A/N: Here is the first chapter to my new fic! I've said this on tumblr but I'll say it here again just to clarify for anyone who may not follow me there (if you wanna stay up to date on my writing progress, follow my tumblr!), all chapters for COS will be uploaded every Saturday around 2-3pm PST, provided that I am two chapters ahead. So in this case, I have up to Ch3 finished, abt to move onto Ch4. If I am not two chapters ahead, I will put an update on my tumblr letting y'all know that I need some more time to finish writing the next next chapter, and the fic will be updated the Saturday of w/e week I finish. However, I will not be taking too long to get ahead. I wanna keep a consistent schedule, so I will not allow myself a break longer than 2-3 weeks, outside of personal life issues getting in the way.

I hope you guys enjoy this fic, I've been having a blast writing it! It's a little different than what I normally write for the fandom and a little different from what ppl are prob used to in Elsanna fics, so I'm a bit nervous lol. Nonetheless, it's really special to me and I'm so glad I finally get to share it with y'all. :) ty all for following me and supporting my writing~

1

Homecoming

"All aboard! Next stop, City of Arendelle!"

Elsa took a deep breath as she stood, lone suitcase held tightly in gloved hand. She pulled the ticket out from her jacket pocket and showed it to the conductor, waiting for him to wave her on. She felt her breath catch in her chest in the second before she stepped onboard the train. One step, two steps, and then she was over the threshold.

Elsa set off down the carts at a brisk pace, searching for the right seat. There was one in the far-off corner, next to the window. It would give her the perfect view of the countryside as she made this miserable trek, and it was far enough away from everybody else that nobody would bother her. At least, she hoped it was. She took the seat by the window quickly and placed her suitcase on the chair next to her… then thought better of it and placed it under her legs, half of her mind on the contents of the case, the other half on the road ahead.

Elsa didn't even realize she was holding her breath until the train began to move forward and away from the station. She let it out in one sharp, aching burst.

This was it, she realized with cold dread. She balled her hands into fists so tight her knuckles began to hurt. No turning back now, as if there were ever really a choice.

I'm going back to Arendelle.

The one place she promised herself she'd never set foot in again.

"Did you have a nice train ride, Elsa?"

He was waiting for her, just as she thought he would be.

Elsa stepped off the train and looked around her. The train station was busy, humming with the energy of people bustling to and from the train stops. All of them, she noted without surprise, were dressed for business, traveling from district to district. Some were clearly servants, headed for the outside cities on business orders, stuffed suitcases trailing behind them. Never for very long, of course. People couldn't stay outside of Arendelle without eventually facing consequences, after all.

Despite the crowded nature of the station, however, it felt achingly empty. People were hushed in their voices, even their footsteps sounded muted in the quiet, oppressive environment of the city. And Elsa could tell, they were all trying to avoid looking at her. Or rather, avoid being obvious about looking at her. Elsa caught several people peering at her from the corner of their eyes, or turning away as she stared at them and whispering conspiratorially to each other. She had no doubt what they were talking about. And she had no doubt that word of her homecoming would spread throughout the city long before sunrise.

But Elsa didn't care for them. She never did. Not that she cared much for him, either, though they did share a strange bond. She looked to the one who stood before her, his eyes alight with a strange energy, and a calm, soft smile turning his lips slightly.

"Hello, Hans," Elsa managed in as polite a voice as she could muster, with as polite a smile as she could offer him. "Yes, the train ride was very lovely."

Hans gave her that self-sure smile he always had plenty of. "So you do recognize me. I was worried you wouldn't, after so many years away from home."

A curdling, bubbling sensation rose in her stomach at that word, but she kept that buried, betraying not a single feeling of discomfort. Not with those curious hazel eyes watching her. She gave him a small smile, a quiet laugh in her voice as she said, "It's only been three years."

Hans gave her his own laugh in return, a low chuckle that seemed to hum from his chest and up. "A lot can happen in a year, much less three. You'll see that soon." Before Elsa could ask him to clarify, Hans tilted his head towards her case and held out his own gloved hand. "Would you like me to carry that for you?"

"No, thank you," Elsa said, switching it over from her left hand to her right hand. She had hoped the gesture seemed casual enough, but she could see a flicker of something in his eyes, and she didn't like it.

