Shadowy Vortex

( A/N: Now the story starts to pick up into more action based stuff. Well, more than what's already been happening. And we focus in on Hans and Elsa, for the most part, now. May actually put up another chapter today, seeing as this one is up so early.)

Elsa and Anna frowned as they looked over the kingdom from a balcony. "Wow, it was supposed to be a really nice day today. What gives?" Anna asked. "We can't do the skating or ice sculptures in this."

"We'll just delay them for tomorrow. I'll send out a decree and say the feast is rescheduled for today instead of tomorrow and tell them the skating and snow sculptures will take place when the dinner was supposed to," Elsa replied.

"That sounds good," Anna said with a smile. "Still kind of disappointing, though."

"I know, but there's not much else we can do," Elsa answered, shrugging. "Go inform King Moren and the Princes the banquet will be today."

"Right," Anna replied, smiling. "Err, will Hans be there do you think?"

"I'm not sure, but I guess we'll find out later tonight," Elsa answered, smiling. Anna smiled back and went off to find the royals of the Southern Isles. Elsa watched after her then frowned, turning to look at the sky again. It was dark. Abnormally so. And colored in a way that made her very uneasy. She shifted. She didn't like this… Biting her lower lip, she decided she was probably being paranoid and shut the curtains so she wouldn't be distracted by the skies. She had preparations for tonight to make anyway.

Frozen

The dining hall was a bustle of activity as servants swooped from the kitchens to serve the feast to the guests. Everyone was merrily talking away and mingling. At the head of the table sat Elsa, smiling. She felt almost content. A little uneasy and nervous, but for the most part content. Anna sat to her right side, along the side of the table, Kristoff next to her. The two were animatedly discussing something she couldn't hear over the noise of clacking plates and bowls and utensils. She looked forward. On the opposite side of the table, the foot so to speak, sat Moren, silently and grimly keeping a close eye on his siblings, some of which were getting rowdy. And by some she meant Franz and Jürgen. Franz more than Jürgen. The triplets were starting to get pretty loud too, and the sort-of twins, who were alternately arguing something and discussing it while looking entirely too mischievous to sit well with Moren. Or her for that matter. She hoped Rhun and Duach behaved.

Hans was there too, though he ate little and had spoken not at all. He still looked ill and really very tired. Also he was avoiding anyone and everyone's eyes tonight, not least of all hers. Moren was keeping Hans close at his side and constantly monitoring his baby brother. Mael was next to Hans in case Hans should show signs of taking a turn for the worse. She felt a little offended at how hyper-attentive and suspiciously Moren was looking around. He was very… guarded. As if any moment he expected someone to try and poison him or stab him in the back. Almost paranoid but not quite. She would guess he hated crowds, hated social events, and that on the Southern Isles he and his siblings were probably cooped up in that palace like she had been in hers most of her life. Them by choice rather than necessity. At least the more paranoid of the brothers. Hans, Jürgen, Franz, Iscawin, Duach; they all seemed the ones that were restless and wanted no part of being cooped up ever. Which would explain why they left so often. Justic was more the type to leave by necessity rather than by choice. She would guess any of the aforementioned brothers would have been more than happy to take his place as ambassador.

It wasn't long before feasting became dancing again. Hans had no part in it, nor did Moren or Mael. Mael looked… distracted. And not in a good way. Moren was more concerned with making sure Hans wasn't going to drop dead before his trial, which would take place the day after tomorrow's closing festivities. Elsa shifted uneasily and looked down. She didn't relish passing sentence on the prince, but she knew it had to be done. Hans could not get away with what had happened in Arendelle. Her gaze hardened at the memory. The night after tomorrow night, she and his brothers and Anna and Kristoff—considering Kristoff even showed up, he liked to slip out of things like this as he felt very out of place in such dealings—would talk about what an alternate punishment for Hans could be, as well as talk out future political relations between their two nations. She sighed in frustration. There was so much to do. She had to stop thinking about it and enjoy the last couple days of festivities. She might as well have this bit of fun before it was work time again. Iscawin came to her and offered his hand for a dance. She smiled and took it, letting him lead her out onto the dance floor.

Frozen

Moren looked intently at Mael, who was staring ahead at nothing with a glassy look in his eyes. His skin was ashen. Moren pursed his lips. That was never good. And now that they knew what he was and why this happened… Yeah, it was less than good. Hans was looking at Mael curiously now, morbidly fascinated with his sibling's ability. "Mael?" Hans finally dared ask.

"Hush, Hans, let him wait it out," Moren said. Hans frowned at him in annoyance but said nothing again, simply turning back to Mael.

Mael soon blinked, though his gaze didn't turn from the dancers. "Something is here that shouldn't be…" he hollowly stated. "Something…. Something very, very bad approaches…" He suddenly seemed to realize what he'd said. His eyes widened and he shot to his feet. "It's him!" he exclaimed in sudden terror, and in less than a second Hans and Moren were on their feet.

