26
They reassembled in the games room and Kristoff immediately turned to Anna a little frustrated with his wife.
"Anna, why didn't you just let him go?" he remonstrated, "He would be out of our hair now and we would probably never hear from him again."
Anna looked at her husband calmly, "Kristoff, dear, I have to put Arendelle first and yes it would have been easy to just let him go and trust me honey I was tempted. But we wouldn't have achieved anything and we do need to find out what that secret memory is because I think that's the key.
I mean if tries something and succeeds from somewhere else, there could still be repercussions for Arendelle simply because he was here."
She put her hands on Kristoff's face to try and calm him down a bit.
"Well," started Elsa a little animated, "I to would like him gone but Anna's right, Pabbie told you that we have to turn his heart and until we can, we can't let him go. Unfortunately, I can't see the spirits accepting him at Ahtohallan, so we are going to have to dig that memory out."
"What about the Northuldra," started Mattias pacing back and forth, "he certainly showed a desire to join them if I read him right, maybe that could soften his heart."
"Again," said Elsa expressively, "I don't know if the Northuldra would accept him, they don't trust outsiders easily, even after all these years with what grandfather did. Plus, I wouldn't want to burden the Northuldra with him, would any of you?" she said with a bit of smirk.
"Definitely," smirked Anna back, seeing a bit of the humour, "I mean, we almost destroyed Arendelle to set things right, the price to pay for foisting him onto them could be a lot higher I imagine."
"Guys," broke in Olaf as he stood up, "Hans hates himself, that's the first problem and if I had been treated like he had been, I probably would to as well as those who hurt me. As I told Elsa and she told you, we have to show him better, maybe instead of me, more of us should just talk to him, maybe he might open up."
He turned Anna and gave her that irresistible look, "Anna, I agree with you in keeping him here, but we need to treat him better to and make him feel even more welcomed, you know warm hugs."
Anna just stared at Olaf a little dumfounded, then sighed, "okay, I'll talk to him, but Olaf, there's no way I am hugging him."
Hans returned to his room after around a forty-five-minute walk, happy with what he saw in Arendelle. He walked out onto his balcony and looked down again realising that this was going to be the biggest problem of his plan as the balcony was his only way out, but how does he get down to the ground from here.
He also knew that he would have to be quiet if he was to escape this way, so no boots until he's on the ground. Then there was another explosion from the tunnel construction site and he looked towards it. Yes, maybe fifteen, twenty minutes top to collect what he wanted and get out of Arendelle knowing that by the time they realised he was gone, they wouldn't be able to catch him.
Still that drop concerned him, if he couldn't come up with a solution for that, well he would be stuck here and even if there was some deep dark secret that may change him, no one, including himself would probably never ever find it.
Once he figured out how to get out of his room, the rest would be fairly easy, because of another thing that he loved about Arendelle. They were a very trusting people, and why shouldn't they be, there was literally no crime here and most things were left unlocked or unguarded. Of course, that trust didn't apply to him, which he discovered on his walk when he tried to purchase some matches from one of the local vendors.
Naturally, he wouldn't have expected them to be very warm towards him, after all he had tried to kill both Anna and Elsa, who were both very popular and beloved by the people. But he was the villain here and he was fine by that and what he planned would cement that status forever not only here but probably in the Southern Isles and a few other kingdoms in the region as well. Good, the infamy would be worth it knowing his brothers would suffer like he had virtually his whole life.
A dark smirk came across his face as he dreamt about what might happen if he succeeded with this plan.
Suddenly there was a knock at his door and a familiar but surprising voice.
"Prince Hans, can I come in," asked a pensive Anna.
"Queen Anna, of course" he responded with surprise, "this is a pleasant surprise."
"Yes well," started Anna not making eye contact, "this is a little difficult for me but I thought if we talked alone maybe we could find something to help you find a new path."
Hans sighed, "look I do appreciate that, but I think my path is set."
"Yes, I know you keep saying that," cut in Anna a little annoyed," I just don't understand why you are not open to changing that? I mean wouldn't your life be better without this hate and yes, I have no way of understanding what you went through, but I know what it's like to be a victim of it."
Hans looked at her in an understanding way, "True, you were a victim of my rage, fortunately not a fatal one, but a victim anyway, that's why I suggested to just let me go so I wouldn't hurt you again, at least not intentionally, but just let us go our separate ways, I will be out of your hair forever and I promise never to come back here."
"But I can't do that Hans," spoke Anna forcibly, "I have a duty to Arendelle and whether you're here or not and while you have this obsession for vengeance, you are a threat to my kingdom because if you get what you want, we may still get blamed because we didn't keep you here."
"Well then take me to Ahtohallan and see if we can see this deep dark memory that will make me change my mind." He responded with authority.
"Elsa says the spirits won't allow that, hell they sank my parents boat who were trying to get there because the connection was lost. She says they will simply not let you in." she said passionately
"Well then we are at an impasse then, aren't we?" answered Hans, "I have a good memory and remember back to when I was almost three years old and trust me, there's nothing there that will give me an epiphany and drive this vengeance out of me."
