I sit on the plush red velvet throne, my spine straight as an arrow as I consider the people below me as I sit before them, regal and imposing on the dais. My imperious expression hides my complete and utter boredom swirling around inside myself as I sign yet another proclamation. I glance around the throne room, the high vaulted ceiling allowing sunlight to come streaming through the arched stone windows, all of which look out onto Arrendelle, my kingdom, smoke puffing through the small cottage chimneys as normal people lived out their ordinary lives. A cough from one of my ministers brings me back to the present. I glance to my right and see the Grand Duke Mikhail, one of my…less trusted advisors. A portly man with greasy hair and a pretentious disposition, I had been looking forward to firing him for weeks. Ah well, No time like the present. My heart warms at the thought. The chubby man coughs again, brandishing a piece of parchment paper in front of my face, waving it around like some sort of butterfly before he speaks in his droning voice which could put a hyperactive toddler to sleep. I roll my eyes.
"You're Excellency, what is it now?" I ask in an exasperated voice. The Duke splutters in an insulted fashion, sending spit everywhere like a disgusting fountain. I swallow my repulsion and stare blankly into the chamber, not looking at him lest I retch. I catch the eye of one of the guardsmen who guard the chamber, and nod almost imperceptibly. He moves softly till he is positioned just behind Mikhail. Something tells me he isn't going to take my news very well.
"It's a new tax I propose your majesty" he says, his voice now a flustered monotone. I snatch it from his sweaty hands, scanning over it before beckoning to one of my attendants, handing them the proposed tax law.
"There is no need for a new Tax; we are getting more than enough from our subjects as it is. There is no need to make them pay more than they can bear. This is the latest proposal in a long line; I am getting more then tired of you constantly forcing your frankly terrible proposals onto me." The duke splutters again, growing red in the face, his limp moustache twitching. For the first time, I look at him in his beady little eyes, my bright blue eyes glowering at him.
"I say-" he starts, his voice now quite high in outrage. I hold up a hand, silencing him.
"May I remind you that I am your Queen and you answer to me, not the other way round. You are hereby dismissed." I state in my cool voice. The duke immediately drops to his knees and starts grovelling pathetically, like I had just offered him a death sentence rather than just taking away his job. I beckon to the guard I had positioned behind the duke, he gestures to the one next to him; they nod and roll their eyes before helping the duke to his feet, not ungently. Mikhail had never exactly made himself beloved to the staff. They escort him out of the front gates of the palace, much to the joy of everyone in the airy chamber who seem to breathe a collective sigh of relief. I rest my elbow on the plush arm rest of the seat, resting my head in my fingers in a gesture of exasperation. Who the hell ran this country while I was too young to rule?! If it was men like the Grand Duke, then no wonder our fair country was decades behind in trade and technology. Our coffers were full, but only through several hard years of taxes, not to mention I had just singlehandedly destroyed our usual summer crops with our…unplanned winter holiday. I had to restore some authority to the Monarchy after three years of bumbling politicians running our fair country. We had some serious repairs to do, and getting rid of ministers like Mikhail was a start. I stand, everyone in the room immediately drops to one knee like puppets.
"I shall retire to my chambers for the day, I will look over the rest of these later" I say, waving to the pile of parchment. My ministers behind me utter small cries of protest. I mentally sigh; there was a long night ahead of me. It would take me until dawn to look through this amount of paperwork. I rise from the throne and everyone in the room bows low as I sweep out the door. As I walk down the corridor flanked by guards as usual, I am mentally going through my head about which engagements I can wriggle out of. Perhaps Anna could-damn, I completely forgot. Anna left yesterday for the Kingdom of the Sun. My mouth tugs at the corners as I remember the fiery argument.
"Elsa, I have to go!" Anna whines, her voice high as she shakes her head, her customary plats swinging from side to side in frustration. I sigh with exaggerated patience.
"Anna, this is too sudden. You're a princess; you can't just up and leave!" I say in my deceptive state of calm. I don't mention that part of the reason I don't want her to go is that I need her to help shoulder the burden of royal duties. She is much more of a 'people person' then I am.
"But it's for Rapunzel's baby shower! She asked for me and Kristoff specifically! It would be rude not to attend!" Anna complains, her high voice set an octave or two higher than usual in her angry state.
"Anna, your wedding Is in three months! You can't just go gallivanting off, there are things to plan-" I begin to say when she cuts me off.
"Besides, you're always so busy with your papers, and when I come back we will do something together, okay?" Anna pleads.
