34
They walked towards Hans as he remained curled up on the floor trying to deal with the voice in his head and as soon as Elsa entered the Hall of Memories it illuminated itself and revealed where Hans had put the four barrels of black powder. Elsa saw these and immediately froze them and then put the same layer of permafrost on them that she had done with Olaf so they would never melt. This completely neutralised them and made the black powder completely useless as an explosive.
"Hans," she said to him trying to get his attention, "Hans can you hear me?"
Hans looked around, his face full of confusion and fear, fear that he was losing his mind.
"I believe that would be the Fifth Spirit talking to you," replied Elsa.
"But you're the Fifth Spirit," said Hans a little confused.
"Yes, I am," answered Elsa, "but I am the living component of the Fifth Spirit."
"Now you got me a little confused too," said Anna.
"I'll explain in more detail later," responded Elsa, "now what were you trying to accomplish here Hans?"
"I thought if I blew up Ahtohallan," he began, "it would anger the Spirits just like how General Mattias described it, they would become angry at the Southern Isles and severely damage the kingdom. It would seem to all outsiders that the disaster was an act of nature, and have nothing to do with Arendelle, though I did know that the loss of Ahtohallan would hurt you too."
"Hans," replied Elsa bluntly, "the Spirits don't work that way."
Suddenly the wall of memory came to life showing past events from Elsa and Anna's life. Anna only saw this just over a week ago and yet she was still over powered by it. But then in the middle of the wall an image formed, an image of their mother.
"Hello Elsa, Anna," it said.
The two girls turned to face the image with Anna being overcome with emotion at the sight of her mother's image.
"Mother," she cried.
"Yes," responded the image, "I am here, but I am not alone."
The image then blurred again and then morphed into a new image of a young woman very similar in looks to Elsa. Same coloured hair, but the nose and chin were slightly different.
"Hello Elsa, Anna and Hans," it said.
Hans stood up and stared at wonder at the image that seemed to be talking to him now.
"Who are you?" asked Elsa, sort already knowing the answer.
"I am the Fifth Spirit," it answered, "I am the very first Fifth Spirit, I use to go by the name of Kirste."
Elsa smiled realising how important this was to her.
"The spirits of all the Fifth Spirits come here to reside when their physical being is no more," said Kirste, "we are many but we are also one. It was I who called you here so you could discover yourself."
"I thank you so much for that," responded Elsa
"Kirste," began Anna, "if our mother was the Fifth Spirit, why did she die trying to come to Ahtohallan?"
The images face went sad, "unfortunately, your mother broke the connection between nature and the spirits when she left the forest. As you know Elsa and Anna, not all Fifth Spirits are powerfully magical, but they all do have enough magic to connect with the spirits. When your mother left the forest, she did not have enough magic to keep the spirits animated from Arendelle. So, the spirits went into hibernation and therefore nature reverted to its chaotic nature and when she tried to come to Ahtohallan, uncontrolled nature just took its toll and she didn't have the magic that could bring some order to it. The Fifth Spirit and the four spirits have a kind of symbiotic relationship that helps maintain balance. However, because of your mother's selfless act in saving your father, and the knowledge that the next Fifth Spirit, which was of course you Elsa, she was blessed with a child with extraordinary abilities, second only to my own, so that one day, that child would revive the spirits and restore order."
"But if our mother wasn't the Fifth Spirit anymore, how did she end up here?" asked Elsa.
"She had only lost her physical ability to be the Fifth Spirit, but her spirit would always be part of it," replied Kirste, "that's why she is here, and part of us."
"Thank you," said Elsa, "one other question, how is it that Hans here could hear your voice?"
"I will explain," replied Kirste, "there is a connection between Hans, Ahtohallan and you Anna and Elsa."
"What!" exclaimed the girls.
"Yes," continued Kirste, "though he is very limited, well as he found out, just one name, his own is all that he will hear without you Elsa."
"Then why didn't you reveal yourself to me?" asked Hans a little angry.
"Because, only Elsa has the power here to make me show myself Hans," she answered, "now getting back to why you can hear me call your name, well a long, long time ago, when I was human and living in the forest with my family, I too had a younger sister, Rigga. She was adventurous and a little rebellious. Rigga decided she wanted to explore the world to the south of the forest and so she travelled to the southern lands.
Naturally she met someone and had a family, and those children had families and so on down to your mother Isabella Hans. You are the direct descendant of my younger sister, as are all of your brothers and therefore you are also related, many generations removed, to Anna and Elsa."
"Wait what," said Anna, "we're related to Hans?"
"Yes, Anna, "replied Kirste, "but as I said many, many generations removed."
"Kirste," began Elsa, "when Anna and I were here last there was a memory of Hans that we could not reach because it was too deep into Ahtohallan."
