The Storm Rages On

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Together

Elsa opened her eyes, every muscle in her body screaming in protest. Oh, let's not do that again anytime soon!

Before her eyes were two pairs of blue eyes, each framed by red hair. She smiled. "Hey."

Anna and Alúvelin glanced at each other briefly before returning their gazes to their sister. Both smiled warmly. "Hey!"

Elsa pulled herself up, looking around. She grimaced as she realized she was in the infirmary. "We spend way too much time in this room, you know that?"

Anna laughed, throwing her arms around her sister, holding her tightly. "We wouldn't have to if you would stop being so damn heroic!" she said. "Alúvelin told me what you did. How you saved us all." She gestured toward Elsa's abdomen. "You were very lucky you were able to heal yourself. It could have been a lot worse. You could have . . . You could have . . ."

"It wasn't anything at all," Elsa murmured, running her fingers absentmindedly over the slightly-raised scar on her belly. Memories suddenly rushed upon her, sending her into a state of intense worry. "Where . . . Where's Elenórathem? Where are the Tritastónende? What happened to Hans? Is everyone all right?! Where is Arberish?!" She looked at Anna, suddenly realizing her sister looked very, very different. "Your . . . Your belly . . . Where are your babies?! Are they all right?!"

"Easy! Easy!" Alúvelin took Elsa's hand, stroking it, trying to help her sister relax. "Everything is fine, Elsa. Better than fine, actually."

Anna spoke next, taking Elsa's other hand. "The babies . . . The babies are sleeping. Kristoff and Valanda are watching them." Her eyes grew cloudy for a moment. "Thank God for Valanda," she whispered. "I don't know what I would have done without her. She saved me, Elsa. The babies were stuck. They couldn't come out of me. All three of us were going to die. But Valanda . . . Somehow, she healed me, helped me deliver them. And then, at the height of the storm . . . She protected me from the ceiling collapsing."

Anna's face grew pale as she relived the horrifying experience. "I . . . I thought she was dead. She didn't move. She wasn't breathing. But then, all of a sudden . . . She sat up. It was incredible! The blood . . . The broken bones . . . Everything was suddenly better!" She turned to Alúvelin. "Have you spoken with her?"

"Yes," Alúvelin replied. "She told me . . . She told me she died. That she travelled to the land of our fathers. She said . . . She said Father was waiting for her."

Elsa's breath caught in her throat. "You mean . . .?"

Alúvelin nodded. "She met Isarn again. He told her it wasn't her time yet. That she still had too much to do, too many people to help. The Almighty . . . He sent her back, Elsa. He healed her. The Almighty God Himself . . ."

Elsa shook her head, overwhelmed. "Incredible," she whispered. She looked at Alúvelin, staring into her eyes. "It's . . . It's very fortunate that those men were working in the fortress basement on that exact day. If not, we never would have found your mother."

"I know." Alúvelin's eyes grew misty, hazy. "It's as if . . . It's as if they were meant to find her, like I was meant to free her. Does that make sense?"

"Yes," Elsa said, squeezing her sister's hand. "Yes, it does." She frowned. "Arberish. Where is he?" She felt her heart sink slightly. "I thought . . . I thought he would be here—"

"Don't worry yourself," Anna said. "He's sleeping now. He's barely left your side this entire time. I finally convinced him to rest a few hours ago." A thin smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "He really does love you, Elsa. He's been taking care of you this entire time, better than any of us ever could."

"Yes, he has." Alúvelin's face grew dark. "While you were unconscious, Arberish and I . . . I pried him away from you long enough for us to talk to our people. They finally made it here after all. We met with the scouts who had just returned from surveying what Hans did to our homeland."

Elsa's blood grew cold. "And?"

The Empress's eyes were full of sorrow, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "He spoke the truth. Our lands . . . They are uninhabitable. There is nothing left, Elsa. He . . . He destroyed everything. Our villages . . . burned to the ground. Our fortress . . . completely demolished. Our Sacred Hall of the Dead . . . desecrated."

