JQ: HEY!
So here's the deal; I've had many thoughts about the FOC/Elsa verse. It is, by far (as you can tell) my fave thing right now. It also doesn't have a lot of material to it. So, I've decided to try my hand at expanding that pool.
This story explores a side of the story of where the hell Hans got so terrible. REMINDER: this is NOT an extension or variation to the "That Can Be Arranged" series. This is another completely different fic with different characters.
I really liked this second idea, and I hope y'all will enjoy it too.
Set a year after the movie.
Happy reading and your words are always helpful and encouraging!
I own nothing that Disney does.
(Also, Elizabeth Rudnick's characters in "A Frozen Heart" inspired some of Hans' brothers' names.)
Excuse Him, Your Majesty
Elsa was sitting in her study. She was supposed to be reviewing legislation and such. Instead, however, she found herself doing what she usually tended to do; contemplate life.
It had been, almost a year since the mishap that was her coronation. She eyed the rather large, and unnecessary, portrait of herself that hung over her desk, right behind her. Everyone thought that she had looked absolutely stunning and regal and that the painter did a marvellous job of demonstrating so. She scoffed.
That couldn't be any further than what she was actually feeling.
The photo embodied a scared little girl that was afraid of screwing up; afraid of all the attention and ultimately afraid of herself. Back then, she was a well hidden mess...until she wasn't of course. Part of her still wished that none of it had even happened in the first place. It took months to pay back and restore some of the harvests that her ice caused harm to. She was extremely remorseful of her actions and wished to take it all back.
That being said, she wouldn't have changed the past, even if she could. The event brought her and Anna closer, once more, and she could finally admit she was happier. The good and the bad outcomes were equal. Elsa sighed in frustration. She was about to take another trip down self-deprecation lane when there was a loud knock on the large wooden doors.
Her head snapped up and was immediately on alert.
"Who is it?" she called out.
"It's me!" a voice, none other than Olaf's, said. She smiled a little. The little snowman always brightened her day a smidgen.
"You can come in, Olaf." Elsa stated and soon the door opened to reveal her little snowman.
"Hi, Elsa!" Olaf greeted. He was still a little too loud, mind you, but Elsa smiled nonetheless.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Elsa asked him.
"Oh, you owe me nothing!" Olaf insisted, "Although...Sven owes me a carrot for accidentally biting this one." he lifted a twiggy hand and pointed at the very tip of his nose. Sure enough, there was a small chip in it, after allegedly being bit by Sven. Elsa giggled and made her way over to him.
"Would you like for me to get you a new one?" Elsa said, pointing to his fractured nose. He giggled and nodded.
"Oh, that would be wonderful!" Elsa giggled as he took her hand in his. He began to walk her to where the kitchens were, when they were interrupted by Elsa's royal advisor. Elsa stood up straight and cleared her throat, before addressing the woman.
"Hilda," Elsa said solemnly, "good to see you, as always." the woman called Hilda was tall and thin. Her age was about fifty or fifty one. She had been Elsa's father's advisor, as well. Hilda was, as Anna described, a scary looking woman. From afar, she appeared frail, but once her eyes bore into yours, you'd think twice about crossing her. The woman curtsied before the queen.
"My lady," she addressed, "I apologize for being a bother, this afternoon." Hilda briefly looked at Olaf, to illustrate her point. Elsa just shook her head.
"You're no bother, Hilda." Elsa insisted, "Olaf and I were just going to get him a new carrot, from the kitchens." Olaf nodded enthusiastically.
"Well carry on then, your grace." Hilda advised, "I'll be in the parlour, when you're done." Hilda curtsied again, signalling her leave. She made her way down the hall as Elsa and Olaf stared after her.
"She's a scary woman." Olaf announced.
"She has to be, for this job." Elsa explained. This much was true; it was important to have intimidating staff members, in order to look more professional towards other kingdoms. It was a weird little competition to see who's council and staff looked more intimidating. Arendelle just happened to be in the lead, especially with an ice wielder for a queen. Olaf began to look puzzled.