"Very well. May I, at least, accompany you to the estate? There's already a carriage waiting outside."

Elsa knew the way. She had taken the path many times, after all, and three years had done little to wash out a memory as intrinsic as that, as much as she may have tried so desperately to forget it. Arendelle would always be a part of her, it would seem.

Nevertheless, she found that she did not want to walk that path alone now, and as he was the only one offering—rather, the only one around to offer—Elsa would have to endure Hans' presence for just a little longer.

"Of course."

Hans led her outside of the train station, past the burning stares that followed at her back, away from the empty noise and out into the quiet nature of the cobblestone streets. Just as he promised, a carriage stood waiting, the driver passing the time patiently by reading the paper. When he saw them, he folded it away, tipping his hat in greeting with a soft, "Nice to see you, M'lady."

Hans stepped aside and held Elsa's hand as he helped her into the carriage. She kept the suitcase held tightly in her other hand and placed it on the outside of her right leg, against the door, and away from prying eyes.

Hans took his seat next to her, closing the door as he did so. He nodded to the driver ahead, saying, "To Beaumont Estate, please."

"Of course, sir," the driver said, then faced forward. The air hummed and crackled with energy as he drew his hands forward, fingers tracing strange lines, symbols dancing in the moonlight. A large oval sphere burned into the air in front of him, briefly, and then dissipated as the light reformed into more familiar shapes. Two horses, made of a bright shimmering yellow light. The faintest of lines reached out from the driver's hands to different parts of the horses' bodies, smaller versions of the same oval sphere on his fingertips. The driver began to wave his hands as if conducting an orchestra, and the horses moved forward, pulling the carriage at a leisurely pace.

The click-clack of hooves echoed in the empty streets.

Too empty, Elsa realized.

Elsa eyed the dark streets, thick with fog and nothing else, and felt her insides twist. Arendelle had always been a bustling city of a quiet nature. While the night had never been filled with as much activity as the day, Elsa could still count on seeing horse-driven carts and groups of people making their way to and from the train stops, shops, restaurants, and especially the pubs.

But now… there was nobody.

"Where is everybody, Hans?" Elsa asked. "The city is awfully quiet."

"It's the middle of the night, Elsa. Everyone who isn't on business is in bed."

Elsa raised her eyebrow and gave him a look. His face betrayed no actual emotion.

"The city has never been like this, even at night."

Hans shrugged, but now he seemed rather uncomfortable. He shifted in his seat, clearing his throat as he said, "Well, it's like I said. Things have changed in the three years you've been gone. Truthfully, things have gotten tense since you left Arendelle."

Elsa raised an eyebrow. "Tense, how?"

Hans shook his head, looking uncharacteristically dour. "It seemed to happen as soon as you left. Businesses have been failing, the city is stuck in a spiraling deficit. Weselton is chomping at the bit with the aristocracy and working class breathing down his neck."

Elsa frowned. That spineless mayor never seemed to care about what people said or thought about him, so long as he had the approval and money of the other three founding families. For him to be in a panic over the citizenry, things really must have taken a downturn.

"But somehow, I feel that isn't all?"

Hans smiled wryly. "You'd be correct. A very bizarre thing. Farmers have reported their livestock dying, their crops drying up and molding over."

Elsa blinked. "What."

Hans nodded gravely. "The markets have had to turn to the other cities for help. Investments have suffered as a result. And it's only been getting worse over the past three years."

Elsa frowned. How was this happening all of a sudden? How did her father never mention anything in the letters he sent her? "This really all happened after I left?"

"Yes, it made for quite a few juicy rumors. Some think that you cursed the town when you left." Hans laughed his usual good-natured laugh. Elsa didn't quite find that as funny as he did and she turned away to look out the carriage, crossing her arms across her chest. She heard him clear his throat and continue, "Of course, it's all nonsense. I've stomped out every rumor I've come across."

Elsa nodded. She knew he would. Hans was a bit too eager to keep her good image intact, and she could never be sure why. She desperately hoped it wasn't for… the obvious reasons.

"Enough of this dreary talk," Hans said, waving his hands as if to physically dismiss the issue. His easy smile was back on his face as he turned to her. "Tell me how you've been."

