Had to re upload this because a large section was missing.

Got this done just before I have to go to work. I've been working a lot lately

Enjoy.

Chapter #8

Henriette had left Arendelle the same day. Elsa, trying to be a gracious host, tried to convince her to stay and rest for a little while but Henriette declined, revealing that no one knew that she was in Arendelle. Henriette promised that she would come to Arendelle again someday, hopefully with a more cheerful purpose.

From there on, life continued as normal, though Elsa was on high alert for the possibility that Hans would return. She had increased the guards around the city and send out more scouts, although she lied that there were reports of bandits along the border that were heading for the city. When she was on her own, she practiced her magic; she wanted to be swift should Hans actually return to get revenge.

But as time passed and there were no sightings of imminent danger, Elsa decided that she was overreacting. She removed a large portion of all the safety precautions she took and continued with her routine like she normally did.

As she had done so often in the past few weeks, Elsa traveled towards the cave with a basket filled with the wielder's supply of food. She didn't bother waiting for him to leave anymore for the obvious reason that he knew she was given him supplies. Elsa hoped that she would encounter him today; she wanted to ask him if there was anything he wanted, something to pass the time.

She went into the cave and walked almost blindly towards the opening. Once through, she smiled when she saw the wielder crouched at the center, putting together a pile of wood and using his magic to light it.

"Doesn't that hurt you?" Elsa asked. He looked over his shoulder and smiled at her lightly.

"Not if I use it a little and briefly." He explained. He leaned closer to the small burning pile and blew on the flames, encouraging them to grow and spread. Ashe repeated the process, Elsa went to him and put the basket down beside him. He turned his attention away from the fire and scoured a bit through all the food, grabbing a small piece of bread and eating it immediately.

"It's the usual amount." Elsa explained. The wielder looked up at her, his face a perfect split between burnt and normal.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"You're welcome." Elsa replied, "Was there anything else you wanted?" She asked. He stood up, allowing Elsa to see his full height. He wasn't as tall as she had expected; he was only a tad taller than she was

"There is something you could bring me." He said shyly, "Grimm's Fairytales?" Elsa looked at him confused for a moment. Why would a grown ask for a book of fairytales? She was about to ask when she remember her encounter with Henriette. She had said that her mother had given her and Hans a copy of the fairytales as a farewell gift. She examined the wielder from toe to head while trying not to give away that she was doing it, her mind rewinding back to a year ago to her coronation.

Perfectly combed auburn hair and dreamy olive-green eyes.

Her inspection found he had the same hair, albeit longer and messier from the rugged outdoor life. And she crossed his eyes, she had to stifle a gasp because they were the exact in every aspect to that of the Adler Empress' eyes.

"Are you alright?" The wielder asked. Elsa shook herself out of her daze and nodded.

"Yes," She panted, "I'm fine, H-" She just barely stopped herself from saying the last word. Luckily, he didn't notice the slip-up. "I'll bring the book as soon as I can." The Queen added. She turned around and quickly left.

Her mind was spinning. The wielder was Hans. There was no doubt about it. All this time, he had been hiding under her nose and, to add even more insult, she had been helping him! In a burst of anger, she swung her hand to a tree and froze it from root to stem.

Upon returning to the palace, she barked to the servants and anyone that she came across that she didn't want to be disturbed. She went into the library, freezing the door shut as an assurance for privacy.

Her mind whirled with feelings of hatred, disgust and pity. The anger and disgust all came from her coronation. Upon meeting him, she had thought him a naïve fool, handsome but a fool, for wanting to marry her sister even though they had only met that day.

The second time she saw him was in the ice palace. He had stopped her from killing two men. From that moment on, he wasn't a fool to her. More so a perceptive man.

Then in the dungeon, he was so much like her. It was almost like looking in the mirror.

But once Elsa discovered from Anna what he had done, all the things she thought he was was instantly gone, all to be replaced by anger for him hurting Anna and disgust for why and how he hurt her.

But the revelations from Henriette had drawn sympathy out of her too.

With a sigh, Elsa stood up and walked to a bookcase and pulled out a large green book with fancy gold letters saying "Grimm's Fairytales."

She decided that she would give it to him, not because she wanted to but because she wanted answers from him.

The next day, she went out once more with the book tucked under her arm. Even after making the decision to give it to him, she still had some doubts.

At one point she decided not giving him the book and to stop giving him supplies, cut him off like others had but, she decided against it; she was not a monster, not like he was.

As she approached the cave, her heart began to pound with nervousness. What if she had mistaken him for Hans? What if he really was Hans and out to get revenge? What if he attacked her?

The last question she pushed to the back of her mind. She had her magic to protect herself with and had been practicing it in case she did run into to Hans and she had to defend herself.

She took the usual path into and through the cave until she reached the opening in the wall. Taking a deep breath to assure herself, she went through, another pang of nervousness hitting her when she saw him sitting by the fire.

Hearing her footsteps, the wielder stood up and a smile came on his face when he spotted the book under her arm.

"You have it?" He asked excitedly, almost running to her and holding out his unburned hand to take it. However, Elsa kept the book out of his reach.

"It's yours if you answer me one question." She demanded. His hand lowered at the demand and his expression fell with it.

"Go ahead." Elsa took a deep breath through her nose.

"Why did you try to take my kingdom, Hans?" The wielder took a step back and looked at Elsa with pain and shock.

"You knew." He replied, confirming Elsa's suspicions: he was Hans. Not wanting to let it slip that he had her fooled at one point, she lied,

"Of course I did. I knew from the moment I saw you." She placed a hand on top of the book, as if wanting to protect it from Hans' hand, "Now answer my question!" She demanded, "Why did you do it?" Hans sighed and sat down on a boulder,

"I suspect that Anna told you that it was because I wanted a throne." He started. Once the Queen nodded, he continued, "That was part of the reason. The main reason…" He hesitated, "The main reason…" The tears began to form in his eyes but he refused to let them fall lest Elsa saw them; he refused to look weak in front of her.

"Is?" Elsa pushed.

"I wanted my family back!" He hollered, throwing his burned arm to the side and shooting a ball of fire at the wall. He panted heavily, both to relieve his anger and his grief. Elsa stood silently, shocked from his violent reaction.

"Your family?" She asked, putting up her façade perfectly. Hans plunked himself back onto the boulder, refusing to look at Elsa before he betrayed the tear that fell from his eye.

"You sound surprised." He said bitterly, "Didn't think this monster would be capable of feeling, did you?"

"I-" Elsa started but she was cut off.

"Don't try to deny it with your pretty words!" He screamed, standing up and finally looking at her, "I know you think I'm a monster! Everybody else does, so why should you be any different?" He spat and he ran out the cave before Elsa could say another word. She stood silently in her spot and moved only when she remembered she still had the book in her arms. Out of some urge of compassion, Elsa put the book down on the boulder and promptly left.

On her way back to the castle, Elsa wondered if she had done the right thing by demanding an explanation from him. Sure, she had the right to demand an explanation but was it too early? As she walked into the city, she had come to the conclusion that she had asked it much too early. She didn't ponder on it too long though; she had something else to take care of first.

I can't promise an update next week because I have to work every day except for Christmas and Christmas Eve

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