Authors note: Welcome to another chapter of the Asher.
Any way I hope you all enjoy this chapter and don't worry, there will be two more balls after this and hopefully you will all love them. I thank you all for your wonderful reviews and now I have a small contest as a thank you, for the mythological/magical creature theme of the ball, I want you all to write a review of what costume should Hans and/or Elsa wear, the one which I pick will not only be featured in the story but also I will make a one shot of whatever the person desires (Provided that its not lemons and such). So please be as creative as you want in the costumes as I very much would like to hear what you all would imagen as an outfit.
The deadline of the submission will be July, Friday the 21.
Idunas chateau:
Stepping out of the coach, Hans and Karen both watched in a bit of disappointment as when the last stroke of midnight happened all went back to the way things were originally.
The coach went back to being a wooden box covered with ivy, the brothers changed back to their lizard, snake and bird forms, Karen and Hans clothes went back to what they were wearing, Hans scars returned along with his lack of tongue.
Placing his hand on his face Hans felt the holes on his cheek, moving his tongue or trying to he found he had none before sighting sadly and looking at Karen who gave him a look of pity, shaking his head Hans smiled a little as if saying "Its okay, it was nice while it lasted",
"Yes, but why did it had to end so soon?" said Karen disappointed as they all made their way back to the chateau where Thumbelina, Pascal and Iduna were waiting for them in the common room with some biscuits and hot chocolate.
"Welcome back" said Iduna as she took a sip of hot chocolate before sighting happily at it,
"How was the ball?" Thumbelina asked as she got up from her tiny seat and walked to the end of the table where she was standing, looking up she waited for the answer quite eagerly.
Karen smiled and told the story, since Hans could not as he was without his tongue again.
"Ohhhhhhh! This is just like a fairytale, two lovers reunited" said Thumbelina happily,
"Well its over now..." mouthed Hans trying not to show disappointment and sadness before adding as he looked to Iduna "Thank you for letting me and Karen go to the ball and for everything",
"Your very welcome, but its not over yet" said Iduna making the group look confuse,
"What? You though that I would make you all miss the other balls? Preposterous, the next ball is going to be better I promise you that" said Iduna hapilly then added "Now you all must be tired, go up to bed and rest, tomorrow is going to be a long day",
"I know, I have school" said Karen,
"Food shopping and chores" mouthed Hans,
"So off to bed, all of you" said Iduna waiving her hand, with that Hans picked Pascal and Thumbelina up to take them to his room where they sleep, the reptile and bird brothers went to their own sleeping places and Karen to her room, when they left Iduna quickly turned to her owl Eira form.
Flying out the window she flew up to Hans room and perched herself in the window sill, patiently waiting for him to walk into the room. Which he did after a minute or so,
"Hello Eira" mouthed Hans as he walked over, placed Thumbelina next to the doll house that served as her home, then Pascal on a pillow that was next to the window sill, curling up Pascal went to sleep rather quickly.
Eira hooted, Hans smiled and rubbed the feathers on her neck gently before taking his shoes off and coat before getting to bed and mouthing "I had a great night tonight, shocking mostly, but great", Eira hooted again,
"Why you ask? Well turned out that Snow white is actually princess Elsa" said Hans, Eira/Iduna hooted, pretending to be surprised and shocked at that,
"I was like you too, never would I have imagined that the princess and Snow were the same person" mouthed Hans before yawning again "I am very thankful that Iduna let me go, well more than thankful as that woman did the most amazing thing with magic, she turned ivy into a coach, some of my brothers to horses and others back to human to be footmen and drivers, my and Karens clothes to the most beautiful outfits I had ever seen or worn",
Eira hooted showing interest,
"She says that me and Karen will go to the next ball" mouthed Hans "Maybe you could come", Iduna/Eira shook her head no,
"No? Don't want to go?" mouthed Hans confused, she nodded,
"Okay, I will respect your wishes" mouthed Hans before resting his head on the pillow which was on the bed before mouthing "Good night" and going to sleep, his mind replaying the events of the ball while Eira watched.