Elsa straightened in her seat, readjusting her coat. It suddenly felt tight around her neck. "I've been well," she answered easily. It was true, after all, if unexplanatory.

"How was the countryside?"

Elsa looked him over. His easy smile was still on his face, soft but radiant. His shoulders relaxed, his head canted to the side. She frowned to herself. He made it look so effortlessly, like he could do this without a thought or care in the world. She half-wondered if maybe that wasn't exactly it.

He always enjoyed this kind of life. He took to it so naturally.

The quiet lingered on for longer than she had intended. Hans was still watching her. She cleared her throat and shrugged slightly, trying to ease back against the side of the carriage.

"It was beautiful," Elsa finally responded, and her smile widened as she got lost in her memories. "I had a small little cottage out in the fields, with its own vegetable garden. I had learned how to plant and farm on my own, but there wasn't enough room for animals, so I would have to walk to the market town nearby for milk, meats, and eggs. Bread, too, of course."

"Quite a walk, I imagine."

"A few hours," Elsa nodded. "But I liked it. It gave me exercise, and even on rainy days, it was nice to walk through the fields. The people in town were lovely as well, easy to talk to and full of life."

Hans' eyes went to the ceiling of the carriage in thought, and he hummed a gentle rhythm. "It sounds very lovely."

"It was! It was quiet but still alive with nature. It was comfortable and simple. It was—"

"Home?"

Elsa flinched, her memories shuddering to a stop as she thought of cold, grey halls and colder, greyer skies. Elsa sighed, this time heavy, forlorn and aching. She felt her walls shut down around her, locking Hans out once again. He had always managed to pry a little of her true self the most easily out of any of them.

"Yes, I suppose you could call it that."

Hans gave a small, sad smile before turning to look back out the window. "I know what you mean, Elsa. As full of people and fast-paced as this city gets, it never quite feels alive, does it? Like everyone is forced on a routine, a mimicry of life." Hans sighed and shrugged. "But I suppose, it's all I've ever known. I don't know if I could ever quite give it up, like you did so easily."

Elsa stilled at that. She couldn't tell if he meant it to be hurtful or consoling.

"And how about you, Hans?" she asked, hoping to change the subject. "How have you been?"

Hans smiled; it never quite reached his eyes. "I've been well enough."

"And your family? How are they?"

"Mother and Father have left across the country. Most of my brothers have followed dutifully, as they do."

Elsa canted her head, raising an eyebrow in thought. "Did something go wrong with the banks?"

Hans waved a dismissive hand. "Nothing more than usual. Father just wanted to take a more hands-on approach with them, cover all our bases. And with a family as big as mine, with as much that we own…" Hans shrugged, giving another winning smile. "There's a lot of bases to cover. I've been left along with Julien, Silas, and Owen to look after things here in Arendelle."

"Really? That's interesting." Elsa studied Hans carefully, though she knew no true answer was going to come from her observations. She supposed it wasn't as big of a deal as she was making it, and it wasn't like she was one to speak. But people didn't ever leave Arendelle, and if they did, it was a good and council-approved reason, and never permanent. Business affairs were a good enough reason, but most people had someone to go for them, or if they left, it was only for a weekend, maybe a week. Those of the founding families never had to step foot outside of Arendelle to engage with the other cities except for PR reasons.

An entire family leaving behind their youngest to look after things… that was unusual enough that Elsa didn't feel hypocritical in her assessment of the situation. And it sounded, by what Hans told her, that they were planning on staying away for a very, very long time.

The Westergaards have always had ambitions beyond Arendelle…

It worried her, truthfully.

"And what of your brothers? How are they faring in all of this mess?"

"Oh, they haven't changed."

How comforting.

Elsa was going to offer some kind of nicety, anything to cushion the awkward silence, when the carriage turned the corner and the horses knickered frightfully. The driver's hands became frantic as he tried to get them under control, cursing as he sent them into a faster trot. Elsa looked up at this, confused, when something caught her eye. Or rather, someone.

A lone young woman, dressed in green with her hair in braids, had her hands and face pressed up against the glass pane of a store's window, behind which was an array of absolutely delicious-looking chocolates. As it were, the shop was very much closed. Elsa thought she heard the girl give a low whining pout over the click-clack of the horses' hooves as she bent over and pushed her face into the glass more, as if she could push herself through and nab the chocolates for herself.

