A/N: Thank you everyone for your reviews and support! I love hearing from you all and am so happy you like how the events are turning out! There's plenty more planned out for the next few chapters. More awesome is coming!
Chapter 8: Royal Introductions
"Breathe in, your highness!" Lilith smiled as she tied the laces on the back of Anna's bodice.
"Oh wow, too tight!" Anna swallowed. "Is this really necessary? I'm just leaving the room, I'm not getting married! …or am I?" She joked and looked down at herself and placed her hand over her stomach as Lilith finished with the laces. "Don't you think this is a bit too fancy?"
"Of course not," Lilith replied. "But first impressions are very important. It's my job to make sure you look your absolute best for his Majesty the king."
"I'm pretty sure they got their first impression of me already, 'Princess Anna of Arendelle and street-walker of the Southern Isles'." Anna sighed.
"Now, that was an unfortunate circumstance." Lilith led her to the full length mirror. "Well?"
Anna admired her reflection in the mirror. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled back into an elegant bun much like the one she styled for Elsa's coronation. She was dressed in a long green gown with puffed long sleeves and a high collar with silver buttons leading down to a black corset-styled bodice. The green skirt loosely hugged her figure at the hips and then flared out at her thighs all the way to the floor. Anna did a little spin and watched her skirts twirl around her legs. "I love it! It's beautiful!"
"A much better improvement from the rags we found you in, Milady." Lilith smiled. She opened her mouth to speak again when there was an impatient knocking at the door. The maid hurried over and swung open the door. Prince Hans was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed.
"Is she ready yet?" he asked with a slight irritation in his tone. Lilith let him inside the room and gestured to Anna standing at the mirror.
"We had just finished." Lilith said. "How does she look?"
Hans glanced over at Anna and looked her up and down. "Like a princess."
Anna turned to him and half-smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Lilith smiled, "I'll leave you two alone." She left the room.
Hans waited for the door to close before he advanced on Anna. "That's quite the look for you."
"Thanks!" Anna couldn't help but grin, though she started to suspect Hans. He had just given her two compliments in the last few minutes. Something must be up.
"Do you realize how long I have been standing out there waiting for you? My father is rather impatient."
Anna grinned. "I take it a long time. Maybe I should have Lilith bring more of the fancier apparel. I do like taking my sweet ol' time…" She spun around and curtsied slightly for him, just to prove her point.
"You'd do that just to get on my nerves, wouldn't you?" Hans sneered.
"Of course. If I get to be your well-deserved punishment, I better milk it for all its worth."
"You're only punishing yourself." Hans said. "You're stuck with me all the same."
"I'm trying not to think about that part." Anna said, lifting her skirts to slip her feet into her shoes.
Hans chuckled. "You can't have it both ways, Princess." Gently, he reached for her hand. "C'mon, let's go. The king is waiting."
Anna walked past him without taking his hand and started down the hall. "So I'm meeting your father? Then what?"
Hans shrugged. "A tour of the castle, then you'll dine with all of us tonight. I hope you're prepared."
"Prepared for what, eating real food?" Anna raised her brow.
"No; meeting my brothers."
The guards opened the doors to the throne room, and then Anna and Hans entered. Anna looked around the large chamber as they made their way to the throne. Each side of the room had large windows framed with deep red and gold curtains. Between each window were tall marble columns that reached the vaulted ceiling. Anna's first impression of the room was 'magnificent'. The room itself was not too much larger than the throne in Arendelle, the design and décor in this chamber created the illusion of grandeur. When Anna looked forward again, she noticed the single throne atop the steps was empty.
"Where's the king?" Anna leaned over and whispered to Hans. "I thought you said he was waiting…"
Hans looked down at her and smirked. "I just said that so you'd hurry up."
"I hate you…"
"And I you," Hans chuckled. "At least we agree on one thing."
The side doors opened and the heavyset King Alexander entered the throne room. He walked over and stopped several paces in front of Anna. "Princess Anna." He smiled and gave a nod.
Anna curtsied. "Your Majesty," She said. "It's a pleasure to meet you.
"The feeling is mutual, Milady." Alexander said, motioning for her and Hans to come forward into his private chambers. Once inside, he motioned for the guards to leave them for privacy. "You gave us quite the scare."
"I'm sorry…" Anna said, not knowing quite what to say. She took in King Alexander's appearance and noticed the family resemblance between him and Hans.
Alexander shook his head and waved to the couch. Anna and Hans sat down beside one another. "What I would like to know is how you arrived in our land. Our doctor had his own theories, but I want to hear it from you personally."
