25

Hans just stared at Anna not at all impressed with her last statement and it wasn't hard for her to read what his face was saying.

"I'm sorry Hans if that answer doesn't impress you," she said, "but it's the truth, we have all experienced it recently."

"I'm sure you have," he replied, "but it's a lot easier for you than me, I mean you had loving parents and even though you and Elsa were separated, you remained close, hence why you were able to save her from me as well as save yourself, again from me."

"Well Hans," started Elsa, "I froze my whole kingdom, nearly killed my sister, almost killed Wesselton's men, and when I awoke the spirits of the forest last year, Arendelle had no fire, no water, no wind and the ground shook and then Anna and I almost wiped Arendelle out with the wave created by breaking the northern dam on the fjord in Northuldra."

"Yes, that all sounds bad," he responded, "but you all rescued everyone if Olaf told it right, so you still end up the heroes, while I stay the villain. Maybe if I had access to this placed called Ahtohallan I might be able to find what the next right thing for me to do is?"

"Could Prince Hans go to Ahtohallan?" asked Olaf of Elsa.

"I don't think so Olaf," answered Elsa, "he needs to have a connection to it, which he hasn't got. The Spirits will do to his boat what they did to our parent's ship."

"But your mother was supposed to be the next Fifth Spirit." Spoke up Olaf.

"Yes, she was," began Elsa, with a tinge of sadness, "but when she left the forest, as far as I have understood, she broke the connection and when she tried to return, Ahtohallan didn't recognise her anymore."

"Wait, wait," came Hans, "your mother was supposed to be the Fifth Spirit like you?"

"Yes," replied Elsa, "the Fifth Spirit runs in our family, it is always the first-born daughter of the current Fifth Spirit and before you ask, no, they weren't always magical like me, in fact I have been told the only Fifth Spirit that was more powerful than me was the very first one."

"So, your powers sort of come from this place Ahtohallan?" asked Hans.

"That's not clear yet, I am still learning," replied Elsa.

Suddenly, Hans got an idea in his head, he paused it and thought once this is over, he will have to explore it further. It could be his last resort plan, but he would have to plan it very carefully as it would be of extreme risk.

"I must admit," he said with an interested smile, "this Ahtohallan place fascinates me as do the Northuldra."

"Why the Northuldra?" asked Kristoff.

"I don't know really," responded Hans, "I mean they seem to be a very close-knit society, looking out for one another, yes compared to what I am use to, the living standards are quite rough, but I would have something I have never had, a family in a way. No one telling me that I'm no good, or invisible and the simplicity of their lifestyle just seems attractive. I mean, I'm a Prince, but I am attracted to that very simple lifestyle."

Anna and Elsa looked at each other and then to Kristoff. Each with a look as to whether this could be the change of direction that Hans's heart needed.

"But," continued Hans, "they would never accept me because of what I did here, plus, and I'm not sorry about this, it doesn't solve the problem with my brothers."

"Hans," spoke up Anna, "what if you could try and live with the Northuldra? Would that change your attitude towards getting your revenge?"

"No," he answered, "nothing can, they need to pay for how they treated me."

There was silence amongst the group, no one really knew what to do as this appeared to be an unmovable roadblock to making Hans change his mind and not be a danger to everyone including himself.

"Hey," spoke up Hans, "I know you're thinking that this is a blind and destructive pursuit, but I am committed to it and nothing you say or do is going to change that!"

"Hans," spoke up Mattias, "I am a military man and I have seen people self-destruct before and this is what is going to happen to you if you don't change your path. Despite our differences, the Northuldra people were kind to us at times, but we wasted thirty-four years of our lives trapped in the Enchanted Forest because of one man's fear and mistrust. Your hatred towards your brothers is just another destructive emotion that you will probably never satisfy because you will probably, in your mind, never get enough revenge."

"Well," replied Hans, "if Elsa had answered my letters and things worked out how I wanted them to, I would have been happy."

"But they didn't Hans," snapped Elsa, "nor will I use my powers to put the Southern Isles into a winter like I did here. You even said that even you had succeeded in getting rid of us, it would have soon become obvious that you never did marry Anna and then what, kill our priest and other officials, the palace staff. Instead of failing and being sent home, you probably would have been executed by now by the Arendellian Guard for treason against Arendelle."

Hans looked angrily at Elsa, mostly because he knew she was right and because what they said made sense, but he was blinded with his rage and his defeat, he soon realised though that he had to calm down again.

"Okay, I get it," he responded, "my lust for revenge is counterproductive, but I can't help it, I'm addicted to it, I dream of it, I glow in the imagined satisfaction I would get laughing at my brothers because I ended up better than them. It's my ultimate fantasy to see them humiliated before me."

Hans bowed his head and took some deep breaths and he came to the conclusion that maybe they are right and he should leave them in peace and go elsewhere to try and plot his revenge.

"Look, thank you for letting me get a lot of this off my chest," he said bowing his head, "despite everything I tried here, you have showed me a better way to act, but I don't think I could be like you until I get some measure of satisfaction over what my brothers did to me. As I said, maybe if I could go to Ahtohallan, I could see something that helps me. Unfortunately, you have told me that because I don't have a connection there other than my interaction with Queen Anna, the place wouldn't let me in."

"That's true Hans," replied Elsa, "your memory was linked to Anna, but it can only show so much, as you read about the Northuldra and Ahtohallan did you see the lullaby?"

