every pew and icy decorations, courtesy of the queen, were placed sparingly along the rafters. Every seat was filled with visiting dignitaries, friends of the bride and groom, various invited townsfolk, and even some of the castle staff and all of them chatted animatedly, not able to hide the excitement in their voices.

As the last of the guests filed in and took their seats, the pair that stood at the front went mostly unnoticed. Kristoff shifted nervously from foot to foot as he wrung his hands in anxiety. He was dressed in a simple white tunic that was trimmed with light brown accents. A pair of black pants and shoes completed the outfit. His blonde hair had been trimmed, though it still retained the messy look and he was missing his signature cap.

Anya stood near him and couldn't help the amused smile that came to her lips as she watched him fidget. She was dressed in a floor-length purple gown. The plaits of the full skirt alternated between light and dark hues while the bodice was a dark lavender. Floral designs graced both the skirt and the bodice and the modest sleeves that covered her shoulders were light and airy. Her dark brown hair was swept up into a tight bun, though a few loose tendrils twisted down below her ears. She stood regally and with all the grace of a queen, though the smirk on her lips betrayed her more childish side. Taking pity on the nervous young man, she approached him.

"Kristoff, you need to relax. You're too tense."

"I know. I'm just nervous."

"Everyone gets nervous on their wedding day, dear. It's only natural. But please, just take a deep breath and relax." Kristoff followed her instructions and felt better, though he could still feel his heart pounding in his chest. He tensed up again as the bishop approached him and told him that it was time and to take his place near the altar. He nodded nervously and started to make his way to the altar but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Anya smiling at him. She reached up to brush some unseen debris off of his shoulders before reaching down to straighten out his tunic.

"It will be fine. Just remember to relax. And breathe." Finally, he smiled in amusement as he nodded his head. Satisfied that he would be all right, Anya turned and made her way to the closest pew, watching him with a smile on her face.

The din died down as the choir began singing. The chapel's doors opened and all heads turned towards the entrance as the queen made her appearance and slowly walked down the aisle. Her glittering gown, another one of her icy creations, sparkled in the light. It was a pale blue in color and resembled her coronation dress in style, though she had been sure to add her own flair. The modestly cut neckline was adorned with snowflakes while ice crystals created intricately beautiful designs on both the bodice and skirt. Her hair, normally done in her customary braid, was styled like her mother's. Her pale face was graced with a smile bigger than any they had ever seen on her before, though it was obvious to everyone in the room that her clear blue eyes glistened with unshed tears. She held a small bouquet of white flowers in her hands and smiled pleasantly at all of those she walked by.

As Elsa took her place at the front near the altar, another figure appeared at the doors. This one was quite a bit larger and bulkier than the queen and to those in attendance who were not familiar with the royal family, the appearance of a reindeer at a royal wedding was certainly a surprise. Yet the reindeer made his way proudly and gracefully down the aisle with only a few murmured shocks following in his wake. Like everyone else in attendance, he too looked his best. His shaggy coat had been groomed and trimmed and his standard harness had been replaced by a white one with gold trimming. The name 'Sven' was embroidered along one side and the crest of the Royal Ice Master and Deliver shone from the center. He took his place behind Kristoff and nudged the nervous groom playfully.

Next through the doors was a diminutive little snowman, a small snow flurry hanging over his head that followed his every move. If any of the guests were shocked at the reindeer's appearance, they were even more so now. But the happy little grin on his face and the excited skip in his step as he carried a small golden box was infectious and no one was immune. Shock was soon replaced by amusement and all of those in attendance stifled their laughs as he giddily walked down the long aisle. Olaf took his place next to Elsa and she bent down to pat his head and he turned his toothy grin to her before turning his attention to the chapel doors.

Everyone stood as the choir's tune changed and all attention was diverted to the open doors where two figures appeared side by side. The taller one was dressed in a dark blue military style tunic that was trimmed in red and emblazoned with gold fringe. His crisp white pants and black boots, as well as his closely trimmed gray-streaked hair and beard, completed the regal look. It was the smile on his face as he looked at the slight figure next to him that broke that façade, though no one really noticed as they were all staring at the white-clad young woman beside him.

