It took incredible levels of courage to tell Sylvanas Windrunner to stay out of her own town for two weeks. But that was exactly what had happened in early January, when Princess Rapunzel and her remaining Dark Rangers had effectively ganged up on her. That had been a hell of an entertaining sight, and she'd acquiesced, puttering around in Arendelle the whole time, driving Proudmoore up the wall like some sort of unwelcome relative on an elongated stay.

In other words, she'd enjoyed the hell out of that two weeks. But all good things must come to an end, and while she wouldn't admit it, Sylvanas was deeply curious as to what the Princess had planned to be able to convince the Forsaken to tell their Banshee Queen to fuck off, as it were.

Not that long ago such a ballsy move would have led to executions; Sylvanas would have considered it some kind of insult.

But much had changed in a short time, as though hooks in her soul had loosened somewhat. Not enough to lower her guard, but perhaps enough to be willing to give her people a longer leash.

"Are you ready to go?" Proudmoore asked, perhaps a little too eagerly. She was eyeing Sylvanas like she was envisioning throwing her into the fjord if that meant it would get rid of her.

By some miracle, Sylvanas didn't grin at her. But she did smile. "Almost. I've enjoyed my stay, and have made significant progress with the Queen." And displayed the preternatural ability to find ways to interrupt Jaina and Elsa when they'd been about to become intimate.

The first time had actually been an accident, but the next four times had been out of sheer amusement and spite.

"Yes, it's great," Jaina said, twisting her hands up as she called up a portal just for Sylvanas. "Please don't hesitate to enjoy your time. In your own home. Far far away from here."

"And give Rapunzel my love," Elsa said, a glint in her eye that told Sylvanas the entire situation was amusing to her.

Oh, she would have to conspire with the Queen some day against Proudmoore, just for the fun of it. Sylvanas didn't stop to think about the idea of doing anything 'for the fun of it' before she inclined her head, and then stepped through the portal.

She stepped out into clear skies and the warm sun, in the center square of Blighton. She paused to look around as the shops and stalls manned by Forsaken and human alike. Banners waved at her, bearing the sigils of the Forsaken and of Corona both. The most subtle of changes stood out to her; color.

There was so much color here. Most of it subdued, but many had adopted red and yellows to go with the blacks, whites and purples that Sylvanas had long associated with her people. Sylvanas didn't know what it meant yet, or how she felt about it.

As she studied the town, a Sin'dorei wagon rumbled by, followed by a Coronan on a tall horse. A mule train was winding its way on the road towards the town, led by a Troll. Sylvanas was just about to make her way to the troll when someone grabbed her arm.

It was only Rapunzel's scent that prevented her from losing her head. "You're back! And just in time, we have a surprise for you."

"We?"

"Yes, we. Well, myself and a few others. Come on! It's a little bit outside of town, but not too far. We figured you'd like a little privacy."

Sylvanas exchanged a look with the chameleon on Rapunzel's shoulder, who shrugged, before she fell into step with the Princess. "Did you draw the short straw, or are you trying to get me alone?"

Rapunzel glanced at her. "That's not that hard, you know."

"Is that a threat?"

"You've really got to let the paranoia go." Rapunzel slipped her arm through Sylvanas's, "I mean that. Not everyone is out to get you and maybe, sometimes, people actually want to do nice things for you."

"I have a hard time trusting," Sylvanas said, head up and eyes pointed straight ahead. As always, Rapunzel was so alive that it drove her to distraction. She didn't just shine like the sun, energy and positivity flooded off of her in waves. And yet, occasionally, Sylvanas could catch glimpses underneath the sun, of the shade and shadows obscured by the light. Past hurts and present insecurities, proof that no one was perfect. There were layers to Rapunzel, something that Sylvanas could appreciate and peel away at.

And that was not the only thing about Rapunzel that Sylvanas found herself wanting to peel away. But there was a certain vulnerability to those thoughts that she immediately dismissed.

"Well, trust is something that you have to work at, isn't it? Something you do every day."

"So I've been told." Sylvanas glanced back at Blighton as it went out of view, at what it meant for the living and the dead to coexist. She felt familiar pangs in her chest, something almost like fear. Not for herself, but for how easily it could all go wrong. If she closed her eyes she could hear the drums of war.

