Epilogue

Disclaimer: I neither own the rights to Disney, Frozen, the Disney universe nor any of its associated media, derivatives or products. I do not profit from this work.

A/N: So this is the very last update to the story. It's been wonderful, guys! Hope you enjoy the epilogue, and I love you all!

"…Is that the end of the story, Grandma?"

The old woman smiled at the four children gathered about her feet, sitting criss-crossed around her old rocking chair. It was the youngest of these who had asked, a little girl with curly brown hair. "Well, I wouldn't call it 'The End,'" she said with a little laugh. "But that's as much as needs telling tonight."

"But that can't be the end!" another little girl said hotly, with hair the light reddish-gold color of a copper coin in the sun. "There has to be more!"

"Hm? Have I left something out?"

"Just a bit," the second girl's twin brother said mildly, adjusting his glasses. "You didn't tell us whether they ever got married."

"Ah—you mean the Prince and the Queen. Yes, they did eventually marry, and did so quite happily, too."

"Is it all true?" her grandson asked. He had the same brownish hair as his younger sister and a habit of asking questions. "Some of your stories are true and some are not. I like the ones that are true better."

"Son, you oughtn't say such things to your grandmother," scolded a dark-haired man to her left. He was about in his mid-thirties, and wore a silver crown upon his head. He was the boy's father, and seemed embarrassed by his son's overly-inquisitive nature, but the grandmother only laughed.

"Peace, Henrik; it's only a question." She looked to her grandson with a smile. "I can assure you that it's all as real as you and me."

All six glanced up as a knock sounded on the door, and a head popped into the door. "Ah, I thought I'd find you all in here," said a strawberry-blonde haired woman with a wide face and dimpled smile.

"Cousin Hildá," the dark-haired man said, embracing her with a smile. "Come to collect the children?"

"Naturally," the woman replied with a smile. "Kirsten, Aleksander, time to go."

The children complained and pouted, but eventually got up and bid farewell to their second-cousins, including the crown prince. The grandmother watched with a smile as her son looked to his own children. "Now, kids, say goodnight to Grandmother."

They ran up to kiss her on the cheek. "Goodnight, Grandma," the little girl said, throwing her arms around her neck.

"Goodnight, grandmother," the boy repeated. He took his younger sister by the hand and led her from their grandmother's room.

The crown prince looked to his mother. "Children," he said with a sigh, but he was smiling.

"Annette-Elise is getting so big," his mother said with a smile. "Hans-Christopher, too. Soon he'll be all grown up and ready take your place as the crown prince, Henrik."

"Hopefully not too soon," her son with a chuckle. When she did not reply, his green eyes narrowed in concern. "Not… too soon, right, mother?"

The old woman sighed, getting to her feet. "Henrik, my son… that time may be close at hand. In fact, I am certain it is."

"But mother—you're not ill, you're not injured…" He seemed to be pleading with her.

"I am old, my son," she said gently. "It's very near; I can feel it, like a snowstorm in my bones. I'm ready for my happy reward."

He shook his head, still adamant. "At least let me call Petter, or the court physician—somebody."

"I have already spoken to Petter; he gave me my Last Rites earlier today. As for the physician, even he cannot stop death. No one can." Her gaze was happy, peaceful. "Your grandfather has passed; my dear sister and her husband, too. All my friends and loved ones have gone before me, and I am ready to see them again. Son, it's my time."

He looked about the room, a crushed expression on his face. For several seconds, he struggled to speak, before he asked, "Would you…would you like me to stay with you?"

"If you wish," she said gently. "But I would much prefer you let this old woman rest in peace, and go spend the evening with your wife and children."

"Is there nothing I can do for you?"

She paused a moment, thinking, and then picked up her worn black hymnal from the table beside her chair. The silver clasps were long since tarnished, the leather cracked with age. "My only request," the old grandmother answered, "is that you bury this with me. Within it is my greatest treasure in the whole world. Will you do this for me, Henrik?"

The crown prince's eyes were filled with tears, but he nodded and embraced her frail, thin body. "I love you, mother," he mumbled.

"And I you, my son." She waited until he drew away, and then kissed the top of his brow. Almost invisibly, a shimmer passed over his forehead, a six-pointed figure, translucent and faded within an instant. She touched his cheek gently. "Goodnight, Henrik."

"Goodnight, Mother," he whispered, and then turned and left the room.

She waited until he was gone, the door closing with a soft click, before she blew out the lantern and cast the room into a soft darkness. The old grandmother sat back down in her armchair, removed her half-moon wire glasses, and laid them atop the cover of the old hymnal on the bedside table. Letting out a low sigh that spoke of tired joints and old memories, she closed her eyes.

And all the room was quiet, save for the tick-tock of the grandfather clock, out in the hallway.

Then, quite suddenly, there came a clear knock knock kn-knock knock! on the door. "Elsa?" a joyous voice called. "Do you want to build a snowman?"

The woman opened her eyes, crystalline blue, and smiled, her wrinkles gone, her youth restored in its full bloom. She stood up and called back, "Coming, Anna!"

And she went to open the door.

A/N: Wow! It's been a long and wonderful ride, folks!

I'd like to thank everyone who has supported this story, from its original inception years ago to this final rewrite today. You guys stuck with me through the first writing, with all the good and bad; you were kind enough to forgive its long absence; and you supported me through this rewrite. You are the reason I re-uploaded the story and it's been a pleasure to share it with you.

Thanks to you and the chance to republish this story, I've regained a lot of confidence in my abilities as a writer and as an editor. This was the first long story I ever completed back in high school, and knowing I could do it helped me to believe in myself and my dream of being a professional writer. Throughout the course of the last several months, I've found the confidence I needed to pursue that dream again, and seeing your positive response to this story, as well as the joy I've taken in writing it, has been an important part of that. For that, and for everything, I thank you.

Some of you may have caught on, but there were a lot of Hans Christian Andersen fairytales woven into this story, the most obvious being The Snow Queen, but here are the others: The Snow Drop, The Ugly Duckling, The Ice Maiden, The Snow Man, In the Uttermost Parts of the Sea, and a very brief reference to the bricklayer from Something. Finally, this last epilogue was based primarily on his tale, Grandmother. Likewise, "Deilig er Jorden," a popular Norwegian Christmas hymn, was used by Frode Fjellheim in conjunction with Sámi yoik to create the original "Eatnemen Vuelie." All of these stories and songs can be found online for your reading and listening pleasure.

Finally, here is a short explanation of the epilogue: Elsa and Hans had one son, Henrik, who was crown prince (and eventually king) of Arendelle. He had two children, Hans-Christopher (elder, eventually crown prince) and Annette-Elise (younger). Anna and Kristoff had two children, Petter and Hildá. Petter never married; he joined the priesthood and eventually became bishop of Arendelle. Hildá had two children, Kirsten and Aleksander (second cousins to Hans-Christopher and Annette-Elise; all four children were very close).

Again, thank you all so very much; your support and encouragement has meant the world to me. For the final time, God bless you all, Merry Christmas, and Peace and Goodwill to you all—Pax et Bonum!

-FFcrazy15