Out of breath and completely disorientated, Hans jolted awake - from where-ever awake was. Slowly, his erratic breathing ceased and the prince could make out the chambers he was in. It were his own chambers, but although everything looked the same, it had somehow managed to look different to him. Slowly, the prince put his feet on the floor and began to walk arround. What had happened? The prince searched through his memories: the midsommar festival, the will' o wisps...The prince' breath stocked, as not only his memories of the night before, but also his memories from before the Thaw returned to him.
"Its something to help everyone. To see once again the worst in you and view you as the monster you truly are"
"Don't be a monster... I can't be a monster!"
"No harm comes to her!"
"Once I kill Elsa and give you this ring... I'll be king Hans of Arendelle."
"I sentence queen Elsa to death!"
"Your sister is dead because of you!"
Hans sunk to his knees, horrified by the crimes he now clearly remembered. No... no, no no, this wasn't him, it couldn't be! A lump began to form in his throat as he saw his early self murder, lie and deceive himself for a way to obtain power. This isn't him, whimpered Hans to himself. This wasn't him…
And yet it was.
Hans' lips quivered and the lump in his throat reached its breaking point. The prince began to sob and pulled his feet to his chest to curl up into a ball. God, what had he done?!… what would he do now? Hans' eyes snapped open at that thought and panic began to curse through his veins. What if he became that same man again? The shock and horror the prince had felt for his crimes began to slowly transform into disgust and fear for the man he was. And in equal ferocity, the man he was roared at the empathy he had for the queen. The prince closed his eyes again and his mind was immediately bombarded with conflicting emotions from his early selves.
Early selves?
Who was he even now?
Hans felt cold sweat appear on his skin at that thought. Who was he even? The Southern Prince, or the Advisor to the queen? He.. he was neither now. The prince began to cry as he realized he couldn't go back to either of his former lives. At least, he had some kind of purpose when he was just Hans of the Southern Isles. And even though he had no memories, he had been at peace as the queen's right hand. Now he had neither purpose nor peace: Such a cruel punishment, to feel so lost…
Why? Just why did he remember so quickly? The queen had promised him to give him the time to remember his past, so why- Anna, realized Hans as he recalled the words she said to him. The prince had been so lost in his own memories, he had lost track of his most recent one.
"Its something to help everyone. To see once again the worst in you and view you as the monster you truly are"
The prince winced at the memory. Despite his pleading, she had given his memory back anyway. And despite all his work to prove himself a different man, she still saw him as a monster. They all still saw him as a monster…
No. Not the queen. She would see past it. She had given her word to him that she wouldn't judge him…
Do you even hear yourself? She has been manipulating you, tricking you! Off course she's going to wait till the trial comes so you stay calm all the way through. She is going to let you down, like your brothers and your father have done. You think she would put her own sister in danger if she thought she couldn't control you?
I… No, she wouldn't. The darker side began to grow once again in size and grasped the prince just as tight as before. She would never put Anna in danger, admitted Hans and he began to tremble. He was alone again and there was no one he could trust anymore...
There, there.. I'm here again for you, hushed the dark voice gently. You could always rely on me before, and you can do so again. The pain will soon pass.
I want it to stop, sniffed the younger version of Hans now, as he sought comfort with his older manipulative cold self.
And stop it, we shall.
How? pleaded the young version with begging eyes. Tell me, I do anything to take all the pain away!
The cold manipulative Hans chuckled at his words and whispered a few words in his younger self, who's eyes widened a little bit. And that will help?
Absolutely.
… Alright.
And light sniffed away, as it was still so young, so fragile… and o so hurt by the betrayal.
Hans' eyes shot open, to reveal irises ablaze with hatred. Never, vowed the prince as he strode towards his desk to retrieve his dagger. it was shimmering in the sun as he held it up to inspect how sharp it was. Never again would he allow himself be so weak. The prince felt the blade in his hand, contemplating on who would be his first to kill. To even try and get close to the queen this way would be suicide. He had sadly enough taught her too well in reading people. She would immeidately notice it. So, that left the next best thing - well, thought the prince to himself, not quite. She was the one who started it all: the one who was responsible for his failure and for making him remember. She would get what she wanted all along. Hans smiled and stormed out of his chambers, not caring if he bumped into passing servants or not.
"Hey Hans, I was searching for-ho! easy!" tried Agnarr to steady himself when Hans just forced him out of his way. "Hans, are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
The young recruit blinked concerned as his teacher and friend strode on, like a dog who had smelled blood. For a moment, Agnarr considered to try and stop whatever possession the prince was under. But upon remembering his murderous look as well as his behavior, the recruit spurted as quick as he could to the council meeting.
