A/N: Some of you were confused about a few lines of dialogue between Anna and Hans towards the end of the previous chapter. I went back and made some small edits and now it flows better.
Chapter 18: The Truth
"Oh my!" Agatha gasped and clasped her hands over her mouth, "Your Majesty, that's… that's…" One look at Charlotte's face nearly stole all of the woman's excitement away. "That's wonderful, of course! My congratulations for you and His Majesty—"
"Oh Agatha…" Charlotte ran a hand through her hair as she collapsed onto the chaise, "What am I going to do? What are we going to do? Everything was difficult before. Now the stakes are even higher. I haven't even had a chance to do anything and already everything is falling apart." She gently rubbed her stomach. She didn't feel or look any different, but that wouldn't last too much longer. "I won't be able to hide this forever."
"We don't have to reveal anything…" Agatha suggested, "Your medical condition is of no one's business except your own—"
"And yours." The queen added with a weak smile.
"But no one else." Agatha reinforced, "We can keep it privy for as long as we can. Perhaps that will keep some of the stress off."
"But you said the doctor is coming." Charlotte sighed, "Beker was the one to summon him, so even if we don't say a word, I'm sure that man will just report everything anyway."
"Perhaps Beker will be kinder to you. If not him, then his soldiers…."
Charlotte shook her head and glanced at her stomach, "I don't know. What worries me is what this news means. I don't want my unborn child to be used as a bargaining chip."
"Do you think he would do such a thing?"
"I do. I fear what Frederick will be forced to do all for the sake of preserving my life." She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. "My poor darling…" she cried softly, "we were beginning to worry an heir would never come. What terrible timing this was. I can't even rejoice in the news, and my own husband—he may not even find out until it's too late…"
"You don't know that." Agatha came over and stood by her mistress' side. "We must be strong. Have faith, Your Majesty. The King is a strong man. The news might be a shock at first, but I bet it will only fuel great will and determination on his part."
Charlotte's hands twisted up in the fabric of her dress. Panic was beginning to set in as the gravity of the situation became increasingly clear to her. Tears were beading up in the corners of her eyes, and eventually a few fell down her cheeks. "I can't manage this… not without my mother… not without Frederick…. I've never felt so alone."
"You're not alone, Milady." Agatha knelt beside the chaise, took Charlotte's hands in her own and gave them a comforting squeeze. "I will be by your side through it all."
"But if Beker—"
"He won't hurt you, my dear. I promise I will do everything in my power to protect you."
Charlotte nodded slowly and tried her best to force out a smile. "You've always been so good to me, Agatha."
"I've known you since the day you were born, Your Majesty. We may not be equals, but you're like a daughter to me. You are the most important figure in not only the King's eyes, but mine as well. It is my honor and privilege to serve and care for you."
Charlotte squeezed the maid's hands. "I wish I could be excited about this. I want to," she sighed sadly, "This is supposed to be a happy time."
Agatha flashed a warm, reassuring smile. "Then let it be. Even for just today. Forget everything else that's going on around us until tomorrow. For now, the future of your kingdom is on the way. In a perfect world, close your eyes and imagine the joy on his Majesty's face. That alone would be plenty to celebrate.
It was early morning when Anna felt a hand touch her shoulder and shake it gently. A soft moan escaped her as she shrugged away from the disturbance and nuzzled her head deeper into the pillow. She didn't know why Hans was trying to wake her up, but regardless she was having none of it. The bed was soft and warm, and even though her pillow was a bit firmer than she remembered, this was probably one of the better night's sleep that she's had so far. So, when she felt the rude hand give another shake a few moments later, she groaned louder and pressed her eyelids tightly closed.
"Marit?"
That voice definitely didn't belong to Hans. Now Anna did open her eyes and try to sit upwards. She didn't make it too far. At some point in the middle of the night, she must have rolled over onto him because she found herself laying on his chest. His strong arms were wrapped around her and prevented her from moving. She had to settle for sliding off to the side and propping herself on her elbows to glance up. Frau Kranz was standing beside the bed with a small oil lamp in her hand.
"Marit dear, it's time to get up."
"... it is?" Anna whispered and tried to blink away the remnants of sleep.
"You did say you'd assist with the morning chores."
"...are you sure it's actually morning?"
Gertrude laughed quietly, "This is a farm, dear. Often times we're up before the sun."
"…Right." Anna sighed, "Um, I'll be down in a few minutes, I guess." Once she heard the older woman leave and close the door behind her, Anna flopped back down onto the bed—onto Hans. He groaned quietly at her impact and she immediately winced and rubbed at his chest.
"Sorry!" She whispered to him.
"…what's going on?"
"I have to get up." She said softly. Almost immediately, she could feel his arms tighten around her.
"…why?"
"Because I promised Frau Kranz."
"But… you're warm…" He whined. After a long period of silence, he pulled his arms away from her. "Fine. Go. At least I'll get the whole bed to myself."
"Yeah. Think of the positives." Anna retorted and slid out from under the bedding.
Hans yawned and immediately pulled the blankets back up to make up for the body heat now gone. "Not much good if it's cold though."
