(AN: Wow... so um hi! It's been a really long time since I've written any fanfiction. So please be gentle. The name is Panda and really, I just couldn't get this AU out of my head ever since I started to see a lot of the Hans/Elsa art and stories. This will be an AU, so the events of the movie haven't and probably won't happen here. Please review though and tell me what you think. If you like it, I will continue!)
The first time anyone in the Southern Isles realized that there was something different with the thirteenth son of the Royal family, Hans was three. The little boy was constantly trying to follow his larger and older brothers wherever they went, but they had little desire to entertain the thumb sucking runt that their mother died giving birth to.
It was during one particularly cold winter afternoon that all the brothers were together within the King's study playing knights and dragons. Klause, the eldest, had split the brothers into two groups, ignoring the youngest since he didn't understand the game anyways. Calling out the charge. He led five brothers closest in age to him against the rest while his father looked on in amusement.
No one noticed Hans in the fray as he ran around the boys, giggling and trying to join in with their merriment. More than one brother simply shoved him out of their way, not caring if he fell to the ground. It was Auguste who pushed too hard to the side though. Nothing was there to stop the poor boy as he stumbled forward, unable to stop himself as he fell head first into the roaring fireplace.
A piercing scream of fear and pain froze all twelve boys and their father in place. At the sound of his youngest's cry, King Bathilius immediate shoved himself out of his chair and rushed past his other sons to see his youngest crying in the middle of a hot, burning fire, clutching his scraped arm as if that was the only thing that was wrong. The fire seemed to lick around him, burning at his clothes, but not once did it burn the boy's fair skin or auburn hair.
For a moment, the king was completely frozen, unable to do anything but stare at his son. Then the first feeling bloomed in him, fear for Hans... and fear of him. How could that even be possible? There was no time to think of that though. Who knew how long his boy would be safe within the crackling flames.
"Hans, son. Come here and let father help you." He called out to his youngest, trying to keep his voice from trembling. The now naked boy looked up to his father, bottom lip trembling, and immediately ran to his arms. Bathilius gathered Hans into his arms, ignoring just how hot he felt and hugged him close to him. "Shhhh... it's alright now Hans... it's alright now. Father has you and all will be well."
Wrapping his son up in his cloak, he carried the boy back to his room and immediately called for the healers. None could explain what had happened. Some called it a miracle, others called it a curse. Really, Bathilius wasn't sure what to call it. He hadn't gone mad, all of his sons reaffirmed the story. even Klause was sure of what had happened.
After that, Hans went from being the annoying baby brother, to the strange creature that no one was sure how to handle. While it had been one isolated incident, no one could tell the brothers just why it happened. Being children themselves, they reacted the only way they could think of. Any time Hans would go to his brothers to try to play with them, immediately each game would end, every story finished. Most of his brothers wouldn't even speak to him. Instead they would keep their head bowed low and rush out of the room as soon as he entered. Hans just couldn't understand it. What had he done to make them all mad at him. He was a good boy after all.
Hans worked hard to be as good as he could be. The maids would praise him for having such good manners at his age. Visiting nobles would say they wished they had such a well behaved child as the youngest of the princes. None of them ever knew of that first incident, or any of the many that started to occur the older Hans got.
Rooms would get warmer whenever Hans walked in. The flames from torches, candles, and fireplaces would flare wildly whenever he became upset. All of it was easy to ignore though. The king could pretend that they were simply incidents of chance whenever they happened. Bathilius tried his hardest to pretend his son was just like the rest. He could handle the boy if that were true.
The incident that really changed everything though happened when Hans was seven. He was finally at the age to really understand that his older brothers were ignoring him on purpose. And like any child, he wanted them to play with him, to even talk to them. He saw his eldest two brothers sitting together, working on their lessons when he walked up. Both boys tried to ignore their youngest brother in hopes that he would quickly leave. For once, Hans would not. Climbing up onto the couch that they were sitting, Han's leaned close to Klause.
"What are you doing?" He asked, trying to tug at the book in his brother's hand. Klause kept a tight grip on his lessons book and refused to even look at the younger boy.
"Klause! Hey Klause! Lemme see what you're doing." Hans tried to yell a little louder. Once more, his brother refused to look at him. Hans could feel his anger rising. Why did they always have to do this? Why couldn't Klause at least talk to him?
"Lemme see what you're reading?" He tried to tug at the book again, but Klause kept a tight hold.
"Go away." Was all that Klause offered. When Hans didn't listen though, the boy pushed him off of the couch, forcing him to fall flat onto his rear. Glaring, Hans stood up, little fists clenched tightly. He was flush with anger. Not even realizing it, flames started to lick his hands, singing the edges of the shirt he was wearing.
"Pay attention to me!" Hans screamed at his brothers. The shout did draw their eyes, but the fire was what really got their attentions. Both boys scrambled back on the couch and away from the flaming child.
Klause watched on in horror as his baby brother seemed to emit fire, like some sort of... "Monster..." Klause heard his other borther scream as loud as possible, drawing their tutor, several maids, and even their father in the room.
"What in the world is going on here!" Bathilius called out. As soon as the words left his lips, he noticed what was happening. "Hans... what, what are you doing?" His youngest son jumped when his name was called and immediately, Hans turned to his father. The fire extinguished when the child's anger did.
"He threatened us father." Klause spoke as soon as he was able to regain his voice. "He came in here while Michael and I were at our lessons and he tried to attack us!" His voice grew bolder as his youngest brother seemed to shrink at the accusations.
"What do you mean? Hans, what did you do?" Bathilius asked/ His voice was calm but demanded answers.
"I... I just wanted to play and they wouldn't let me... I don't know what happened after that." He looked down at his own hands, curious and worried about the fire that had sprouted from them.
"Did you mean to... do what you did?" He asked, not even sure it was possible to summon fire like that on purpose, but his son had and had endangered both of his other children.
"No... father, I don't know what I did. I just wanted to play."
"He wanted to torture us father. Hans is dangerous... Michael and I both agree. Even if he does not know what he is doing, what if he had touched one of us, burned us?" Bathilius's eldest had a point. While the teenager was seeming to overreact a bit, this was something that could be quite dangerous to all of his family.
The question was what could he do?