For once, I lost an argument. Kristoff, Anna and Olaf had gone to the kingdom of the sun, leaving me alone. Well, not alone. I glance behind me at the ever present retinue of maids and guards before I roll my eyes. I reach the doors to my quarters and one of my guards stand to attention and open it for me. I give him a gracious smile before sailing through, my snowflake train billowing behind me. Before I close the doors, I pause on the threshold.
"Thank you, none of you shall be needed for the remainder of the day." I say shortly, they all bow before I quickly shut the doors. I breathe a sigh of relief. Today was a good day; the new ministers I brought in to replace the fossils previously in charge recognise my authority and bring fresh new ideas for Arrendelle, but my advisors were still predominantly ancient and from the days of my father. I sit down at my desk, the mountain of papers thinning. One more night and I should have caught up! I smile at the novel thought before I frown, crinkling my nose in concentration as I read the proclamation, my head propped up in my hands as I try to focus.
"Free education for boys under the age of 16 blah blah blah blah" I think to myself as I read. I flick through the wad of proposals before tearing them up, throwing them in front of me and allowing a jettison of ice to shoot from my hands, freezing them mid-air before they clatter to the ground and smash in a satisfactory manner. I am so unbelievably over doing paperwork. But who else can I trust to do it? Certainly none of my incompetent ministers. Half of them want me to sign anything they throw at me, the other Half wish I had never survived the run in with my sisters ex-fiancé. I shiver when I think of Hans, the man who nearly killed me. I stand up and throw myself onto the bed, I curl up on my side wrapping my arms around myself as I remember that morning. I thought I had killed my sister. The pain I felt comes flooding back, the guilt, the sorrow and the self-loathing return with it. I ruthlessly push it away.
"I didn't kill her. They were only his lies." I tell myself firmly. I remember his clear green eyes and fair complexion looking at me with wide eyed innocence. I make a mental note to look at that report we got from our spy in the southern isles. I really should have a long time ago, but I have been so preoccupied with my sister's wedding and my kingdom to worry about it. I promise myself I will look at it later today, it's time we found out what happened to our Hans. In fact…a thought strikes me and I stand, my plat swinging onto my shoulder as I stride to my messy desk. I sort through the piles of detritus till I found what I was looking for. In a neat manila folder was the report from our spy in the Southern Isles. I quickly open it and scan the spidery handwriting. When I get half way through, I start in surprise. I read the sentence again, and again.
"…I am aware that Your Highness sent Prince Hans home in one of our ships under armed guard. However, much to the consternation of the royal family Prince Hans never arrived back in the Southern Isles…"
Never arrived back? That surely cannot be right…this was definitely something to chase up. I quickly write a letter to our captain of the guard, ordering to double the sentry on the harbour and in the palace, and to make sure to look out for someone of his description. I shiver when I remember him, his voice, his gloved hands… I shake myself and stalk over to the window, twilight was descending on my beautiful Arrendelle, the sky turning pink then a dusky purple, the stars emerging in the darkness, candles twinkling in the homes of my people. I watch, still in silence as I see the dim twilight fade to darkness, punctuated with shining pinpricks of light. I shake myself and run a hand through my snowy white hair, before turning away from the view of my beloved kingdom, wrapping my arms around myself before I walk over to the bed, collapsing on it. I stare at the ceiling, absentmindedly gesturing with my hands, feeling my rush of power gather at my fingertips, cold and frozen as I make little butterflies made of ice, which flutter towards the sculpted ceiling. I miss being able to wield my power freely, not that I could before, but at the ice castle. I don't have to hide my power anymore, but I'm not stupid enough to demonstrate it in front of my people. They might have accepted me, but they fear me and my powers. The odd demonstration like creating a temporary winter for the people to skate in was fine, but anything beyond harmless would instantly garner negative attention. I rest my hands on my chest, watching the four small butterflies I had created flitter out the window. I feel a certain sadness that they shall melt by the time morning comes, but such is the nature of the power I wield.
"Very pretty."
A familiar low sweet voice speaks out of the darkness. My eyes widen in shock and panic; I quickly stand up and find myself face to face with a familiar pair of sparkling green eyes. We are both still for a moment as I flick my eyes over him in horror. Even in my confused state, I dimly notice how attractive he is. His emerald eyes are set against fair skin; high cheekbones with a slight pink tint to them, eyebrows like angel wings frame his green eyes, his long eyelashes casting shadows on his skin.
Hans.
Suddenly, I realise the situation, and an abrupt bubble of anger bursts inside me.
"Elsa was preferable"
I feel the beginnings of a blizzard stir my hair across my shoulders before I slam my hand forward in the cold air, my powers flowing through me like liquid, meeting to rise the anger inside me as An ice spike emerges from my open palms, deadly sharp and pressing against Han's throat. He backs up against the wall of the room where I get up from the bed, my eyes narrowed, fear no longer running through my veins but pure, utter, enveloping hatred, not icy like the powers I wield, but scalding like fire. I allow the spike to still next to his pulse, I'm going to kill him, but…slowly.
