Chapter 20:

The Trial - Pt 2

And then they called Anna.

Anna timidly took her place on the stand, wringing the handkerchief in her hands nervously. She'd appeared apprehensive as it was, but Hans couldn't help but notice and extra layer of nervous; he assumed it was the pressure of the trail, the illness continuing to ravage her and the falling out with her sister. Either way, Hans' heart received a gentle squeeze when he saw her state: worn, weak and tired.

Orville stood, adjusting his tie and nearing the princess with a warm smile on his face. He seemed smug, knowing full-well the incidents that had occurred in Arendelle, about how the princess had been betrayed. In his eyes, this would be simple. The Princess would garner up sympathy from the judge and ultimately wrap up his case against the Prince quite nicely. Princess Anna was also the only witness that Hans had confessed his treasonous plan to, and therefore made her testimony the most important of all.

"Princess Anna, would you be so kind as to explain your… relationship… with the defendant, Hans Westergaard?"

"W-we…" she paused, swallowing hard. She glanced out into the small crowd of attending patrons, fixating on their awaiting faces, specifically the three most familiar.

First, Elsa - somber and stony, her eyes like ice.

Next, Kristoff - melancholy but hopeful, his eyes like the strong, bountiful earth.

Last, Hans - admiring and anxious, his eyes like the ocean…ones she could swim in for eternity, if the world were just a little kinder.

"We were engaged for a brief period of time," she replied, staring into Hans' eyes, which now felt like a beacon in the distance calling her home. She felt a smile aching to form on her lips, but didn't dare show on her face. She watched him battle the same sensation. How cruel, for them to be in love at a time like this.

"And can you tell us about your engagement to Prince Hans?" he asked.

"I don't know," she hesitated, uncomfortably shifting in the wooden, unwelcomingly hard chair as everyone's eyes burned into her. "It was a whirlwind… I-It all happened very fast."

"Did Prince Hans show any signs that he was simply using you and your position to gain the throne of Arendelle?" Her face fell when she heard the question; now he was getting to the 'good' stuff. Anna felt as though she'd been punched in the gut; she hadn't realized just how much emotion would be invoked by simply answering such seemingly simple questions.

But they weren't simple. With each question, she felt as though she were ripping an old wound right open - and not just her own, either. Each question she answered had potentially a damning affect on Hans, the man she loved more than anything. On the other hand, each question she answered painted a picture in Kristoff's mind that he would probably prefer to never know, especially after his ultimatum. And each question she answered drove a stake farther and farther into her sister's heart.

"No, he didn't," Anna responded, curtly. She watched Kristoff flinch, Elsa's eyes narrow, and Orville raise his eyebrows - all presumably taken aback by her less-than-condemning response. "I mean, I knew he was 13th in line in his own kingdom, but I didn't think he was using me," she answered, sincerely.

"You truly thought that a prince who'd confessed that he was 13th in line for a throne, a man you'd only just met hours before, wanted to marry you? And you agreed?" he asked flatly. Anna peered back at him and his condescending face, realizing quickly that she wasn't giving him the answers he was hoping for, the ones that would help put a swift end to the prince.

"Yes," she said, sheepishly, her cheeks growing pink. "He never gave me any indication otherwise," she added, truthfully.

"And when did you realize that was not the case, Princess?" Orville said, his voice laced with obvious frustration at her testimony. Anna didn't answer right away, she stared out at the group of witnesses once more, her eyes darting back and forth between Hans and Kristoff, who each stared back at her with a different, but specific, sense of longing. Both wanted her to tell the truth, but each of them perceived a different version of the truth. She didn't even know what the truth was anymore.

Had there been signs that Hans had only been using her? More than likely.

I've been searching my whole life to find my own place…

But all those thoughts and details had been watered down over the course of the last few months, and knowing the context behind Hans' actions, knowing how much he'd beaten himself up over those actions, and knowing how much he'd grown and changed since Arendelle made it hard to live in the past. That wasn't who he was anymore…that wasn't who she was anymore.

"Princess Anna?" he coaxed.

"After he said… that he didn't need me anymore to find his place in the world," she said somberly, her gaze falling to her hands, still rolling the handkerchief around. Hans clenched his jaw, nervously fidgeting with his own hands. "That's when I knew."

"Can you be more specific?"

"I don't know what you're asking me," she glowered.

"How was it that he told you that he didn't need you to take over Arendelle?" Orville probed.

"What does this have to do with treason charges, Mr. Steinham?" Anna asked, her eyes narrowed and her tone chilly.