Rapunzel stopped, forcing Sylvanas to as well. She reached up and touched the Warchief's cheek and Sylvanas almost recoiled from the heat before she stopped herself. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong." Sylvanas studied Rapunzel's face, "Which is exactly what is wrong."

"I'm not following."

"There is too much to say right now, too much history that you are not privy to." Sylvanas reluctantly took Rapunzel's hand and pulled it away from her face, "The Forsaken have long been regarded as monsters, as things to be destroyed and then left to a history written by those who despise us."

"I know enough," Rapunzel said. "And I'm ready to listen whenever you're willing to talk. But I know that it wasn't originally your choice, or theirs."

"It was kind of you to offer to help. Dangerous, but kind." Sylvanas stepped away, even if Rapunzel felt like a flame to be drawn to. "They decided we were monsters, so we became monsters, at times."

Rapunzel rushed forward and hugged her, which was somehow worse than the snowman hugging her, and simultaneously better. Sylvanas held her arms out, fingers curled into claws. "What are you doing?"

Rapunzel looked up at her. "I'm not stupid, Sylvanas. I can see how you hold yourself, how you care for your people. Maybe others don't, but I do. But I'll bet your asking yourself what you'll do now that your dream is in reach. Now that they're safe, and now that you're safe."

Sylvanas frowned, finally lowering her arms. Safe? Did she really feel safe? Could she ever?

Her voice was low, dangerous. "Get to the point, Princess."

Grabbing her hand and pulling away, Rapunzel started to lead Sylvanas through the forest again. "Have you thought about it?"

"I don't dream." She was still unsure what Rapunzel was getting at, or what she intended to show her. Sylvanas reached out, fingers in Rapunzel's hair before she remembered how she'd reacted the last time. She tugged once, lightly, almost teasingly, then let go.

The action threw Rapunzel off a little, that same mixture of excitement and reactionary fear from the last time. But before Sylvanas could probe, Rapunzel came to a stop. Her face was flushed when she looked at her. Like she didn't believe her. "Maybe it's time you tried to find a new dream. Something for yourself, and no one else."

Something for herself had been something out of reach since the day Arthas had flayed her very soul and the idea was so foreign to her she barely recognized the tightness in her chest. Sylvanas opened her mouth to give an acidic answer, but fell silent when she saw what was in a clearing beyond the Princess.

There was a house. A manor really, with three floors and a dozen windows facing them. The design was unique, inspired by Sin'dorei architecture and Forsaken aesthetic, giving it an almost haunted elegance. There was even a tower, perfect for hiding archers and mages, that reminded her so much of her old home in Quel'thelas before she'd died, that Sylvanas was momentarily speechless.

"See, I thought you should have your very own place," Rapunzel said. "And I conscripted Ladies Kalira and Tyra to help me, along with like, okay every Forsaken in town. It was kind of funny, Tyra kept flirting with Eugene and his reactions were kind of cute since I think she was just trying to make me jealous or something. But Vereesa really- Sylvie?"

Not really listening, Sylvanas stepped past Rapunzel, approaching the manor. There was even a tall, wrought iron fence with an imposing gate. If Sylvanas could breath, she would have been holding her breath. If her heart could beat, it would have skipped a few.

If she could cry, she might have shed a tear. She knew the Forsaken revered her. And yet… "You got my people to build this?"

"I barely had to suggest the idea before plans were being drawn up. There's uhm. Well a lot of rooms and a big ballroom, though I didn't think you'd be hosting too many visitors all that often, but it's good to plan ahead."

Sylvanas waved a hand in acknowledgement as she pushed open the gate. "As Warchief I expect to hold meetings. I can work with this."

But the political usefulness of her own manor wasn't really what was preoccupying Sylvanas. It was the manor itself, and what it could possibly represent for her, if she only had the will to take it.

Rapunzel led the way up to the double doors that marked the front entrance, pushing them open dramatically. "Welcome home!"

Home.

Orgrimmar had not been home. Even the Undercity hadn't entirely felt like one. The last time Sylvanas had felt at home had been in Quel'thalas before the plague and the Scourge. On a sunny day, in a field of flowers…

She dismissed the thought before it could go any further.

But this was not a home. Not her home. Not yet, maybe not ever. There was no place that Sylvanas could ever call home and she was not so foolish as to dream the impossible. She looked at Rapunzel, at the smile on her face, and kept that thought to herself.

