Disclaimer: I do not own The 10th Kingdom. This is merely a fanfiction.

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"WOLF!"

Virginia's scream tore from her throat, scratching her already sore vocal cords. Wolf stared at her. Blood dribbled from his mouth as Fiona slid the blade out from his back. The she-wolf hissed maliciously as she stepped back. Wolf gripped Virginia's forearms, his eyes glazing over.

"V-Virginia …?"

He collapsed face first into Virginia's arms as she choked out a cry. She caught him and laid him gently on his back. Blood spread from underneath him, contrasting brilliantly with the snow-white floors. Hands trembling, Virginia tore open his shirt, trying to clot the wound, to stop the bleeding.

"Stay with me, Wolf! Stay with me!"

Behind them, Fiona's teeth were bared. Hebro and Dynaman held tightly onto Tony, who stood there, mouth open. Prince whined sadly.

And there – there stood the Snow Queen – in all her glory. A wicked grin spread across her face. "Triumph! At last!"

Wolf raised a shaking hand to Virgina's face and wiped a tear away with his index finger as she cradled him. "V-Virginia … ?"

"I'm here," she sobbed. "Please – please hold on! I love you!"

Wolf choked on more blood. "I … I remember you …"

"Please don't die!"

"It's … too late …"

"No it isn't! Just please …"

"I never … meant to hurt you … I thought … I thought …"

"It doesn't matter now … remember … please, just remember who you are!"

Wolf smiled. "My succulent … creamy wife to be …" He groaned. "I'm just … I'm glad … I could see you one more time …" His breathing quickened and the color was draining fast from his face. "I love … I love …"

His hand dropped to his chest and his head turned, eyes closed. A dribble of blood rolled down his mouth. He moved no more.

Virginia shook him gently, her eyes swimming. "Wolf? Wolf?!"

Finding newfound strength, Tony wrenched himself from the grip of Hebro and Dynaman. The two wolves – themselves surprised by this turn of events – let him go. Tony sprang to his daughter, dropping to his knees. One look at Wolf told him all he needed to know. He grabbed Virginia who was now crying hysterically, pulling her into his chest.

"Virginia … I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He let his own tears fall.

"No!" Virginia pulled herself from her father's grasp and flung herself over Wolf's body. "He's not dead! He can't be …"

"Virginia …"

Virginia shook Wolf gently. "Please Wolf … wake up! Come alive! Please … you have a son!" Tony stood up and gently helped Virginia to her feet. Her eyes couldn't leave Wolf's limp form. "You have a son …"

And Virginia finally broke once and for all, sobbing uncontrollably into Tony's arms.

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The Snow Queen slithered out between the scattered ice statues. "The pain is unbearable, isn't it? But I warned you, did I not?"

The ice witch stood at Fiona's side, grinning. Virginia opened her eyes at her counterpart's voice and stood there, her face still pressed into Tony's chest.

The Snow Queen raised her eyebrows. "Face it, Virginia. It is your destiny. I am your destiny. You have lost the person you love most in this world. You will still sacrifice your heart to the Devil's Mirror." She pointed at the Mirror on the other side of the throne room which churned and moaned. "Why drag this out anymore? Why endure any more pain? Give yourself to the Devil's Mirror. Freeze your heart and numb the pain. Forever. Become me – and all this power will be yours!" The Snow Queen spun her arms and a frozen wind whirled throughout the throne room. It whipped everyone inside like razors against skin. Snow spun up into frosty vortexes, spanning all the way up to the ceiling.

Virginia gently pushed herself away from Tony. "Virginia …" he began. She ignored him and turned. She stood face to face with the Snow Queen. The two stared at each other. The ice witch cocked her head curiously.

Then Virginia took a slow step towards her. And another. The Snow Queen held out her hand for Virginia to take it. "So you have decided …?"

Virginia reached out her own hand. Her fingers danced over the Snow Queen's outstretched palm … before she rose her arm and slapped the Snow Queen across the face. The sound echoed throughout the throne room.

"I will never become you!" Virginia hissed.