At the sound of the carriage behind her, the girl turned around and looked up. She and Elsa made eye contact and Elsa took a sharp breath at the sight of those wide, bright teal eyes, of a thousand freckles dusting soft, milk-white skin. The girl gave a crooked, cheeky smile, one that spoke of young mirth, but also hid something else. Something Elsa couldn't figure out. Something she wasn't sure she wanted to figure out.

Elsa frowned. She didn't recognize this woman.

The driver took one look at the girl and scowled. "Yaah, yaah!" he shouted, arms shaking with the force of his magic as he urged the horses faster. Elsa's frown deepened at his behavior. The girl didn't seem bothered, however, her smile only widening, her eyes happy, twinkling crescents.

"Hey, Hans," Elsa said, turning to face her companion. He was staring sightlessly out of the other window, unaware of everything. He startled a bit when she called his name, turning to look at her, blinking.

"Yes? What's wrong?"

"Who is that wo—?"

Elsa turned back to look out the window. The girl was gone.

Elsa turned around across her shoulder and out the back window of the carriage. There was no sign of the girl anywhere. The cobbled streets lay empty all around them, and there were no nearby alleyways for her to slip into unseen. So, Elsa reasoned, unless she could disappear in thin air…

"Seeing ghosts, Elsa?" Hans laughed, full of humor. She sensed the driver tensing at his joke. "Arendelle is considered the most haunted place in the North, and for good reason."

Elsa shook her head. "Hans, have you ever seen a young woman in braids and a green outfit, near that chocolate shop back there?"

Hans face softened immediately, and she thought she saw a twinge of guilt in his hazel eyes. He bowed his head, nodding. "Yes, her, she's, uh… she's been around. Pay her no mind, Elsa. You have enough on your hands at the moment."

Elsa tensed, curling her hands into fists. Hans was right, of course, but it still stung to hear him say that. Once again, she had no idea if he was trying to get under her skin or not, but the concern on his face seemed genuine enough, and so she only nodded. She could find out the identity of the mystery girl another time.

It seemed like she was going to be stuck in the city for a while anyways.

The rest of the ride continued in uneasy silence, Hans radiating discomfort, Elsa her usual anxiety, and the driver never losing his edge since the sighting of the girl. Elsa was beginning to worry that it would last the entire night until, at long last, they had finally approached the Beaumont Estate. Her eyes lingered on the gate, the twisting metal frame guarded by the twin lion statues. The lions' eyes glowed a bright red and a blood-red sigil flashed before the gate when the human guards raised their arms, barring the way forward. Elsa gave a deep, shaking breath before she reached into her jacket and pulled out the papers identifying her as the Beaumont heiress, leaning out the window as the closest guard approached and handing him the papers. She knew he recognized her by the look in his eyes when he saw her face, but all the same, he looked the papers over carefully, his eyes flitting over the words, not missing a single one. Elsa held her breath in the meantime, aware of Hans watching carefully.

Finally, the guard nodded, giving her the papers back. "Welcome back home, Miss Beaumont. We've missed you terribly these past three years."

Elsa swallowed the sudden stony lump in her throat and nodded. "It's… good to be back." she lied.

The guard returned to his post and the other lowered his arm. With a wave of their hands, the sigil disappeared, and the gate unlocked and swung inward. The lion statues' eyes turned an icy blue, and their heads turned to watch the carriage as it moved forward down the stone pathway. Up ahead, the stone pathway turned into a circle, a garden and stone statue of the founding Beaumont standing proudly in the center. The carriage turned and finally stopped at the steps of the Beaumont House.

She looked it over as thoroughly as she could, checking it against her many memories, and nodded. It was exactly the same as she had left it. And truth be told, she was disappointed. She wanted there to be some visible change—no, not just some, but a lot. Something, anything, to convey that three years had passed since she was last here. As it were, it looked as if no time at all had passed.

It was as if she had never left, and Elsa found that thought to bring a painful, sharp ache of anxiety to her chest.

