Delicate Conversations

The trumpets sounded loudly to boastful and boisterous opening lyrics that conveyed power and prestige for their undying Sultan. "Make way, for king Ali! Make way for king Ali!" the singers sang. The fanfare was nothing short of spectacular. The Princes and King of the Southern Isles were left gawking in shock despite being in it. They'd never seen anything like this in all their lives! The Genie hadn't kidded around. The people went wild for their Sultan, visibly relieved. News that he may have perished at sea had apparently come back to them. To see that wasn't the case had them thrilled beyond words. Apparently, the majority hadn't been happy with the realization that the Vizier would probably take the throne if their current ruler died.

"This is spectacular!" Caleb said to Ali in shock, looking around. "The city is spectacular! And the palace!"

"Thanks," Aladdin replied, grinning widely and proudly. "See what I mean by trapped in time?"

"It suits it," Moren answered. This place looked like it had come right from the pages of an ancient history book! "It's really been around since the time of Hercules?"

"I met him," Aladdin replied with a wicked grin and a wink. "He was a friend. A really cool guy. We took on the Grecian god of the Underworld and the shade of Jafar and ended up victorious! Oh, you should have seen it!"

"Wait, what? Hades exists?!" Moren exclaimed.

"Not just him, even other gods of the Underworld and…" Aladdin began. He stopped suddenly and immediately tried to divert attention from the subject. "It's, uh, complicated. Mozenrath, my brother, could explain it way better than I can, but, um, it's not really that important, really! So, uh, you don't need to bother with it."

"Now you're just making me want to bother with it," Moren replied, raising an eyebrow suspiciously at the sudden flustered behavior. Aladdin grinned innocently and guiltily. Caleb shook his head at him. He'd deal with this interesting change later. Maybe. If he remembered to. Right now, though, he was busy being bemused at how this boy could act so differently depending on whether he was being casual or formal. It was quite something, the total change in personality and demeanor. He approved.

Frozen

As they neared the palace they saw the vizier glaring disgustedly out a window. On seeing they were watching him, he quickly put on a relieved smile, appearing overjoyed. "He's more fake than us," Iscawin flatly said.

"And he doesn't even have any skill with masks," Coth joked, smirking.

"Don't let him know you're onto him," Aladdin said. "At least for the first while." They agreed and prepared for the vizier to come out and greet the Sultan.

It wasn't long before the man appeared. "Sultan Ali!" he greeted loudly as if ecstatic. "You have returned alive! Err, with guests."

"Yes. It turns out the crew I sailed with were a group of assassins. Lucky for me, the waters of Arendelle and the Southern Isles are plagued with people more bloodthirsty than them. Pirates. They didn't stand a chance. I managed to get away and make it back to Arendelle. They agreed to help me get home and aid in rooting out the conspirators here. These are the princes, and king, of the Southern Isles. You read up on them?" Aladdin replied 'obliviously'.

The vizier looked startled, alarmed, and terrified all at once. Oh, he'd definitely read up. Quickly, though, he hid his fear. "Your majesties are of course welcome," he said.

"We should hope we would be. And be treated with utmost respect at that. We are under little obligation, thus far, to come to the Sultan's aid. We do this out of the… kindness… of our own hearts," Caleb said, slipping on the mask of his father and making 'kindness' sound like it was a bad word.

"I suppose the 'kindness' of your hearts involves a lust for gold and rich trade, hmm?" the vizier said.

"More than you can imagine," Moren answered. "Now show us to our rooms, advisor." The vizier grimaced and frowned, nodding and bowing to them.

"The evening meal will be taken at five," Aladdin said.

"Agreed," Moren replied, scooting along the advisor to show them where to set up.

Frozen

It took Mael only two hours to manage to sniff out Jafar's collection of scrolls and start to devour them. "What did you find?" a voice asked. Hans's. Lars didn't even look up. "You're ignoring me, really?" Hans asked, frowning.

"He found Jafar's old scrolls," Aladdin said. "He also had secret chambers in the palace. They're still around if you ever want to look at them."

Mael look up at the Sultan, eyes wide. "Really?" he asked.

"Oh yeah," Aladdin answered. "Just, uh, be careful what you touch. Some of those things are, um, kind of unpredictable."

