Chapter 1
No! Please no! A holler ripped through the air from somewhere outside in the distance. Her heart pounded and her hands trembled. More vociferous screams filled the air, the helpless cries of her people.
This was all her fault, wasn't it? The only reason they'd come was because of her. Anna closed her eyes, trying to block out the petrifying sounds of war. If only she'd agreed and responded to his letter. Why? Why had I just thrown in it the fire? Her thoughts were racing wildly, the memory dancing on the forefront of her mind.
She remembered staring down at his letter with loathing surging through her veins. How dare he? She thought furiously reading again through Hans Westerguard's words.
Anna,
I know you must be enraged after everything I did to you and Queen Elsa. But all I'm asking is that you read this letter and allow me explain everything.
You see, some say people come into our lives for a reason. The day I met you I was captivated. You're beautiful, funny but most of all you have one of the warmest hearts and one of the cutest laughs as well. You'd ignited something within me, something that I never considered to be real- True love.
Yes, I left you to die. But, I did it because I couldn't bear to witness you in all that pain, freezing when I knew that I couldn't be of help. I only thought I could be of no help because I was still blind to our love, believing that a kiss could not save your life when your own sister had harmed you- So I left you, hoping that you'd go in peace, without me having to watch you go, which would have upset me greatly.
You're still probably wondering why I didn't kiss you. I didn't kiss you because I didn't think true love was real then, as I said before and I was so scared for you, Anna! But now I've been away from you I know that our love is real and true.
When I said all of those things about only wanting to marry you just to be King of Arendelle, it was only partly true. In the beginning I'll admit that was my plan. But then on the night of Elsa's coronation I got to know you and I do truly believe we're meant to be together. After everything we have in common and the time we spent together that night. I didn't lie to you about who I really am. I didn't lie about my childhood. I didn't and still don't have eyes for anyone else but you. You and I belong together and now I see it after a year of being apart from you.
I've served my punishment and I have realized that my greatest mistake was hurting you and not realizing our real love sooner.
You're everything to me. You're my sunshine and whenever I think of you I smile. But, all I'm asking is that you give me another chance. Please, I want you to forgive me. I want you and I to start again, Anna.
Since I have been away from you, I haven't been able to get you out of my head. My heart was breaking into a thousand pieces without you. I want you, Anna and I have to have you. So, therefore with this letter I send my heart and a warning.
My love for you is so great that I will do anything to have you. I need your forgiveness and love- And I'll do anything to get it. So, if you don't reply to this letter, my darling I will have no other choice than to invade Arendelle and take you if I must.
I have my elder brother's permission for the Southern Isles to declare war on Arendelle if you do not respond to me. So I'm warning you now, sweetheart if I hear no word from you and I must declare war on Arendelle then I will kill the people who go against my men. I will kill your precious ice harvester, Kristoff and I will murder Queen Elsa once and for all.
Therefore, I would advise you to get your pen ready now and write back to me- Because if you don't your people, your stupid ice harvester and sister will be the ones to suffer- And then I'll just take you anyway, my love.
What can I say? My love for you is too strong to let you go.
You have one month to reply before I will return to Arendelle with my ships and army to take you if I must. This is all up to you, Anna and I'm doing this all for you.
With all my heart,
Hans: Prince of the Southern Isles.
Anna's blood ran cold reading his words again of Hans declaring his stupid fake love for her.
She loathed him! How could he do this to her out of nowhere? How dare he threaten her?! A shiver shot down her spine and her heart pounded. Hans Westerguard didn't have it in him to declare war on Arendelle, did he? He knew what Elsa was capable of with her powers! He was just desperate and trying to scare her into giving him what he desired- Her and of course the power.
A small smile spread across her lips. Like hell! She thought coldly in her disbelief and boiling rage. She'd learnt her lesson from the last time he'd deceived her. Hans only loved power, and she was a way to get it. Their love was about a real as his pathetic threat of war that she knew would never come.
With a deep breath she threw his letter into the burning flames of the fireplace. Everything will be fine. She told herself confidently, watching the parchment crumple and burn with the glowing embers dancing.
