17
"What!" screamed Anna looking at Hans and then Elsa with wide eyes, "you hit me deliberately with your horse!"
"Yes," began Hans with his smug smile, "I thought you would react something like that, but I did. As I said I had been in Arendelle for nearly a week before the coronation and I recognised you your Majesty when you came through the castle doors, so I followed you and when I saw you approach the docks, I mounted my horse and bumped into you to meet you.
I will admit, at that stage, I was hoping to use you to meet your sister."
"You did what!" screamed Anna again clearly getting angry.
"As I told you before, my main objective was Elsa as she was becoming Queen, but I admit, your Majesty Queen Anna, you were so charming at that first meeting and I clearly saw your immediate infatuation with me, so I began to think, as I was becoming quite aware of at that stage that Elsa, please no offence Elsa, was virtually unapproachable, that I could win you your Majesty instead and at that stage I had no intention of causing anyone harm, just proof to my brothers that I could marry high up into Royalty."
"So, Prince Hans," began Elsa, "how did it go from being a simple con your way into our family to wanting to kill both of us?"
"I will get to that Queen Elsa," he answered, "and for what it's worth I do regret my actions that day."
"Really," responded Kristoff, "why because you got caught?"
"To a degree Kristoff, yes, but, believe it or not, I didn't really mean it to get that far, I got carried away in a very bad way, because the events of those days continued my frustrations at getting back at my brothers. I mean at first Elsa didn't give us her blessing, then her ice powers were revealed, Queen Anna went after her and didn't return, when I got to Queen Elsa's Ice Castle the true strength of her powers was revealed, especially that giant snowman.
I do admit when I deflected Wesselton's man's crossbow towards your ice chandelier at that moment I was hoping for an accidental death, because I feared your power Queen Elsa more than being upset about you not giving your blessing. But fortunately, you escaped, then when we got you back you said you didn't know how to end the winter you created. In a way, I wanted to go back out to find you Queen Anna with the hope that you may be able to help Elsa find a way to turn her powers off. But you came back with a frozen heart and I suddenly realised my plan was falling apart because I knew a kiss from me wasn't going to thaw it out because it wasn't true love, so I decided to let you die and kill you Elsa as that appeared to be the only way I could achieve my goal and I surprised myself as to how cold I could be and how easy it was to lie."
"Tell me," began Anna, "what happened to that big speech you gave me about being thirteenth in line and how you had already gotten away with it?"
"Well," started Hans, "the first part of that speech was true, and yes I was cocky, I thought everything had fallen in place in a way. You were dying and I had to take care of Elsa. So, yes it was a bit of an act, but, as I said, you were dying and there was nothing I could do about that, so, my blind ambition just took over and it was just cold. I couldn't see any other solution to reach my goal."
"Well, that makes me feel better," said Anna sarcastically.
"Sorry, but you want the truth, don't you?"
"Yes, Hans, but you also told Wesselton and the others that you had married me before I supposedly die. How were you planning on backing that up with no witnesses and no proof of the marriage?"
"Yeah," responded Hans, "I didn't really think that through did I. In fact, I still ponder that to this day how I would have overcome that little flaw in my plan and to be honest, I still don't know."
"So, you admit your plan wouldn't have worked in the end," said Kristoff.
"Not quite, I am saying it would have been very difficult to convince people that Queen Anna and I had married, but I will admit, it would have taken something of a miracle to pull that off now when I think back, I was thinking on my feet at the time and at that time, it was the best scenario I could think up."
"But Hans, I ended up being Queen anyway," said Anna, "how does that make you feel?"
"To be honest Queen Anna, when I first heard you were now Queen of Arendelle I was angry at myself for not having a better plan, but then I realised it would not have mattered because if it wasn't for those events four years ago, you wouldn't be Queen now."
"Why do you say that?" asked Anna.
"Well as I said, my kiss wouldn't have cured your frozen heart, and the events that happened would have still happened, Queen Elsa would not have approved of our marriage after only just meeting, you would have still had that argument with her and Queen Elsa would have still have revealed her powers and ran away. You would have still gone after her, your heart would still have been frozen, I wouldn't have cured it, you wouldn't have used your act of true love to save Queen Elsa meaning you would have died and Queen Elsa would have been left heartbroken and I doubt Queen Elsa you would have stayed in Arendelle, which means Arendelle would probably still be in eternal winter and abandoned by now."