"I'm sure you'll manage." She relit the candle at his bedside and looked around the room for her clothing satchel. It was wide open, and majority of her garments were gone. "Um… what happened to all of my clothes?"
There was a frustrated sigh coming from the bed, "I forgot to tell you last night. Frau Kranz took them while you were in the bath. Something about you both washing them today." He yawned louder and poked his hand out from under the blanket to point at the wardrobe. "She said you can borrow what's in there."
Anna was surprised to find the wardrobe filled with garments—majority of them being ladies wear but there were a few men's long shirts and trousers folded neatly at the bottom. She didn't know who they belonged to, but after pulling out a clean blouse, bodice and skirts, it looked like whoever it was had a similar size to her. With the clothing in hand, she turned around to change out of her sleep shift and immediately froze. There was no changing screen, and the room didn't even have any decent hiding place for her to comfortably dress.
"Oh great…." She groaned and glanced nervously to the bed. "Um, are you asleep?"
Another loud sigh from Hans. "Not if you keep bugging me."
"Well, I need you to stay asleep. A-a-and put a pillow over your head or something."
"Why?"
"I need to get dressed," she explained, "and I won't have you peeking."
"Relax, I won't look." He mumbled and draped his arm over his eyes.
She believed him, but it didn't stop her from constantly glancing back at him every few seconds while she changed her clothes. He stayed asleep and even somewhat rolled over away from her. Once she was put together, she quickly parted her hair into her signature braids and checked her reflection in the mirror. Her hands ran down parts of her skirt to smoothen everything down. Once she was satisfied with her appearance, she went over to the table to take the candle and quietly left the room.
Gertrude was waiting for her down by the front door with a shawl wrapped around her shoulders.
"Good morning." Anna said quietly as she approached.
"Hello Marit," Gertrude smiled, "you look well rested."
"Anna nodded, "it was nice, thanks. And thank you again for having us. I know I've said it so much already, but the truth is I really can't say it enough." She clasped her hands together and looked to Gertrude curiously. "So… what is it we'll be doing?"
"Well, after tending to the animals in the barns, you're going to help me with breakfast and some of the chores on my list later today."
"You're going to put me to work!" Anna beamed.
Gertrude chuckled and reached over to an apron hanging on the wall. "This is what you volunteered for, my dear." She held it out for Anna to take.
Anna tied the apron tight around her waist before the pair marched out to the field. The sun was slowly rising. The sky was starting to show the barest hints of orange and purple.
"What would you like me to do first?" Anna asked once Gertrude had lit some of the lamps around the barn.
"There's buckets of feed over by the chickens. Go ahead and give them their breakfast while I go next door and gather some milk."
Anna found the chicken feed and stared at it for a good minute wondering how much she should scoop out. Gertrude wasn't specific, and she didn't think to ask at the time.
C'mon, Anna. You can figure this out. Don't ask for help. Make it look like you know something about farm life.
Eventually, her eyes caught sight of what looked like a feeder tray in the one corner of the pen. "Great!" She told herself and reached for the scoop. Once there was a good bit of food on it, she raised it up to deposit into the tray. As soon as the food fell into place, hens flocked out of the enclosed coop clucking and cackling as they all raced to the feeder at the same time. The sight startled Anna, and she ended up dropping the scoop inside the pen.
"No-no-no!" Anna groaned. It fell too far from the pen wall. The only way she could get it out was to open the gate.
Well, this is going to be a disaster… She sighed and went to unlatch the door. The hens didn't seem to pay her any mind then, but as soon as the door opened, most of the remaining flock came running out all over the barn, and some of them even dashed for the outdoors.
"Oh, come on!" Anna groaned and started chasing after the few chickens that found their way outside.
"My goodness!" Gertrude exclaimed when she came out of the neighboring barn to see the minor chaos in the yard.
"Um, it's okay, Frau Kranz! I can fix this!"
"Marit, it's alright. They can roam around for a short while. Is their feeder full?"
"It will be, I promise! This all happened right in the middle of it!"
"Well go and finish." Gertrude replied, "I'll make sure the hens don't go too far."
Back in the barn, Anna was relieved to see that many of the hens retreated back inside their run by the time she retrieved the scoop and finished filling the feeder. Before she left, the horses caught her attention, and she went over to greet them.
"Good morning!" She said cheerfully. Hans' horse came right up to the front of the stall and nuzzled into her hand. The other one, the one she was riding yesterday, paid her no mind. There was a pile of hay off to the side and she grabbed a pitchfork to deposit some into the horse's stalls.
"Well done!" Gertrude's sudden voice from behind startled Anna and she nearly jumped up.
"T-thanks!" Anna set the pitchfork aside and pressed a hand over her chest where she could feel the thumping of her heart. "Nikki would be proud. I'm sure he'd be all over these horses if he could."
Gertrude gave a small smile and stood of towards the entrance to the barn to watch Anna with a mixed expression on her face. On the princess' way back, she was stopped by the barn's resident cat approaching and rubbing against her leg.
"You seem to have a way with animals—well, aside from my hens anyway."
Anna knelt on the ground to pet the cat. "I love animals! I used to visit plenty of farms on the outskirts of Ar—er—my village… while Nikki was at work. Mostly we'd just play. I've never had to care for them before."