The Snow Queen returned her furious gaze. "You fool! What do I keep telling you?! I. Am. Still. Here. I still exist! Admit it or not you will become me!"

"I used to think that everyone could be saved. After all, my Mother was." Virginia's eyes turned to the Snow Queen and then to Fiona, who clicked her jaw. Virginia squeezed the tears away and turned her head. "But some people …" Her eyes opened, focusing squarely on the icy monstrosity that stood before her. "I hate you …" she said softly.

"I am you!" the Snow Queen exclaimed.

"Exactly. I hate myself for what I let myself become. No – not you. I will never become you! But I hate myself for what I've done in my past. I hate that I wanted to always vanish, to never be seen. I hate that I let life happen to me, instead of taking charge and making my own path. I hate that I let my mother leaving me as a child define me, that I didn't let myself move past it. That I let myself grow so … cold. But you know what? I have escaped from the forest. All I had to do was let others in. Let their love unthaw my heart. Wolf tried to teach me that."

The Snow Queen hissed as though she were burned.

Virginia took a step forward, her bravery rising. "You're right! I did become you – just in a different way! I let myself become so cold because of what happened with my mother, that I grew up pushing everyone away! But I overcame it! I warmed up! I succeeded where you failed! You became the Snow Queen because you were too weak to overcome your past! You couldn't deal with your pain!"

"Your pain is my pain!" the ice witch screeched.

"You're weak!" Virginia shouted. "And pathetic! You may have been me at some point, but we are completely different people! You're a failed version of me! You're nothing! Just another weak little fairy tale villain who hurts people to get attention! To deal with your petty insecurities! You're no different from the others! You're all the same! You and Snow White's Stepmother, the Evil Fairy of Sleeping Beauty and all the others!"

"I have achieved what they never could! I have conquered this world!"

"And you won't exist much longer to enjoy it! Your powers are weakening, aren't they?"

The Snow Queen raised a finger to summon an ice blade – she stopped. Her hand was slightly translucent, as though it was fading. "No …"

"Even now your strength is leaving you. I told you I would see you fade away into nothing!"

"If I die," the Snow Queen muttered, "then I'll destroy you along with me!"

"Then what are you waiting for?!"

The Snow Queen screamed as she raised her arms. Snow spun around them, and from the ground rose a half dozen Frost Knights, gleaming ice swords and lances in their arms. "Destroy them all!" the Snow Queen hissed. "Except the girl! I will not fade into nothing! You will become me – I won't kill you, but you don't have to be in one piece to become me!"

Virginia turned – the Frost Knights began marching.

Tony gulped.

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Wallace's two guards stood at either side of the Devil's Mirror. The one held a spear tipped with the Devil's Thorn. The two guards jumped as a bright light suddenly shone from the Mirror's surface. Mother Holle hobbled out into the Snow Queen's throne room, followed by Blabberwort and Bluebell.

"The cavalry has arrived!" Bluebell jeered. He saw the Frost Knights and the trio of half-wolves, and grinned as he raised his sword.

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"Destroy them all!" the Snow Queen ordered.

The Frost Knights continued on their march – they stopped as the two trolls leaped before them. "Here Fat One!" Bluebell tossed Tony a spare sword.

"Where the heck did you guys come from? Where's Wallace?" he asked.

Bluebell grinned. "The Lord Protector is uh … reliving his youth, as they say!" He twirled his blade as the Frost Knights spread out.

Fiona was snarling as she leapt after Virginia. The two dodged between the various ice statues. Virginia peered behind one – Fiona's snarling face was there, lashing out with her blade. "I may not be allowed to kill you, but like the Snow Queen said – you don't have to be in one piece!"

The battle spread out across the throne room. Blabberwort and Bluebell tag-teamed with each other, Bluebell getting on all fours, Blabberwort then shoving a Frost Knight backwards, forcing him to trip over the kneeling troll. Bluebell spun up, thrusting his sword into the Frost Knight's chest, shattering him into a thousand snow pieces.