"This man was remarkably accomplished in the mystic arts," Lars said, turning back to the scrolls. "I don't think you understand just how skilled I mean when I say skilled!"

"That good, huh? Didn't help him against me," Aladdin proudly boasted. Lars was engrossed in the scrolls again, though, and barely heard.

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Sultan, if you managed to take this man out, you're more a miracle worker than I thought," Mael said.

"Nah. All villains share the same flaws. Too haughty and arrogant and boastful. They get caught up in monologuing or laughing or tell the whole plan before they're sure their victim's actually going to die, etc," he said.

"Technically, the one mistake I made was monologuing to Anna. But in all fairness? She was dead already when I told her it," Hans said. If Elsa's tears hadn't revived her, then when he'd awakened from the knockout, Elsa would have been history. Hmm, he didn't like how almost proud he felt over that…

"You were a villain?" Aladdin asked, visibly startled.

"Was is a… subjective term," Hans answered, unable to help but kind of play up the part of villain. At least a bit. Part of him felt like he still was. He wasn't claiming he'd left that life behind, because he wasn't sure he had. Not completely. He probably never would. "And hey, if it catches you this much by surprise, I'm clearly doing everything right."

"Enough out of you, boy. He's a chameleon. He's very good at masks," Lars said, frowning at Hans. "And yes, he used those masks to help him complete a scheme villainous enough to chill the bones of more than one other villain of history and of present. If only because it was so totally and completely unexpected, he had played the game so well. But time has mellowed him, though apparently not completely." Hans just shrugged casually. "Oh, Hans, I'm reminded I need to have a training session with you regarding your… you know."

"He knows what I have, Lars," Hans said, jerking a thumb at Ali.

"It isn't him I'm worried about. It's other potential spies or influences that may be around," Mael answered. Ali and Hans cringed, exchanging looks.

"When do you want to start?" Hans asked, looking sheepishly at his sibling.

"Later tonight," Lars answered before going back to the scrolls.

Frozen

Hans approached the place Mael had chosen to do some training. He was of the opinion it wasn't totally necessary, he seemed to have a pretty good feel for his abilities, and good control, but then overconfidence and all that. He looked around for his brother and saw a dark raven preening its feathers. "Read some Poe while you were perusing the library?" he said to it. The raven looked down at him. "Raven's don't belong in the desert, Lars," Hans said.

The raven tilted its head, cawed, then flew down and became his brother as it touched the ground. "No, I don't suppose they do," he answered. "Now, let's begin. Attack me."

Hans looked around, shifting uneasily. He really didn't like putting these things on display. Or even acknowledging them half the time. Soon, though, he sighed and turned his palm up, thrusting it upwards. Immediately a flame wall sprang up around his brother and crashed down towards him when Hans clenched his fist. Mael looked visibly shocked before disappearing from view. Hans tensed up, eyes becoming concerned. Soon, though, a dark phoenix rose from the flames with a screech, flying upwards. Mael landed, becoming human again. "You're… creative with them," Lars soon remarked.

"Meaning?" Hans asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It means I think that you'll probably find ways to use them that very few would have ever thought of. With Elsa, her powers reflect her and bend to her whims, but when they're not being used creatively and are instead being used to attack, her style is very… basic and straightforward, unless driven by emotion. Effective nevertheless. She is becoming more creative with time, but I'm not sure she'll ever be quite as… out of the box as you are," Mael said.

"So, you're saying the way I use my powers is unpredictable?" Hans tried to translate.

"In a sense. As unpredictable and deceitful as their wielder," Mael said. "Gods only know the twisted and tricky little ways you could manipulate them given the extent of your imagination."

"I won't use them much. Let's face it, Elsa's have about a thousand more uses than mine ever will," Hans said.

"You're right," Lars answered. "Ice can build, create, shelter, play. Ice is tangible, is there. You can step on ice, touch ice, hold ice. Fire is…"

"Destruction. Fire is destruction and death, nothing more," Hans said, looking down darkly. Fire's only use, besides survival, was to destroy. Unless you were forging something, you couldn't use fire to create a tangible thing that would be useful or handy or good or protective. "Like their wielder, right?"

"I don't suppose you'll ever let go of your ideas on your self-worth," Lars said.

"Ideas? Maybe I can hide from the darkness inside me, but I'll never fully get rid of it," Hans replied. "It'll be a fight all my life."