❄️

Anna had a bit of a conundrum. She had news to impart upon her loved ones but the question was who to tell first. It wasn't the worst thing in the world, to have two people she loved more than anything and be presented with this kind of problem, but she also didn't want to hurt either Kristoff or Elsa.

She folded her arms, staring in the mirror. Under most circumstances both of them would understand no matter who she told, but in this case, she kind of already knew the answer. She had to find Kristoff.

Grabbing her cloak, she walked out of her room and went searching. She checked a couple of rooms before she left the castle and stepped out into the late winter air. It was crisp and chilly, but she could smell spring on the breeze and smiled. In just a couple of months, her sister would be getting married.

As far as Anna was concerned, this was going to be one of the best years of her life. But before she could get very far, she thought she saw a flash of green and she spotted Iduna playing by the castle wall, tugging at some vines. She walked over, "Sweetheart, what are you doing? Shouldn't you be inside?"

"I'm growing," Iduna declared, patting the vines like one would pat their own child. She turned and looked up at her mother.

"Okay," Anna ruffled her hair. "You're definitely growing. And your birthday is coming up." She leaned in and whispered, "Want to know a secret?"

The girl nodded, expression open.

"Since your Auntie Elsa is getting married on your birthday, we're going to have an extra special birthday party for you the day before. How does that sound?"

Iduna thought about that for a moment. "Auntie Jaina for my birthday?"

That was one way to look at it, Anna supposed, and if Iduna ever told Jaina that she was certain the woman would break down and cry. "Yes, you get another Aunt for your birthday. So is it okay to celebrate your birthday the day before?"

"Yeah!"

"I'm really happy to hear that." Anna pointed towards the door, "Now get inside."

Iduna gave the vines one more pat before she ran indoors. Anna squinted at them for a moment, trying to remember if they'd been there the last time she'd come this way, then shrugged and pulled her cloak closer.

She nearly tripped over Olaf, "Oof!"

"Good evening," Olaf said.

She took his hand and started to walk. "Good evening, Olaf. Have you seen Kristoff?"

"He went out to the farms with Soyun and a couple of other people."

"Is something wrong?" Anna's insides turned to ice.

"Something about a cow. Kristoff said she was popping early." Olaf scritched his snowy chin. "I didn't know cows could pop. You learn something new every day!"

Anna laughed. "I think he means she's going to give birth early. Come on, lets hurry!"

She started to run, Olaf running close behind. Up the cobblestone streets and around and around until they reached the farms. She could see several people gathered near the barn, and slowed to a jog as she approached.

Besides Kristoff and Soyun and a Forsaken friend of Soyun's, Anna could make out Elsa, Jaina and the Night Elf Manadh, along with a long-haired, dark skinned human woman who had her hand on Manadh's back. Anna had chatted with Manadh numerous times since they'd first met. If the druid was here, that was either a hopeful sign … or not.

Elsa spotted her and smiled tightly. "Thank goodness, Olaf found you."

Anna frowned, and looked at Olaf. "You were supposed to find me."

"I fucking did didn't I?"

"Olaf!" Elsa covered her mouth with her hand, exchanging a look with Anna. Anna knew that they were going to have to talk to Olaf about that later.

And probably Jaina. "We're going to have to have a talk about appropriate use of language later, Olaf."

He looked at her confused, and she sighed before joining her sister. "So what's going on?"

"There was a complication with one of the cows," Elsa whispered back. "It's a few weeks too early for her to give birth, but she's in labor."

"That's not too bad…" Anna's mind flashed back to the animal husbandry studies that both she and Elsa had gone through. It was one of the things they both kept up on, actually, along with their personal interests.

"No, but there's still risk. I asked Manadh to help."

"This is the sort of thing that's right up a druid's alley," Jaina assured her, squeezing her shoulder.

Manadh's ears twitched, turning in their direction before her head did. She smiled. "I'm more than happy to help. Compared to some of the things I've had to deal with, this is legitimately a joy."

She stepped forward and knelt next to the laboring cow. She placed her hands on the cow's side and closed her eyes as green energy started to coalesce around her. "Kristoff, if you'd come here? The calf feels strong, but its going to need help coming out."

"Got it." Kristoff got onto his knees, resting a hand on the cow.

"Aveline, lend me some of your Light. Lady Proudmoore, a light spell if you would?"