She wore a simple, bare-shouldered modest white dress that hugged her just right. Ice crystals of various shapes and sizes had been worked into the design of her dress, courtesy of her sister, and they shimmered as she walked. Her hair, finally obeying her wishes, had dozens of small snowflakes scattered throughout it in an intricate, lacy design. Like her dress, they caught the light and everyone gasped at her beauty, though no one was more in awe at her ethereality than the young man awaiting her at the end of the aisle.

Kristoff watched, mouth practically agape, as she approached him, her arm linked with her father's, a big grin on her face. He struggled to maintain his composure as he wanted nothing more than to run to her, gather her up into his arms, and kiss her senseless. Of course, that would be quite unbecoming of them, though he knew that Anna would have no objections and would more than likely encourage his actions. He held himself back, knowing that in just a few short minutes they would be joined together as one.

Anna finally found her way to the end of the aisle and took up the spot next to her sister and across from Kristoff as her father unlinked his arms from hers. She felt him move away to somewhere behind her but she only had eyes for the blonde man in front of her. Their eyes locked and they both blushed as she placed her hands in his. She could feel her heart beating faster as she stared into his warm brown eyes. The voice of the bishop broke the two of them out of their reverie and they turned guilty eyes to the older man.

"People of Arendelle, we are gathered here today to join this man, Sir Kristoff Bjorgman, and this woman, Princess Anna of Arendelle, in holy matrimony. Who here gives this woman to this man?" Behind Anna, her parents and her sister stepped forward and Erik spoke up.

"We do."

"You consent to this union and would gladly accept this man into your family as a son and a brother?" Erik saw a hint of anxiety in the younger man's eyes before he nodded.

"We do." The bishop nodded his head and the trio stepped back with Elsa resuming her place right behind the bride and Erik and Anya taking a seat in the pew.

"Kristoff and Anna have asked to recite their own vows to one another. Kristoff?" The bishop turned to him and Kristoff suddenly felt self-conscious. He was never very good in front of crowds and with all of these people watching him, he was getting nervous. He looked up at Anna's eager, smiling face and felt a surge of confidence rush through him. His grip on her hands got tighter as he took a deep breath and smiled.

"Anna, from the moment I met you, my life has never been the same. You were this fiery, feisty princess asking for my help and I didn't want anything to do with you. But your optimism and determination drew me to you and I couldn't help but follow you, wherever you went. You still captivate me and I would follow you to the ends of the earth if I had to. There's so much more I want to say to you, but I…I don't really know how to say it, so I guess I'll have to do it this way." At his cue, Sven stepped forward and Anna watched as Kristoff turned and pulled something from the pouch that was strapped to the reindeer's harness. She gasped when she realized what it was and her eyes started to tear up in anticipation. The gentle strumming of the lute drew her attention back to her mountain man.

Anna, you're better than reindeers;
Even Sven would agree.
You're sweet, kind, beautiful,
Wonderful, and happy
But most of all you truly love me.

I love you too.
And from today 'til I breathe my last,
I'll have you as my wife.

I promise my heart.
I promise my soul.

I'm glad you came into my life.

My wife.

Now let us say 'I do'.

Anna had to reach up and wipe away a tear once the last chords died down. She saw his cheeks turn red in embarrassment before he turned around to put his lute back. When he turned back around, she was tempted to jump into his arms, but the soft look the bishop was giving her turned her thoughts elsewhere. "Anna?"

Still emotional from what she had just heard, it took Anna a moment to compose herself before speaking.

"Now how am I supposed to follow that?" She smirked and heard a wave of amused laughs pass through the crowd. "Kristoff, you were the first one to show me what it was like to truly love someone. I know I was kind of a handful when we first met, but you stuck with me and stayed by my side through it all. And you were even willing to sacrifice your happiness for mine. For that, I could never repay you." She squeezed his hand as she looked into his eyes. "But I'm sure going to try, every day for the rest of my life. That is, if you can answer me one question." Kristoff stared at her with curious eyes and she got that look in her eyes that told him he better watch out. He was just as surprised as everyone else when she started to sing.

