"Really, I can explain everything," Alex said hurridly and Merida dragged the young royal by her left ear across the courtyard.

"Oh you'd better, or the Goddess help me…" the Princess muttered as they entered the temple.

"I don't envy her right now," Sir Bryant sighed. "Her Highness nearly lost it when I encountered her escort in the woods, I can only imagine what the lass has coming to her."

"Well, all of this must be a shock," Anna offered diplomatically.

"That feels like an understatement," he replied with a smirk. "I'm glad you made it to the temple safely, Goði. May I assume Alistar and your brother also made it safely?"

"They did," Anna answered, and saw the old knight immediately relax. "He should be training in the yards if you wish to talk to him. And don't let him belittle his role in saving me, he is the reason we got here safely."

"I'll keep that in mind," he replied, bowing as much as he was able before heading to the training yard.

"You're blowing this way out of proportion…" Alex said sheepishly as she was dragged down the corridor into a small prayer room with an alter to Skadi.

"So let me get this straight," Merdia started angrily, accent growing thick, as she let go of her niece's ear. "You left the safety of the village despite my orders to stay there knowing more than I the dangers that lurk in the forest. While out run into a cult dedicated to destroying the Goddess to whom's order you belong and everything She holds dear. Once encountering these madman you decide the best course of action is to send every one of your guards off and face them on your own, and instead of a cultist you face a mythical shapechanger who almost takes off your arm. Tell me, lass, what have I 'blown way out of proportion'?"

"Well, when you put it like that…" Alex conceded as she rubbed her tender ear.

"I swear, girl if you weren't acting on the Goddess' behalf…"

"But she was," Elsa interrupted, the brazier next to her alter came to life. "And as the Goddess, I am proud of her and how she fought to ensure my beloved arrived her safely."

Alex puffed out her chest and got an impish grin on her face when the Goddess continued, voice cold, "But as her blood relation who wishes to ensure her safety, I am not happy with the risks that were taken."

She immediately deflated at the words spoken and the glare from both women.

"I thought we discussed this," Merida asked, turning to Elsa. "You promised me you would protect her."

"I promised I would not put her in harm's way," the Goddess corrected. "I had not realized the Cult of Summer had grown so strong in my lands."

Alex's jaw dropped at the interaction between the two women. "You knew," she demanded.

"Aili was my twin, girl. Do you really think she could keep anything from me," Merdia asked with a raised eyebrow. "I knew she'd fallen for the Lord Vidar long before she did, and let me tell ya, it's as awkward as ya think listening to a girl talk about falling in love with a statue. But then she started talking like she knew him and when she started make preperations, I knew. I confronted her, just before she left DunBroch. She begged me not to tell, maybe if I had…"

"She would have left anyway," Elsa finished, interrupting the princess. "My brother had cause to get her out of there and would not have let you stopped him."

"But maybe if I'd let someone know…"

"Nothing would have changed," Elsa assured the princess. "Once my brother sets his mind to something, it is impossible to change it."

"Why have you summoned me, Winter Goddess," Merida asked, changing the subject from the one that still caused her pain even years later.

She seemed to take a moment to compose herself before saying bluntly, "Alex is to remain here to lead Anna's personal guard."

"Not a chance," the princess shot back immediately. "I've already lost my twin thanks to your brother, I'll not lose all I have left of her to you!"

Alex cringed, expecting the Goddess anger for her mortal aunt's blaspheme, but saw only sorrow on her face. Taking a chance, Alex gently placed a hand on her aunt's shoulder, causing the red haired woman to look sharply at her.

"You know I need to be here," Alex said softly. "I'm the only one who can protect her."

"But who'll protect you, lass," Merida asked, her voice cracking.

"I have plenty I know who will guard my back, and I swear no more risks like the one I took getting here."

Merida hung her head for a moment before sighing in defeat and asking, "Who will tell Mother?"

"I will make sure she finds out," Elsa said sadly.

The Princess nodded, grateful to have avoided that duty.

"All I need from you," Elsa continued, "is to send a bird containing a message…"

Queen Elinor stormed into the sanctuary belonging to Caleach. She had received a message from her daughter stating that Alex would remain in the North and that a messenger would be waiting for her here to explain everything.

