Elsa awoke early to the sound of knocking on her bedroom door. She opened her eyes sleepily. Light crept in through the cracks in the drawn curtains and fell in long stripes on the floor. She looked over at Anna's sleeping form and smiled. Ever since she had returned to the palace they had gone back to sharing their childhood room. It was one of Elsa's many attempts to make up for all the time they had lost. Anna was still fast asleep, oblivious to the knocking. Her hair was a tangled mess and she was drooling slightly. The knocking came again, louder this time. Elsa got up, donned her robe and admitted the servant at the door. She brought in a tray with two platters filled with breakfast for the sisters and placed it on a small table next to Anna's smell of freshly cooked eggs and bacon was enough to stir Anna from her sleep. She sat up groggily as the servant exited as quickly as she had come.
"Good morning snowflake," Elsa said, walking over to where Anna was still waking up. She set the tray in Anna's lap, wafting the smell towards her sleepy sister.
"Mmm...issbreakfast.." Anna mumbled happily. They had breakfast together, Anna in her bed and Elsa sitting at the table next to her. The doctor who was taking care of Anna insisted she spend as little time doing physical activity as possible, which meant the two of them spent a lot of time sitting just like this. Being frozen had taken quite a toll on Anna and, though she would never admit it, she was grateful for the time to heal. She was improving fast however. Yesterday she had been allowed to take a stroll in the gardens with Kristoff before being escorted back to bed. Her arm had started healing nicely, although having one hand was taking some time for her to get used to.
"I have a surprise for you," Elsa said when they had finished eating. She took Anna's good hand and held it in hers. She stroked her fingers. They were warm against her permanently cold skin.
"Elsa, I know you still feel guilty but you don't have to keep trying to make it up to me," Anna replied, squeezing her hand back. "I forgive you. "
"I know, I know. But I think you're going to like this," She gestured to Anna to show her her injured arm. She held it out warily towards her sister. Elsa sent a stream of blue, shimmering magic towards where her hand used to be. Slowly the magic built a delicate hand of ice, identical to the original. Anna held it out in disbelief. She gently flexed her crystal fingers. It moved as natural as one made of flesh and bone.
"Elsa I…" She started but was lost for words.
"I told you you would like it," Elsa said, smiling at her sister.
"Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Anna said and grabbed Elsa in a tight embrace.
They spent the morning together. Anna read and Elsa worked over piles of documents that comprised her queenly duties. The chatted and laughed and just enjoyed each other's company. Their peace was disturbed however when one of Elsa's attendants burst into their room with a worried air.
"My Queen, he's awake," the attendant exclaimed breathless from running. Elsa stood to follow the man out of the room.
"I'm sorry Anna, I'll be back soon I promise," she followed the him hurriedly out of their room before Anna could protest. The attendant led her down to the dungeon where Prince Hans was being kept under close scrutiny. The damp, chill walls made her shudder. Not to long ago she had been locked up down here, a slave to her fear and her power. The memory still made her cringe. The descended several flights of stairs and journeyed down a long corridor. The finally came to a cell surrounded by both guards and some of Elsa's advisors who had beaten her there. They all bowed their heads when she approached and she acknowledged them all with a nod.
"My Queen, are you sure this is wise? We don't know what power he possesses and if anything happened to you -" one advisor started to protest.
"He won't try anything against me," Elsa replied quickly. "We are too evenly matched. Plus he may be more willing to talk if I go in alone," they had had this debate over and over again for the past few weeks. Elsa knew that when Hans woke up he would be more willing to talk to her than any of her companions. This was something she had to do alone. She nodded at the guard closest to the door. He unlocked it and admitted her in before shutting it tightly. The room was small and dark with only a small, barred window providing any light. Hans sat on the only bench in the room. Disheveled and weary he lay with both hands chained together in shackles that covered his hands. Much like those that had held Elsa not so long ago. She was taken back to the night she had woken up chained in the exact same way, confused and alone. He sat up when she entered. He looked confused.
"Queen Elsa, you've returned." He said uncertainly. She regarded him with a look of disdain. "Have I done something to upset you?"
"You tried to kill me, more importantly you tried to kill Anna. So yes I am quite upset with you," she answered stiffly. Hans' brow wrinkled with confusion.
"You must be mistaken, I would never hurt Anna. I love her. Please tell me what's happened. Why am I chained up? Where is Anna?" He asked, his voice raised in desperation.
"You mean to tell me," Elsa started, "that you have no idea what took place on the day of my capture?"
"Your capture? My Queen, I wasn't even aware you had come back. The last thing I remember was the night after Anna had left to find you. A group of trolls had come to speak with me and then… Well that's as far as my memory goes. Then I woke up here. Please you must believe me."
Trolls? Elsa thought to herself. Hadn't Anna told her something about Kristoff being raised by trolls? Anna had laughed when she recalled her time with the trolls and how they had been adamant that she and Kristoff were destined to be together. Then she remembered what Pabbie, the leader of the trolls living near Arendelle, had said to her dismayed parents all those years ago.
The heart is not so easily changed, but the head can be persuaded.
What if- no that's impossible. They wouldn't do that… Would they?
"I will take you at your word, for now," she said uncertainty . Hans' posture relaxed. Then he tensed in apprehension for his next question. The question he dreaded asking.
"What did I do?"
