Adventures of John: The Return to Arendelle
Chapter 3: The Plan
For the first few months of his reign, King Hans seemed to be a just and kind ruler, just as he had promised his brother he would be. He ruled fairly, and brought prosperity to the Southern Isles. How he had become king was soon forgotten, and all was well. But all was not as it seemed. In secret Hans continued his plans.
Shipments of weapons and armor came to the kingdom's armories, and more and more men were recruited into the army every week. The training of the military became stricter, and warriors from distant lands were brought to train the soldiers in new fighting techniques. Unknown to the common man, the Southern Isles soon developed one of the largest, well-trained, well-equipped militaries in the land.
Throughout this, the Imperial Church hailed him as the "Defender of the Faith". He gave the outward appearance of being a devote member of the Church, funding the construction of new church's and supporting the efforts of the Imperial Inquisition. He even went to church every Sunday. All the while he continued to sign agreements behind closed doors with the great and powerful of the Imperial Church, gaining more power and favor within the Church.
One day, in a great speech, King Hans told his people once more about his struggles against the wicked Snow Queen. With the full support of the Church, he announced the beginning of a new law: all those found guilty of witchcraft within the Southern Isles would be put to death. He urged his allied nations to do the same, reminding them of the horrors of Arendelle's magical winter and quoting scripture. "Suffer not a witch to live," he stated. This announcement, supported as it was by the church, further isolated Arendelle even from its allies, who feared the wrath of the Church.
But there was another ulterior motive to this witch hunt. While there were those who were taken by the Inquisition and declared witches, none of them where those who actually possessed magical abilities. For the true purpose of this witch hunt, other than to turn the nations of the world against Arendelle, was to discover who in his kingdom had powers like those possessed by the very queen she hated, so he could use them against her. After the hunt had been on for weeks, and not a single individual was found who possessed true magic, Hans was getting impatient.
"What is taking so long?!" Hans cried, sweeping his arm across the oaken table, sending maps, ink, quills, and a half-drunken wine bottle crashing to the ground. "Arendelle has Queen Elsa, and it's said that the princess of Corona was raised by a witch and used to have magical hair! So why is it that I can't find anyone with magic in my kingdom, which is larger than the both of them combined?!"
He was just about to overturn another table when the door opened, revealing the face of his personal Inquisitor. "King Hans!" he cried. "We've found one!"
Hans smiled. "Good work Zax. Now we can begin with the next stage."
About a year later, the Southern Isles declared war against Arendelle. King Hans revealed a fleet of warships that he had built in secret, as well as the might of his new army. With the Imperial Church once more supporting him, many of Arendelle's former allies refused to send aid, the threat of the Church and its Inquisition looming over them. The only kingdom brave enough to stand up to the Church was Corona, but Hans did not worry. His forces had become too great even for the Snow Queen and her allies to stop him. Plus, he had his secret weapons. Confident of his impending victory, Hans sailed towards Arendelle.