She shook her head. "The only thing we salvaged was Brandlegreth. Hans . . . He dared to wear our sacred blade upon his belt. Arberish retrieved it once you calmed the storm . . . once you saved us." She clenched her fists, forcing herself to remain calm. "Wherever he is now, his punishment cannot possibly be terrible enough." She looked at Elsa, completely defeated. "Where do we go now, Elsa? We are exiles. Do you really think the Men of Arendelle will welcome us, will work with us, will allow us to live among them?"

"Yes." Elsa's voice was firm, her resolve unwavering. "They will because that is what I desire. Any man who is stubborn enough to try to reject your people will answer to me personally." She clenched Alúvelin's hand. "Your people and my people are now one for as long as you wish, Alúvelin. They do not have to be afraid."

A bright light filled the room, interrupting their conversation. Elsa shielded her eyes, pulling her hand away as the light subsided. She smiled. "I suppose I should thank you for all of your help. Without you, we never could have reached Hans in time."

Gábriel and Míchælin smiled, the former resting his hand on Elsa's forehead. "No, thank you," Gábriel said. "Without you, this world would have been destroyed. All we did was provide a distraction. You did the difficult work." His other hand grazed the Eden-stone on Elsa's hand. "Now, you have a great responsibility, Elsa. You are the mistress of the Tritastónende. What will you do with their power?"

"I . . . I don't know," Elsa whispered. She looked at the two Maíreth. "Part of me wants to lock them away, to keep them hidden so no one can ever abuse them again." She ran her finger across the Eden-stone. "On the other hand . . ."

In a flash of blue light, Elenórathem stood before her, smiling. "Elsa! It is so good to see you awake again. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Elsa replied. She looked at the Water Spirit. "I wanted to talk with you about your sister and her brothers."

Elenórathem's face fell. "I see. I suppose you are going to scatter them again. Or lock them away, never to be seen." She paused, exhaling. "I suppose it is for the best. Their power is too strong. You cannot risk—"

"No," Elsa said. "I will not. You . . . You deserve to be able to see your sister, Elenórathem. After everything you've done for me . . . That is why I am going to leave the Sacred Jewels here in Arendelle. They will be kept in a place of honor, where they will be given the reverence they deserve. If the time comes when I must call upon their power once more, I will use it with the deepest respect and care."

Elenórathem's eyes widened, her mouth hanging open in surprise. "I . . . I do not know what to say." She wiped away a tear forming at the corner of her eye. "Thank you, Elsa!"

"Do not thank me," Elsa said, blushing slightly. "As long as your siblings promise to only unleash their power in times of greatest need, I will let them stay together. You . . . You are family, after all. And family should not be separated. Ever."

Míchælin smiled. "Truly, you are worthy of being their guardian, Elsa. You have demonstrated your power . . . your wisdom . . . your courage. Continue to watch over them, to protect them. We leave you now with this sacred task."

He turned to Gábriel. "Come, Brother. The time has come for us to return to our Father, to discover what our next tasks are."

"I agree," Gábriel said. "I look forward to finally having the opportunity to work outside once more . . . to be with others again."

Míchælin looked at Elsa, Anna, and Alúvelin. "The three of you . . . There is power in family. Great power, indeed. No matter what happens, always remember the sisterly bond you share."

He turned his gaze to Elsa alone. "The Flamdráneren and the Icénderen wanted me to pass on a message. They say it has been an honor to serve the Queen of Arendelle, for she is noble and wise, just as they believe the ruler of this great land should be. They have returned across the waters once more to live out the rest of their days in peace. Should, however, Arendelle ever encounter a time of great peril, when all seems lost, they have assured me that they will return once more to aid you, so long as the Queen remains worthy of her sacred office."

Elsa bowed before them, despite the pain in her abdomen. "I . . . I am truly honored," she replied. "I hope I may continue to be found worthy in their eyes."