"I'd say you did fine for a first-timer. Perhaps tomorrow I'll have you help with the cows, too." She paused and eyed Anna carefully, "if you're up for it, of course."
"I'd like that." Anna smiled. "Whatever you need, I'm happy to help."
"How eager you are…" Gertrude said, and once Anna had approached her and the barn entrance, the woman quickly turned and closed the doors in Anna's face. "for a princess."
Anna instantly paled and she could feel her heart ready to burst from her chest. Her mind started racing, trying to figure out how Gertrude could have found out the truth. She thought back to their conversations. Sure, she almost made some verbal slips here and there, but never said anything that would have really given her and Hans away. And what were the odds that a small-village-farmers-wife would know anything about her or Arendelle?
"P-princess?" Anna asked, trying her best to act completely innocent and confused. "I don't know what you—" she lost her voice when she saw Gertrude reach into her apron pocket and pull out a folded piece of parchment. It didn't take long for her to realize that the page in hand was the poster Hans stole from the village.
"Wanted, Princess Anna of Arendelle…" Gertrude read out loud, "For crimes against the Alvanian government and her people." She looked from the paper to Anna, "This is you, is it not? The resemblance is striking, too much to be a coincidence."
I take back every nice thought I had about Hans and his stupid drawing. Anna groaned internally; his talent is getting us into too much trouble!
At Anna's lack of a proper response, Gertrude put her hands on her hips and stared her down. "Just so you know, you won't be leaving this barn until I get answers."
Anna felt incredibly uncomfortable. She couldn't lie to this woman any longer, not now that she was holding the truth in her hands.
She must have found that in my dress pocket when she gathered the laundry…. There wasn't much point in worrying about the how or why any longer. What was important was how Gertrude planned to use the information. The woman was incredibly hospitable yesterday. Would the niceties suddenly be at an end? Or did she and Hans have far worse in store?
"P—please…" Anna begged with her palms outstretched as she stepped forward. "Please don't turn us over to the soldiers."
Gertrude raised her brow. "And why shouldn't I?"
"Well…" Anna fidgeted, "I'm not a criminal. That paper is a lie."
"But this is you."
Anna nodded reluctantly. "T-the Alvanian government really is after me, though I've done nothing wrong. I was being held hostage in Rheland. Chancellor Beker and his soldiers took over the King's festival. I… we barely made it out of the kingdom alive."
"We?"
Well, me and, uh, Nikki."
Gertrude glanced from Anna to the page in her hands. "I don't suppose he's really 'Nikki'…"
Anna sighed and shook her head. If this woman already knew about her, revealing Hans couldn't make the situation any worse. "His real name is Hans." Anna replied. "He's from the Southern Isles."
Gertrude's jaw dropped slightly and for a moment she seemed at a loss for words. Eventually, she pointed to a small barrel for Anna to sit on. "So then everything you told me yesterday was a lie. After all we did for you and Nikol—Hans."
Anna clasped her palms together and looked up at the woman with pleading eyes. "Please, Frau Kranz… it wasn't anything personal. It's just we're afraid and in danger. We both were—are—under the impression that we can't trust anyone."
"We saved your lives. My husband killed those two soldiers chasing after you. Did you really think we would turn you over just like that?"
Anna opened her mouth, but nothing came out. When put like that, Gertrude did have a point. But good luck or fortune hadn't exactly been on their side. There was no real telling how long acts of charity would last. She eyed Gertrude carefully. The woman certainly didn't look angry enough to cast her out despite being caught up in a huge lie.
"T-then… you're still going to let us stay?" She didn't give Gertrude the chance to respond. "I-I mean, I'm very, very, sorry I was forced to lie to you. It was for our protection, a-and for yours."
Gertrude let out a chuckle, though it sounded more like a scoff to Anna. "My dear, I can assure you that we can take care of ourselves."
"I-I'm sorry!" Anna cried, "I just didn't know what else to do." She propped her elbows on her knees and buried her face into her open palms. "I still don't. We're just trying to get home…." She didn't want the woman to see the tears ready to fall. She was already embarrassed and scared enough. And what would become of Hans? He was sleeping upstairs. Would he awaken to find Farmer Kranz standing over him with a pistol pointed at his head? Would Heinrich hold a grudge and simply shoot him while he slept?
There was a gentle hand on her knee as Gertrude spoke softly. "There's no need to cry, Princess."
Anna wouldn't lift her head from her hands, "Yes t-there is. Everything is falling apart! Hans and I haven't been in this country for forty-eight hours and we're already neck deep in trouble!"
"Shhh…" Gertrude sighed and gently pat Anna's leg. "Come now, don't over exaggerate. Things may not go your way, but they're hardly world-ending." When Anna finally lifted her head to glance up at her, she took hold of one of her hands and helped her to her feet. "Dry your eyes and come back inside with me. There's still more work to be done."
"But…" Anna started and slowly followed the woman to the barn doors, "j-just like that? You're not mad?"
"I'm upset that you lied." Gertrude replied and pried open the heavy door. "But you can make it up to me while we prepare the breakfast."
"How?" Anna was almost afraid to ask.
"By telling me the truth."