He raises his gloved hands in mock surrender, a smirk on his pink lips.
"Nice to see you too Elsa." He says lecherously. I widen my eyes in mock surprise.
"Do you have a death wish?" I ask sweetly, my voice laced with venom. I allow the ice to graze the fair skin at his neck. He laughs.
"aw, didn't you miss me?" He asks in his rich voice as his eyes lightly flick over my silk clad body. Oddly, I feel myself getting flushed from his heated regard, not helping the liquid anger inside me, the thrill that I was finally going to kill him, once and for all. The main reason I didn't murder him isn't here. Before, I would have risked diplomatic incident, but now... I have the perfect excuse. The second time he tried to assassinate me, it is reasonable I defend myself.
"Funnily enough, no." I say flatly. His eyes come to rest on my bare shoulders.
"I certainly missed you." He says lecherously before giving me a salacious wink. I arch an eyebrow, impressed at his bravado, my ice slowly pressing into his neck, allowing a small bead of blood to well up and roll down his neck satisfactorily.
Elsa was preferable…
"How did you even get in here?" I am unable to prevent myself from asking. He shrugs gracefully.
"your guards really are pathetic." He says simply. I make a mental note to oversee the training of the sentries, the point is to stop men like him getting into my chambers. Having gotten the only answer I require, it is with a leap of dark joy that I acknowledge I have no further use for him, my heart is sounding in my ears as I allow the blade of ice to dig deeper into the skin. I give a short burst of black laughter as I still the now blood covered frozen knife.
"You want to know the reason I didn't kill you before?" I ask, the dark anger inside of me blooming. Hans is unable to answer, so I continue on unbidden.
"My sweet sister, the one you tried to kill, intervened on your behalf. But unfortunately for you, she isn't here at the moment." I say in dark innocence, the blizzard behind us howling as the temperature drops lower, frost beginning to gather on the floorboards. I'm so close…So close now…
"any last words?" I ask, my voice sickly sweet as I withdraw the ice blade a fraction, allowing him to speak. He looks at me, pain and an odd seriousness in his eyes. The panic which I expect to see is not there. What he says next, he says simply.
"Arrendelle is in trouble."
the blizzard stills behind me, the blood lust inside wars with my curiosity and my duty to my kingdom. My sense of responsibility wins out, I dissipate the Ice blade. Hans falls to his knees, quickly taking out a white handkerchief and staunching the blood which flows out of his neck. I give him a few minutes, regaining control over myself before I left my hands again, confident I won't lose control like that once more. He struggles to his feet, his skin pale from blood loss, yet his green eyes sparkle.
"Is that anyway to greet an old friend? I'm cut, really." He says sarcastically. Much to my shock, rather than cower at his very treacherous situation, he firmly takes my hand by the wrist and moves it back to my hip. However, he doesn't let go of it, his thumb lightly drawing circles on the heel of my palm, a strangely arousing sensation. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember there is a pressure point there.
"I can't think straight with you pointing your hands at me." He explains, his eyes meeting mine.
"I suggest you let go of my hand before I encase you in ice." I say, my voice slightly rougher then I would have liked. He smirks again before he drops my hand. He strolls over to my crowded desk.
"My, you are going through these aren't you? Not going to lie, I'm impressed." He says, turning back towards me, his clear green eyes impassive. I cross my hands over my chest, raising an eyebrow.
"Still interested in the politics of Arrendelle? Didn't you learn your lesson last time?" I snarl. He leans against the desk, his arms folded over his chest. A small smile plays across his lips.
"Well, no. I never exactly received punishment." He says, reaching behind him and waving the Manilla file before he drops it back onto the brimming desk.
"How did you manage to avoid going back to the Southern Isles?" I ask, a regrettable amount of curiosity tinging my voice. He waves his finger at me in a gesture of reprimand.
"I'm not spilling my secrets." He says arrogantly. I give a short chuckle.
"So you paid the crew off." I say flatly. He smiles.
"You're smarter then I gave credit for." He says, a faint tone of surprise in his voice. I ignore the back handed compliment, remembering last time I saw this repulsive man; he was swinging a sword at the back of my head.
"I suggest you get to the point before I call my guards…If you're lucky." I say, smiling predatorily. His mouth quirks at the corner before striding towards me, eating up the distance between us until he is looming over me, at least a head taller than I am.
"If I'm lucky?" He says, his tone suggestive as his warm gaze washes over my face. Unable to deny the small tingles his close proximity sends through me, I glower up at him. He tried to take my throne, kill me and my sister and he is trying to flirt with me. He really is unbelievable.
