Authors note: Again thank you for all of the reviews.
I should warn you, this chapter will contain mention of violence, punishment and blood...
Any way thank you for reading and please review when done.
Arendelle:
Night had fallen, temperatures dropped considerably as the coastal wind began to blow hard and loudly making the roof's of the homes creak.
Inside the manor where the remaining Southern isle royal lives, said royals were fast asleep in their soft feather beds, using the warmest silk, wool and cotton blankets to keep warm. Yet while they slept one was wide awake and hard at work.
With just a dimming fire in the fireplace and an old lantern with a lit candle inside Hans was busy washing the remaining dishes, cups and silver wear. Yawning Hans rubbed his tired eyes careful before looking where Thumbelina, Pascal and his snake, lizard, bird brothers were.
Thumbelina and Pascal were trying to help by drying the dishes with a rag while the brothers were working together to put the dried dishes and silverwear back into the cupboards and drawers.
Looking Hans felt a small smile come to his face, a couple of months ago or so his brothers were unkind to him, then when they were turned to snakes they spend a good time moping about their curse, then some more because of the loss of their families and loved ones.
It was not of their choice and frankly it made Hans mad to know that instead of saving the family Valhalla chose to save all the riches into a boat and sail off with Rudi and Runo, frankly the only reason Hans and Karen were in Arendelle was because they managed to get into the boat before it sailed off, but it was quite clear that the family held little importance to those three.
The snake, lizard and bird brothers were also upset about it, yet the situation had some good in it as they were now kind and helpful to Hans and Karen, also Hans could sense that they are genuinely sorry for their past actions.
They might not say it, but their actions speak for them as Hans had seen the deep sorrow in their eyes, mostly on Caleb, Erik and Richard, Caleb and Erik for the loss of their wives and children and Richard for he was forced to watch the way his mother treated his daughter, which for the first time he saw how she acted and did not like it one bit. They would also try to help even whenever they could even when Hans did not ask for their help.
Finishing the last dish Hans said "Thank you for the help",
"No problem, though I wish I was bigger, because if I was the work would end faster" said Thumbelina as she walked across the table next to the sink and unto the flower pot where she climbed into the tulip flower.
"It does not matter whether you are big or small, any help is much appreciated" said Hans as he walked over to the old wooden table which was set in the middle of the room, sitting down he pulled a plate closer and sighted a bit as he looked at his food before moving it around a bit with a fork.
Well, food was a nice way to put it, but in reality what he had been given were the left over scraps from Valhalla's, Rudi's and Runo's plates.
"At least its something" though Hans as he moved some of the food, splitting it into 12 small yet equal portions as Eira, Pascal, Lars and the rest made their way to the table, each one, one by one, from order to eldest to youngest took and ate their portions.
Richard slapped Caleb on the head with his tail for trying to take more than his fair share.
Hans covered his mouth trying not to laugh before placing a hand between them before they could start a fight and said "Come on you two, don't fight, after what we all have been through why fight over the small things?", the two snakes sighted before they nodded in agreement before they and Pascal went back to their hidey-holes in the kitchen to sleep for the night.
Getting up Hans washed the plate and fork before setting it to dry and going to his bed, which was a cot he made out of some scraps of fabric which he stuffed it with straw.
Taking it from its hiding spot under an old dresser used to storage spices and such Hans pulled and placed it in front of the fireplace before sitting on it, not bothering to take off his dirty coat as it was too cold to sleep without it.
Looking around and making sure he was not seen he knocked on the bricks on the left side of the fireplace before removing some particular ones revealing an opening which had a wooden box.
Taking the box he opened it and looked into the contents inside quite happily.
The first he picked was the ice snow globe, holding it he looked at it for a while, the flurry of snow inside, the ice castle in the ice mountain glowing many beautiful colors of blue, purple and pink, if he looked closer he swore that there was a party going on inside of the castle with many people dancing and having a good time.
Sighting Hans placed that aside before picking up his loving parents Amelia and Alexander's picture painting, holding it Hans stroke the picture before saying "I miss you two and my grandparents, every day I wish you were still here".