"What?!" Moren demanded.

"How?!" Hans shot. And did it have to do with the dark voice he had heard in his head as he had been taking Mael's place at the stake?

"What does it matter?" Mael bit sharply. "Moren, we must warn the queen! These people, they have to get out of here! This kingdom must be locked down or something! It's…"

Suddenly there were the sounds of horrified shrieks as the windows in the ballroom suddenly and without warning shattered! Guests scrambled to get out of the way of the falling shards of glass, and all at once the ballroom went dark as the candles were dissipated. Elsa, dancing with Iscawin, sharply turned with a gasp. Her eyes widened and she pulled away from him, hurrying towards the scene to see what was happening.

"Queen Elsa, get these people out of here, now!" Moren commanded. "Your kingdom is in danger! The village…"

"Elsa, something's in the city!" Anna screamed in terror. Elsa sharply looked over at Anna and raced to her side at a shattered window. She looked out and paled. Darkness had surrounded it and people were screaming in the streets, fleeing from some unknown and unseen force that tore through the crowds and rattled the doors and windows, sometimes even breaking in! Her lips parted in horror, her eyes wide. What was this?

"Brothers, to me!" Moren shouted towards his siblings. They didn't protest, looking on in terror. They fled to his side immediately and spun to look at the shadowy creatures suddenly tearing through the patrons and attacking or taking whatever they could! Above, a vortex slowly began to open.

"It can't be. Tell me it isn't…" Jürgen began.

"It is," Mael breathed, as pallid as the dead.

"Moren, what are we supposed to do?!" Kelin-Sel fearfully questioned his brother.

"Run," Moren ordered. "Get out of this place!"

"We can't leave these people to fight it alone!" Iscawin protested.

"It isn't them they want!" Moren shouted back.

"But it's them they're taking!" Iscawin argued. "I'm not standing by!" Immediately he drew his sword and raced towards one of the shadowy things.

"Iscawin!" Duach shouted after his sibling.

"Dammit," Rhun whispered under his breath. Quickly he raced to help his brother, along with Duach.

"Listen to me, damn you all! To save them we have to draw it off!" Moren insisted, now fearful.

"There's no going back now, Moren. They won't hear us and we're not abandoning them alone. Not anymore," Jürgen reasoned with his brother. Which was odd because Jürgen was never the voice of reason.

Moren looked reluctant but then sighed and nodded. "Then we will fight or fall together," he murmured quietly. Immediately the rest of them raced into the fray to help try and protect the people of Arendelle. Hans stood rooted to the spot, unsure whether he was more disgusted and appalled at the display or awed and shocked at it. His gaze hardened. Arendelle wasn't their problem anymore. He looked around the ballroom and his eyes softened uneasily again. But all these people… He looked towards the vortex. It was drawing them towards it. Into it. Where it brought them god only knew. He shifted and looked at the sword he forgotten he'd drawn. Finally he sighed. He hadn't stood by and let the people freeze to death when Arendelle was frozen in potentially eternal winter, and he wouldn't stand by now. Contrary to popular belief, he had actually given a damn about Elsa's people. Maybe not as much as he'd cared about smoothing his transition to power, but enough to flat out defy the Duke of Weselton and a good many other powerful delegates who would have made that transition for him even easier still, through sheer political force alone. He shook his head and shot forward into the battle.

Kristoff frantically was beating back a shadow-whatever that was attacking him. At least he believed they were shadows, but he sense something disturbingly familiar about them. These weren't shadows, part of him said. They were just in the guise of shadows. These were something far more dangerous. He kicked the one he'd been fighting back and turned to block the attack of another. He heard a third lunge from behind and turned with a gasp. He couldn't block it in time! Suddenly, though, it was attacked from the side and sent sliding. Kristoff's eyes widened. "Hans!" he exclaimed on recognizing his savior.

Hans, sensing his confusion, looked over at Kristoff. He was silent for a moment, then said, "This goes so far beyond resentment and hatred that you don't even know. Right now there's no place for either. There can't be." He turned back to the shadow. "It can only be us and those things now."

Kristoff tensed up at the words. Ooh, this didn't sound good. He looked towards the broken window then suddenly gasped, paling. "Hans, look out!" he shouted, turning to the prince sharply. Hans started and spun to the window. He could hardly gasp before the thing that was there suddenly sent out a powerful attack at him. "Hans!" Kristoff exclaimed. Hans cried out as the attack struck him full force, sending him flying back. The prince cracked his head against the marble floor, stayed conscious just long enough to see that Kristoff was personally taking on the figure in the window - who had apparently forgotten about Hans in the wake of this new attack - and then there was blackness…

Frozen

Elsa, mouth agape, tried desperately to fight back this threat to her people, but her powers did precious little to stop the swirling vortex of blackness that was steadily growing. Moren was at her side. "What is this?!" she demanded.

