The Ice Maiden's Puppets

Elsa opened her eyes, staring up at the prison roof from the prison cot as she remembered the events that had transpired. She swallowed numbly. From snippets of conversation she'd heard, Mael had tried to revive Hans until rigor mortis was setting in, at which point he'd given up. Elsa shook her head, grimacing. It wasn't true. He was alive… He was still alive! He… he was alive… She was suddenly aware, again, of the stinging in her back from the lashes she'd been given. Drawing a breath, she gingerly rolled off them and hissed in pain when they were disturbed. This wasn't happening to her… Why did she even keep trying to deny it anymore? This was happening. Oh how this was happening.

"Queen Elsa," a voice said.

She looked up quickly and her eyes widened in surprise. "Greta?" she asked, rising in surprise. Greta was the last person she'd expected to see here.

"I can't believe it. They did this to you?" Greta asked, eyes wide in horror.

Elsa cringed and bowed her head. She swallowed over a lump in her throat then looked back up. "Is the prince truly gone?" she asked in a whisper, avoiding the question. Mostly because she didn't want to have to think about it.

Greta was silent, and Elsa felt her heart sinking. "No," she finally replied. Elsa quickly perked up, eyes wide in hope. "When the coroner went up to fetch his body for burial, he found Hans alive and well and about to exit. The poor man nearly had a heart attack when he saw him… Hans is alive."

Elsa gasped, feeling her knees buckle but stubbornly forcing herself to stay up. "Really? Are you certain?"

"I am," Greta replied, smiling. "But right now, he isn't the priority. The priority is helping you escape. Let me help you, Elsa. You don't belong here. You don't deserve to be here! What they did… It isn't okay!"

"Get Hans. He'll talk them into letting me out," Elsa said.

"I'll do whatever it takes," Greta replied.

"Thank you, Greta," Elsa replied.

Frozen

His brothers gawked at him in stunned disbelief, tears burning their eyes. He was alive. He was there! He was… he was alive. "What? No onslaught of hugs and tears?" Hans lamely teased, smiling at them. There were tears almost immediately the moment those words left his mouth. The first ones he'd said to them. It was about thirty minutes of straight questions and examinations and touchy-feeliness that he was torn between hating and loving before things were finally calm enough for him to get a word in edgewise that didn't pertain to his miraculous recovery from 'death'. They had really thought he was gone? Of course, after hearing what had happened, even he was starting to think he might have been dead, but that was beside the point.

"I'm back. I'm really and truly back," he soothed and assured for about the thousandth time; and that wasn't an exaggeration either. They were almost the only words he'd been saying through everything. Some of his siblings were even on their knees and clinging to him, that was how overwhelmed they were. He waited patiently until finally they'd composed themselves enough to start functioning again. "Where's Elsa?" he asked.

When the first reactions he saw ranged from sadness and betrayal to rage and disgust, he started, frowning. What was this now? "She left," Moren finally said. "When she believed that it was apparent you would never awaken, she left to pursue a marriage with someone else. Likely with your friend Edvard Collin, if I were to guess… I'm sorry, Hans… In the end, you were just a marriage of convenience after all."

"What? What are you talking about? She was there the whole time. The coroner told me so," Hans said.

The others sharply looked up. Or most of them. Except three, that was. The three eldest. "He confused Elsa for Greta. Greta was the one who stayed by you," Moren said.

Hans blinked in shock. "No. No, you're wrong! He called her by name, Caleb, are you kidding me right now? The man knows who Elsa is," he replied immediately. Of course, he couldn't actually remember if the man had used Elsa's name, he believed he had though wasn't certain, but a dark feeling was creeping up on him. A feeling that screamed deceit and warned him to call the bluff. Sharply the others looked at Moren. Except Jürgen and Lars, both of which were looking guiltily down.

"What is he saying, Caleb? We saw her leave. We saw her board the ship and sail away!" Franz said.

Justic, though, suddenly stiffened, eyes widening in realization. "Who of us actually saw her face?" he asked suddenly. They all sharply looked at him, eyes wide. What? Quickly they turned back to the King, who stood utterly still.

