The Love That Bonds Us

Chapter 49 : Happily Ever After

AGNARR

What a day it had been.

Finding out that General Colden was the one behind everything - even things I'd long since overlooked four years ago - had been quite the revelation!

But now he was finally behind bars, where he should have been a long time ago. And it was all thanks to Iduna.

I couldn't for the life of me figure out how I'd known what she wanted me to do, but I didn't really care to know either. All that mattered was that it had worked; Colden had been so distracted by her, he hadn't even noticed me sneaking up behind him, taking his handcuffs from his belt, and securing them around his wrists.

That defeat had been enough to wake up the rest of the Council, and Sigurd, accompanied by a few other Guards, had taken him to his new, damp home.

There was just one more thing I had to do now before I could call this a happily ever after for Us.

I knocked on the door nervously.

Renata opened it and smiled uncertainly at me, "Agnarr. Where've you been? No one was telling me anything."

"That's actually what I came here to tell you. May I come in?"

She have a small nod and held the door open for me.

I walked inside and noted the room was luxurious for a simple Guest suite; rich, supple fabrics dressed the mahogany bed, and fine tapestries adorned with the Arendellian crest were draped across the furthest wall. I was quite surprised by it actually; I so preferred spending my time in the village that I had barely explored my own Castle.

But admiring this room was not the task I had come to fulfil, and I turned back around to where Renata was watching me, waiting for me to explain myself.

I felt awkward, but didn't bait her any longer, "Look Renata, I don't really know how to tell you this but ... I er, I went to Corona." I swallowed before saying, "A-after Iduna."

Renata looked back at me. She didn't look angry or upset or even mildly surprised. Her entire face was void of any emotion at all.

It made me uncomfortable but I pushed on, "I had plans of making her my Queen once upon a time actually. Only something happened a year ago and we broke up." I scratched the back of my neck and avoided Renata's emotionless gaze. "Later, when you and your parents arrived, I had to let Iduna know I was engaged to you, even if she hated me by this point. Needless to say it didn't exactly go well. Remember when your father got really angry a month ago?" I chanced a glance at the Princess, but still her face was blank as she listened. "Well I wasn't really lying to you. Iduna and I had an argument and your father blew it well out of proportion. Him and I - we both threatened the Alliance in the name of the wedding; I wanted to call it off because I just couldn't condemn you to a loveless marriage, but your father wanted it to go ahead. In the end, Iduna fled Arendelle to save the Alliance between our Kingdoms. I was not happy with this arrangement, but there was nothing I could do to go after her and bring her back. So I became willing to go ahead with our wedding, despite my own feelings, in order to maintain the peace." I paused again, unsure of how to phrase my words, but ploughing ahead seemed the right move, "It wasn't until you said something about what it means to love a person that I came back to reality. I realised what it meant for me to love Iduna and I had to go after her, try and reason with her, and get her to come back here - with me ..." I rubbed my face with my hand guiltily, "I am so sorry Renata."

For a torturous few minutes after I'd finished, Renata didn't speak.

"You know Agnarr," was what she eventually said, "there was a time when I would have jumped at the chance of marrying you. But I knew you never had the same feelings for me. You weren't exactly subtle in displaying your affection for Iduna." she gave a small chuckle as I felt my cheeks flush. "So I decided to try my luck at moving on. However, I suppose it is as hard as fairytales say. You were always so nice to me you see, treating me like a real human being and not some prissy Princess who was good for nothing except marriage and heirs." she looked down all of a sudden then, her eyes ablaze with sadness and anger, "You know it was hurtful when father became obsessed with the wedding, forcing me to believe it was not some rumour as I initially thought it must be. I don't want to be some disposable Queen who was used by her father for his and her husband's benefit, and that's what I was becoming! But at the same time, I think my forgotten, buried feelings for you were re-awoken, and I thought that maybe you'd come to see me as more than just a friend. So while I was annoyed with my father, I couldn't help but - well, like the idea of marrying you." she took a deep breath then and looked up at me.