"I wonder what she wants." he wondered aloud. Elsa couldn't help but think the exact same.
"As do I."
...
After finding Olaf a new nose, Elsa made her way to the parlour to meet Hilda. Elsa really had no clue as to why Hilda even wanted to speak with her. The paperwork she was doing, earlier, wasn't even to be touched until tomorrow afternoon, after the council meeting.
When she entered the parlour, Elsa was more than surprised to also see Kai, Gunther, and her head guard, Jorgen. Gunther was a dear friend of her father's and worked for him as a notary. Every time he was present, it was usually important and had to be written up.
"Afternoon," Elsa addressed, as she entered the room. They bowed, respectfully. She carefully eyed the four dignitaries and decided that it would be most appropriate to close the door, behind her. Once the door was closed, she turned back to them. "So...what is the meaning of this..." she looked around the room, as she thought of the most appropriate words, "...abrupt assembly?" Kai stepped forward, to answer her.
"Do you recall Prince Hans'?" Kai asked and Elsa scoffed as she folded her arms over her chest.
"Of course I do," Elsa answered, "he is the brute that tried to kill off Anna and I." the blonde had no patience for the man. She was in the midst of making the Southern Isles pay for sending him in the first place. Elsa was, however, at a stand still for what to request. She couldn't cut ties with that kingdom; they shared too much and depended on one another heavily. Because they had opposite seasons, it was easy for them to exchange harvest goods. "What of it?" Elsa inquired, sternly.
Gunther then stepped forward and began to read a scroll that bore the emblem of the Southern Isles. He cleared his throat and began to read it.
"In light of the events, of last year, we, the remaining twelve brothers of The Southern Isles, request to have a private audience with you. It deeply embarrasses us, that our youngest brother, could even conceive an idea, such as it was." Gunther paused to look at the queen. She was relatively expressionless and raised an eyebrow which Gunther took as a sign to continue. "I, Crown Prince Clouse, of the Southern Isles, have already sent my sister, [Princess] Captain Manuela Linden, first of her name. I have asked that she..."
Elsa froze.
Manuela.
Elsa hadn't heard that name in years. Once she heard it, she couldn't focus on the rest of what was coming from Gunther's mouth.
(17 years ago)
King Agnarr, of Arendelle, and King Eli, of the Southern Isles, were in Agnarr's study. They were supposed to be speaking of an upcoming trade deal, when the conversation shifted onto King Eli's new wife. His third wife died, during the birth of his most recent child, and he quickly found a new one. Agnarr was always fascinated by the man's apparent lure for women; Eli had two official previous wives and multiple affairs with commoners. And don't even get started on his children.
In total, King Eli had 12 children.
"Katherine is a marvellous woman," Eli told him, "I'd like to think that if I'd met her previously, she probably would've been the only woman for me." Agnarr tried his best not to offer an eye roll.
"That sounds good, friend," Agnarr told him, "I'm happy you're happy." it was a simple comment, but the strawberry-blonde man did mean it. He thought everyone deserved love, no matter how slow or fast or how many times it came around. Before anything else could be said, there was a knock on the door.
Agnarr chuckled because only ever one person actually knocked on his door, anymore.
"Come in, Elsa."
In walked King Agnarr's first child; Elsa. She looked exactly like her mother, but with platinum blonde hair that was almost white. Agnarr, at her birth, reasoned it to be a gene passed down by his own grandmother, who was also blonde. However, it was due to something completely different.
She had ice magic.
Agnarr had no idea where it came from, but none of that mattered. All that mattered to him was that she learned proper "queen-like" duties and was safe from harm. He seldom told anyone about her powers; only those he had trusted with his life. King Eli happened to be one of those few people, having been like an uncle figure in Agnarr's life.
"Hello, papa. Hello uncle Eli." Elsa curtsied before the men and they smiled.