"What have you done, Caleb?" Hans asked, pale. What the heck had been happening while he was out?!

For a long moment Moren was silent. Finally, though, he answered, tone darker than any they'd ever heard from him for a very, very long time, "I warned you what would happen to her if you didn't break off your engagement."

Hans's eyes widened as a chill shot down his spine. The others gawked at Moren in horror and uncertainty. What was going on? Hans didn't even pause to demand answers. Immediately he turned and raced from the throne room, bee-lining for the dungeon as fast as he could possibly go, near panic. No, no, no, this wasn't happening. No, no, no, no, no! He couldn't be serious, he couldn't! "Elsa!" he shouted. "Elsa!"

As his calls faded, the others turned on Caleb expressions ranging from hurt to rage to betrayal and everything in between. "What's going on, Caleb?! What have you done?!" Runo bellowed in rage.

"Where is the Queen?!" Rudi chimed in agreement, equally as enraged and looking ready to tear into their oldest brother.

Moren looked over his siblings in something between fear and despair. He shook his head desperately. No, no more of this. No more lies, dammit, no more! Immediately he broke down, confessing everything to them. He should have done so long ago. They listened in numb shock and horror, scarcely daring to believe their ears. Oh gods… This was so very bad. By the end of the story, they were at a complete and total loss.

Frozen

Hans raced down into the dungeon as quickly as he could. "Prince Hans!" the guards exclaimed in terror and shock on seeing him.

"Yes, I'm alive, yes the rumors of my death were greatly exaggerated! Now where's the Queen of Arendelle? What have you done with her?!" Hans demanded.

"My Lord, we did all your brother ordered," a guardsman replied.

"What did he order, damn you?!" Hans shouted.

"We-we… He ordered her to be imprisoned and given fifteen lashes!" the other frazzled guard answered.

"Out of my way!" Hans shouted, shoving passed them. So Moren hadn't ordered her executed yet. That was something, at least. It meant she was still okay. He raced through the dungeon looking into every cell, frantic to catch sight of her blond hair. "Elsa? Elsa!" he shouted.

Frozen

Elsa paced in her cell rubbing her arms. Not because she was cold or anything, but she was so cold. In another way. She froze on hearing his voice, eyes widening in hope. She gasped, turning to the bars of her cell. She heard him call again. "Hans, I'm here!" she cried out, racing to the bars and grabbing them. She had half a mind to freeze them and break herself out, except Mael must have suspected an attempt like that, because there was something about this cell… Something that kept her powers from working like they should. She would have damned the sorcerer if she had cared any less for him than she did.

Hans heard her cry and reached the cell in moments. "Elsa!" he exclaimed, covering her hands with his own.

"You're alive!" she exclaimed in relief, removing her hands from his then taking them again, their fingers entwining together.

"What happened? Why has he put you here?!" Hans demanded.

"I don't know," she answered. "Hans, I don't know. Just a week ago he seemed to change. He ordered me to abandon you. To call off the wedding and leave the Southern Isles within the week. When I refused he told me that if I didn't go, he would have me imprisoned and executed. I tried to get him to tell me why. Why had he changed so much? What was scaring him? I tried to get him to tell me anything, but he didn't! But I couldn't leave. Not when you were like that! Abigail left in my place to trick them into believing I'd gone, but when your heart stopped and your breathing… I couldn't let you die! I ran to get help and betrayed my position, and now here we are. I don't know what's happening or what's going on with Moren. I don't know anything!"

"That makes two of us," Hans darkly said, inwardly seething to hear this. Oh Moren was going to hear it big time. He looked at her. "You're so cold… Colder than usual, I mean," he remarked. "Not that you're… Ugh, I'm getting into cliché territory here. I hate cliché. Sorry."

She smirked. "You broke cliché when you started stammering out excuses," she replied. "I don't know why I feel so cold, but hey, the cold never bothered me anyway," she added, giving him a wry smile.

He smirked back before becoming serious again. "I'll get you out of here. I promise," he said to her, gently cupping her cheek. He could feel the enchantment on these bars and found himself damning Lars. Or was it Lars? It felt… different. Disturbingly so.