"It's all rather scandalous, don't you think?" Gertrude asked as she dug through a lower cabinet for a decent sized skillet. "You and this prince masquerading as lovers…"
"Tell me about it…" Anna sighed and slumped against the worktable. "If my sister were here, she'd probably kill us—well, him anyway. I'd probably just get the biggest lecture of my life. B-but it's completely innocent, I swear! Nothing happened between us, and nothing ever will."
"I don't know…" Gertrude said and flashed a sly smile Anna's way. "The two of you seemed pretty involved when I came to get you this morning."
Anna's face turned beet red. "T-that was nothing! I'm not sure how or when that happened. We certainly didn't fall asleep that way."
"You don't have to defend yourself to me, my dear. I was merely commenting on what I saw."
Anna frowned as Gertrude set a bowl of eggs and a larger mixing bowl down in front of her. "Y-you promise to keep my secret though?"
The woman sighed, "Just how many times will it take me to say yes before you actually believe me?"
"I'm sorry!" Anna cried, and wondered how many times she'd end up apologizing that morning. "It's not you, it's me. Apparently, piece of mind is eluding me."
"Perhaps getting your mind off will help." She replied and gestured to the items she set down. "Go ahead and break four of those and whisk them good."
"Oh. Uh, okay." Anna tried to flag Gertrude down, but the woman already stepped away from the kitchen. With a sigh, she picked up an egg and turned it around gently in her hand. She had never cracked one before. If there was a trick to keeping the shell out of the bowl, she wished she knew what it was. What a wasted opportunity it was for all those lonely years that she never snuck into the castle kitchens while the staff were making breakfast.
I suppose I can just give it a shot. What's the worse that could happen? Anna moved the egg to the rim of the bowl and hesitated. I get eggshell everywhere. Or this just explodes all over my hands. That's the worst that'll happen….
After a deep breath and a minimum amount of force, she tapped the egg into the bowl's rim. As soon as she heard the quiet crack of the shell, her eyes squinted shut for a moment. After realizing that the egg was still in one piece, no ooze flowing down her fingertips, she opened her eyes and looked down. There was only a small break in the outer shell.
That wasn't too bad. She sighed in relief, then her eyes shifted from the egg to the bowl. Now what am I supposed to do?
"How's that coming along?"
Gertrude's return startled her, and she ended up dropping the whole egg into the bowl. Any hopeful expression Anna had instantly vanished, and her shoulders slumped. "not very well…" with a defeated sigh, she started pulling the shattered shell pieces from the bowl. "I don't know why I thought I could do this—do anything. It's no wonder you and probably everyone else could see right through us; and by us, I mean me." She exhaled loudly as she got the last remnants out. Without even thinking, she picked up a second egg to break and tapped it against the rim. Only this time, she ended up using far more force than necessary and it cracked apart in her hands.
"N-no!" Anna whined, dropped the egg mess onto the worktable and then cleaned off her hands. She couldn't look at the bowl any longer. With a hand covering her mouth, she quickly turned around so Gertrude couldn't see her face, to see her getting worked up over something so trivial. Her emotions were getting the better of her, and she knew it was in part to the highly stressful chat in the barn. Gertrude may have assured her of their safety, but that didn't help calm her nerves. What about Heinrich Kranz? What about Hans? How would he even react to their cover already being blown? How understanding would he be? She didn't even know if he was still angry with her from last night.
"Here, let me show you a little trick." Gertrude was behind her with a hand on her shoulder.
Anna wiped her eyes with her sleeve before she turned around and moved out of the way to watch. Gertrude picked up another egg to demonstrate a more appropriate technique. The whites and yolk dropped safely into the bowl.
"You made that look so easy." Anna sighed.
Gertrude handed Anna another egg. "It only requires a gentle hand and a little practice. Now come, try again."
"I don't think I should." Anna groaned, "We'll go through every egg on the farm trying to make one simple breakfast."
"Then I suggest you be careful." Gertrude suggested and stepped aside to where she set some produce from her garden aside at the other end of the worktable. "Our menfolk won't be too pleased if they awaken and breakfast isn't ready yet."
Anna frowned and glanced at the egg in hand. It took a few moments of hesitation before she felt comfortable tapping it. To her immense surprise and relief, the egg separated perfectly; no mess as it dripped down into the bowl. "I… I did it!"
"Very good!" Gertrude smiled and passed her a fork. "Now do the last one and blend it all together. Feel free to choose some spice blends from the cupboard as well."
Anna blinked in surprise. "Really? Whatever I want?"
"It's your breakfast, dear. Yours and your prince."
"How will I know what will work best?" she asked. "I haven't exactly done this before."
Gertrude set her knife down and followed Anna to the spice shelves. She gestured to a few different jars and canisters. "These are some of the ones I use the most. Just remember that a little goes a long way."
Anna picked a few from the group and brought them to her workspace. While she mixed everything together, she felt her mind start to wander all over again. Gertrude told her that further discussion of their overall situation would have to wait until Hans was awake and downstairs. In the meantime, she'd try to pass on some domestic skills to her. The hope was that further along in their journey, she'd make for a far more convincing bride than just by name. Anna was incredibly grateful for the learning experience. She was never opposed to new things, if only her emotional state made it easier to focus.