Do you really truly love me?
I know you really do!
You've always been right there for me,
You do love me,
As much as I love you.
You showed me what true love is
And now we're here
I can't believe it, can you?
Do you really truly love me?
You know you really truly love me.
I love you.

Do you really truly love me?
Do you know how much I love you?
You're my beautiful stranger, tall and fair.
I didn't know that I need you, but I do
(But you knew that).
I used to be so lonely
Until I found you
Now I can't wait to start our lives…

Just a few moments more
And we'll finally be married
Together forever, husband and wife.
The best day of my life,
Let's say 'I do'.

We will always have each other,
Now and forever,
I'll only ask one thing:
Do you really truly love me?

When Anna finished singing, whatever unshed tears there had been at the end of Kristoff's vows were now long gone and every one had wet cheeks and teary eyes. Kristoff was shocked at her words but he couldn't help but answer her anyways.

"Yes, I do."

It was way too tempting for Anna not to throw her arms around him at that point and she looked anxiously at the bishop.

"Your vows have been said and you have pledged your love and your lives to one another. Where are the rings?" Both Anna and Kristoff glanced down to Olaf and the happy snowman reached up and handed the bishop the small gilded box he had been holding.

Taking the object from the snowman, the bishop opened it to reveal two platinum-colored wedding bands. Gesturing to Kristoff, the mountain man picked up the smaller one and held it out to the young woman as the bishop recited.

"By placing this ring on her hand, you promise to cherish her and love her from now until the end. You promise to protect her from all harm and to pick her up when she falls. Kristoff, do you promise all of this and more?"

"I do." With his vow, Kristoff slid the band onto Anna's right ring finger. He let his hand linger there a while as it twitched nervously. Anna reached over to grasp his fidgety fingers to steady them. He smiled gratefully at her and she grinned brightly back before she reached into the box to grab the other ring while the bishop acknowledged her.

"By placing this ring on his hand, you promise to cherish him and love him from now until the end. You promise to be his strength when he is weak and to hold him when he falters. Anna, do you promise all of this and more?"

She nodded vehemently. "I do." The words said, Anna copied Kristoff's actions from just moments before as she placed his band on his right ring finger. They grasped each other's hands and looked at each other eagerly as they waited for the officiant to finally say the words they longed to hear.

"With the exchanging of the rings and your declarations to one another in front of all those gathered here, I declare you husband and wife, now and forever. You may now kiss the bride." As their lips met, a large cheer rang up from the witnesses, though the couple was initially unaware of anyone or anything but each other. When they eventually pulled apart, they immediately blushed as they turned to face their audience. The raucous cheering and clapping, as well as all of the happy smiles and tears, brought a new wave of tears to Anna's eyes and she turned to face her family. All three of them wore proud smiles on their faces and her mother and sister had tears in their eyes as well. Sven and Olaf made their way over to them, happy grins on their faces. She caught her father's eye as Kristoff stepped up behind her and he nodded at the pair of them. She twisted her head up to look at her husband and grinned at him as he smiled softly down at her.

Finally, after all this time, they were together.

For the first time in forever, they were a family.

a.n. Well, here it is. The end. The final chapter of Frozen Ever After. To all of you who read, favorited, followed, or reviewed this story, I thank you. Really. I enjoyed every minute of this adventure and I hope you did too.

In case you didn't notice, the two songs are reworked versions of "Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People" and "Do You Want To Build a Snowman?", respectively, and it helps if you can sing along to those tunes. I had planned on Kristoff's version being in here and for some reason I had the most difficulty writing that one. Anna's version kind of came up at the last minute and I thought "Why not?"

Though I did do some research on Norwegian wedding traditions, I didn't feel like anything I really discovered fit too well with what I had planned on writing so I scrapped most of it and went with my original plans. The part about the wedding rings is accurate though as it is quite common in a lot of countries (including Norway) for the married couple to wear their rings on the right hand rather than their left. I thought that was an interesting tidbit to include that actually did have some historically factual basis.

Check out the 'Updates' section of my profile for more information about this chapter.

And I thank you again for your continued reading and your kind reviews. I hope to hear from you all soon!