"And one you will win," Lars said. "Now, focus on your training. Attack me again. This time I'll keep coming."

Hans nodded and immediately summoned a cloak of fire to swirl around him. Also he surrounded himself in a ring of flame and raced towards his brother, letting the ring surge out and roar towards his sibling. Following it came the form of a fire wyrm, jaws open wide to devour. Quickly Mael took on the phoenix form again, frowning to himself. Such dark themes to Hans's attacks, he noted. It was concerning. Perhaps there was no changing that, though, so he focused on navigating through them. The more disturbing the figures that crept from the flames became, though, the more he seriously considered setting up an intervention or psychiatric evaluation for his brother. If only they knew what they were intervening in. He chuckled to himself. Hans's psychology revealed in the forms springing from his flames… It was a disturbing psychology, he dryly noted to himself. And much of it their faults…

Lars deflected another flame attack, clearing the way to Hans, and sent out a dark dragon to swoop towards him. Hans quickly moved out of the way, drawing his sword instead of using his powers, and cutting. Lars considered calling him on it, but he reminded himself that unlike Elsa, Hans's powers weren't his primary means of offense and defense. Hans was first and foremost a swordsman and gunman. What he had to do was allow Hans to meld his powers and his skills together.

"Hold!" he said. Hans winced and turned. He'd hoped Mael wouldn't call him on pulling the sword. "How could you have combined both your powers and your skill?" Mael asked.

Hans looked confused, but soon after his eyes lit up in realization. He looked at his sword. Of course! It wasn't like he hadn't done it before. He had! Why hadn't he thought of it this round? He caused his flames to wrap around the blade so that now it blazed. Lars smirked. "And your gun?"

"Flaming ammo," Hans answered. "That would look so cool. Just saying."

"As long as you don't make the flame hot enough to melt the metal and lead," Mael agreed. "Except for maybe on impact."

"A sudden burst of intense heat last second? I like it," Hans said. Lars chuckled then suddenly grimaced and gave a gasp, wavering slightly and staggering. Hans quickly looked over. "Lars?" he asked in concern. "Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine, just… just tired," Mael murmured. "And my head hurts."

Hans winced. His powers. It had to be. "We should stop now," he said. "I know it hasn't been long, but… but your powers are draining you. Really fast today for some reason. Don't push it." Mael 'hmmed' and carefully rose with Hans supporting him. "Are you okay?" Hans asked.

"No," Lars admitted. In fact, his time was growing shorter and shorter by the day, and that terrified him. "They're killing me, Hans," he said.

Hans was quiet, head bowed. "I know," he answered finally. "We all do."

Lars nodded. "I'm afraid," he remarked after a moment. Hans tensed slightly, then relaxed and reassuringly squeezed his brother's arm. He wanted to say 'you'll be okay', but he didn't. Mael decidedly would not be okay if this kept on.

"We're here," he finally settled on promising. "You don't have to be afraid to die alone. Not anymore."

"Time has changed us for the better more than I thought, if you can say that with such confidence," Mael mused with a soft smile.

"Maybe. On the other hand, hey. Deceiver," Hans replied, grinning. Mael chuckled, nodding, and let his brother help him inside.

Frozen

Duach watched Franz quietly. He was writing a letter with a smile. Probably to Louise. Runo shifted uneasily and drew a breath, rising and approaching his sibling. "Hey," he said.

"Uh, hey?" Franz replied, looking at his sibling with a raised eyebrow. "That was… an interesting conversation opener." He turned back to the letter, finishing it then folding it.

"She's… she's an interesting girl," Runo said.

"'Interesting'? You don't approve?" Franz teased. 'Interesting' to Duach, and to Justic for that matter, usually meant subpar, total disinterest, or 'some people might like it, it certainly has potential, but I'm on the fence'.

"It's… it's not that I don't approve, Neb. It's more that I'm… concerned," Duach replied. Franz frowned curiously. Hans and I were talking and he… brought up some of his own concerns around your and Louise's relationship.

"And here we go," Franz said with a sigh, rolling his eyes. "Seriously? He can't take my side in this even now?"