"I believe Hans' character is in question, Princess," Judge Bjerrum clarified. Anna scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"He left me to die. On the floor. Alone," she said snapped. "Is that the answer you were looking for, Mr. Steinham? Well, there. You have it. I dying and I needed Hans to save me. He chose not to. Hans looked me in the eyes, told me he didn't love me and that he was going to kill my sister and take her place as King," she sputtered off. Hans' eyes widened at her candor, and his chest ached hearing the details uttered out so crudely. The crowd murmured a bit and Judge Bjerrum banged his gavel a few times to quiet them back down. Orville smiled smugly, turning from her to retire back to his desk.

"No further que-" he began but stopped when he noticed Anna abruptly stand, anger flushing through her veins.

"Yes, Mr. Steinham. Hans hurt me. Badly. Worse, he hurt the people I love as well," she added, softer, as she gazed at Elsa, who was watching on in silent observation. "And many would find what he did unforgivable, but that is between him and I."

"Princess Anna," Judge Bjerrum said in a warning tone. She turned to him, her eyes filled with tears.

"P-please, Judge Bjerrum. I just need to say this," she begged, the desperation in her tone growing. He studied her teary face and pursed his lips together wryly before relenting, giving her a sigh and a slight nod to continue.

"Very well," he grunted. Anna took in a deep breath, smoothing down the front of her wrinkled dress.

"Hans' actions to me and the ones I love are not what are on trial today. He has already been punished for those crimes…but I can assure you all that nothing could punish Hans more than he has already punished himself. He is being tried for High Treason against The Southern Isles, as if his actions were intent on destroying his own kingdom. But they were not. Yes, they were selfish and self-serving. Yes, the consequences of his actions stalled trade, but those trade negotiations are back on between the kingdoms and relationships have more than been repaired," she said, getting more heated. "But most reflective of his character was this: In my and my sister's absence, during a state of emergency in Arendelle, I left him in charge. He fed the hungry. He sheltered the cold. He took care of my kingdom as if it were his own and for that I will always be thankful." she vouched. She shot a cold, definitive look in Hans' brother's direction, specifically honing in on King Elias. "You should be proud that Hans proved to be so capable and competent on behalf of your kingdom. That being said, I do not believe any of the occurrences in Arendelle constitutes as Treason against the Southern Isles."

"And what, may I ask, caused your newfound admiration for your previous fiancé?" Orville asked, although Anna was starting to wonder if it was just curiosity and not anything of value to the case. She sighed. She glanced at Kristoff, now at the edge of his seat, his mouth agape. It pained her, but she couldn't leave him hanging any longer. He knew what was coming, and he couldn't stop her.

And Anna realized she couldn't stop herself even if she wanted to.

"We fell in love," she said in almost a whisper. "I love him." With those words, Anna watched as Kristoff's face fall into a look of utter rejection, his head bowed sadly. An involuntary sob erupted from her chest. "And I am begging you to have mercy on him," she cried. "Because I know there is so much more good in him than bad. Because I know what he is like when he loves someone. He is fiercely loyal. He is kind, he is generous. And for how much misery he has endured in his life, he deserves a second chance." Up until the end of her heartfelt plea, she hadn't even realized that the tears were pouring down her cheeks. She searched through her blurry, tear-streaked eyes for the three faces in the crowd.

First, Elsa - softened and empathetic, her eyes like a melting glacier.

Next, Hans - Full of gratitude and love, humbled, his eyes like a calm after a storm.

Last, Kristoff's - Full of pure sadness and defeat, just before he turned and left the courtroom without looking back.

"No more questions," Orville grumbled from his chair, flipping through papers, clearly trying to figure out just how he was going to undo the damage that Anna's testimony had just done for his case.

"I have no questions for the witness," Rasmussen said, a smile on his face. "And I am fairly certain I don't even need a closing argument." Anna got down from the stand silently. She walked in hurried but still weakened steps, propelling herself towards Elsa for comfort, slightly surprised to be welcomed by Elsa's extended and loving arms, pulling her in for an embrace. She held onto her sister, silently weeping into her chest. Elsa smoothed down her broken sister's hair, pulling her close and sitting her down beside her, draping her arm around her.

"The next witness…" Orville stated, glancing down at a piece of paper, adjusting his glasses, "…is Queen Elsa of Ar-"

"No," Elsa said definitively from her seat.

"But-" Orville began to interject, shot down immediately by Elsa's glare.

"No, I will not be testifying against Prince Hans. My sister is right. He has already been punished for his crimes against her and I. I will not be a part of your vendetta against him," she said, specifically eyeing King Elias, who'd sat silently observing in the back of the room the entire time. "He is your family," she spat at Elias, scoldingly, still clutching her sister to her side, comforting her. Hans shot the queen a grateful glance, even though Elsa still couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye.

"Well, that's fine then," Orville shrugged. "I still have one more witness to call, if I may," he smirked, looking quite satisfied with himself. The crowd rustled, looking around the room to see who it was. It didn't appear there was anyone else in attendance who'd agreed to testify, neither for or against Hans. Hans glanced around the room curiously, feeling suddenly very unsure of what was about to transpire. "I call Dr. Edm nd Svedsen to the stand," he said, loudly, and all the color drained from Hans' face.