Elsa was beyond pissed - not only by the brought up topics, but also because her floral crown didn't work like it supposed to work. She had dreamt of being in a forrest, with the will o wisps to guide her towards her true love. But when their glowing path stopped, she saw no one. "Well?"
He… he should be here too, hummed the wisps concerned as they flew in haste around the open flower field to search for her destined husband.
"Well, as you can see, no one is here." replied Elsa bitterly as she crossed her arms in an attempt to calm herself. A sick, cruel joke, that was what this was. True love, huffed the queen to herself as she tried to erase the pain that swelled up inside her. Its not like i need it anyway. Its not like anyone would ever want me…
The wisps squealed in horror when Elsa began to leave. Wait! Wait! cried the lights out as they flew in front of her to stop her from leaving. No, please, he will come!
"Stop toying with me!" snapped the teary-eyed queen as she waved her hand in order to make them vanish.
We aren't toying with you, pleaded the wisps as they tugged at Elsa's fingers and hair to get her where she needed to be. Not that they actually could hoist a full grown human up their tiny forms, but they could at least try and show that they meant it!
"Just… let me GO!" screamed the queen as she let ice flash from her hands - the wisps that had taken hold of her fingertips were all blasted away to the other side of the field. The one that had taken hold of Elsa's braid was harshly taken between thumb and forefinger and flung away with a gesture from her hand. "And leave me alone." sniffed Elsa as she stormed away from the field, completely devastated by the cruel joke that was placed on her, as well as the fact that no true love would ever be her part.
"Your majesty!" Elsa shook herself out of her thoughts when a voice suddenly disrupted the meeting and startled, the queen glanced behind her, all while the council members shot up in an uproar as a young lad burst unannounced into the room.
"How dare you come here, boy? Have you no manners?!"
"Apparently the captain is too soft on them."
"We should take-"
"Quiet, all of you!" silenced the queen as she stood up from her chair as well. "Never has a recruit run into a council meeting like that." said Elsa as she stared down at the sweating Agnarr. "Nor would my captain allow a recruit to advance so far, if he didn't deem him disciplined enough. What is the issue, recruit?" asked the queen firmly.
"Your majesty… I saw… Prince Hans" swallowed the boy nervously as he felt all the judging stares on him. "He.. he burst out of his room like a madmen and pushed everyone out of the way. Your majesty, I think, in my humble opinion… I think he remembers."
If the room was in uproar before, now it was utter chaotic. Elsa ignored the accussations, the blame and advice that was flung arround by her council and kept her attention on Agnarr. "Where did you last see him?"
"He went to the east wing, your majesty." Agnarr pushed himself aside so the queen could walk past him and followed immediately after her lead, with the council behind her heels.
"Hello, Anna."
The princess stiffened. No. The guards. There were guards placed before this room, he couldn't have- Anna turned arround, to see Hans staring at her with a bloodied knife in his hand. "How did you-?" choked Anna out as she began to distance herself from the prince.
"I killed them, off course." Hans shrugged as if it were the most normal thing in the world. The man grinned and the dried blood on his face stood all the more out. "What's the matter princess?" asked the prince sweetly as he advanced towards her. "Afraid of the monster you ressurected? You wanted me. Now, you shall have it."
Anna swallowed as she saw the man come closer every second and she put out her arms defensively in order to block the blade. However, upon seeing the confident look of the prince, Anna realized she couldn't win. His height and mass will make it very easy for him to overpower her. The princess spun her heels and began to flee, only to feel Hans' painful grip upon her arm. She had always read in books how the heroes could always fight back with a witty remark, or stayed stoic and calm in the face of death. She did none of that - she began to scream, loud and hoarsh from fear as she punched and clawed at him in an attempt to free herself. And for a moment, it seemed that way. The moment she felt his grip weaken just a bit, Anna began to tug. She was nearly free, if she could just -
But then she saw the shimmering blade coming towards her. The adrenaline rush and fear had heightened the princess's senses extremely. Out of pure animalistic instinct and with a strength she didn't know she possessed, the princess took hold of the blade with her bare hands, keeping it inches from penetrating her flesh.
For a moment, the two stood there, gasping as they tested each other's strength. Hans smiled when the blade slowly began to move closer to Anna's direction.
