(See the end of the chapter for more notes .)

well. this is the epilogue. i really enjoyed writing this. this whole thing, although experimental at the start, somehow managed to grow past one chapter, and i love it so much. if you guys want, i'll write a bonus wedding scene, but until then, this is the end. merry christmas to all, and to this fanfiction goodnight.

A meeting of old friends with new family.

Chapter Text

Due to certain circumstances, Susie wasn't able to return back to her home kingdom for another month. When the carriage finally rolled into the main square of Wyrda, it was a surreal experience. She expected so many things to be different (four years!), but practically nothing had changed. All the citizens still moved around on their daily schedules. The shops were all the same. The only difference she thought she could see was that things seemed...sadder. More faded. Like there was something missing.

Her stomach dropped. Oh. Right.

“You alright?” From her right, Kris put a comforting hand on her wrist.

It helped quell a little of the anxiety in her chest. Smiling, she clasped her hand with her husband's. “No,” she answered, “but I'll get there.”

He smiled back, squeezing her hand. “Good.” He leaned in.

She leaned in, too. The butterflies turned to warm fuzz.

From the other bench, little Frisk curled up his face and shook his head.

“Oh, don't give us that,” Kris said, pulling away. “It'll happen to you too! Ooo!” He wiggled his fingers.

Susie laughed. “Yeah! Ooo, the curse of happiness and joy will befall you!”

Frisk squirmed, shaking his head with such vigor she feared it would fall off. Cheered again, she turned to look out the window at the people on the street, and–

“Hey, wait! Driver, please stop!” She opened the door and got the attention of the coachman, who stopped the carriage, startled.

“Suse, what are you doing?” Kris grabbed the side of her gown just to be safe.

Susie looked over to where a man stood under a lamp, chatting with a small boy of about ten that was selling him the news. “Hey, Niko! Come here!”

The catboy's ears perked up under his hat, and he turned to the carriage. “Princess???”

“Yeah, it's me! Come ride with me!”

Niko forlornly looked down at the bag of papers on his shoulders. “I'm sorry, Princess, but I have a job to finish up, and you know Boss isn't...easy on slackers.”

Susie thought fast, then said, “Plight, are you free?” to the man under the lamppost.

Plight bowed. “Just finished up, Your Highness.”

“Cool. Get those papers back to this kid's boss and tell him to shove it, by order of Princess Susanna! Also, say hi to Ling for me!”

“At once!” He saluted, smiling, then took the burden from his young friend and comically bounded away.

Niko giggled, then ran up and boarded the carriage, taking the seat opposite from her. “You said you wanted me to ride with you?”

“Yeah, kid! Aw, man, you were so small last I saw you!” She reached across and scratched his ears. “Still cleaning out chimneys?”

“Only during the winter.” He glanced around, realizing that there were other people inside. “Um...who are these two?”

“Yeah, introduce us, Susie,” Kris said mockingly.

“Shh.” She gestured to the newcomer. “Guys, this is Niko. He's been helping with maintenance work around the castle since he was little, and I guess I just kind of adopted him or some junk. Niko...” She gestured first to the man seated next to her. “This is Prince Kristopher, my husband...”

“Your--” Immediately, Niko began to panic, pulling off his cap and bowing very very low.

“No, please, that's not necessary,” Kris pleaded, looking a little embarrassed. “I'm just a guy right now.”

“O-okay, Your Grace. I mean—Prince—uh, sir.”

“...Good enough.”

“And this,” Susie continued, “is his younger brother Frisk. I think you two would get along. Frisk, this is the kid I was telling you about before.”

Niko and Frisk looked at each other warily. Then, nervously, Niko put out his hand. “N-nice to meet you,” he stuttered.

Frisk froze up for a moment, then carefully took the offered hand and shook it. “You too,” he whispered.

Kris and Susie looked at each other, shock reflecting off each other's faces. Whatever they were expecting to happen, that was not at all it. But, they'd take it, because wow.

Soon, the two boys were quietly chatting over Frisk's wooden puzzle box, which was being solved much quicker with two pairs of interested eyes looking over it. Watching them work was so absorbing to the others that they didn't realize when they had finally gotten to the castle until the gentle rumbling of the wheels stopped. Suddenly, the butterflies surged back, turned into vipers, and struck with vengeance.

The coachman, opening the doors, helped everyone out in an orderly fashion. Susie was a little wobbly, but managed not to take a tumble.

“Do mine eyes deceive me? Hath our fair princess returnede home to her kingdome at laste?”

Ah, there was a familiar face. Dressed in a high-level servant's attire, the ever-tactful Rouxls Kaard stood before her, and clinging on to his leg as usual was his...son? The little blue servant boy Lancer. He had gotten so much bigger...

“Yeah, it's...” She couldn't focus. The doors loomed.

A hand enclosed hers, rubbing circles into it. She took a deep breath. “Yeah. Good to see you, Kaard.”

Kaard nodded. “Thou will be be quite alright, I do believe. Come alonge, Lancer, we must announce the arrivale.” Lancer, spacing out, hardly paid attention as his charge guided him back through the doors.

“Ready?” Kris whispered.

No. “Yes.”

“Liar.”

“I know.” And they, with the two boys trailing behind, entered the castle.

Inside, a beautiful and familiar hall decorated with portraits of the past Dargen family hanging in order of succession, all the way to the end, which boasted the biggest portraits of all, a throne room beyond...

And the King and Queen, both standing mouths agape, with tears in their eyes.

Despite her nerves, Susie couldn't help but smile as she started to cry as well. “I'm home,” she said.

The End