'You don't know?'
I woke up the next morning in the palace's guest chambers, remembering the last thing said from yesterday. He was confused and curious how I didn't know why I went to see him. He never said so but the look on his face and tone of his voice said so.

I stretched in my bed, finding the cooler spots on the sheets with my bare legs. The bed was comfortable and the room smelled like cinnamon. It was very cold however. Colder than I imagined it would be. I got up out of the bed and pulled on my robe and went to the giant window. I opened the curtains to let in the sunshine, hoping it would warm the room up, but sun did not come streaming in. Instead I my eyes met with a storm. The snow was coming down very hard and fast. A blizzard.

"Damn," I whispered to myself.

I had hoped to head home today, after signing the treaty. I am ready to put all of this and him behind me. I owed him no answers, or anything really. So what, I had no idea why I felt this strong need to see him. Or why I thought about him all the time. Or how it was his face I envision every night before I go to sleep. It was probably just that I want to make sure he is suffering. So why am I relieved that he is living somewhat comfortably even though he is a prisoner? Why do I want to hold him when he looks sad? To ease his pain?

I shook away those thoughts. I need to get ready to meet the king.

After getting dressed I made my way down to the king's study. When I arrived I was met with two of the thirteen, well twelve, princes.

"Queen Elsa. It is a pleasure. I am sorry we did not introduce ourselves yesterday. I am Fredrick, and this is my younger brother, Steinar."

Fredrick was tall and handsome. He had the Westerguard red hair, his was longer than Hans, and it was wavy. He kept it neat, he is a prince after all. He looked to be in his late thirties. When I looked in to his brown eyes I got a feeling of trust he seemed to be quite kind as well.
His brother Steinar, was slightly different, he was short and stocky and had a harsh look to his face. He seemed to be scowling. He had a couple of scars on his face, one on his cheek and another right above his left eye.

"Its my pleasure as well. I understand, Fredrick, you attended Anna's wedding. I hope you and your wife enjoyed yourselves," I nodded, keeping an eye on Steinar, his unpleasant looks made me feel a bit uneasy.

Fredrick noticed my cautious eyes and smiled kindly at me, "No need to worry about Steinar here, he is just this way. Being the head of our naval fleet puts a rather large stick up your ass. Possibly why he is a bachelor at the ripe age of thirty-two."

"What my brother means to say is that there is a lot on my plate. I apologize for my hostile appearance..." Steinar muttered.

His voice was quiet, but sincere. I smiled at him, he seemed harmless now.

"Ah! Queen Elsa! Just in time! Are you ready to set this agreement?" King Herald boomed as he entered the room.

King Herald seemed to be in good spirits this morning, and seeing so made me feel a bit better. The king and queen were wonderful people and deserved to smile.

"Ready as I will ever be."

After we singed the new trade agreement I met the royal family in the dining hall for lunch. I was ready for it since I had missed breakfast this morning.

I was sat next another brother, named Jon, who was 28 and engaged to the kingdom's baker's daughter, and Fredrick. Across from me was Steinar. I learned all the names right before lunch. The order went: Fredrick, Helge, Thomas, Frode, Steinar, Tore, Morten, Erik, Jon, twins Gunnar and Geir, Arne, then Hans.

"So, Queen Elsa, I heard your plans were to back today correct?" King Herald asked.

"Initially yes, however the blizzard may keep me here for a few short days. If that is alright with you King Herald..."

"Why of course it is fine! We would be happy to have you," King Herald exclaimed happily.

"Thank you."

"So Queen Elsa, I hear your sister, Princess Anna, married this past summer. Have you any wedding plans yourself?" Queen Orwilda asked me.

The question caught me off guard, and I choked a bit on my ham.

Coughing I responded, "N-no! Not at the current moment."

"Oh, well I am sure you will find the right man. Steinar here is the only Prince left to wed, poor thing has not found the right woman yet..." The queen not so subtly hinted.

And this caused everyone else to choke on their food. Mortified I could not say a thing in fear of sounding rude.

"M-mother! L-lets not spread lies, he is not the only one. Jon is not yet married either," Fredrick stated quickly.

"Oh, but he's engaged to be married! Which is basically the same thing," Queen Orwilda shrugged.

"Well hopefully Steinar will find a very smart, independent, and beautiful woman very soon, right Queen Elsa?" King Herald chucked and winked at me.

"Well... Hans has yet to be married, correct?" I blurted out.

The room became quiet, an awkward feeling among us, and everyone sullen.

"Yes, that... is correct... however he is no longer apart of... this family..." Queen Orwilda said choking back tears.