"What a beautiful young lady, and so polite too." Eli commented, signalling the girl to come closer. She smiled and approached him. "How are you today, Elsa?" he asked and she smiled.
"I'm very well, thank you." the small blonde then turned to look at her father. "How are you, papa? Am I bothering you?" Agnarr quickly shook his head and stood up from his desk.
"No, you could never bother me, sweetie." he began to kneel in front of her and she placed a kiss on his cheek. "So what brings you here, with us?" he asked.
"I just wanted something to do." Elsa confessed, "Mama's too busy looking over Anna a-and I got bored." Agnarr and Eli began to laugh. Just then Eli got a bright idea.
"I just remembered something very important," he announced, "Agnarr I forgot to mention that I brought a special visitor here, with me." Eli watched Agnarr's expression turn puzzled.
"You did?"
"Yes," Eli said, "I'll just head to my ship. I'll meet you in the foyer, in about five minutes."
...
King Agnarr and Elsa waited, in the foyer, for King Eli to return. Agnarr had no idea what the man meant; he never once announced a surprise visitor tagging along with him.
"Who's the special visitor, papa?" Elsa asked her father. The strawberry-blonde man just shrugged. Before he could say anything else, Eli entered the foyer holding the hand of a little girl. She had thick dark brown hair, blue eyes and lightly tanned skin. Agnarr immediately smiled. Of course!
"Princess Manuela!" Agnarr addressed the four-year old girl, "My you've grown." the girl cowered behind King Eli's right leg. She was shy, and immediately forgot all of her proper introductions. She merely waved awkwardly.
"H-hello..." Manuela said. Elsa was beyond excited. She loved meeting new people, especially young princesses, like herself.
"I had forgotten that she stowed away on my voyage, while playing hide and seek with her brothers." Eli said. His children got themselves into a heap of trouble on a daily basis. Manuela was his only daughter and he placed her on a high pedestal. "When she revealed herself to me, we were already too far from the docks." he then bent down to look at his daughter at her eye level. "Would you like to play with Princess Elsa?" the small brunette glanced over at the blonde and became nervous. She turned back to her father.
"I-if...if she'd like to." Manuela stuttered and Agnarr felt his heart warm. Eli smiled and continued.
"Why don't you ask her?" he suggested. He watched as his little girl, suddenly, puffed out her chest and started to look a bit for confident. She turned to Elsa and smiled softly.
"Would...you like to play with m –?!" before she could even finish her sentence, Elsa was dragging her towards someplace in the castle.
"Come! I know the best places to play!" Elsa exclaimed, "I can show you all of my favourite places and favourite games! Oh! And you can be my best friend, who isn't my sister, because she's already my bestest friend!" Manuela felt overrun with confusion and struggled to keep herself levelled while being dragged around by Elsa.
"O-oh-okay!" Manuela conceded.
Agnarr and Eli chuckled, after watching their daughters run off to play.
"I hope Elsa doesn't scare her off." Agnarr chuckled, referring to his daughter's spirited nature. Eli chuckled.
"Please, my girl can handle way more than that." he bragged.
"...we are prepared to negotiate anything, in order to maintain our current relations, and restoring our previous one." Gunther took a deep breath, before finishing the letter. "Yours truly, the Southern Twelve." Elsa had just tuned back in, a few seconds ago.
Manuela.
Princess Manuela.
Her childhood best friend.
When Anna was too young to do the things Elsa wanted to do, Manuela was always there. The Southern Isles was only a day's trip, by ship. Either Manuela or Elsa would request the other come and visit, and their fathers would not hesitate to do so.
However, as time went by, they seemed to drift apart. But that wasn't where it the trouble happened.
Elsa also stopped inviting her over around the same time that she began to fear her powers.
Although the princess was well aware of Elsa's powers, Elsa feared that she'd also hurt Manuela. She would never want such harm to come to her 'bestest' friend. Never in a billion eons.
So now, when Hilda said that Manuela was here in Arendelle, Elsa couldn't hold back her excitement.