"If you're unlucky, then you have to deal with me." I say flatly. He smirks down at me enticingly, his height really was irritating.
"I look forward to it." He smiles down at me cheerfully. I raise a dark eyebrow before allowing an ice spike to grow out of my upturned hand.
"You sure about that?" I ask sweetly. Hans laughs, a noise which pools at my lower spine.
"minus the ice." He says pleasantly. I point the ice spike at his heart.
"You have about a minute to explain what the hell you think you're doing here." I say softly. He smiles.
"Ever the gentle one aren't you?" He says mockingly.
"55…" I say, pressing the spike into his jacket front.
"Alright alright, I have a…partnership I would like to put to you." He says. I stop pressing the ice into his chest, looking up at him, incredulous.
"If you think I am interested in any sort of deal with you after half the stuff you have done, you are sadly mistaken." I say, my tone icy. He laughs.
"Don't be so sure Elsa." he says smugly.
"40…" I say, pressing the blade of ice further.
"well, seeing as I don't have long to explain, let's just say that I need your help." These words make me still the ice shard again. I chuckle.
"Does it look like I am liable to help you?" I say in disbelief. He smiles.
"ah, but you wouldn't just be helping me." He says inexplicably. I hesitate before sighing and allowing the blade of ice to draw back into my hand.
"Talk." I say shortly. He rubs his hand over the small hole in his jacket front.
"not much of a conversationalist are you?" He asks, brushing an imaginary fleck of dust off his sleeve.
"I'm not that eager to talk to my attempted murderer." I say coldly, folding my arms over my chest.
"attempted" he says, grinning, showing rows of perfect white teeth. Why couldn't he look like the evil bastard he was?
"How is that meant to work in your favour?" I ask in disbelief at his paper thin argument, if you could call it that. He shrugs elegantly.
"You're still alive." He says cheerfully.
"No thanks to you." I snap. He raises his hand to his heart in a gesture of mock hurt.
"Oh, Ouch." He says sarcastically. In frustration, I channel my power out through my finger tips and into the wall, a flurry of ice shards clatter against the dark blue wallpaper.
"Unless you get to the point, and quickly, The next ones will hit you." I say flatly.
"alright, If you want me to be blunt. Just trying to protect your delicate sensibilities" He says sarcastically.
"delicate sensibilities-" I exclaim, but am cut off by a withering look from the green eyes.
"I'm explaining remember? It means that you don't talk. For just one minute. Can you handle that?" He says patronizingly. I glare at him icily. It's a shame he had myattention, I would love to blast him in ice right now.
"Good. Now, what do you know about the Southern Isles?" He asks casually. I tilt my head in confusion, where was THIS going?
"Not much I'm afraid. The King died-my condolences" I say in mock sympathy. Hans laughs.
"Not necessary, I'm ecstatic." He says cheerfully. I widen my eyes at him, surely he can't mean that.
"Don't give me that doe eyed look of shock Your Highness." He says, putting sarcastic emphasis on my royal title. I open my mouth to tell him to go to hell when he speaks again.
"And of my brothers?" He continues smoothly. I shrug.
"The oldest, Dominic is about to ascend to the throne. I got an invitation to the coronation." I say helplessly. I really haven't had time to study the neighbouring kingdoms; this was Anna's area of expertise. He laughs.
"Oh, very subtle of him. Clever." He murmurs half to himself. I raise a dark eyebrow.
"What was?" I ask, unable to hide my confusion. He laughs.
"Don't worry your pretty little head about it." He says patronizingly. Unable to prevent myself, I quickly raise my hand and flick it upwards, a sudden blast of icy wind summons from my fingertips, picks Hans up and throws him against the back wall. I smile sweetly as he glowers, shaking himself like a cat that was thrown in water.
"Ouch." He says simply. I smile in response.
"Don't patronise me." I say flatly. He shrugs as he leans against the wall, this time, I walk towards him, my right hand out stretched and ready. I stop about an arm's length away from him.
"A gentler soul was never created" he says, his voice heavy with irony.
"I suggest you get to the point for your sake." I say flatly.
"If you insist. Long story short 'Your Majesty,' I'm going to depose my brothers." He says casually. I am unable to prevent a short burst of laughter.
"I expect nothing less." I say drolly. He raises an eyebrow at my contemptuous laughter.
"Kindly withhold your mirth, this could affect you to." He says seriously, I am unable to prevent a small giggle. Is he insane? Probably. And yet I can detect no hint of madness in his eyes. Noting the death glare he sends at my helpless laughter, I try and quell it to a chuckle and regain impassivity.