Despite the excruciating pain of the blade and the blood that began to drip down her hands, the princess held on - but she could see that Hans was slowly advancing and despite the adrenaline rush, despite her will to live, she couldn't match his strength for long anymore. She had to do something…
Hans gasped in pain when he felt the princess's foot kick in between his legs and the pressure of the weapon was gone. Anna didn't dare to pick up the weapon for herself, afraid the prince might be quicker and mortally wound her. So, the princess began to distance herself, her head dizzy and disorientated. Get out… she needed to get out! Clutching her bloodied hands to her chest, the princess forced her feet to run out of the room only to stumble and fall when her feet bumped against the murdered soldiers. The fall on the ground was unexpected and harsh and Anna saw stars for a moment. Get up.. Get up! The princess scrambled up, nearly losing her balance when she tried to rise up too quickly on her wobbly feet and began to run again. Run… just run… In a flash, Anna saw the candelier on the table and took it in one swift moment. The spiky parts digged in her wounded palm and the princess hissed from discomfort as she held on to it. Anna dared to look behind her, to see Hans' running into view. "Don't… don't come any closer!" stammered the princess as she held up the candelier in a defensive position. When the prince had come close enough, the princess began to wildly swing it arround in an attempt to keep him at bay.
Hans simply watched, till he found the perfect opening and slashed with his knife on her wrist, causing Anna to drop the candelier in pain. Before she could reach for it, she felt Hans' fist colliding with her cheek, causing her fall on her back.
"Now, princess…" breathed Hans out as he took hold of the princess's neck and heaved her up against the wall. "Any last words?"
Anna's eyes widened as she felt the blade against her throat and immediately froze as she was afraid to cut her own artery.
"Hans!"
The prince froze only for a moment when he heard Elsa's commanding voice and swift as a snake, the prince took Anna away from the wall, as he kept her prisoner in his arms with the knife still at her throat. "Make one move, snow queen, and your sister's throat gets cut to the bone!" threatened Hans as he pushed the knife harder into her skin. Anna gasped at the increasing pressure.
"Put the knife down. Your strife is with me, not her."
"That's where you are mistaken. She…" Hans' eyes lingered once again on the princess. "She is responsible for everything. For my failure, for remembering who I am...And you" Hans' dark eyes settled on the queen once more. "You used my amnesia in order to make me loyal to you."
"That's not true." said Elsa calmly as she kept her hands curled into fists. "I have been honest with you from the very start. Now let her go. Its not too late yet to reconsider."
"Its already too late for me." breathed Hans out, his voice quivering with anger as he let the knife cut through Anna's skin - blood began to trickle down her throat. But just when he was to cut the artery -
"Hans, don't be the monster they think you are!"
Hans breath stocked at the queen's words and his hand stopped moving any further.
"I know monsters… and I believe you aren't one. Otherwise, you would have killed her the moment I arrived." whispered the queen.
Hans' hands began to tremble at her words, because he knew how true they rang. Slowly, the prince removed the knife from Anna's throat and let it drop on the ground, all while Anna was quickly ushered behind the safety of the guards. Now that the red fog had cleared, so came the realization of what he had done. Breathing heavily, the prince felt on the verge of emptying his stomach. God, what had he done? His one and only chance he had been given, he had squandered it. Hans dared to look up into the queen's eyes and flinched at seeing raw dissappointment in her irises. He never felt so ashamed at seeing that look. "I.. I'm sorry." breathed the prince out as he sunk to his knees. "I'm so so sorry." said Hans again as he cast his eyes down because he couldn't stand seeing the dissappointment anymore. "For everything I've done to you, to your sister… Please…" pleaded Hans as tears began to prickle his eyes. "Please forgive me." The prince sobbed in earnest now as he tried to grasp the ends of Elsa's dress. "I.. I didn't mean to..i was afraid, I was angry…" tried Hans to explain in irregular gasps of air.
"Guards, bring prince Hans to his chambers, bound in shackles."
Hans felt as if a knife had been put into his heart. God no! please… He wanted to scream, to beg and to simply take all that dissappointment away. He had changed! Please, Please just give me another chance! But he did none of those, for he already knew that the queen would not be swayed - she had said so herself - one chance, and one only. And like she had given her word to preserve judgement, so she would keep her word about giving chances.
"Elsa, he attacked me! Just put him in the dungeons where he belongs with all the other monsters!" screamed Anna appealed by her sister's decision.
Upon hearing her voice, his anger flared up again. "A monster? Who is the monster here?!" roared Hans like an animal. "You spoiled entitled brat, I will kill you for what you did to me!" Hans' eyes widened, only to shut them down again. God… why? Just why? The prince began to cry once more, completely devastated by what he had done. "Look at what you did to me." cried Hans out as the tears spilled over his cheeks.
"It serves you right!" bristled Anna as she fought against the guards that were holding her. "You deserve everything-"
"That's ENOUGH, Anna!" shut the elder sister her sibling down.
