This chapter definitely needed some time in the oven, so I really love and appreciate how patient you have all been. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!

To make up for not updating this fic since October, please take this 5k chapter of sickening, unbearable fluff. You all deserve it xx

This chapter is the climax of this story, and of the entire series. I gave my absolute all to writing this, so please enjoy xx

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Waking up to her was a dream.

He felt like he was surrounded by light all over again, but this time it was the warm gaze of the morning sun that filtered in through the gossamer curtains, touching them both so lovingly. Damian would forever remember for the rest of his life how her skin shimmered like starlight, how she burst with as much light as the sun itself, and more than anything, how full his heart had felt. When she reminded him of their love, when he felt like nothing could ever separate them. Forever, he would always remember the patterns of light that rippled across her skin like water.

Damian had never slept so well than he did with her in his arms. Warm, and comforting, and almost melded to him, she was what was missing from his sleep his whole life. He never wanted to sleep alone again. Not when Anya completed him so perfectly.

With her face so close to his chest, he had managed to keep his arm beneath her neck, while she used the immeasurably soft pillows to support the weight of her head. Anya's eyes stayed closed, and from her soft snores, and the gentle rise and fall of her small frame turned towards him, he guessed that she was still asleep.

Her face was so close to his. If she woke, and decided to lift her face to his, he would be able to kiss her.

Damian traced his finger along her hip, dipping into the soft curve of her waist, over her ribcage and shoulder, and then finally he could caress her cheek. His thumb smoothed the edges of her wonderfully pink hair, and it took far too long for Damian to realise that he had not taken a single breath since the moment he woke up. She just took it away too easily.

Without trying to wake her, Damian tried to inhale quietly, to ease the ache in his chest, and controlled his outbreath so that he wouldn't make a single noise. He would happily stay like that forever, with her in his arms. Eating and sleeping and learning could easily take a backseat when his main focus was making sure that his wife could sleep soundly in his arms.

Damian's breath stuttered. His wife.

His wife.

All over again, warmth bloomed through him, and Damian had to use all of his strength to resist just squeezing her from sheer joy.

"Morning," she smiled, and green eyes fluttered open to greet him, and with that one look she stole his breath all over again.

"I didn't mean to wake you," he said apologetically, while she yawned, and snuggled in closer to him.

"You didn't wake me. I was just dreaming, and I wanted to see you."

Oh, his heart. How she gave it such tender care.

"I can't believe we're married," he whispered, stroking his thumb against her cheek. If this was a dream, he never wanted to wake up.

Anya tilted her head up to his, just enough for him to see her playful smile as she leaned closer to him.

"I can't believe you're not making love to me right now."

Damian blinked, and his heart went into overdrive, his face flooding with heat.

"Anya!"

"Yes?"

She grinned up at him, eyes bright and mischievous, while he gaped at her, and Damian's blush spread through his entire body.

It was so embarrassing, that he couldn't help but laugh.

"You really are something," he chuckled, while Anya pressed herself closer, and tilted her head up in invitation.

"Of course I am. I'm yours, " she smiled once again, her whispers soft against his lips.

"Anya…" he groaned, embarrassed, but he couldn't physically stop himself from smiling, mirroring her own expression, because there was nothing stopping them anymore. This was it. It was the beginning of the rest of their lives together, and he wanted to savour every moment.

The feeling flooded through him, so powerfully that he felt his temporary embarrassment melt away. All the years of their lives lay ahead, and Damian couldn't wait to experience it all with her.

"Come here, then," he teased her, tilting her chin to meet her lips.


It was a blessing that the attendants had already stocked the cottage with supplies and everything that they would need for two days, because when they did eventually make it to the kitchen, it had crossed Damian's mind that he had never felt so hungry in his entire life. As a Prince, he was used to having his needs met fairly quickly, which included any pangs of hunger. Anya, on the other hand, had apparently become the personification of an entire black hole.

"I'm starving, " she whined, and threw herself face down on the chaise-longue.

Damian quirked his eyebrow at her, not that she could see it. "You do realise how that's your fault, right?"

Anya let out a long groan, muffled by the plush velvet fabric, shortly followed by the loud growl of her stomach.