"Anna, is everything alright?"
Anna turned at Elsa's soft voice and smiled reassuringly as her older sister edged closer towards her, her icy blue gown of ice and snow glittering from the candle and firelight.
"Yeah, everything's fine. It was just a letter from Hans saying he loved me. Crazy, right? As if Hans wasn't psychopathic enough."
Elsa gasped, gazing at her sister's freckled face earnestly. Crazy yes she'd say crazy! She bit down on her bottom lip trying to maintain her composure, listening patiently to Anna.
"But don't worry I ignored it. He won't hurt us again, will he? He'd be stupid to go against you and your powers right, Elsa?"
It was almost like Anna was trying to convince herself that Hans would never really return and harm her people, or Kristoff or her older sister or ever declare war on Arendelle. She just wanted to laugh it off, forget about him and his twisted letter- And that's what she did- foolishly.
"I'll never let Hans or anyone hurt you, Anna and I'll never let him harm our people. I'll always protect you." And with Elsa's words Anna remembered the feel of her sister's warm embrace and remembered the sudden scent of hot chocolate filling her nostrils, making Hans's letter disappear in her mind- Because after all, his words were just lies anyway, weren't they? They were nothing.
"Anna run!" His yell drew her back to her rampant reality and she saw the tears slipping down Kristoff's cheeks. She shook her head at him, feeling his breath dancing on her skin, gazing into the chocolate brown eyes that made her melt. She wasn't going to leave him!
"No Kristoff. Please this is my entire fault. A month ago Hans sent me a letter, saying about his love for me and I ignored it and now he's coming to take me! But i-if I just give myself to him then maybe he won't hurt anyone else. Please just let me go and-"
Her blood suddenly ran cold. "W-Where's Elsa?"
Kristoff's eyes flickered with horror and Anna went to turn away from him but he grabbed her wrist gently. "She went to help the people. B-But he won't get you, alright? I'll never let him touch you. I don't care if he is a prince. I love you, Anna."
Even more tears shimmered in her eyes at his terrified words. She smiled weakly, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss before she ran through the doors of the ornate chamber, and down the stairs in some hope of seeing Elsa's familiar face.
Where was Elsa? That was all she could think about. Hans had warned her about slitting her elder sister's and Kristoff's throats. She'd find Elsa and get Kristoff safe and then she'd give herself up to Hans- No one else would need be murdered she'd say. She'd tell him that she was giving herself to him willingly and that she wanted no more of her people to die needlessly for her. She'd tell him he could take her and he was going to hurt her so be it.
Anna knew Hans would find her anyway. She'd already underestimated him and as he said in that letter, he'd have her and he would go to any length in order to get what he desired.
Suddenly, she heard the cries grow even more strident. The screams, the shrills, the yells of the people of Arendelle intensified and she forced herself to peer through one of the windows of the great hall, in which she now stood alone.
The Arendellian guards had all been situated outside to create a wall of defense, in order to defeat Hans's men. The rest of the army had been commanded to fight and protect the whole kingdom… If they could.
Anna struggled for breath, the tears falling and a horrified gasp escaping her lips. She watched as the bright fires danced spreading through her precious town, the dark smoke swirling in the skies and the swords of the Southern Isles soldiers stealing the lives of the innocent. All those men, women, and children lying on the crimson stained ground. Their bodies led in pools of their own blood, their bodies limp and lifeless.
What had she done?! This was all Hans so he could have her. She wasn't worth this. Her heart ached at the sight and tore her eyes away from the heinous sight outside.
She couldn't bear to look anymore. She just wanted it all to end. She didn't want her people to suffer because of her, nor Kristoff, nor Elsa, none of them.
She felt the stone walls vibrate around her and heard the rumbling of stallions hooves on the ground and she jumped at the sound of shattering glass, a weapon breaking through one of the halls windows, glass littering the wooden flooring.
Oh my god! Please no! She backed away, crouching down further into one of the dark oak pews. She remembered that this was where everyone had been seated at Elsa's coronation, where Hans had waved at her during the historic ceremony and she'd felt heat rise in her cheeks.