The bright glow returned to the room once more. "Farewell, Elsa," Gábriel said, his figure, along with Míchælin's dissipating into the light. "Remember: You are never alone. We are always watching. Believe in yourself. Remember who you are. You will lead your people to an age of prosperity. The Almighty has told us so . . . Farewell!"

The glow disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. The three sisters were alone once more. Elenórathem had also vanished, returning to the Eden-stone. After several moments of silence, Alúvelin spoke.

"Come, Elsa," she said, helping Elsa rise from the bed. "I know several people who cannot wait to see you again. Let's not disappoint them."

"Majesty! You need to stop doing this to me! At my age, my poor heart cannot take it anymore!"

Elsa smiled as Minister Andersen released her from his grasp. "I know, Minister. I know. Thank you. For everything you have done." Her voice grew soft, her countenance serious. "I really mean that, Minister. I . . . I do not know what I would do without you."

Andersen smiled. "Majesty, you are too kind. I am but your humble servant."

"No," Elsa corrected. "You are my most trusted counselor. I . . . I would be lost without you, Minister."

"Somehow, I doubt that," Andersen said. He looked at Elsa, a knowing gleam in his eye. "I have heard that there is a certain someone in your life now? Someone you wish to claim as your own?"

Elsa looked at the ground, a wave of embarrassment washing over her. "How did . . . How did you know?"

"It wasn't difficult, Majesty," Andersen said. "Between your two sisters, I have heard the entire story."

"So." Elsa paused, choosing her words carefully. "So . . . You do not approve?"

"I will admit," Andersen said, running his hand through his thin hair, "that I was surprised by your choice. However . . ." His gaze softened as he took Elsa's hand. "After all you have been through, Majesty, you deserve some happiness in your life. If this man . . . this brann wielder is the one to give it to you, I cannot deny you this."

Elsa nodded. "And . . . And our people? Do you think . . . they will approve?"

"It doesn't matter," Andersen said. "It is your life, Elsa. As long as you are content, let the rest of the world think what they will."

"Thank you," Elsa whispered. She embraced Andersen once more, holding her devoted counselor close.

Andersen smiled as he saw movement over Elsa's shoulder. "I think . . . I think you need to see someone else now, Majesty."

Elsa turned, gasping in surprise as she was embraced by a familiar pair of arms, her body pulled tightly against his. She smiled as she stroked his cheek, then planted an intense kiss upon his lips, releasing her love, her happiness into him.

Arberish pulled away, taking in the radiant glow of his Elsa. Even after all she had been through, she still looked flawless as he gazed upon her, her pale skin shining like the moon, her platinum locks glistening, her ice blue eyes glowing with exultation. Finally, he spoke. "You . . . You are all right, then? You healed yourself?"

"Yes," Elsa said, her fingers once again moving to her abdomen. "The power . . . Elenórathem was right. It healed me. You can barely see the scar at all."

Arberish pulled her close once more, refusing to let her go again. "Elsa, I . . . I hope you do not think this is presumptuous of me, but when I saw you lying in the infirmary . . . when I wasn't certain you were going to live, I wondered how on earth I would possibly live without you."

Elsa opened her mouth to reassure Arberish, but the brann wielder brought his finger to her lips, silencing her. "I realized that there are so many things I want to say to you, and I was afraid I would never have the chance to say them again. But now . . . Now that you're here again, I can only think of one thing I want to ask." He bowed his head, uncharacteristically nervous. "Elsa, I know . . . I know this may seem sudden, that some may think I am too old, and you have every right to say 'no,' but I . . . I wanted to ask you—"

"Yes." Elsa's eyes sparkled as she brought her temple to Arberish's, looking into his eyes, their mouths mere centimeters apart. "I will. I would be honored!"