"Yes," replied Kirste, "but Hans can reach it with you Elsa and Anna and he must. It's a memory he doesn't have because he was too young to remember, but a memory he must have because it will change his life. Don't worry, it isn't too deep like the one with your grandfather. It's only there out of your view, because only with Hans here can you enter it, Elsa."
Suddenly a mist filled the room and wrapped around them as it began to materialise memories of all three of them. Elsa and Anna were not worried by this, but it made Hans uncomfortable.
"Don't worry Hans," said Elsa, "these are the memories coming to life."
Hans looked at Elsa and calmed down a bit as the figures all took their forms as their memories, which for Hans, were very unhappy ones.
"There it is Elsa" said Anna pointing to what appeared to be the frozen off section of the Hall of Memory. A door to the deeper part of Ahtohallan that Elsa remembered all too well.
"Elsa, Anna," spoke Kirste, "take Hans through that door."
Elsa and Anna motioned Hans to follow them as they walked towards the entrance. Elsa waved her hand and the barrier disappeared. They motioned to Hans to enter first, which he reluctantly and a little scared did. When he entered, he saw a familiar room, his father's bedroom and there was his father standing over his bed looking down at his mother.
"Mother," he whispered as his eyes went wide.
His father was holding her hand and his mother, visibly sick, was coughing and wheezing every time she breathed. Elsa and Anna had entered the room behind him but stayed near the entrance to the room to allow Hans to absorb this memory the best he could.
"Are you sure Isabella?" asked his father.
As he asked, a small child, around nine months old and crying, was brought in by one of the palace staff and placed on the bed next to the Queen who wrapped one of her arms around him. Almost immediately, the child stopped crying.
"I have had the least amount of time with him Bjorn," struggled the Isabella, "so I want him to have the most of the time I have left."
Hans, began to sob, as the emotion of the moment he was witnessing swept over him. This was the precious memory he didn't know of, that he really never had, but now he does.
"My sweet boy Hans," struggled his mother, "I am going to miss so much with you. Your first word, your first step, your entire life. I have to say goodbye before I could even say hello."
She paused, clearly very emotional, but also struggling to breath.
"Know that I love you my youngest and I always will, just as much as any of your brothers. You have a special place in my heart and I am so sorry I can't stay with you, I am sorry I have had so little time with you because I will have to leave very soon," she took a long deep and troubled breath, "too very, very soon."
"Isabella," said the King in emotional pain, "you must rest, you must maintain your strength."
"Bjorn," she answered with difficulty, "it's almost time, make sure all my boys know how much I love them, especially little Hans here as he will have no memory of me."
Isabella began crying.
"My little boy here will not know who I am, you must let him know, let him know this, what I did here," she said looking up at him with pleading eyes, "promise me, promise me you will let him know how much I love him and how sorry I am I had to leave him so early in his life."
"I promise my love," cried Bjorn, "he will know, as will all our sons."
Isabella turned back to Hans putting her arms around him and whispered while smiling through her tears, "I want you Hans to be my last memory, you are my precious little boy."
Suddenly she began coughing very badly and her breathing became more laboured.
"Doctor! Doctor!" screamed Bjorn in tears.
The doctor rushed to the Queen's side but soon realised there was little he could do. Seeing this Bjorn embraced his wife while she embraced Hans.
"Don't go Isabella, please don't go?" he pleaded.
She patted his arm as her breathing became more difficult as the pneumonia over powered what was left of her life. A sharp desperate breath, then another. Hans watched with tears streaming from his eyes as his emotions overwhelmed him, it was both tears of sadness but also of happiness, as he now knew that his mother loved him.
Then from the image his mother said "Hans," and then a long slow breath out as her life passed away. The young Hans in the memory immediately started to cry almost as if the nine-month-old sensed the passing of his mother. Hans himself was on his knees with his head in his hands as he sobbed.
Emotion had also swept Elsa and Anna who couldn't help but become tearful at this saddest of sad memories for Hans, but at the same time an important message of the love his mother had for him despite his short life. It also reminded them of the loss of their parents which brought back painful memories.
"No, no, no, no," said King Bjorn in the memory, but then he straightened up, composed himself and calmly told the weeping palace staffer standing behind him, "send my sons in."
The staffer walked towards where Hans, Elsa and Anna were watching and opened what to them was an invisible door and one by one Hans's twelve older brothers entered the room, also weeping and visibly upset. There were cries of 'Momma and Mommy amongst the younger ones as they gathered around the bed to say goodbye to their mother as realisation of her death impacted upon them.
They noticed the young Hans lying next to their mother crying and all of a sudden, the expression on some of Hans's brothers went from sorrow to anger and hate and that anger and hate was directed at the nine-month-old Hans.
Hans looked up and saw this and it suddenly dawned on him.
"My God," he said, still holding back the emotion that was in his voice, "now I understand why they hated me, I understand why they thought I killed our mother. They were jealous and angry that I was the last one to be with her."