"I think those eggs are blended enough." Gertrude commented as she diced up some small tomatoes.
"Huh?" Anna looked down to the fork in her hand. "Oh, right." She picked up the bowl and moved towards the stove.
"What's wrong? Are you still upset from earlier?"
"No—yes—I—I mean…" she sighed and set the bowl down beside the skillet. "It's just… this whole thing really got me thinking—I really don't know how to do anything. Ever since we escaped Oskberg, Hans was the one to do everything. He saved our lives. A lot. A-and he even managed to hunt and fish with almost nothing to work with." Her shoulders slumped as she hugged her arms to her chest. "He knows how to do all these things to keep us alive; keep us safe. And I… I haven't been good for anything except getting us into trouble. I mean… it's not his face plastered all over Heidelberg and probably the rest of this country. It's mine. That means his survival skills are going to have to work harder to protect us, because apparently protecting myself is another of my shortcomings. I never used to be this way. I never used to feel helpless." She sighed, "I don't like feeling this way—and having to pose as someone else isn't helping boost my confidence." Anna glanced up at Gertrude and gestured to the bowl. "I mean look! I'm so stressed I can't even figure out how to break stupid egg! I can't do anything right!"
Gertrude frowned and set her vegetables aside. "Don't you think you're being a little unfair on yourself? There are things you don't know how to do because you never had a need to learn them in the first place. That's a big difference to plain incompetence."
"But how do you think that makes me look to Hans? He's a prince but still has enough knowledge to keep himself alive! I kept getting angry at him on our journey when he was subtly blaming me for our shortcomings. Our problems. But he was right all along! I don't know anything on how the real-world works. And I certainly don't know how to put my personal feelings aside and distinguish between what's real and what's not."
Gertrude shook her head slightly, "I don't understand."
Anna sighed loudly. "Last night, he went to sleep upset with me and at the time I didn't understand why. But now I think I do. Among all the things we have problems with, I think my biggest one is our cover. Hans and I… we're not lovers. We're barely friends. Things happened between us years ago that I really don't want to get into, but it left bitter feelings behind. Having to constantly lie and pretend that he's my loving, adoring husband is really hard. A-and I think that sometimes I have a hard time seeing the difference between Hans and Nikki."
"Have you told him any of this?"
Anna shook her head, "He probably knows though. He's no fool. And we've argued so much over this entire trip—"
"Perhaps that's the root of the problem." Gertrude suggested. "Instead of fighting, work together. If he is putting forward so much extra effort for you, show that you're thankful. You may not be a real wedded pair, but you are traveling partners, and you need to be able to compromise."
"With Hans, that doesn't come easy."
"Then start with something simple. Build up a relationship—even just a working one—with stable footing."
"…how?"
"With a peace offering." Gertrude gestured to the bowl. "Like breakfast."
Anna was incredibly surprised at how her first attempt at omelets turned out. It was a lot easier than she thought it would be, but she doubted she could have pulled it off without Gertrude there. Still, baby steps. If she could manage this, then there'd be plenty of other things she could manage to learn, too.
She bit her lip as she carefully carried the breakfast tray upstairs. The last thing she wanted or needed was to trip and have all of her hard work spill all over the steps. Once she had stable footing on the second floor, she let out a sigh of relief.
Hans was still sound asleep, and she could have sworn he was in the same position as he was when she first left. He was partially on his side with his arms draped over his pillow and partially hers. She let out a quiet sigh as she temporarily placed the tray on his bedside table. He looked so peaceful; she really didn't want to have to wake him. But she didn't labor over a hot stove for nothing.
"Hey…" Anna said quietly and gently shook his shoulder. "Hans, wake up."
He mumbled something she didn't quite understand before rolling onto his back and turning his head towards her. His brow furrowed for a moment as he further woke himself up. Once his eyes landed on hers, he immediately tried to sit up.
"Good morning, Sleepyhead." Anna said with a soft smile.
"Hi." He said drowsily and pushed his pillow up behind him.
"Sleep well?"
"I think so." He covered his mouth to stiffen a yawn. "You here to force me up?"
Anna gestured to the tray. "Well, breakfast first."
His eyes lit up at the sight of the tray. "Oh—you didn't have to bring it all the way up here. I can take it down—"
"—No!" She said quickly and felt her cheeks pinken. "I-I mean, I wanted us to have a moment alone."
"Oh?" He reached out and took the tray from her. A puzzled look came over him as his eyes scanned the plate. "Where's yours?"
"I already ate with Frau Kranz." Anna replied and walked around to her side of the bed so she could sit down. "Go on, eat before it gets cold!" She gently bit on the inside of her lip as she watched him take his first bite. "…how is it?"
"Delightful." He mused after a few more bites. "My compliments to the chef."
Anna's eyes instantly lit up. "You like it? I mean really like it?"
"Yes?" He glanced down at his plate briefly. "Why does that surprise you?"
"…because I made it." She admitted shyly.
His eyes immediately widened in surprise. "Really?" When she nodded, he offered a smile. "I'm impressed. I didn't think you knew how to cook."