Anna swallowed. "I was returning to Arendelle from Malengrad when my ship was caught in a storm. The ship was being destroyed, so the Captain put me in a lifeboat to try and get me back to shore. I just washed ashore here…"
Alexander nodded. "You're quite lucky. There have been several storms plaguing these southern waters for weeks now. We have lost many ships to nature's icy wrath." He moved towards the window and clasped his hands behind his back. "It was lucky Prince Hans found you when he did. You were quite ill in our dungeons. And I fully apologize for any and all mistreatment on behalf of my people and royal guard. If we knew who you were…"
"No no, it's fine…" Anna said, starting a nervous ramble. "I mean, it's not fine, but I was lost and confused and I didn't exactly-"She stopped when she realized she was babbling. "Sorry." She said meekly. Her hands began nervously fidgeting with the fabric of her skirt.
The king dismissed it. "Relax, princess. I am only pleased your recovery has been a successful one."
Anna nodded. "Yes, and I thank you, and Lilith, and…"though she hated to admit it, "Prince Hans, for taking care of me during my time of need. But I really need to get back to Arendelle as soon as possible."
"I'm afraid I cannot allow that." The king replied.
Those were definitely not the words Anna wanted to hear. She had her heart set on sailing back to her own kingdom once she had recovered from her illness. And although her ribs were still sore and her arm remained tightly wrapped, the illness she had suffered through the last several days had essentially passed and her strength restored. What reason could he possibly have to keep her in this kingdom now?
"But Elsa…err, Queen Elsa, she'll be worried sick. She must think I'm dead by now!" Anna cried and glanced at Hans.
Hans met her gaze and placed his gloved hand over her trembling ones. He too wasn't a fan of the situation either. He of all people was hoping his father would send the princess on her way. His reunion with Anna was already longer than he wanted. Luckily for him, she was ill and he purposefully kept her locked in her room so he didn't have to spend much time with her, but now, now that she was up and about, the king denied her the one thing both he and Anna wanted: for her to go home.
"I'm sorry, Anna." Alexander said, gazing out the window. "But it is too dangerous to send you back to Arendelle with nature being so violent." With one hand he gestured to the weather outside. "We are in the midst of a blizzard, a storm hardly seen in our southern kingdom, and each day icy rough waters wash into our shores. There are dangerous storms at sea, Princess. Storms much like the one that stranded you here. I will not risk your safety by sending you back out knowing you could encounter a frozen fate."
Anna's hopes fell. "What am I to do now then?"
"I'm afraid there is only one thing you can do."
"Stay here." Hans answered, more to himself than to Anna or his father. Anna looked at him.
"Here?"
"Yes," The king said. "Here" He moved away from the window and stood before Anna, kneeling down and taking her hand. "Princess Anna, I insist you remain here in the Southern Isles. Stay for the season. Come spring the seas will have calm waters once again, and it will be safe for you to return home." The king took note of her uncertainty and continued. "You will be my honored guest."
"Prepare the memorial for next Sunday." Elsa said somberly. She, Kai and Gerda stood in her study.
"Yes, your Majesty."
"It'll give time for any visitors who wish to travel for the service." She moved to the window and crossed her arms to her chest. She was dressed head to toe in a heavy black gown similar in shape and design to what she wore for her coronation. "Gerda, be sure to prepare plenty of rooms for those who wish to stay the night."
"Yes, Milady."
"I want a reception afterwards in the great hall…so we can celebrate her life." Elsa said suppressing a sniffle. "Or, at least in the four months since the gates remained open… since only you two really knew Anna growing up." She trailed off quietly. "I barely knew my own sister…. Now she's gone."
Kai and Gerda exchanged glances.
"ELSA!" The doors to the chamber burst open and Kristoff rushed inside. "Elsa, wait!"
"Kristoff?" Elsa turned her head slightly. "Please, this isn't a good time."
"No, it's the perfect time!" the mountain man exclaimed, "You have to hold off on the memorial!"
Elsa turned around completely. "What good would that do? Anna is gone, and putting it off any longer won't change the fact."
"Maybe she isn't!" Kristoff said. "There was only wreckage and no bodies found. Maybe she escaped!"
"That's highly unlikely, sir." Kai said.
Elsa turned around and shook her head. She had been trying to keep her emotions in check for the entire day, but now her temper was starting to flare. Of course she wanted to believe her dear sister was still alive. But what were the real chances? If Anna had shown up in a foreign kingdom, she would have heard from them by now…
"But there's still the chance!" Kristoff pleaded. "C'mon, wouldn't you rather have hope that she's alive somewhere, waiting to come home?"