She hugged her knees tight to her chest and closed her eyes hoping to drown out all of the head splitting screams. She wanted to just pretend it was a nightmare and try to keep telling herself that she'd wake up soon. She tried to convince herself she'd awake in Kristoff's loving arms, feeling his warmth. Oh God that won't happen! She knew she was lying to herself. She couldn't escape this, that was clear now.
She longed desperately to know where Elsa was. She wanted to make sure she was safe but she had no idea where she'd be.
It had all happened so rapidly.
The day had been normal and halcyon in Arendelle under the blue skies- That was at least before the carnage had unfolded on the streets.
She'd gone to the sweet shop down the road and picked up some toffee treats for her, then some jelly cakes for Kristoff, those sugared ice cubes for Elsa and some chocolate snow balls for Olaf.
Anna tried to distract herself with the events of the morning, her mind running off far from where she was. Anna was trying so hard to forget about her situation and the dying outside. She remembered her parents, the trolls, Elsa's exquisite ice palace and tried to think of Olaf and his little snow cloud at her birthday with all the snowgies. Anna went back even further in her mind searching for the times long ago past to distract her. She remembered being shut up by Elsa all over again.
There she was, waiting with her cute little bunches and nightgown, her hand was poised ready to knock. Would she answer?
"Elsa? Do you wanna build a snowman?"
She knocked her little hand against the door of her older sister's bedroom, hoping, praying that maybe just maybe this time she'd open it.
"Go away, Anna."
Of course she wouldn't. Tears welled in her wide eyes and her face scrunched up. She'd just go and have to talk to the pictures on the walls again. Oh yes! Joan was nice to talk to but she didn't really say much, it was always Anna who did all the talking.
In an instant, the doors burst open and she screamed out in her trepidation. She had been pulled out of her past and forced to focus on the present.
"No! Don't hurt me please!" Her eyes shot up, her face drained of its usual rosy color and taken over by terror. Fear took over her body until it stilled her movements, paralyzing her.
There he stood, in his royal attire- Just Hans and Anna in the middle of the carnage he'd caused, stood with the prize he'd began it all for.
"I'd never hurt you, my darling." He spoke with in a soft affectionate tone, as he loomed closer towards her. Anna swallowed hard. Sobs slipped past her lips as she continued to listen to the hollers of the people outside and the footsteps of his boots as he edged even closer to her. To Anna it seemed Hans was drawing the moment out intentionally to per long her suffering, so that he could relish in his victory and claim his prize.
"Arendelle's fallen, Anna. I never wanted to do this but you never replied to my letter."
Anna's reply to him was silence. She could think of nothing to say apart from of course that he was a monster and a murderer and that she despised him. But she caught a glimpse of his bloody sword dangling at his hip. Her stomach lurched.
Why me? Why? More tears fell down her cheeks and she sobbed harder, seeing no point in hiding her despair from him. She wanted him to know he'd caused her pain and he would- She's make sure of that.
She wouldn't meet his eyes. Anna only looked down at the ground where she continued to remain crouched, her back pressed firmly against the wall with her emerald skirts spread out around her.
"Why didn't you reply back to me, Anna? Why didn't you write back? I so desperately hoped that you would, sweetheart."
She tried to steady her pounding heart but failed. He extended his hand down to her but she hesitated motionless.
"Where's Elsa? Where's Kristoff?" She inquired coldly and Hans paused smiling down at her.
"I asked you a question first. You answer mine and I'll answer yours."
She sighed sorrowfully. Oh god he's playing that stupid game is he? Anna sniffled through her tears and opened her mouth to speak. "I didn't reply because I don't forgive you and I don't love you… I hate you. Look what you've done to my people, my home. I'll never go with you!"
He could have expected as much and pulled his hand away realizing she wasn't going to take it- This was still Anna. But he wouldn't let her remark cause him to feel guilty. This was all for her after all. He had burned down the houses to have her, he'd invaded her Arendelle to have her, he had slit throats to get her, and he'd killed Elsa to be able to take her.