Moren's expression was grave. "Something we cannot escape," he finally answered. He paused, lowering his sword. "And it will not stop until it has us."

"What?" Elsa breathed.

Moren looked over at her seriously. Finally he sighed and looked towards the vortex. "I'm sorry… I'm so, so sorry," he hollowly said to the queen. "I never thought it would go beyond our shores. Not so fast as this... It will end now, Elsa. I promise you. It will end now."

"Moren, what are you talking about? What are you going to…?" Elsa began. Suddenly the king returned his blade to its sheath and ran directly towards the vortex. "Moren!" she cried out. Without a second thought the king leapt towards the vortex. Into it. Then he was gone. She heard his siblings shouting his name frantically and looked across the way. Mael watched the vortex in silence. He looked at her then smiled ruefully. Apologetically. Smile vanishing, he too ran towards the vortex to the sound of his siblings calling his name. He leapt into it without looking back. Then the other princes were silent, as if they'd caught on to what was happening. She watched in horror as they began to approach it voluntarily, one by one. Iscawin looked back at her and gave her a sad smile before following his siblings last of all.

Unfortunately, before Iscawin was even half way towards said vortex, Elsa heard Anna scream and gasped, turning. "Anna!" Kristoff was calling, holding her close as the vortex grew larger, drawing her towards it.

"Anna!" Elsa cried out, forgetting about freezing the vortex or the shadows, forgetting about the doomed princes throwing themselves into that godforsaken whatever, instead running to help her sister. Kristoff, seeing her coming, suddenly kissed Anna and thrust her towards Elsa.

"Kristoff!" Anna screamed as the vortex took him at the same time Iscawin leapt into it. Elsa grabbed Anna's hand, trying to pull her away from the danger. "No! Elsa, let go!" Anna pled, reaching towards Kristoff.

"It's too late, Anna!" Elsa replied. "I have to get you out of here!"

"I'm slipping!" Anna sobbed, feeling her hand pulling away from her sibling's as the suction began to take hold of her again.

"I won't let go, Anna!" Elsa exclaimed. She knew even as she spoke, though, that it wasn't going to be a choice. "Anna!" she cried out. Anna slipped from her hand. "Anna, no!" Elsa screamed as her sibling gave a shriek while being pulled into the dark vortex. She was about ready to leap after her sister, and would have, had not someone caught her around the waist and pulled her back. "No! I have to save her, please!" Elsa begged.

"No, Queen Elsa, it is too dangerous! There is nothing to be done for Anna now," the one who had caught her, Kai she realized, said. Sure enough the vortex closed as soon as it took its fill. The shaking stopped shortly after, and the blackness dissipated, leaving behind only devastation and those fortunate enough to have escaped it. Which was next to no one, at least in the palace. What was left outside in the kingdom who could know? And worst of all, Elsa realized with a chill that if not for the princes throwing themselves into it—it had wanted them? Why?—this would have been so much worse. Soon enough they would see what had become of the outside. Elsa began to weep. She was gone. Anna was gone! She didn't even know if her sister was still alive. "My queen, I am sorry I could not save the princess," Kai regretfully said. "I have failed you." Elsa didn't reply, continuing to cry.

"Your majesty, the people are calling for their queen," Gerda, one of the only others that had escaped unscathed, said, turning from a broken window gravely. Elsa looked slowly up, stress and sorrow in her eyes. How could she console them when she could hardly console herself? She sniffed, rising. She had to appear strong. Her people needed her. She composed herself as best she could and moved towards the balcony gracefully and boldly.

Frozen

Hans groaned, eyes fluttering as he held his head in his hands, slowly regaining consciousness. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter then opened them, carefully sitting up though his head screamed in protest. What had just…? His eyes flew open wide as he recalled. The vortex, his brothers! He gasped and was about to crawl out from behind the column when he heard soft weeping. He froze, carefully peering out in time to hear Gerda's words. He stayed still and silent. He watched Elsa stand despite her own suffering. He saw her move towards the balcony. He had to give her credit, she was being strong. The question was would she hold up? He saw Kai and Gerda leave then rose, moving out from behind the pillar and following the queen carefully.

Elsa took a breath then walked onto the balcony, looking out over her kingdom and people. Her heart sank. Homes were in ruins, families had lost members, mourning and fear were all around. "People of Arendelle, listen to me! I know you're frightened, I know you've lost so much, but I promise you that…" Elsa began.

"What do you promise? Will your promise bring back my children that that thing took away?!" a sobbing woman screamed.

"Will it give me my home back?!" a man furiously questioned, shaking his fist.

Elsa, at first flustered, quickly recovered. "I will do everything in my power to compensate and help all of you!" she replied.

