Hans was awoken early the next morning by banging on his door. Before he could even remove the sleep from his eyes, his own guards burst in and seized him.
"What's the meaning of this?" he demanded groggily. They bent him over the bed and used special cuffs that enclosed his hands. "Release me at once!"
"You are to stand trial," one grunted.
"For what?" Hans asked, incredulous. Surely this was just a sick joke orchestrated by his brothers. But the guards didn't respond. They dragged him out into the hall where more guards were at Elsa's door.
"You are to come with us, Your Grace."
"Why?" she challenged. Then, she saw Hans being dragged towards the stairs. "What's going on?" Her expression hardened as she turned back to the guard at the door. "What are you doing with Prince Hans?"
"Come quietly. You'll see."
She narrowed her blue eyes, and Hans lost sight of her as he was dragged down the steps towards the throne room. His entire family was already there, even Fiona and Mila, who both looked worried. Hagen sat on the throne, his expression unreadable. Hans was deposited in the middle of the floor, and Elsa soon joined him, also cuffed.
"Hagen, tell me what the hell is going on!" Hans yelled.
"You two stand before me accused of Treason. How do you answer these charges?"
"We're innocent!" Hans implored. "I don't even know what you're talking about."
Nikolai stepped forward. "Yes, you do, liar."
"Stay out of this, you snake," Hans snapped.
"Silence," Hagen ordered. "Let him continue."
"I saw you, demon," Nik continued. "You've been consorting with the enemy. She's been training you for weeks so you two could overthrow the Southern Isles." He spat at their feet. "You're both freaks."
Raoul adjusted his spectacles and said, "Perhaps 'freak' isn't the word you're-"
"No. Freak is exactly the word I'm looking for. Just like the rumors were true about little miss snow queen, Hans has power over fire. She's been teaching him how to wield it so they can destroy us all!"
"Is this true?" Mila asked, clinging to Vernon's bulging bicep.
"Certainly not," her husband assured her.
"It is," Jakob said, also stepping forward. "He's the one who gave me this."
He lifted his shirt, revealing the large scar over his heart. Hans hung his head, catching sight of his own bare, unmarred chest. If only he could take Jakob's scar and make it his own, he would. He just wanted the hostility to stop.
The brothers who were previously unaware gasped, as well as the women. They eyed the supernatural pair with suspicion.
Always the voice of reason, Raoul asked, "How do we know for sure? When did this happen? Were there witnesses?"
"Yes, there were," Henrik said, moving to stand next to Nikolai and Jakob. Though he sided with them, he was generally a helpful and honest person. Hans knew his testimony would be accepted by the others. "I witnessed the accident years ago, and I witnessed their training session last night with Nikolai. Hans and his foreign Queen are a danger to the South."
Vernon leaned forward, looking to Freyja. "Mom, did you know about this?"
The Queen sighed and stood. "Yes, I did. Nearly twenty years ago, Jakob was brought to me, wailing and severely burned after an altercation with Hans. I enlisted an elite force to find and procure mermaid tears to help heal him. I didn't want to alarm any of you. I had hoped that Hans could learn to contain and control his...abnormality."
"Looks like mommy dearest is the traitor," Brandt muttered, only making matters worse.
Freyja turned to Brandt, her grey eyes stormy. "I did what I did to protect my family as best I could. I thought, 'Hans is still my son.' Now, I see I should have thrown him into the sea the moment he was born. He is not my son, just the monster I was cursed with." She glared at Hans, not an ounce of sympathy for her youngest son.
Hans' eyes stung with tears, but he refused to cry. Queen Freyja, Henrik, Nikolai and Jakob stood together, accusing Hans and Elsa. Brandt and Leif stood to the side, mouths agape. Elsa knelt beside Hans, her blue eyes full of sorrow. The elder brothers, along with Fiona and Mila, gathered around Hagen's throne. Even Hagen looked sad after Freyja's cruel words.
"How do you respond?" Hagen asked them.
"We were not conspiring. Yes, Elsa has been training me, but not to destroy my own family. She was trying to teach me how to control it."
"It's true," Elsa added.
"Yeah, sure," Nikolai said sarcastically. "You were totally in control as you parted the sea with your powers."
"Parted...the sea?" Freyja asked, her eyes wide.
"Yeah, like he was Moses or something. But Hans' powers aren't from God, they're demonic," Nikolai explained.
"No, they're not!" Hans and Elsa shouted in unison.
"They're a gift," Elsa insisted.
"I was completely under control," Hans said, and something finally clicked in his head. He was in control of his powers. He could control what he thought and felt to get a desired response, like he did on the beach, but it went both ways. Hans could hate himself all he wanted, but if he let it consume him, he would never be free of the curse.