"Of course!" She whipped around and cried. "Of course I want my sister to come home. All I want is to have Anna back. But we have to face facts! Anna is gone! This is the second time now I've been responsible for her death! That alone brings so much pain. I don't think I can endure day after day of false hope."
"So you're giving up on her?!"
"What else do you expect me to do?"
"I expect you to not give up!" Kristoff said, holding his ground. "Anna risked everything to try and save Arendelle when you hid yourself in that mountain. She was determined to bring you home! She never gave up. No matter what we encountered, no matter how weak she got after you struck her, she found the strength to save you! I expect you to do the same for her!"
Kai and Gerda looked at each other nervously. That was quite an outburst. They looked to their ruler for any sort of reaction. Elsa just stood there, staring at Kristoff. It wasn't often when someone put her in her place.
"Kai…" Elsa said quietly. "Send word to every kingdom on our maps. Even Weselton and the Southern Isles." She looked at Kristoff. "If Anna ended up in any of their realms, I want to know."
"I can't believe this!" Anna said to Hans as they walked down the castle halls.
"He has a point, you know."
"I didn't see you of all people sticking up for me either!" Anna said, whirling around to face him. "I thought you wanted to be rid of me!"
Hans scoffed. "Oh trust me. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to get you out of my life."
"Then let me leave…" Anna pleaded, tugging on the lapels on his jacket, "Please…"
"You heard my father!" Hans said, gently taking removing her hands from his clothes. "I'm not prepared to cast you off to your death."
"Why not? You didn't think a second thought about it in Arendelle."
"You don't deserve it."
"That's awfully nice, coming from you."
"Don't rub it in."
Anna glanced down and noticed Hans hadn't let go of her hands yet. "So…, what now?"
Hans scoffed. "You can learn your way around so I can start avoiding you."
Anna rolled her eyes. "You're quite the prince charming. I should be lucky that I got you and not one of your other brothers." She said sarcastically.
"You should be." Hans replied, letting go of one of her hands and roughly tugging her along with the other. "My brothers are no laughing matter."
Anna decided to stay silent as Hans began their tour of the castle. The layout of his home was far more spread out than Anna's castle in Arendelle. In the hours since they began, Anna saw the great hall, ballroom, armory, library, dining hall and conference chambers. Most of the rooms were empty except for a few servants doing their cleaning. Anna noticed some of the maids staring at them while they passed through the hallway. She assumed it was because the royal house didn't receive many visitors. Or… it was because her arm was held with his. She shook the thoughts off as Hans led her to their last stop before dinner: the portrait gallery. Anna looked about. The room was almost twice as big as the one she spent so much time in as a child. The princess also took notice that every painting hung on the wall was of royalty.
"Wow." She gasped, looking about. "These are all kings of the Southern Isles?"
Hans nodded. "Past, present, and future." He led her to a row of thirteen portraits all in a line. Each one featured a different young man, each wearing ceremonial garb and standing in various regal poses. The one identical feature of all thirteen portraits was small silver crown resting on each man's head.
"Let me guess," Anna said, looking up at Hans. "The thirteen princes of the Southern Isles?"
"Yeah. My brothers. We had these painted when we became of age. It originally was only going to be the oldest, but Freddy's came out so well that father wanted us all to have one." Hans pointed to the first portrait and went down the line: "Frederick, Viktor, Georg, Ludwig, Astor, Johan, Alexei, Lars, Phillip, Tomas, Dirk, Derrick…" he trailed off, the last prince being obvious.
"And Hans," Anna smiled, admiring her companion's portrait. "You're all very handsome. I can see the resemblance."
Hans smirked and looked down at her. "Who's your favorite?"
"Is that a trick question?"
He chuckled. "Depends on your answer."
"Maybe its better that I don't." Anna said, taking a closer look at his brothers' paintings. She stopped at the two before Hans. They look…familiar. Suddenly the connection hit and she made an audible gasp. Dirk and Derrick….
Hans turned to her as she pulled away from him and took a step back. "Anna?"
"I know them…" She said quietly as she cradled her injured arm against her body.
Hans took notice and put two and two together. "They attacked you, didn't they?" His suspicion was confirmed when she nodded meekly. He saw a tinge of fear in her eyes and narrowed his own in anger. Keeping his brothers at bay just got a lot harder. Frederick was no longer the worst of his problems. Hans knew Dirk and Derrick were the most violent of all of his brothers; he now made keeping Anna away from them became one of his new priorities. He was about to speak when he heard the door to the gallery open and a servant poked his head in.
"Your highnesses, dinner is served."