Arendelle town:
The first ball ended yet it made a huge impact, as the day went on people spoke about nothing else but the ball as they went about with their regular lives and schedules. Though the main topic of the ball had been all about the stranger whom they dubbed "The mystery prince" who danced with the Arendelle crown princess and the graceful dancer dubbed "The nightingale" that had been there.
"Wow, when Iduna said that she would make me and Karen the talk of the ball...she meant it" though Hans as he went around doing grocery shopping at the market.
"Did you see the dancer?" said one,
"Oh yes, her movements are as graceful and beautiful as the flight and song of a nightingale" said another,
"What about that prince?" said others,
"The mystery prince? I saw him, how handsome he is, no wonder our princess was quite taken by him" said the next,
"If she does not want him I will take him... if only I can find out who he is" said another,
"I heard he was a rich prince or king from overseas" said a child,
"I heard that like the dancer, nobody knows where that person comes from or who he is, not even King Agnarr" said another.
Hans snickered at the gossiping bunch before continuing his way, making sure that his face was obscured by the hood of his cloak and the scarf as he did not want anybody to see his gruesome wounds or recognize him as he had been avoiding Anna and Kristoff.
Its not that he does not want to see or speak to them, quite the contrary as he misses Anna's feisty attitude and optimism and Kristoff's calm nature and humor, Ellens motherly nature and advice, he even missed goofy reindeer Sven. But he could not let them know of his attack or injuries, he did not want them to feel sorry for him or worse feel that its their fault what happened as he was sure that Anna would blame herself for it as he stayed up late because he had been helping her in the store.
Besides even if Hans could he would not be able to speak to them.
"Sorry Anna...Kristoff...Ellen...Sven" though Hans before making his way to Anna's shop, standing outside he saw her busy handling Valhalla, Rudi and Runo who looked to be quite busy giving her orders while Anna looked as if she was going to blow up in anger at any time.
Seeing that she was busy Hans quickly slipped into the store leaving her a letter more or less explaining the situation before heading back to the chateau as he had food to prepare before Karen got back from school.
Arendelle palace:
Walking around the palace Agnarr was deep in though, the events of last night played in his head over and over as went around attending his duties and arranging the second ball which was to happen in 6 days or so.
Flashback:
Sitting down in the throne Agnarr watched as his daughter walked around the ballroom, looking at all of the lads and bachelors which attended the ball. Many fine choices there were as Agnarr could easily recognize different princes even some kings of different parts of the world, even the Tsar of Russia was there to attend. Yet it seemed that Elsa was not interested either one of them guest as she walked around for the sake of appearance and every now and then she would stare at the door as if waiting for somebody to walk in.
Agnarr was no fool, he knew who Elsa was waiting for, it was that Ross Red person she seemed to like and claim to love.
What did Ross Red have that would make her reject all the nobility and richest suitors he did not know or understand, he just hoped that Elsa would come to her senses soon and realize that this was not only for her own good, but for the good of the people.
"Hope that she comes to her senses, unlike Anna did" though Agnarr as he for a moment began to wonder about his other daughter, he may not show it or say, but he missed her terribly and wanted to see her again, but could not as they were very clear that they did not want to see one another. So until she decides to "grow up" and stop her foolish antics and come to him with an apology he will never see her and she will never see him.
As time went on the guest seem to grow restless as Elsa still had not made any decition, so Agnarr shot her a look which said "Choose now" and she got the message as she stop dead in her tracks as she looked between two twins.
The twins Agnarr knew, the princes Runo and Rudi, both were deposed princes of the Southern isles, not the obvious choice, but they were rich and had land in Arendelle so it made up for them being deposed.
She looked between them and just before she chose Agnarr heard the door open taking the attention of not only Elsa, but the entire crowd.
The stranger who he was Agnarr did not know, but seemed to be of high class if the clothes were anything to go by and Elsa seemed to know who he was as she emediatly went to him, they spoke a bit, what he did not know, but in the end they ended up dancing.