"I'm listening" I say, still smiling at his totally mad request. Why would I help him with anything, let alone get him a crown. God knows what he would do if he had an army at his disposal.
"Well, my darling brothers are shaping out to be rather…bad leaders." He says slowly, moving away from the wall, making me turn to face him.
"what, and you would do a better job?" I say with disdain. He smiles down at me.
"Elsa, a pin cushion would do better job of running a country then my brothers." He says pleasantly. Despite my hatred for him, I am unable to prevent a small smile.
"You still haven't given your hair brained explanation as to how this affects me." I remind him, He smiles again. If I didn't know him so well, I would say it was charming.
"I've seen battle plans. The minute my repulsive excuse of a brother gets the crown on his head, they're going to invade." He says flatly. I start in surprise before once more regaining control of my reactions. I tilt my head to the side, thinking. If what he says is true- and that's a big if-then it could very well be a disaster for Arrendelle. Our army hadn't been used in years, no one had tried to take us over since the days of the Old Kings, and not even I could defeat an army… But what was there to say that once Hans got the throne he wouldn't do the same thing?
"I am prepared to be much," He pauses to loop his hand around my waist and press me to him. I don't struggle, merely glare up at him. "kinder then they would be." He says suggestively. I glower at him coldly, his body radiating heat. It registers that at some time we had changed places, My back was now against the wall. Oddly, I'm irritated by this, it somehow gives him more control over the encounter.
"if you don't get your arm off my waist in the next 5 seconds, ill freeze it off." I say pleasantly. He laughs before letting me go; However, it does nothing to distract me from his distracting warmth as he places his hand next to my head, more than ever demonstrating our height difference. I imagine he does this deliberately in an attempt to intimidate me. I hold my ground, the cold wall against my back conflicting with the heat radiating from him. I ruthlessly force my mind to focus. His warm gaze flicks over my upturned face as I cross my arms over my chest, trying to create a barrier between us.
"And I promise you Your Majesty, that invasion would just be the start." He says inexplicably. I am torn between asking him what he means and a strong feeling that I don't want to know. I shake my head irritably.
"And what guarantee is there that if you become King you won't do the exact same thing?!" I ask coldly. He smiles.
"You have my word." He says confidently. I am unable to prevent a small incredulous chuckle.
"Oh, I know how reliable that is." I say, my voice heavy with sarcasm.
"When have I ever broken my word!" he demands almost petulantly. I open my mouth to say what I am sure would be a considerable list when I realise that he is actually right. He has never broken a promise.
"In between the attempted assassinations, manipulation and trying to depose me, at least you never broke an agreement." I say dryly.
"That's the spirit!" he says sunnily, his green eyes sparkling into my own.
"Let me get this straight. You want me to go with you, my would be assassin, to the Southern Isles, were you want me to help get you the throne, all because you say with no hard evidence that your brothers will invade and the only thing binding you not to do the same thing is the promise of a sociopath." I say in disbelief. Saying it out loud, it sounds crazy, but do I really have a choice? I can't muster an entirely new trained army that quickly, and we certainly couldn't withstand a siege, not with our food supplies being so low after the unplanned winter. He nods.
"Pretty much." He says casually.
"I'll think about it." I say flatly. He studies my face closely, I find myself getting heated from the closeness of his regard, his face distractingly close to mine.
"What, that's it? You're not going to tell me to stay away from your sister or-" he begins to say, I cut him off with an impatient wave.
"I would, But Anna isn't here." I say bluntly, I go to slip under his arm which is braced against the wall, but he grabs my wrist and tugs me back to the same spot, pressing my hand against his chest, his emerald eyes shining into my own, a smirk playing around his pink lips.
"How delightful!" he says teasingly. I stare unflinchingly into his clear green eyes.
"What did she ever do to you?" I snap, unable to prevent my irritation at his evident dislike of my sister. Considering what he did to her, I'd say she has more right for hatred. He notices my annoyance which just makes him smile wider.
"Too nice." He says simply. I raise my eyebrows.
"I think she has more right to complain, do you have any idea about what you did to her?!" I snarl. He sighs theatrically, rolling his eyes.
"Elsa, what I did was for her own good." He says coolly. I laugh darkly.
"Explain how you got to that conclusion?" I say, my voice dripping with venom.
"Do you really think that she could go through life being that trusting?" He says casually. I shake my head irritably.
"Wow, your right. She really should thank you for taking her heart and stomping on it before nearly killing her." I say sarcastically. He grins cheerfully.
"I'm glad you see it my way." He says brightly, ignoring the irony in my voice. I try and ease my pale wrists out of his grasp, which although not painful is unbreakable.