The guards opened the door to the courtroom, and the doctor appeared, his beady eyes fixated upon the floor, his brown, leather briefcase in his hand. He took small, quick steps, his gaze nervously trailing to Hans' confused face, then back to the ground. He took his seat, trying his best not to make eye contact with the prince. Hans' stomach sank as he thought about the last time he'd seen the doctor, about how horribly he'd acted in his moments of desperation. Surely, Dr. Svedsen knew that was a temporary lapse of judgment, that it wasn't how Hans had been all the time.

"Please state your name and position for the court," Orville ordered. Svedsen coughed and cleared his throat, uneasily.

"My name is Dr. Edmünd Svedsen, I am a doctor in psychotherapy… specifically ailments of the mind."

"You sound like a very busy man. I don't want to waste your time, Dr. Svedsen, so we'll get right down to business. How long have you been meeting with Prince Hans Westergaard?"

"It has been about four months at this time, twice a week."

"And in your professional opinion, as expressed from the defendant himself in your sessions, would you classify his actions in Arendelle as nefarious?" Svedsen glanced at Hans nervously, Hans back at him terrified. Hans' heartbeat raced, his palms sweaty. He had never imagined that anything he'd said to the doctor in their sessions would have any kind of bearing on his fate, and now her realized he very well may have damned himself.

"I am not sure I understand the question," Dr. Svedsen said coolly, reaching down and taking a quick sip off of a glass of water near the stand. Orville nodded.

"Excuse me. Let me rephrase that. In your sessions, did Hans divulge to you his motives behind his actions in Arendelle?"

"Yes, he did."

"And those were?"

"He was under a delusion that Princess Anna was unfaithful to him, which he later realized was unfounded. He was also trying to fill a void inside of himself, seemingly caused by rejection and emotional abuse caused by his family growing up, making his overthrowing of Elsa seem…" he paused, searching for the right words. "Seem of the utmost importance." Hans could feel all the eyes on him in the courtroom; it was almost embarrassing, to have his most intimate fears and feelings out on display, for all to see. He slouched a bit in his chair, wishing he could just disappear. He could only imagine how pathetic he sounded to all of them, especially his brothers.

"So again I ask, in your professional opinion, would you classify his actions nefarious? Treasonous, even?" Dr. Svedsen looked at Hans, taking in a deep breath and exhaling a morose sigh.

"No, as a matter of fact I do not," Dr. Svedsen said, earnestly. Hans released a sigh of relief; perhaps Svedsen would come to his aid after all.

"Interesting," Orville mused. "Then what, Dr. Svedsen, is your professional diagnosis of your patient, the defendant?"

"My sessions with Prince Hans garnered very little results, I regret to say…. He has displayed traits of narcissism, sociopathic tendencies, paranoia, mania… He was indeed vulnerable, and I have no doubts that Lars DuPont not only manipulated him, but used him as a pawn to do his bidding. However…while I do not believe that his actions in Arendelle were necessarily deemed worthy a sentence of High Treason…it is my professional and medical opinion that Hans is not fit to be out in the general public," he said solemnly.

"What!?" Hans shouted, besides himself.

"No," Anna breathed, her jaw dropping. She gripped onto an equally surprised Elsa. The crowd began to react, both gasping and whispering sharply to one another. Hans sat dumbfounded, his mouth agape as he stared at the doctor with a look of utter betrayal. Judge Bjerrum slammed down his gavel, attempting to call order to the court.

"And what is your recommended treatment for Hans' mental state?" Orville asked loudly over the ruckus.

"Given my most recent interaction with the Prince and his violent temper, not to mention his past history of attempted violence on Queen Elsa, I deem him a threat to society… and also a threat to himself. If it were my decision, I'd determine that Hans would benefit from institutionalization at the Southern Isles Sanitarium," he uttered. "There he can receive the proper therapies and treatments to rid him of these…demons."

"I'm not insane!" Hans shouted desperately. He slammed his hand down upon the desk in front of him, standing and looking around the room in a panic. "Dr. Svedsen, you know I'm not insane!" Hans yelled out.

"Silence!" Judge Bjerrum bellowed, frustration written all over his face. Hans looked at Anna, her pained expression searing though him.

"You can't lock me up, I'm not mad!"

"That is enough, Prince Hans!" Judge Bjerrum called out one last time, cautioning.

"Why?!" Hans yelled, his eyes burning into the doctor, who sad uncomfortably on the stand. "Why did you do this to me?" Judge Bjerrum stood, slamming his gavel down louder than ever, the whole courtroom staring back at him, startled into silence. The round, red-faced judge glowered at the room, seething.