Feeling dreadful now, I quickly excused myself not bothering to finish the rest of my meal, despite how hungry I was.

I paid no attention to where I was headed until I ended up in front of a familiar large, heavily locked, iron door. I stood there for a second collecting my thoughts.

Why am I here? What was I thinking...? I hated this man and all I can think about was him.

Then the door opened, as a guard exited the room holding a tray of what appears to be from the kitchen. Must be delivering Hans' food.
The guard stopped in the middle of the doorway.

"Queen Elsa... what brings you here?" The guard asked.

Behind him I see Hans look up from his table at me. My face flushed and my heart fell to my stomach as I searched my head for an answer.

"I... I came to check on this prisoner."

"Oh, well go right a head my queen. Do you need a guard with you?"

I was staring at Hans as he was at me... his face was still sullen... and in a way I felt like I would be safe.

"No... there is no need. I can defend myself if needed."

With that I brushed past the guard in to the cell. I heard the guard close the door behind me.
I slowly approached the table and Hans stood up to greet me properly.

"Queen Elsa, I was not expecting you back... ever..." Hans quietly stated,

"Yes well... I wasn't either... Do you mind if I sit?" I gestured to the second chair.

"If you wish..."

I sat in the chair facing him. The air between us was tense again but it was slightly different tension then last time. It was more awkward.

"I just ruined a lunch with the royal family..." I blurted not knowing what else to say.

Hans gave me a puzzled look and asked, "Well I find that hard to believe... what happened? If you don't mind my asking..."

"Your mother brought up Anna's wedding... and then tried to play matchmaker to your brother Steinar and I... stating he was the only one left to be wed..." Looking at my glove covered hands.

"I don't see how you ruined it..."

"Well then I stated that you weren't married..."

"Oh."

I looked up in his eyes," I am constantly forgetting that you are no longer who you once were..."

Hans said nothing but look down at his lunch. It was the same as the one I was eating earlier. We were silent for a good while until my stomach growled.

"I assume you did not finish your lunch," Hans gave a light chuckle.

His laugh made my heart jump and put a smile on face... it was infectious, "Well do you blame me for not staying?"

"Well... I would not have even attended, the lot together will drive a man mad..." Hans stated getting up and grabbing a plate from his bookshelf.

"Oh, well where was that advice an hour ago..." I joked lightly, watching what he was doing.

Hand cut his ham in half and his roll and put it on the other plate and placed it in front of me. I was taken back by his kindness... but I thanked him anyways, took off my gloves, and started nibbling on the roll.

"You mother yesterday gave me the impression that she hated me..." I muttered.

"Ah well... she hates any female. You should have seen her with all my brothers' wives before they became family... It was the worst, she almost scared off Frode's wife, but Fredrick and I convinced her that my brother was worth all the crap my mother put her through," Hans laughed as he remembered.

I suddenly was so at ease with him now. Just talking... I was starting to forget.

"Fredrick seems very kind, Steinar however... I was quite scared of him at first I must say... has he always been so...?" Then I put the meanest scowl on my face that I could muster and i brought up my shoulders and hands till I was sure I looked very tense.

Hans burst with laughter, "Well unfortunately yes. I am quite impressed you did a great impression..."

Hans and I just kept talking and before I knew it, it was dark outside the window.

"So then Jon walked up to my mother in front of the King and Queen of Algasia with half his hair singed, a black eye and an arm tied around his back, crying so hard that he was unable to tell my mother what the twins and I have done." Hans exclaimed while holding on to the table because he was laughing so hard.

I was laughing just as hard, I was holding my stomach, for it ached due to the laughter. Our laughter quieted and we just sat and stared at each other... His eyes bore in to mine... I was almost hypnotized...

This is still the man who tried to kill Anna.

This thought brought me to my senses. What the hell was I doing here?

"I will take my leave," I quickly stood up and accidentally hit the table making his glass of wine spill all over the table.

Quickly I went to grab the napkin I had used and apparently so did Hans. When his hand clamped on mine I felt this quiver shoot through me and something deep in my abdomen churned and all of a sudden I wanted more of his touch. Hans however quickly let go and we stood there in silence.

Finally, while breathing heavily I whispered, "I better go..."

And I bolted out of there.


Well I really hope you enjoyed that chapter. I am pretty tired so I am hoping it is not to terrible to you guys... I Love you guys for reading this story this far. That must mean I am doing something right haha. Anyways please please please review! I love reviews. Good or bad. And follow! Though you don't have to, I love you even if you don't but I would like to see more follows happen. :) Tata everyone!