Chapter 37: The King Returns

ONE WEEK LATER...

"I could get used to this..." Eugene said as he propped his feet up on Elsa's desk. "It's good to be the king."

"Eugene, you're not the king." Rapunzel sighed. "And get your feet off her desk! This isn't our home."

"Well well, what's gotten into you?" he asked. "Since when did you get so bossy?"

Rapunzel frowned and pushed his feet back onto the floor. "I'm not bossy. I'm just trying to make sure you know how serious this situation is! We're in charge here. It's not like home..."

"Well why not?"

"We need to show the people that nothing has changed, even though their queen is absent. We need to maintain stability."

Eugene rose from his seat and leaned against the wall. "So you're saying we should close the gates and hide ourselves from everyone?" He shook his head. "You forget... the gates are open now."

"So?"

"So..." Eugene walked over and looped his arm with hers. "Lets go about, and have some fun."

"Did someone say...FUN?" said a voice coming from the hallway.

"er...who said that?" Eugene asked, looking around. Before Rapunzel could reply, a bubbly white figure strolled into the room.

"Wow." Rapunzel said, wide-eyed.

"Holy snowflakes!" Eugene said. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Hi everyone! I'm Olaf. And I like warm hugs!"

"How cute!" the princess smiled as she knelt down and hugged the snowman. "Eugene..." She waved him over to join in.

"OH COME ON..."

Okay, now I know something is wrong... Anna thought to herself as left the lunch table after dessert. This is the third time Hans didn't come to eat. Is he okay? She wondered. I hope is isn't sick... Anna made her way to the prince' door and knocked.

"Hans? You in there?"

No reply.

Anna knocked a little louder. "Hans?" She put her ear to the door. There was some shuffling noise going on within. Someone was in there. "Hans... come on, open up... It's just me!" When she heard someone moving towards the door she quickly straightened herself out. The door opened slightly. "Hi Hans, I-... Viktor?"

"Greetings, Princess." The elder prince smiled.

Anna tried to glance past him and out of the corner of her eye she could see the back of Georg's head. "Uh...hi." She replied. "I was looking for Hans..."

"Ah." Viktor nodded. "He's inside."

Anna blinked. "...can I see him?"

"No."

"No? Why not?" She pressed.

"We're teaching him." Viktor said, a smirk forming on his lips.

"Uh...teaching him what?"

"The facts of life."

"The facts of life?!" Han's voice was heard from inside the room. "SERIOUSLY?"

"HUSH." Georg hissed.

Anna raised her brow. "Wait, what?"

"The facts of life, Anna." Viktor said. "You know, babies...true love...manliness..." he said with a devious grin.

"Hear that?" Georg goaded, loud enough for Anna to hear from the corridor. "We're gonna make a man out of you!"

"Er...on second thought...maybe I'll come back later..." Anna muttered and scurried away.

Viktor watched her round the corner and then shut Hans' door tight. "There."

Hans rose from his seat on the bed. "Why the heck did you tell her that? I'm not some awkward thirteen-year-old going through puberty!"

"Calm yourself." Georg said, shoving his brother back down into a seated position. "This is a delicate time for you... and yes, you're entering true manhood."

"...true manhood?"

"Yes. Going from a mere 'prince of the Isles' to a BETTER 'prince of the Isles'."

"Ok Hans, here's the thing." Viktor said, leaning against the footpost of the bed. "You're taking a big step into a larger world! Proposing is serious! It makes us men!"

Hans raised a brow. "So that must make you two childish clowns, since neither of you seem interested in settling down with anyone."

"Very funny."

"How do you expect me to take you two seriously?" Hans asked. "You two can't even 'man-up' and get married. I can't take a 'grow-up- speech from two overgrown boys. And this is coming from your kid-brother."

Viktor smirked. "Let's just say Georg and I are destined for bigger and better things."

"What could be bigger than becoming King?"

"Always having the last laugh." The twins said in unison.

"... you two are nuts."

"it's a requirement for this family." Georg said and wrapped an arm around Hans' shoulders. "So, tell us little brother. How are you going to do it?"

"What, propose?"

The twins nodded.

Hans thought for a minute. "I don't know..."

"That's where we can help!"

Hans gave them both a look of skepticism. "Now I'm nervous."

"She's a princess..." Viktor began. "It has to be big, flashy!"

"With everyone around to witness your big moment."