"I know," she whispered, squeezing his hands a little tighter.

"Have the lash… have the lashes been treated?" he asked. He stumbled on the word 'lashes'. To know what they'd done to her… To say he was infuriated would be an understatement.

"No," she whispered, shaking her head and biting her lip in frustration as she was again made acutely aware of how badly they stung.

"Dammit," Hans whispered. "Whatever it takes I'll see you freed from this prison. We'll work it out, I promise you we will."

"I know," she said.

"I'll try to get a doctor down here to examine you," he said. "I will get you out, my lady queen." He knew he'd repeated that many times already, but he just wanted to keep repeating it again and again until she was free once more.

She smiled at him gratefully. "I'll count the minutes," she teased.

He smiled gently back and rested his forehead against the bars. She mimicked the action and for a moment there was silence. "Why is it that it always must be a near death experience to get things back on track with us?" he wondered after a moment.

She laughed gently and grinned, closing her eyes. She shook her head in response. She didn't know. She hated it, though. She drew back, looking up at him. "Hurry," she pled. He bowed to her then quickly pulled away, hurrying to the stairs to go and confront Moren about this outrage.

In the darkness, a figure listened. As the prince walked by, she stepped out of hiding. Greta. Coldly she glared after him. This would never do, she decided. Action had to be taken. She disappeared into an icy mirror to go to Moren.

Frozen

When 'Greta' materialized in the throne room, she was greeted with the glaring eyes and drawn swords of the Princes of the Southern Isles minus Hans. Immediately she saw that the story had been betrayed to the siblings. She scowled darkly at Moren, unimpressed. "You have made a grave mistake, King of the Southern Isles," she eerily threatened. "Do you know what you've cost yourself?" Moren blanched, terror springing to his expression.

"It's cost him nothing. Nor will it," Rhun darkly said. "His children have been hidden away." Well, they hadn't yet. Or maybe they had. He wasn't sure. He'd sent a message via courier and carrier pigeon both to the king's eldest child. It instructed the heir to the throne to take his siblings, separate them all into three triads, and send each triad somewhere different. One triad would go to his own wife and children, one triad would go to Duach's wife, and the third triad would go to Justic's. That way, if the worst happened, at least there was a chance of three of Moren's nine little ones surviving. "You've lost your leverage, and this ends now."

"It's over, Ice Maiden. Either you leave or you draw your last breaths in this hour," Franz darkly said.

She smiled and chuckled darkly. "You really think you've won? Think again!" she viciously replied. "I will see you all pay for your audacity! Do you really think they can hide from me? Do you really think you can protect your families and your kingdom from me? By having me murdered? Go on. Test me." She saw the signs of unease and uncertainty and smirked. "You're mine. All of you. Because I hold leverage over you that you cannot hope to overcome."

"We will see you hang!" Jürgen shot.

"Where is your wife, Meilic?" the Ice Maiden purred. Jürgen stiffened, going white. "And your babies?" He felt every wall he'd erected around himself crumble. Oh god… Oh god! He broke.

"Abby! Abigail!" he shouted, racing off. The others, flustered, watched after him.

The Ice Maiden smiled at them coldly. "Aren't you curious about your sister-in-law and your nephews and nieces?" she asked. They stood numb, unsure how to respond. All at once they raced after their brother. She smiled to herself and followed at a leisurely walk. As much as she hated Carabis, the hobgoblin knew how to punish insolence. She'd learned a good bit from him, if nothing else.

Frozen

Jürgen raced to the children's nursery and froze, gasping. The door was iced over. "No! Dammit no!" he shouted, immediately starting to hack viciously at it. It hardly dented the blockage, but it began to part regardless. The Ice Maiden's doing, no doubt. He threw open the door and froze in place, mouth dropping in horror. No… No, no, no, no! A scream tried so very hard to tear from his throat, but no sound came out. She lay on the ground, Abigail. Her every breath was shaky and strained. Finally the scream came and Jürgen leapt across the room, falling at her side and gathering her into his arms. "Abby! Abigail, look at me. Darling, please. My love, look at me!"