Hans had already exited the carriage and walked around to her side. Before he could open the door, Elsa took the suitcase into her left hand, twisting uncomfortably over herself, and held it on her lap. When he opened the door and held out his hand in offering, she held the suitcase tightly to her right side as she took Hans' own hand in her now empty left hand. She saw a small smile twitch at the corner of his lips, but he said nothing.

"Would you like me to walk you to the front door?"

Elsa thought about it. She looked up at the large oak doors, tall and imposing in their quiet watch. She thought of the memories that lay beyond, that old familiar loneliness soaking into her bones. An even worse loneliness started to tug at her heart. The beginning aches of grief.

She suddenly didn't want Hans anywhere near the space of her family.

"If it's alright with you, Hans, I'll just go up on my own." She was glad to hear that her voice did not tremble, though it was terribly quiet. She was surprised Hans could hear her at all.

Hans nodded, as if in understanding. "Of course, Elsa. It's been a long time, I imagine you would need this time to yourself." He gave her a smile, an attempt at comforting, though it only turned her insides to ice. "Perhaps we can go get something to eat later in the week, when you aren't so busy with everything?"

Elsa resisted the urge to narrow her eyes. How much did he know? She wondered if he even had a way of knowing. Maybe she was just being paranoid. Everyone in the town was bound to know of her father's passing. Hans couldn't have known anymore than that. He was just being a caring friend. She hoped. She prayed.

Elsa wasted only a fraction of a second more before giving him a carefully constructed smile, but she knew he had noticed.

"Yes, that would be lovely."

"Very well, then. I'll see you later, Elsa. Please do take care of yourself, and…" Hans' face twitched, as if he wasn't sure what to do with it, before bowing his head low, a hand to his chest. "It is very good to have you back. We all missed you."

Elsa let his words wash over her as she watched him return to the carriage, as she heard the click of the doors shut, as the horses resumed their steady pace down the pathway and out past the gate. She watched the gate shut with a clang behind the carriage, watched as it faded away down the street and disappeared around the corner, and then it was gone, and she could no longer be certain of what he did.

Yes, Elsa thought bitterly. I'm sure you have.

Elsa looked back up to the front of her house and sighed.

Best to get this over with.

"Welcome home, Elsa."

Elsa stood in the foyer of the giant house, her butler and closest friend wrapping his thick arms around in her a tight, warm hug. For her part, she hugged back as best as she could, wrapping her free arm underneath his and resting it across his back. Her face rested easily into his shoulder and she took in a breath of his warm, familiar scent.

She could admit she missed this.

"Hello, Kai. It's been… a long time." She smiled, hoping he wouldn't bring up the fact that she was the reason for that long time.

"It has," he agreed, stepping back to give her a kind, fatherly smile. If he held it against her at all, he didn't show it, and Elsa felt herself relax a bit more. "Too long. This house was beginning to feel dull without you around."

"Dull?" Elsa snorted, forgetting herself momentarily. She cleared her throat, giving Kai a wry smile. "I'm not exactly what one would call exciting. When I wasn't being tutored by Father, I was out in the gardens reading or playing chess."

"Your presence was still sorely missed. It was clear something was missing these past three years… and then when your father died…"

Elsa's smile vanished at that. A harsh pang stabbed at her chest like an icicle, sharply drawing the breath out of her and dropping shards of cold regret into the pit of her stomach. Elsa shook her head, trying to clear the dark, brooding thoughts that flooded her mind, and put on a smile again. It felt so forced and fake, she knew Kai would be able to see right through it.

"Well, I'm back. And I'm not leaving any time soon. Though… I wish we could have seen each other under different circumstances…"

Kai nodded his head, all cheer leaving his face. "As do I. I'm not sure there's a single person in this household who would have wished these dreadful circumstances on you, Elsa. But the Lord only tests us to make us stronger. There's nothing we can do about what happened, except to put our best feet forward. There's a lot that needs to be done now."

Elsa repressed a groan and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she gave as firm a nod as she could. Everything she had left behind three years ago now resurfaced with a vengeance, coming crashing down on her shoulders. She had tried so hard to avoid it all, to give it all up, and she had come so close to freedom…

So close…

Elsa sighed. "If it's alright, Kai, I think we can deal with all that in the morning. First… I'd like to visit Father's study."

Kai nodded, drawing himself up straighter and fixing his jacket. "Yes, of course. Right this way."