"Well it looks like we have some apples, dried meats, dried fruits, nuts -"

Anya perked her head up. "Peanuts?"

Damian checked inside the small burlap bag. "Yes, there's pea-"

"Peanuts!" Anya exclaimed and leapt towards him, and for a fraction of a second Damian remembered the vision of a frog leaping towards him with outstretched arms, and he recoiled automatically, but it did nothing to deter her enthusiastic advance.

"I love peanuts," she beamed at him like he was already made of sunshine.

They ate breakfast together, although Damian couldn't pull his eyes away from his wife as she tucked into the spread before them, while he munched slowly on the food, despite his own hunger.

She was a vision, even with her hair tousled and unbrushed, even with crumbs on her lips, even with her silken robe tied in a way that was ruffled and uneven. The morning light had long gone, and the afternoon sun bathed them both in a warmth that he wished he could stay in forever.

A strange sensation pricked at the backs of his eyes, and Damian blinked rapidly, trying to clear it, but it caught Anya's attention, and she stopped eating, wiping the crumbs from her face.

"Are you okay, Damian? Is something wrong?"

"Hm?" Damian shook himself off. "Yes, I'm fine, I'm…"

He didn't know how to finish his sentence.

Thankfully, Anya sensed his hesitation, and she put a gentle hand on top of his across the table in encouragement.

Damian smiled, his eyes once again misting over.

"I was thinking about how happy I am with you, and when I used to bring food to you every day by the lake."

"I remember," Anya's eyes softened with nostalgia. "I had so much fun with you. You really helped me to feel a lot less lonely."

"You helped me too. More than you could ever imagine," Damian said quietly and squeezed her hand, before rising to his feet.

"Come on, Frog Princess," he smiled and he stepped around the table to kiss her on the top of her head. "Get dressed. I have a surprise for you."

Anya blinked at him. "Right now?"

"Yeah," Damian held his hand out to her, and pulled her up. "We've got one of the horses out back. It's only a short trip from here, and we'll want to go while it's still light."

Her eyes widened, and Damian swore that he could see the stars illuminating them from deep within.

"Really?!" she grinned, unable to contain her excitement. "We're going on a trip?!"

She peppered him with questions as they both got ready, but Damian did not budge, and instead answered all of her excited questions with elusive answers or silent smiles, occasionally even teasing her with a quick kiss, and soon Anya was forced to accept that her new husband really intended to surprise her at their destination, and not a minute before.

She could have pretended to huff about it, but she was too excited. Anya threw on a simple riding dress, while Damian tucked his shirt into his trousers, also simple for the ride ahead.

Anya helped Damian to saddle the horse - only because she wanted to learn how to do it - and it wasn't long at all before he seated himself in the saddle behind her, with both arms protectively holding the reins at either side of her. If she leaned back, she would be against his warm chest, but she didn't want to distract him, so she tangled her hand in the horse's mane as she kept her eyes forward.

They trotted through the dappled sunlight, and Anya marvelled at all of it. The beautiful forest, the serene quietude, the luscious greenery and the way the sunlight travelled over both of their arms. Anya glanced quickly back at Damian while they went, and the smile he gave her was so warm, his eyes so golden, that heat immediately rushed to her face, and she turned to the front again.

Something glinted between the gaps of the trees, and Anya shielded her eyes from the brilliant glare. Was it her imagination, or was there something shimmering in the distance?

As they got closer, Anya's heart sped up in her chest.

"Is that…?" she whispered breathlessly, her eyes widening in awe and delight, and a surge of joy rose through her.

"Yeah," said Damian softly, and he leaned forward, resting his chin lightly on her shoulder. "Stella Lake."

Even before Damian said it out loud, Anya knew in her heart where they were. It was so familiar, so much a part of her, of them, of her story, that she could recognise it in her sleep, or even in her dreams.

"It's so beautiful," Anya sighed, and she wiped at her eyes, suddenly overcome with emotion. "I forgot how beautiful it was."

It shimmered in the beautiful summer day, just like it did back then, reflecting back an azure blue sky, and the sun's rays dazzled Anya as they danced on the surface of the lake. For many years, this lake was her home, and then for the last year of her life as a frog, it was where she met Damian. It was where their love story began.