Shivering violently, skin icy with crystals and hair frozen, she slowly opened her eyes, almost iced shut. Quivering, her hand reached up to his cheek falling on it. The touch was so cold… "Our-our bab-babies…" she said, shaking. He saw the tears frozen on her face, the anguish in her eyes, and he didn't need to ask. She became still, a last breath slipping passed her lips before all movement stopped. Jürgen looked at her numbly then turned to the bed in fear. Shaking, he gently lowered her down then crawled over to it. He swallowed, lifting himself up. Three little figures hidden beneath the covers, so very still…

He gave a strangled cry and broke down, collapsing onto the covers and weeping shamelessly. He didn't need to look to know what he would see. He screamed in anguish, pulling the little bundles close to him and holding them near, though he didn't let the blankets fall and show what had happened to them. They were so cold and stiff…

Mael gagged, nearly vomiting as he remembered in utter agony seeing the bodies of his own babies and wife. Moren stood pale. "Th-there's only three bodies. There's only three!" Connyn finally managed to blurt out, trying desperately to find something to cling to in this.

Jürgen choked back a sob and laid the three figures down gently. He reached for the blankets and paused. He didn't want to see. He didn't want to see! He sobbed, turning away and curling up into a near-fetal position, burying his face in the pillow. Duach's jaw twitched and he marched over quickly, throwing back the covers. He swallowed. "Madeline and Cameron are missing," he hollowly said.

"Those were their names? I never could get them right. Let's see. Lucile, dead, David, dead, Kenan, dead… Tsk, tsk, it won't be easy for Madeline to live without her twin," the Ice Maiden said, and Duach gasped as he felt an icy chill shoot through him. She was killing him, he realized in terror!

"No!" Rhun exclaimed in terror. "Please, no, please!" The Ice Maiden stopped and Duach gasped, quickly moving away from the bed to look at the woman in terror. She'd just threatened to freeze him to death!

"See? You two get it," the Ice Maiden said with a laugh. "I did intend to freeze them all, but Abigail was no easy fight. A mother bear protecting her young. Lucile put up a struggle too, and David. They tried to get Kenan out, but they couldn't. It was so sad. Madeline trying so hard to hold her brother's hand and pull him with her while she held the toddler's away. She screamed her siblings' names over and over, and all Cameron could do was weep and shriek for daddy. I tried to get them, but Kenan—oh your little ones were so very brave, Meilic, it was precious. They were definitely their daddy's babies—he moved in front of my icy blast and his last words were screaming at his twin to run and hide with Cameron... But they couldn't hide from me... Unfortunately, they didn't have to. That Madeline, she's a smart cookie you know. I should have guessed from the way she was all but idolizing her uncle the great sorcerer that she'd assume she was safe in his room with Cameron. And she was, you clever, clever man, Lars. Enchanting your room to keep it safe from rival powers," the Ice Maiden said.

Jürgen, shaking with rage. Suddenly leapt up and lunged at her with an enraged scream. It took all three triplets to hold him back, plus the twins… And the Ice Maiden just laughed and laughed. "They're alive?" Iscawin asked in a whisper.

"They are. And they'll remain that way. I think I've made my point… Oh, I've made it doubly now… Ooh, triply. Did you really think you could hide away your brother's children with your families and that I wouldn't find them?" the Ice Maiden asked. Rather, that Carabis wouldn't. He was having a field day right now, she knew.

Frozen

Rhun blanched, and Duach, and Justic. "Where is my wife?" Duach finally managed to whisper. The Ice Maiden chuckled. "Where is my wife?!" he freaked out, thanking god he'd never gotten around to having children. He'd always been busy with his duties as the military General. There had been no room for children in his life. Rather, he hadn't had time to even consider it. And he certainly hadn't been at home as much as he would have liked, as of late. To be with... with her...

"Dead. And with her, the three would-be heirs of the Southern Isles she tried to protect." Duach felt himself trembling, tears burning his eyes. All at once he sobbed, covering his mouth and shaking his head in denial.