"I suggest you let go of me." I say flatly, my voice devoid of emotion. He leans down, his lips lightly brushing my ear, making me shiver.
"Why?" he whispers, blowing warm air into my ear, sending tingles all through me. I force my voice to remain even.
"Because if you don't, I'll act on my instincts." I say coldly. He laughs.
"Sounds promising" He murmurs.
"Sorry to disappoint, but they're leaning more towards murderous." I say bluntly, not acknowledging that my instincts were in fact sending completely different signals through my body. I wrench back control of myself. This is Hans. Annoyingly, rather than repulse me as planned, the thought of who he is just makes it harder to focus. I mentally rap myself over the wrist for this inexplicable reaction. He chuckles in response to my cold demeanour.
"You're a terrible liar." He remarks casually, straightening as he looks down at me. I glower up at him with all the ice I can muster before smiling sweetly.
"Get out." I say, my voice cloying. He sighs regretfully before releasing my wrists. His gaze rakes up my figure until his green eyes rest on my own. A smile tugs at his mouth.
"always this icy?" He asks nonchalantly.
"yes." I respond shortly. He laughs before seizing my right hand and bringing it to his mouth, lightly brushing his lips over the back of it. Rather than release it as expected, he turns it over and unexpectedly traces over the heel of my palm with his tongue in a burning circles. I am unable to prevent a gasp before I wrench my hand back, my face colouring.
"Bastard" I snarl. He smiles at me.
"I try." He says smugly before striding towards the door. He places his gloved hand on the brass doorknob before looking back at me.
"So, what do you say?" he asks caustically. I roll my eyes at his confidence. Much as I hate to admit it, we both know I had no choice. If there was threat of invasion, I need to do what I can.
"It was a grudging yes." I say wearily. I feel a headache coming on. He grins at me arrogantly.
"That's my girl" he says sweetly.
"I'm not your anything, although I may be your murderer if you say that again." I say coldly. He laughs.
"Good to see you again Elsa." he says, his green eyes twinkling in the dim evening light of the room before he slips out the room, the door shutting with a click. Immediately, my powers which I had been holding back burst out of me, covering the room in white snow. I sigh before waving my hand tiredly, the snow is picked up by an icy wind and blown out the window. I fall onto the bed, exhausted. I grab a pillow and hold it over my face in a futile attempt to block out the world, I groan into the soft linen.
"ohhh goddd"
Hans POV
That went well.
I stride down the warren of corridors, inwardly thanking god that the palace was beginning to fall asleep as night beckoned. I thoughtfully crack my knuckles through the gloves before I realise what I'm doing and make myself stop. That was such a bad habit. I glance around at the non-descript hallways, all painted a disgustingly happy shade of blue. I try and remember the way to the room, I sigh. Would it be too much if the corridors didn't look the same? Aha, found it. I lightly turn the brass doorknob, opening the door softly before I slip inside, shutting it quickly. I lean against the oak before laughing into the perpetually cold room, my breath leaving small patches of fog in the freezing air, triumphant. I did it. I had convinced the Ice Maiden to help me. I chuckle again when I remember her expression when she saw me. Shock, anger and pure hatred all combine in her beautiful face, her blue eyes flashing with fury. To be honest, exactly the reception I was expecting.
"Well no, "I softly say into the cold room "She didn't kill me the instant she saw me."
Despite threatening to murder me on more than one occasion, she had accepted to help me.
God give me strength.
I have no idea how I was going to deal with her, my usual methods of control are worth nothing; she is just as well versed in manipulation as I am. I sigh, I need to think of something. I glance around the familiar room which none of the sisters had entered since our last little…adventure together. The chaise lounge was covered in dust, the window had been boarded up and the fire place still retained the remains of the fire I had extinguished when Anna was freezing to death. The result was cold, dark and sombre, just to my tastes. It suited me just fine, I never lit fires or open curtains anyway. I laugh again as I imagine Elsa's reaction if she ever found out I was staying in the palace. I really don't know how anyone hadn't thought of it before; there were so many rooms no one ever entered. It was easy to slip past her pitiful guards and servants, giving me effectively free movement around the castle. I cross the room to the dark chaise lounge; I pause, imagining Elsa strewn across it, the dark upholstery contrasting beautifully with her pale skin, her half lidded blue eyes glinting with lust. I smile at the image before I shake myself.
No. I tell myself firmly. I need to keep lust out of the equation, it would just complicate things.
