Epilogue: Legends Are Realized

A full week after the Second Ragnarok, Elsa strode through the streets of her home. Under her fine clothing, layers of bandages kept pressure to ward off phantom pains from magically-healed wounds. As she continued on her path, nodding in greeting to the people who hailed her, Elsa thought about all that had happened after the Final Battle.

When Elsa had woken after passing out from, among other things, sheer instinctive terror, she had found herself in a crystal-lit cave in the Valley of Living Rock. Sheets of moss had been wrapped around her from shoulders to toes, clearly Pabbie's work, and her body felt sore and her head filled with cotton. Rapunzel was kneeling beside her, her palms held just above the moss coverings and glowing with faintly golden light.

Upon noticing that Elsa was awake, Rapunzel had called the others to check up on her. Anna had, predictably, jumped right into quite loudly making sure Elsa was okay before being quieted by Kristoff and Eugene.

"Where's Alphonse?" Elsa had asked blearily. The group all looked to each other before parting to reveal Alphonse in a similar state to her. The differences were the trickles of blood running from the scar around his throat and the fact that he had not yet woken up.

Pabbie had approached and explained what had happened to them all after the Battle. Elsa and Alphonse had passed out from a kind of metaphysical sensory overload. Pabbie and the trolls had gathered them up and rounded up the survivors of the battle and taken them to the Valley for rest and healing.

And that had been a full three days ago.

When Elsa asked about the monstrous dragon, Pabbie had smiled gravely and asked her own opinion on the matter. After a moment of contemplation, only a single figure from the old stories came to mind.

"Nidhoggr," she whispered heavily. Pabbie nodded in confirmation. Nidhoggr, the Corpse Swallower, the only resident of the vile realm of Nastrond. The eldritch monstrosity that gnawed at the roots of the World Tree when it wasn't feasting on the souls of the truly damned; adulterers, oath-breathers, and murderers.

Pabbie had explained that, despite his horrific (and well-deserved) reputation, Nidhoggr had been, in a sense, a force of balance. It had chewed at the roots of Yggdrasil not to destroy it and in turn reality, but to keep it from overgrowing. During the first Ragnarok, the dragon had survived and been freed from its captivity, a living force of balance. It had watched the new world blossom and waited for the cycle to resume its course, for the gods to be reborn.

And in the end it had chosen, with some pleading from Pabbie and the trolls, to end the repeating cycle.

As Pabbie had finished his tale, a rattling gasp echoed through the cave. Alphonse had woken, seizures wracking his body. Elsa, in a fit of panic, had frozen her coverings solid and shattered them to reach the mage's side, uncaring of her … state of undress. It had taken the combined skill of Pabbie and raw healing power of Rapunzel to calm Alphonse down. Pabbie had assured Elsa that Alphonse would be okay, only that he was dealing with the strain of battle differently due to his far-greater spiritual injuries.

It had taken another full day for Alphonse to awaken, and yet another for him to reach a point where he was fit to travel. The six had returned to Castle Arendelle, to the overwhelming applause of Elsa and Anna's people.

Upon returning, Elsa had been given a report of the survivors of their own forces. In the end, a whole nineteen of the fifty-two avvisade had survived. The mages had given their report and gratitude and left without further preamble, the bodies of their dead carried between them for their own funeral rites. About half of the huldra and huldrekarl had survived. Only Fell of the Fossegrimen had lived and none of her guardsmen had survived.

That night, a mass funeral had been held for those who had fought and perished. Anna, impetuous as ever, had ordered the construction of a monument to the dead. She hadn't given specifics, beyond the words "big" and "awesome". The idea had, perhaps unsurprisingly, been met with fierce support.

As Elsa came back to the present, she glanced at one of the city's open courtyards, one that was housing the beginnings of another of Anna's crazy ideas. A cluster of about fifteen women young and old, from barely-of-age to elderly, were gathered together in curved lines facing the princess. Anna held her arms up, palms out, and the gathered women echoed her stance.

Anna had, after everything had settled, jumped on the idea of passing her newfound knowledge of magic to others. She had, with Elsa's approval, issued an announcement to test others for the skill of magic. The women before her were those with any appreciable talent, who were learning the arts of healing and protection.

Rapunzel stood next to Anna, watching with calm amusement as Anna's new students struggled to touch their own inner power. The princess of Corona had, after sending a message through magic to her parents, been allowed to stay in Arendelle for another few weeks. Elsa smiled at the thought, happy to have the chance to spend time with her cousin without the cloud of imminent danger.

A commotion some distance away drew Elsa's attention to a group of men outside a tavern, among them Eugene. A large brute of a man roared and struck the ex-thief with a large board, the wooden beam shattering against eugene's body even as it sent him sprawling. But the prince-consort had merely laughed and stood up, his hand outstretched as if waiting for something. The brute apparently grumbled and handed over a bag. Elsa chuckled at the apparent gambling going on.

