Ella and Kit¹ stood quietly, hand in hand. In front of them were the two newest additions to the palace's royal portrait gallery— one of Ella's mother and one of her father. Ella smiled and squeezed Kit's hand. So much had changed in such a short time. Seeing her family there among Kit's, Ella felt love and happiness surge through her.

 

Kit smiled. "We must have a portrait of you painted," he teased, bringing them both back to the night of the ball, when they had stood in that very spot.

 

"Oh, no," Ella teased, playing along. "I do hate myself in paintings."

 

Kit put a hand to his heart, as though struck. "Be kind," he said, grinning.

 

"And have courage," Ella replied, this back and forth² now a part of their daily routine. A way to remind themselves of all they had and all they could have lost if not for their strength and conviction.

 

"And all will be well," Kit finished.

 

They looked at the doors at the end of the gallery. "Are you ready?" Ella asked as they began to walk toward them.

 

"For anything," Kit replied. "So long as it's with you."

 

Together, they pushed the doors open and walked out into the sunshine, where their subjects awaited the royal wedding. And as they said their vows³ and promised to love and cherish each other, it was clear to all those who had gathered that this fairy tale would end as all fairy tales should… with a happily ever after.

 

瑞拉和基特手牵着手静静地站着。他们面前是王室画廊里的两件新作品——一幅是瑞拉母亲的肖像，一幅是瑞拉的父亲。瑞拉笑着紧紧握着基特的手。在这短短的时间里发生了太多的变化。看到父母的画像和基特家人的画像摆放在一起，瑞拉心里的幸福甜蜜油然而生。

 

基特微笑着。“我们要给你画张像。”他调皮地说，把瑞拉带到了舞会那天晚上他们站着的那个地方。

 

“噢，不，”瑞拉也开玩笑地说，“我不喜欢画像里的自己。”

 

基特用手摸着心口，仿佛很难过。“仁慈而善良，”他笑着说。

 

“坚强而勇敢，”瑞拉回答，现在这两句一问一答已经成了他们两人每天固定要做的事情。这样他们可以记住自己经历过的一切，以及如果没有力量和信心他们可能会失去的一切。

 

“一切都会好起来的，”基特说。

 

他们看着画廊尽头的门。“你准备好了吗？”他们朝门口走去时瑞拉问道。

 

“一切都准备好了，”基特回答，“只要有你在身边。”

 

他们一起推开门走进了明媚的阳光里，在那儿，他们的臣民们正等待着王室的婚礼。当他们起誓要爱对方、珍惜对方的时候，所有在场的人都明白这个童话故事要结束了，和所有的童话故事一样……结局是他们从此幸福地生活在一起。

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