"Heh, I can't. This was my first attempt. I had help, of course."
"Well, you did good."
Anna beamed at him as she watched him take his time eating. "Does this mean you'll be willing to eat anything else I make?"
He chuckled lightly. "perhaps."
Once he finished and the tray was set aside, Anna took a deep breath and scooted closer to him on the bed. "Hey H—Nikki?"
"Hmm?"
"Are… are you still upset with me?"
His brow furrowed slightly. "When was I upset with you?"
Anna immediately frowned, "last night?"
"Oh." He cleared his throat as the previous night's conversation came back to him. "I don't know. Should I be?"
Anna nodded reluctantly. "I think you have every right to be," she said softly, "I was giving the matter a lot of thought. See, um, I didn't understand what you were talking about last night, but now I do."
"Do you?"
"I got angry when you kissed me because at the time, I couldn't tell the difference between a staged display and Hans trying to be sly. A-and I think I've been having a difficult time in general. It's not easy, you know… having to set a whole slew of feelings aside to suddenly pretend the exact opposite—and make it convincing. As you've said before, I'm a terrible liar. I still don't see how you can make it all look so genuine." She reached across the blankets to gently grasp his one hand. "Look, I promise to do better. I won't freak out every time Nikki tries to show Marit some affection in front of other people."
"…so, if I kiss you again, you won't bash my head in?"
Anna snorted. "Why are you so obsessed with kissing me all the sudden?"
Hans shrugged. "It's not my fault Nikolai loves his wife. That was all you, and I said I would follow your lead."
Anna sighed, "Look. I promise to be more understanding, but I still have my limits. Even if I tell myself it's not real, it still hurts."
"Why?" He pressed. "Because of the past?" When she nodded and lowered her gaze to her lap, he sighed. "Oh, come on…"
"I-I'm sorry!" Anna said softly, "I can smile, bat my eyelashes and hug you until I'm blue in the face. But… I just can't kiss you. I won't. A-and I would appreciate it if you could respect my wishes."
With a heavy sigh, he threw the blankets back and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "I'll just have to come up with something else."
She watched him rise from the bed, stretch and walk slowly to the wardrobe. "I suppose you'll want me to leave."
He glanced at her over his shoulder with an amused expression on his face, a fine change from their serious discussion. How he easily flipped emotions on her, she could never understand. "What, don't want to stay for a show?"
Anna snorted and immediately slipped off the bed. "No thanks." She stopped with her hand on the doorknob and turned back to him. He was sorting through the wardrobe with a pensive expression, no longer paying her any mind. Without thinking, she walked back to him and touched his arm gently. "Wait…" He didn't verbally respond, so she pulled him closer to her, then raised her hands up to cup his face. Her eyes traveled all over his face, from his tussled hair to the expression on his lips until her eyes locked on his. "I'm sorry I let you down yesterday. And I'm sorry I led you to believe that I didn't care—"
"—Ann—'
"Shh!" She hushed him, "Our history gives me some pretty low opinions of you, but here, now, I do care what happens. Right now, you're all I have. I'm obviously going to have a hard time showing it when it matters most, but you need to know. I'm really glad you're alright."
He sighed softly. "I know." When one of her thumbs rubbed against his cheek, he took hold of her hand and moved it to softly kiss the back of hers. "But I appreciate you saying it, all the same."
Anna smiled weakly and broke away from him. I'll let you strip. Come downstairs once you're presentable. Frau Kranz wants to talk to both of us." Before he could get another word out, she quickly fled from the room before he could catch how flustered she became.
"You're certainly looking well rested." Gertrude smiled as Hans took a seat beside Anna on the sofa. "How does your head feel?"
"It's better." He replied. "It twinges now and then, but it's a huge improvement over what it was. Thank you."
Gertrude took a seat in a rocking chair across from the pair and folded her hands in her lap. "I'm sure you both will be eager to get home once you're able."
Hans nodded and his hand reached to grasp Anna's. "We've been on the move for a while. It'll be nice to be back in familiar settings again." He flashed Anna a reassuring smile.
Anna returned the gesture, but it didn't hold the same weight. She knew the conversation was going to become a lot more serious. Frau Kranz was only leading into the bombshell gently.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Gertrude said. "You see, the road home is going to be a lot more challenging than you think."
Anna could feel Hans tense up slightly. He didn't have the knowledge that Frau Kranz knew who they were, so she could only imagine what was going through his mind right now.
"You mean because of the soldiers?" Hans asked, "I think Marit and I have already seen them at their worst."
"No." Gertrude shook her head, "I meant because of who you are—" she quickly glanced to Anna, slightly puzzled, "…did you not tell him?"
Anna could feel her face turn pink for being put on the spot. "Um…no. I uh, didn't want to ruin his breakfast."
Hans glanced back and forth between the two women, "Tell me what?"
Well, here goes nothing.
"Frau Kranz knows the truth." Anna said quietly. "About us." In the corner of her eye, she could see Hans' free hand flexing in and out of a fist. The one clutching hers immediately locked up and she was incredibly thankful his grip didn't squeeze the life out of her. With a deep breath, she dared glance at his face. His mood, his expression immediately soured, and he even turned his head slowly to stare at her in disbelief.