Damian dismounted first, and then raised his hands up expectantly for Anya to hold, but she gulped nervously. The horse was so high up, and she didn't have much practice still, and how was she supposed to dismount in the first place -

"Don't worry, I'll catch you," said Damian confidently, seeing the hesitation in her eyes.

Bracing herself, Anya took a deep breath, and swung one leg round so that her whole body faced Damian. As her body slid down, Damian placed both hands on her waist, steadying her with his firm grip, and the solar heat of his palms blazed through her. He pulled her to him with ease, and Anya yelped with surprise as she landed against his chest, and for some reason that Anya couldn't quite place, it brought a blush to her cheeks.

"See?" Damian kissed her on the forehead. "I've got you."

Starbursts lit up in Anya's heart, dazzling her with sparks, and heat flooded her face. She still wasn't used to being able to be with Damiain in private like this, and she loved it. All those gentle touches, all those longing looks, and even better, he was just so kind to her, so gentlemanly, that it stopped her in her tracks.

"What do you want to do first?"

Damian's voice pulled Anya out of her thoughts, and she gazed longingly towards the lake, before flashing him a wicked grin.

"Race you to the lake!"

She started sprinting before he could reply, and Anya tilted her head back, laughing all the way until she made it to the dazzling shoreline, and reached her hand into the water, splashing Damian with a huge wave of water.

He spluttered from the shock and shook the droplets from his head, laughing. "You're going to pay for that!"


Stella Lake was remote enough that no passers-by were disturbed by the noise, but if there were any, they would have heard the pealing laughter of the second prince of the kingdom, and the new princess as they launched water at each other.

The water fight was short-lived, and soon the couple were completely soaked, with lake water dripping from their clothes, forming puddles in the ground below them. Anya peeled off her sodden dress, and draped it over a low-hanging branch, leaving room for Damian to put his clothes next to hers.

The warm afternoon sun gave them respite from the cooling effects of the water, much to Anya's delight.

"Reminds me of when I used to sit with you by the fire," she hummed quietly. "Or when it was just a sunny day, and I could find a lilypad all for myself. It was nice, even if it was hard sometimes…"

She had reclined on a patch of grass, letting the sun warm her as much as possible in just her underclothes, while their outerwear dried on the branch behind them.

Damian shifted quietly next to her, enough so that he reached his hand over and traced soft circles over her shoulders.

"I thought you might like to enjoy the lake as a human," he said quietly. "And I know that you were lonely here. I was lonely, too, but then I found you and…"

He nudged her closer, so that he could offer her his own shoulder to lean on, with his hands permeating their warmth over her hips on her other side.

"I thought we could make new memories here, together," he whispered, and brought his lips to hers, kissing her softly.

Anya closed her eyes, following him into the kiss, and pressed closer, winding her hands in his wonderfully soft hair, still slightly damp from the lake. He was warm, so wonderfully warm, and Anya's eyes pricked with new tears, at once happy and relieved, knowing that she had never felt so happy before in her life.

I love you, her heart sang, and along with it, her other heart responded:

I love you I love you I love you I love you

A feeling so powerful surged over her, an uncontainable joy that felt like it could burst out of her.

"I love it when you do that," Damian murmured against her lips, and Anya's eyes flashed open.

It was happening again. Her love and her joy spilled out of her in the form of phosphorescent particles skimming along her skin, illuminating the air. She would have turned away from the embarrassment of it, before she saw the look in his eyes: the lights danced and reflected in his eyes, making his irises look even more golden than they already were.

The beginnings of dusk painted the sky. Orange light seared through the clouds, as gold glimmered on their edges like flecks of shimmering paint, and streaks of magenta, lilac, and rose blurred into each other, all working together to create a beautiful sunset, and swathed in all these colours, Anya flickered like candlelight. The sun hovered low over the horizon, bathing them both in a golden glow, enhancing Anya's own light.

"Dance with me," Damian softly implored her, mesmerised by her luminescent beauty, and all the while her heart was sure to leap out of her chest.