"He's lying," Henrik said.
"You leave me no choice," Hagen announced, rising. "If we cannot settle this amongst ourselves, we will decide as a council. Mother, with us, please."
Freyja followed the women and elder brothers out through a side door to deliberate. Brandt and Leif tried to join them, but Hagen held them back.
"Why can't we go, too?" Leif whined. "We're not involved in this."
"Elders only," Hagen replied.
"I'm thirty-two. I'm not a child," Brandt insisted.
"Thirty-five and up," he clarified, shutting him up and closing the door in their faces.
In the following silence, Hans wondered if the exclusion of the younger brothers was beneficial or not. Surely Leif would vouch for their innocence, but Brandt was a wild card. His four eldest brothers and three women held their fate in their hands.
Hans turned to look at Elsa. "I am so sorry for inviting you here."
"Don't be," she said with a small smile.
"I didn't think my family would be this bad..."
"I understand their reservations..." she said, glancing at Henrik, Nikolai and Jakob, who were all still glaring at them. Seconds felt like hours, the silence deafening, the tension suffocating.
Finally, the council returned, and Hans' heart sank to the depths of his stomach. His green eyes met Hagen's, pleading to him to be merciful. His expression betrayed nothing.
"We have been unable to agree on a course of action. We shall vote. Queen Mila of the Southerlands, what say you?"
There was fear and sadness in her brown eyes as she responded, "I find Hans and Elsa guilty of treason." Elsa swallowed hard, her cuffs beginning to frost.
"King Vernon of the Southerlands, your verdict?" Hagen asked.
Vernon wrapped an arm around Mila's dainty shoulders. "Guilty."
Hans' heart began to race. He noticed Elsa's frosty cuffs and knew if they saw it, they would undoubtedly be convicted of treason. He scooted closer to her to counteract her chill.
"Prince Bjorn, third son of King Erik."
Hans could barely see Bjorn's green eyes, surrounded on all sides by dark, curly hair. His beard twitched as he replied, "Innocent." Hans was shocked. Maybe there was hope.
"Prince Raoul, second son of King Erik."
"I conclude that they are indeed innocent," he said. Hans tensed. They were evenly split, but three remained.
"Princess Fiona of Kiel."
"They are innocent," Fiona replied to her betrothed. She looked to the accused and gave them the smallest of smiles.
"Queen Freyja of the Southern Isles."
"Guilty," she snapped without hesitation.
Hans held his breath. His fate rested in Hagen's hands. Elsa shifted next to him, her arm brushing his. He wished he could hold her hand.
Hagen stood. "As the firstborn son of King Erik and active regent, I am forced to break this stalemate."
Henrik, Nikolai and Jakob smirked down at them. Hans leaned into Elsa's cool skin and tried to focus on Hagen's decision.
"Prince Hans, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, after lengthy deliberation, I find you...innocent."
"What?" Freyja, Nikolai and Jakob said simultaneously.
"You heard what I said. My decision is final."
"But I saw them!" Nikolai insisted.
Hagen pinched the bridge of his nose. "If they were truly plotting to overthrow us, they could slay us all right now. Why aren't they?"
"Too scared to take on all of us," Jakob sneered.
"Oh please," Brandt said, crossing his arms. "If they're really as powerful as you say they are, it doesn't matter how many of us there are. All they need to do is snap their fingers, and we're all dead."
He wasn't wrong. If they had really wanted to, Hans and Elsa could break their bonds and destroy them all. But what would that prove?
"It is decided," Hagen said firmly. "They are innocent. Everyone is dismissed."
Guards approached Hans and Elsa and unlocked the handcuffs while everyone else filed out of the room. Another helped Elsa stand and apologized to her while Hans rubbed his hands. When he stood, he came face to face with Jakob and Nikolai.
"We're keeping an eye on you, freak," Jakob muttered.
"One day, he'll see you for what you really are," Nikolai said, spitting at Hans' feet. "An abomination."
Hans pressed his lips together, trying not to react. They shoved past him, Henrik joining them as they left. Then, Leif placed an apologetic hand on Hans' shoulder.
"Good morning!" he said cheerfully, rolling his eyes at the tense morning events.
Good morning indeed. "Tell Mother I won't be there for lunch," Hans said. "We're going in to town."
"Sure. Have fun!" Leif waved goodbye.
Alone in the throne room, Hans turned to Elsa and hugged her tight. They both breathed a sigh of relief, and Hans stroked her silky white hair. When their heartbeats settled, he pulled back and kissed her. "Let's get out of here."