Speaking to Kai, who usually knew everybody, said he did not know who the stranger was, but suggested that the person was Ross Red before leaving.
"Seems like he is judging by Elsa's actions" though Agnarr as he was left confused. Was this Ross Red royalty?
Could be as he was wearing fine clothes, also had the walk and stance of somebody of high class, but whether he was or was not Agnarr was not sure.
"Hum, I might have to look in on that" though Agnarr as he continued his way with a plan for the Ball which would suit his needs. A banquet, it would be quite large and hard as he would have to accommodate every guest, but he could use it as an excuse to have Ross Red sit close to him and interrogate him.
"For the good of my daughter and the kingdom this will be done" though Agnarr as he was resolved to find answers.
Arendelle dress store:
Anna walked around the front of the store while looking at all the orders for the next ball, they all varies from simple dress/suit costumes to very complicated and rich ones.
"I am going to need a miracle" though Anna then she heard the door open, sadly instead of a miracle walking in it was quite the opposite.
"Dress maker!" Valhalla's familiar voice gratted into Annas ears as she mentally growled "Great, the dragon lady has returned", forcing a smile she turned, facing Valhalla and her two ogers of a son and said "Hello this is Aren-",
"Never mind the introductions" said Valhalla before quickly shoving a huge bag full of the finest fabrics, richest gold threads and bejeweled buttons at her almost knocking her down and said "I want your full attention on these suits, I want them to be the finest creations you have ever made",
"Yes, we have to beat the competition" said Rudi and Runo, bitting her cheek to hold in her insulting words at them Anna got up and with much difficulty hauled the bag to the back of the shop before asking "Whats the occasion?",
"The ball, what else?" said Vahalla as if she was stupid low class illiterate,
"I know that Madam, but I was wondering why spend so much money on suits when I am sure you all have many fine suits and costumes to wear" said Anna,
"We would not need it if it was not for that person, the mystery prince" complained Rudi,
"Mystery prince? How charming" said Anna playing dumb and hiding a smirk as she knew who said person was,
"He was no prince let me tell you that, he was nothing but a pussbucket galumph who made a spectacle of himself" said Valhalla in disgust while it took everything Anna had not to get up and slap Valhalla for calling Hans that and she was not done yet.
"You should have seen it, the degenerate marched right into the ballroom, late and unannounced and to the horror of everybody forced himself unto the princess" said Valhalla,
"Yes and she actually danced with ugly thing" continued Rudi,
"ya, that was till the princess out of the kindness of her heart took him aside and told him off, sending him running out of the palace" laughed Runo,
"I pity her, being a princess will attract the bad crowd" said Rudi nodded.
"You sure you all are not talking about yourselves?" though Anna mentally glaring at them before asking "So...what do you want the costumes or suits be?".
The three went and basically ordered her around as they demanded their costume suits to be a certain way, Runo wanted to go as the great and powerful Thor while Rudi wanted to go as Loki, Valhalla wanted to be some kind of Fae version of Frigga. When done the three left, but not before making Anna loose her temper because as soon as they were gone Anna ran to the back, grabbed a bunch of soft textiles and pressed her face on it muffeling her screams of anger and frustration.
When done she sighted as she felt a little better before going back to the front of the store where she noticed a letter addressed to her sitting on the front desk, taking it she opened it and read the letter. Towards the end of the letter she was left confused.
The letter was of Hans, it said something had happened and he could not see her or any of his friends for a while. But that was the thing, what happened? The letter did not say and the other night at the ball he was fine...unless that was not Hans as he did not have the money or means to afford that outfit the mystery prince used.
"What is going on?" though Anna as she closed the letter and decided to work on the costumes as time was short and she knew she would not find the answers now,
"Maybe later on at the ball" Anna decided as she grabbed materials and such and started to work.
To be continued...
Authors note: Agnarr is planning something...but what we shall see in the next chapter as the second night of the ball will happen. Will Hans be able to speak and change Agnarrs mind? Will Karen and Rothbart meet/fight again? We shall see...
Any way ... please review and stay tuned for the next one...