Still, no harm in thinking about it…
part of me whispers. I shake my head, there's a lot of harm in thinking about it. I need to remember who she is, what she is capable of doing, even though that doesn't seem to repulse my over active libido. Another memory flashes through my tired mind, Elsa again, power pressing through her fingertips, blue eyes narrowed and flashing as one of my men is held against the wall, ice to his throat whilst another is nearly pushed off the balcony. Her eyes show no remorse nor guilt for what she is doing, primeval instincts of survival taken over. I shiver, I can't leap into bed with THAT, although my far too eager sex drive wouldn't mind trying.
"Besides," I say aloud into the empty room. "She would impale me on ice faster than I could slide my hands between her legs." I mutter before I sink down onto the dark velvet couch, lying down on it as I rest my hands on my chest as I stare at the black ceiling, my right hand lightly tracing a gloved finger across the familiar scars.
She only accepted my proposal because I told her of my brothers plans for invasion-which I wasn't lying about. Arrendelle has many resources, ports and fertile land, not to mention its queen. Elsa really had no idea, not only could she be used as an extremely effective weapon, but her beauty was known throughout the kingdoms, almost as famous as her powers. I shudder to think about what would happen if my brothers ever got their hands on her. It would appear she hasn't exactly moved on from our previous encounter, she clearly hasn't forgiven me for what fate nearly befell her and her sister. She doesn't trust me, not that I can blame her. She doesn't understand, this is my right. I'm the 13th in line for the throne in my own kingdom, my repulsive excuses for brothers got the crown just because they are older, I have been studying to rule my entire life while they were out whoring or drinking. Dominic, Eon, Edward, William, Nikolai, Gregory, Peter, Eveard, Oberon, Dietrich, Luca and Alexi. Luckily, Peter and Eveard were still in prison in the Kingdom of the Sun for stealing the princesses crown, which just leaves 10. None of the 12 understood me, and I didn't understand them. Unlucky brother 13. My childhood wasn't just punctuated by occasional violence or taunting's, they were akin to torture. I realise I am gripping my left wrist and make my right hand ease.
The oldest, Dominic is who I really hate, and vice versa. He is going to have so much power, so much authority, yet he knows nothing of ruling, only of mindless violence. That crown should be mine.
"I don't know why you spend so much time studying; you're never going to be king." The mocking voice of Dominic speaks out of my mind; I shake my head against it. No, I need to control myself…
I shiver as I remember the scars across my stomach from a sword blade, the result of one of three assassination attempts, one from Dominic, One from my father and the other was from Eon. I don't know why they bothered, I wasn't a threat. Luckily, unlike them, I had actually showed up for fencing lessons. My father tried to kill me after I had refused to marry the princess of his choosing, although by that stage, I was desperate to escape the prison of a castle. I still had the burns on my right arm from where his men had lit my room on fire in the hope I would be trapped inside. I hadn't lit a fire since. The third attempt from Eon was rather more pure luck that I lived, there was enough poison in the wine to kill a horse, but somehow I survived. It was then I realised that it was my destiny to live on, to become king. I had lain in a dark room for 4 months not on physician's orders, but my own violation. Naturally, no one in my family sent a doctor. Four months of nothing but thoughts of revenge and hatred, and when I left that room, I left a manipulative revenge hungry prince. In fact, the only reason I left the room was to come to the coronation.
As much as she probably regrets the fact I came, Dominic, Eon and Dietrich were going to come to the coronation with desires to…forcefully woo her. I roll my eyes at the thought, they were happy to be lead around by their pricks rather than actually think things through. Raping the Queen of Arrendelle would cause major diplomatic incident, not to mention that Elsa wouldn't have even let them get close before encasing them in blocks of ice, not that her powers were known at the time. My short chuckle releases a puff of fog into the frigid air. None of them would have had a chance. Thankfully, I managed to detain them from going due to a little deviousness with the invitations. The 12 shared everything, including women. I shiver as I remember stumbling upon raped and tortured whores inside the palace. Far from disapproving, my beloved father encouraged my psychopathic brothers, his logic that they would be strict rulers. Not for the first time, it crosses my mind that my father was probably quite mad.
I shiver again when I think of the fate that would befall Elsa should they successfully invade Arrendelle. They wouldn't kill her, not something so valuable. They would however, damage her. Oddly, the thought of this makes me furious. I start in surprise, I didn't think I would care let alone…get protective. Well, whatever that was, it has to go before we go to the Southern Isles. If something happens to her (unlikely) I would need to be able to continue in my plans without getting distracted.
The throne was my right, and Elsa will give it to me, but she is far too volatile, far too headstrong for me to rely on.
No, I need to have control over her, at the moment she wields power over me, all she needs to do is say No and I would be reduced to begging, something my extra enhanced pride simply could not stand. I need to find a way to manipulate her, to exert some sort of power. Blackmail? No, as effective as it is I have nothing on her, she is far too clean. Why can't she be more like the Princess of Elmira, who would happily leap into bed with anyone with a title? Not like Ms. Ice Maiden, who was probably more frigid then the ice she would blast anyone who tried with her.