Anya nodded, her own cheeks flooding with warmth, and when Damian stood to face her, he took her breath away. His stance was the picture of a true gentleman. With the practised grace and the elegance of a born Prince, Damian lowered his torso in a deep bow, his hand over his heart, which he then held out to her.

She delicately placed her hand in his, and yelped when Damian pulled her eagerly to her feet, and she fell forward, landing against his chest.

I love you, she thought as Damian brought his other hand to her waist, and held her close.

I love you, her heart whispered, when he led her into the steps, and she moved without thinking, letting herself melt into the dance.

I love you, her body thrummed, when he spun her in an elegant twirl, her hair and skirt fluttering on the wind, his hand sure and steady on hers.

I love you, her soul soared when her gaze returned to his, and she felt captured by him, unable to turn away from the look of adoration that he gave her.

Damian's love for her burned in his golden eyes, and Anya was mesmerised by the colours swirling in them. Aurelian amber and saffron threaded together in a beautiful braid made of sunlight, warm and intense, while gleaming strands of gold shone through, gazing intently only on her as they danced.

Never letting go of her hand, he held her firmly by the waist as he led the dance, interspersed with a few well-placed twirls, and Anya felt as though the forest had melted away, and they were back in the ballroom of the Last Dance. Her plain white under clothes had transformed into her gorgeous green gown, while Damian's own attire became the brilliant white and celestial gold, just as princely as he had been that night. Music blossomed in her memory, an exquisite accompaniment to their dance, as if was playing as beautifully as in her most treasured dreams.

I love you, his eyes said, holding her in his powerful gaze, and Anya wanted to melt into them.

Love flowed through her, filling every part of her, until her skin tingled and her heart felt close to bursting. It was a feeling so airy, so light, that it gave her a buoyancy she never knew that she could feel, almost like she was walking on air.

"Anya," Damian whispered in her ear, so quietly she almost missed it. "Look down."

Anya blinked, the memory of the ballroom dissipating around her, and she tore her eyes away from his to look towards her feet, and she gasped.

"How…?"

Silver fish swam under her feet, their scales reflecting her light, and as Anya stepped back, following the dance still, her hand never leaving Damian's for a second, she saw the ripples from her steps travel across the lake, and yet neither hers nor Damian's footsteps broke the surface of the water.

She was speechless. While dancing with Damian, she had somehow not noticed that they had migrated from the lakeshore to the water's surface, and as Anya looked around her more, she realised that they were standing completely in the middle of the lake, surrounded by the forest. Dancing on water. Every step rippled and shimmered outwards, and as the sun finally dipped below the horizon, Anya's unwavering light remained, illuminating the surface of the lake, illuminating the night, every ripple soaring outwards like solar flares, while the fish darted beneath her like shooting stars in the cosmic sky.

"It's your magic, Anya. It's amazing. You're amazing," Damian whispered to her, and even with the new revelation, he didn't stop dancing, and brought his hand around her in another twirl.

As Anya's body stepped outwards for the twirl, her hand still in Damian's, the reflection from the water caught her eye.

She saw herself, in her white underclothes, gleaming as brightly as the moon above them, while light sparkled from her skin like stardust trailing in her wake.

Somewhere in her mind, Anya knew that she had never made a light like this before, and her magic stirred inside her.

It's time, it said, and Anya held her breath for a moment.

"It's happening," she whispered, returning once again to Damian's loving embrace. She put her hand on his strong shoulder, and in a mix of excitement and trepidation, she accidentally gripped him too hard, and he winced.

"What is…?"

"My magic," she said in wonder, keeping her voice to a whisper. It felt so large within her, rippling so close to the surface, that whispering was the only way to curb her own excitement. "It's ready."

Her magic filled her, and yet at the same time, it wasn't part of her. Not yet. It still felt so strangely separate, like holding a glass of water that you couldn't yet drink from, but could only catch the water droplets that escaped. She needed to make the connection, like her mother said, or it could be inaccessible to her forever.

"Is your source nearby? Will you be able to connect to it?"

Damian's worried voice drew her away from her thoughts, and Anya smiled at him softly while he swayed with her on the water, dancing at a much slower pace than before.

