Lord Reinhel looks up and sees his children and an actual tear rolls out of his eye and down his cheek. As it travels, you see color coming back to his skin. The ice quickly recedes from his face and skin and his looks completely normal. He appears to have not aged in the centuries since the tragedy. The transformation stops at his boots though, everything around stays frozen and frigid.
"My precious little babies." He says in a low tone.
He gathers his children up in his arms and holds them tight. After what seems like a long time, he says, "I owe you everything. I have torn the land asunder and I haven't the power to fix it all, but all that is mine is yours."
He waves his hand and the castle's thick ice covering starts to melt away. The bodies of the dead seem to evaporate, but a few that were caught mid task actual start to slowly move and take breath.