No… No!

The Ice Maiden turned to Rhun. "And you… Relish in your widower status as well. The three heirs you hid away with her are no more… Neither is she… Or the children she bore you. Well, not entirely true. 'Ladybird, ladybird fly away home, your house is on fire and your children all gone. All except one, and her name is Ann, and she hid under the baking pan,'" she sang. Rhun collapsed, vision going black. Oh gods… Gods no! Dammit, no, no, no! He shook his head frantically. No, no, no, no… He tried to scream in anguish, but no sound came out. Instead he whimpered, holding his head in his hands and shaking it. No. No, no, no. He gave a sob and a cry. "And yours…" the Ice Maiden continued, looking at Justic who stood unmoving, tears in his eyes though they hadn't started to fall. "Well, she's proving difficult, but make no mistake, she'll be next and all your children with her, as well as your eldest brother's last three heirs, if you defy me any longer."

"No, I beg you, please!" Justic begged immediately.

The Ice Maiden laughed and turned to the King, who had gone as white as a ghost. Tears slipped down his cheeks silently as it registered with him all that had been taken from him. "You… Six of nine children dead. Wife dead. You're too broken to weep… How pathetic," she said. "Tsk, tsk, you never even got to say goodbye. They longed for you, prayed one day they would see you again and feel their father's warm embrace. They spoke of how they would one day go to you if you did not send for them, no matter what dangers lay ahead, because together they could do whatever it took to see daddy again… They cried out for you, you know… You and one another. And their dead mother… Carabis didn't make it painless." Moren caught his breath, closing his eyes tightly, sniffing and willing back the sobs he wanted to break down into. His brothers' cries and sobs of misery and anguish echoed in his head.

Despite it all, you failed… You failed… You failed because you had the damned defiance to disobey her orders. Because you couldn't just give in. One simple command and it could have all been avoided. One simple order… They would still be alive! They would all still be alive!

Would they, King of the Southern Isles? Would they?

A sob escaped his lips, unbidden, and he buried his face in his hands. There was no use denying it, no use in screaming no a million times to the sky or making bargains… They were gone… Just gone… His babies were gone… "Your heir hid away with Justic's wife, so you still have the oldest one, at least. And the brother and sister that went with him. But you test me so, King of the Southern Isles. You've been testing me all along. No more delaying! No more trying to protect the Snow Queen. You will sentence her to death or I will strip you all of your families, your kingdom, and each other!" the Ice Maiden threatened. None of them graced her with an answer. Instead, those who were not mourning lunged in a fury, intent on cutting her to pieces. "No! I don't think so!" she suddenly yelled, stretching out her hand towards the King. Moren cried out in pain, freezing in place and doubling over. The others slid to a stop, looking quickly back. Moren gasped then started to collapse.

"Moren!" Coth exclaimed, racing to his sibling. He was not ready for Jürgen to be king, thank you very much! Quickly he caught his brother. Then he caught his breath. The ruler was freezing cold! "What are you doing to him?!" Coth demanded, sharply turning to the Ice Maiden.

She smiled coldly. "Freezing him from the inside out," she answered. "I believe it's his intestines turning to ice now. Then it will be his stomach, liver, kidneys… Lungs and heart… Now be good boys and put those sharp little swords away." They didn't move for a moment, but when Moren gave a strangled gasp and choking sob, the swords were quickly replaced. "Good. Now if you don't comply with my orders, then unlike when your baby brother collapsed, your king's collapse will be permanent. My demands are clear. Elsa dies. Elsa dies, and little Hans is given to me. You won't interfere or try to save her, or him for that matter. As far as any of you are concerned, Elsa is doomed, and Hans… Well, I'm still figuring that out."

"My lady, please! Anything you ask we'll do, just leave her be!" Iscawin pled.

"Oh, how sweet. You're in love with her too. Precious. If I had a heart maybe I would consider letting her live for you. But I don't. And soon your brother King won't either," she warned.

You once had something of a heart. If only for one being.