"You told her?!"
"Hans, please!" Anna pleaded, "it's not like that! She already knew. T-the wanted poster—she found it!"
Hans swore under his breath and rubbed his temple with his free hand. "Great. Just great." He turned to Gertrude, "So, what now? Is the entire army on their way to take us in?"
"Certainly not!" The woman bristled.
"Forgive me, but I have a hard time believing that." He said rather bluntly.
"Hans, please…" Anna tried to soothe his anger. "She's telling the truth! We can trust her. She and her husband saved our lives. They only want to help—"
"—I don't see how—"
"If nothing else, this is their country." Anna shushed him. "They know the area better than we do. Come on. Sooner or later, we're going to have to trust someone."
"The fact of the matter is, if Princess Anna's image is being spread throughout the country, then you're going to have to find alternate means of travel."
"That much, we've already figured—"
"—Did you even account for how you would actually cross into Corona?" Gertrude pressed, not at all fazed by Hans' skeptical nature as her arms crossed over her chest, "All roads leading into the kingdom are heavily monitored by soldiers."
Now that was certainly unexpected. Anna could feel her heartbeat start to race at the implications. She immediately looked to Hans. The hardened expression he adopted when Gertrude told him the truth instantly melted away.
"…what?" his voice was quiet and wavering. "Why?"
The woman shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Are either of you aware of our country's history?" Anna shook her head and glanced to Hans. He looked back at her with an equally puzzled look.
"I think all we really know for sure about Alvania is that your leader Beker is on some insane quest for power." Hans stated.
Anna instantly nodded in agreement. "Does that have something to do with the border?"
"Partially." Gertrude nodded. "Not long after Viktor Beker became chancellor, changes started happening. There were reports of high-ranking officials traveling to cities and villages all over the country recruiting for the military. In some areas like this one, where there were low numbers of volunteers, the government turned to the worst that decent society could offer—prisoners and criminals—and gave them incentives for joining the service."
Anna blinked and tightened her grip on Hans' hand. Well that certainly explained some of their behavior….
"Is that why the border is closed? Fear of an invasion?" she asked.
Gertrude shook her head, sighed and glanced down to her lap. "No. I suppose I'm not exactly sure how to put this."
"It's that bad?" Hans asked.
"To put it lightly, you picked a terrible time to try and cross Alvania, my dears."
"It wasn't exactly our idea…" Anna muttered quietly.
"Just start at the beginning." Hans replied.
"There had been growing resentment towards the aristocratic class for years—even well before Viktor Beker came to power. We didn't always have chancellors. For a period of time, we were under Rheland's imperial rule through King Wilhelm, and even his mother, Queen Alexandra."
"Oh—I do remember that." Hans said suddenly. "It was a brief subject through my tutors." Anna glanced at him. All of this was news to her. The instructors hired by the palace didn't well too deep into too many different kingdoms. Sure, she learned their names, flags, and how to identify them on a map, but nothing extensive about their history. If any of that was taught, it all probably went to Elsa.
"Well, in the later years of being under Rheland's flag, when we were trying to become a free country once again, it was the nobles and the aristocrats—a lot of people with ties to the old monarchy—who didn't want change. There's a conspiracy that they're the reason it took so long for us to gain our independence. People will say the votes were bought, or the lowest of classes were kept from reaching the main cities were the elections were held."
"Is any of that true?" Anna asked.
Gertrude shrugged. "I suppose such theories have some truth to them. After all, rumors have to start somewhere. But that was just the start. Everything got worse after Beker was elected. Articles slowly began appearing in the newspapers about how the aristocrats were detrimental to the recovering economy, and every other thing wrong with the country that they could be blamed for."
"And the people believed him? Just like that?" Anna asked.
"My dear, people flocked to Beker in droves. When you suffer long enough, you'll gravitate towards anyone who makes promises that can actually be delivered. They don't care about how it happens, so long as the results sway in their favor."
Anna's hands nervously fidgeted with one of her braids. "Then what happened?"
"People slowly turned on one another. The small things came first—defamation, little bits of vandalism, theft. No one was really hurt. But then taxes started to rise and we, the working people had to pay the surplus." Gertrude sighed.
"Let me guess," Hans chimed in, "the rising cost was then blamed on the upper class."
Anna was confused. "How could you blame something like that on your fellow people? They're not the ones who changed the laws."
"But they're not the ones who had to suffer through it." Hans explained. "It all sounds like one big excuse to further wedge the classes apart."
"What were the tax hikes on?" Anna asked Gertrude.
"Imports. Prices really went up on certain wools, fish, and especially ice when the government severed ties with Arendelle."
"E-Elsa!" Anna gasped and covered her mouth with one hand. It was obvious that Arendelle and Alvania broke alliances after the coronation debacle, as well as some other kingdoms, too, but she had never been privy to what happened in those places as a direct result.
"I'm sure you can imagine, dealing with prejudice for so long, eventually you have enough. One unfortunate nobleman in the northern region made headlines with some crass remarks about the poor and all it did was make everything worse." Gertrude sighed. "Estates were being stormed and people were being killed. Soon nobles and aristocrats fled and took only what they could manage. It was a horrid thing to witness… neighbors turning against one another. Heinrich and I had plenty of friends in the upper circles—innocent people who were well liked in their communities, both rich and poor. And they were driven from their homes like criminals. They were lucky to escape with their lives."