"You know," spoke Elsa, "I hate to admit it, but you're right Hans."
"Elsa?" spoke up a now confused Anna
"Anna, without Hans, the events of four years ago would have ended much more disastrously different, not that were thanking you Hans, not at all, you put us all through hell."
"I know,' responded a sad looking Hans, "and I am genuinely sorry for putting you through that, especially you Queen Anna, I was blinded by revenge and ambition. You're a lucky man Kristoff, don't lose her."
Kristoff's cheeks flushed a bit than responded looking at Anna, "I know."
Anna, was a little flushed as well, with a bit of anger as it seemed they were siding with Hans, but suddenly the reality of what Hans had said hit her.
"Damn it, Hans," she retorted, "you're right."
"Well, if you want to put me back in the bad guy place, I have thought over the last few years that maybe I should not have proposed to you on the night Queen Anna and waited a respectable time to do so, but even that may not have worked."
"What do you mean?" asked Anna.
"Well, you wouldn't have gotten into a fight with Queen Elsa and maybe to this day she may have hid her powers."
"Oh, damn, you're right again."
"I know," replied a slightly smug Hans, "but, thankfully, for all of you, things went the way they did. I mean, Anna, you became Queen and from what I have heard a great Queen at that, Kristoff, you fell in love and married Anna, which makes you both happy, you're a better husband than I would have been and Elsa, you mastered your powers and evolved into something greater. As for me, well I got what I deserved, I was the villain, still am as I still want my revenge on my brothers, but don't worry, I have no plans that would involve you this time."
"Well, that's good Hans," replied Elsa, "because I would stop you if you did."
"Yes, I know that and there's nothing I could do to stop you Queen Elsa however, I do feel it is important that I reveal some of the choice things my brothers said about you."
"We already heard their insults Hans," replied Anna, "we heard them at Ahtohallan."
"Oh, I doubt you heard all of them," responded Hans looking with one eye at Elsa, thinking if he can get her a little angry.
"You see," he continued, "I announced to my brothers that I was going to write to you, because and this is the honest truth, I thought like me you could do with a friend and yes, there was the ulterior motive of getting you to like me enough to fall in love with me and want to get married."
Elsa's face just looked at Hans in disbelief, which Hans noticed.
"I also did write to you again when I heard about your parents, but I imagine you never got those letters to?"
"I didn't," replied Elsa in a disturbed voice.
"Yeah, didn't think so, anyway, back to my brothers, when I announced, I was going to write to you they ridiculed me, told me that the only princess I could get to like me was the dysfunctional Elsa, Elsa, the mad princess who attacked her sister and nearly killed her, Elsa, the princess no one ever sees because she's crazy, Elsa the princess who went mad, Elsa, the princess of ugly. Elsa, the princess they're too embarrassed to let out."
With each of the insults he told Elsa, he could see her face getting angry and upset.
"Enough Hans!" yelled Anna, "can't you see you're upsetting Elsa."
"I'm sorry," he answered, "but I thought it was important that she know my brother's attitudes towards her, luckily, my father, who was friends with your father, constantly chastised them for insulting Queen Elsa, as did I."
"Look," started Anna now slightly annoyed, "maybe that's enough for today, let's recess until tomorrow. Guards! Please escort Prince Hans back to his room."
"Very good your Majesty," Hans said stranding up and bowing, "and again I apologise Queen Elsa if I made you uncomfortable."
The guards entered the room and escorted Hans out of the room and up to his room. Meanwhile Anna looked over at Elsa and could see she was upset.
"Elsa?" She asked, "don't let him get to you."
Elsa looked up, with an expression of anger and sadness, "I can't, I have had to deal with this since the accident. Every time I think the past is gone, it somehow it comes back to haunt me. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all Anna."
With that, Elsa got up and left the room with her arms crossed and head bowed and fighting back tears.