"Of course, love." The dark-skinned woman rolled up her sleeves and joined Manadh. A soft golden glow spread from her to the cow, joining the green nature energy from the druid.

Jaina held her hands up, casting a light spell that hovered over them to give them more light. She didn't seem to mind being ordered around, and Anna liked that about her.

She leaned against Elsa, watching, and remembering a time Elsa had to help deliver a cow a few years ago. "At least you don't have to get your hands dirty this time."

"I would," Elsa protested. "But this is better for the cow."

"I know." Anna teased, elbowing her in the ribs. She wondered if having both kinds of magic was a bit of overkill but supposed this was a way better use of magic than other applications. The golden light was something she had never actually seen before, except maybe the one time she'd seen King Wrynn use a spell.

But the scar over Aveline's left eye and how well built she was reminded Anna more of one of Arendelle's guards or soldiers, than someone who walked around being all priesty.

Tearing her eyes from the woman, she looked at Kristoff, her heart soaring as she watched him work. Her love for him grew day by day, and she was so proud of him. Elsa noticed where she was looking, and took her hand, "You know, he was the best decision you ever made."

"No," Anna disagreed, squeezing Elsa's hand. "The best decision I ever made was sacrificing myself for you."

Elsa pursed her lips. "The best decision you ever made that didn't put yourself into mortal danger."

"Fair." Anna grinned.

"So when are you going to tell him?"

"Wait, what?" Anna snapped her had to look at Elsa. Elsa simply smirked at her and raised her eyebrows, "How."

"I have my ways. Also you've been sick a lot lately."

Anna groaned. "Elsa, I wanted to tell him first this time, I still feel so bad that I accidentally told you about Iduna first."

"Technically, you haven't told anyone yet, and I'll make sure to look surprised."

Huffing, Anna swatted Elsa on the shoulder. She wasn't super mad, and it wasn't her fault Elsa had figured out she was pregnant.

But she definitely needed to tell Kristoff tonight. Though it could wait just a while longer. There was another baby that was more important right now, and Anna smiled proudly as it was born.

❄️

Elsa twirled her hands, her hair spiraling up into a braided crown with glittering ice and snowflakes. Then she frowned and brought it down her back, then over her shoulder, then she magicked it loose, then into an updo bun with a snow-flake tipped pin, then into a ponytail, and finally back into the braid down her back.

None of it was working. Everything else was perfect. Elsa's skin was dusted with snow and ice, her white dress glittered and sparkled like a glacier, hugging her hips before spreading into a skirt that surrounded her feet in a snow-flake pattern. The train trailed behind her, whispy and near transparent and just as sparkling.

But she couldn't figure out what to do with her hair, and she only had a few minutes left. She stared at herself in dismay, "We have to cancel the wedding."

"No we don't." Anna came over, looking resplendent in a dress of green and blue that shimmered like the summer sea, though a few adjustments had needed to be made to account for the bulge in her belly. She had her hair up in a way that made her look so much like their mother that Elsa's heart momentarily ached.

"I can't get my hair right. I've had weeks and I can't get my hair right."

Anna sighed, and took Elsa's hair out of the braid and started to brush it. "As your sister and your maid of honor, I'm going to put my foot down and make an executive decision for you."

"Okay, okay."

Finishing brushing out Elsa's hair, Anna looked around, then picked up a tiara. "Good choice. Here." She put it on Elsa's head, checked to make sure it looked good with the locket, anchor pendant, and their mother's ring, and then said, "Sparkles here and here, and some snowflake patterns to finish out the look."

Elsa did as she was told and looked at herself in the mirror again, at the way her hair looked with the shimmering fabric of her dress, with the elaborate snowflake pattern etched into it. As an after thought, she added a few more sparkles to her bare shoulders, back and arms. "I think … I'm really starting to like myself with my hair down."

"And that's the most important thing, isn't it?" Anna stepped in front of Elsa and started helping her apply a few finishing touches to her make-up. Honestly, they had servants for this kind of thing but both women had always preferred each other, or just themselves.

"Liking myself?"

"Mmhm." Anna tilted her head left, and then right, "So are you ready?"

"They say everything changes."

"They're wrong. And they're right." Anna kissed her cheek, "The important things stay the same, and the changes are just … life."