Anna looked at him with frustration, "I think you're right; Olaf suggested this and trust me I resisted."
"Oh, I can understand that completely, last time we were alone in a room, I literally left you for dead." He said with some sympathy.
"Please don't remind me." Responded a pensive Anna.
"Yes, I am sorry, hey, I didn't tell you and Elsa at either of meetings about Wesselton didn't I?" said Hans trying to lift the mood by changing the subject.
"What about him?" replied Anna.
"Well not long after Elsa hit me with that snowball," began Hans, 'he came crawling to our kingdom looking for support."
"Support? Support for what?" asked Anna.
"Oh, he wanted to raise a large army to attack Arendelle," said Hans in a joking matter.
"Wait, what, he wanted to attack us?" came a wide-eyed Anna.
"Oh yes," he responded with a grin, "he was very upset with Elsa for cutting off trade with him, which a lot of other kingdoms, including ours, did in support of Arendelle, poor guy was going broke apparently."
"What did your father tell him?" asked an inquisitive Anna, who for the moment was more interested in this story than what to do about Hans.
"Well," smiled Hans, "I won't tell you exactly what my father said, let's just say he told Wesselton no in a very colourful and un royal like way."
"Ugh," came Anna, "he was almost as bad as you were, no offence."
"None taken," replied Hans in good humour, "I think your head of staff, Kai, said it best, the Duke of Weasletown. I never did like that pompous old man."
"At least you didn't have to dance with him." Groaned Anna.
"Look at that," smiled Hans, "we have got something in common, maybe, maybe, if things improve between us, I'll tell you some of things he did when you were searching for Elsa."
"Well," came a suddenly serious Anna, "I don't know if things will improve between us Hans, we are a long, long way from that."
"Yeah, I know," came a suddenly pensive Hans, "look, I will try and see if there is anything I can remember that might change my mind regarding my brothers, but I can't promise you anything. However, you can't keep me locked up here forever."
"I do appreciate that Hans," answered Anna sincerely, "but, as Queen, I have to assess if you are still a threat to Arendelle before I can let you go."
"Well," said Hans hopefully, "at least I have a bit of hope, thank you your Majesty."
Hans stood up and bowed as Anna also stood and left the room, not sure if she had accomplished anything.
After she left Hans sat back down and smirked to himself saying "well played Hans, she believed everything and I will play along for now."
Again, he went to the balcony to contemplate how he could escape because the door wasn't an option as it was always guarded with the guards changing every four hours, plus he would have to get through the castle with no one seeing him at all. It was a challenge but one he was sure he could solve eventually. At least he had some more freedom to move around and tomorrow when he goes for his walk, he will scout out escape routes to his goal.
'This time it is going to work,' he thought to himself as he went and got the book Olaf gave him about the Northuldra and read some more to fill in the time. He also wondered who would visit him next as he sort of hoped it would be Elsa so he could ask her more questions about her powers and Ahtohallan.
Anna returned to the gaming room where Elsa and Olaf were waiting for her.
"Where's Kristoff and General Mattias?" she asked.
"The General had some duties to attend to and Kristoff had to feed Sven." replied Elsa, "so how did it go with Hans?"
"Oh, alright I guess," answered Anna a little despondently, "he is still dead set on getting his revenge and requested that I let him go."
She paused for a few seconds, "he is so stubborn, and ugh, it was difficult being alone in a room with him."
"I can imagine," said Elsa in agreement, "no progress then I guess?"
"No," said Anna emphatically, "though he did agree to search his memories for whatever it is that was behind that barrier at Ahtohallan, but he didn't hold out much hope."
"Well, that's a start Sis," answered Elsa with a small smile.
"Yeah, I suppose so," responded Anna to her sister, 'he also went on about being taken to Ahtohallan, I told him that was impossible and why. He didn't want to believe that."
Anna then looked at Elsa seriously, "maybe you should explain that to him Elsa."
"Me" came a startled Elsa, "you want me to talk to him?"
"It might help, and yes, I know how unpleasant that prospect is," responded a determined Anna.
"Oh, oh, alright, but not today," said Elsa realising that her younger sister was right, "I'll wait until tomorrow morning to chat with our guest."
"Thank you, Elsa," smiled Anna, "by the way, did you know that Wesselton tried to raise an army to attack us?"
"He did," came a startled Elsa, "that weasel, now I'm glad I refused to reopen trade with him all those times he came crawling back."
"I remember that so clearly," replied Anna smiling, "he really did try and turn on the charm didn't he. I can imagine each time we said no he would have had a temper tantrum that would cause that ridiculous hair piece of his to come off."
Elsa looked at Anna and just laughed at the thought of that, "yeah, I bet he did."
"It's been a long day Elsa," spoke Anna, "how about we just enjoy the rest of it and go for a walk."
"Sounds good Anna," replied Elsa with some enthusiasm.