"…and they fled to Corona?" Hans asked.
Gertrude nodded. "Many in the northern regions near Ordoff did. They lived closer to that border and were the first to go. Our friends and others down here went to all different places. Rheland, Maldonia…" she sighed and shrugged, "they say the government gave them some sort of ultimatum before the violence started, and if they refused to go, they'd be arrested, or worse. No one really knows how true that was, or what the exact terms were. But it was enough to drive wealthy, powerful families from their ancestral homes."
Anna's jaw dropped. "That's horrible!"
Hans quickly sideways glanced to Anna before addressing Gertrude, "I don't understand the reasoning behind it… attacking your own people?"
"As I'm sure you've noticed, Viktor Beker is very much against the concept of monarchy and everything it stands for." Gertrude said, "Anyone with ties to the old ways, no matter how minute, was a threat. They were no longer welcome in his Alvania—a place where he claims the people have power and freedom over those who used to oppress them, but in reality, it's very much the opposite. All of the power lies with him and those who serve in his government, his army. Those who have the resources are forced to buy their freedoms and their comfortable lifestyles by swearing their allegiances. The rest of us are left to carry on as if nothing has really changed—we keep our heads down and mind our own business."
"So, you all live in fear too?" Anna asked quietly, "that's… that's…" she couldn't even find the right words to use. "The people we saw in Heidelberg… what of them? Are they in danger?"
Gertrude shook her head. "Not really. This region is mostly made up of us farmers and tradesmen. There are of course soldiers roaming about, but mostly to protect against actual criminals, and usually the army men are the ones stirring up trouble anyway. They tend to prowl the streets at night. It's become an unspoken rule as of late to be home by nightfall. No one wants to be targeted by a drunken soldier—especially not a lone woman."
Anna shuddered at her recent memories of manhandling and leaned into Hans' side. He responded by wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "How… how did no one know about any of this?" She asked. "Surely news would've traveled all over the realm how the Alvanian aristocracy were targeted this whole time."
"Not here." Gertrude shook her head, "the press is heavily censored. Outside news can get in—details of that festival you attended, for example—but our dealings don't get out. If it does, it's not by an Alvanian word or pen, but someone else's."
Hans let out a heavy sigh, "so after all of that, do we really have much of a chance to cross this land?"
Anna looked at him, unsure. "We can't even make it more than a day or two without getting into trouble." She swallowed hard. "I'm honestly scared what will happen when we leave here."
Hans frowned, "Do you know of any safe route we can take west?" He asked Gertrude, "Even with the roads closed over the border, we'll have to take our chances. I'm sure Anna's already told you, but there's no turning back for us. The stakes are too high. My sister—the Queen of the Southern Isles—is being held hostage back in Rheland. After hearing what's been transpiring here, I'm extremely worried for her. The others, too. We have to get to Corona at all costs. I have a brother there, and he can get us off the continent."
Gertrude's hands fidgeted with the folds of her apron. "There is a way, but it'll take time. And naturally, it'll be dangerous."
"Dangerous," Hans tried not to scoff, "We've been facing danger ever since King Wilhelm was murdered."
"Please, Frau Kranz…" Anna pleaded, "what do we have to do?"
"At the moment, you can do nothing. Heinrich is in Heidelberg getting your affairs in order."
Hans and Anna exchanged puzzled looks. "…already?" He asked, "But you only found out about us this morning."
Gertrude shook her head, "The moment we saw you two, we knew you were no ordinary townsfolk. Especially considering the way you were dressed," she looked to Hans, "and how you were far too heavily armed for an average man."
"But… you believed my story yesterday." Anna said, "Are you saying you knew I was lying the entire time?"
"No, I just had a funny feeling." Gertrude replied. "Woman's intuition."
"What is Herr Kranz doing, exactly?" Hans asked.
"He's getting in touch with a special agent in town."
"What's this person do?" Anna asked.
"He's part of a much larger network of people spread all over the country," Gertrude explained, "They specialize in espionage, sabotage, and helping those in need escape to the borders—usually what's left of the aristocratic class."
"And they'll be willing to help us, too?" Hans asked. "We're not Alvanian."
"No, but the government is after you, and that's all that matters." Gertrude replied, "Now… you'll need to remain here until it's safe to move you out. Our main contact operates out of Gervaston, and it'll take time for word to reach him."
Anna glanced up at Hans. "Maybe our luck is changing after all," she uttered quietly to him, "if these people can really help us, we won't be so alone after all."
Hans nodded thoughtfully and turned to Gertrude with an apologetic expression, "this is… incredibly generous," He said, "especially for us—mere strangers. I uh… I'm sorry for doubting your sincerity before."
"I thin you'll soon find that there's a lot of people out there who are willing to help." Gertrude replied, dismissing his concerns. "For their protection and yours, I cannot tell you much more, but believe me when I say that you are not fighting Viktor Beker alone. There is an underground resistance movement. They—we—are everywhere. You just need to know where to look."