Arberish was astonished, unprepared for the fact that she had agreed. "Really?" he whispered. "I mean, what if you find out you don't want me? What if we're not ready? What it—"

"Please," Elsa whispered, quieting her love. "I . . . I have a question I want to ask you as well. And you have every right to say 'no.' But, after everything that has happened . . . after seeing what Anna has endured, I . . . I've decided something." She exhaled, fully confident in her decision. "I have decided that I want to try. I want to be a mother after all. I . . . I want this now." She took Arberish's hand, holding it tightly. "I'm no longer afraid, Arberish. Whatever may happen . . . however my . . . our children may become, whether or not they have powers or not . . . it doesn't matter. I've wasted so much time worrying about what the world thinks, always trying to be perfect, always afraid of disappointing others. But now, I know that I need to live my life the way I know is best for me. And, if you'll have me, I would like to be the mother of your children."

Arberish stared at her, his face unreadable. Elsa felt her heart plummet into her stomach. This is it, she thought. He doesn't want children. You've lost him. He's going to leave you.

She was caught off guard by the fervent kiss Arberish planted upon her mouth. Without thinking, she responded in kind, drinking him in, not daring to let go.

Arberish broke off, smiling. "Does that answer your question?"

"Yes," Elsa whispered, her heart threatening to burst with happiness. She turned to Anna and Alúvelin, her face questioning. "Do . . . Do you think I am making a mistake?"

The two sisters looked at each other, smiling. Simultaneously, they moved to Elsa, wrapping their arms around her tightly.

"No! Of course not! Congratulations—"

"I'm so happy for you! You deserve this, Elsa—"

"You're . . . doing it . . . again!" Elsa gasped, fighting for air. "I thought . . . we discussed . . . no more smothering!"

"Sorry!" The sisters pulled away, ecstatic.

Anna turned to Arberish, her eyes questioning. "Are you prepared to take care of my sister? Are you willing to do everything you can for her? To make her happy?"

"Yes," Arberish said. "Of course. She . . . She deserves so much better than me. I can hardly believe that she . . . that she wants me."

"Great!" Anna threw her arms around Arberish. "Welcome to the family!" She glanced at Elsa. "It's a good thing you've known each other for a while already. I would have had something to you if you had said 'yes' to someone you just met."

Elsa laughed, a real laugh escaping her throat for the first time in days. "You're just jealous that I'm a better judge of character than you."

"Hey! Watch it!" Her eyes suddenly brightened. "Ohmygosh! It's been a long time! I need to get back! I need to relieve Kristoff and Valanda! They're probably overwhelmed by now!"

Elsa felt her heart flutter. "Can . . . Can we come with you?" she asked. "I would like to meet my niece and nephew. If that's all right."

Anna grasped her wrist. "Come on, Aunt Elsa! They're right this way!" She dragged Elsa behind her, Alúvelin and Arberish following close behind.

"I . . . I can't believe this!"

Elsa was transfixed, her eyes fixated upon the sleeping infants in Kristoff's and Valanda's arms. The room was silent except for the soft snores emanating from the newborn's mouths.

She turned to Anna, her eyes glistening. "They're . . . They're absolutely perfect!"

"I know," Anna said. She looked at Valanda. "How have they been?"

The brann wielder princess smiled. "They have been absolutely wonderful. The most well-behaved adameren I have ever seen." She looked at Alúvelin, a worried look on her face. "What is wrong, Daughter?"

Alúvelin wrapped her arms around Valanda's neck, kissing her temple. "Nothing is wrong, Mother. I . . . I just can't believe what you did. You died, Mother. Yet, here you are again. I . . . I don't . . ."

She bit her lip, forcing herself to remain calm. "I don't want to lose you again, Mother. I've spent far too many years without you. Now that you're back with me, I can't stand the thought of letting you go again."

Valanda allowed Anna to take the sleeping girl from her arms, briefly marveling at how the newborn already so greatly resembled her mother. She rose, pulling Alúvelin close. "Don't worry, my beautiful adamera. I will never leave you again. I promise."

