Their marriage was an arranged one, based on purely political reasons. And the reasons were very
simple. She needed a husband to keep the royal bloodline intact, and her kingdom needed a
permanent alliance with a powerful kingdom like his. It was a proposition made by his father soon
after her parent's demise, and her council agreed immediately considering the benefits coming with
the marriage.
The marriage ceremony was a short one. He held her hand as she let go Kai's arm, letting her join
at the dais. He gave her a courteous, formal nod, but she did not even look at him. They sat in
silence through the Bishop's homily. He had to slip the ring to her bare finger. She paused just
then, prompting the Bishop to clear his throat, politely asking her to remove her gloves. And she
did. Her hands were literally freezing.
Her husband gave her a surprised look when her cold hands touched his, but he slipped the gold
ring on her finger anyway, feeling her whole hand shake in his grasp, as he pronounced his vows.
She did the same to him, without bothering to look at him. Her vows were empty in her ears,
meaningless as they passed her lips. His lips were dry when they kissed. Dignitaries from foreign
kingdoms congratulated them as the Bishop finally presented them as husband and wife. He
offered her his arm as she followed him to join the rest of the kingdom in the balcony, hands
clasped, rings gleaming on their fingers.
The kingdom went on their knees at the sight of their new rulers, and cried in unison, "All hail
Her majesty Queen Elsa of Arendelle. All hail His royal highness Princess Hans of the Southern
Isles."
.
.
The wedding was followed by a ball in the evening. The queen peeped through the door of the
adjoining ballroom to see the eager faces waiting for her entrance. Unconsciously her gaze fell on
her gloved hands, how normal they looked behind them. But it was only her who could feel the
frost gathering beneath them. Soon she would be asked to join her husband in their first dance.
God knew how long she could control the curse.
So for the first time during the whole ceremony, Elsa began to feel nervous.
"If you're really going to dance with me, my queen," She was startled by a deep baritone beside
her. She whirled around to find her husband. She had no idea when he sneaked behind her to join
her at the door of the ballroom. She did not bother to look at his face during the wedding. But
now, when her blue eyes met his sparkling green ones, she began to realize how handsome he
really was. With his charming smile, dark red hair, and nicely trimmed sideburns, he could easily
steal any woman's heart.
"I suggest you have something to drink first." He stopped at a banquet table with an untouched
place setting, lifted a bottle of champagne from the centre of the table, and poured some
champagne into an unused glass. "Alcohol acts as an anaesthetic," he told Elsa with a grin as he
handed her the glass, "Dancing with me could be a painful and dangerous experience."
The orchestra was playing a popular slow song as they neared the dance floor, but when Elsa
started to put the glass of champagne down on a table, he shook his head. "Finish it."
"Are you really that worried about stepping on my feet?" She asked, her smile filled with a
mixture of sarcasm, relief, and laughter.
"Certainly not," He smiled, taking her hand in one, and placing another on his shoulder as he led
her to the dance floor."I'm worried that you'll be so tense and stiff that you'll step onmy feet."
His words started the queen. She tiled her head to the side to meet his gaze to assess how much he
knew about her, but he turned away his head immediately. Looking at the eager faces in the
ballroom, he smiled, "But I am afraid you must fulfil the public demand tonight."
The crowd cheered as the couple started to dance. Elsa's head felt very light as Hans twirled her
swiftly. Within a moment Elsa realized that her husband was a very good dancer, who could make
even an ungraceful dancer like her twirling and sweeping across the floor with music. Anna was
dancing with some foreign dignitary at a distance. Elsa could not but note the surprise in her eyes,
for she knew that she always disliked dancing. Elsa herself was surprised too. Probably, alcohol
was muddling her brain.
When he slid his arm around her on the dance floor, Elsa gazed up at him, her features soft and
warm for the first time since the wedding. "Prince Hans?"
He returned her smile, but the green eyes that regarded her from beneath half-lowered lids seemed
preoccupied, thoughtful. "Hmm?"
"Has anyone ever told you that you are very handsome and gallant?" Alcohol was really lowering
her guard a bit.
"Too many." he laughed. "As an admiral I have travelled many lands, and met many princesses.
Some of them really found me very handsome indeed."
He laughed at the memory. He held her wrists, and twirled her gently. "What about you, your
majesty? Have anyone ever told you that you are beautiful?"
"I've never courted any man before you."
She kept her answers short. If he sensed her annoyance at his presence it only worked to spur him
on because he was smiling.
"What a pity!"
To her dismay, she let him place his gloved hands in hers. His warmth penetrated her gloves,
seeping through her frosted fingers, melting the ice inside. There was a latent sexuality about him,
but now in the glowing candlelight it became an aura of cool sophistication and inevitable
attraction. All eyes remained on the new handsome Prince Consort as they danced, and Elsa was
relived to see that no one was giving the queen any special attention.
"Have you courted any of them?" Alcohol possibly occupied her brain too much, and she was
surprised to hear her own giggle.
In the answer she saw his jaw tighten, but he maintained his posture anyway, "No. I've bedded
two or three of them, but courting…well it is very unlikely for a prince who is thirteenth in the line
to the throne."
Elsa's reply was an irrepressible giggle. "Liar."
He looked stung. "Now, that is one thing I am not."
There was certain sadness in his tone that made the queen to look into his eyes. It might be really
awful, growing up in the shadow of twelve older brothers, being considered inferior to their
greater opportunity to have the throne quicker than him. She thought of how Anna always stalked
off angrily after their few minutes of laughter. For a second it was like it always had been before it
all went wrong.
Hans probably understood her thoughts and twirled her again. With her heart filled with confusion
and her head swimming from all the wine and champagne she'd drunk to reinforce her courage,
she asked, "Then why did you agree to marry me?"
Instead of answering, he gazed at her in speculative silence for a so long, that Elsa began to feel
very uncomfortable. "Let me hear about you first."
"To keep my parent's promise to your father and to beget an heir, of course." Annoyed by the hint
of mischief in his eyes, Elsa decided to tease him back. "But you don't seem very eager too."
"To try my luck, of course." His eyes never left hers, and they glinted with mischief as he spoke,
"Besides it is my only way to get rid of my brothers. I considered it better than being stuck in
there, being treated like a throwaway."
"You are an awful gambler, Prince Hans." she said.
"I am afraid, that term goes to you too, Queen Elsa." He gazed deep into her icy blue eyes, and
Elsa shivered at the thought that he could actually see through her facade.
"But I am willing to take this chance." He smiled.
"It sounds like a business proposition." Elsa said firmly, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach.
"A business proposition it is, your highness." He grinned mischievously, and Elsa wondered if he
had something else in his mind, "Since none of us entered into this marriage willingly, we can
shorten the duration of the marriage to one year. By this time, I will give you an heir, and you will
help me to make myself worthy to my brothers. We shall never fall in love, which is the most
important part. At the end of the year we will end our marriage officially."
Elsa searched his shadowy face for some indication that he was joking, but his expression was
completely serious. "Am I honestly supposed to take your—I mean, this proposal—seriously?"
"I assure you, I'm completely serious." Elsa looked into his eyes trying to understand his intention,
but he seemed very much determined in his proposition, "Do you agree with me, Your Majesty?"
"Certainly." The queen held out her arms in a gesture of complete cooperation. "But the chance of
your winning is very slim."
"I will try my best." He assured her.
.
.
.
The wedding ball was followed by a grand dinner. Elsa was overwhelmed by wishes and gifts
from the guests as they held the knife over a spectacular cake—too grand, she thought, for her
relatively unwanted marriage. They took turns shoving cake in each other's faces; Hans manfully
swallowed his portion. She threw her bouquet with an atypical skill, right into Anna's surprised
hands. Her new brothers-in-law howled with laughter at her blush while her husband removed her
garter—which she had shimmied down nearly to her ankle—very carefully with his teeth. Frost
gathered at her feet as his teeth grazed her thigh, and she prayed not to freeze him right in the
public. She was still so uncomfortable with touching people. Fortunately it did not take Hans too
long to remove the garter off her thigh, and Elsa quickly pressed her legs together, letting out a
sigh of relief.
Soon after the wedding dinner, he picked her up in bridal style, and she furiously prayed to God to
help her to go through the next part of the marriage ritual. Instead of wrapping her arms around
her husband's neck as he carried her to their new bedchamber, she kept her hands gathered
carefully in her lap, and squirmed off his arms as soon as they entered into their honeymoon suit.
"You are not used to touch other people…" He observed, shrugging.
"I like doing things on my own." Elsa chuckled nervously, taking her crown and veil off. Her
husband took the time to get rid himself of his boots as she put the veil away, watching her then
undo her bun, platinum curls falling like a waterfall down her back.
She almost jumped out of her skin as he suddenly snuck up behind her, placing his hands on her
waist. His nose brushed a bit of her loose hair away from her neck as his lips touched her skin.
Elsa's fingers automatically curled into themselves, grateful that her gloves were still on
comfortably, like they could conceal her powers even during this.
"The deal we have made requires some human touch." He whispered in her ears, his voice low
and almost seductive. "Maybe some intimate ones." He finished with a smile, withdrawing his lips
from her neck. Elsa was relieved that he did. Her eyes met the exposed skin above the vee of his
silk shirt, and she quickly lowered her gaze, blushing deeply.
Now Elsa was not an idiot or completely ignorant about what happens in the wedding nights. She
knew what must be done to get her part of deal. Yet it felt so strange to share her room with
another person all on a sudden, while she was practically isolated from the rest of the world for
many years. Elsa could hear her shaky breathing as she rid herself of her earrings and necklace. A
thousand warning bells were clanging madly in her head, making her extremely nervous.
It also frightened her. She tried to put the things into perspective and realized it would be
ridiculous to step back now, when she willingly signed the deal.
"I know," She said. She was dying from shame for being so straightforward, but he only arched
his brows.
"Well," Hans gazed into her eyes deeply, and Elsa wondered he could sense her discomfort,
"Then I guess you are ready to enjoy our wedding night." He tried to keep his voice casual, but
Elsa didn't miss the hint of a smirk in his lips. He was completely professional, she realized. If she
wanted to win, she needed to play along no matter what.
"Yes," She shook her head nervously. Frost began forming inside her gloves as he moved closer,
loosening the upper button of his shirt. "So am I, your majesty." He whispered. Elsa tried to fix
her gaze on his face, which seemed more appropriate now. Temperature dropped around her a bit
more when she felt his breath brushing her skin, leaving goosebumps wherever they
touched. Conceal, don't feel. She could do this. She had to do this.
He gazed at her face for a moment, as if trying to analyze what was going inside her head. Elsa
tried to summon all of her strength, and looked into the green of her husband's eyes, waiting for
him to make the first move…
Elsa's entire body tensed as his hands curved around her shoulders, drawing her back against his
full length."If you want to get your part of the deal, then let me kiss you, my queen." He
whispered in her ears. Elsa nodded nervously. His warm lips touched a sensitive place behind her
ear, sending shivers racing down her entire body. "Kiss me back, my queen," He urged, in a voice
like velvet, his mouth against her ear. Elsa to follow his instruction but her breath came out in a
shuddering sigh.
Ice began forming all around her, inside her gloves, at her feet…everywhere…
Her heart was racing beneath his hand as he slid it over her midriff, taking his time before he let
himself touch the full, tantalizing breasts that were within his reach. He slid a kiss over her smooth
temple and trailed another down the silken skin of her cheek. Elsa tried to respond…she tried to
kiss him back….she tried to stop the ice forming around her fingers…but in his arms she felt
like…Wood.
The deal wasn't as easy as she thought. A loveless sex was much harder.
She was breathing as if she was running; her heart was thundering from…Fright. Frost began
creeping along the walls of their bedroom, and the temperature around her dropped a few more
degrees. If she continued losing control like that, she would end up freezing the entire castle
before sunrise.
She pulled back, and took a sharp breath. Concerned, Hans loosened his grip around her wrists.
"Your majesty?" He asked, looking at his wife with much worry, "What's wrong?"
"I can't do this.' she almost cried, eyes wide like a frightened child.
"Then what do you want to do, my queen?" He moved closer, curiously brushing away the snow
in her hair. He took her gloved hands in his. His hands were dangerously warm in contrast to hers.
For some reason she was enjoying his touch, but it only unsettled her emotions.
"I want to sleep." She huffed nervously.
"But what about our wedding night?" The concern in his voice was gone, and Elsa was
disappointed to see him slipping into his previous mood. "Finished?" He asked smothering a
smile.
"Yes." She drew a ragged breath, fighting utter humiliation.
"As your wish, your highness." He smirk widened. He sat down in the king sized bed to remove
his socks for the night. Elsa gave him a sideways glance as she undid her corset to change into
something comfortable. He did not look so disappointed. But did he look happy?
Knowing her inevitable defeat in the challenge she had taken, Elsa was not yet comfortable with
the thought of sharing her bed with a complete stranger. "Umm…" She hesitated, looking at the
snow at her feet. "Can you please take the guest room? I prefer to sleep alone."
Her request made Hans to stare at his wife for a second in utter surprise, but soon a smile laced his
lips, "Of course, your majesty."
Then he took his possessions, and left the room without further argument.
Next morning as she walked down the corridor, she heard the maids gossiping about something.
They fell silent as soon as they caught the sight of their queen. It did not took Elsa long to find out
the subject of their gossip, because Anna greeted her with a huge grin in her face.
"Is it true Elsa, that you have kicked you husband out of your bedroom last night?" She giggled,
sipping the pea soup, her least favourite dish.
Elsa tried to stare her down, but the princess continued giggling. "It is scandalous, Elsa."
She blushed. She turned to look at her husband in a chair next to her, only to find him watching
her with an amused grin in his face.
.
The incident of their wedding night didn't remain a secret for long. It started as a mare gossip
among the maids, but soon rumours began to spread across the kingdom like wildfire. Some
contained juicy details of the prince's secret extramarital affairs, while others simply blamed the
queen for being frigid.
The queen was completely aware of the gossips about her, but the thought of having a loveless
sex, purely for procreation still disgusted her. She might be a wise, calculative queen, but still she
couldn't give up the idea of romantic lovemaking. In the other hand, she also knew, in most of the
royal marriages, love was the last thing mattered.
Moreover her husband never stopped entertaining her with his mischievous grin, dropping hints of
what must be done in this situation. It added more to her annoyance. She also knew the prince was
right in his point, so the realization annoyed her more.
Despite their silent mind game, Elsa couldn't but admit that Prince Hans made an excellent
consort. He graced the throne beside her very confidently, covered her lack of social grace during
council meetings. He helped her people during draught and famine, shared the burden of her royal
works, helped her to make critical political decisions when needed. She soon found his
suggestions very useful. Her power seemed to be in control whenever he was with her. She felt
more confident in his presence. He proved himself so efficient that Elsa put him in the charge of
Arendelle's royal navy without a second thought.
He was in an excellent relationship with Anna too, more like an older sibling she failed to be. So
when Anna brought an ice harvester named Kristoff to the castle to appoint him as her chaperone,
Hans supported her obviously, saying that Anna needed someone to watch over her continuously
as both of them were too busy to keep an eye on her.
"She is still to be married." He said, "We can't let her reputation being ruined."
Elsa knew her sister well, and a few reports about her trouble making adventures came in her
knowledge too. So she took Hans' advice seriously, and appointed Kristoff as Anna's personal
bodyguard.
Besides taking care of Anna, they shared some other fields of interests. Both of them were
voracious readers. She often found him sitting beside the fire in the library, shuffling through
different kinds of books. She carried one or two books of her choice, and settled in a chair beside
him. They could talk about various things- from politics to the latest fashion trends, or sometimes
they could just sat together in silence for hours. Elsa could hardly concentrate in anything when
they were together. Her eyes travelled to his auburn hair for no apparent reason, sometimes she
found herself speculating unknowingly how green his eyes were.
She was angry with the traitorous reaction of her body when he was near her, still she couldn't
take her eyes off him.
"Have you ever found the Kamsutra exciting, Majesty?" Suddenly Hans' voice interrupted her idle
gaze.
Elsa quickly looked at the book she was holding. Blood crept to her ears when she read the title.
"Yes…umm…No….NO…" She quickly put down the scandalous book to grab another from the
self. She returned to her chair quickly and pretended to read, but she could hardly concentrate.
When she looked up from the book, she found him still watching her with a sly grin in his lips.
"What?" Elsa tried to sound annoyed, but surprisingly she found herself enjoying his attention.
"I am just trying to read you." He hummed in reply close to her ear . Her eyes closed for a brief
second as his breath brushed her skin. Then she wondered if he had already found her little secret,
and gazed at her gloved hands, then gazed back at him.
"You've possibly assumed that I'm a naïve, frigid woman." She let out a throaty laugh.
"No," He kept his gaze fixed on her face, "I think you are just a scared little girl."
"What makes you to think like that?" Elsa frowned.
"Because you are afraid." He shrugged , "Tell me what the thing you are most afraid of?"
"That is an odd question."
"No, I need to know. What is the thing you're most afraid of?"
"Losing my sister," she answered honestly. "What about you?"
"I'm afraid of dying invisible like my brothers pretend I am," He smiled, finally easing the tension.
"You're not invisible," She smiled back. His eyes were dim green in the dark library.
"I'm not dying either."
His words made her giggle in a way like she never did before. When she finally stopped smiling,
she looked at his face, at the reflection of orange fire in his green orbs. He was not teasing or
leering anymore. Nothing in his demeanour suggested attraction to any part of her body but her
brain…and perhaps her heart. He seemed, in that moment, to appreciate something about her she
could not appreciate in herself. Then they stopped, and Hans gazed at her in a speculative silence
that made Elsa very uncomfortable.
"What's wrong?" She whispered, but he didn't answer. Instead he closed the distance between
them. Elsa was afraid that he was going to kiss her, so she leaned against the back of her chair,
trying to melt into it, but he stopped an inch away from her face.
"You are afraid of dying unloved." His voice came in a whisper, "You are afraid of yourself."
His words made her to lose her composure for a while. "What do you mean by that?" She asked,
regaining her posture quickly.
He sighed. The fire in the hearth was burning low. "Do you know you look absolutely beautiful
when you smile, your majesty?" His hot breath brushed her skin.
"I am flattered, my prince." Elsa tried to look away, but she couldn't. There was something about
him that kept her spell bound. She could not even protest when he leaned to place a chaste kiss on
her cheek.
"Remember our deal?" He said before closing the door.
Damn, Elsa thought, as she traced the place of her cheek where Hans kissed her. Ice gathered
around her fingers, and she gripped the armrest to control herself, freezing the chair in the process.
.
.
Exactly five months after their marriage, few of her brothers-in-law considered it necessary to
check on their youngest brother and his wife. Elsa could not recall all of their names, or the titles
they held, but she sat with them in the dinner table, discussed politics and trade matters like a
proper queen. She was afraid that their unhappy married life would affect the meeting, but she was
amazed in the way Hans cooperated.
He looked at her with soft eyes, smiled back at her; she laughed at his jokes, and he flirted openly
with her. He took her arm when they went in to supper, and she walked close to his side; he sat in
the dinner table, glowing with candlelight and wit. The dining room rang with laughter when he
was present. He was also a wonderful politician, attentive and willing to contribute. He argued
with his brothers confidently as if the welfare of Arendelle was his first concern, and swore his
loyalty to his queen. She even managed to sign three trade contracts with his help.
They could make an example of a perfect couple, she mused, if not she was aware of his real
intention. If not there was a stupid deal, Elsa would probably fall in love with her husband by
now. There were times—too many times—that she forgot what they agreed in their wedding
night. Times when all she could remember was the enchantment of his smile, the kindness he
showed to her people, and the way he made her laugh. Twice, she had actually walked past him
and grabbed his lapels, until he bent down to press a kiss on her temple because it seemed so
natural and so right.
Elsa played her part well. She introduced him to his brothers as her most trusted councilor, told
them how much she valued his opinion in everything. She gave him the opportunity to talk with
his brothers, to sit with them in the same position. Even the twins- Rudi and Runo, whom Hans
often described as brutish things, was forced to treat Hans as an individual instead of the invisible
one.
That night, Elsa was sitting with her hip on the arm of his chair, her trim derriere practically on his
arm. Lars, the third oldest, also one of Hans' nicer brothers, was describing some childhood antic
of Hans and the whole family was laughing. Elsa laughed so hard she slid sideways into his lap.
They parted quickly enough, but Elsa's traitorous body had been reacting to the temptation of him
before that. She could practically feel his erection pressing hard against her thighs, and her inside
was soaking wet when she squirmed off his lap.
Hans tried to follow her, but Runo caught him quickly and dragged him in. Elsa hid quickly
behind the curtains, still blushing furiously, her chest rising and falling hard with each breath.
Pressing her back against the door, Elsa wondered how poor Hans was dealing with his nasty
brothers alone, then she heard their voices in the room. She pressed her ear against the wooden
door and heard Lar's voice, speaking to Hans.
"Are you planning to ask for the title of King?" He sounded completely professional.
"Not yet." Came Hans' reply.
"If you are too cowardly to ask for the title of King instead of Consort, then your son could inherit
the title for you." Lars continued as if they were conversing about the weather, "By default the
heir will be of Westergaard bloodline. Is it not what we have discussed before you boarded the
ship to Arendelle?"
It did not take Elsa long to put the pieces together. All the care, all the kindness, were only a way
to make her to agree to give birth to an heir of the Southern Isles bloodline. Hans knew she would
never grant the title of King to a stranger, so he plotted this all along with his brothers. Once they
had a child together, Elsa knew she could not send him away for the sake of the child. She would
ask him to stay longer, and gradually he would earn her trust to gain control over her. With him
being in charge, his brothers could easily hold him by neck, by extension her. With a streak of
naïveté and self-delusion she didn't know she possessed, she waited for Hans' answer.
"I remember."
And her world came crushing down.
.
.
Elsa cried through the night, freezing her room for the first time since her parent's death. In the
morning, she decided to keep her distance from her husband. She ordered Kai to remove Hans'
desk from her office. Kai looked surprised but carried out her order anyway. All of his possessions
were carefully removed from her office before noon.
Slowly and very slowly, she began to cut him off his royal duties. She hardly let him accompany
her to foreign travels or council meetings. They only appeared together in the occasions where the
presence of the royal couple together was obligatory. One day she simply called him in the library
and informed the he had no longer to be in the charge of her navy.
Hans was obviously hurt and asked for explanation, so that night they had a very bad argument.
"I am not bound to explain you everything." Elsa's expression was indifferent. " Not to you. I am
the queen, and remember you are not the king."
"You are my wife." Hans said calmly, crossing his arms on his chest.
"Do you still call our relationship a marriage?" She almost cried. Ice gathered at her feet as tears
threatened to fall from her eyes. "It is just a play. A lie. God!" She wrapped her arms around her
shoulders, trying hard to control herself. But the temperature around her continued to drop more
and more. "I can't even imagine that I believed a fraud like you..."
"Elsa…" Pain reflected in his eyes as he heard his wife's accusation. But he kept his voice
calm."Please, tell me what happened…"
"I…" She cried, and chocked. Frozen tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, but she could not
utter a word. The pain was so great that her words died inside her throat.
They could continue arguing for another hour if not a voice at the door startled them.
"Elsa…" The couple turned to find a very frightened Anna. Her face went white when she saw
the angry expression in Elsa's face. Her gaze darted from Elsa to Hans.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
Now the last thing she needed to be interrupted by her sister. She needed Anna's help badly right
now, but involving her in this matter would only make things worse. She collapsed in a nearby
chair and averted her face from her sister.
"Go away, Anna."
Anna's face fell immediately. She wrapped her arms around her and turned to leave, her shoulders
still shaking. Elsa was feeling bad for turning down her sister in this way. But she had no other
way. She could not let her drag her in her own problems.
"Anna…" Hans followed her, and caught her in the corridor. Her eyes were practically red from
crying. She might have been crying for long. He walked near her and took her hand. "Anna, tell
me what is troubling you." His voice was soft.
Anna threw a frightened look at her enraged sister watching her from the library door. "Nothing."
She shook her head vigorously.
"Do you want to talk in private?" Understanding her uneasiness, Hans suggested.
Anna gazed at the floor and Hans understood. "Well, come on. Let's talk in private." He took her
hand, and led her to her bedroom.
.
.
It started with Kristoff suddenly leaving his job, and Hans taking his place during Anna's visits
around the kingdom. Soon they began sitting together at the dining table, and spending so much
time in the library. Servants often found them asleep together in front of the hearth. Even when
they talked, they talked in low voices, as if they were sharing some secrets.
There was something in the air, Elsa could sense it. Even the servants began whispering about the
Prince Consort and the princess behind their backs.
Elsa openly asked Hans about their relationship, and he said that he was just teaching Anna more
about the world outside the castle.
Though Elsa lost her faith in her husband long ago, she still believed in the innocence of their
relationship. She wanted to believe. She once called Kristoff in to ask about Anna. When he
hesitated, Elsa ordered him to speak the truth. But the ice harvester only mumbled a faint apology,
then ran away without answering her question.
Then one day Hans took Anna for sailing. Elsa went practically mad when she learned that Hans
dismissed all the crews of the ship and sailed with Anna alone. When they did not return that
night, she sent several search parties for them, but no one could give a single clue about where
they headed. Nights after nights, she waited in the dock trying to find a trace of her sister or her
husband, but both of them seemed vanished in the thin air.
After two weeks of searching, some fishermen finally spotted their ship near the north coast of the
Isles. Elsa ordered the guards to bring them in immidiately. When they were brought in, Elsa
dismissed the guards and decided to discuss the seriousness of the matter with them openly. But
Hans simply refused to talk, and shut the door in her face. Since Hans remained silent, Elsa tried
to ask Anna, but Anna overreacted. She cried loudly and stomped away.
Rumors began circulating around the whole kingdom involving her husband and her sister, even
one day Gerda came to express her worry about the younger princess. "She is an unmarried girl."
She said worriedly, "And she spent two weeks with a man, unchaperoned. Elsa, this is not
improving her reputation."
"You are right, Gerda." Elsa could not but agree. Knowing it was useless to speak with either of
them, she tried to discuss the matter with the council, but the council warned her not to take any
drastic step unless there was no certain proof about the rumors, or it would ruin their relationship
with the Southern Isles. Elsa talked with Gerda, and the good old maid advised the queen to wait
for the deal to end. Now the queen was afraid of losing her only sister in the hands of a traitor
before it was too late.
But things happened too soon for her liking during the midsummer's ball.
Elsa kept a safe amount of distance from her husband, and consumed a great amount of alcohol to
engage herself in a conversation with the annoying duke of Weselton. Right then Anna decided to
ruin her mood.
"Elsa I—err- May I speak to you privately, your majesty?"
Whatever Anna had to say, she knew it involved Hans. She saw them talking earlier in the
balcony. But she did not want to hear anything, especially about her husband. Anna hooked her
arm into Elsa's. A part of Elsa's mind that was still working told her to break the contact
immediately, the magic was still stirring beneath the surface. Anna could get hurt.
"Are you kidding me?" She hissed. "Go away. I've some important things to attend."
Elsa's angry voice frightened Anna. She immediately loosened her grip around her sister's arm.
Elsa could see her shoulders shaking as she ran. God she hurt her again.
But she had no other way. If she wanted to keep her sister safe, she had to stay away from her.
"How could you let her go off like this?" The duke of Weselton gave the queen a surprised look,
"I've seen your husband with her, alone in the balcony."
"Don't dare to give dirty hints about my sister and my husband." Elsa warned.
"Really!" A sly grin crossed the small man's lips, "Everybody knows about you and your husband
not sleeping together. Don't you think that Prince Hans is a normal healthy male with needs, your
majesty?"
Now that was enough for Elsa. Her alcohol laden brain interpreted the whole thing differently.
And the thought of that her husband sleeping with her sister disgusted her. She could forgive
Anna. She was nothing but a naïve young girl, head full of daydreams. But Hans? How could he
lower himself in this way? A sudden urge of saving her sister from the clutch of that evil prince
surged through her mind. The queen quickly excused herself from the party and exited the
ballroom.
She found them in the balcony just like the duke told her. Anna was crying, and Hans was wiping
her tears away from her cheeks. The expressions in their faces were so tender, so full of innocence
that Elsa stopped to give the whole matter a second thought.
Then she heard them talking.
"The council will never approve our relationship." Anna sobbed, "It is against the law."
"Don't cry, Anna." From her vintage point, Elsa could see Hans drawing Anna closer, "Have you
tried to talk with Elsa?"
"To many times," Anna raised her head from Hans' chest and sniffed. "But she never listen to a
word I said. She keeps telling me to stay away from you. But…." Anna threw her arms around
Hans, clinging to him for support, "What shall I do now? Elsa is so cold and distant…I'm so
alone….You are the only one who understands me."
"Don't give up hope, Anna." Hans rested his jaw against Anna's hair, "We must do something
before it is too late."
"What?" Anna looked surprised , "What are you talking about?"
"Elopement." He said, "Get married, then come back. The council will have nothing to do with
the marriage. I know a priest in the Isles who can arrange this."
The words he said filled Elsa's mind with disgust. How could he be so evil?
A distant memory of making a stupid deal with him flashed in her mind. The way his eyes
gleamed as they danced still haunted her days and nights. She was so blinded by his pretty mask.
Now Anna was going to make the same mistake.
But Anna's heart seemed so full of her husband. It hurt her to break her sister's illusion. But that
was the problem, she loved Anna. And the image of Anna being betrayed by her husband made
her heart ache. God knew, she loved Anna more than herself, and for that reason the next words
came from her mouth.
"We have to talk," Elsa said, quietly.
They turned at the sound of her voice, and froze when they saw the stern expression in her face.
Anna looked at Hans for permission, he shook his head approvingly, and she walked near her
sister.
"What is it about?" She meet her eyes, practically red from crying.
"Anna, I really, really love you," Elsa said, ignoring her husband's presence completely. "Can we
talk for a moment? Alone?"
Anna's eyes widened, but she took a step back to join Hans. Lacing her arm into his, she said very
firmly, "No, Elsa, whatever you say, you can say to both of us."
"I just…you deserve to know the truth and I just—it's about Hans!" she practically shouted, now
directly looking at the traitor prince who visibly cringed under her icy glare.
"What about him?"
"He is using you. Just like he tried to use me."
"You're not making any…"
"I know him better than you. Now stay away from him."
"You are jealous, Elsa." Suddenly, Anna's voice dripped sarcasm, "You are in love with him."
Elsa's eyes widened with the realization. "No," She said, shaking her head vigorously, wrapping
her arms around her shoulders, trying to hide herself from the truth. "You know nothing about
him, Anna."
"It is the truth, Elsa." Anna shot back, "Don't try to hide it."
"You have no idea…" Elsa hissed as temperature around her began to drop. She might have
ended with freezing Anna if not Hans stepped in between them in time. Shielding Anna carefully
from his wife's rage, he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Is that why you are avoiding me, Elsa?"
His voice was soft.
Never in her life had Elsa faced such a painful truth. And the realization only made the things
worse. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw frost curling along the beams, covering the walls
with thin layers of ice.
"I'm not bound to answer you." She brushed his hand away and turned. The storm inside her was
only growing. She needed to get out of here before anything bad could happen.
"Elsa," Anna called her from behind, not ready to give up so easily, "You can't run away from
things in this way. You need to know…"
"I don't need to know anything." Elsa was at the edge of her tolerance. All she needed a place to
hide, a place to unleash her power free.
"You can't always run away," Anna ran to hold her hand. Elsa forcefully jerked her hand free
from hers, losing one of her gloves in the process.
"Give me my gloves…" Elsa reached for her gloves. But Anna wasn't listening to her anymore.
"You can't ruin my life like this. You can't ruin Hans' life this. You can't ruin your life like this.
Why do you not want to listen to anyone? Why do you shut people out?" She was practically
screaming so loud that the guests turned to look, "Why do you shut the world out? What are you
afraid of?"
"Enough, Anna." The queen waved her bare hand angrily, and icicles formed all around her.
Everyone gasped and staggered back.
"Elsa…" Anna gasped softly. Her eyes were full of pain.
Hans cut through the icicles to make his way towards his wife. "It is alright, Elsa." His voice was
full of understanding. "I know you are upset. Let's go inside." He took her arm to support her to
the door, but all she could do to stare at the icicles she had created. It was just like a scene from
her nightmares. Now it was only coming true.
Not a moment soon his hand touched hers, her chin jerked up and her head back, she went rigid as
though she were being pulled up by a string through her sternum, and Hans felt a jolt of –
something like electricity – from her.
The sensation was altogether nothing like those he had ever experienced, but it felt like it must be
inside his ribs somewhere. He clutched his chest and stopped for breath, it was so painful. He
reached for the banister to steady himself, but his vision suddenly went dark.
"Hans…" Anna ran to catch him before he hit the floor. Elsa could only stand at a distance
watching him fall.
Frost began to form at her feet as she saw a strand of his auburn hair turning white. Ice began to
spread all over the walls, over the ceiling, everywhere.
"Monster!" The duke of Weselton cried.
"My sister is no monster." Anna glared the man down, asking the guards to fetch a doctor, but it
was not enough because the guests were already whispering about the unusual display from the
queen.
"She is an unholy creature." One whispered.
"No human can possess such power." Another said, "She is a monster indeed."
"She will kill us all."
Her gaze flew to the unconscious form her husband, the white strand of hair among his rich
auburn locks, painfully similar to the white strand in Anna's head. It was like a horrible replay of
that fateful night.
No human could make same mistake twice. She was a monster. A monster indeed.
And a monster had no place among human.
She thrust the door open and ran.
Icicles grew in her wake, encircling her, separating her from the rest of the world. From
somewhere she could hear Anna still calling for her. But she did not look back.
She would not look back.
.
.
Elsa ran and ran, until she found herself in the seclusion of the north mountain. She could still hear
people whispering about her. She remembered the pain in Anna's eyes, she remembered Hans'
hair turning white. In their eyes she had transformed into something beyond redemption.
A witch. A monster.
Snow covered her footsteps, icy air froze her tears. She let go other pair of her gloves.
She built a palace to outshine and put to shame the castle in Arendelle. It glistened, it refracted, it
sparkled, and shone. She pulled down her hair from the bun and replaced her clothes, reeking of
Arendelle and all she once was, with one of ice and frost.
She was not a wife, she was not a sister. Not anymore. The queen of Arendelle was dead forever.
All she was the queen of snow and ice, ruler of the icy mountain of the north.
But could she change her heart? Her heart was still yearning for the love she left behind. Sitting in
the isolation of her magnificent ice palace, she still remembered Anna's smile, Hans' soft kisses on
her cheek. She shivered at the memory, and touched the place where he kissed her many months
ago. She still remembered the way his eyes glazed when they danced in the night of their
wedding. She remembered Anna's hugs or the way her eyes lit up whenever she saw her coming
out of the door.
She could not forget it as much as she wanted to. She fell on her knees, and cried.
.
.
Elsa had no idea how long she slept in her icy bed. When she woke up, she felt a familiar hand on
her shoulder. She opened her eyes to meet a pair of familiar blue eyes.
"Anna?" Elsa whispered, still unable to believe that her sister followed her here after everything
she had done.
"I came here to take you back." Anna hugged her sister. Her warmth filled her inside with a
strange fuzzy feeling. How could she love her so much to risk her life to find her in this remote
north mountain. How could she forgive her so easily?
"I'm so sorry, Elsa." Anna whispered in her embrace, "I should have told you everything."
"Anna…" Elsa was all chocked up. She pulled back to kiss Anna's forehead. Then her eyes found
another tall, blonde man standing behind them. He looked like a gentleman despite his simple
clothing.
"Kristoff?" Elsa recognized the ice harvester immediately. Understanding Elsa's confusion, Anna
let go her sister's hand, and walked beside her companion. "Elsa, I need to tell you a truth." She
said, though her voice hinted a bit hesitation, "Something I wanted to tell you long ago..."
"What is that?" Elsa was still confused, but Anna hesitated.
"Your majesty." Right in the time Kristoff came to her rescue. Taking a deep breath, he finally
splattered the truth, "We are courting…"
Anna held Kristoff's arms protectively, as if trying to protect him from her sister's wrath.
"How long?" Elsa could not but notice the way Anna looked at Kistoff's face, and the way the
young man returned her gaze with the same affection.
"Since you have appointed him as my bodyguard." Anna blushed.
"I was afraid that you wouldn't approve our relationship, your highness, because I'm a poor iceharvester."
Kristoff lowered his head to meet Anna's gaze shyly, "But I really do love your sister,
your highness. I want to marry her."
Anna blushed furiously and lowered her head, snuggling close to her boyfriend.
They looked so cute together- with shy glances, and innocent smiles. Elsa had no idea that love
could be so beautiful. She walked near the couple and gently took Anna's hands , "You could tell
me first."
"I tried." Anna mumbled, "But I was so afraid, and you were so angry….I'm sorry, Elsa."
Elsa held her sister at her arm's length and looked into her eyes. Then she moved a stray hair from
her face, kissing her forehead affectionately, "I'm sorry, Anna. I should have known you."
"Now you do." Anna giggled, and the sisters laughed together.
"We planned to elope." Anna began and Kristoff grinned guiltily. "So we asked Hans for help
and he arranged a secret wedding…. "
"Hans…" Blood drained her face at the mention of his name. Last thing she remembered his hair
turning white.
Watching her sister's reaction at the mention of her brother-in-law, Anna quickly walked near Elsa
and secured her hand in hers. "You need to go back, Elsa." Her voice turned serious, "He is ill.
He needs your help."
How could he possibly need her? She struck him with her power, for God's sake. She could not
go back to make things worse. Suddenly snow began to fall all around her. 'I am no doctor,
Anna." She tried to keep her voice calm, "I can't cure people. Take him to Grand Pebbie. He is
able to cure him."
"We did." Kristoff shook his head sadly, "He said your power has stricken his heart."
A heart cannot be easily changed. Memories of her childhood flashed in her mind. Elsa saw
flurries of snow overhead. Not now, not again. Elsa stepped back. "No…"
"Only an act of true love can thaw his heart." Anna held her shoulders and shook her gently,
making her to look into her eyes, "Elsa, he needs a true love's kiss."
Elsa didn't know what true love meant, because all she remembered the pain of his betrayal. No…
Anna was wrong. She could not possibly be his true love. Layers of ice under her feet was
growing thicker. It only made the thing worse.
"You are wrong Anna." She quickly withdrew her hand from hers, "He never loved me…" The
storm inside her was growing stronger, "He only used me...He plotted with his brothers..."
"No," Anna screamed, her voice drowning in the sound of howling wind . "Elsa, you only know
half of the truth." She said, her eyes never leaving her sister's, "When we were in the Isles, he
asked his brothers to arrange a secret marriage for me. They asked for Arendelle's secret in
exchange, but he refused. He swore his loyalty to you. They disowned him for his betrayal. He
was declared a traitor to his kingdom."
"What?" Elsa's eyes widened. She did not know this. No, Anna was wrong. He had probably
blinded her with another lie.
"You must come back, Elsa." She choked out, "His skin is turning into ice, his hair is turning
white. He is dying."
He gave up his everything for her, and all she did striking him with her power. She always hurt
people she loved- first Anna, now Hans. Why couldn't she control the curse?
She will kill everyone...
"No," She quickly stepped back, "If I go back I will only make it worse."
"Your love will save him." Anna persisted.
"My place is here," Elsa denied.
"No, it's in Arendelle," Anna said, " With me, with Hans. We're not leaving without you."
How could she go home after this damage? God knew how many people she would hurt if she
went back there. "No.." Elsa breathed.
"Elsa, listen to me," Anna met her sister's eyes, now leaning against the ice wall behind her,
fighting for control, "We can fix this. Come home with us and we'll make everything right."
Everything was wrong already, and the storm inside her was only growing. No…she was going to
hurt Anna any time now.
"Go away Anna." Elsa said. A blast of power shot from her, missing Anna for an inch.
"Anna…" Kristoff ran to shelter his girlfriend from the raging storm.
"Elsa…" She freed herself from Kristoff's protective arms and walked near her sister.
"Please…" Elsa cried, trying to find a way to escape. She could not stay here for long. She was a
danger- to her people, to Anna, to her family, to her kingdom, to everyone. "Listen," Anna tried to
follow her as she stepped back, but Elsa was looking straightly at Kristoff, "Aren't you hearing
your queen? I'm ordering you to take Anna home."
"But…" Kristoff opened his mouth to protest, but Elsa began to run, ice began shooting all around
her, creating an ice wall between them.
"Take her home, Kristoff." Elsa screamed, running towards the door. More and more icicles grew
from the walls, closing around her.
It was blindingly white outside, Elsa couldn't even see though it. She needed to leave before her
power could freeze the entire kingdom. Snow covered her trail as she walked, icicles grew at her
feet.
It was now completely out of control.
.
.
It was getting colder with every passing second. Even layers of blankets could not keep him warm
anymore. He sat by the fire in the valley with the trolls watching over him. Strange creatures these
trolls- cute and funny. But even them could not cheer him up.
"Kristoff is back." One of the baby trolls cheered. Hans lifted his head to see the ice- harvester's
reindeer, carrying Anna and Kristoff. With hopeful eyes he searched for Elsa as they came into his
view. But she was not there.
"I am sorry, Hans." Anna kissed his cold forehead, "I could not bring her back. I tried, but she did
not listen to me."
"It's alright." He consoled her. He looked at his hands, already covered with tiny crystals of ice.
What a fool he was! He thought she loved him, he thought he could make her to love him, but he
was so wrong.
But was not it so obvious? No one could love a person like him- cold, manipulative and devious.
He used his wife for his benefit since the beginning of their marriage. He played with her heart so
badly. He hurt her constantly. Now all he wanted a chance to apologize for everything. But his
time was running out quickly, very quickly.
Why life had to be so short?
"She is leaving." Anna sobbed quietly. Hans took her hand patted it gently. He felt sorry for
making her suffer in this way, for breaking the bond between them. He thought he could make
everything right, but he was so wrong. Hans leaned against a rock and sighed. His breathing came
out in a white puff. He never felt so cold before.
It was his fault. His fault actually. Now he had to make it right.
His eyes suddenly flattered open. He pushed away the blankets as he pulled himself up on his feet.
Every movement sent waves of pain through his body. He could not give up. He needed to stop
her, he needed to find her. He could not let her go like this. His head gave a slight spin as he
stood, and Anna rushed to his side.
"Where are you going?" She demanded anxiously.
"To find my wife."
.
.
The fjord was frozen solid. As far as she could see, there was nothing but white ice. She made her
way through the frozen fjord with a hope to find a ship to carry her away, to free her kingdom
from her curse. But there was not a single living being to show her a way out of here.
"Queen Elsa." A familiar voice called her. She turned.
In the raging blizzard, she saw a solitary man walking towards her, leaning heavily on the
shoulders of her sister. His once auburn was now completely white, his complexion was almost
blue, his legs shook when he walked, but he smiled when their eyes met.
"Go away Hans." She turned away from him. His white hair was painfully reminding her of her
mistake.
"I have nowhere to go." He said. He was shaking so violently that Anna ran to hold him, but he
refused. He steadied himself on his feet and walked near her, his eyes full of sadness. "My family
stripped me off my title and property. I have nothing left." He paused for a breath, "Except you."
She could feel the emotion in his voice, the pain he suffered when his family disowned him. She
looked into his eyes and saw his grief. He had nothing left- no family, no country. In his whole
life he never experienced love, but when he did, she was about to take it away. Tears burned at
the back of her eyes when she remembered the pain she inflected on him.
"Then go back to our castle. Stay there with Anna, with Kristoff. Everyone will love to have you
there." An icicle shot from her hand. She was losing control again.
"But the castle is empty without you." His voice sounded so stupid. Everything about him was so
stupid. Why he had to be so stupid? Elsa wanted to hold him tight, right in her arms forever.
"Let me go." She cried instead, taking a step back. Her voice drowned in the swirling wind. "I am
a danger to Arendelle."
"No," She heard his voice, same deep baritone that made her heart jump from the moment they
met. "I' can't let you go."
"But I don't want you to die." Now her cheeks were stained with tear. Another icicle shot from
her palm, uncontrolled. "I am a monster." All she could see the ice crystals appearing on his skin,
his breath coming in a smoke, his lips tuning blue.
'You are not a monster." He reached for her hand.
Elsa could not hold herself back anymore. She rushed beside him. Slipping her arms around his
torso she helped him to stand. He was so cold.
"Don't be afraid of yourself." He whispered burying his head in the crook of her neck. Elsa could
feel his breath against her skin. His breath was so cold, his hair was so white, but his eyes were
still of the same shade of green. And there was no hatred in those eyes.
"Don't you hate me?" Elsa was about to cry to watching the ice curling slowly along his skin.
"No," Hans smiled weakly, his eyes were closing.
"Why?" Elsa's voice came in a mere whisper.
"Because…" His skin became so transparent, that Elsa could count all the snowflakes in his face.
"I love you."
His eyes began drooping as he spoke, and Elsa watched helplessly the curse hungrily travelling to
his chest. She leaned over him, holding his lifeless body in her arms, making fruitless efforts to
undo the curse.
"Please, " she cried, her tears falling over his face, "Don't leave me. I love you."
Then she kissed him, ignoring all the snow and ice around them. It was so cold at first, like kissing
an ice, but soon it began to turn warmer. She was surprised when his lips started moving against
hers, but she followed his suit, as they gently tugged and pulled in calm passion. There was no
lust, no desire, but love. It was just pure and very real. It was quiet. It was patient. It was kind. It
was truth.
Suddenly, the storm stopped raging, the wind stopped howling, and snow stopped falling. Elsa
pulled away and looked into his green eyes. The ground beneath their feet was soft. Water drops
hung from the icicles around them. Elsa looked at his face which was no longer blue, then at his
hair which were no longer white.
"It is…it is… thawing…" Elsa whispered, looking around.
" I think so." Hans whispered back, taking her bare hands into his, which were no longer cold,
and rested his forehead against hers.
At a distance, Anna held Kristoff's hand as they both watched two very odd people falling in love.
.
.
Everything settled down gradually. People began to accept their queen's snow powers slowly.
Arendelle stopped trading with Weselton for the duke's unacceptable comments about the queen.
The royal family of the Southern Isles was not so happy with the youngest prince's betrayal. They
tried to summon him home for trial, but this time Elsa boldly stepped in her husband's aid, and
threatened to stop all kind of political, and economical connection with the Southern Isles if they
tried to lay a finger on the Prince Consort of Arendelle.
Finally, to the council's dismay, Elsa changed the rules regarding royal marriages.
Kristoff and Anna got married in the following winter. Arendelle had never seen such a wedding
before- a princess marrying a commoner. Anna fidgeted through the Bishop's homily. Fortunately
nothing else happened- no lost rings or no ruined cakes. Both Elsa and Anna let a sigh of relief
when it was finally over. Anna chattered lively with the wedding guests, while Kristoff remained
all shy and quiet throughout the ceremony, probably missing his reindeer.
When the newly married couple was asked for the opening dance, Anna practically dragged
Kristoff to the dance floor. Elsa laughed at the poor man's suffering as Anna tried to teach him
waltz.
Among all the festivities, her eyes caught her husband silently leaving the party. She excused
herself form the guests. She followed him to the balcony and found him gazing aimlessly at the
stars.
"Wonderful night, isn't it?" She stood beside him.
Her presence startled him, but he did not move.
"I will miss Arendelle's sky." He sighed. Elsa knew he would. It was the day when their deal
finally came to an end. Hans had his luggage packed, and loaded in the ship already, ready to sail.
"Where will you go?" She asked.
"Don't know." A sad smile laced his lips. " I never belonged anywhere."
"Oh!" Elsa sighed, then both of them fell silent. They sat together under the open sky only with
the endless silence as their companion.
"Do you still remember the conditions of our deal?" Hans startled as Elsa broke the silence at last.
A fond smile laced Hans' lips as he recalled the memory. "I offer my sincere apology that the deal
did not work properly."
"You seem to have forgotten something about our deal." She said, and Hans looked puzzled. He
shifted his gaze from the sky, and asked. "What do you mean ?"
"You have broken the most important past of the deal." Elsa reminded him, "You fell in love."
They had already confessed their love for each other. He smiled at the memory of their first kiss in
the frozen fjord.
"But you fell for me first, my queen." He teased back. Elsa blushed at the memory of the night
when she grasped his lapels in a darkened corridor, and stayed like that until he bent down to kiss
on her forehead.
"Will you ever give up?" Embarrassed, Elsa pushed him hard, trying to get rid of his bad jokes.
He reached for her hand to stop himself from falling, and both of them settled on their backs in the
ground. They continued gazing into each other's eyes, until Elsa broke the silence, "Hans?"
"Hmm.." He was stroking a stray strand of blond hair off her face.
"Give me an heir."
Elsa leaned forward, hesitating to touch his lips, and found herself crushed against him. His mouth
seized hers with gentle violence, his hands shifting over her back and sides in a possessive caress,
pressing her ever tighter to his chest and hips and legs. Slowly, tantalizingly, he coaxed her lips to
part, and when they did, he deepened the kiss. He kissed her until Elsa was breathless and leaning
into him, fitting her body to his rigid length, her arms wrapped around his neck, her head resting
on his chest. When he finally broke the contact, he kissed her cheek and the corner of her eye and
her temple, then he laid his jaw against her hair. "I love you," he whispered tenderly. "Oh God!
How much I love you, Elsa." He said fiercely.
Against her cheek, his chest felt warm and hard. Elsa waited for him to kiss her again. Shy and
uncertain, she set about to make it happen again by sliding her own hands along his spine, and
when that only made him hold her closer, she took a more direct means.
"I love you too, my prince." Tipping her head back, she gazed into his heavy-lidded, smouldering
eyes and slowly slid her hands up his chest in an open invitation, watching the banked fires in his
eyes begin to burn. There was no more fear, no more hesitation, but only open invitation.