Elsa swallowed, and then nodded. She liked the way Anna and Kristoff's marriage had changed the both of them, without making them lose sight of who they were to themselves and each other. It was the sort of marriage Elsa wanted, once that she'd decided she wanted it.

Anna held her arm out, "Ready, sis?"

Elsa took it, and allowed Anna to lead her out. There was no one else in the world she wanted than Anna to perform this most joyful of duties. And the closer she got, the less the butterflies and snow flurries in her stomach bothered her.

The wedding platform had been formed out of ice, extending several hundred meters out into the fjord, because Jaina Proudmoore was a Daughter of the Sea, and Elsa of Arendelle a Daughter of Ice and Snow, and this was the best way to bring their elements together. It rose up in a dome of thin columns, the floor a pattern of ice with an anchor centered on it. Intermingled with real, fragrant flowers were roses, asters and gardenias lovingly created out of ice. There were two aisles, one starting at the south-east, and the other the north-east, and they joined together on the platform in front of everyone assembled.

She saw Jaina at the other end of the aisle, being walked by Anduin. Elsa nearly tripped over her skirt, staring at her. Jaina's hair was down as well, the blonde-streaked white shimmering in the spring sunlight. Her dress was white, with a simpler pattern than Elsa's though the skirts were wider and more ruffled and she actually had sleeves. She had on a boned corset that had to have been extremely uncomfortable but from the beaming smile she gave Elsa she didn't seem to mind. The effect was magnificent.

Jaina had once told her she'd been the kind of girl to dream of her wedding, and Elsa hoped this lived up to such expectations.

Even before they were brought together, Elsa could see the light and joy in Jaina's eyes, as though there was a future and one they could face together. Elsa glanced around as she tried to remember what she wanted to say and knowing if she looked at Jaina for longer than a heartbeat she wouldn't be able to look away the rest of the night.

She smiled at Anna, almost bouncing in place, then looked to Kristoff's smiling face and Sven standing dapperly beside him. Olaf and Iduna with their flowers and the rings, and all their friends from Arendelle and Corona and the Horde and the Alliance.

Anna had arranged seating arrangements in such a way to force intermingling, and Elsa briefly wondered what was going through some of their minds. What they might be thinking, sitting next to whoever they were sitting next to. But most faces were either happy or at least some form of neutral to positive. Or impassive, in the case of the Warchief sitting between Princess Rapunzel and High Priestess Whisperwind. Either Anna was hoping they'd bury the hatchet or counting on decorum to keep them from killing each other.

Elsa gave Sylvanas a little smile and then turned back to Jaina. She wanted to reach out, to touch her and kiss her and hold her. Jaina looked like she was about to start floating away, and compared to how she'd been when they first met, she might very well lift off the ground.

"Kul Tiras had a tradition of marriage at sea," Jaina said, voice rough. "But I'd thought we'd do it on land because of how much you ground me. I should have known you'd find a way to bridge our elements and connect the both of us. You showed me how I could find peace again, how to find purpose in a way I'd forgotten was possible. To … to be happy. So I make a promise to do right by you, to love and to cherish you and every day we have together."

"I had a whole speech planned but now I've forgotten it," Elsa said, blinking her eyes to dry them and smiling. "I never expected to meet someone at all, let alone someone from another world entirely. I had my family, I had Arendelle. But you quite literally landed at my feet and every day since has been like a new discovery for myself and in myself. I'll love you day by day and year by year, for as long as you'll have me."

"That's a very long time," Jaina whispered.

"Good."

Jaina barely waited for the go ahead, before she had Elsa's face cupped between her hands, kissing her like the world itself depended on their union. But even such a kiss must eventually end and taking Jaina's hand, Elsa turned to face her friends, her family and her people.

Kai's voice proudly rang out, "Presenting Princess Jaina Proudmoore, Queen Consort and Her Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle."

"Ready?" Elsa asked, holding Jaina's hand tight in her own.

"Always."

Together, they held out their hands and threw their magic up into the sky. It exploded and flashed like thousands of tiny stars in silver and blue, green and gold as ribbons of every other color of the rainbow waved like the aurora. And as the colors spiraled and spun above them, Elsa looked at her wife and whispered, "Is it everything you wished for?"

"Yes and much more than that." Jaina tipped Elsa's chin up, and kissed her again. And again. And again, in one of the many ways she would continue to do so for many more years to come.

Fin