Placing the items back in the box he hid it again on the opening and placed the bricks back before laying down on the cot, the last thing he clearly remembered seeing before going to sleep was Eira and her unusual blue eyes.
The next day:
The kitchen was quiet other than the snake brothers snoring which filled the kitchen with a kind of white noise, Hans was curled up on the cot, one arm over his face covering his eyes as he slept.
Suddenly the door of the kitchen opened quietly followed by quiet giggles, entering the room Rudi and Runo snickered as they made their way to where Hans was sleeping, both were carrying a huge barrel of ice water, it even had ice chunks on it.
Hans moved, his face contorted as it seemed as though he was having a terrible nightmare he could not seem to escape. He looked so miserable, to Rudi and Runo it was the perfect moment to torment him further.
Standing over they lifted the barrel before dumping all of the water on Hans, "GHA!" yelled Hans as he immediately sat up, he coughed and sputtered, he shook and shivered under the now soaked cold clothes as he looked around wildly as he unable to take a proper breath as the few he could get were shallow and stiff.
"Get up stupid!" said Rudi before he and Runo ran out of the kitchen, shaking with rage Hans judgement was clouded as he yelled "That's it!" before getting up and chasing after them.
At first Runo and Rudi laughed till they saw Hans running after them, they screamed as they ran around the manor with Hans chasing them, everywhere they went Hans was faster and blocked all escapes so Rudi and Runo ran into the kitchen.
Looking around for something to use as a shield against Hans Rudi spotted the flowerpot with the 3 bright pink tulips that Hans always seemed to care so much about, as if thinking the same thing both Rudi and Runo ran and grabbed the flower pot, Rudi held the pot in front of him while Runo hid behind him as Hans entered the kitchen.
Hans raging look turned to terror as he began to beg quickly "No no no, put that down" as he slowly walked closer trying to get the flowerpot away from Rudi and Runo but the two back away from him.
"No, we won't, cause your going to beat us if we do" said Rudi,
"Keep him there while I get mother" whispered Runo to Rudi before he moved quickly and left the kitchen, Hans moved to stop him,
"Don't even think about it" said Rudi as he moved so the pot was close to the flames of the fireplace "Of course you can try to stop Runo, but you'd loose this weed which you care so much about".
It was not the tulips which Hans care, but Thumbelina who was inside one of the tulip bulbs either sleeping or terrified out of her mind, "Come on, choose Hans, either way you will get a punishment" said Rudi.
Hans back away holding his hands open in surrender as they heard Valhalla's scream sound through the house "Asher!", Rudi smirked and said "Your a fool" before tossing the flower pot into the fire.
"No!" yelled Hans as he ran over, but was stopped by Rudi and then Runo who kept him from reaching the burning pot.
"No, no, no..." said Hans as he watched the pot and tulips be burned to nothing but ashes. Both brothers smirked as their mother entered the kitchen.
Glaring at Hans Valhalla growled "Bring him outside! Tie him good to the wooden stump, he is long overdue for a good whipping", both Rudi and Runo's eyes shone evilly when they heard that before they began to drag Hans over.
Hans did not struggle, his mind was full of grief for the loss of his tiny friend, "I am sorry Thumbelina, I could not keep you safe like I promised" though Hans in grief, not even struggling to escape as he was brought outside, next to the stables there was a stump of a tree which was long since cut down, it was used to place wood there to chop, but now it served a different purpose.
Forcing him down the two brothers pulled the coat and shirt off of Hans exposing his back before he was tied down. Closing his eyes he waited for the sound of a crack and the stinging pain which would follow.
WARNING! VIOLENCE, BLOOD AND TORTURE AHEAD! IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ SKIP!
The first contact Hans let out a yell as the whip made contact with his back, it stung, burned and cut.
"You are a big fool Asher" said Valhalla "You should have just done what you were told, it would have been so much easier for you" there was another crack, Hans yelled again as the whip made contact on his back again, this time cutting him, letting the warm blood seep down his back.