She thought of when she disclosed her source to her father. How nervous she was, how embarrassed, and the wind responded, silencing itself so that her words wouldn't carry to any listeners.

Her heart filled with determination. She wasn't embarrassed any more. And, she couldn't think of a better time to seal her magic than right here and now, on their first day as a married couple, at the lake where it all began.

Anya centred herself and took a deep breath, looking into Damian's eyes with firm resolve.

"It's my heart."

He blinked at her, once twice, before his eyes widened in awe, and his breath caught in his chest. Like he knew just how important this moment was to her.

"Your heart…"

The air stilled around them, like the forest and the lake held its breath, just for them. With the grace of a gentle breeze, Anya brought Damian's hand closer to her, and rested his palm above her heart.

"It's yours," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "It's always been yours."

"Does that mean…" Damian lowered his voice, never taking his eyes off hers. "That I'm kind of like your source… too?"

Anya nodded, blushing, and looked down. She was almost too afraid to say the next part out loud, but she needed Damian to know, and more than that, it wouldn't be right if she didn't at least warn him about what she had suspected for some time…

"I have this feeling that… if I seal my magic, it will affect you, too. I don't know exactly what will happen, or how it works, or how it will affect you, so it's okay if you don't want to…"

"Anya."

Damian's palm pressed against her heart, as warm as the summer sun, as he implored her with his golden eyes.

"I love you. I love all of you, and your magic is a part of you. Just…" He leaned forward, kissing her with such gentle reverence, like a breeze grazing her lips as he whispered his love to her. "Tell me what you need me to do."

"Dance with me."

The words tumbled so naturally out of her mouth, but as soon as they did, Anya realised that it was the right thing to do.

When Anya had previously asked Yor how to seal the connection, she only smiled, and added: When the time comes, the path will reveal itself to you.

Now, she could understand what her mother meant. It all felt so organic, so natural, and the magic thrummed within her with energy and anticipation. Yes, this is the way, it said.

Damian did not need to be asked twice, and he increased the pace of their dancing, to once again transition from a slow sway, as gentle as a breeze, to something more urgent, more dynamic, more heartfelt and enticing.

Like the rising of the dawn, it started with a glow…

He swept her away, and together they danced with more passion than they ever had before. Anya felt her spirit and her magic rising to the surface, and suddenly it was spilling out of her, waves of light floating like ribbons around her, bringing them closer together, tying their hearts together in a way that made them both feel as connected as when they first kissed, when they sealed their marriage at the altar, when they made love for the first time.

"Are you really sure about this?" she couldn't help but say it, even as her magic fizzed in her veins, sparklers and fireworks bursting into the sky.

Bubbles of light burst into the air, surrounding them, bathing the space around them in a gentle sheen of gold…

His warm eyes crinkled at her in a smile, and just then, Anya realised too late that the light had encompassed him, too. He shone just as brightly as her, and it dazzled her.

As firelight seeps through a room and connects everything in its' sight, the warmth and the light spread through them both, joining their hearts in a golden glow…

"Yes," he breathed, his happiness echoing hers. Every time he pulled her close, her skin sparked at his touch. "I'm sure."

Neither of them thought about the steps as they were swept away by the music, by the lights, by the feeling in their chests that grew stronger and stronger as the music continued to swell…

Light enveloped both of them, and stardust trailed in their wake as they danced, floating down to the water's surface like stars. Anya passed under Damian's arm as he twirled her once, twice, and then his hand was pressed flat against her back, supporting her between her shoulder blades.

He had never held her like this before. At the Last Dance, and every dance since, there might have been a small dip, a small twist backwards that every dancer was expected to perform, but it was nothing like this. Not where full trust was required from both of them, for Anya to keep her balance and for Damian to keep his strength.

In that moment, Anya knew without a doubt that her magic wouldn't be awakened by an act of reverence, alone.

"Hold on to me," he said breathlessly, as he lowered her into a dip, and as Anya leaned backwards, almost falling, putting her full trust in Damian, stars burst into her vision, shattering her apart.

The barrier between her and her magic dissipated like sugar in water, like particles in the wind, like the edge of the atmosphere taking her into space itself.