"Speaking as your brother he's all gung ho for you to sweep her off her feet. Speaking as Jekyll's friend he's a little disheartened. Speaking as Louise's friend he's concerned, and frankly that's where me and him agree," Duach said. Franz was quiet, looking slightly guilty. "So, you know where this is going to go, then," he continued after a moment. Franz stayed quiet. Soon, however, he rose and went to the window. Duach shook his head. "You're looking in the direction of Spain." Where she was buried… "You're not looking to Denmark or Britain."

Franz tensed and quickly turned from the window, arms wrapping around himself. "So?" he asked.

Duach sighed. "You loved her more than life itself. More than anything you ever had," he said.

"She was my world," Franz agreed. "She was the reason I kept fighting to get up in the morning. She was the rock I… the rock I built my life on…" he added, voice breaking.

"With everything you were and everything you felt, you loved her," Duach murmured, voice wavering slightly. "I know the feeling… Believe me I know it."

"I know you do," Franz gently said, eyes filling with pity. His brother still mourned his wife, he understood. Deeply mourned her.

"So as a brother who has suffered the same, or mostly the same, I'm coming to you and I need to know. Do you really believe that you will ever love Louise as much as you loved her?" Runo pressed.

"Why are you asking me this?" Franz demanded, avoiding the question.

"Because if Hans had approached you, then you could have argued that it was out of friendship of Jekyll that he was confronting you. I have no friendship with Jekyll, I don't even really care too much for the man, so that excuse is gone. Now you have to listen. You wouldn't have had to otherwise," Runo answered. "So, answer me."

Franz was silent. Could he ever love Louise as he'd loved Maria? He wanted to… No. He wanted to tell himself that so he wouldn't have to face… He shook his head, closing his eyes. "No," he answered finally. "I never will." Duach nodded quietly, considering his next questions. "She was the mother of my child… She was light when there was nothing but darkness… She was in every breath I drew and not a single night has passed by that I haven't dreamt of her… I still love her… I always will…"

"Then is this fair to Louise?" Duach dared ask. Franz was quiet, tears threatening his eyes. "Doesn't she deserve for someone to love her as much as you loved Maria?"

"I can try!" Franz immediately defended, sharply looking at Runo with flashing eyes.

"I'm not saying you shouldn't, Neb, and I'm on your side. I'm rooting for you over Jekyll. That finally, after all this time, you've found a woman who you want to try to move on with, who you want to regain all you lost with, it brings me more joy than you'll ever know or ever believe if I told you, given the history between all of us. I just… Maybe you need to think beyond yourself, this time," Duach said. "A love like what you had for Maria will never be repeated. Not for you. Maybe something can try and come close, but it will never be equal. It… Maria was your nightingale…" Franz looked up at him woefully. "Let Louise be Jekyll's."

For a long moment, Franz was silent. "Jekyll will have to catch his own. I'm not giving him this one," he finally answered, turning to the window again, this time looking towards Denmark and Britain.

"Okay, so then look at who has the greatest chance of actually making it to old age with her," Duach said, frowning. "And for the love of the gods, please don't say Jekyll is already old."

Franz smirked, covering his mouth to hide a snicker. "You know me too well," he teased.

Runo rolled his eyes. "The point is odds are you'll die young. I'm damn near certain most of us will. And then what happens to her?" he asked.

"Then Jekyll can have her," Franz replied.

"And if Jekyll is already dead?" Runo demanded. "If you break that last ray of hope for him and he figures he has nothing to lose anymore… What if he faces Hyde and is killed, and then later on she loses you too?"

"She'll find someone else," Franz answered.

"You'd hope," Duach answered. "Look, if you're set on this then okay. We'll do what it takes to help you win her. But think it over. And good luck. Despite what you probably think, I am rooting for you." He was just being pragmatic. You didn't just ignore all the angles or avoid looking into them. Especially when they had implications this grave. The way he saw it, either Louise was widowed young—though arguably there was a chance she'd learn to love again—or her husband stayed in the picture for years and years to come. He supposed, though, that even that wasn't a guarantee of anything. Time would tell, he guessed. God, he hoped things didn't end in disaster. Maybe Franz would live to a ripe old age after all? He hoped he did… He hoped all his brothers did… He'd give anything to see that happen, but in his heart he knew it might be too much to ask of fate.

(A/N: No, this doesn't mean Jekyll will get Louis and Franz won't. That, again, is up to reader choice. The question/choice posted in the last story for readers, and a similar one that's coming up in this one, will help determine who wins her finally ;))