Hans stood beneath the water for a couple of minutes before wrapping his long, white robe around himself. Anna's back was turned to him when he re-entered their master bedroom. Her sniffles had subsided and had presumably cried herself to sleep. A sharp pang hit the king's heart and he mentally chided himself. He stared at her passively before heading out of their room.
It was quite normal for him to wander the hallways late at night, when the kingdom would repose in quiet stillness. Hans wasn't afraid of his people. After all, wasn't he the one who opened up the castle gates to the public during her eternal winter? Hadn't he fed them, sheltered them, kept them warm? Hadn't he taken good care of them, like the benevolent king he was? He was their saviour, he got rid of her and she took that wretched winter along with her.
A wave of ice flooded through him and he walked faster, breaking into a quick jog. Don't think so much, you fool. Hans reached the top of the stairwell and clutched hard at the railing, bowing his head. You're fine, everything is fine, calm down.
"Prince Hans?"
His head snapped up with stricken eyes and his hands trembled. No...not her again.
Without looking back, he tripped down the stairs and practically sprinted to the castle gardens.
"What do you think you're running from?"
He didn't slacken his pace and pushed through the brambles and shrubs, his flimsy robe getting torn in places.
"Prince Hans, you can't run from this"
"Elsa! You can't run from this!" he called through the raging snowstorm, trying his best to get the woman to just stop for a moment...
"N-no..." Distracted, Hans tripped over his bare feet and fell face-first into the grass-covered ground. He lifted his head slightly and groaned, spitting dirt out his mouth and a pair of glittery blue heels appeared in his line of sight.
No, no-no-no-no...
The king hastened to get up, and the figure had vanished by the time he was steady on his feet. He had to get back to the castle. Yes, he would get back inside and it would all be alright.
A streak of light flashed to his right and he whirled around, heart thumping.
"Stop doing this! Show me your damned face, then be gone!" he cried, attempting to sound authoritative.
She appeared quicker than he expected. The late snow queen flitted out behind a tree, an easy smile lighting her face despite the dim moonlight. Her hair was down in a braid, her body was clothed in a shimmering ice blue gown. She seemed to be emitting some sort of calming glow, and Hans would have been calmed, if not for the blood splattered all across her pale neck and chest. Her eyes danced despite the terrible bangs beneath them. This was what she looked like when she died.
Prince Hans, good to see you again" she spoke clearly and bowed slightly. Hans stayed rooted to the spot, afriad of disturbing the still atmosphere.
"It's King Hans now" he replied sourly, shifting his weight from one foot to another. Looking at her physically pained him and he blinked at the grass prickling his toes.
Elsa laughed a beautiful, tinkling laugh. "I know, congratulations, by the way. Somehow you will always be the prince from a foreign land to me, the one oh-so in love with my sister..." She smirked.
Hans' eyes narrowed, "You never knew me, don't act as if you do now" he spat with as much venom he could muster.
The queen pouted, "Of course, it's such a shame really. Don't you ever wonder how things would be if you had courted me instead? So much hatred and animosity avoided, no blood shed, and you would still get your title.."
"You're forgetting that you were a frigid harlot. Who honestly had the time to waste on something that would lead to a dead end?" he said brashly.
She laughed again and Hans' groin twitched involuntarily. "And here I thought you were up to the challenge, turns out you're a mere coward who takes the easy way out to get what he wants" she licked her lips and smirked again.
"Easy way? I killed you. That's hardly easy. I'm not as heartless as you may believe" he said with narrowed eyes and gulped nervously.
Elsa's eyes windened in mock shock "Is that remorse I sense? Hmm.. the king who so carefully built up walls around himself feels remorse."
"Shut up, you're not even real. Your stupid memory has gotten to my head" Hans spat and gripped his hair. "I'm done with this. Leave me alone."
He turned on his heel and hadn't even take his first step back to the castle when he felt a pair of cool arms snake around his waist.
Goddamit.
Elsa rested her chin on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "Please don't leave. I'm sorry for teasing you. I'm just being honest. I wanted you to be honest with me too, you know? You need an outlet too. Since you're always so closed off and distant..."
He struggled against her grip but failed. "You're doing it again, acting as if you know me. S-stop!" he cried out
"Shh stop resisting me" she breathed heavily and something snapped in Hans' head. He broke away and pinned her body beneath his on the grass. He stared at the dried blood caked across her neck and thought of his fantasy of having Anna in this position, dead and willing and ready for him...
Elsa moved down against him slowly, and the feel of her thighs sparked his senses. Her icy eyes pierced his own, heavily lidded, and her cheeks were filled with a deep rose...
"I bedded your sister not even an hour ago, I'll have you know" Hans muttered, moving a strand of her hair away from her face.
"Elsa lifted herself up and pressed a kiss to his jaw "Have you been completely honest to her, though? Does she know everything? Can you be this open with her? Wouldn't you rather let it all out to an equal for once?" she whispered against his skin, sending pleasurable vibrations through his veins. "We could have had it all, I could have fixed you. I could have helped you fix yourself. I know you have it within you to fix yourself."
"Elsa, I..." he bent down and captured her lips in a heated kiss. Her dainty fingers silked through his hair as she writhed and squirmed against him, seeking friction. Hans moaned openly in her mouth and gripped her tempting hips, palms smoothing over the fabric.
His lips ravaged the skin at her neck and Elsa spoke above him, "You're better than this, Hans. You are. You're not living for yourself. Aren't you done proving yourself to your father and brothers? They know you're capable. But this is not you. You're not a monster"
He quivered as he hiked her dress up, pressing his face into the curls there. She smelled of ice and lime and a strange musk that was just hers...
Abruptly, she yanked his head up and stared deep into his eyes. "No. I'll come back. I will, but only when I know you're slightly better"
And Hans found himself lying on his stomach, alone, his heart thumping wildly, his groin throbbing violently.
He was in love with the thought of that damned woman. But she was right. He got up, dusting his robe, and hobbled his way back to bed.
Anna was fast asleep. He took of his robe and got in himself. The blanket had slid off and revealed her sleeping face, and Hans stared at her face for a long moment. There were wrinkles and lines that shouldn't be there for someone so young. Hans gingerly touched her hair and caressed it slowly. She moved ever so slightly, as if trying to lean into his touch. He clenched his fist before withdrawing.
Lord, What have I done?