As Kai led her through the house, Elsa looked over her surroundings. All the windows were closed, curtains drawn, the lanterns lit with waving, wilting fire orbs casting long dark shadows that clung to the walls. It was just her and Kai walking through the halls, footsteps soft and muted against the carpet, but she could hear whispers in some of the rooms she passed, as if ghosts lingered there, watching them—or as it was more likely, the staff avoiding her, talking about the incident that brought her here to begin with. The mood was dark and oppressive, quite literally, and as she followed Kai, Elsa couldn't help but think that her house was more like a dungeon.

Or a crypt.

Kai stopped in front of a large black wood door with gold trimmings. It was locked tight, but there was no keyhole. Elsa didn't really need a key anyways. She already knew how to open this door.

"If you need anything else," Kai said, giving her arm a gentle squeeze, "just call."

Elsa nodded, swallowing past the lump in her throat, trying to blink back the tears that threatened to spill over. She waited for Kai to walk away, listened for his footsteps to fade into the distance. When she turned her head and he was finally gone, Elsa turned back to the door in front of her.

Elsa took her glove off and placed her hand on the spot beneath the door handle. Her hand glowed bright blue and an icy sheen appeared over the plate. A deep, humming resonated through the door, and she heard a click.

Elsa took a deep breath as she took the door handle, twisted it, and pushed the door open. It creaked loudly, reverberating through the whole house it felt like. Elsa exhaled the breath she was holding and stepped over into her father's study.

This, too, had not changed in the slightest since she was last here three years ago. Bookcases lining the curved walls of the large room, leading up to three steps and a dais where the large mahogany desk stood. Two cushioned leather seats sat in front of the steps, with a small table in between them, a writing pad and an emptied smoking tray on the table. A brass globe perched on the edge of the desk, a calendar propped next to it, and on the other side, another writing pad and her father's unique black fountain pen. A lantern was lit with the same small orbs of light as the rest of the house, casting the same cold and dreary shadows that seemed to drown out the rest of the room so that all attention was on the desk. In the center, a single plaque read the name Nathaniel Beaumont. Elsa remembered papers piled behind the name plaque, her father sitting in that chair, pen in hand, and a face of utmost disappointment and quiet anger glowering down at her.

She had told him that she was leaving Arendelle.

He had told her that if she left, she wouldn't see a penny of her inheritance.

She was fine with that.

Elsa walked over around the desk and placed her suitcase on top of it. She could not get herself to sit down in that seat, so she stayed standing. She ran her hand across the top of the suitcase, running a thumb over one of the locks. She looked up quickly, looking all around the room. Her nerves shot up and she had the strangest feeling of being watched, but she knew it was impossible.

Even still, she almost didn't open the suitcase.

Flicking the locks up one by one, she pulled the lid of the case up and examined its contents. Most of it was just her clothes, what little personal items she possessed. But on top of all of that was a large, beige envelope. She took the envelope in one hand and flipped open the already-unsealed flap. She pulled out the leaves of paper and placed them down on the desk.

All the details of her inheritance were written here—all the crowns her father gave her, all the businesses she now oversaw. The estate, the house, and all the buildings on the land—now in her name. The goods sitting in those buildings, ready to be shipped out. This was what her father had promised to take from her had she stepped foot outside of this city, and yet, for whatever reason, here it now was, in her hands, her father's signature professing his acceptance. She shuffled through it again, looking it over though she now had it all memorized, before she couldn't stomach it anymore and shoved it back into the suitcase. Inside the envelope, there was just a single paper left. She took it out and unfolded it, reading over the ink she had read over a dozen times by now.

Elsa

You must return to Arendelle at once.

Something has gone terribly wrong.

—Your Father

It was stamped and dated September the 14th. The day before her father's death.

Elsa turned away from the desk and looked out the large window that oversaw the room. Her father's study looked out over the sprawling gardens below, but also into the streets beyond. She could see out into the market square from here. She remembered watching crowds of people during the Christmas season when she was a child, spying on them from afar. Or watching the parades during the summer festival. She remembered how often she found herself looking out over the rooftops to the borders of the city, to the world beyond Arendelle.

Elsa spotted a woman in green walking down the dark, empty streets… and out of sight.