❦Epilogue❦

                                    

                                          

𒊹︎Your POV𒊹︎
                          
     The ring was never retrieved from the bottom of the crater, for it had filled with water the next day that we went out to look for it. We settled for just having a wedding ring instead, and had our ceremony shortly after our son, Vali, was born. 
                          
     The ceremony was supposed to be small, but after the other realms got word of a new King and Queen of the nine realms, we quickly had to find somewhere to put all of the people that had showed up. The wedding went flawlessly, and I even convinced a few of the dragonets to be the flower girls, and the ring bearers.
                          
     Loki was declared the King of Asgard, Thor giving up his right to the throne to his brother, claiming that he wanted to adventure across the nine realms. I became Queen of Asgard, and Vali the prince. The new palace was all set into place, the citizens happy, and the new royal family even happier.
                          
     The Dragon Sanctuary now was thriving with dragons of all ages, all living in harmony. The islands had greened up, and trees had sprung up on the brand new islands. Not to mention that Loki and I's love story was not the only one to be told. Clay and Saphira fell in love, and were blessed with two little bouncing dragonets. The boy was named Drakon, and the girl, Freya. 
                          
    The tragic events of the past had dulled, and the new royal family found peace in the little victories, like today, for instance. Vali is now six years old, and we were in an adventure, just the three of us. Loki and I rode on our noble steeds, whilst Vali cantered ahead of us on his pony. I watched with a loving expression as Loki strode his horse beside Vali, speaking to him about who knows what. 
                          
      Loki had proclaimed that the three of us were only going on a horseback ride through the countryside, but I knew that he held something back from me.
                          
"Loki?" I brought Hilda up beside Loki's sleek, black steed. 
                          
"Yes, my love?" He glanced over at me, and I narrowed my eyes at him.
                          
"Where are we really going?" I tilted my head at him.
                          
"Yeah! Where are we going Papa?" Vali piped up from where he was now  on my other side. 
                          
"It's a surprise." He said nothing more as he continued to keep his horse at a slow meandering walk, making Vali and I impatient with suspense. 
                          
     We rode out in the tall, green grass for quite some time. We were nearing Lake Dragoness, and the palace was far, far behind us. Once we'd reached the hill right before the great lake, Loki kicked his heels into his horse's sides, bolting off up the hill.
                          
"Loki!! C'mon, Vali!" I called after my husband, and then ushered our son to race after him, just as I was doing. 
                          
      We reached the top of the hill in no time, the horses breathing heavily underneath us. Loki was already off of his horse, and he helped Vali off of his pony before he came to lend me a hand while I jumped down from my yellow dappled horse. Before I could even take a glance at where we were, a pair of hands were covering my eyes. 
                          
"What is the meaning of this, Loki?" I giggled as he pushed me forward, and I could heard the hurried footsteps of Vali behind us. 
                          
     When we finally came to a stop, my eyes were uncovered in an instant. I looked around at first, taking in the beautiful view of Lake Dragoness before me, then my eyes landed on it. I let out a gasp when my eyes raked over the sight before me. In front of us, stood the treehouse of my childhood, the tree that it rest in standing taller than I'd ever seen it before. 
                          
      I slowly waltzed around the tree, taking in the sight of the place that so many memories were made in. New boards were put in to replace rotting ones, and it looked as if everything had received a fresh coat of paint. A sturdy ladder now stood in the place of the haphazardly nailed pieces of wood that Faline and I would climb every day. I didn't waste any time as I climbed up the rungs of the ladder, finally reaching the house. 
                          
      My lip quivered as I looked around. Everything was tidy, and all of the old furniture and items that I had left behind lay neatly on brand new shelves. I creeped over to the wall directly adjacent to the ladder, and admired everything that sit neatly on the shelves. Faline's shell collection rest in neat rows, along with the hellhound's tooth that I had given to her. 
                          
      By now, tears flowed freely down my face, and the creaking of the wood below my husband and son's weight didn't register as I looked out the window that was facing the lake. I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist, and leaned back into them immediately.
                          
"I hope everything looks just like it did back then....I tried to not mess with the original layout." Loki's voice was soft, and I turned around to wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him into a sweet, long awaited kiss. 
                          
      We only broke apart when Vali could be heard making gagging noises from the other side of the treehouse. Loki and I pulled away with large smiles, and I approached Vali. I hoisted him up in my arms, and he leaned his little head on my shoulder. 
                          
"Mama, where are we?" He asked innocently, looking up at me with eyes that matched my (e/c) ones. 
                          
"This is where I grew up." I turned so that I could gesture to the small treehouse. 
                          
"You used to live here?" He asked in wonder.
                          
"Yes....yes I did." I smiled tearily, my mind racing back to the first time I brought Faline here. 
                          
      Loki noticed my eyes that had become glossy, and he took Vali from my grasps. I once again made my way to the window. The sun was high in the sky, reflecting off of the blue lake. 
                          
"She would have loved this." My voice was soft, afraid that if I spoke too loudly, I would disturb the peaceful scene. 
                          
"I know she would have. I know she's proud of what you've become." Loki whispered from beside me, and a single tear fell from his face, he, too missed Faline.
                          
     I couldn't help but thing that in this moment, right in this very second of time, standing here with my little slice of paradise that I had created, Faline was watching. Faline was smiling down at me, just as the sun does. I'd hoped that she'd regained her sight, I'd only for a moment, to see what had become of the place, to see that I was living my life to the fullest, as she would have wanted me to. 
                          
"If God wants us to see something, we'll see it." ~All The Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr