Hans knew his return wouldn't be as happy as he thought it'll be when he was leaving. Not after everything he has done to the royal family of Arendelle. At least he didn't plan to end like that. He didn't regret all, maybe a few things, but leastways he tried. What he most feared was the punishment, will his older brother send him to the dungeon? Or worst, sentence him to death? After all, he was supposed to make good relationships with Arendelle, maybe become trade partners... Perhaps that will never happen.

Looking down at himself he feels terrible. His suit, once clean and neat, was a disaster. The ship's crew kept him on the cell, so he was dirty, his hair a mess and that was nothing compared to his smell. His brothers will love to see him like that. But not his sister.

Then he thinks of Astrid. His beloved sister. What she will say about this? Will she forgive him? Hans remembered saying goodbye to her, looking into her eyes, her big green eyes, and promising he would be back soon. Well, actually he didn't spend a long time in Arendelle, yet he did not expect that Queen Elsa would have magic ice powers that sentenced the kingdom to a severe winter, which forced him to stay a little longer.

He sees the first signs of the Southern Isles and takes a deep breath. After almost two weeks in the sea he's finally home.

All Astrid wanted was her brother back. It has been a month since he left to Arendelle, of course she had more twelve brothers but none of them really cared about her. She loved them, and they loved her, but they were all busy for her, all the time, except for Hans. He always had time for her, he always say she's the best thing that had ever happened to him, because she was the only one who loved and cared about him. And she knew that he went to Arendelle because their parents asked. She could have gone with him, she was always the first choice when it comes to attend at events in other kingdoms. Well, she was.

Since the past year her father forbade her to leave the castle at any circumstances. She didn't know why, he only said it was for her own good. Ever since her life became miserable and lonely.

The palace was huge, during her confinement she could explore and discover new places, although it was solitary. None of her brothers would explore with her, she wasn't the little girl anymore.

Astrid was sitting in a chair, looking out her bedroom's window. It was a nice view, she could see the sea, and she loved the sea. Yet, not even the sea helped her to feel better, so she looked down. However, all of her sadness disappeared when she looked at the window again and saw a ship with a well-known flag on the mast.

Astrid ran as fast as she could, despite the orders to stay in the palace no matter what, she couldn't fight the impulse. She was at the gates when the ship arrived at the port.

The guards were escorting him like he was a criminal (which he was, sort of), and that brought some curious looks from the people, who were beginning to whisper. Which didn't help him feel better at all. Hans was half way to the palace when she threw herself at him. He didn't saw her coming, but hugged her back.

"Excuse me, Your Highness, he's under custody, please step away" said one of the guards, trying to take Astrid away from him.

She was wearing a beautiful turquoise dress, her favorite color. The dress was sleeveless, with her hair falling as a waterfall of curls around her shoulders. Her tiny crown was placed in her head, and in her face she held an outrage look.

"I'm sorry? He's my brother! I cannot show how much I missed him?" Astrid let him go. "Or that is not very princess like?"

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but we have to take him to your brother, the King"

Astrid looked like she was going to protest, instead she just sighed and threw her arms up.

"Fine! But I'll go with him!" She grabbed Hans' arms and followed to the throne room.

She didn't seem to care about how he looked, or how he smelled, it just made him love her most, she was standing for him and he could not thank her enough. So he just said a low "Thanks" and smiled, she smiled back.

As he expected, King Einar was there, with the crown and a red cloak, a surprised look in his face.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I'll tell you, brother! These guards are holding Hans like he was a criminal and won't tell me what happened!" Astrid practically yelled.

"I see... Astrid, my dear, would you please find our father and bring him here?" Einar asked, softly.

Hans could see that Astrid did not enjoy the request, her cheeks were quite red and she looked very angry. He had to hold back a laugh, because seeing her like that was so much funny, she were always so explosive.

"Of course, Your Majesty" she said at last, very sarcastic.

She turned, gave an angry look to the guards then finally left the room.

"Now, what's going on?" Einar asked, running his hands through his hair, definitely annoyed, he had never had much patience with Hans.

"Your Majesty, your brother, Prince Hans, attempt to kill Queen Elsa, of Arendelle." the guard announced.

"What?"

Finally my brother returns and what I got? Go find your father!

Astrid was heading to the library, her father's favorite place. She always caught him there, sometimes he read to her, as he did when she and Hans were little. She like the sound of his voice. When she got there she heard movement, which means her father was there.

She opened the door "Hey dad! Einar is-"

However, it wasn't her father.

It was her stepmother, Valdis. She was the most horrible human being she had ever met. Always finding a way to make Astrid miserable.

"I'm sorry, I thought my father was here. I'll leave you in peace... with your witchcraft."

"You know, Astrid, it's not very polite accuse someone of witchcraft. Especially someone who is part of the family" Valdis said putting her long dark hair behind her ear, not even looking to Astrid.

"First of all: it's Princess Astrid to you. And second, you're not part of my family, you're not my mother." Astrid was starting to think that her day will be a very long one.

"Well, why would I call you Princess Astrid if you don't behave like one?" Valdis closed her book and stood up, "And, yes, I'm not your mother. Since you were responsible for her death, I-"

"What are you two talking about?" the former King Hermod entered the room, even after passing the crown to his older son, the man still had, as Astrid used to say when she was little, a "majestic aura" around him, everyone respected him as if he were still the king.

"Dad! I was looking for you! Hans has returned!" Astrid smiled.

"Great." He said, but with no enthusiasm. "Am I supposed to...?"

"Right. I forgot you don't care about your own son. Anyway, Einar is calling for you"

"King Einar, Astrid" Valdis corrected.

"Oh please, just for once, shut up!" Astrid yelled.

"That's not very princess like! You should apologize, now!"

"Yes, I don't thin-"

"Astrid, apologize to her, she is my wife, and I won't tolerate this behavior!" Hermod gave her a severe look.

"I'm sorry" she said unwilling, "now, father, we have to go!"

She grabbed his hand and pushed him down the stairs.

"Have you lost your mind!?" Einar stood up.

"Listen, brother, I just told you that Queen Elsa cursed the kingdom, I was trying to-"

"To be the hero? You really think that would have ended as you being a hero?" Einar was shouting "That wouldn't bring you glory!"

"Of course it would! I was going to save Arendelle! The people were nearly dying because of the Queen!" Hans was yelling now.

"Well, but you didn't, and now what I'll do with you? Arendelle will never want anything with us, and we needed their partnership!"

Hans was about to answer when the door opened and Astrid came, followed by his father. He didn't seem happy with his return. But Hans did not expect that, not from him. Since his mother died, the man never looked happy. Sometimes he smiled, especially because of Astrid, she always tries to make him laugh. She always tries to make everyone laugh.

"As requested I brought father here. Now, can I know what happened?" Astrid said, crossing her arms.

"Not now, Astrid. I need you to wait in your chambers. Hans will go there and explain everything to you." Einar put an arm around her shoulders and led her to the door.

"But-"

"No, Astrid, please. This is not for you".

She seemed sad having to leave again, but Einar was the King, so she obeyed. Hans felt bad about his sister, but he knew that some things about Arendelle were better if kept in secret.

After re-telling everything to his father, Hermod appeared that only listened the part about Queen Elsa having ice powers.

"Do you mean she could make ice with her hands?" his face showing how much this shocked him.

"I know, father. That's why I sent Astrid to her chamber. She cannot know about this." Einar said.

"Why not? She has no ice powers, of course she loves snow and winter, but no ice powers." Hans stated.

"No, she doesn't. But it can be worse than ice, don't you remember the incident?" Einar remembered, apprehensive.

"Or course I do! Since them you have made her a prisoner, and maybe the shipwreck wasn't even her fault!" Hans defended his sister. "No one can prove it was her!"

"Proving or not, she cannot leave for her own protection!" Hermod said "I'm not risking losing her!"

"Maybe you'll lose her if you keep her locked in the palace" Hans argued "What do you think happened to Queen Elsa? She was locked in the palace her entire life! Hiding from everyone, the same way you are doing with Astrid. And she doesn't even have powers!"

"No, not that we know, but we are doing this to protect her. So you will not tell her about those powers" Einar said at last.

"All right, so what I'm supposed to say to her? You told her I was going to tell everything to her"

"You will say you tried to kill Queen Elsa and marry her sister because of the throne" Hermod said. "Only that"

"Have you told anyone about Astrid?" Einar asked.

"No, as you requested, I didn't mention her."

"Good, we don't want any curious soul asking about her." Hermod informed.

"Wait, are you really doing this? You're going to keep her in secret? From everyone?" Hans was astonished. "She's 20! People know of her existence, for God's sake!"

"It's the best for her!"

"No, it's not! It's the best for the Kingdom reputation! You are makin-"

"Hans! That's enough!" Einar said "You are going to be punished for your actions. I don't have any intention in sentencing my brother to death, therefore I'm sending you, for undetermined time, to the dungeon, where you're going to think about what you did, and when I assume you're ready to leave and you tell me that you want the royal pardon, I'll forgive you."

Hans was glad his brother didn't sentenced him to death, but something deep in him was expecting that Einar would forgive him right away. If Astrid was Queen, maybe. But not Einar, he was too distinct, too correct. Hans was kind of lucky for still having his head.

"The guards will take you to Astrid, you can talk with her, without mentioning the Queen's powers. Then you'll go to the dungeon. That's my final statement." Einar sat on his throne and nodded to the guards.

On the way to her chambers, Astrid met her brothers Thomas and Axel, the twins. She cursed, because they always tease her, in a funny way, but she wasn't in the mood.

"Hey, Astrid." Thomas stopped her. "Tell me one thing, what's all the fuss about? I saw you running upstairs and downstairs at least three times today. You usually just stay in your bedroom reading."

"Hans returned" she said coldly. "Now, may you let me go to my bedroom?"

"Wait a minute, Hans came back?" Axel asked. "And you're going to your bedroom? You're not running with him, doing whatever you two always do? Did he upset you?"

"No, he didn't. Einar is talking with him. I wasn't invited"

"Oh my God, Axel! Astrid was separated from Hans!"

"Call the guards! That's an insult!" Axel mimicked her voice.

"C'mon! I have never done that! And I don't sound like that. Now if you excuse me, I really have to go, I don't have time for your jokes" Astrid contoured her brothers.

"Wait, Astrid!" Axel followed her "What happened? Seriously, I really thought he was coming with some great news, like 'Hey, I'm going to marry the Queen, you all suck'"

"What? No, I don't know what he did, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't that" Astrid said, looking down.

"You think he did something bad?" Thomas asked.

"No just bad, very bad. The guards were escorting him" she bit her bottom lip.

"Well, maybe it's nothing. Don't despair, don't cry, Astrid. And if anything happens we're here for you, all right?" Thomas punched her arm softly, she smiled.

"I'm not desperate, and I'll certainly not going to cry." She raised an eyebrow. "You know I'm not that kind of girl."

"Oh, you're not, you're tough! We raised you well."

"Thank you, guys. You're not mean all the time, I believe you two have a soft side"

"Yeah, yeah, but don't spread" Axel winked.

Astrid smiled and headed to her bedroom. Her brothers may not have time for her, but she knew she could count on them, and that was enough for her.

Once in her chambers, the thoughts about Hans returned to her mind. She wanted to know more than anything what had happened in Arendelle. What could be so bad that she had to wait in her room? And the most intriguing was what they would hide from her? If there were nothing to hide, she would be able to stay in the throne room and hear Hans' sentence.

After a few minutes she heard a knock on the door. Hans, she thought. She jumped off the bed to open the door. But her smile faded when she saw the guards.

"Can I come in?" Hans asked, a weak smile in his face.

"Sure" she gave way to her brother pass and them closed the door. "Now, what happened?"

"Listen I'll tell you what I can, but maybe it'll not be the whole story" Hans started.

"I knew it! They forbade you to tell me everything, right?" Astrid frowned.

"But that is nothing important, ok?" Hans took her hands in his.

"Just tell me what you can."

"Ok, I just want to say something before. What I did there, in Arendelle, wasn't good. I did really bad things, but I want you to know that I'm still the same I was." Hans took a deep breath.

"Okay…" Astrid said, apprehensive.

"The reason why the guards were escorting me is because I almost killed Queen Elsa".

"You what?" Astrid pulled her hands back, incredulous.

"I'm sorry, Astrid. That's what really happened." He closed his eyes. "I didn't want you to know this from any other person, so I had to tell you personally."

"But, why Hans? Why? Just tell me why!?" Astrid yelled.

"You know why! I wanted the throne, always did" He looked right into her eyes, she was almost crying.

"Yes, I know. That's why I thought you were going to propose or something like that!"

"I did, actually. I propose to her sister, Princess Anna. And she accepted." Hans told.

"Of course! You marry the princess, and then kill the Queen! Why I didn't think of that?" Astrid said, sarcastically.

"That was the plan. But, things happened so fast! The Queen ran away, so everything was going to be perfect. However, the Princess went after her."

"Why the Queen ran?"

"That's not important, the point is I was in charge of Arendelle. Then the Princess came back, after I brought the Queen back. But she was hurt, and I left her to die." Hans confessed.

After that Astrid did not know what to think. She didn't know who the man in front of her was. Where was her brother? Now, she saw a monster. Because her brother may be ambitious, but not enough to kill someone to reach his goals.

"So, why you did that? Give me a good reason! One I can believe. One I can work with." She begged.

"I was drunk with the power that people gave to me. I didn't want to lose it!"

"You were going to marry the Princess, why you needed to let her die!?" Astrid screamed, tears streaming down her face.

"Astrid, please. I don't want to see you against me!" Hans tried to take her hands.

"Well, I think that is too much to ask, Hans. I knew you would go far to get what you want. What I didn't know was how far you would go." Astrid said. "And what you did, that scares me".

"I know, and I'm really sorry."

"You mean, you regret it?"

"I said I'm sorry for you, that you are scared. I don't think I regret what I did, not yet." He said, she was uneasy.

"All right. Why you didn't kill the Queen? You had a second thought? Saw how stupid your actions were?"

She still had a hope, after all. Hope that her brother wasn't a monster.

"Not exactly. Princess Anna stopped me."

"But you left her to die!" Astrid was confused.

"Yes, she managed a way out, she was still hurt, but saved her sister." Astrid still had a confused look, so Hans continued. "She almost died, I'm not really sure what happened next."

They stayed in silence for a few minutes. She sat on a chair and thought about everything. It seemed like a nightmare. Her brother finally returns, turns out he's a murderer, or an almost-murderer.

"I just can't believe it." She said at last. "That's not you, Hans."

"All I wanted was to avoid this look on your face. Your look of fear. You don't have to fear me. I'll never hurt you." He kneeled in front of her.

"I'm not sure anymore, you almost killed two persons. I never expected this from you. From Valdis? Of course, that shrew would do anything. But you?"

"I promise you, Astrid, I'm the same! I'm your brother."

"I don't think you are. My brother had decency." Astrid took his hands. "If you're really the same you will regret, tell me you didn't mean it."

"Astrid, I did! Someday, maybe, I'll regret it. I don't know. But in this moment? Not really."

"Then I think you should go. When you look back and realize what you have done, realize that you were wrong-"

"I know I was wrong, I just think I was wrong doing the right thing." He said.

"The right thing? Killing was the right thing?" She was incredulous.

"Not killing itself, I was doing that to protect the people from the Queen," He stopped. "I cannot tell you why, but she was hurting the people."

"And killing her would help? Killing their ruler?"

"I think you're right. I should go." Hans stood, it seemed like he wanted to avoid this conversation. She was fine with that.

"Wait!" She hugged him. "You'll think about that, right?"

"I'm sure it'll be the only thing in my mind. Besides you, of course."

He left the room. Astrid, couldn't believe what happened. And all she wanted in that moment was to know what he was hiding from her. Maybe that would explain his actions.