"And biggest embarrasment if she says no."Viktor finished.

"Gee, way to boost my confidence." Hans grumbled.

Viktor nudged Hans' arm. "What do you say? Georg and I can go hunt her down later and set you both up, right at dinner!"

"Today?! I never said I was going to do it today!" Hans panicked. "Why are you rushing me?"

"Because if you put it off to much longer she'll be gone. Back to Arendelle and you'll be stuck here. With all of us to pick on you FOREVER!" Georg replied, trying to put the scare on their kid-brother.

Hans glared at the twins before rising. "You know what? You have been a big help. Everything you said, I'm going to do the exact opposite. Anna isn't one for flash. I probably didn't even need a ring. I bet if I got down on my knee with a box of truffles she'd love it...and then eat them all in five minutes."

"That's not very lady-like."

"Anna is unique." Hans shrugged. "And mad for chocolate. Seriously. You didn't see her at the Coronation like I did." He paced the room. "And furthermore, I'm doing this alone. Your own warped ways may have my best interests at heart, but I can name quite a few of our brothers who don't, and I won't have them ruining this for me, or for Anna. So..." He grabbed the twins' arms and dragged them to the door. "Thanks for stopping by, I've got a proposal to figure out." He said as he shoved them into the hallway, slamming his door behind them.

Once alone, Hans leaned against the wood and sank to the floor. "Great...now I really do need to figure this out..."

"Wow, Rapunzel! You're really talented!"

"Thanks, Olaf!" Rapunzel smiled as she sat at her knees and admired her handiwork on the ground. She and many of the children had gotten together and chalked up the town-square.

"Can I try?"

Eugene, who was leaning against the nearby fountain, rolled his eyes slightly. A snowman...coloring? This will be interesting.

"Sure, Olaf, here!" Rapunzel stood to give the snowman space, then tried to place a piece of colored chalk in his twiggy hand. "Um..."

"It's ok, I got this!" Olaf wedged the chalk between his fingers on one arm, then popped the entire twig off with the other and used it as a holder to draw.

Rapunzel watched Olaf work. "Wow... uh, what is that?"

Eugene walked over, having to see this play out. He peered over his wife's shoulder. "Looks like the color tan." He stated.

"It's sand!" Olaf beamed and continued his drawing. The images weren't the most detailed, but he used different colors to outline shapes in his 'sand'. "I'm drawing summer! A snowman's day at the beach! See? There's the snowman sitting under an umbrella getting a fantastic tan!"

"Snowmen don't get tans..." Eugene retorted, only to get a punch in the shoulder from Rapunzel. "Ow!"

"...And his buddies are made of sand and they're friends with the seagulls..." Olaf went on and on.

Eugene leaned in and whispered to Rapunzel. "He does know snow melts in summer, right?"

"I hope so."

"I'm gonna tell him."

Rapunzel hit him again. "Don't you dare."

Elsa rested against the railing of the ship as it rocked back and forth gently on the sea. Her stomach felt as if it were doing flips, and several times that day she was sure she'd have to hurl over the side. The wood beneath her fingertips had frosted over a while ago and now had several layers of ice topping it.

"First time at sea?" King Alexander asked as he approached.

Elsa gave a weak smile, then turned back to the sea. "What gave me away?"

"You're much paler than normal."

"I...I don't like ships." Elsa replied simply. "How much longer until we arrive in the Isles?"

"Well...I'd say by nightfall, but the winds have been in our favor the last two days, and strong they have been." Alexander replied.

"The sooner the better." Elsa said. "I need Anna..."

"I hope you haven't forgotten our other duties during your stay."

"Of course I haven't." Elsa shook her head. "And we will have plenty of time for negotiations. But...I must see my sister first." She sighed. "I am your guest, and I am well aware it is improper of me to make such demands on my host, but this is something I must insist on. It's all I ask."

"And you shall have it. We will have much time to discuss important matters of state. I'm most confident your sister longs to see you as well. It will be quite the surprise."

Elsa was about to open her mouth to respond when the soldier high in the crow's nest of the ship hollered down to the deck," LAND 'O!"

Elsa quickly rushed to the other side of the ship and squinted to look out. Through the clouds she could make out a land mass getting larger as they sailed closer. "Thank goodness!" She exhaled.

Alexander followed her over. "Here we are, your Majesty." He smiled. "Welcome to the Southern Isles.