Elsa waited patiently for Hans to return. Months passed, and another summer went by. One day when she was painting with oils, trying to capture the light on the maple trees, a servant walled up to her, carrying a letter.
"It's addressed to you, Miss Arendelle."
"Thank you," She replied, waving a hand in dismmisal. She turned the thick postage over in her hands, finding the wax seal of the Navy, her name written in beautiful calligraphy on the face.
She walked back in, setting the brushes in the sink and leaving her painting on a sill to dry. Once she was in the solitude of her room, she thumbed the lip and let it fall open, two pieces of paper dropping into her lap. The first was Hans's messy handwriting, stained with ink. The other was official looking, typed and neat.
She picked up Hans's letter first, smiling through the blotches and cross outs. He had never attained a proper education, so it wasn't like she could blame his terrible grammar and spelling. He spoke of how pretty the sea was, how it glimmered during sunsets, and how it roared to life with each day. He spoke of how he missed her deeply, but also of much he felt he had found a place he belonged. She placed aside the letter, face streaked with tears of happiness.
She placed it aside, smoothing out the wrinkles the best she could so she could save it as long as she wanted. She picked up the thicker parchment with the Navy seal on it.
Elsa Arendelle,
We regret to inform you of the passing away of Hans. He was a valued member of our ranks, and upon his death was promoted to Admiral.
First Captain, Peter Pan.
Elsa's nose crinkled, confused. She reread the letter again, hot tears stinging at her eyes and blurring her vision. Her hands shook with rage and she tore the paper apart, bit by bit, flinging herself on her bed.
"Miss Elsa, is something wrong?" A maid asked, knocking on the door. In her hands she carried a basket of freshly cleaned clothes, crisp from drying out in the hot summer wind.
"I'm fine," Elsa cried, muffingly her face with her pillow, and turning over while sobs racked her body.
"Let me know if I can get you anything," The maid said sweetly, before she left.
"Wait so he finally died?" Lilo asked. "That means we can put it up!"
"No, you wanted a chapter, we're gonna read a chapter." Nani looked back down to the book.
"Aww, Nani!"
She flipped to the next page, ignoring her sister's plea.
Elsa moped around for a few days, refusing to undress from nightgowns or fix her ratty french braids. She bathed frequently, only if it meant she could spend half an hour alone and cry to her heart's content.
On the third day, a man arrived at their home. He was handsome, with skin akin to porcelain, and hair snowy white like he had been kissed by the moon. She was too busy making her way through another box of tissues to notice the man at first, until Anna walked in and informed her. She dressed slowly in a dark green dress, afraid to draw too much suspicion if she wore black, fixed her hair and applied make up to cover her tear-stained cheeks and puffy eyes. She walked downstairs with an air of grace, and acknowledged the guest.
"Elsa, this is King Jack."
She bowed her head respectfully, but made no other movements. In all sense, this man was perfect. He was royalty, clean, respectful... but she didn't want perfect. She wanted Hans.
"Good afternoon, Elsa, it's wonderous to meet you," He said, smiling, like a break in glass. She tightened her hands on her dress.
"Yes, it's lovely to meet you as well... now I suppose you have matters to discuss with my father, so I'll dismiss-"
Idun stopped her. "Doll, he's here for you."
Jack smiled again. This time she really absorbed his look. Rich blue and silver clothing, dark eyes and pale skin that looked like snow, or a sick animal. She couldn't decide which. While she processed the terrible thoughts, staring directly at him with a bemused expression, her father brgan to talk about how great a binding between the kingdoms would be, how much it would help with trade, keep peace and overall make tighter knit kingdoms.
She snapped back to reality, her head fuzzy. "I'm sorry, what were you saying Jack?"
"I was asking your father for your hand in marriage. I believe it would benefit both our kingdoms enormously. You could live in my kingdom, of course, we have fine tailors for any taste you have-" He continued to blather on.
"Marriage ?" She asked loudly, exasperated. "No, I'm sorry. I don't love you."
"Elsa, royals don't marry for love," Her father reminded her. "They marry for the kingdom."
Tears welled up in her eyes. "F-fine. I accept your proposal, King Jack."
"Wonderful," He said, smiling. His eyebrows were dark, she noted, knitted together and contrasted oddly against his pale skin and white hair. "I'll have some servants prepare a room for you, and we can have you moved into my castle by the end of the week."
"What?" She asked, voice high. Now she was really in danger of crying, being ripped from her home and all these memories.
"Oh, no worries, there's still a hell of a lot of prepping for the wedding... assume a couple months or so. It'd just be good to get to know each other better before then, no?"
"I guess," She mumbled.
On Saturday she was brought into his castle and given a room. She collapsed onto the large bed, curling under the silk covers. Quiet tears rolled down her eyes.
