15

Hans followed General Mattias up the grand stairway up to the second floor very surprised that he wasn't being taken to the dungeon that he put Elsa in four years ago. He didn't hear the laughter from Anna, Elsa and Kristoff, which was probably just as well. He decided that maybe he should try and start a conversation with the General, to try and get a feel as to why he was here.

"Well General," he started, "Queen Elsa doesn't look any different since the last time I was here, she is even wearing the same outfit she had on back then."

"Oh," came the sharp reply from Mattias, "I've only known Queen Elsa for about six months and that's the first time I have seen her in that outfit."

"Did you only just move to Arendelle?"

"No, Prince Hans, you asked me that down at the harbour. I have been a soldier for Arendelle for over thirty years, but I was, as I said, I was away from the kingdom for some considerable time."

"Oh, you're right I did, sorry about that, but do you have any idea why I am here?"

"Other than Queen Anna requesting you to be here, not really and because of the stunt you pulled last time you were here, I am, quite frankly, surprised she requested you here at all. But I do believe it is to clarify some things from your past."

"My past, what do they know about my past?"

"Let's just say that Queen Elsa has some amazing powers and insights into things now."

This further confused Hans, there was only one thing he could think of and maybe after all these years he might get an answer.

"Prince Hans!" came this voice from behind them

Hans turned to face it but at first didn't see anyone until he lowered his eyes slightly and saw Olaf.

"Yes, Prince Hans, I'm talking to you!"

The sight of a talking snowman shocked him very briefly, but just as quickly made him smile with the wonder of it.

"You must be Olaf that I have heard so much about?"

"Yes, I am, and I'm here to warn you that you better not hurt Queen Anna or Elsa this time or you will have to deal with me."

"Oh, I'll remember that," replied Hans slightly sarcastically, "but remember I did deal with the giant snowman Elsa made up at her ice castle. But, don't worry my little frozen one, I have no intentions of doing any harm this time, I am simply curious as to why I am here again."

"Well, Marshmallow is fine and living at Elsa's Ice Castle," replied Olaf matter of factly, "and you're here because of something Elsa and Anna found at Ahtohallan."

"Ahtohallan? What's Ahtohallan?" asked Hans.

"It's a special place that Elsa goes to and that's all I'm saying, but again remember, I won't let you hurt Anna or Elsa again."

"Okay, Olaf, I will remember that and for what it's worth I am sorry about what happened last time and I have no intention of hurting Queen Anna or Queen Elsa this time."

"Okay then, but I'll be watching," and with that Olaf walked away.

"Curious fellow," said Hans looking at Mattias.

"Oh yes," replied Mattias, "but he's a character and you can't help but like him."

"He is a reminder of just how powerful Elsa is, doesn't that frighten you at all?"

"Not at all, Elsa only uses her powers to entertain and protect Arendelle as well as Northundra."

"Yes, I remember, she was more concerned about the Kingdom last time, though I did see her use her powers in anger last time I was here as well I actually stopped her from killing the Duke of Wesselton's men."

"What," came a startled response from Mattias.

"Oh yes, but she was perfectly justified, they were trying to kill her, against my strict orders may I say."

"Really?"

"Yes, at that time, I had no desire to, you know, kill Elsa. I thought bringing her back would benefit me in regards to Queen Anna. Of course, I didn't know that at that time, she didn't know how to reverse the Winter she had created."

They reached Hans's room, and Mattias was thankful because he really didn't want to continue with this conversation.

"Well," he started, "I'm sure I will hear more about what happened when the hearings start, here's your room Prince Hans."

"Yes. Yes, I imagine you will, still a little confused why I am here, but thank you General Mattias."

Hans saluted him and went into his room and noticed that two guards took up position outside his door before General Mattias closed and locked it. He looked around and noticed all his belongings that he had brought with him were already in the room. It had a comfortable looking bed, a desk with note paper and a pen for him plus a large bay window facing towards the mountains east of Arendelle.

"Well," he whispered to himself, "this is far better than the dungeon."

He walked to window and out onto the balcony and said an "oh" as he noticed there was a twenty-metre drop to the castle gardens below and no access to another balcony on another room.

"Very clever," he said as he complimented his hosts on not putting him in the dungeon but in a room where escape was literally impossible.

Meanwhile in the main reception room Anna and Elsa got control of themselves after Hans had told them that the giant snowball that Elsa created on Anna's birthday had made it all the way to the Southern Isles and hit him.

"Gee I wish I had been there to him get hit by it Elsa." laughed Anna.

"Me too," responded a giggling Elsa

"That makes three of us," smirked Kristoff

After a few minutes of amusement, the reception doors opened and General Mattias entered.

"General Mattias, I take it Prince Hans was happy with his quarters?" Anna asked, still smiling.

"He seemed to be your Highness; however, he did encounter Olaf on our way there."

"Oh, I take it Olaf wasn't too brutal with him?"

"No, your Majesty, but he did mention Ahtohallan."

"Oh," said Elsa, "did he say much?"

"No, your Grace, he just mentioned it, but just said that you and Queen Anna discovered something there, but it did prick his interest."

"It will be fine Elsa," said Anna a bit more serious now, "he was going to find out about Ahtohallan later today anyway, if it's alright with everyone, I would like to start discussing our tactics regarding questioning Prince Hans this afternoon, but first let's organise lunch"

There was a general consensus around the room.

"Well then, General, you can inform Prince Hans when his lunch will be delivered and I think sandwiches should be good for him."

"Very well your Majesty," responded Mattias who then turned and left the ballroom.

"Hmm," hummed Elsa, "think I'll get out of these old clothes and put on my new clothes, it was nice to wear it again though."

"You still look great in it sis," complimented Anna, "maybe a brief demonstration from Gale and Brunei might be in order before we start questioning, I think a little intimidation may be in order here."

"I couldn't agree more honey," said Kristoff putting a loving arm around Anna's waist, "I for one would enjoy seeing him squirm a bit."

"I would too," replied Elsa, "though I get the sense he isn't quite as smug this time around, from what we saw at Ahtohallan Anna, I imagine his brothers have given him hell over the last four years. So maybe we'll hold the intimidation for now, there may be a better time for it."

"You may be right Elsa, but he's only got himself to blame for that."

"That's true."

"Okay, oh shoot, just remembered, I have a few things to do as Queen I just remembered, I will meet you in the dining room for lunch and we'll discuss tactics there."

"I can understand that Anna, I did that job for three years" smiled Elsa.

"Do you need me to come with you Anna?" asked Kristoff.

"Of course, you help me make good decisions."

With that they left the reception and made their way to different parts of the castle.