Hans stood up and turned to Elsa and Anna.
"I understand now and I don't need it anymore, I don't need my revenge." He smiled. "In many ways this is it, but it isn't really revenge, it is that I got to spend the last moments of my mother's life with her. She thought it was more important to share that precious short time she had with me. Thank you, Elsa, thank you Anna and thank you original Fifth Spirit."
Elsa and Anna smiled back, "well," started Elsa, "we didn't know this was here too and I am, or I should say we are happy that you now have this memory of your mother and that your obsession with revenge is over."
"It is," smiled a happy Hans, "I feel like such a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and out of my heart." Suddenly a thought crossed Hans's mind, "We better make our way back to Arendelle, my brother."
"Yes," said Anna, "I imagine Kristoff will be here soon, we can go back with him."
"I have the Queen Elsa," boasted Hans, "I can get you back quicker, sorry I didn't tell you about my prowess before, I was keeping it a secret."
"Yes," started Anna, "we will have to address you stealing the boat and the black powder later, plus Hans, now that you no longer want revenge, what will be your plans? Do you want to go back home?"
"No way," he said emphatically, "look, I can forgive my brothers, but I can't forget. To be honest, I am still hoping that I could try and live with the Northuldra."
"Okay Hans," said Elsa, not quite believing what she was about to say, "I'll talk to them and see if they will accept you."
"Thank you, Elsa," replied an enthusiastic Hans, "I will do my best to be a worthy addition to their society. Now if you will excuse me, I have a boat to get ready to sail"
"Okay," said Anna, "but don't leave until Kristoff gets here."
"I won't," he replied as he left the Hall of Memories.
Elsa turned to Anna with a relieved but worried look on her face, "I'm not sure how Yelena is going to react when I ask her about Hans, the Northuldra don't easily accept people from the outside to join them."
"Well," replied Anna sighing, "despite all this and even though I will invite him to stay in Arendelle if the Northuldra won't accept him, it will take some getting use to him being around and not thinking about what might go wrong."
"I know Anna," replied Elsa, "he didn't exactly show us his best side the last time he was in Arendelle."
"You can say that again," remarked Anna, "I suppose we should go outside and see if Kristoff is anywhere near getting here."
"It shouldn't take him long," replied Elsa, "I have instructed "Gale and Nokk to give him a clear, smooth and quick passage to here."
"Elsa, Anna," suddenly spoke Kirste.
"Yes," replied Elsa.
There's a memory that you have only know a part of, "said Kirste, "it's one your mother wants you to know in full."
"She does," said a wide-eyed Elsa.
"Please, please show us," pleaded Anna.
The scene of Hans's mother death disappeared and then reformed to a scene Elsa very much remembered in her room when she was eleven years old.
"I'm scared," said a distressed eleven-year-old Elsa, "it's getting stronger," she said holding out her hands.
"Getting upset only makes it worse," said their father trying to reassure her, "calm down."
"No! Don't touch me," said a frightened Elsa, "I don't want to hurt you."
"Oh my God," said Elsa to Anna, "I remember this."
They could both see the hurt look on their parent's faces and then Iduna promptly left the room clearly upset. The scene then faded and reformed to the Palace gardens with their mother sitting on what use to be her favourite bench under her favourite tree clearly sobbing over the exchange with young Elsa. Their father than came into the scene.
"Iduna?" he started reassuringly, "it will be alright, we will figure this out."
"Agnarr," replied their mother, "she is terrified of herself, it's what Pabbie warned us about regarding fear, how can she control her powers if she fears them so much?"
"We'll find a way to ease her fears," said Agnarr trying to calm his wife, "maybe I'll see Pabbie again for advice."
Iduna stood up and Agnarr took her in his arms and just said "I love you."
Suddenly Iduna opened up, "I need to tell you about my past and where I'm from."
"I'm listening," replied Agnarr lovingly putting his hand onto her face.
"You know how you said you wished you knew who saved you from the forest?" asked Iduna.
"Yes, I do," he replied.
"That, that was me." Iduna said tearfully smiling into his eyes.
"You?" said a surprised Agnarr, "how can that be?"
"Because," answered Iduna, "I am Northuldra, I was there on that terrible day."
Agnarr didn't let her go as his love for her was strong, "but I don't remember you."
"I was quite shy with you," started Iduna, "I saw this handsome young man and I wanted to talk to you, or try and get your attention. But every time I did you were preoccupied with something else with the Arendellian Officer who protected you."
"That would have been Lieutenant Mattias," replied Agnarr.
"Well finally Vindland," started Iduna.
"Vindland?" asked Agnarr, "whose Vindland?"
"She's the wind spirit," answered Iduna, "and just before the spirits turned on everyone, she caught your attention and you saw me being lifted into the air by her."