"Good one mother" said Rudi,
"Yes, now mother, how's about I do the whipping? Then you can speak and not strain yourself" offered Runo with glee, Valhalla though then smiled before saying "Thank you Runo, you and Rudi are such good boys" as she gave Runo the whip.
Holding it Runo stroked it before smirking, holding it back he readied before cracking the whip against Hans back again, this time purposely hitting the back of his neck to cause the most pain.
Hans screamed out in pain, struggled against the hold of the ropes which bound him, before resting his head against the stump,
"You know, I always though that you were never my child, you were just too useless and ugly compared to your brothers" said Valhalla as she smiled a bit when she heard Hans sobbing in pain.
"If you had done as you were told I would have treated you better" said Valhalla as Rudi snapped the whip again on Hans back "But no, you decided to remain loyal to Corona, tell me now, where are your friends? why are they not here to save you in your time of need?".
Rudi snapped the whip again before Runo said "I want a turn",
"Of course Runo, make sure you give Asher 24 whips, one for every year he lived" said Valhalla as she walked away and sat down on a wooden bench in a rather lazy pose as she watched her twins take turns whipping Hans.
Towards the end Hans had stopped screaming, just sobbed as he shook from the pain, his back was all bloody and covered in whip marks and cuts.
"That's enough" said Valhalla stopping her twins,
"But mother" began Runo,
"I said 24 whips, any more and we will be one servant short" said Valhalla before getting up and saying "Throw him to the barn, we cannot have the neighbors see our servant bloodied and if by some miracle he survives we will put him to work again".
"Yes mother" said both Runo and Rudi before dropping the whip and walking over, the two undid Hans binds and carried him to the barn, opening the door the tossed Hans in making him fall on his back.
Hans cried out weakly as fresh pain flared up as he lay on the ground still, beraly able to take a proper breath as he was hyperventilating from the pain.
"Consider yourself lucky Asher, others get worse than you" said Rudi before they closed and locked the barn door leaving Hans alone.
End of violent, bloody, torture scene:
Taking short breaths Hans winced as he turned so he was laying on his chest, moving he tried to get up but collapsed as his arms felt like jelly, he barely had the strength to even sit up.
But he was determine to move the one way he knew how, reaching out with his arms and hands Hans began to drag himself across the floor of the barn towards the back which was where the horses would come and go to the fenced outside area.
Dragging himself through the back he winced as everything seemed to hurt ten times worse, mud and other things got to his wounds even rocks dig into him as he continued to drag himself.
Nearby Sitron watched and neighed in sadness and horror at what his master had suffered.
After what seemed like forever Hans made it to the gate of the garden, with great difficulty he reached and pulled himself enough to unlatch the gate and open it. He fell to the ground but he barely felt it as he continued to drag himself till he was a good way out of the manor.
After a while his strength faltered as exhaustion settled into his body and mind, he fought to stay awake but the exhaustion was too great, just as he reached the dirt road which lead to Arendelle town he closed his eyes passing out, just lay there on the ground as if he was dead.
As he did Eira the owl landed next to him, looking over his beaten form sadly she began to glow in silver as her form changed till she was a human again, placing her hand on his back gently she said "You value friendship over material things, you chose to be torture rather than betray your friends, Valhalla is wrong Hans, you are not worthless".
Getting up she walked away, she had things to do and fast.
Walking back to the manor unnoticed the woman waved her hands making the snake, bird and lizard brothers, Pascal, Karen, Sitron and Thumbelina who by pure luck had not been in the tulip when it was thrown in the fire appear.
The group looked confused and shocked at the woman before she said "No time to explain, I am here to get you all away from this place"
To be continued...
Authors note: Hope Hans is okay, sorry for the whole bloody, violent chapter. The reason I did it was to reflect the reality of what happened back then as servants were treated back then as if they were objects, not real human beings, they were tortured, punished harshly even execute for the smallest of things.
Any way, seems Hans and the rest are going to be safe...but for how long? Only time will tell...any way please stay tuned for the next chapter, please remember to review when done.
