Red Winter
A/N: My very fuckin' first full length Frozen Fic!
I don't own Frozen.
If I did, there'd be a lot more Helsa, and sex.
Nor do I own any quotes or song titles from the perfect album, Pink Floyd's The Wall.
Prologue
Comfortably Numb
The light glowing from the large window of the bedroom was the only trace of life to be found. Everything else was just gray. The walls were dull, the floor was bland save for the glowing reflection of the window. Hans stoicly stared into space of what is now basically his temporary cell. He made no sign of recognition when the door gently opened. Footsteps reached his ears and the sound of a pulled chair groaned against the wood floor.
"Hello, Hans," Dr. Landvik greeted as he took a seat in the periwinkle armchair. The slim man pushed up his round spectacles and adjusted his black cravat tucked in his collar. He produced a small notebook from his pants pocket and reached for a quill from the adjascent desk. "Is there anybody in there?"
Hans simply stared outside the window.
The doctor sighed. "Just nod if you can hear me."
The silence remained.
"Is there anyone home?" Dr. Landvik leaned in and tried to offer a warm smile.
The prince made the most subtle motion of his head.
"Come on, now. I know you are tired of my weekly visits, my boy, but your father and brothers are deeply concerned for you," the doctor coaxed. "They want to ease your pain."
The doctor was met with silence once again.
"Hans, please." Dr. Landvik tried again. "You must realize you've commit an atrocious act.. your father, brothers and I are here to help you. We want you to be well. It's been over a month and you've shown no sign of remorse, sorrow, anything. If you are feeling something, I can get you on your feet again."
Hans made no sign of life, but he internally scoffed. He had been back home for approximately six weeks. Had that time really passed? Hans couldn't keep track of such trivial things anymore. If this were true, none of his brothers nor his father came by to see him. They probably feared he'd try to take their heads as well.
He didn't speak when the doctor continued to try and analyze him, try to figure out why he did what he had done. Dr. Landvik's lips moved, but Hans couldn't hear what he was saying. He felt detached from reality in this room. He wouldn't touch the food was delivered to him. Sleep was as scarce as any proof of emtion in the prince. Only one thing held his thoughts as he stared at the brilliant light glowing through the window.
Elsa.
Elsa, so clearly terrified as she held her crown jewels before the visiting royals at her coronation. Was he the only one in the room that could see she was petrified?
Elsa, so beautiful with her hair down, in her isolated paradise.
Elsa's formidable powers used against the soldiers, nearly killing them with ease. She looked exhausted, but determined.
Elsa's sleeping face when he carried her back to Arendelle. Even in dreams, she looked like she was fighting something.
Elsa's pleaing lips when she begged him to release her. He almost let her go.
Elsa's mournful cry in the fjord when he told her Anna was dead. He had to kill her or he'd lose everything.
Elsa's ice cold eyes when she ordered him back to the Southern Isles in chains. Her frigid stare was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
Elsa.
"Elsa.." Hans sighed out loud.
The noise startled the doctor. " ...I beg your pardon?"
"Elsa. You fucking idiot." Hans answered in a low voice, his gaze remained towards the window. The light resembled the shimmer of the snow queen's champagne colored locks.
Dr. Landvik stared in shock for a good minute until he reached for his quill and started to write notes. "Go on.."
"I've wanted Elsa this whole time." Hans confessed in a shallowed breath. His chest felt heavy, like a soaked, knotted up piece of rope.
-TEN MONTHS AGO-
For almost a year, the mysterious princess of Arendelle was pursued by many a suitor, Hans Wstergaard, the youngest prince of the Southern Isles, included. Word spread like wildfire of the reserved, quiet beauty that was Elsa; hair that shimmered like platinum coins, skin as white as first winter's snow, lips the color of blood roses, and eyes as brilliant as the sky on a summer day. Despite her popularity amongst the royals, she seemed to coldly turn away every single one. In time, she even earned herself the title "Ice Princess" amongst the young, eligible bachelors at hunting parties or sporting events.