They were out of their minds if they thought she would allow this! She lost her daughter to those lands, she'd be damned if she allowed Alex to remain there as well. It had been a mistake allowing her only granddaughter to return there…

The queen heard movement behind her and assumed it was the messenger Merida had mentioned. She kept her back turned to them, letting them know exactly who they were dealing with.

"Mother?"

Elinor froze; she'd know that voice anywhere.

"Aili," she asked as she slowly turned, coming face to face with the spirt of her lost daughter. As soon as their eyes met, the queen fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. It was most certainly her daughter, older than she remembered, and somehow even more beautiful. Her hands shot out, shaking, but reaching for her lost child.

"Mother," Aili repeated, a smile blossoming on her face as she reached for her mother's hands, "I've missed you."

"Aili," she repeated, gripping her daughter's hands tightly. "How…?"

"I don't have long," she answered sadly, "just long enough to pass on Caleach's wish to allow Alex to stay in the North."

"I can't lose her, not like I lost you," she choked out.

"You won't," Aili assured. "There are many who will protect her."

"Like they protected you," Elinor spat out. "You weren't worth their protection, what makes you think they'll do better for her?"

Aili pulled her mother up so they were eye to eye before quietly speaking. "I cannot make any promises, I wish I could. The last thing I want is for my baby girl to join me, but you must understand, she needs to be there."

"Why? What is so important I must sacrifice my only granddaughter," Elinor demanded. "Isn't it enough I lost you? Haven't I paid a high enough price to the gods to be left alone with what is left of my family?"

Losing the last of her control, she broke, sobbing as Aili pulled her into a tight embrace.

"She'll be alright," Aili whispered in her mother's ear.

"How do you know," the queen hiccupped in response.

"I don't," she replied with a small laugh, "but I do have faith in the Winter Goddess' promise. 'A princess always shows proper reverence to the Gods'."

Elinor gave a watery laugh before saying, "You always were the only one to ever listen to my lessons." Straightening, she looked her daughter in the eye and said, "I don't like this, and I will require she returns on a regular basis."

"I'm sure that can be arranged," Aili said with a smile. "For what it's worth, she doesn't want to leave any of you. The North has always been home to her, but you're her family. She won't want to abandon you."

The queen gave a small smile before asking, "How much longer can you stay?"

"Not much," Aili sighed.

"Long enough for me to at least braid your hair, one last time?" When her girls were little, Aili was the only one who ever let her hair be braided, Merida insisting her hair remain as free as her spirit. It was a nightly routine between them that Elinor cherished and missed desperately when her daughter grew older and insisted on doing it herself.

"I'd like that," Aili said with a smile as she sat on the ground in front of one of the benches so her mother could sit behind her. Elinor smiled as she sat behind her daughter, not even bothering to fight the tears and she ran her fingers through her daughter's hair.

Elsa stood next to the Goddess of the Afterlife at her shrine as they watched mother and daughter interact.

"I trust you won't interrupt them until their done?"

"Just because I control Hell doesn't mean I'm a demon," she shot back. "Give me a little credit, Elsa."

"I'm sorry," the Winter Goddess conceded. "Everything that this family has endured still weighs on me. If I can see them get even a little peace…"

"I understand. Don't worry, I'll make sure Aili knows when her time is up so they can say their goodbyes."

"Thank you," Elsa said, looking over at the pair once more. "I won't forget this."

"Only because I won't let you," she shot back as Elsa disappeared. Sighing, she focused her attention on mother and daughter while giving them as much privacy as possible.

A/N: So... been a long time since I posted anything. I don't have any excuse except that life has been crazy for me lately. I know that's weak, but it's all I got. Thank you to everyone for putting up with me, and for the PMs I got asking me if I was ok (the subtle hint to hurry up and post this was definitely heard lol) I know this is shorter than most of my other chapters, but I really wanted to get it out. Sorry for the mistakes or if it has a choppy flow.

One of the things that distracted me and delayed this chapter is I went back and reworked all my previous chapters. I never intended for this story to get as long and drawn out as it has, and I didn't feel like the earlier chapters were good enough to support it. One thing led to another, and I ended up editing everything before chapter 20. If you don't want to go back and read it all, it's fine. I didn't do anything that would have messed with the basic story line. I introduced some characters sooner and gave others (like Vidar) and bit more depth. Thanks again for sticking with me!