"No, The Queen of all things pure," I say, putting a disdainful tone on the last word "would never do anything incriminating or unscrupulous." I say, almost in pity. Unscrupulous is far more fun than that good girl rubbish she is a poster girl for.
I sit bolt upright as a thought strikes me. But what about the Elsa who froze an entire country? I laugh delightedly into the freezing room. Something tells me that she wouldn't mind a little bad behaviour. I remember the look of fury and lust on her lovely face when I lightly licked her palm; something tells me there is molten passion buried very, very deep under all that ice and hostility. Rather than fight temptation and keep her at arm's length, I would seduce her.
My libido is immediately enamoured with the idea, it would be a challenge, but totally worth it. I am used to bedding girls until they're reduced to a begging lustful wreck, I would just need to sleep with her and she would be in the palm of my hand. Especially since she is very likely an unexperienced virgin, all I would need to do is give her a bit of pleasure now and then and she would be completely docile, sort of like licentious pet. I am unable to withhold a smile at the thought. Besides, it would hardly be a chore, my blood stirs at the thought of her naked and underneath me, her hair falling over her shoulders, finally freed of that stupid braid she wears it in. Even if she really was the frigid bitch she acts like, I can easily just use the threat of telling everyone we slept together and blackmail her with that. I smile happily, a beautiful all-too-haughty virgin was going to be under my control, all that I have to do is bed her.
I simply can't wait.
Elsa's POV.
I add another icicle to the numerous ones which are hanging from the rafter of the ceiling above me, trying to assuage my frustration. God, I am going to have to spend time with the one person I truly hate.
If you hate him…
a small voice inside my head whispers. Of course I do. I tell it firmly, the words seem unconvincing even to myself. I am unable to rid myself of the feeling of pleasure his remembered caresses invoke, causing shivers to run down me. I growl in frustration before allowing another icicle to shoot from my palms. This is just what the bastard wants, to confuse me so he can control me. Well no, I won't let him, although I mightn't have a choice, my body seems to have made up its mind on that count. I need to fight back with something, I need to find a weak spot so I can take control, so I can give him his stupid kingdom and never see him again.
Do you really want that Elsa-
the same irritating voice whispers inside of me. "Yes!" I inwardly shout, afraid of the small truth emerging in me. I sigh, I need to focus and not let him get to me like this. What can I use against him? His brothers? Anna had told me once that he was resentful his brothers were getting the throne over him. He is the 13th brother, what does he expect? I sigh, that would never do, I need another pressure point. It's infuriating that despite all the bastard has done, I find him attractive, and, though I daren't admit it to myself, very tantalizing. His casual insolence which I get from no one else, his audacity in his advances. His very…tempting advances.
I sit bolt upright in the bed, a small thought takes root inside my mind and grows.
"oh no. Uh Uh. No way." I say aloud, trying to be firm but my words ring hollow. Surely I can't… Not him… the sensible, rational part of my mind is screaming, it's quickly drowned out by the lustful dark part of me. Rather than hide from the idea, I face it. Rather than resist temptation and keep him at arm's length, I would seduce him. No, No, No! Half of me is screaming, abhorring this idea, shrinking away from it. It goes against everything I believe in, this man tried to kill me and my sister and take my crown…This is so wrong. I can't, I can't do that to Anna, to myself.
But, you could do it to Hans…
A voice in my mind speaks suggestively, I shake my head, my white hair whipping around my forehead from the force. I can't, it's so…immoral.
When has that ever stopped you before? Let it go remember? The voice whispers enticingly. Absentmindedly, I lightly wave my hands at the ceiling, the ice dissolving into snow which falls around me, landing in my hair and getting caught in my eyelashes. What if I didn't have to go all the way to sex? Perhaps if I was to use sex as a temptation, his huge ego would leap at the chance. Yes, withholding rather than succumbing was the answer…the ice maiden in me is much more comfortable with that, although the part of me that is strangely stimulated by him isn't happy with this idea, at least, not as happy as it was when sex with him was on the table. No, the idea of offering something then taking it away just as quickly appeals to me, especially since its Hans.
Only problem is Elsa, there's no guarantee that you would be able to stop yourself-
the same irritating voice speaks inside me, I bat it away irritably. I'm the queen of self-control; no one-especially not Hans- is able to break the ice shield I have built around myself.
You want him too-
Why does that voice never shut up?! I don't want him to do anything of the sort thank you very much.
I laugh into the cold room, my breath leaving small patches of fog in the air.
I'm going to control Hans.
I simply can't wait.