"What, I'm the villain now?" reacted Anna in disbelief. "Elsa,-"
"Captain, fetch the doctor so he can tend to my sister's wounds and have her then brought to the throne room" gave Elsa the command before turning her attention to the sobbing prince. She couldn't help but shudder at the prince's cries: They were raw, genuine and pure..No man could fake that. Then again, he had spoken of her sister being responsible for his returned memory. Anna wouldn't do that, said Elsa firmly to herself. She wouldn't go against her orders. Hans was lying to them once again, and she was falling for it. The queen's eyes turned hard when Hans, in between the two strong guards, passed by and turned her back on him without saying a word.
The queen's head went up when she saw Anna being brought in and the queen smiled in relief when she saw the bandages arround her wounds. "Are you alright? Does it still hurt?" asked the older sister, letting all protocol go the moment Anna stood still before her.
"Oh, NOW do you ask how I'm doing?" bit Anna back as she waved her bandaged hand around.
"I need to follow protocol as queen-"
"Horseshit!"
Elsa's mask slipped. "Anna, mind your tongue!" reprimanded the queen as she stood up from her throne. "You are to stop using these filthy words that Kristoff taught you. The way you behaved with Hans was unacceptable and hardly befitting a princess-"
"There it is again" interrupted Anna as she pointed her finger to Elsa. "Hans, Hans, always Hans!" went Anna on. "Oh, Hans is so lost, oh Hans is so vulnerable!" mocked the princess Elsa's voice. "Oh, Hans is so-"
"BE QUIET!" roared the queen when she could take Anna's disrespect no longer. "I am in no need of your mockery alongside that of my council." went Elsa on at a much calmer, though still very tensed tone. "If that is all you can say, you are dismissed."
Anna swallowed at seeing Elsa's eyes - although they stood hard, she could see by her composure she was very hurt by her words. "Elsa I'm sorry." apologized the princess as she cast her head down in shame. "I didn't mean to lash out to you like that. It is just… I was worried about you. I still am for your safety now that he remembers." went Anna on softly as she went to touch her sister's hand.
"Hans said that he remembered because of you." The queen frowned when she saw her sister shift uncomfortably on her feet. "But that's… i mean, that is not true -" went the queen on as she kept on reading her sister's body language. "Right?"
"Yes, off course! Its not right - not true, I mean."
"Anna." The princess winced at hearing her sister's cold sniping voice. "Look me in the eye and tell me that it is not true." Slowly, Anna's eyes went upwards to meet her sister's and the queen removed her hand from hers when she saw the truth in her eyes. "You…" said the queen with a low voice that was on the verge of exploding. The queen swallowed to keep her rage contained. "Did I give you that order, sister?" asked the queen while clenching her fists. Her magic was already building up in her arms, she felt her hands shaking as so much anger was pumping through her.
"No, but I-"
"Yes or no."
"Elsa, let me explain-"
"Yes. or. No."
Anna swallowed. "No." replied the princess in a tiny voice. "But Elsa, I did it to help you, I-" went Anna immediately on.
"Spare me your excuses. You disobeyed my orders, you betrayed my trust and above all, three men are now dead by your hands!" snapped the queen as ice began to spread on the floor. "What else did you do?" asked Elsa immediately after. Now that she knew her sister had done something behind her back, the queen wasn't sure whether she could trust her at all anymore.
"I... I briefed Hans' brothers about his condition."
For a moment all was quiet, before the whole room was coated in ice and frost in a split second. The wood creaked and the vases spat in pieces as the queen's anger hit its boiling point. "You did WHAT?!" For a moment, the queen was overwhelmed with the amount of magic that was cursing through her veins and with a cry, the queen summoned it into a big snowflake pattern. With the greatest difficulty and with harsh hail drops, the snowflake pattern vanished and the room was once again as it was. The queen's anger had not. "And what was in the content of said letters?" asked the queen in an icy tone as she turned her back towards her sister - if she were to look at her, oh she would do something she sincerely regret later on.
"I told them about his memory loss and… about you trying to make him remember before the trial is due."
"And when do they arrive?"
"In two days."
Elsa closed her eyes at her sister's words. "Get out."
"What?"
"i said: Get out." bit the queen without even turning her head to her. "Now." Elsa heard her sister's footsteps echo further and further away till at long last the hall door closed with a huge CLUNK. Now that she was truly alone, the queen began to sob quietly, broken by her sister's lack of fate and fearful of the very uncertain future.
Hans pretended as if he didn't notice the opening door or the footsteps that came his way. It definitely were that of a man, as he heard by the boots. When the footsteps stopped, Hans glanced upwards to stare right at the head councillor.
"Prince Hans"
"So you know already then." said Hans without answering with the proper title.