Tony ran to where Prince was frozen. He raised his boot and crunched – again and again – freeing the poor dog's little paws. Prince shook the snow out of his mane and turned to see Hebro and Dynaman. He growled, before leaping after the two half-wolves. Tony raised his weapon, yelling and charging as well.

A Frost Knight staggered back away from the main fighting, its head moving left and right. Mother Holle appeared behind him, tapping him on the shoulder gently with her staff. The Knight turned – she whacked his head into snow with the staff and his body crumpled into a pile of white cold slush. She smiled, satisfied with herself.

The Snow Queen paced back and forth amid the fighting, watching with fury as the tide slowly turned against her.

Bluebell and Blabberwort were fighting in unison. They took down another knight and gave Tony a thumb's up. "Putting our heads together – just like you taught us, Fat One!"

"Great!" Tony yelled, dodging Hebro's slashing claws. He parried a blow, ducking behind a statue. He spun out to find Hebro screaming as Prince had sunk his teeth into his leg. Tony charged, smashing Hebro onto the floor. He grabbed his head and with a single blow knocked the half-wolf clean out.

Dynaman stood there, his claws outstretched, confused. Tony stood up, Prince at his side. He watched as the Frost Knights were folding under the skill of the trolls. He looked over at Fiona with almost an apologetic frown. "See ya!" He turned and ran for it, with Fiona screaming his name in fury. Tony looked down at Prince and shrugged.

Fiona turned, her blade gleaming red with Wolf's blood. Her eyes were seething in fury at this girl – this girl who had taken her packmate, who had forced her hand – forced her to end him. "I will see you dead!" she snarled.

Virginia poked her head out from behind a statue. "Careful – your mistress wants me alive!"

Fiona slashed, lodging her blade into an ice pillar as Virginia slid out of the way. The she-wolf wrenched her blade out and turned. "My mistress is on her way out! At this point, all I care about is ending you!" She lunged forward, her right arm catching Virginia's throat, her claws closing on it. "I may not get Wolf! But I'll get my Happily Ever After in the end! And nothing will make me happier than choking the life out of you!" She bore down with the full force of her might, forcing Virginia to the ground. She raised her dagger –

Virginia kicked up snow from the floor into her eyes. Fiona screeched, backing up, her dagger clattering to the ground. Virginia tackled Fiona to the floor. The two scrabbled in the ice together – Virginia's hand reached out and grasped the handle of the dagger and raised it, her anger rising!

Fiona stopped, staring at the fury in Virginia's face and weapon held aloft. Their eyes met for a second.

"Do it," Fiona finally urged. "End my torment."

Virginia continued to hold the blade aloft.

"Yes," the Snow Queen hissed from behind her. "Do it! Take your revenge! She killed Wolf! Now – kill her. She took away your Happily Ever After! Poor Fen will no longer have a Daddy because of her!"

Virginia stopped. Her arm was aloft.

She stared down at Fiona. She wanted to loathe her. She wanted to destroy this monster, this creature …

Yet somehow, she couldn't hate her. As she stared into the eyes of the she-wolf, she saw a mixture of sadness, regret and even … fear. Panting, Virginia tossed the knife aside. "No …"

"What is this?" The Snow Queen was perplexed.

Virginia stared down at Fiona. "I pity you …"

Fiona's mouth opened and closed. She turned her head sideways and stared at Wolf's unmoving form. A cry escaped her mouth, and she began sobbing uncontrollably. Virginia stood up and stepped away as Fiona curled up into a fetal position, crying hysterically, rocking back and forth.

Virginia focused her full attention on the Snow Queen. "Your downfall – was in thinking everyone is like you! I make my own choices! And my choice now – is to turn my back on everything you represent! My choice – is to not focus on what I've lost, but on what I have!" She turned away, smiling sadly at the exhausted Tony and Prince. She walked over to them, hugging them. She motioned to the two trolls. "Come on you two. And you, Mother Holle." The trolls shrugged and joined her. Mother Holle hobbled on over to the group. They all ignored the ice witch standing there.

"Look at me …" the Snow Queen hissed.