Kristoff looked at Valanda, frowning slightly. "Are . . . Are you all right, Valanda? You seem . . . I don't know, different somehow."

Valanda smiled. "Nothing is wrong, Kristoff. I . . . I am just so happy. I have always wanted a family. Ever since I was little, I dreamed of what it would be like." She gestured toward Elsa, Arberish, Anna, Kristoff, the infants. "And now . . . Now, it's finally come true. Finally, I feel like I belong, that there are those who want me."

"I know exactly what you mean." The Eden-stone on Elsa's hand flashed as Elenórathem appeared before them once more. "I have been without my sister and brothers for ages. But now, thanks to all of you, we can be together once more. I . . . I cannot describe how grateful I am, to all of you."

Anna laughed. "Don't mention it." She motioned toward Elsa's ring. "We had no idea. All this time, we thought the Eden-stone was just a family heirloom. I suppose . . . I suppose nothing is exactly what it appears to be, is it?"

"No," Arberish said, placing his hand on Elsa's shoulder. "We all hide something in one form or another. I . . . I am just happy I was finally able to find someone I could share my life with."

Kristoff looked at Elsa, quizzically. "You . . . You mean . . .?"

"Oh, that's right! You haven't heard!" Anna looked at Kristoff and Valanda. "Elsa and Arberish are getting married! Isn't that wonderful!"

Valanda's eyes widened. "Really?!" She moved to Arberish, holding his free hand. "My old friend. I am so . . . so happy for you. Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Highness," Arberish said. His eyes lit up. "Once Elsa and I are married, we can finally bring the races of Men and brann wielders together forever." He turned to Elsa. "That is, if it is all right with you. I thought we could use our marriage to show that our people no longer have to live apart."

Elsa smiled. "Only if that means you're not afraid of Arendelle's weather. It's a little more . . . tempestuous than what you're used to in the mountains. Being so close to the waters, we tend to get rain. A lot of rain."

"Rain?" Arberish asked, his eyes glistening. "I've always loved the rain . . ."

Elsa suddenly realized the reason she had come with Anna. She looked at her sister, hands shaking. "May . . . May I hold them?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Grinning, Anna laid the girl in Elsa's left arm, allowing her sister to carefully cradle the newborn. Kristoff rose, placing his son in Elsa's right arm, not moving his hands away until he was certain the Queen had both children safely in her possession.

Elsa was overwhelmed by the beauty she held within her arms. "What . . . What are their names?" she asked quietly. "You never told me . . ."

Anna looked to Kristoff. "Well, we decided early on, we wanted to give them names that would symbolize their strength. We knew there was no way they could be anything but, given their amazing lineage." She elbowed Kristoff. "Right?"

Kristoff smiled. "I wanted to name him Sven, Jr. But someone wouldn't let me."

"Oh, stop it!" Anna said, playfully slapping him. "You know I draw the line at the whole reindeer thing." She looked at Elsa. "We couldn't find anything we liked, until we decided to craft our own names. We sort of combined Common Tongue and ancient Arendellian until we created ones we thought were fitting."

She laid her hand on the boy's head. "This . . . This is your nephew, Célebron. It means 'he who exalts in majesty.'"

"Célebron," Elsa whispered, allowing the name to flow through her ears. Célebron. "I love it."

Anna nodded. "And this one . . . We really struggled with girl's names. We couldn't agree on anything. Until one day . . . One day, it just came to us. It was so obvious. I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner!"

"What is it?" Elsa asked, gazing upon the slumbering girl. "What is her name?"

Anna looked at her, her face beaming. "We decided to name her after the most courageous person we know. Her name means 'daughter of strength.' We . . . We named her Élsaweth."

Elsa stared at Anna, disbelieving. "You . . . You named her . . .after me?"