Men, she thought fondly. Always thinking with their fists. And all too eager to try their mettle.

Elsa continued on her way, eventually coming across Kristoff as he was unloading a batch of ice for a small restaurant. Kristoff had, unsurprisingly, jumped right back into work as soon as the royal physician had deemed him healthy enough. Kristoff caught her eye and waved, getting back to work almost before Elsa herself had finished waving.

With almost all of her family accounted for, Elsa conjured a snow-horse and mounted, lashing reins of frost to send the mount running for the mountains. It was time to find the last remaining member.

Elsa found Alphonse just where she thought she would. The door to her Ice Palace stood slightly ajar, as if he were announcing his presence. And in the balcony above the doors stood the man himself, apparently writing in his leather-bound journal. Elsa dismissed her mount, landing gracefully among the ensuing whirl of snowflakes, and made her way into the Palace and up the stairs.

As Elsa crossed her upper floor, Alphonse snapped his book shut and turned to face her, a warm smile gracing his features. To others, Elsa was a powerful and respectable queen, a fearsome threat only mitigated by her pacifism. Monarchs tried to work with her or tolerated her power because they had no other choice.

But the Alphonse, she was far more than that. She was an intelligent, compassionate, loving, self-sacrificing, quietly strong-willed woman. She was, to him, as beautiful inside as she was out. And, as any red-blooded man could tell you, such a comparison was saying quite a lot.

As they finally drew near, Elsa placed her hands behind Alphonse's neck just has he placed his own around her waist, the gestures as natural as breathing. They drew even nearer, foreheads lightly touching, just soaking in each others' presence. How long they stayed like that, neither really knew. Or cared.

Eventually, they separated, turning as one to watch the sun sink toward the horizon. Elsa leaned her head onto Alphonse's shoulder and her arm around his, even as his arm encircled her waist, their free hands entwining without thought. Elsa waited for another few moments before speaking.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" It was more of a statement than a question, spoken without malice or accusation. Simply a statement of fact. Alphonse sighed as he realized just how foolish it was to try and hide things from the Snow Queen who had stolen his heart.

"You have your duties," Elsa continued, "just as I have mine." She turned to look at him, drawing his gaze without effort. "When?" she asked.

"Tonight," he answered solemnly, looking away. Elsa couldn't help her hands closing as she fought off a flare of sorrow. Logically, she had expected as much. Just because Hans' forces had been either killed or pulled into Oblivion didn't mean there were no more forces of evil out there.

But that didn't mean she had to like it.

Elsa placed a hand against Alphonse's face, drawing his gaze back to her own. "Will you return?" she asked. She had to know.

"Yes," he answered immediately. "I will return to you." Alphonse drew her closer, drawing strength from her presence. "No force in the world could keep me from you, Elsa." Alphonse leaned down and kissed her forehead in a sweet gesture. And elsa would have none of it.

With a wicked grin, the Snow Queen grabbed his collar and pulled him back down for a searing kiss, pushing everything she felt for him, all of the admiration and respect, the comfort and compassion, the sheer intense love, into a single action. When she finally broke the kiss, Elsa giggled at Alphonse's dazed look, taking a sense of pride in the fact that she had left him like that.

"Just so you remember," she jested, before placing a final peck on his cheek.

Alphonse smiled and calmly fell backwards, off of the balcony rail and out of sight. A sharp crack, like thunder, echoed from below and a streak of grey and white bolted up past her. Elas turned and looked at the peak of the North Mountain to see Alphonse, hat held high, riding a standing Askvader. And in another thunderous burst and a blur of snow, they were gone.

But Elsa was not saddened by what had happened. It was in his nature to roam, to fight against that which would harm the innocent. Just as it was hers to protect and nurture her own people. And she knew, without a doubt, that he would be back before she knew it.

After all, what was a little time in the face of true love. Absence, it was said, only made the heart grow fonder.

Elsa sighed as she watched horizon, Alphonse's journal left in her hands. She would have to return home soon. A queen's work was never done.

But, for now, she wanted to stay in her haven and enjoy a moment of peace.

FIN

And there it is, folks! The last of it. I hope you like how it ended.

Thank you everyone for your support on this thrill ride! I could not have finished without you! I hope to High Heaven that you liked this story!

For those of you interested, I have an idea for a short sequel, but it won't come for a long time, if ever. I had considered planting a seed for it at the end of this, but decided against it. Why ruin a nice ending?

If you liked the ending (as short as it was) leave a review! Let me know how much you liked my work! It has been a joy to write this and a part of me is devastated to see it end. But, as with all good things, it must. I'm just happy to have made someone, anyone, else happy with my work.

I love all of you guys and I hope you take a peek at my other works.

With respect and gratitude, Mr. Spinner!