"Not good enough!" a man shouted. "What will you do about the creatures that took my fiancée and parents?! Where are they?!'

"Where are those things? Where did they originate? What will you do about any of it?! Bring our lives back!" a woman shouted.

"I-I don't know where it is or if it can be found," Elsa stammered, feeling her heart sinking. Immediately there was uproar and people began throwing things at the balcony. Elsa gasped, stepping back. They were going to riot! Suddenly there was a presence next to her and sharply she looked over, ready to defend herself. She started on seeing who it was. "You!" Elsa exclaimed. Hans!

"Silence!" Hans shouted down at the crowd, voice powerful, strong, and unrelenting. Almost threatening. Still they grew louder. Hans scowled then drew a pistol, firing into the air. The bang shut them up instantly. Hans glared down at the citizens strikingly, dangerously, ensuring none would get cocky. "I said shut up!" he viciously snapped at them, eyes blazing. They fell silent. Hans made sure they'd stay that way then looked in the direction the black clouds were disappearing in. He turned back to them. "I know where it is, I know what it is, and I promise you that it can be killed. And will be." Just not easily, he inwardly added. And possibly not any time soon, but that remained to be seen. "That thing took my brothers, took the princess, took your families and destroyed your homes! Now I'll return the favor." Elsa looked as shocked as her people were. As they cheered Hans's words, he turned to her and coldly said, "If you'll allow me to. You wanted me dead anyway."

"How do you know so much about it?" Elsa suspiciously questioned.

"Because long ago, when I was little, it did this same thing to the Southern Isles. He did," Hans answered. "The loss of life, the missing, and the damage was massive, and it was all because it wanted my family. It's because we were here that it came and took your sister and my brothers… So I'm going to find him and I'm going to end this once and for all. Not for you and your kingdom, not for Anna, Kristoff, or my brothers, but because it has to go. Permanently. For the sake of everything."

Elsa glared at him. "Get out of my kingdom. Go home and take the throne like you've always wanted, but don't play hero and act like you're worth something."

"Listen you little…" he began before reigning in his temper and taking a breath. He looked at her again. "I'm not playing here. This goes beyond heroes and villains, beyond good and evil, beyond you and me. You have no idea of what's coming or what the creature that did this is capable of. If it's back, there might not even be a kingdom for me to go back to… And soon there'll be no kingdom for you to rule either." Elsa's eyes widened, fear and concern coming to them as she tensed up. Hans turned, entering the castle again. Elsa looked down at the reassured and disappearing crowd. If nothing else, Hans had saved them from a riot and mass panic. She bit her lower lip then followed the prince.

Frozen

"What are we dealing with?" she asked. Hans rolled his eyes and kept walking like he hadn't heard. "Hans!" she called sharper. He paused and looked down. "What are we dealing with?" she repeated.

He held the bridge of his nose, shutting his eyes, then turned opening them again. "I'm dealing with a creature beyond mortal understanding that likes tricks, the Menhir, the Dolmen, and bridges."

Her eyes widened. "The fae," she realized. Trolls most likely, given the bridge remark, but certainly not the trolls Kristoff was raised by.

"Of a sort. Kind of. Part fae, at least. It's a long story and I'm not telling it. Not now. There's no time," Hans answered. "You, on the other hand, are dealing with your frightened people."

"No. I'm coming. My sister is out there," she said.

"Oh you're coming are you? Tell me, your majesty. Who'll sooth and take care of your people, then?" Hans challenged.

Eyes narrowed, she answered, "A distant relative and her husband who happen to be here. There's no way I'm letting you near Anna without me. Not after what you did."

Hans scowled, eyes narrowing, but she wasn't intimidated. He scoffed, turning his back on her and starting off again. "I'm not waiting for you to get your affairs in order."

"You won't have to," she replied, writing a message for Rapunzel as she followed Hans. She placed it on a stand and came up alongside him.

Frozen

Hans quickly and deftly saddled up Sitron then swung up onto his back. He looked over at Elsa. Elsa had formed a horse of ice and snow. His eyes widened. "Whoa…" he said. Sitron, catching sight of it, whinnied, perking up and trying to go for the snow mare. "Whoa! Hey, hey, easy. Down boy. Hey!" Hans insisted. It snorted and whinnied at him in annoyance, trying to go for the mare again. "Hey!" Hans snapped, seizing the reigns and roughly pulling the horse's head around to face him. "Don't think I won't turn you into a gelding. It seemed terrible when I was a teenager, not so much now," he threatened. Sitron snorted, putting on an innocent look.

Elsa smirked to herself, mounting her ice steed then frowning as she rode up to Hans. "Let's get this done," she said.

"Don't think it'll be easy as that," Hans cautioned, nodding. Immediately the two galloped away from the palace and Arendelle, following the dark clouds far in the distance.