"It was the only name that seemed to fit," Kristoff admitted. "Nothing else felt right." He gestured toward the girl. "And now, seeing you hold her, I know we made the correct decision."

Elsa allowed her vision to be consumed by the two children in her arms. "Célebron and Élsaweth," she whispered. "Those . . . Those are absolutely beautiful names."

The sleeping girl sneezed, her tiny body shaking in Elsa's arms before settling back to her rest. The adults let out a collective gasp as a small flurry of snowflakes swirled around the girl. Her brother, somehow sensing the presence of the snowflakes, yawned, a second wave of snow softly whirling around him.

Anna looked on in amazement. "I guess that answers that question," she murmured.

Elsa looked at Kristoff, her heart racing. "I'm sorry!" she said. "I don't know how . . . Please, I—"

"It's okay, Elsa," Kristoff said. His face displayed none of the worry or fear he had shown over this possibility in the caverns. "It doesn't matter. Our children are healthy and safe, thanks to all of you." He smiled. "And, since they appear to have the same abilities as you, who better to teach them how to use them than their Aunt Elsa?"

Alúvelin suddenly moved to the window, opening the drapes. "Come here, Elsa. You haven't seen it yet! Bring the babies! Let them see!"

Elsa looked at Anna and Arberish, confused. "See what?"

Arberish helped her to stand, making sure the infants remained secure in her arms. "When the power flowed through you in the throne room, you released it along with your ice. It formed . . . well, I don't exactly know how to describe it. We moved it into the palace square. It was so beautiful, we wanted everyone to see it."

"I don't remember this," Elsa protested as Arberish guided her to the window. "What are you—"

She stopped speaking, her mouth open in amazement. Outside the window, standing tall above the square, was an ice sculpture, more perfect than any that had ever been created before. Two large, perfectly formed snowflakes stood, every angle perfectly shaped, the intricate patterns lining the inside too complex to have been formed by the hands of a person. Rising above the snowflakes was the image of three women, holding hands together above their heads, smiling.

"It's us!" Alúvelin whispered. "You . . . Me . . . Anna. Three races: ice bærers, brann wielders, Men. Together as one, forever."

Elsa was overwhelmed. She looked at Alúvelin, questioning. "Do you think it is possible?" she asked softly. "Can there finally be peace on this Continent?"

Alúvelin gazed into Elsa's eyes, ice blue meeting ice blue. "I don't know if peace can ever truly last," she admitted. "But I do know this. As long as you are Queen, you will find a way to make sure all of our people are able to flourish."

Anna joined them, the three sisters looking out the window together, Valanda, Arberish, and Kristoff standing behind them, watching as the sunset reflected its orange rays upon the ice sculpture that, incredibly, refused to melt.

Gingerly, Elsa raised the sleeping babies before her. She saw them stirring and positioned them so they could look outside as well. "Do you see that?" she whispered. "This is your home. This is where you will grow up. No matter what happens, I will be here to keep you safe." She moved closer to the window, holding the children high in her arms. "Look at it, Célebron and Élsaweth! All of this is yours! Yours to explore . . . Yours to enjoy! This is . . . your playground!"

The children cooed with happiness as the sun's warm rays washed over them. Elsa gazed out the window, confident now that, no matter what happened, the world these children would one day inherit would be there for them, no longer full of terror and fear, but full of mystery . . . of wonder . . . of joy.

AN: So ends Part Four. Hopefully, everything has been wrapped up to your satisfaction. As always, thanks to FlashFreeze0, Loridhhp, jade254, fatat18, brofist1412, thkq1997, Elsathesnowqueen2, and anyone else who has written a review. Without your support, these stories would not be written. I am busy right now on a couple of original projects that will not be posted here (maybe someday they'll even be published, who knows?), but I intend to also work on Part 5 at the same time. I have one last idea on where to take the story, so Part 5 could very well be the conclusion of the saga, at least for now. Look for the first chapter to come soon. Anyway, thank you again, and goodbye . . . for now!