"Yes, I did," he answered.

"Do you remember the lines dive down deep into her sound, but not too far or you'll be drowned?" asked Elsa.

"Sort of, sorry I didn't pay it that much attention," he replied.

"Well, that's a warning and it's real as I discovered," said Elsa, "I had to dive in deep to discover my grandfather's betrayal of the Northuldra people, which was very painful, and I went to deep and froze, but I needed my powers to relay that message to Anna so she could do what was needed."

"That's interesting," he replied sighing, "but what's that got to do with me?"

"Well, when Anna and I were there," answered Elsa, 'your memory went into that same area, the too deep and that's why Anna asked you here to see if we could find that too deep from you. Hidden deep inside you is a memory that is painful."

"All my memories are painful;" said Hans, "I don't know of any memories that are more painful than any other of my memories."

"What, you have no happy memories?" asked Anna.

"Not that I recall," replied Hans, though he knew that wasn't entirely true because he did have happy memories of sailing, but he didn't want the sisters to know that, not yet anyway. He decided to change the subject back to his letters.

"Elsa," he began, "by any chance have you discovered what happened to those letters I sent you?"

"Yes, I have," she replied, "our parents requested our head of staff not to deliver them to me, as I suspected, they didn't want me to get excited emotionally because they were worried it would trigger my powers. My father gave me gloves to wear when I was eight, not long after the accident with Anna to help me control my powers, conceal don't feel he would say and the gloves were a sort of psychological tool for me really. They made me think I was in control when in reality they had no effect on my powers, except in my mind."

"So is that why you wore those gloves, I remember." Responded Hans.

"Yes, it was," answered Elsa.

"Anyway," interrupted Anna, "getting back on topic, Hans, despite everything that has happened, we want to help you, help you give up your lust for vengeance and therefore no longer be a threat to the Southern Isles, Arendelle or yourself."

"How am I threat to Arendelle now let alone myself?" he asked.

"Because," spoke up Mattias, "as we said before, if Elsa were to use her powers against the Southern Isles it would be obvious that Arendelle was responsible and we would lose trade and may even have to defend ourselves in a war because the other kingdoms will see us as a threat. In regards to yourself, vengeance is always self-destructive, look at what it's done for you."

"Alright, alright," Hans answered, "then let me leave and go across the sea and I'll think up something else that has nothing to do with Arendelle."

"I'm afraid we can't do that Hans," replied Anna, which made the others look at her.

"What you mean you can't Queen Anna?" asked Hans.

"Because if we were to let you go," replied Anna, "we have achieved nothing and neither have you. You will still be a danger to others and to yourself and if you did do something, it may still get back to Arendelle when they find out we let you go. Plus, as Olaf suggested we have to show you better than what you have had because that may help you let your vengeance go."

"You have no right to keep me here." Retorted Hans.

"Yes, I do," replied Anna, "as Queen I have to put the best interests of Arendelle first, and changing you and dissolving your ambition for revenge is in our best and your best interests. But I will do you one small favour."

"Oh, great your Majesty," he replied sarcastically, "what would that be?"

"I will delay the talks on the new trade agreement with your brother the King until we have resolved you," she answered, "but for now, you will be our, let's say guest and I will grant you a little freedom like being able to walk around outside, accompanied of course. Others, I will figure out later."

Hans smiled when he heard about the trade deal but was angry about being held against his will.

"Well, I do appreciate that small gesture your Majesty," he said a little more respectfully.

"Okay, then I think that's enough for today," said Anna with a little authority, "if you would like Hans, you can go for a stroll outside for a while before you go to your room for the night."

"Yes, I would," he answered.

"General Mattias, please organise an escort for Prince Hans," asked Anna looking at the General.

"Very well your Grace." He answered.

"Okay, this meeting is closed."

With that Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf left the room while Mattias arranged three guards for Hans which only took about a minute and Hans left the ballroom and headed straight outside.

Again, he went to the docks and studied the Queen Elsa docked there and occasionally looked up to where he knew they were blasting for the railway tunnel. His anger about what had just happened festered inside him, how dare they keep him here, he told them he wouldn't involve Arendelle in any future plans but now, because of this, that was no longer the case.

A terrible idea was forming in his mind, a desperate idea one where he didn't even care what happened to him except that Arendelle and the Southern Isles would remember it for a long, long time. An idea that would especially hurt Elsa and Anna and anger forces beyond his comprehension to take out their revenge.

Play along, don't rouse suspicion, keep everything to yourself and plan it well, plan it very well. No mistakes this time and no unexpected circumstances this time. He breathed in a few times enjoying the sea air and smiled to himself than decided to enjoy the Arendellian market place and maybe see if there's something there, he could purchase there to help him out that didn't raise suspicion.

He sensed success at last, at last his brothers would feel his wrath and Arendelle will pay a steep price. Yes, revenge was a drug and he was drunk with it. Whatever that memory was that they couldn't access at Ahtohallan it didn't matter because nothing could change his mind or heart. This had been his life's pursuit since that day his brothers started treating him like garbage.

If he didn't make it, well he would have the satisfaction of knowing that they will suffer like he did for all those years, maybe even worse than he did. Yes, it was a beautiful day, a day now full of anticipation for his final satisfaction. He was Prince Hans of the Southern Isles and he liked what he was, a villain.