His smirk widened at the memory of piercing Queen Elsa of Arendelle's heart and the feeling of superiority that had coursed through his veins, whilst witnessing her blood drip onto the ground of the streets of her precious kingdom.
"I'm afraid I didn't give you an option, Anna." He leaned in closer towards her and brushed his fingers across her jawline gently. He'd waited for this moment, he'd longed to see her and now there she was at his feet.
He surveyed Anna intently for a few moments. He watched as her tears fell and he wiped them away. He reached for her chin so that she'd gaze into his eyes just like she had the year before when they had spent the night together after Elsa's coronation.
"I've missed you so much. It's such a shame that we have to see reunite under these circumstances though, don't you think? It just puts a damper on things all this killing. Although it could have been avoided couldn't it?"
He was already tormenting her. She pulled away from him, turning her head so he could no longer hold her chin or look into her tearful eyes.
"Please don't. I don't want your stupid love or-" How could she word it? How could she showing him how much she despised him. "Or YOU!"
Hans sighed at her, shaking his head disapprovingly. "Come on now, Anna. I know you're upset but there is no need to treat your future husband like this, my love. Look around, will you? Look at everything I've done for you."
Everything he'd done for her? Did his insanity really have no limitations?
"Where's Elsa and Kristoff?" She spat again. She felt fury boil away inside of her and felt her palms turn sweaty.
Hans pressed his lips together before replying. "Elsa's dead."
No! No! No! She wouldn't believe it! She wouldn't fall for it! Anna's heart pounded against her rib cage and she glared fiercely. He was just lying to her, wasn't it? Elsa wasn't dead. Elsa would be the one to save her. She tried to remember what her elder sister had said to her when she'd informed her of Hans's letter.
I'll always protect you. Oh yes that was it! That just proved that Elsa wouldn't leave her here alone, deserted in the world. She wouldn't let death separate them. Elsa would never let Hans take her away. She'd fight for her, for Arendelle. Anna knew her sister and her sister would never leave her again. Or at least that was what she had said anyway.
"She's not dead, you psychopath! She'll save me. She'll never let you take me. She's my sister!" Anna cried, her fists hitting his chest and crying.
Hans had been prepared for her dramatic reaction and lifted her over his shoulder easily, despite her screams of protest and thrashing legs.
"Hush now Anna! I killed Elsa for you. She was the one who shut you out for all those years, remember? She nearly killed you for crying out loud. I knew when I returned here that she'd definitely be one to die. Elsa never did see our love, did she? She was blind to it. But now she's dead, Anna you and I can start again, we don't need her pathetic blessing to be married. You and I can be together without her. You don't need her, not when you have me."
Anna didn't think her tears would ever stop falling. She refused to believe that Elsa was gone, she just couldn't abandon her, not now, not ever.
"Let me go!"
Hans didn't listen to her piercing screams that echoed through the hall. She'd see that this was all for her- He'd make her see it and he'd convince her of his love. She'd always been wild but she wouldn't be like that for much longer- He'd make sure of that.
Together, they would the King and Queen of Arendelle and the Prince and Princess of the Southern Isles. Oh yes! At that thought, a satanic grin spread across his lips as he carried her out into the open air.
The chaotic sounds were eventually beginning to die down. But still the odd screams send shivers down Anna's spine. The rancid stench of death loomed in the air and her incessant struggling seemed to still have little effect on Hans, passing through the once peacefully streets of Arendelle, blood soaking into the earth like rain.
She couldn't let him get away with this. She wouldn't just allow him to kidnap her or allow him to claim Elsa was dead! Her insides twisted. He never even answered about where Kristoff was.
No! She'd caught sight of the bodies laid out on the streets and there was one that caught her attention most. There he lay, blood pouring from a fatal wound, his face pale and his body drained of all life.
No! No! No! Please don't be him! Please!
Anna smashed her leg into Hans's stomach with all the strength she could muster. She heard him holler in his agony and his grip on her waist loosened.
She wouldn't miss her opportunity, she sprinted to where the young man's body lay, her tears streaming. She wanted so badly to be wrong. She didn't want to find it was the love of her life's body led in his own blood.