"We'll do it!" Calcas exclaimed in a panic, looking at her quickly and desperately. Right now, he was the only one on the hierarchy who was in any position to agree to terms anymore. All the others were consumed by grief. Or in Franz's case, who should really be making the calls right now, in a state of deep shock. With his older brothers indisposed, he was next in line to make decisions this massive. "Anything you ask, my lady, anything! Even… even this…" Even though for all they knew it could cost them the Southern Isles anyway. Arendelle was not an enemy you wanted to make, given how many nations besides the Isles had sworn to stand for it.

"This isn't right. We can't do this to Elsa!" Kelin-Sel protested.

"The clock is ticking, boys," the Ice Maiden warned.

Moren whimpered and sharply Kelin-Sel looked back. The King's eyes were barely open anymore. "Alright," he said in a breath. "Alright!"

"Alright," Connyn and Coth answered together.

"Alright," Iscawin said in barely a whisper, head hung and eyes tightly shut. But damn him if he participated in the sentencing process… In fact, it was the last thing he intended to do. Hans needed to know about this. All of it. Iscawin looked up, meeting the eyes of his brothers. They knew it as well. So Hans would be found. By him, the triplets, and Kelin-Sel, if none of the others could function properly right now.

"Good," the Ice Maiden whispered. Suddenly she released her spell on Caleb and the King cried out in pain and shock as he felt the freezing feeling pull from his body like part of him was being torn out. He passed out in Coth's arms and the brothers stared numbly. There was no escape… And the price they had paid had become too great already…

Frozen

"What?" Hans asked.

"You can't speak to him, Hans. The King isn't well," Duach, the first older brother to get back into a semi-functioning state after everything, besides Justic that was, numbly said. Not that he was one to talk about the king feeling unwell. He didn't look much healthier, face pale and expression anguished.

Gone… She was gone… He would never hold his beloved again in his arms… The future he had planned with her, all the things they'd spoken of and promised… Oh gods…

Rhun had made immediately for his home to rescue his last child the moment the Ice Maiden let them go... He prayed his brother would make it...

"No surprise. Look at the thing he's done!" Hans shot. "Let me in, now!"

"Hans, you don't understand. He isn't even awake. He collapsed in the throne room and hasn't stirred since," Duach said with a choking gasp as he fought back a sob. "It's almost like… Like when you fell… Not as bad, but… You can't speak to the king, that's final. Even if you tried you couldn't."

Hans stared, eyes wide in shock. What was even going on anymore? He looked towards the door worriedly. "Has a doctor been summoned?" he asked after a moment.

"Not yet," Duach answered in a harsh whisper.

Hans was quiet. "I'll ride to get one," he soon said. "Moren needs to be tended. I don't know if Mael can help him. And the minute he can function, he's going to release Elsa or so help me." Agitatedly Hans turned, walking quickly away to fetch the doctor. He damned the fact that as long as Moren was still alive Jürgen didn't have the authority to have political prisoners released. Duach watched after him.

Had Hans even noticed his pain…? Or had he just not cared...?

Frozen

No sooner had the youngest prince left the palace grounds when Moren awoke with a gasp, heart beating and eyes darting around in terror and shock and anguish and confusion all. "You will get up now. You will have the Queen brought to you and condemned. No delaying, no arguing. You don't have long to carry this out. Hans intends to have a long talk with you, but he will be too late. I'll be sure of it. Seal the order with your signet ring. I know how binding an order such as that is. Not even you can repeal it. At least not without jumping through a million or so hoops, and even then it's testy, isn't it my Lord? Go. Now. Remember what is at stake. What happened to you will befall the first brother of yours I see if you don't obey, but that brother won't awaken. Nor will your children. You have one chance. Rise. Now." Moren didn't stop to argue. As quickly as he could he got out of bed and hurried to obey the Ice Maiden's command, though the misery he felt in his heart almost made him wish he hadn't woken up. On the other hand, he wouldn't wish this responsibility on Jürgen for the life of him. On any of them for that matter. This was his agony and guilt and shame to bear.

Forgive me, Hans. Forgive me, Elsa.