The red haired prince sent countless letters, hoping they would reach the heiress of Arendelle, promising her that not only would he be a dutiful king, but also a loving husband. He wrote that he would dance with her, bring her joy, teach her to ride horses, be her comfort in times of sorrow, and gladly produce perfect offspring for her.
The months passed on without a response. She was cold, but still desired by Hans. There were rumors that the king and queen of Arendelle, before their untimely death, were neglectful towards their older daughter. Whispers amongst the upperclass were that the younger daughter was favored. Perhaps Elsa grew to be shy as a result of this?
Understandably, she would have many courtship proposals to reject before she would reach Hans' words of devotion. He anxiously waited for the mail to reach the castle gates. He began to lose hope until his seventh older brother, Aleks, dropped the large bag of mail infront of the youngest prince. The hay rustled in the castle's stable, Hans tensed when he realised who the messanger was, but remained composed as he was grooming Sitron.
"You've got mail, baby brother." Aleks' shadow loomed on the ground like a demon in waiting. The afternoon sun shining behind him through the stable gates made him glow with perfection. His waved, golden blonde locks were perfectly coifed in a side part, and tied back, not a strand out of place.
"Oh? From whom?" Hans looked over his shoulder as he brushed his steed's mane.
"I don't know. It arrived for you as I got back from the harbor this morning. Thought I'd drop it by." Aleks tossed the satchel at Hans' feet and turned away, his body almost disappearing into the light. "Someone obviously likes you!"
Hans looked down at the discarded bag and set aside Sitron's brush. He turned it over and saw the Arendelle family insignia stitched into the fabric! He let out an almost giddy gasp as he pulled his pocket knife to cut open the bag and found several letters inside. He reached in and pulled out an envelope.
'Return to sender' was stamped on the seal in scatching, bright red ink. Hans furrowed his brows in confusion and picked up another letter.
'Return to sender'.
His emerald eyes widened as he reached in once more.
'Return to sender'.
Panic bubbled in his stomach. Shaking hands grabbed the end of the mail bag and dumped everything out onto the hay coated ground.
'Return to sender.'
'Return to sender.'
'Return to sender.'
"What the FUCK!?" Hans roared, startling Sitron out of his daze. The horse let out a frightened whinny. He threw the satchel in the air, the envelopes fluttered around him like heavy snow. Hans watched as the final letter dropped to the ground. The red ink staring up at him as a stabbing reminder that he was once again turned away by an opportunity to prove himself. His breath became tense and shallow, every nerve in his body was now a hair trigger.
"She rejected me.." Hans admit outloud. Sitron tucked away into his stable pen, sensing the tension in the air.
Hans reached for his riding crop on the wall and began to strike at the mocking envelopes on the floor.
"SHE REJECTED ME!" Hans bellowed into the air. He struck the letter one more time before falling on all fours and breaking down into a fit of pitiful cries.
He remained in the stable for the rest of the day. Why bother to come out?
There was no one out there who would love him.
-PRESENT-
Dr. Landvik's white, bearded chin rested in his fist as Hans finished. His other hand furiously scribbled notes, trying to catch every detail the prince revealed.
"Hans..." Dr. Landvik began. "I am sorry you experienced such rejection, after a lifetime of dealing with this emotion..However...Have you considered that perhaps the revelation of Queen Elsa's ice powers is what caused her to reject not just your letters, but the other suitors? That perhaps she was trying to protect her future husband just as she was trying to protect her sister and kingdom?"
Dr. Landvik waited patiently for a response as he adjusted his spectacles and sat upright, his silver ponytail draped over his coat's shoulder. After ten minutes of deathly quiet, the doctor sighed when he glanced at the clock, closing his notebook. He stood up and headed for the door.
"I suppose this is enough for today." Dr. Landvik mused outloud as he turned the knob. "I am glad you finally trust me enough to talk to me, Hans."
"It doesn't matter now," Hans mumbled under his breath. The sunlight faded from the floor. It was almost dusk. "My dream is gone."
The older man stopped and looked over his shoulder with a raised brow. "So you feel loss?"
"I feel nothing." Hans said in a flat voice. "I am comfortably numb."