"What?" Was all Kristoff could say as the queen looked down at him, a devious smile on her fine lips. Katharine flashed her eyes playfully at the fallen man, and began to walk around the room like a slinking cat playing with its food.
"I was once just like you, Kristoff," She held her hands behind her confidently. "I had a family, a home, but nothing beyond that. No status, nothing of value to me. All I had," The queen smirked at Kristoff. "Was this." She removed the silver cross necklace, a small row of diamonds hanging at the very heart to the holy shape.
"I trained in the convent, held prayers, I was a very good nun. That was until a certain funeral," She frowned as the color drained from her face, and walked over to the curtains. "Angered my Mother Superior." Katharine drew the curtains on the window shut, leaving only the light of the three candles.
Kristoff struggled to recall the event that could link him to this woman when his eyes flashed to that windy they he buried Henrik deep in the earth. There was a nun with ash brown hair, her green eyes, but a shy face.
"My father." Kristoffs eyes popped open at the possibility of it.
"What was his name? Henrik?" The queen held a thin finger to her lips, feigning a guess in a way that made Kristoff want to strangle her.
"What did he ever do to you?" The iceman felt tears brimming in his brown eyes.
Katharine released a dark laugh and removed one of her gloves. "Oh Kristoff," She licked her thumb and index finger, putting one of the candles out with a soft hiss echoing from the wick. "It was never your father," The woman continued to walk about the room to the next candle. "It was his past." She put out the second candle, the room getting far darker as the queen walked towards the last one.
"His past?"
"You are aware of what your father was, aren't you?" She stopped at the last candle that was positioned at the opposite end of the couch Kristoff laid upon, casting a mocking glare at the younger man.
"A Sami. Both my parents were." His mouth went dry at what he had answered, knowing whatever the queen had yet to say wouldn't be good. Katharine gave a sharp nod and extinguished the final candle, slipping the white glove back on.
"My Mother Superior would have none of it, knowing full well the differences and laws enforced upon the people of the earth. We as nuns were forbidden from any contact with them, the penalties bing strict to those who disobeyed." Kristoff felt a lump rising in his throat.
"And after word leaked out to the populace of a nun at the funeral of a Sami," She trailed off and took the pitcher of water from the tray. "You can guess the repercussions." The queen took the water and poured the liquid into the ashes of the fireplace, the chunks of ice covered in a grey dust. as Kristoff grasped hopelessly at the the pitcher, falling off the sofa and onto the hot carpet, his knees screaming as the fabric tore into his red skin.
"I was disowned by my family, removed from the convent, and forced to work hours in a seamstress shop." She set the porcelain onto an end table, holding her thin fingers into the light to reveal the many callouses and scars that graced the royals hands. "Where I happened to meet the heir to the throne when he tore his jacket."
Kristoff gaped at her, unsure what to say or do, the sharp pain returning to his chest once more.
The queen rounded back to Kristoff, bending down gracefully to get a good look at him. "Why?" He seethed, unable to fight back as he so longed to. "Because it's not you I'm after. It's your prince in flaming armor that continues to be a threat." The queen sneered mockingly.
"Hans?" Kristoff muttered.
"The youngest prince was a challenge to be had. Thankfully, he won't be with us much longer." Katharine ran her fingers along Kristoff's chin, her eyes opening wide at the glowing crystals that were cold to the touch. "What is this?" She gave the string of ice crystals a hard tug, and the comforting cool that embraced Kristoff disappeared. Whatever feeling he had now was quickly replaced by a hellish, flushing warmth.
"Something you need to keep your boney fingers off of!" He growled at the queen, who rolled her green eyes and smiled deviously.
"Your wish is my command." And with a swift motion the necklace of ice dropped to the carpet, a soft tinkling sound escaping from the crystals. Kristoff nearly grabbed them but the tip of a boot kicked into his jaw, rolling the ailing man onto his back. A small stream of blood coming from his broken lip. A sharp clinking noise came from under the queen's riding boot as the magic of the trolls was crushed into a dust, the glow fading and escaping in small, blue wisps.
"I've enjoyed our chat, Kristoff," Katharine folded her hands behind her back and walked around the dying man to the door. "But I have a kingdom to run, and a heatwave to end." She said slyly as Kristoff managed to flip back over to his stomach to face her.
"You're not going to win, Katharine," He warned as the blood continued its slowing trickle down to the wooden floor. "When Hans find out about this, you'll be sorry." He narrowed his brown eyes hatefully at the queen, who simply chuckled in a pitiful way.
"I think not." She slammed the white door hard, a small clicking sound coming from the lock. Something inside of Kristoff broke. He felt the rage boiling inside of him, and threw his body to the door, slamming into it with all his might. His shoulder screamed in pain as it smashed into the painted door. Kristoff ran his hand up up the grainy wood, making a desperate grab for the gilded handle despite the fact that the lock was on the other side of the door.
He felt the heat searing into his chest, and held his hands up to the door, wishing he had the strength to break to the door down.
But all Kristoff could do was wish…
Princess Anna sat in one of the dining chairs at the table, the other dignitaries crowded around to comfort the weeping girl. Tears soaked the blouse of her dress, the light pink being stained a darker shade from the salty tears. Dry heaves and hiccups came in between.
"Mademoiselle, it will be alright." The French ambassador held her heaving freckled shoulders. "Zis Kristoff, he's in a better place." He nodded to her as a loud wail came from the princess, who buried her head in her small hands.
"My lady, I assure you he lived a full life." The Duchess of Weselton held a wrinkled hand to Anna's cheek, who was now bawling into her arms, head down on the table. "But-but- he didn't!" Anna hiccuped from the table top.
