Arrival
"Land Ahoy!" yelled the captain waking Elsa from her slumber. Walking out onto the deck, she could feel the hot sun beating down on her. She had never felt so hot in her life. Quickly she created a small flurry above her head to keep her cool. As the ship docked though, she waved it away, worried it would not make a good first impression on the King of the Southern Isles.
As Elsa walked down the ramp onto the dock she was greeted by a few of Hans' older brothers. The oldest, King Christian and his wife Queen Josephine, along with the Crown Prince Feliks. There was also, Prince Magnus, who was closest in age to Hans, and who looked almost identical to him. It sent shivers down Elsa's spine, but she kept a smile on her face and went through all the required greetings before being taken to the castle and shown her room. The following day would be quite busy for her, with the trial, a trade meeting, and a tour of the town. She was happy to have a few hours to herself. However, it wasn't long before she started to realize something was wrong, there was no ice in her ice bucket, and looking out her window, she noticed that all the ice cream shops, fish stores, and ice stands were closed. She wondered if it was a result of the trade cut off and decided to go find King Christian to find out.
Sure enough, the King confirmed her suspicions. Elsa was shaken by this revelation and decided that they must create a new trade agreement because she couldn't stand to see a kingdom in such need. King Christian called for the trade meeting to be moved up to that day. Luckily, they were able to come up with a mutually beneficial agreement, and Elsa supplied the whole city with ice on the spot before retiring back to her room to prepare for the trial tomorrow.
Sitting in the courtroom the next day, Elsa was shocked at Hans' appearance. He was brought in in chains, his clothes tattered, hair unkempt and overgrown. He was forced into a small booth where four guards surrounded him, and his feet, neck, and arms were chained down. He looked miserable and Elsa couldn't stand seeing anyone being treated like that, but she knew it would be a political blunder to comment, so instead, she sat through the trial, her heart breaking for the man. When it came time for Elsa to give her opinion of what Hans punishment should be, she surprised everyone. "I think before I come to a decision, I would like a few minutes alone with the defendant." She stated firmly. Realising she might have overstepped her position though, she added: "If that's all right." The King looked at his younger brother and then the queen, before nodding in consent.
Soon the two were alone together, Hans looked at her nervously in shame. He knew she was the powerful one here, and that he did not deserve her mercy. He looked down. Elsa walked over to him, and icy frown on her face. "Why Hans, why did you do it?" She demanded. Hans looked up at the queen, expecting to see coldness etched on her face. What he saw surprised her. Her icy cold stare had melted away, all that was left was hurt, confusion, worry, care, and most of all interest. She genuinely seemed interested in what he had to say. It left him feeling raw, and his icy exterior melted away too. He began to speak.
"My whole life, I've been an outcast. My parents didn't love me, my brothers didn't love me. I was a mistake, my parents told me that from the start, that I was supposed to be a girl, that they didn't want a boy. My brothers too, they all had a role to play, parents who loved them, and they believed they could take advantage of me, my whole life. They've forced me to do their work, humiliated me in public, blamed me for all their wrongdoings. I was the bad son, the worst thing that's happened to this family, the unlucky thirteenth. Nobody's ever cared about my feelings. They've told me I would never amount to anything, never be king or anything." Hans paused, tears threatening to fall. Elsa's was beginning to feel sympathy for the man in front of her. She knew what it was like to be shut out and mistreated. Not to the extent that Hans was, she at least had parents who loved her, but still, the feeling of loneliness still haunted her to this day. Still, something about Hans' story didn't quite make sense to her.
"But Hans, only the firstborn would rule anyway, maybe the second born if something happened. So why did they pick on you, if eleven of your brothers were never destined to rule anyway?" Hans sighed. "My parents had an elaborate plan, Elsa." Elsa shivered a little when he said her name, she wasn't sure she liked him using her first name, neither was she sure that it was appropriate, but she said nothing and let him continue. "You see, each one of my brothers was betrothed before they were born, raised to marry at 18 and unite the kingdoms forever. Christian with Josephine, Sweyn with Astrid, Knut with Katrine, Frederik with Sonja, Erik with Hilda, Benedikt with Ingrid, Joakim with Martha, Aksel with Alaina, Elias with Alana, Mathias with Anastasia, Jacob with Elsebeth, Marius with Anne, Tobias with Larina and Magnus with Mette." Hans sighed, Elsa's jaw dropped. "My parents wanted me to marry you, but your father would hear nothing of betrothal, saying he wished for you and your sister to marry for love." Hans looked back at Elsa, who still looked confused. "I'm so sorry Hans, that sounds terrible. But you still haven't explained why you… why you… you tried to kill me and my sister." Hans nodded grimly, remembering his darkest days.
"Well, as you know, I was told that I would never rule, like all my brothers. I thought, with your kingdom being one of my only chances, and with you not having much experience, that maybe it was my opportunity to… well, be accepted by my family. I planned to come and woo you with my charm and marry you, but well, no one could get close to you, and I, I had heard stories of men trying to court you and not getting anywhere." He glanced back towards Elsa again, her face was stone hard, she didn't seem pleased, but Hans continued. "Then I ran into your sister, or… she ran into me. She seemed so innocent, so ready and willing to marry that I just had to take the opportunity. But I knew I would have to do something with you. So, I decided I would have to kill you. A decision I hated may I add. I was even more disgusted with myself when I saw you and your beauty, and then your power. I thought it was amazing and beautiful." "Stop!" interrupted Elsa. "You thought it was beautiful… that, that, I was beautiful?" she asked in shock. Hans looked straight at her, "yes, I still think that. You are amazing Elsa, your eyes, your powers." He stopped, thinking he had gone too far. Elsa just stared at him and nodded, "please continue" she finally said. "Well, I also knew they would be your downfall. So I waited, and when Anna came back, near death I saw my chance, and you know what happened." He paused, noticing the tears forming in Elsa's eyes, and feeling something wet on his cheek. A tear, he hadn't cried in so long he had almost forgotten what it felt like. But once he had started he couldn't stop. He broke down, "please believe me when I say, I am truly sorry, I never wanted it to go so far. I don't condone violence and I hate myself for what I did to you and your sister. I imagine it every day and it haunts me. If you decide to lock me up, to kill me, whatever, I will accept it…. I don't deserve to be free." He sobbed. Elsa walked over to him and placed a cool hand on his shoulder. "Thank you." She said and walked out of the room.