"Everyone knows of your emotional display this morning. Its that very fact that I wish to talk about with you" said the councillor. "May I seat?" asked the man as he made already the move to sit in the chair in front of the prince.
"No."
"No?" echoed the councillor in surprise before anger began cross his features. "Its only proper to offer a guest a place to sit."
"You are no guest of mine. You invited yourself here."
For a moment doubt flickered in the councillor's eyes, before they hardened. "If you think for one moment that you can harm me, I am under the queen's protection-"
"Goodness I'm merely stating a fact, not a threat." rolled Hans his eyes in annoyance before taking a sip from his wine. "Now. What are you doing here?"
In just two minutes, the prince led the conversation and not him. The councillor hadn't expected this outcome at all and he stood there frozen, not sure of his next move. "Like I said before... I wished to talk about your emotional outburst this morning. Like many others, I don't blame you for acting the way you did - I blame her majesty. The way the queen has handled your amnesia is something I, alongside many other council members, have openly questioned, but she didn't wish to listen to our advice." sighed the councillor frustrated. "Its our duty to aid her - but we are very much useless in performing said duty when it falls on deaf ears."
Hans chuckled at his words and his eyes settled once again upon the councillor. "She's becoming her own queen" The prince showed a wolf-like grin. "And you are in the same situation as I: you can't control her anymore."
"Hardly any good will come for her subjects" The councillor saw Hans' narrow his eyes and he smirked. "I got your attention at last." said the man as he seated himself in the chair. This time, Hans didn't refuse him. "The queen's decision to spare you torture or death is a message to the world that she isn't the monster everyone thinks she is. But people still make their own conclusions - and fear for the unknown only fuels it. How long will it be till one acts upon what they all think and come to rid this kingdom of her?" The councillor took a deep breath, before continuing on. "The people would be the true victim in this war and the council can't allow Queen Elsa any longer on the throne. Her sister is still underage for 4 years, which leaves a power vacuum for the Ardellian throne. While the council has years of experience, we are too much specialized in one subject in order for one of us to take the temporary position. Arendelle needs a strong leader - one that the people are already familiar with... you."
"Me?" echoed Hans unsurprised, as he saw this scenario coming from a mile away.
"You've ruled this country admirably in absence of princess Anna. You have the support of the common people-"
"That was before I tried to execute their queen. They wouldn't allow it."
"They would, if you have the support of the entire council."
Hans just stared at the man in front of him. "Truly? You would forsake your vows to the queen and stand at my side?"
The councillor nodded and grinned when Hans smiled to him. The first rush of victory vanished however when he saw that the prince's smile was hardly one out of acceptance.
"I'm impressed - you're far better at word play than I ever expected you to be. But you've overplayed your hand by thinking you still have the same man before you." said Hans with a low voice. "I refuse your offer. You've proven flexible when it comes to suit your own needs and with such a man I don't intent to work with."
"Are you questioning my loyalty?!" said the councillor appealed at his words.
"No, I affirm your lack of it." said Hans in the same calm tone. "You sided with me when Queen Elsa fled and voted to have her executed. You once again changed sides when she thawed the winter and now that you realize you can't control her anymore, you came to find in me an ally, or rather a puppet in your vocabulary."
"Look the pot accusing the kettle. You are hardly a saint either, Prince Hans. You have more crimes on your soul than I."
"Unlike you, I regret them."
The councillor hummed at the prince's naieveté. "And you think that everything is going to work out simply because you are sorry? You honestly think, the queen is going to forgive you for what you've done? Or even believe the word of a traitor against that of her own councillor when she's told about this conversation? A man is nothing in this world without friends. So I suggest you keep me as one for when the trial comes."
"And I suggest, you keep yourself from making me or my brothers your enemy." stared Hans the man down. "You don't wish to start a rivalry with us: it never ends well for the other side"
"Ah, yes… your brothers. I've heard so much about them. Your relationship is.. how to put it?" mused the man as he tapped his chin. "Under the freezing point. I sincerely doubt they will vow for their incompetent little brother who made such a diplomatic mess here in Arendelle."
Hans' eyes turned dark - however, the words were true and they hurt.
"Well then.. seeing how you've made your choice… I shall take my-"
"Wait!" Hans' shout made the councillor stop mid-way towards the door, whom turned to face the prince again. Instead of grass, the viper had swallowed all of it. "I'm in. What am I required to do?"
The moment the councillor shut the door, he let himself relax and smile contently. Everything had gotten even better then expected. The queen's trust was shaken - both in her sister and in the Southern prince. The already existing cracks in her relationships had spread and all that was left to do was making the cliff even wider.