This was the sight that Katharine beheld when she came out of the study, the doors locked and hopefully weighed down with the ice harvesters body.
"She speaks the truth. Kristoff is-" The queen was cut off by a dry heave from Anna. "Get her some water." The duchess pursed her lips at one of the servants, who was currently tearing up, her young eyes glowing in the candlelight. The young woman scurried out and Katharine continued, sinking dramatically down into the head chair of the table.
"Dead." She breathed and held both hands against her forehead, as if contemplating a trade agreement.
Every dignitary in the room had a form of surprise lingering in their red faces. The Frenchman formed a small O shape under his combed goatee, the Irish held a large hand to his heart and muttered something in Gaelic. The duchess released a sound not unlike that of pigs squeal, her eyes opening wide at the thought. The Belgian and Spanish released gasps, the latter saying: "The poor man." The rest however, remained shocked as ever.
Only Anna seemed unphased, but that was because in the back of her mind, she knew he was already gone.
"Vad?" The Swedish ambassador placed both gloved hands on the table. "How?" He asked the queen. Katharine swallowed a lump in her throat.
"He was murdered, by Prince Hans." She avoided eye contact with any of the others, as if still in shock. "His hair a smoky grey, skin as red as the rose, his eyes glazed over; before he fell to ash in front of my eyes…" She knew that part was more than necessary, feeling if she overdid it they would get suspicious. The queen covered her mouth as a tear fell down her cheek, a smile itching over her lips. Nobody could see it.
"You've been through much your majesty, Erik would be proud." The duchess held her head high in a snobby manner.
"Your majesty," Anna's small voice piped up from the corner. "What's going to happen to Hans?" She asked, drying the last of the tears from her face with a napkin the servant had given her.
"Hans is a monster, just as I said. He has already killed two innocent men!" The duchess slammed two fists on the table, her temper flaring. "Mademoiselle," The French ambassador stooped to her height. "Perhaps you're being a bit rash." He suggested, but the duchess threw him off.
"Prince Hans," Katharine voiced from where she sat. "Has committed acts of treason and murder. And for that reason," The queen stood up, regaining her regal posture. "I sentence him to death." She slapped her gloved hand on the table like a judges gavel.
"Without a trial, your grace?" Anna stood up from her seat an eyebrow raised. The queen pursed her lips, staring darkly at the visiting princess, her strawberry blonde hair fiery like her eyes.
"Why don't you come with me, Princess Anna. I wish to show you something." The older woman turned down the hall and beckoned for her to follow, but as the other dignitaries started to step forward, she added: "Alone."
Kristoff hauled his body to the base of the fireplace where the cubes of ice melted in the gray pile of ashes, his lifeline disappearing before his eyes. He pushed behind him with all his might, grabbing into the gilded holders that contained unused wood. His body ached as he pulled on the decorative item like it was an anchor. The iceman thrusted his arm into the warm ashes, tearing chunk after chunk of ice from the fire and rubbing the dirty, yet cold substance all over his face and hands.
But each piece stung like an Arendelle winter wind, his red skin smudged with ash and flakes of burned wood, leaving black and milky white streaks all over his face like a warrior of Dumbroth.
He was so busy spreading the cold over himself, Kristoff almost didn't notice the door opening again. The man felt the blood drain from his face as Anna stepped into the room with Katharine behind her. A quick gasp escaped Anna's lips.
"He's-" The princess didn't get to finish before Katharine gave her a harsh shove, the girl falling forwards onto the hardwood floor as the queen shut the door behind her, a teacup in hand. "I had expected you'd be the one to put up a fight. Now you can watch him die."
Anna scrambled to stand, helping Kristoff to his feet. She opened her mouth to say something, but simply dry air released from her jaw. The princess held both hands to her throat, trying to say it again. But just as of last time, nothing came out.
"What did you-"
"A tea of crushed daisies. Her majesty is voiceless for another hour." The queen chuckled and threw the teacup at the pair carelessly, the cup smashing to bits at their feet. "By then, you will be long dead, as will Hans. And should Anna ever think of telling anyone," She peeked her head around the crook of the door. "She will be as unlucky as her fiance."
The door slammed shut, the jingling sound of the lock clicking as Anna struggled to support said fiance. She held his broad shoulders and laid him down on the sofa, getting down on her hands and knees to continue collecting the chunks of ice for Kristoff, who motioned to the fireplace with a wavering gesture.
"I'm sorry, Anna." Kristoff breathed as pain shot through his chest, a faint glow coming from his heart. The princess nodded softly, wrapping the pieces of ice in the handkerchief the Frenchman had given to her. In a swift motion, Anna parted the tattered and cut remains of his blue v neck shirt, and pressed the bag to Kristoff's bare chest.
Though she was mute, Kristoff could still see she was hurt.
"And not just for this;" He held a hand to her thin arm, but the princess continued to rub the ice slowly, the redness beginning to fade from his near glowing skin. Anna refused to look at him, her lips forming a small pout. "For the hasty decision, for going on the journey. I owe you so much, but I'll never be able to repay you." He grabbed her wrist to stop it from moving.
She looked into his brown eyes, sadness easily visible in her own sapphire ones.
"It's not love, but I'm glad I met you." Kristoff nodded his head assuringly when Anna opened her mouth in shock, taking a lock of grey hair in between her thin fingers. "What-" Kristoff didn't get to finish his question as the sound of a lock being picked echoed through the silent room.
The door swung open, a bright orange vegetable wedged into the keyhole. Ashley walked out from behind the door, a small giggle escaping her speckled mouth…