"This case is coming to a close, I have had enough of this circus in my courtroom!" he hollered, his booming voice echoing off the walls. Hans gulped, slowly sinking back into his seat. "Based on the insanity that has taken place in this courtroom today, I have decided to agree with Dr. Svedsen's recommendation. Hans, you will be institutionalized at the Southern Isles Sanitarium indefinitely."

"But-" Hans choked.

"I am not finished!" the proud judge screamed, furiously. "You are a menace to society and I will not stand to see you out in the world, capable of such deplorable acts against others. Be grateful that this is your sentencing and not the gallows, Master Hans. Perhaps that gratitude will help you regain your sense of sanity," he slammed down his gavel. "Take him away," he ordered, coldly.

"No!" Anna cried out painfully, reaching her arm out towards him. He shrunk as the guards neared, surrounding him. Elsa held her flailing sister back, trying her best to subdue her; Anna was inconsolable. The guards took hold of Hans roughly, leading him towards the exit and past the crowd. He watched helplessly as Anna collapsed to the ground.

"Anna!" he called out as he watched the crowd gasping and surrounding her, the doors to the courtroom shutting behind him, her devastated face the last of her he would ever see.

"Hans?" Anna groaned, her eyes fluttering open slowly. The first thing she saw was the now-familiar dark green canopy of the bed. She felt like she was being weighed down by stones, barely able to move her head to the side to look at her surroundings. She weakly moved her arm, pulling the cloth from her forehead. Everything was foggy, her memory jumbled as though she'd just awoken from a dream.

Had she?

Then, oh…she remembered. The trial. The sentencing. She suddenly rolled to her side, violently expelling her stomach contents into her washbasin. Her whole body ached, she was both hot and cold at the same time, covered in sweat and chills. Although she'd been sick for weeks now, it had never been like this. She lazily brought the back of her hand to her bottom lip, wiping the residual vomit from her chin. She hovered a bit, unsure if she was going to overcome her second wave of nausea, when she felt a comforting hand running along her back.

She tightly squeezed her eyes shut, allowing herself one lingering moment to pretend like it was Hans' hand on her back, even though she knew better. She opened her eyes and looked up through tussled red hair to see her companion, blue eyes meeting her own.

"It's going to be okay," Elsa said soothingly, trying to force a smile through her clear and blatant apprehension. "I'm here." Anna slowly rolled over onto her back, wiping her face with the cool rag. Elsa took the rag from her hand and then the washbasin, moving it away from the bed. She glanced at her sister, her eyebrows pulled down with worry.

"Where's…where's Hans?" she croaked. Elsa's eyes saddened even more as she stared down at her hands.

"The Southern Hills Sanitarium, I imagine," she sighed sadly. She reached up and placed her cool hand against Anna's burning forehead, closing her eyes as her hand got colder and colder, like a personal ice pack. Anna stared back at her sister, suddenly incredibly grateful she was there. Anna realized she didn't know what she would have done if Hans had been carted away with no one to turn to.

"Elsa, I'm sorry," she whispered, her misty eyes tracing the soft curvatures of her sister's lovely face. "I never meant to fall-"

"Shh," Elsa comforted. "I know. You don't have to apologize," she added. "It is me that should be sorry. I seem to have a hard time listening to you when you need me to the most," she admitted. "Everything I do is out of love, though, Anna. And Hans-"

"I know," Anna said nodding meekly, the sisters mirroring one another. "I can't believe he's gone," Anna said before she hiccupped back a sob, her face twisting into painful despair. Elsa leaned down, holding onto and embracing her heartbroken baby sister. When Anna's heart hurt, Elsa's heart hurt, even if it were over someone like Hans Westergaard. Elsa soon found herself brimming with tears as well, wishing that she could rid Anna of the heart ache and the sickness…to just help her be healthy and whole again.

Anna's face found the crook of her sister's neck. She sniffled, gripping Elsa painfully as she cried. She uttered into Elsa's ear,

"I never even got to say goodbye,"

A/N

…My apologies for all the sadness, guys. I am trying to get to that happy ending I've promised you all, but as you can tell from the mess these lovers have gotten themselves into, there are a lot of loose ends to wrap up, and I have NEVER been one to believe in cutting corners to get there. I like my stories to have a sense of realism to them. Have you ever seen a movie or read a book where everything is awry and then POOF! All better without even a slight climax? I'm sure you have.

I'm rambling.

And already half done with the next chapter, so that will be up ASAP.

And considering continuing this into a Part III…we'll see.

Um, some special thanks to my awesome reviewers, (I THINK you know who you are! And also Kionkichin for totally recommending me on Tumblr with some sweet artwork! That was rad and totally made my day. Yous guys are da bestests.)

Be sure to check out Enula's Blank Spaces in Our Tragedy. It's the beginning of a very promising troll theory Hanna story, and I am super stoked about it.