It became her. She was water, she was air, she was life itself, she was everything around her and inside of her, all one and the same, and in amongst all of it, her gaze was drawn to where her and Damian's hearts beat as one. Hearts that were already linked, bodies that were already intertwined, and souls that became each other. Two lives, shared. Two loves, inextricably woven together, until all that remained was one.

Tears burst from her eyes as she took in the sight of him, gazing at her with so much adoration and wonder that she felt she could burst from the joy of it.

"I love you so much," she gasped through her tears. They dropped and landed in the water below her, cascading like starfall, sparkling like constellations.

She called, and her other heart responded: I love you I love you I love you I love you

She didn't know who moved to the other first. All she knew was that Damian pulled her up, and suddenly her lips were on his, melding together in a beautiful symphony that made her spirit soar alongside his, and together, their souls entwined in a dance of their own.

His breath ghosted her lips, his eyes roamed her face, searching.

"How do you feel?"

"I feel…"

Anya couldn't help it. She gazed around her, taking it all in, like she was breathing for the first time.

Colours, everywhere. Her vision was saturated with it. Nebulous clouds of every colour imaginable streamed from the trees, from the plants around her, from the fish below her, and she gazed at her own hand, fascinated by the green-and-gold shadow that followed her every movement.

"Oh, wow," she breathed, unable to use words to describe what she was seeing, what she was feeling, because the answer was that she was feeling everything.

Cicadas hummed around her. Pulses in the water told her where the fish darted and swam. Even the heartbeat of the horse at the lake's edge reached her. The flow of the air showed her the birds' flight paths, weaving in incomprehensible patterns above her. Trees sighed and groaned as they stretched ever further towards the sky. The light of the moon and stars pulsed with energy, singing to her.

She could lose herself in it, she could feel it. If she just closed her eyes, if she let go of Damian's hand and fell into the colours around her, she could let her mortal body fade and she could just be.

The temptation was overwhelming. It was an effort for Anya to pull her senses away from everything around her, to turn back to Damian, and when she did, her breath was stolen all over again.

"Damian…"

Her chest tightened as she took in the incredible sight of him, shining like a beacon in the night. More radiant than the stars, more beautiful than the moon…

"What is it?"

His hand squeezed hers, patiently waiting for her answer, and yet at the same time, there was a hint of anxiety in the undercurrent of his voice.

"Your spirit," she sighed, though her voice wobbled, and tears burst to her eyes all over again. "It's beautiful."

Green and gold pools of colour swirled in her vision. He blazed like a powerful flame, burning away all shadows as the essences of both Anya's and Damian's souls surged upwards towards the sky. Irrevocably entwined. Forever sealed together as one.

"How…" She swallowed, and her mouth went dry. "How do you feel?"

His hand traced her jaw, tilting it up towards him, and he lowered his face to hers.

"Amazing," he kissed her. "Alive." He kissed her again, almost delirious with wonder. "Astounded."

He punctuated his last word with a fervent kiss, together tasting stardust and moonlight and sunbeams, both knowing with their entire beings that all was as it was meant to be. They were joined by heart, body, and soul, brought together by a fate so much larger than themselves, so much larger than they would ever know, or understand.

Their love story had begun years before, right on the shore of the very lake on which they danced, and yet, it was just the first day of the rest of their lives.

Her mother's blessing echoed in her heart, forever imprinted on her spirit:

A blessing, and a promise. That you both will have a happy life together.

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You guys.

I am. WEEPING.

Writing this was SO emotional, I can't! I love these two so much, I love their love, I love their stories and their joy and their happiness, it fills my heart so much I was genuinely near tears while writing it in a Waterstones cafe and I had to keep it in! You may or may not recognise some of the lines in the last part of this chapter, I echoed some of the lines from the first fic to tie everything together and to really marry the past and present of their love.

Chapter 5 will be the Epilogue, and then our journey with the Damianya Frog Princess AU will officially be over. But, I have enjoyed every second, every moment. This story is so precious to me, so I want to do it right, and if that takes another 6 months, then so be it.

In the meantime, I hope you all love this story and this AU as much as I do xx