"Don't listen to her," Virginia admonished. "Don't even acknowledge her."

"You can't ignore me!"

Virginia kept her back to her future self. Tony stared angrily at the Snow Queen, before joining Virginia in turning away. Prince stuck his nose in the air and spun around, his tail up, showing her his backside.

The Snow Queen's eyes widened. "You two – trolls! You can't ignore me!"

Blabberwort and Burly frowned. The looked at each other, before turning their back on her as well.

"M-Mother Holle! Surely you can see the beauty of what I've done?! Why I did it! To save the world! Mother Holle – don't you want peace? Security?!"

Lip firm, Mother Holle turned her back as well.

The Snow Queen stood there, mouth open. She raised a hand and gasped – it was more translucent than before. "No!" She tried to move – she was frozen in place. She waved her arms. "Virginia! Don't throw away everything we've accomplished! Look at how close I am to bringing true peace to the world!"

Virginia stood there, back to her, unmoving, not listening.

"VIRGINIA!"

She was met with no response.

The Snow Queen cried out as she watched the color fade from her form. A charge went up her body. She was disappearing into a wispy, white vapor.

"VIRGINIA!"

And the last thing she saw – were the backs of all of their heads, all completely ignoring her. She was no longer relevant, she realized. Not even worth their attention anymore. A final ghostly wail tore from her mouth.

Then, just like that, the Snow Queen was erased from the face of the world.

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Virginia turned back to Wolf's body. She sadly knelt down, letting the tears silently fall. Mother Holle joined her, kneeling on his other side. The old woman sadly caressed his face and recited an old saying. "The way you walked was thorny, through no fault of your own. But as the rain enters the soil, the river enters the sea, so tears run to a predestined end. Your suffering is over. Now you will find peace for eternity."

She touched Wolf's forehead for one final time, before she slowly rose to her feet. Behind them, Tony wiped his eyes and the two trolls stood there, heads lowered.

Their sadness was only eclipsed by Virginia's. She held Wolf's head in her lap and sobbed. Her tears ran down her cheek … and splashed onto his chest.

Mother Holle stopped suddenly. She observed.

Virginia's teardrops rolled down into the wound through his chest. And suddenly, the wound began closing up. Virginia stopped and stared. "What's happening …?"

The wound sealed itself up, the flesh reknitting itself. There was a flash of light where the wound was … and then only smooth flesh.

"Your tears," Mother Holle gaped. "The tears of true love. I should have known …"

"My … my tears …?"

Mother Holle smiled. "True love's tears. Gerda's tears saved Kay all those years ago. And yours … well, let us see."

There was silence for the space of a moment. Then, to everyone's utter amazement, Wolf's chest heaved. Virginia gaped. "H-how is this possible?"

"Your love – your tears – you saved him."

Wolf slowly sat up; Virginia helped him upright. He looked down at his chest and then held his head. "Oh Huff-Puff, I feel like I took a Sleeping Beauty power nap. I – where am I and why is everyone crying?" Virginia half cried and half laughed. Wolf turned to look at her. "Virginia – my, you look succulent!"

Virginia grabbed his shirt and pulled him into a passionate kiss. His eyes widened and then closed as he kissed her back.

Above them, Mother Holle smiled as she opened her cloak. There, in her arms, was the silently sleeping Fen. Virginia laughed as the scooped up the cub. Wolf's eyes were the size of tennis balls. "Wolf," Virginia began. "May I introduce you to your son? Fen."

"A son!" Wolf jumped up and punched the air. "Oh Huff-Puff! A little cub! Aaaw, look at the little chap! He looks just like his Daddy! Can I …?" He held out his arms and Virginia placed the cub into them. Fen nestled up into his Daddy's bosom as Wolf rocked him. "Fen. Oh boy, I cannot wait to take you hunting for juicy sheepy-weepies and lovely shepherdesses." He saw Virginia's warning look. "Okay, maybe when you're a little older …"

The two leaned in, their hands caressing the peacefully sleeping baby, and shared what seemed like their first kiss after waking up from a very long sleep …