"That was you," said Agnarr remembering, "I remember a girl being lifted by the wind and laughing. I was a little envious and curious about that pretty girl I saw being lifted off the ground. It looked like so much fun and I wanted to join in, I can't believe that was you."
"It was and I knew that," giggled a little happier Iduna, "that's why I did it, but then all the spirits, including Vindland turned on everyone and I saw you get knocked out. Fortunately, because I was very close to Vindland, she helped me rescue you by getting both of us out of the forest and I hid in the wagon until it returned to Arendelle.
Once they took you back into the castle, I snuck away and was found by Nilsens who adopted me, but I made sure that I got to meet you, as you remember I was rather resourceful back then and well here we are."
"That's amazing," said a happy Agnarr, "and yes, I remember how you managed to keep sneaking into the palace grounds, though, I did tell the guards to let you sneak in after the first couple of times you got in. This just makes me love you more Iduna."
"I had to tell you that," continued Iduna, "because of Elsa."
"Why do you say that?" inquired Agnarr a little worried.
"Because, I'm not sure, but my mother was very much into the four spirits, I never really understood why, but it was her who first introduced me to Vindland, Brunei the fire spirit, the earth giants who were the earth spirits and the water spirit Nokk.
My mother also talked about this magical place called Ahtohallan, you know, the place I sing about to the girls with my lullaby. She said that all the memories of people are stored there and of this magical being called the Fifth Spirit that was a bridge between the magic of nature and people.
I remember my mother would disappear at times for a few days and my father would tell me that she had gone to Ahtohallan, but I never really believed that because I thought Ahtohallan was a children's story and that she was probably off on a hunting and food gathering party with our tribe.
"Do you still think this Ahtohallan place is a myth?" asked Agnarr.
"To be honest, I don't know," she answered, "but I also remember my mother telling me stories of Fifth Spirits with great power, similar to Elsa's and that sometimes that those powers led to great tragedy and now I'm scared that could be Elsa's fate."
"We won't let that happen," said a determined Agnarr, "I tell you what, let's research as much as we can on this place called Ahtohallan, if there's some truth to it, then we will go there."
"If it is true," responded Iduna, "then it might be the source of her powers and may hold the answer to how she can control them. I am beginning to wonder if we are taking the right strategy with Elsa and maybe we should let her develop her powers instead of repressing them."
"I occasionally think that too," responded Agnarr, "as I said, we will research this Ahtohallan, there must be some old books here about the Northuldra and their beliefs that can give us clues. If we find Ahtohallan and if it turns out to have the answers to Elsa's powers, then we will take its advice. But for the meantime, we will keep doing what we are doing."
"Agreed," replied Iduna who hugged her husband tightly, "thank you for letting me let this go and for understanding, but just one more thing."
"How can I be angry at the women who saved me," replied Agnarr, "what is the one more thing?"
"Anna," said Iduna, "as I understand it, Pabbie cannot restore her memories, once we know more about Elsa and even if we don't, we should tell her, I have no doubt she will be able to handle it."
"You're right there," agreed Agnarr, "she is special, and yes, I agree completely."
The two embraced each tightly as the image faded away, Elsa and Anna were also embraced, both shedding a few tears of happiness having seen this important moment in their parents and their lives.
"Thank you Kirste," said Elsa to the image which then morphed back into their mothers, "I mean mother."
"Thank you too," said Anna smiling, "but, Vindland?"
"Oh yes" replied their mother's image, "the wind spirit's name was Vindland, but tell Olaf she is much happier with Gale."
The two girls giggled and almost simultaneously said "we will."
"Now," said their mother's image, "I believe your ship is arriving, I will see you again."
With that the image faded and the memories evaporated away. Anna Elsa began to leave the room so happy that they had another chapter of their lives explained and fulfilled that highlighted the love their parents had for each other. They were also happy that Hans had resolved his issues though they still had to deal with his brother the king who was due in Arendelle in a few days.
They made their way to the outside to a bright blue late afternoon sky as they saw Kristoff's ship approaching. Hans was already on board the Queen Elsa waiting to leave.
"Anna," said Elsa, "I'm going to return the forest to ask Yelena about Hans and then come straight to Arendelle with the answer, hopefully I will get there before King Klaus does, in fact to make sure, I'll get Gale and the Nokk to slow them down a little so you have more time to prepare. I imagine, especially if Yelena agrees, they won't like Hans's answer."
"No," responded Anna, "I doubt they will, plus that little stunt they pulled is going to delay that trade agreement for a little while longer."
They had reached the shore and Elsa called the Nokk who magically appeared allowing Elsa to mount him.
"See you soon Sis," she said
"Looking forward to it big sister," replied Anna
Elsa, then swung the Nokk around and headed for the Enchanted Forest and Anna's attention was grabbed by Hans who simply exclaimed 'Wow!'