But it was.
She fell to her knees over his body; heart rending cries slipped her lips, her hand cupping his pale cheek feeling his cold skin against her palm. "Kristoff! No." She leaned down planting a gentle kiss on his parted lips. "Please don't leave me. Please wake up, Kristoff."
Suddenly, she felt hands gripping her shoulders and she screamed out in protest with two of Hans's men pulling her away from her true love's body.
"You can't escape me, Anna. I warned you that your little ice peasant would die if I returned. One of my men must have killed him. Don't cry Anna, you have nothing to be sad about, sweetheart. I'm here and I'm going to take you away from all of this."
He stood towering above her and held her chin once again blocking Kristoff's body.
"I hate you, can't you see that? You're so insane that you can't see that I will never love you. I love Kristoff! Your men killed him. You're nothing but a monster! I'll never be yours! I love him and now he's gone because of you. I'll kill you for everything you've done! You think by killing my people I will fall into your arms and suddenly be devoted to you? You want to know the reason why I never replied to you? It's because I loathe you. "
She saw the rage appearing on Hans's handsome features, his smirk fading, the affection in his eyes turning to aversion. Glaring at him evoked a fierce hate in her heart and a tiny sense of triumph erupted within her.
If he was going to take then she'd make him wish he hadn't. If he wanted her- She was going to make sure he regretted it. And if he loved her like he said he did then she'd have to make him hate her as much as she did him.
"I'm warning you, Anna." He spoke softly yet sternly and he gripped her wrist pulling her to her feet. She tried to jerk away but failed with the two royal guards behind them. She was trapped, she was like his prey and he'd just swooped down and collected his prize.
Her eyes darted for possible ways of escape in her desperation but she could see nothing but burning buildings, dead bodies and some of the people who had surrendered, lent over their loved ones weeping.
More tears slipped down her cheeks as Kristoff entered her mind. Kristoff was gone now.
I love Kristoff and Elsa I will find you. She still struggled to believe Elsa was dead. She didn't want to believe it. But she needed to know so she spoke up as Hans forced her to walk with him through the bloody streets.
"S-Show me Elsa's body." Anna demanded fiercely and Hans leered at her.
"Very well. We'll pass it soon enough. Your sister came to me to talk peace terms. I gave her my answer and of course she told me that she'd never allow me to have you, so I had no choice but to kill her."
Anna swallowed hard trying to keep her thoughts at bay. She could imagine Elsa's scream ripping through the air. Why hadn't she used her powers to defend herself?
It was almost as if Hans could read her thoughts. "My men of course had to hold her and bind her hands together. She was powerless against me – Just like you are."
Sobs wracked through her and screamed out with her mind envisaging her sister's horrifying death. Anna didn't save her! She didn't help her! It was all Anna's fault. She'd failed as a sister. Reality hit her in an instant. Love couldn't conquer all…
She saw her led there on the ground at the water's edge as they made it to the port. Elsa's blood dripped, her face frozen still.
"ELSA!"
Hans released Anna's arm and watched as she ran down to her sister's side, collapsing on the ground screaming hysterically. "Oh Elsa."
Anna couldn't breathe, she couldn't think properly. She felt Elsa's skin, which was as cold as ice and saw the colour gone from her cheeks, her complexion now as white as snow as she lay there. Her beauty still not stolen by death. She'd found her...
"You need to let her go."
Anna ignored Hans's words, tears still slipping down her cheeks. She really was gone and Elsa had died for her! She'd risked her life for her Anna's protection.
Anna wept harder at this. She really was alone in the world now, wasn't she? And she'd lost the sister who had promised to never leave her again- But she had left her. This time it wasn't a door parting them, it was death.
She felt Hans grip her arm tightly and she was forced away from her dead sister and dragged off further, as she began to fight and protest again against Hans. She'd never give into him. Never.
It was her heart that Hans wanted but the truth was that it had just been broken. There was no one to save her now- Only herself. One minute her life had been perfect- And now all of that had just been ripped away - It hit her instantly... Everything changed. The tides of destiny had turned and everything she knew was being torn away.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Home."